UIS to create Innovation Center in downtown Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The University of Illinois Springfield will soon have a new space to let students work on their skills in the community.

UIS announced the purchase of a building at 401 E. Washington St. on Tuesday. The building, which currently houses the Illinois Sheriffs' Association, will serve as part of the Illinois Innovation Network.

The new Innovation Center will include several different facilities for student, faculty, and community use. The building will have several labs for entrepreneurs to test their prototypes, workforce education initiatives, collaborative spaces for philanthropies and social service agencies to research policy, and resources for small businesses and startups.

"We will be working with startup companies and local small businesses to help provide the ability to develop a budget, a marketing plan, a whole business plan, that can help those small businesses thrive," said UIS Chancellor Janet Gooch. "We help do market analysis, a feasibility study all of those resources that can really give a small entrepreneur or business owner a leg up in thinking about developing a small business. Right now they're working with 81 member companies that have launched a business here or in the local community."

Gooch says centralizing the building allows the University to have a bigger impact on Downtown Springfield. She says its the responsibility of the school to partner with the community and make it better.

"We have a responsibility to make sure that the state of Illinois is a place where people want to live and start families and contribute to the workforce," said Gooch.

The building will allow the school to expand its internship and fellowship programs in several fields so students can experience hands-on learning. Gooch says this will make students more successful after graduation.

"I think that that most people learn by doing and having those real world opportunities for students to work collaboratively, to solve problems, to use their knowledge, and skills in a real life setting really just solidifies the learning and the experiences that they have," said Gooch.

The building will be a part of the Illinois Innovation Network, a system of hubs that bring universities and their communities together to drive innovation, economic growth, and workforce development.

The building is scheduled to open in 2025 with renovations starting in 2024.