Beyond the classroom: Transform campus spaces through cross-industry innovation

This session examines the intersection of corporate workplace strategies with high-impact higher ed campus environments. Grace Johnson and John Roberson demonstrate a cross-industry innovation framework that applies employee engagement principles to student and faculty experiences to foster collaboration, inspire connection, and adapt to shifting campus needs. Through real examples, they illustrate how strategic technology integration enables seamless transitions between uses — classrooms become event venues, collaboration zones transform into storytelling showcases. They deliver techniques for designing environments that feel personalized to each user group while maintaining multi-functionality. They highlight how leading institutions are elevating existing space value through purposeful design choices that foster engagement and narrative connection, aligning campus facilities with institutional goals for flexibility and experience.