Learning the fundamentals of building for future success
Physics Department technician Kurtis Johnson (right) provides instruction on welding. 
Students learn the basics of welding during the Fundamentals of Building program. 
Students learn the basics of welding during the Fundamentals of Building program. 
Students learn the basics of welding during the Fundamentals of Building program. 
Students learn the basics of welding during the Fundamentals of Building program. 
Physics Department technician Kurtis Johnson (left) assists a student in the Fundamentals of Building program. 
Physics Department technician Kurtis Johnson (left) assists a student in the Fundamentals of Building program. 
Students work in the shop during the Fundamentals of Building program. 
Students work in the shop during the Fundamentals of Building program.
Four evenings a week, students gather in the St. Olaf College machine and woodshops in the bottom floor of Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences. They build from wood, metal, and plastic, learning to create objects ranging from banjos to desks, trivets, and chess boards.
Their work is part of a program called Fundamentals of Building that is led by Physics Department technician Kurtis Johnson. It began last year with instruction in woodworking and additive manufacturing. Both were successes. After noticing students’ interest in welding and metalworking, Johnson added design and model-making, woodworking, metalworking, and 3-D printing into this year’s offering.
Although the program was originally inspired in part by St. Olaf’s growing engineering concentration, it is an opportunity for students in all disciplines to learn important skills in design, building, and repair. In particular, Johnson sees it as an opportunity for STEM students to step into the creative construction elements of their fields.
“As a scientist, there comes a point when the test you want to perform isn’t a test that’s ever been performed,” Johnson says. “You can no longer buy what you need to conduct research – you have to build it yourself. As I worked with students in our new engineering program, I saw that I could either be doing this work to make things for them, or I could teach them how to do it themselves.”
Fundamentals of Building is a part of Ole Career Launcher, a program designed to help students pair what they learn inside the classroom with applied skills that they can immediately use in situations they’ll encounter in the workforce.
“As a scientist, there comes a point when the test you want to perform isn’t a test that’s ever been performed. You can no longer buy what you need to conduct research — you have to build it yourself.”
Kurtis Johnson
An important element of the program is learning how to work with wood, metal, and power tools safely in a variety of settings. The group also visited the makerspace in nearby Dundas, Minnesota, an example of the kind of space where students might be able to continue designing and building after leaving St. Olaf. Johnson hopes that students will leave with both the basic knowledge they need to use these spaces, and an understanding of where they can find them.
Once they learn the basics, students in the program have freedom to work on projects that interest them personally. One student, for example, is combining woodworking and metalworking to build a banjo. Participants also have the opportunity to help with repair projects for other departments at St. Olaf, and recently worked to fix machinery for the St. Olaf Natural Lands crew.
“The most rewarding feeling is being able to learn something new each time, whether it’s how to bend a piece of metal a certain way or how to communicate with others within a shared space.”
Jenna York ‘27
“The most rewarding feeling is being able to learn something new each time, whether it’s how to bend a piece of metal a certain way or how to communicate with others within a shared space,” Jenna York ‘27 says.
Ultimately, the program is centered around developing an appreciation for the process of designing and building something yourself.
“As you work through your project, gain skills, and put those skills together, suddenly there’s a moment when you realize ‘Wow, look at this. Not only is this better than I could buy, but it’s exactly what I wanted, and I’m gonna build another one that’s better,’” Johnson says.