The Velocity Center at Indian Head, operated and managed by the College of Southern Maryland, is a bustling place of innovation, learning, and collaboration for academia, the Navy, and the community. It plays an important role in advancing Charles County’s workforce and technology ecosystem.
The 13,000-square-foot Center is a strategic partner within the Western Charles County Technology Corridor, an area spanning 7.67 square miles from Maryland Airport to the Town of Indian Head via Maryland Route 210. The corridor represents over 130 businesses across industries like technology, research and development, and energetics. The Velocity Center provides space in the corridor for collaboration, education, and innovation, which supports the county’s long-term growth.
This collaborative learning space also supports workforce development and economic growth, helping to educate, train, expand, and retain the talent pipeline in Southern Maryland and beyond.
“We like to call ourselves the front porch to the Western Charles County Technology Corridor,” says Lesley Quattlebaum, PMP, Executive Director of the Velocity Center. “We host defense convenings, technology exchanges, and partner events that connect innovators, suppliers, students, and defense partners without friction.”
Education For All Ages
The Velocity Center offers innovation challenges that allow students and community members to solve real-world problems. Its public Makerspace, nearly 2,000 square feet in size, provides access to 3D printers, scanners, laser cutters, CNC machines, electronics equipment, laptops with free software, and more. Supported by training programs, the makerspace allows entrepreneurs to prototype and test ideas, professionals to upskill for career advancement, and community members to explore engineering and design.
The Velocity Center also gives students of all ages a chance to experience hands-on STEM learning.
- The Spring Break Academy, hosted in partnership with Indian Head Elementary and local middle schools, allows students to explore robotics, 3D printing, and engineering in the Velocity Center’s makerspace environment.
- Through STEM-focused summer programs, elementary and middle school students dive into activities such as LEGO robotics, bridge building, and coding.
- The new Winter Academy, launched in 2024 and returning in 2025, provides additional seasonal opportunities for students to develop practical skills.
- The Velocity Center also serves adults through continuing education programs designed to help them expand their skills or try out new technologies. Current offerings include 3D printing, modeling, laser cutting, and make-and-take workshops, with a new Soldering Basics course set to launch in Spring 2026.
- A standout example of the Velocity Center’s STEM impact is RoboMasterminds, developed by the Army Research Laboratory, NSWC Indian Head, and the Energetics Technology Center in collaboration with the National Defense Education Program. Hosted at the Velocity Center, RoboMasterminds gives high school and college students hands-on robotics, coding, and engineering experience through summer and internship programming. “It is literally developing talent next door to the base,” notes Quattlebaum, “and building a pipeline that could result in a future workforce for NSWC IHD.”
A Gathering Place
From its inception, the Velocity Center was designed to serve as a gathering place for regional and defense partners. “One of the impetuses for the Velocity Center being built was that NSWC needed a facility outside of the gate where they could host events,” shares Quattlebaum. “It’s more difficult for people to get on base than it is to have Navy personnel come off base to meet with contractors and industry partners, or engage with the community.”
Today, the Velocity Center is the host site of many major events that showcase collaboration among partners, including, to name a few, the CAD/PAD Technical Exchange Workshop (TEW), which provides a forum for technical collaboration among industry and defense partners, and the NSWC IHD Honorary Awards Ceremony, recognizing individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to the command’s mission. In addition, the Charles County EDD’s Annual Fall Meeting will return to the Velocity Center for the second consecutive year on November 4, with the theme “The Partnership Economy,” highlighting the value of partnerships at local, regional, and state levels.
The Velocity Center continues to be a trusted partner in Charles County, providing resources and programs that support students, entrepreneurs, defense partners, and the entire Charles County community.
