The end of the spring semester at the University of Connecticut always brings with it Spring Weekend: a three-day event encompassing a variety of activities and events for UConn students to offer. One prominent mainstay of Spring Weekend is the annual Maker Fair, now in its sixth year.
This year, the Maker Fair took place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fairfield Way and featured work from student innovators. Sponsored by the Innovation Zone located in Werth Tower, the event is open to clubs, vendors and more.
Situated at the corner of the Maker Fair was the UConn Woodworking Club, run by second-semester student and molecular and cell biology major Aleck McNeil. Club members had set up a ramp and wooden cars, with a trigger system capable of releasing the cars to race against one another.
“We started this up this semester,” McNeil said. “So, our second semester here, we were like, you know what? There’s no woodworking club here so, need filled, we made one.”
As president and founder of the club, McNeil acts a primary introduction for students interested in woodworking. During meetings, he typically spends his time helping clubgoers understand how to completetheir projects and show them the tools required to do so.
“It’s a passion of mine,” McNeil said. “And I went to the Werth iZone, I saw they had a ton of free resources, ton of tools, and I was like, no one’s using them. I might as well use them. And then I used them a lot and got good at them, and I was like, maybe I should make a club out of this.”
Currently, McNeil and the rest of the club have been focusing on smaller projects, such as making birdhouses for conservation groups. Club members can also make pinewood cars, which can be used in competitions. In the future, McNeil hopes to focus on more philanthropic ventures, such as making toys for children in hospitals and other environmentally focused efforts.
“For now, we’re just starting as small as we can while we’re still getting our resources and our footing at UConn,” McNeil said.
Those interested in UConn Woodworking can find them on UConntact or by visiting their Instagram page, @uconnwoodworking.
While student clubs and organizations are an essential part of the Maker Fair, they aren’t the only people manning tables. The annual event also provides the opportunity for vendors to throw their hat in the ring and sell handmade wares, with one such vendor being second-semester, English education hopeful Madison Angelillo.
“I do not care about making money, I just want people to see my work,” Angelillo said about vending for the fair.
Along with a purple, velvety table cover, Angelillo brought plenty of samples of her work as a jewelry-maker. Stainless steel necklaces and bracelets, along with customized lighters, were on full display.
“For the past six years, I have been making jewelry, and I haven’t been able to get it out there,” Angelillo said. “And now that I’m growing an Instagram following surrounding it, I get to be in the Maker Fair and have other people see it.”
Angelillo first became involved in making jewelry by visiting conventions, where other creatives were able to show off their work. She soon made the decision to begin her own adventure into jewelry in what she described as “a shot in the dark.” Now that she’s established herself, Angelillo said she’s enjoyed meeting other vendors at the fair.
“I love creating art; painting, jewelry, whatever,” Angelillo said. “It’s really just a great method of stress release. I struggle with mental health, so it’s great to just sit down and focus on making that I love and hopefully other people would love. Sometimes I feel like my purpose is to make and share why I make what I do.”
Those interested in learning more about Angelillo and her work can find her on her TikTok, @_n3cr0mancy, or her Instagram, @necromanticfate.