Expand Lindquist Living Labs to Give
Students Career-Oriented Experiences

Community engagement is one of Weber State University’s most cherished values and is at the core of who we are and what we do as an institution. This is especially true within the Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities, which serves as our region’s artistic and cultural hub.

By their nature, the arts are hands-on and community-facing, yet we often ask audiences to come to us rather than seeking opportunities to share our work within the community. We plan to widen our reach by expanding “living labs” in the arts and humanities, which offer students professionalizing opportunities and facilitate projects and partnerships with local schools, businesses, and community organizations.

The Lindquist College houses several programs that interact with the community, providing opportunities for students to apply their learning in real-world situations. While Arts in the Parks is best known to the public, the Matthew S. Browning Design Lab, Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Collaborative, Wasatch Writer’s Center, and Sound Production and Recording program are all living labs, providing extracurricular educational experiences on and off campus. The Studio 76 video production studio, The Signpost student newspaper, and artistic performances and exhibitions allow students to develop professional skills and interact with the public.

Our Vision

The Lindquist College plans to expand the current living labs to serve more students and create additional community and industry partnerships. Our aim is to add living labs in all eight academic areas (English, communication, world languages, music, dance, theatre, visual art, and film studies).

By expanding these programs and establishing new living labs, we will give students the opportunity to prepare for careers through immersive extracurricular experiences that connect them directly with industry professionals. These experiences will allow them to develop practical skills, build meaningful networks, and receive mentorship in their fields.

Creating a new living lab requires a multi-year $5,000 annual gift with a minimum commitment of three years or a $35,000 endowment agreement that can be pledged over up to five years. Gifts of any amount can support the existing programs.

How Your Gifts Make a Difference for Students

  • Support the Arts Learning Collaborative Internship: $50,000 annual gift would support a staff person to oversee the BTS internship program.
  • Fund a theatrical performance: $25,000 annual gift would fund a live orchestra for musicals and contribute to costs for costume and set design for all performances.
  • Provide networking opportunities: $30,000 annual gift would send 10 students to Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest festivals and conferences.
  • Support artists: $10,000 annual gift would help BFA students purchase the art supplies needed to create their senior thesis projects.
  • Expand the Student Experience Fund: A gift provides financial assistance for students to participate in our high-impact programs or design their unique experience. This fund is pivotal in improving access to the many opportunities the college offers.

Wildcat Spotlight

Porter Lance

Porter Lance is pursuing a master’s degree in theatre design at the University of Washington after graduating from WSU in 2024. He credits the hands-on and real-world educational experiences he had at Weber State for helping him reach this next step:

“Professor Jess Greenberg developed a program that took students to New York City to work on a professionally produced play every other year. I was able to attend twice, once as an assistant and once as a full-fledged designer. I cannot overstate how unique and valuable this program is. I grew as an artist, designer, and theatre professional, made great industry connections, and gained so much confidence on both trips. It was a defining moment in my education.”

Support Lindquist Living Labs by making a gift today.

To learn more about Lindquist Living Labs, contact a Weber State University development director.