Nestled back in the northern most part of the Armory building stands a group of students surrounding a table of sticky notes. The Industrial Design 302 class is in its early-most stage of planning and creating bikes for the bike share program.

Wish lists for what designers want with the bikes include notes reading “lights, glowing spokes” and “add-on cart for extra storage.”

While some students said these ideas may be a little out there, the creativity and inception of ideas is what gets the mind flowing.

Beau Easley, sophomore in industrial design, said the chance to participate in a program as unique as the industrial design 302 class was amazing for him.

“When else can you have a class like this, that you’re getting credit for, but also at the same time you’re doing it for your university,” Easley said. “It’s extremely rewarding to have the opportunity in itself.”

What is unique about the ISU bike share program is it will be the first of it’s kind. Travis Cannon, junior in industrial design, said all eyes are on this class out of Iowa State University.

“What we’re doing is trying to make a system designed for students because that hasn’t been done before,” Cannon said. “It’s specifically just for students.”

Major cities such as New York, Minneapolis and even Des Moines have bike share programs. However, Cannon said the goal aside from making a system specifically for students is to improve on the failures of other major bike share systems. 

Course professor Erdem Selek said the students share a common feeling of reward in knowing they will be able to physically see the outcome of their progress. 

“That’s our biggest motivation, that we’re going to see the outcome,” Selek said. “Normally, with other smaller sponsors and projects, you don’t get to see that. These students will be designing something that will be used over and over again.”

On Jan. 22 the Government of the Student Body passed a prototype bill funding the bike share class with more than $15,000. Cannon said the fact the class doesn’t have to spend money out of pocket helps take some pressure off of the students.

Vice President Hillary Kletscher said in an interview with the Iowa State Daily on Jan. 21 that the program will serve as and experience for more than just design majors.

“This program is an opportunity for students in multiple majors, fields and student organizations from across the university to partner on something that is much larger than themselves,” Kletscher said.

With a long term project such as the bike share program, Selek echoed Kletsher’s thoughts. 

“They don’t really care if it goes in their portfolios or on their websites,” Selek said. “As long as it’s out there and people are using it and smiling, that’s their goal. That’s their motivation.”