What is Ideas to Serve?
Ideas to Serve (I2S) focuses on community collaborations and promotes an in-depth understanding of social and environmental issues locally and globally. We take a comprehensive approach to social innovation, encouraging students to do the following:
- Be compassionate listeners
- Identify and build on the assets of the community
- Research the solution landscape to learn from both what works and what failed
- Take a systems approach to identify the root cause versus the symptoms of the issue
Students who aspire to work closely with and learn from a community partner/civic entrepreneur, those who want to affect change in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), and those who are wondering how they can make a real, lasting, and appropriate difference in other people’s lives are ideal candidates for I2S.
In the 2025 season, students will explore four areas of social issues. These are housing, food access, mental health, and environmental justice/post-growth. A series of hands-on workshops, complemented by conversations with experts from the frontlines, will equip participants with broadly relevant problem-discovery tools and skills that they can apply in any field and career. The weekly workshops (Mondays, 5:30 to 7:45 pm) are offered as part of the MGT4189 Social Impact course and they are open to any interested student and community partner, but please note that only students who register for the course will participate in the I2S poster showcase. Anyone is welcome to attend the speaker panels and workshops of their choice for their personal development, to learn about useful problem-discovery tools that they can apply in any field, and to get connected to leaders in the social impact space.
The I2S Showcase will take place on April 15, where students will present the outcome of their work to an audience of practitioners, community leaders, faculty, and students.