Educational Furniture and Equipment

What inspired you to do your job today?

As I walk around on the many campuses that we provide educational furniture solutions to, I often think about the criteria that was important to me as I was selecting the college I was going to attend and wonder if they would be the same things today.

My top criteria then:

1- Whether or not my field of study was offered

2- The geographic location (it definitely needed to be by the beach!)

3- The overall look of the campus (lots of trees, etc.)

4- The reputation of the college

5- Whether or not a Graduate Program existed

My top criteria today:

1- Whether or not the Department (for my field of study) was nationally ranked

2- The reputation of the college

3- The college's adoption to technology (from the use of interactive whiteboards in classrooms to the availability of online courses)

4- The overall look of the classrooms (have they been updated?)

5- The amenities at the library (again with its use of technology and teaming areas)

This new list made me think about how my views and needs have changed. Which leads me back to my opening question: What inspired you to do your job today?

The answer is clear for me. My clients' spaces inspire me.

Realizing that if I was one of the many students about to enter college today, I would not want it to look like it did ten, twenty or even fifty years ago. And the fact that many of the colleges still look the same as when I was there (which wasn't that long ago) inspires me to want to change them. I see these spaces as a blank canvas - an opportunity to create new, more modern spaces outfitted with educational furniture and equipment that will support and enhance how the students learn today and in the future - that is my inspiration. I would love to hear what inspires you - feel free to post a comment below!

Comments for Inspiration at Work

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 by Scott Spenceley:: GREAT blog!!! Love it...VERY well-written. SUPAH!!! Thanks for sharing....Scott ... :0)
Thursday, April 8, 2010 by Geoff Spencer:: I couldn't agree more. I attended a university with rich history and beautiful architecture. After recently going back for a visit I was pleased to see much of the outside was the same but the classrooms had been dramatically upgraded. It seems the entire campus is wireless and all the lecture halls are technologically equipped and furniture updated. You and your company not only inspire by outfitting college campuses but also the workplace. Students and professionals want to be in an atmosphere where they are both comfortable and "in the now." You turn the blank canvas into art.
Thursday, April 8, 2010 by Michael Smith:: Christine, you, Tangram and Steelcase gave me inspiration to work with all of you to incorporate a Learning Lab in our new School of Business and Economics, Mihaylo Hall.This installation went smooth and your training helped our faculty to also become inspired by the design and new technology to teach in a enviorment made for better student learning and interaction between themselves and the faculty of California State University, Fullerton.The new Learning Lab is so successful that it is in high demand by faculty and students for a wide range of classes. As such, the University would like to create more Learning Labs in other campus building.I give credit and thanks to Christine and her team who made this possible. Mike
Monday, April 12, 2010 by Michelle Slater:: I am so grateful to have assisted in bringing the Learning Lab (collaborative classroom) to CSUF and present the concept to CSU campuses systemwide at our last Facilities Management Conference. One of the many things I learned during that process is that Tangram and Steelcase really do "Walk the Talk" and strive to meet the need of our students and professors. Working with you and Steelcase inspire me to do more to upgrade our outdated classrooms so our students can truly excel. Thank you!
Friday, April 16, 2010 by Andrew Naranjo:: This blog itself is a great source for inspiration! Thanks Christine for creating it! The many challenges we face today with students, education and providing them great learning environments with limited or insufficient budgets allows us to generate unprecedented ideas. For us these challenges are welcome in every sense of the way. The students are our source of understanding the challenges they face in the classroom, and each of the learning environments that they are exposed to. We learn everyday from the students, their interaction with fellow collegues, their activities and particularly understanding what conduces them to learn. This allows to better provide them with the tools and environments necessary to achieve their learning goals. Thanks to Christine, theTangram team and Steelcase which have been instrumental to us in facilitating the sources to create or simulate learning environments in the University Library that have serve as a learning experience for not only us but as well for the students who make use of them. It is because of this that the University Library Addition and Renovation has had much success that the spaces are constantly filled to capacity and the students cannot get enough of using the spaces in the University Library. Thanks! Andrew