What began as a search for a master’s in making became the blueprint for launching a community makerspace.
What began as a search for a master’s in making became the blueprint for launching a community makerspace.
Gerjuan O'Neal
- Makerspace Founder
- STEAM Studio3
- Houston, TX
Looking Beyond the Classroom
Gerjuan O’Neal has spent her career learning new skills and finding ways to share them with others. She began as a technology teacher before becoming an education technology coach for both students and colleagues.
As she and her colleagues began imagining a makerspace at their elementary school, Gerjuan found herself asking a bigger question: How do you build meaningful makercentered learning experiences that last?
“I was doing all this research about maker learning and makerspaces,” she says, “and I wondered, ‘Could I get a master’s in makerspaces?’”
Learning Through Making and Community
Gerjuan entered the program eager to deepen her understanding of maker-centered learning and connect with educators doing similar work in different settings.
“It wasn’t like an online class,” she says. “Every monthly meeting, we made something. We had chances to collaborate, ask questions, and see what others were doing.”
Hearing stories from educators in schools, museums, and community spaces also expanded Gerjuan’s sense of what was possible. The experience helped her begin thinking beyond a single classroom or school and toward a broader vision for community learning.
“It led me to where I am now with my business,” she says. “‘Oh, I can do this.’”
Gerjuan O'Neal
- Makerspace Founder
- STEAM Studio3
- Houston, TX
Helping Other Teachers Get Started
For her practicum project, Gerjuan focused on helping other teachers feel more confident using maker-centered learning in their own classrooms.
Using her classroom as a demonstration space, Gerjuan created activities that teachers could adapt, moving maker-centered learning from a separate, specialized subject to an embedded part of the school’s culture.
The message she wanted colleagues to hear was simple: “You can do this too.”
Building Something Bigger
Today, Gerjuan is the founder of STEAM Studio3, a community makerspace in Houston designed for learners of all ages.
“I wanted to create a makerspace with an afterschool program and summer camp,” she says.
Now operating at the intersection of educator and entrepreneur, Gerjuan continues to build opportunities for people to learn through making, both inside and outside the classroom.
