$425,000 Wightman renovation to be completed soon


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Wightman Hall undergoes construction on the second floor on Sept 8, 2015. 

After almost two years of planning, construction began on a Visual Merchandising Lab in Wightman Hall during the summer.

Construction for the lab was budgeted at $425,000, which included renovations and the addition of technology and furnishings. The space is not finished yet, but is expected to be completed within the next few weeks, said Megan Goodwin Chairwoman of The Department of Human Environmental Studies.

"We currently have two classes scheduled in the Visual Merchandising Lab, but that will likely increase as faculty have a chance to work in the space, review course work and develop new courses to make use of the capabilities of the space," Goodwin said.

Michael Mamp, professor in the Fashion Merchandising and Design program, played a crucial role in renovation. 

“We certainly made an important investment,” Mamp said.

“It began with a conversation with the dean of our college as I was thinking about coming to the university,” Mamp said. “I’m actually a CMU alumni. I thought if I ever came here as professor, I felt there would really be an opportunity for us to be a leader in merchandising, to update our facility, and to offer students the opportunity to put the theory of merchandising into practice. The dean and I were talking about it throughout my hiring process and as soon as I got here, we started planning.”

Mamp said overall there has been positive feedback from students.

“It will really benefit every single student in our program,” said Portage junior Zachary Stoner.

Grand Rapids junior Shardae Jefferson said the lab would offer a perspective of what her future job might be like.

“It gives more of a feel of what it would be like to work as an employee in visual merchandising as opposed to feeling like a student," she said.

Efforts behind the renovation started in December of 2013.

“The students are extremely excited about the lab,” said Mamp. “I’ve taught in there a couple times so far this semester and I think these are the types of spaces that rethink the way we teach.”

Mamp said beginning visual merchandising courses will be among the first classes to use the lab.

"To start, we'll be teaching our beginning visual merchandising course, which is FMD 356," Mamp said. "I also utilize the space to meet with my students who are in my 3D printing and fashion course, which is another exciting development to happen in our program."

The Makerbot lab that will be completed this year will be utilized by students in the 3D printing and fashion course. That lab is separate from the Visual Merchandising Lab.

An apparel presentation technology course will also be taught in the lab, Mamp said. The space will be used to place products as if they are in a store, where they will also be photographed before being put into a merchandising directive document, he said.

Detroit senior Ashley Robinson said she thought the new lab would make poepl aware of how fashion is important in today's society.

“I’ve taken a peek in there and it looks pretty cool,” Robinson said. “I think the lab has made Wightman feel more like a home for the fashion students; more comfortable and at ease.”

She said the investment was valuable in creating more opportunities for students.

“As long as the money is being used for something students will gain experience and knowledge from, I think it’s worthwhile. I think seeing the lab could influence a student’s decision to study fashion at CMU. They go into the lab, become obsessed with it, and they want to learn more about the culture of fashion.”

Mamp said the lab would help people understand what it means to study fashion merchandising.

“Students and their parents come to visit and maybe they’re interested in pursuing merchandising,” Mamp said. “Parents ask, ‘Well, what does fashion merchandising mean?’ This lab is an opportunity to show a physical example of what it is that they could expect for their son or daughter to be doing in the classroom.”

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