Principia’s Marshall Brooks Library—long a stalwart symbol of academic excellence and dedication on campus—has welcomed a new space within its walls, one of innovation and community engagement. Late last month, students, faculty, alumni, and the community gathered on the College campus to celebrate and christen the brand-new Florence Aptaker Idea Lab. The lab, which began as a passion project between business professor Lucia De Paz (US’96, C’00) and library staff, has evolved, with donor support, into a space for creativity and collaboration.  

“We didn't want to duplicate anything that was already on campus,” says Library Director Edith (Pfeifer) List (US’88, C’93). “We wanted to support student learning through creation and prototyping. Other spaces on campus have this kind of capability, but none are completely open to the community or program independent.” 

This vibrant space was made possible by the generosity of the family of Florence Aptaker. Aptaker, a supporter of Principia, shared an unwavering belief in the unique potential within each individual. Her son, Bob Aptaker (C’82), echoed these sentiments. “I believe the projects students will work on in this space will turn into great endeavors,” he said. He concluded his remarks with this brief advice: “Start right now. Don’t be afraid of failure. Be afraid of not starting.” And start they have. The grand opening event began with senior Karen Trevor-Roberts performing Vivaldi’s Summer on a violin she 3D-printed in the lab.  

“The mission of the Florence Aptaker Idea Lab is to inspire and empower student creativity while supporting an expansive and innovative mindset for our future innovators and entrepreneurs,” said College President Dr. Daniel Norton. “As we reimagine our curriculum here at the College, we want to ensure it best prepares our students for a rapidly changing world. The Florence Aptaker Idea Lab is a significant help in this effort.”