$5M Gift Triples Ohio School's Innovation Center

Western Reserve Academy is celebrating its 200th birthday with a gift that will transform how hundreds of students learn to create, build, and innovate.

The private boarding school in Hudson, Ohio received $5 million from the CJ Wang Foundation to expand its makerspace from 6,000 to 22,000 square feet. The donation covers nearly half of the $11.5 million project breaking ground this June.

The current Wang Innovation Center already serves 400 of the school's 430 students across 14 classes including AI and advanced robotics. But what happens inside goes far beyond traditional classroom learning.

Students have completely redesigned a golf cart by hand, built an entire Shelby Cobra car, and created merchandise for 150 local businesses. At the Hudson Farmer's Market, shoppers can buy student-made hats, water bottles, and coasters alongside fresh produce.

Senior David McFarland, 19, showed off a bucket hat with the school logo he manufactured himself. The process taught him real pricing decisions, weighing material costs against manufacturing expenses before heading to study engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, students pivoted their skills to produce masks and supplies for area medical centers. It's this blend of hands-on learning and community service that Chief Innovation Officer Matt Gerber says defines the program.

The expansion will add a Center for Food Innovation, Sustainability and Service, combining food science with agriculture, economics, and nutrition. The space will feature both a kitchen and food science lab, with plans for a student-run snack shop selling lab creations.

New dedicated areas for AI research, multimedia production for videos and podcasts, and separate metal and woodworking shops will give students even more tools to experiment. The building will also include relaxation space, particularly for day students who commute.

The Ripple Effect

The CJ Wang Foundation's gift does more than expand one school's facilities. Founder CJ Xuning Wang, inventor and chairman of SharkNinja, originally established the makerspace in 2017 after his two sons attended Western Reserve Academy.

Now trustee Barney Wang hopes the investment will inspire other schools and philanthropists to think bigger about innovation in education. When students learn to build real products, serve real customers, and solve real problems, they're preparing for a future where creativity and technical skills intersect.

The school has raised $9.5 million so far toward the total cost and expects to complete the expansion for the 2027-28 school year. As Gerber puts it: "When we say kids could build anything, we mean it."

This makerspace proves that when you give students the tools, space, and permission to create, they'll build solutions the world actually needs.