Case Study

The Client

Exterior view of the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship building.

The Golisano Institute for Business and Entrepreneurship was inspired by a clear and compelling idea: to provide motivated students with a faster, more practical path into business or entrepreneurship, instead of the traditional two- or four-year academic track. In the summer of 2022, Rochester-based philanthropist Tom Golisano began reflecting on the educational experiences within his own family. That reflection led to the formation of a plan for an institute focused solely on delivering relevant, streamlined, and career-driven business training.

To turn this vision into reality, Golisano consulted with local leaders and institutions to ensure his new venture would complement, not compete with, existing educational options in the region. He then assembled a dedicated team, including Dr. Scott Baker, who now serves as Golisano’s Chief Academic Officer and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Within just nine months, an abandoned call center was transformed into a modern, fully equipped learning facility. By September 2023, the Golisano Institute officially opened its doors. By September 2024, the AI Beta Lab opened in support of their AI and Business program.

At its core, the Institute is driven by the belief that education should be a launchpad for financial independence. As Dr. Baker explains, “We want to provide economic empowerment to our students so they can uplift their lives and the economy of upstate New York.” Departing from the traditional model of higher education, the Institute focuses exclusively on business education, offering hands-on, practical training without the liberal arts component. With input from Fortune 500 professionals and local employers, the curriculum is designed to equip students with the skills they need to launch careers, start businesses, or pursue further education with partner institutions.

What sets the Institute apart from other educational models is its emphasis on speed, value, and relevance. Its accelerated programs allow students to enter the workforce sooner, its affordable model helps minimize debt, and its employer-informed curriculum ensures graduates are prepared to make an impact from day one.

For Solutionz, Inc., partnering with the Golisano Institute to provide state-of-the-art audiovisual solutions was an opportunity to support a forward-thinking initiative that is reshaping business education and investing in the future of the upstate New York community.

The Challenge

The Golisano Institute envisioned a groundbreaking facility that seamlessly combines business education with innovative AV systems, integrated into the building’s architecture. The technology plan focused on three main goals:

Icon representing simplified and seamless technology integration.

Boosting Engagement

Provide simple, interactive tools to encourage student participation and teamwork, while keeping performance strong and costs manageable.

Simplifying Technology

Blend various technologies into an easy, seamless package that faculty and students can easily use.

Icon representing student empowerment through collaborative learning.

Empowering Students

Design classrooms that foster student participation, group work, and discussions, creating dynamic learning environments that go beyond traditional classroom layouts.

One of the key spaces, The Forum, posed a unique challenge, requiring hybrid functionality to host up to 250 people for presentations while doubling as a student lounge. The space needed to blend professional-grade technology with a casual atmosphere, all while seamlessly fitting into the building’s design.

The first five classrooms needed collaborative tools to match Golisano’s lively, business-focused teaching style, with audiovisual solutions thoughtfully built into the learning environment from the start. The vision was bold and broad, aiming for practical, cutting-edge tech that avoided outdated, patchwork fixes. Solutionz successfully executed this vision in just nine months, weaving advanced features, affordability, and ease of use into the spaces, all while complementing the Institute’s layout.

Dr. Caterina Caiazza, Assistant Vice President for Career and Personal Development at Golisano, emphasized the importance of preparing students to work with technology seamlessly in real-world business environments. “From day one, students are working with technology in our classrooms, using it to collaborate, share documents, and annotate content. By the time they leave, they are more than equipped with the skills needed to thrive in the business world.” This focus on equipping students with practical, technology-driven skills was central to designing the AV solutions, ensuring that the systems met the Institute’s educational goals and prepared students for the workforce.

The Approach

Bringing the Golisano Institute’s vision to life took more than great design—it required a tightly coordinated partnership between CJS Architects, Solutionz, Inc., and the Golisano team. Weekly sync-ups and a shared commitment to innovation kept the project moving forward on a tight timeline. A key challenge was integrating AV systems into the architectural vision without compromising aesthetics or functionality. Jeff Clark, Account Executive at Solutionz, Inc., worked hand in hand with Dirk Schneider, Principal at CJS Architects, to ensure every AV element felt intentional and seamless.

Dr. Baker recalls the collaborative spirit that shaped the space:

“We knew we wanted the forum to hold a crowd and be the first thing people notice. CJS Architects and Solutionz didn’t just build what we asked for. They made it better—asking, ‘Scott, have you thought about a room that looks like this or tables that look like this? What if we positioned the monitors over here? What kind of sound quality do you want? What kind of microphones do you think you need? Do you need a camera solution or not?’ Things that I necessarily wouldn’t have thought of in the moment, but it was really great to have at the beginning. That collaboration was key from day one.”

From classroom layouts to speaker placement, the team’s ideas transformed the space into something both practical and inspiring.

