Vision
We are now face to face with wicked problems. Childhood obesity, climate change, aging population, literacy—the scope, implications and rate of change of today’s critical problems make them unlike anything we have faced before. Solutions to these problems have the potential to change the way we live in the world. To even begin to address such issues, we need people and organizations with the ability to innovate. Expertise in health care, education, and energy are not enough. Neither are superb analytical and creative thinking skills. Motivation, informed by beliefs in ability, is the critical ingredient we often ignore. Without believing in our ability to develop and implement innovative solutions that can address the world’s challenges, we will not even act.
We can’t innovate if we don’t believe that we can. We must work together with those from all different backgrounds and perspectives, we must work with our community, and we must support each other in our efforts improve the world around us.
Design for America’s vision is a world where people believe in their ability to innovate and tackle the most ill-structured challenges of our time.
What We Do
Design for America(DFA) is an award-winning nationwide network of interdisciplinary student teams and community members using design to create local and social impact. Design for America teaches human centered design to young adults and collaborating community partners through extra-curricular, university based, student led design studios to look locally, create fervently and act fearlessly. DFA currently tackles national challenges in Education, Health, Economy and Environment. Click here →
Our Team
Our staff and advisory board is comprised of educators, designers, and entrepreneurs. DFA relies on its network of communities where each studio location is led by students and supported by faculty, professional mentors, and community partners. DFA truly would not be possible without the hundreds of people that join us. Click here →
History
DFA was founded in 2009 after realizing the demand for hands on, informal, extracurricular, collaborative, service learning opportunities in design and the abundance of local societal challenges. Click here →
