Social Innovation Collaboratory Student Teams

What do our students learn?

Design for Social Impact

The Design for Social Impact team is comprised of students from different disciplines who are interested in the power of purposeful design. These students work with university staff and faculty to build strong brands, design effective communication strategies, and create engaging marketing materials that grow public awareness of Fordham’s Social Innovation Collaboratory and other Social Innovation organizations. Social Impact Storytelling Social Impact Storytelling is a team of undergraduate students advised by faculty, alumni, and storytelling specialists. This team develops a curriculum, offers mentorship, and organizes events that bring the Fordham community together to experience empathy, show solidarity, and embrace diversity through the art of storytelling and story-listening.

Systems Thinking

The Systems Thinking team comprises students and faculty interested in systemic change. They participate in an online Acumen course that teaches systems thinking, a non-traditional approach to problem-solving that advocates an understanding of driving forces, root causes, and the need for systemic change. The team uses systems thinking to help Collaboratory practica, First Year Formation courses, and other groups at Fordham better understand societal issues.

What do our students do?

Climate Impact

The Climate Impact team focuses on measuring and mapping Fordham’s energy usage and climate impact. The team looks at existing tools, such as the Sustainable Campus Index (SCI) and the Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS), to help the university measure, report, and strengthen its contribution to global sustainability.

Financial Literacy

The Financial Literacy team promotes financial education to help individuals better understand what finance means and what it can provide them. Being financially literate is an imperative skill that everybody should utilize. However, who will be there to teach them the importance of financial literacy? This team emphasizes the capability of others to understand and proficiently use financial skills in financial management.

We Vote Young

We Vote Young focuses on educating young pupils within the Bronx, NYC area about politics. The Bronx lacks young, bright voters due to a lack of information and involvement within the school districts. It is important that we educate our youth about politics so that they can be equipped to lead, understand, and further educate friends and family about the political climate that they are involved in today.

Fordham Business Development Collaboratory

The Fordham Business Development Collaboratory, the FBDC, is an initiative within the Social Innovation Collaboratory at Fordham University. The FBDC aims to build partnerships with businesses across New York, primarily focusing on Bronx communities. They are also a resource for business development, marketing, and web development needs. Collaborating with local businesses, they help business owners generate a newfound sense of communal wealth and give back to the community.

Happy Hopes

Happy Hopes is a team that promotes mental health and provides a support system to students. It is not stressed enough how mental health can significantly impact one’s life. Happy Hopes is a safe space for our students to unwind and destress from their everyday school life. By making more that our students are mentally sound and secure, we can implement healthy choices in relationships with not only ourselves but others as well.

The Innovator

The Innovator is a publication founded at Fordham University that shares stories of students and faculty within the Fordham community, allowing them to express themselves in articles, artwork, and pieces. The published magazine is found not only on campus but in local areas within the community. The publication highlights social innovation, peer reviews of global topics, political issues, and relevant pop cultural passages.

Sustainable Fashion

Sustainable fashion is a movement that fosters change in fashion products and the fashion industry towards greater ecological integrity and social justice. The Sustainable Fashion team develops a curriculum and organizes events that introduce students, faculty, and fashion executives to the basic sustainability issues and opportunities faced by the Fashion industry.