The Solution

Instructional design thrives when technology enhances the academic mission without overshadowing it. At the Golisano Institute, our AV solutions prioritize seamless integration, creating an environment where learning takes center stage. The technology works quietly in the background, remaining intuitive, reliable, and adaptable. This empowers educators and students to focus on collaboration and innovation. Below, you'll find a closer look at the advanced systems that make this possible.

Architecture & Design

55-inch and 85-inch Avocor 4K interactive displays in Golisano classrooms to keep students engaged.

From Call Center to Classroom

Architect Dirk Schneider led the ambitious transformation, turning a former call center into a forward-looking educational environment. The original space featured more than 600 cubicles, carpeted floors, and dropped ceilings—not exactly ready-made for higher education. Working under a strict nine-month deadline, the team preserved desirable structural elements where possible and reimagined the layout to serve students and instructors alike.

Initially planned with 16 classrooms, the design focused on five high-performance spaces, including a multi-functional forum. Now, with 13 rooms completed and plans for more, the facility is both scalable and future-ready.

The Forum: A Curved Centerpiece

The forum is central to the building’s layout; it’s a 250-person gathering space that shapes the surrounding design. A curved, wood-tone feature wall, the forum offers warmth and contrast against the industrial flooring, creating a focal point that feels both modern and inviting.

Schneider explains:

“The curve gives the space flow, and the wood tones soften the tech. It’s a place that feels open but gives speakers and audience a sense of comfort.”

Used weekly for presentations, the forum doubles as a student lounge and professional venue. The AV infrastructure allows content to be shared across all 13 classrooms. “What happens in the forum can be seen anywhere in the building,” says Clark, highlighting the flexibility built into the system.

Mid-project refinements, such as relocating network jacks and decentralizing the AV network, resulted from ongoing dialogue between Golisano leadership, Solutionz, and CJS Architects. This ability to adjust on the fly was essential to meeting the aggressive timeline.

Curved wood-tone feature wall in the AI Innovation Hub at Golisano Institute.

Technology Meets Modern Design

For Solutionz, success wasn’t just about installing technology. It was about integrating it in a way that elevated the space. Clark notes:

“Dirk’s different from most architects. He embraces technology as part of the experience, not an afterthought. We worked together to make sure the tech almost disappears into the space.”

Despite challenges, including structural columns and speaker placement, the teams maintained constant communication to troubleshoot in real time. Schneider appreciated the responsiveness:

“I’d call Jeff with a thought, and his team would respond with smart, creative options. That kind of back-and-forth made all the difference.”

The result is a flexible learning environment. Classrooms feature movable furniture and modular layouts that accommodate evolving teaching styles and future use cases.

Dr. Baker reflects on the journey:

“We flipped a call center into a state-of-the-art institute in just nine months. It’s wild when you think about it. Those weekly calls kept us aligned and helped us build something greater than what we imagined.”

AV Technology & Software

To achieve the Golisano Institute’s vision of a modern, business-focused learning environment, Solutionz collaborated with innovative partners T1V and Q-SYS and partnered with Cardan Solomon and Associates (CS&A) to integrate additional technologies from AVPro Edge and SoundTube Entertainment. Together, they delivered a forward-thinking AV system tailored for immersive learning, seamless communication, and enterprise-grade reliability across the campus.

In Partnership With

Q-SYS: The Backbone of Integration

Q-SYS anchors the Golisano Institute’s AV system with a decentralized QSC network that manages audio, video, and device control across the entire facility. Instead of relying on one central processor, the system distributes tasks among multiple compact Core processors installed in classrooms and the Forum.

Each Core handles functions like audio playback or video routing in its own zone, while communicating with others over the campus’s standard IP network. This structure keeps the system resilient; if one processor encounters an issue, others continue operating critical functions like paging or background music, all enabled by Dante’s network-based audio distribution.

Classrooms benefit from Q-SYS NV-32-H encoders that transmit video over the same network infrastructure, eliminating the need for bulky, dedicated cabling. Q-SYS PTZ cameras and ceiling microphones are fully integrated, creating a professional-grade AV experience that links into a single USB plug. Instructors can connect their laptops and are instantly ready to present, record, or stream without any tech hurdles or cable clutter.

Key Features:

Centralized Simplicity: A single interface controls audio, video, and devices across multiple rooms.
Built-in Redundancy: Spread-out processors and network-based announcements keep the system stable even during disruptions.
Plug-and-Teach Design: Combines mics, cameras, and AV routing into one seamless connection.

Graham Anthony, Assistant Vice President for Educational Technology and Innovation at Golisano, emphasized ease of use: “It’s effortless. Custom wall panels let faculty send video across the campus network—no tangle of 30 HDMI cables cluttering the room.”

