By Kim Anderson/reporter

Operating as a place for goals and ideas to stream, the TR Campus Idea Store began serving students and the community last semester.

Formerly known as RadioShack’s Store One, the glass dome entrance welcomes visitors and students to the campus and focuses on its main goal, “to bring the outside community into the college,” said Jasmine Riles, a student worker at the store.

“The Idea Store helps students spark a motivation for education,” she said.

Prospective students can learn how to enroll in school, and students can host study groups or engage in test prep activities.

The store also helps students enrolled in courses that require a specified number of hours of community service with area organizations.

“Students can come to the Idea Store to learn how to become involved in their community,” Riles said.

For Riles, the store has provided a relaxed and flexible work environment.

“Working with other students and the community in such a fun atmosphere has been a great opportunity for me,” she said.

Laura Escamilla, student development associate, said study groups and events were popular with students last semester.

Students can rent spaces to study or play pool, shuffleboard or a variety of board games.

Other services include a career profiling service and assessment, a try-it-out career lab and information on what Fort Worth can offer successful professionals currently in a student’s field of study.

“The Idea Store, to me, is really a one-stop shop,” said student Leslie Harrington. “I can come here for community service, study groups or to just unwind. I really like the atmosphere here.”

The Idea Store also houses the Center for Community Engagement and Service.

“This center guides students to the right areas within the Idea Store as well as providing campus tours and event planning,” said Coral Zayas, a Community Engagement student worker. “There are no words to express how excited I am to work in such a fun, high-tech office.”

Although the Idea Store just opened last semester, the building is already bubbling with innovation and ideas to make higher education more appealing, Escamilla said.

“The Idea Store encourages visitors to forget the impossible and find answers within ourselves in a room full of vibrant people and activities,” she said.