In Andrews Hall, Professor Scot Douglass has a passion for helping students with big ideas do great things.
The Grand Orrery
One of the most notable accomplishments of one of our in-house design teams, is the Andrews Hall Grand Orrery.
Fourteen students put their heads together to plan, design, budget, build, and install a mechanical model of the solar system in the Andrews Hall Common Room.

You can read about the design process on the website of Eitan Cher, the design team’s organizer (who went on to earn his masters at Northwestern’s Segal Design Institute).

The Idea Forge Furnishings
EHP students aided in the design conversations regarding the building of the Idea Forge.
After it was completed, students spent a summer designing and building the furniture for its commons area.
They dreamed up mobile glass writing boards, work tables with storage compartments underneath, and work desks with a “steampunk” flare.

Some of the work desks have handmade artistic designs underneath the glass. Here, Catherine Youngblood is hand-sewing the art.
Andrews Hall Improvements
Students have organically teamed up over the course of Andrews Hall History to improve their environment.
Handmade Coffee Bar

Given the 24/7 demand for delicious teas and coffees, students felt an upstairs coffee bar in the crossover lounge would be an asset- and indeed it has been! An EHP student designed and fabricated this gorgeous handmade coffee bar and she made it right in our very own Makerspace!
The Andrews Hall Dragon

Paige Johnson (’14) loved to create sculptures out of CDs… and she gifted Andrews with its very own dragon, now on display in the Common Room.
Common Room Mural

The mural of an Albert Einstein quote in the Common Room was painted by an EHP student.
Technology Lab
David Rappaport (’14) designed and built custom computers for the Andrews technology lab and special ordered custom desks that fit the space perfectly. He also set up the network.
Study Bar

Students can study on the smooth surface of this study bar that overlooks the Common Room, thanks to a group of students who, back in 2011, built the entire thing without the use of nails! The pieces interlock.
Grandfather Clock Rescue & Repair

In 2013, when Aimee (the Program Assistant back then), found an old, broken grandfather clock at a thrift store one day that was priced low due to it being completely broken, she knew it would find a good home in Andrews and people willing to figure out the complex task of repairing an antique clock. She was not disappointed as she watched a team of students organize themselves and get to work on this very difficult task. Now there’s a beautiful, fully-functional grandfather clock gracing the Common Room with its chimes.