Q-SYS devices draw power via PoE, streamlining installations by running power and data through a single network cable. That efficiency means fewer wires, smaller equipment racks, and a cleaner campus footprint.

Scalability is another advantage. When it’s time to add more classrooms or overflow zones, Q-SYS only needs existing Cat6 cables and a few software tweaks—no new infrastructure required. Solutionz lead engineer Travis Moody put it best: “Q-SYS’s versatility and scalability made it the natural choice for running the whole show.” Whether it’s for small groups or large-scale presentations, the system adapts effortlessly to meet evolving needs.

Q-SYS Core 8 Flex, Core Nano, NV-32-H

Q-SYS 7” PoE Touch Screen Controller for In-Wall Mounting

ViewHub for ThinkHub Connect software enabling group work and content sharing.

T1V: Enabling Campus-Wide Collaboration

T1V’s ThinkHub transformed how faculty and students at the Golisano Institute interact with content. Integrated with Avocor 4K interactive displays, it turned traditional classrooms into real-time collaboration hubs where everyone can contribute to a shared digital canvas. Whether brainstorming, annotating, or leading group projects, instructors have everything they need at their fingertips.

However, getting it all running took careful planning. Before a single display arrived onsite, T1V had already preconfigured and tested the Avocor panels in-house. That early prep smoothed the rollout and made a strong first impression. As Moody put it, “The software did more than we expected. It proved itself right from the early demos.”

Those demos, shown remotely to the Golisano team, demonstrated exactly how ThinkHub supported active learning. That early success wasn’t just a one-off—T1V stayed involved after installation, regularly checking in and fine-tuning the system based on faculty feedback.

One major hurdle arose when it was time to integrate ThinkHub with Q-SYS for centralized control. The systems weren’t designed to speak the same language, but T1V and CS&A collaborated on a network-based solution that enabled the combination or division of classrooms. After testing it in a few rooms, the team expanded the solution to larger, flexible spaces.

The impact on teaching was immediate. Golisano’s faculty, including those unfamiliar with interactive displays, quickly adapted to the new technology. Some learned the system in just five minutes, thanks to personalized demos and hands-on training. Picture a classroom where student groups share their work on local monitors, while the instructor taps the Avocor panel to highlight or compare projects across the room. That shift in style—active, mobile, and student-driven—was exactly what the Institute aimed for. Dr. Baker summed it up: “Instructors guide from the side, not the stage, with tech that lifts both teaching and learning.”

The system also found a home within the institute's AI Beta Lab. There, ThinkHub-powered experimental projects, such as spatial audio chatbots, are integrating with Q-SYS to deliver sound that moves naturally through the room. Clark described it as a perfect match: “That mix was key to hitting users with a big impact and matching the lab’s bold goals.”

55” and 85” 4K Interactive Displays: Big, sharp touchscreens with multi-touch tech, cables, a networked computer, and remote access tools.

ViewHub for ThinkHub Connect: Software that ties it together for group work and sharing.

CS&A’s Role in Implementing SoundTube and AVPro Edge

Cardan Solomon and Associates (CS&A) introduced technologies from AVPro Edge and SoundTube to complement the core systems. These solutions were selected not only for their compatibility with the Q-SYS framework but also for their practicality and cost-efficiency.

SoundTube Entertainment Audio

The IPD4 and CM62 speakers from SoundTube Entertainment deliver clear, network-based audio across the Institute’s classrooms. Each room uses a single network cable, which powers the IPD4 via Power over Ethernet (PoE) and transmits audio signals. That primary speaker connects to three CM62 units, ensuring full sound coverage throughout the space. Clark explains, “It’s a low-cost, high-impact solution: four speakers per drop, fewer cables, and no extra amplifiers.” This configuration eliminates the need for external amps, freeing up space in the Institute’s compact storage areas. Every classroom benefits from professional-grade audio without added clutter.

This networked setup also meets the needs of more dynamic environments. In the Forum, where large-scale events and collaborative projects take place, additional coverage is often needed for overflow areas. “We used a couple of network drops to add eight speakers for those zones,” Clark says. “Expansion proved simple.” With just two cables, the team extended sound coverage without major rewiring, keeping the space clean and efficient.

From classrooms to open areas like the forum, the system provides adaptable, high-quality audio. Zoned sound control enhances both flexibility and clarity, supporting a wide range of learning and event scenarios.

AVPro Edge MXNet

AVPro Edge’s MXNet system is the Institute’s solution for managing video across campus. It performs two key functions: extending HDMI signals, which carry both video and audio, and distributing that video over the Internet Protocol (IP). This means it uses the campus network instead of traditional cables. The system was chosen for its scalability—starting with five rooms, the Institute sought a solution that could be easily expanded to 16 rooms without requiring new wiring or complex modifications. MXNet meets that need, growing seamlessly as more rooms are added.

