The STEM Exploration Center, set to break ground later this year in Berea, will bring science, technology, engineering and math to life through hands-on, industry-aligned experiences.
Planned in two construction phases across 12 acres, the center will feature interactive exhibits from 17 major industries, including aerospace, health care, advanced manufacturing and agricultural technology.
CEO and cofounder Terry Malone said the idea for the center grew from his decades in industry and a desire to give students deeper, more sustained exposure to career possibilities.
“You can set up your six-foot table, bring a pamphlet and a bowl of candy, but that kind of exposure just isn’t enough to spark long-term interest,” Malone said.
“We needed to do something different.”
The Berea facility, expected to open its first 12,000-square-foot phase in 2026, is designed to immerse students in the real work of professionals.
The building itself will serve as a teaching tool, with visible structural elements, geometry-based parking layouts and energy-efficient systems all incorporated to demonstrate practical STEM concepts.
Nature trails with educational stations on topics like renewable energy and wetlands conservation will extend the experience outdoors.
More than a museum or science center, the STEM Exploration Center is focused on careers.
Anchor partners from across the region will maintain a presence inside the facility and engage directly with students during scheduled visits.
Malone, who spent 40 years working as an engineer in industry, said he became committed to strengthening the STEM pipeline after seeing how hard it is for educators to connect lessons in the classroom to actual jobs in the field.
To help address that issue, Malone’s organization developed the Classroom Companion, a tech-enabled educational simulator that can be used inside schools.
Linked to a database of more than 7,000 STEM activities across 17 industries, the simulator allows teachers to select content aligned with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
Students can explore careers like aerospace engineering or health care through interactive lessons that combine math, science and industry tools, all tailored to their grade level.
“The Classroom Companion brings industry into the classroom, and the Exploration Center brings the classroom into industry,” Malone said.
“Together, they change how we engage with students and how we show them what’s possible.”
Placing the facility in Berea was intentional. Malone said the west side of Northeast Ohio has long lacked educational and cultural resources.
Being located near the District 46 development, the center will benefit from nearby growth while providing local students with a much-needed opportunity.
“This isn’t about replacing STEM classes or career centers like Polaris,” Malone said.
“It’s about amplifying all of those efforts by fueling more interest, more excitement and more access.”
The project is deeply personal for Malone, whose wife, daughter and son all bring their own strengths to the organization, drawing from careers in education, development and engineering to help shape its mission.
“This is a family investment,” Malone said. “We made some sacrifices. We decided we were going to buy this property and spend money on this.
“We could have done something totally different with that money. But we believed in what we’re doing enough that it wasn’t a sacrifice at all.
“If we’re able to impact a few more students who might go on to make a difference in our society through technology, then mission accomplished.”
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