The Institute is a center of academic excellence, innovation and engagement, creating partnerships with area businesses, public school districts, and universities. Several existing buildings populate the site for this new STEM classroom building. The Institute includes a designated makerspace, with focused areas for multiple divisions of the arts; spaces include classrooms and equipment for ceramics, jewelry making, painting and sandblasting, sculpture, metal working, wood working, a kiln, and a collaborative assembly space for large art lectures or group instruction. The Institute also includes a conference center, collaboratorium, learning commons, media commons (a one stop shop for audio and digital media), specialty science labs, instructional areas, and administrative suites.