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| FEATURE |
MAKING THAT MATTERS:
UA’S TIKKUN OLAM MAKERS CHAPTER
CHANGES LIVES THROUGH IMPACTFUL
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
by ANNA CLAIRE TOXEY
hen Jesse Park walked through the doors
of H.M. Comer Hall as a freshman two
years ago, it didn’t take long at all for him
to 昀椀nd his niche. As he peered through
the glass walls of The Cube, the College’s state-of-theart makerspace, he couldn’t help but feel inspired as he
looked at the tables 昀椀lled with a myriad of 3D printers,
laser cutters and prototyping equipment. With a knack
for solving problems, an entrepreneurial spirit and a
passion for serving others, Park sought opportunities that
would allow him to translate his mechanical engineering
coursework into something meaningful.
At the suggestion of Dean Clifford Henderson, he
enrolled in the College’s Engineering Entrepreneurship
Program, a three-course sequence that immerses students
in the basics of ideation, prototyping and navigating new
business ventures. Park thrived in the innovation-driven
program, completing the certi昀椀cate program in only a few
semesters. He also developed an even stronger desire to
昀椀nd an outlet in which he could apply his engineering skill
set to projects that would create impactful solutions for
those who need them most.
Park found all that he was looking for in Tikkun
Olam Makers, “a global movement of communities
creating and disseminating affordable solutions to
neglected challenges of people living with disabilities,
the elderly and vulnerable populations,” according to the
organization. Upon signing up for the TOM Fellowship,
Park received guidance and resources such as seed money
that proved to be integral in helping him reestablish the
TOM chapter on The University of Alabama’s campus as
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a place where ingenuity and thinking outside the box are
not only accepted––but strongly encouraged.
With the support of Dr. Keivan Davami, the group’s
faculty advisor, Park assumed the role of president
and successfully restored the chapter, increasing its
membership and community outreach efforts in
record time.
“It was de昀椀nitely a lot of work, but I saw it as an
opportunity for growth,” Park said. “I treated the
experience like running a startup. Membership was not
always consistent, but there were key members who
believed in my vision and got to see the fruits of their labor.”
The group of students quickly found their rhythm,
identifying common challenges faced by those with
disabilities, often referred to as “need-knowers,” and
developing novel solutions to meet their needs.
“There were certainly a lot of failures, but we learned
quickly and kept revising,” Park said. “Ultimately, the
priority was always putting our need-knowers 昀椀rst, and
that’s why I believe we have seen so much success.”
The Cube has played a key role in the organization’s
success. The makerspace boasts a plethora of 3D printers
and knowledgeable faculty and staff who partnered with
TOM to transform their ideas and sketches into reality.
The Cube’s devices, such as the Blackbelt 3D printer,
have allowed for rapid prototyping, propelling the group’s
work and encouraging the students to tackle projects for
multiple need-knowers in a short amount of time.
Over the past year, members of TOM have worked on
eight groundbreaking projects, with a few of them reaching
the development phase with fully functioning prototypes.