The MXNet system enables the streaming of video from the Forum to any classroom in real-time. For example, a lecture or demo in the Hub can be broadcast instantly across campus, creating a unified experience for everyone. MXNet integrates with Q-SYS, the Institute’s control platform, thanks to specialized plug-ins that ensure smooth communication between the two systems. This integration allows staff to manage video flow without disruptions. Additionally, MXNet comes with a ten-year warranty, assuring the Institute of its reliability as a long-term investment.

Anthony explained, “AVPro Edge is the system we use to transport video—it’s done over the network with AVPro Edge encoders and decoders. It allows us to take what’s happening in the Forum and broadcast it to every display, keeping everything connected.” Encoders convert the video into a network signal, while decoders retrieve it at the other end for display—a simple and efficient process. The flexibility of MXNet aligns with the Institute’s needs, ensuring it can meet current demands and adapt as the campus expands.

Mike Best, SoundTube Regional Manager, added: "Working alongside Solutionz on the Golisano Institute project has been an enriching experience. The integration of AVPro Edge’s MXnet system has enabled seamless, campus-wide video distribution, ensuring every space is connected and future-ready. We’re proud to support a forward-thinking educational environment with reliable, scalable AV solutions that empower students and faculty.”

AVPro Edge MXNet 1G Decoder/Receiver Device AC-MXNET-1G-D

AVPro Edge MXNet 1G Encoder/Transmitter Device AC-MXNET-1G-E

AVPro Edge MXNet 1G Wall Plate Encoder AC-MXNET-1G-EWP

AVPro Edge MXNET Control Box AC-MXNET-CBOX

Training and Support for Long-Term Success

Modern AI Innovation Hub with curved wood-tone wall, central gathering space, and integrated technology for presentations and student lounge use.

Solutionz laid the groundwork for long-term success by emphasizing thorough training and reliable support. From the beginning, demos of T1V and Q-SYS highlighted how straightforward the systems are to use. Faculty and staff immediately saw real potential, with interfaces that made sense and tools that aligned with the Institute’s focus on active learning.

Those early sessions didn’t just teach the basics—they sparked ideas. Faculty members quickly found new ways to integrate the technology, boosting participation, streamlining group work, and making lessons more interactive. With an intuitive AV system, instructors, even those without a technical background, were up and running fast.

According to Anthony, “It became second nature. Faculty weren’t stuck figuring things out. They could dive right in and start teaching.” Over time, some became go-to experts on campus, informally training others and sharing advanced tips.

Solutionz’s support model played a significant role in building confidence in the systems’ reliability. With a two-day service response window, remote monitoring, and a dedicated help desk available year-round, the system didn’t need constant oversight from the Institute. This comprehensive coverage was particularly important in the early stages, when Golisano didn’t have an in-house AV team. “The reliability was key,” Anthony added. “It gave us room to grow without worrying about the technical side.”

Dr. Baker agreed: “Our focus is on education, not infrastructure. Solutionz made it possible for us to move forward without slowing down.” By combining proactive service with approachable technology, Solutionz delivered more than an install. They delivered a sustainable, scalable system that the Institute could count on for years to come.

The Results

The Golisano Institute’s AV system represents a significant advancement in business education. By integrating CJS Architects’ innovative design with Solutionz, Inc.’s expertly implemented technology, the system blends T1V’s collaborative tools, Q-SYS’s robust control system, SoundTube’s high-quality speakers, and AVPro Edge’s seamless video distribution to deliver a transformative learning environment.

The Forum and classrooms are alive with hands-on learning and interactive engagement. Visitors are struck by the production-quality sound and visuals that reflect a truly modern academic setting. Faculty and students have adapted to the intuitive technology, seamlessly integrated into their daily experience. The system supports diverse learning styles—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic—equipping students with practical tools to address real-world business challenges. The latest technology, implemented in the AI Beta Lab in September 2024, enhances experimental projects, such as spatial audio chatbots, further enriching the student experience.

A large-format display transforms presentations with immersive video, capturing audience attention.

Designed for flexibility, the system supports future growth, enabling expansion to additional sites or the integration of remote learning. This foundational design empowers the Golisano Institute to extend its innovative model to more communities across upstate New York and beyond, providing students and educators with the tools to excel in modern business education.

Download the PDF

Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship Sign

"We know for sure we can say 100% of our students who walk through our doors will be able to collaborate on the technology that we have in place here. There’s not going to be one class that uses it and another class that doesn’t—they’re going to have a consistent experience across all cohorts, all year, and all students."

Dr. Caterina Caiazza

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR CAREER AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AT GOLISANO INSTITUTE

Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship

Discover how Solutionz, Inc. transformed a call center into a modern educational hub for the Golisano Institute, delivering cutting-edge AV solutions that empower students for accelerated business success and economic impact in upstate New York.