Community members, faculty, and students gathered outside on Sept. 10 to celebrate the grand opening of the new Innovations Hall at Indiana University Kokomo with a ribbon cutting.

Attendees were given the opportunity to look around and explore the new addition which included computer labs, study rooms, the esports arena, and more.

Chancellor Mark Canada said that IU Kokomo is a rising destination campus. He spoke on the opportunities that can come from the opening of Innovations Hall.

“Experiential learning is at the heart of what we do and we are very proud of that and this space is really going to lean into that,” Canada said. “This is a space where we get to give students the opportunities to do the hands-on learning that we are so good at.” 

Mayor Tyler Moore was given the opportunity to play head-to-head with Cody Kretz, an IUK esport athlete, in Super Smash Bros. Moore was able to experience and understand what an esports practice might look like.

“Playing with the mayor was awesome,” Kretz said. “He was a very good sport. I beat him every single time, but you could definitely tell everyone was having a good time.”

With the opening of the new space it gave the esports team a place to call their own.

“We won’t have to work around the volleyball or basketball team’s schedule,” Kretz said. “Sometimes we couldn’t use our temporary room last year because of certain events they were holding in the gym.”

In addition to esports, the hall gave a new space for the multicultural center, the KEY Center for Innovation, and a business analytics lab.

“I think [the hall] could benefit students by bringing them together, whether that be for club activities or even just studying,” Kretz said. “The hall can be used in many different ways.”

If you have the chance, visit the hall for yourself and experience everything this addition has to offer.