4/17/26
Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) invites the public to celebrate its tenth anniversary at the P&HCC Thomas P. Dalton IDEA Center during an open house on Saturday, May 2 from 10:00am-2:00pm. Located in Uptown Martinsville, the facility was purchased through a generous donation from the Thomas P. Dalton family.
The Innovate. Design. Engineer. Accelerate. (IDEA) Center, is a hub for community innovation. From hobbyists’ projects to entrepreneurial innovation, at the IDEA Center everyone can discover, design and bring their ideas to life.
The IDEA Center houses the Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab), which houses equipment including various 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, vinyl cutters and printers, and woodworking equipment. The Fab Lab is a technical prototyping platform for innovation and invention, providing stimulus for local entrepreneurship and is available for the community, students, and businesses.
The IDEA Center is home to Startup and Grow entrepreneurial boot camp programs, a collaboration between MHC Chamber of Commerce and P&HCC. The IDEA Center also houses Longwood Small Business Development as well as the RISE Collaborative.
During the open house, come experience what the IDEA Center offers. Check out member and instructor demos of the Fab Lab machines, meet past participants of MHC’s Startup and Grow programs, learn about classes and programs offered, and experience hands-on fun! Activities will include: Fun with the 3D Doodler Pens, making a personalized keychain, fun with laser cut shapes, and more. All activities are free and open to the public on open house day.
For more information, call 276-656-5461 or email areed@patrickhenry.edu.
To learn more about classes being offered at the IDEA Center this fall, visit https://www.patrickhenry.edu/programs-courses/workforce-development/
In the photo: Students have experienced a variety of engaging activities at the IDEA Center, including laser printing.