The Social Innovation Challenge is a special professional development experience for up to 25 Lindenwood University faculty, staff, and students. Participants compete for The Porter Prize by applying design thinking to address a pressing social problem that faces our community. We specifically seek applicants who can bring diverse perspectives from across our campus.
Through this experience, participants engage in a series of four design thinking workshops, where they learn methods for creative problem solving. Following the workshops, participants are divided into teams to develop a solution to a social problem. This process takes several weeks and is supported by a dedicated Design Thinking coach. Each team will present one creative solution to a panel of judges, who will evaluate the proposals and award The Porter Prize. Only one team will receive The Porter Prize, but ALL participants will receive a Professional Development Certificate in Design Thinking from Lindenwood University.
The Porter Prize honors the visionary leadership of Lindenwood University’s 23rd President, John R. Porter. Dr. Porter continually encourages innovation and inspires us all to remain curious and seek creative, community-engaged solutions.
This year, each member of the winning team will receive $500 and a digital trophy (badge).
[Please note: participants will be assigned to teams by the facilitators.]
Applicants will be evaluated on three criteria:
- Applicant’s ability to bring a unique or diverse perspective to the challenge.
- Applicant’s philosophy toward team-based problem-solving activities.
- Applicant’s ability to articulate the value of this experience in their professional life.
Applications are accepted in the fall for the upcoming Social Innovation Challenge. Workshops start during the early part of the spring semester and the program runs through April.
