Social Innovation

Social Innovation at the Wond’ry prepares leaders to co-create opportunities for social change in their communities using the tools of equity-centered design and systems thinking. See below for a directory of all things Social Innovation.

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Get Involved

Are you interested in learning more about this program for the Fall semester? Click here to fill out our interest form. 

Interested in engaging in Social Innovation but not sure how? Start by searching through the active programs below. Each program page has a primary contact for further questions. For all other questions, please contact the Program Coordinator of Social Innovation, Dan Drogosh at dan.drogosh@vanderbilt.edu.

Upcoming Fall Programming Dates: 

SI Lunch and Learn
-Nov. 21 - Learn about Spring Programming (11:45 AM - 1:30 PM) 

Click Here to Learn More


Social Venture Think Tank

Social Venture Think Tank is an 8 week long program where interdisciplinary teams of Vanderbilt students learn the landscape and various models that exist to launch a social enterprise through frameworks including human-centered design and the social enterprise canvas model to go from idea to prototype with an emphasis on the triple bottom line. 


Social Innovation Workshops 

Explore fresh perspectives in our workshops!
Dive into our workshops to gain a deeper understanding of pivotal subjects in Social Innovation. We aim to shift your perspective and increase your awareness of alternative paradigms, helping you approach these topics in innovative ways.


Map the System

Map the System is a global systems thinking competition that engages students in deeply understanding and working within complex social and environmental problems. Participating students meet weekly in person to complete a research project and prepare to present their findings to a panel of judges at the annual Vanderbilt University Map the System competition. One team will be selected to advance to the global Map the System competition in Oxford, England*.


Climate Innovation Accelerator

Want to be a part of positive community change?  Sign up for our Climate Innovation Accelerator!  A 10-week, project-based, learning cohort that allows student teams to sit in the driver’s seat of consulting on climate innovation for minority-owned small businesses and nonprofits with the guidance of expert mentorship and instructor support.  Students learn actionable learning outcomes involving sustainable business, climate science, innovation, and design thinking.  Students ideate and rapid prototype solutions for a climate positive future.

Climate, Health, and Energy Equity Lab 

The Wond’ry is home to the Climate, Health and Energy Equity Lab, co-founded and directed by Dr. Zdravka Tzankova (Vanderbilt University Climate Studies), Dr. Carol Ziegler (Vanderbilt University School of Nursing), and Dr. James Muchira (Vanderbilt University School of Nursing). Accepted students will map corporate & institutional awareness on the equity implications of climate mitigation pledges & actions; develop conceptual and strategic approaches for using climate mitigation to alleviate specific economic, environmental and health inequities; and, design strategies that simultaneously advance climate mitigation and health, energy, environmental, and economic equity.


Commodore Cup

The Wond’ry team is thrilled to announce its inaugural campus-wide design challenge called Commodore Cup, made possible with collaboration with the Division of Administration and Clearloop. The 2023 theme this year is sustainability.