Jim and Bobbie Ukrop Innovation & Design Studio

MILLER HALL 2052

 

Overview

The Jim and Bobbie Ukrop Innovation & Design Studio – or I.D. Studio – is a space in which a wide variety of students, young and young-at-heart, can come together to learn and practice a new set of skills and a different mindset. We are especially focused on skills that enable and promote innovation through collaboration, and the mindset we aspire to is best described as a growth-mindset, focused on learning how to identify and solve big problems, and pursue great opportunities.

The I.D. Studio is also an education laboratory; a place to experiment with new ways of learning and teaching. We recognize the need for innovation in higher education at all levels – from undergraduate to executive training – and we welcome the challenge of learning how to be even more relevant, connected, and results-oriented in all that we do.

Watch the 2 minute video below to get a sense of what we do, and how we learn, in the I.D. Studio.

ID Studio Benefactors

The I.D. Studio was made possible by Jim and Bobbie Ukrop.  Jim is a respected entrepreneur and business leader, an active William & Mary alumnus (Class of 1960), and a valued civic leader. He has served as CEO and Chairman of Ukrop’s Supermarkets and Chairman of First Market Bank, both of which were sold in 2010. Over the years, he has led many business, arts and public school initiatives.  Jim is currently a partner at the venture capital firm, New Richmond Ventures.  His wife, Barbara “Bobbie” Berkeley Ukrop, a member of the Class of 1961, served on the William & Mary Board of Visitors for two terms, from 2002 until 2009.

 

The Ukrops have generously supported a number of departments and areas of campus, including both men’s and women’s athletics, the arts, Swem Library, the William & Mary Alumni Association, the Mason School of Business and the School of Education. They have also embraced countless leadership opportunities at the College.
We are very thankful to both Jim and Bobbie.  Beyond the resources they have provided, their ideas and encouragement have been instrumental in enabling what the I.D. Studio is today, and inspiring the momentum behind our exploration of what is possible tomorrow.

For Professionals

From a half-day Design Thinking introductory workshop, to a coordinated sequence of “deep dives” spread over several months, there are a wide variety of ways for professionals in virtually any field to benefit from the knowledge – and experience – gained in I.D. Studio.

 

We often work with the Center for Corporate Education to develop custom programs that integrate studio-based experiences with the wide variety of executive-level courses and content available from the Mason School of Business.

 

Past clients have included:

 

$13B producer of agricultural foods products with dozens of major brands distributed worldwide

Mid-size software company in the education industry

Fortune 500 manufacturing company in the defense industry

A research and innovation lab focused on international development

Or, if you are interested in one of our “open enrollment” sessions (pre-defined workshops, open to single or multiple participants from any organization), please get in touch so we can send you information about our next scheduled session.
We believe that innovation is relevant in virtually any field, from healthcare to finance and non-profit.  It doesn’t matter whether your organization is small or large – early in its exploration of techniques for innovation, or experienced but open to new ideas.  Please get in touch with us and let us know how we can help you develop the skills and mindset needed to make your own mission successful.