We will innovate

Grand opening of the Lee and Rosemary Fisher Innovation College@Elm

By Miami University

February 23^rd, 2023

We Will Innovate

The Lee and Rosemary Fisher Innovation College@Elm launches as a hub of creativity, entrepreneurship, and design at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday evening, Feb. 16, 2023.

A construction worker saws lumber outside of the building during renovation work.

Located at 20 S. Elm St., west of the Oxford Community Arts Center (Oxford College), the 25,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1933 as Miami’s food service operation. It sat empty for 19 years until the city and the university started working together to reimagine it.

While the 90-year-old brick building had a strong foundation, it needed a lot of work and funding. Still, people could see its promise.

“When you look at incubators around the country that are driving innovation, they have this warehouse effect with open spaces for collaboration to inspire creativity and ingenuity, and that was all there,” Miami President Gregory Crawford said.

A lounge area with colorful seating adjacent to a glass-walled meeting room.

Above, Randi Thomas ’88 MA ’90, vice president for ASPIRE, an office at Miami that cultivates partnerships with corporate, community, and government entities, addresses the guests at the ceremony before toasting the launch with Lee ’68 and Rosemary Holoviak Fisher ’69, who provided the generous naming gift.

Thomas, who is leading the Fisher Innovation College@Elm efforts, says the technology, entrepreneurship, and workforce development hub is transforming a three-block area in Oxford’s business district into a high-tech innovation and creativity corridor.

President Crawford welcomes members of the Miami and Oxford community as well as regional and state officials to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“We went out to a lot of potential partners to share our vision of what Elm Street could be to see if they would share in our passion to develop something special and distinctive in Oxford,” he says. Clearly, they did.

Miami’s leaders envision the center serving as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship in southwest Ohio. The launch celebration spotlighted three Miamians whose ideas are bringing that vision to life.

Top row, left: Cameron Hay-Rollins, professor and chair of the department of Anthropology and director of the Global Health Research Innovation Center (GHRIC), announces a forthcoming app, Rsilience, that is the result of a faculty, student, and community member collaboration with funding from Ohio Department of Higher Education. The nonprofit app identifies recovery house options that fit the individual needs of people in recovery from substance use disorders.

Top row, right: VaLanDria Smith-Lash, a senior majoring in Speech Pathology and Audiology, brought her skincare product business Coarse Culture, to Fisher Innovation College@Elm. “It's a wonderful opportunity for student entrepreneurs to develop their ideas and receive support,” Smith-Lash says. “I anticipate that small businesses in the space will provide more jobs and help mentor budding businesses within the community.”

Above: Mason Hardman, a senior majoring in Supply Chain and Operations Management, discusses the current state of today’s supply chain in terms of carbon emissions and possible ways to aid companies in a transition to sustainable transportation technologies.

Above, President Crawford thanks the major funders and supporters of the Fisher Innovation College@Elm, which will offer an entrepreneurial training center in partnership with Miami University and the Butler County Small Business Development Center.

Early tenants include the Fischer Group, 1809 Capital, the city of Oxford, and Miami. To date, $17.55 million has been invested by the state of Ohio, JobsOhio, Butler County, the city of Oxford, and private donors.

Above left: Randi Thomas brings Rosemary and Lee Fisher up on stage to thank them for their significant financial commitment. The Richard ’70 and Emily Smucker ’70 Family Foundation and Christine B. Taylor ’98, president and CEO of Enterprise Holdings, also have given major commitments.

Preparing for the ribbon cutting: Rosemary Fisher, Lee Fisher, and President Crawford in the center are flanked by the group of Miamians and community members who spoke at the event. They all pose holding a long red ribbon and scissors.

Learn more about Fisher Innovation College@Elm in the Miami News story The Lee and Rosemary Fisher Innovation College@Elm celebrates grand opening.

During self-guided tours before and after the ceremony, attendees visit various demonstrations around the building. Top photo and above left show drones operated by students from the College of Engineering and Computing. Above right, Hannah Hoblitzell from the Talawanda High School robotics club with their robotic vehicle.

Jessica Greene ’00, Oxford’s assistant city manager, said city officials are excited about the grand opening and the emerging Innovation and Creativity Corridor.

“If the city and university can continue to leverage each other’s strengths with the College@Elm, we hope to witness the spark of innovation, job growth, and increased quality of life in our community.”