Jenny Baker awarded 2026 Learning Communities Outstanding Innovations award
Author: Cyclone Engineering
Faculty Member: Jenny Baker
Title: 2026 Learning Communities Outstanding Innovations award
Category: Recognition Award
Description: This award honors members of the Iowa State community who have made new and creative contributions to learning communities. The primary criterion for the award is innovation.
“Our Construction Engineering Learning Community (LC) has long included a hands on “build project,” but I sought to transform this experience into something that more intentionally developed students’ tool safety skills, introduced early construction engineering concepts, and met a genuine community need. To achieve this, I partnered with the Student Innovation Center Woods and Metals Shop to design a project that was both educational and service oriented: building doghouses for the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL).
All ConE LC students now complete formal safety training through the woods shop. Supported by ConE Peer Mentors, students work in the shop to construct doghouses using real tools, reading plans, taking measurements, and collaborating as a small build team. They also engage in early construction cost estimating by reviewing the plans, researching material costs, and calculating the total cost of their project. This provides a meaningful introduction to framing, roofing, materials, budgeting, and teamwork — core elements of their future profession.
To deepen the community connection, our students toured the ARL this semester, where they learned firsthand how their doghouses provide shelter and safety for animals with no protection from the elements. Hearing the impact of their work directly from ARL staff helped students understand how construction engineering skills can serve and strengthen communities.
In addition to the build project, our LC integrates industry engagement in innovative ways. Small groups of students are assigned an Industry Mentor each semester. In the fall they go on a jobsite tour with their mentor. In the spring their mentors are spread out across they country, so they have multiple assigned virtual meetings. Both students and industry partners have noted the benefits.”
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