Megan Pando

While studying fine arts in DAAP (and entrepreneurship at the Lindner College of Business), we were given massive studios, access to endless tools, and, most importantly, a tight-knit creative community. We’d spend hours creating together in our studios- some were woodworking, others painting or sculpting. It was messy, collaborative, and deeply fulfilling. That environment shaped me, and I’ve always believed it shouldn’t be reserved just for “creatives”.

That’s why I built Makers Social: a DIY bar in Columbus, Ohio with workbenches, a menu of over 30 hands-on projects, and a full bar to keep the laughter flowing. I truly loved my experience at UC so much, that I built my own version of it... with the intent to share that magic with the rest of the world.

Not only that, but my years at UC taught me how to think differently, create fearlessly, and trust the messy process of creative entrepreneurship. UC didn’t hand me a neat blueprint. It trained me to experiment, iterate, fail forward, and blend creativity with execution. That mindset didn’t stay in the classroom. It became the foundation of my life’s work.

Makers Social was born from that exact Bearcat spirit. Being a Bearcat for life means I carry UC with me into every room I walk into, every entrepreneurial risk I take, and every space I build for others to create. I didn’t just graduate from Cincinnati. I'm building my business because of it.