Photo of students in The Garage, operating an embroidery machine.

The Garage: Nolan Family Center for Innovation

Amazon. Apple. Disney. Google. Mattel. Each started in a garage. Now it's your turn. 

The names mentioned above are just a few of the world's most innovative and successful companies, and they just so happened to be founded in garages. With the creation of a student-directed business incubator, Walsh University students have the opportunity to develop the enterprising skills they require to be ready for the entrepreneurial, global, dynamic workplace of tomorrow.

Join Us in The Garage!

Our Story

logo for The Garage: Nolan Family Center for Innovation

In 2015, four students came up with an idea and wanted to start a business. They immediately went to the library to collaborate but quickly realized that the quiet environment was not suitable for innovation. Then they went to the cafeteria in hopes to have a more relaxed place to lash out idea but found that it was too loud to foster ideas. The dorm rooms were not suitable either, so these four students had to seek out a new place to operate. In the spirit of entrepreneurship, they built one. Josh Ippolito, Andrew Chwalik, Matt Strobelt, and Iagos Lucca found an old garage on campus and went to President Jusseaume, and the rest is history. The Garage is a student-run entrepreneurship program located on the campus of Walsh University. Our motto is "by students, for students" and that mantra is at the heart of everything we do. As an organization, we work with students who already have existing businesses and students who have ideas for startups. Our mission is to instill entrepreneurial and creative thinking in all Walsh University students who desire to sincerely pursue innovation while fostering a community of knowledge, imagination, and collaboration; to develop students into servant leaders who will have a lifelong commitment to social, economic, and personal growth through entrepreneurship.


Meet the Team

Photo of Audrey Dornisch

Audrey Dornisch

President/Chief Executive Officer

Photo of Amelia Freeman

Amelia Freeman

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Photo of Gia Mazzolini

Gia Mazzolini

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

Photo of JP Villareal

JP Villareal

Chief of Equipment (COE)

Photo of Wellington Mukahiwa

Wellington Mukahiwa

Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Photo of Robby Klockner

Robby Klockner

School of Arts, Sciences, and Education Liaison

What We Stand For

Inspiring Passion Through Curiosity

In the Garage, we focus on being supportive sounding boards for innovative ideas. We’re a group of friends, roommates, and everyday students (just like you) that pride ourselves on being unique. If you’re someone who thinks differently or sometimes feels like you’re a little “outside of the box…”

A Community of Innovators & Problem Solvers

At the heart of the Garage, we are a community of people seeking to innovate and problem solve. We see opportunities for innovation in our everyday lives and choose to help bring it to life. We believe that everything can be improved upon as long as the right people are in the right place, at the right time.

For the Students, By the Students

The Garage was founded on the backs of the club’s first few entrepreneurs. They believed that it was important to have a space on campus that was “for the students, by the students” so we developed a space where students are able to express themselves and develop their idea as well as be a part of a community of innovators on campus.