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 Ģ������ƵStories      June 4, 2025

By Teresa Tate

Drew Marx just wanted somewhere to hang his backpack in his room at Ģ������Ƶ when he came up with the idea for the Dormclaw, a compact, hook-like device that fits into the unused slots of standard college bed frames. With support from faculty, Marx went on to develop and test prototypes, win a business pitch competition based on the concept, and secure a provisional patent.

“It’s a pretty strong little device,” said Marx, a recent Ģ������Ƶgraduate who majored in construction management and minored in business administration. “It packs a punch.”

The Dormclaw is just one of the inventions and adaptations he crafted during his time as a student. Others range from an improved gnocchi board for pasta-making to a seed-starting insert perfect for a Sterilite container to custom mounts for speakers in his truck.

“I’m kind of a dreamer,” said Marx. “I have lots of ideas. For the Dormclaw, I was wondering where I could put something and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this (bed frame) is heavy-duty real estate right here. I could make something.”

Using his personal 3D printer and knowledge of materials and design, Marx experimented with different plastics and mechanisms that could interface with the slots in the bed frame. The result: a deceptively simple and strong device that clicks into the bed frame and not only holds backpacks, hats, towels, and longboards, but also is durable, reusable, and does not leave damage.

Ava Goddard, a Ģ������Ƶpsychology student, said Marx gave her and other friends in the tuba section some Dormclaws to try out. “It ended up being more useful than I thought it would be,” said Goddard. “I was able to hang my backpack, which is normally pretty heavy, and things like my keys or umbrella.”

Faculty encouragement

Marx refined the Dormclaw with help from Ģ������Ƶfaculty, including Robert Steffen, associate professor of construction management, who assisted with device lab testing, and Chris Cox, assistant professor of construction management, who helped Marx develop a laser focus on moving product development forward. “He’s been great for helping keep me grounded and focused on the next step.”

Lane Perry, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and innovation leadership with the Ģ������ƵCollege of Business helped Marx develop a business plan, connected him with a patent attorney and helped him prepare for the business pitch competition.

Perry said Marx has a rare combination of technical skill and emotional intelligence, and he’s excited to see what his future holds. “Drew Marx is one of the best inventor-entrepreneurs I have ever worked with — hands down,” Perry said. “He has cultivated the skills to balance material and emotional value in a significant way.”

For Marx, creating and inventing has been a lifelong love.

“I was a bit of a LEGO kid,” Marx said. “In high school, I bought a set of power tools on Black Friday, and that became my creative outlet.”

He built potato cannons and creations made through melting PVC and gluing layers together. “I love working with my hands, and I was really fascinated by how things interacted with each other from a materials standpoint,” he said.

Journey to WCU

What led him to Ģ������Ƶwas WCU’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band. A tuba player, he was living in Mount Peasant, S.C., when he first heard the band perform and knew he wanted to be part of it. He enrolled at Ģ������Ƶand joined the band. He particularly stood out at home basketball games when he brought a rotary light that he found a way to mount inside his sousaphone for special effects.

“This year, I got to learn to be a section leader, learn about leadership and had a great time,” said Marx. “It was awesome.”

Marx started out pursuing a degree at Ģ������Ƶin engineering before taking a gap year after a difficult semester coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic.

While living with grandparents in Wisconsin, he worked on farms, in restaurants, and at construction sites. When he returned to WCU, he had more clarity about his future and decided to change his major to construction management with a focus on practical design.

Steffen said that Marx always asks good questions and assisted as an undergraduate researcher with such projects as testing innovative walls consisting of highly insulative polyurethane-filled CMU blocks as well as structural insulated panels. “He has a passion for upgrading construction tools and processes,” said Steffen.

Up next

What’s next for Marx? He’s weighing job options while also continuing to pursue a full patent and explore the market for the Dormclaw. He launched a website – – and built a device to automate Dormclaw production using G-code and a scissor-lift mechanism.

“Basically, it allows me to print 24/7 with no human interaction,” Marx said. “I can fire and forget, and then just come and collect the parts.”

He’s also now an official Ģ������Ƶvendor and is working with the university bookstore to set up a Dormclaw display. “Students will be able to purchase it right on campus in Ģ������Ƶcolors,” said Marx. “We are also working our way into the bookstores of surrounding schools.”

“Designing a product that other people want to use is the greatest compliment to me,” he said. “I’m excited to see where this project goes. It’s been a lot of fun putting it together.”