Ohio State officially opened the Student Entrepreneurs’ Center in March 2024.  

Seeking to foster innovation, collaboration, and creativity for student startups, the Center engaged Associate Professor Rebekah Matheny and her team of undergrad research assistants to conduct primary research and develop evidence-based design strategies. This cross-disciplinary project utilized co-design methods, engaging the student founder ecosystem, to imagine their new learning experience. Collaborating with the Architect of Record, Rebekah served as the interior designer, implementing the strategies and working with manufacturers to specify furniture, finishes, lighting, and acoustical materials which brought the research to life. One of those manufacturers is Mohawk Group, a global carpet manufacturer that has had a long-standing working relationship with Rebekah and her DESIGN 3502: Materials, Process, and Production for Interior Design course.  

The project has recently been featured as a case study on Mohawk's website and the 2024 Lookbook and featured in Interior Design Magazine and Metropolis Magazine.