TSPA Launches Social Innovation Project

The Truman School of Public Affairs has officially launched its Social Innovation Project (SIP). Through a workshop series and one-on-one mentoring, this project will provide the tools to help transform some of our most promising undergraduates into the next generation of leaders who will tackle society's most intractable social problems. Dr. Eric Greitens, Truman School Senior Fellow and director of The Mission Continues, and Dr. Bart Wechsler, director of the Truman School, are leading the workshops.

Students from five participating colleges and universities (University of Missouri, Lincoln University, Columbia College, Stephens College, and Westminster College) were nominated by faculty and advisors to participate in the Social Innovation Workshop Series. More than 40 students attended the first workshop, in which they were given a brief history of the social innovation movement and presented with information about current social innovations. Students were then guided through an exercise to define the social issue they are most passionate about. In the second workshop participants will learn the nuts and bolts of developing a social innovation project. Workshop three will be devoted to the the creation of a specific action plan. Throughout the workshops, participants will have opportunities to network, receive peer feedback, and benefit from the technical support of the SIP team.

From evaluations of the first workshop, it seems clear that the project is off to a great start and students are enthusiastic about the process and eager to develop their social innovations. Students said:

“The guided individual reflection was very helpful for thinking about what I want to accomplish.”

“The overall collection of information about social innovation was most helpful.”

“The specific examples were great. It's nice to see the step by step process of someone being successful with social innovation.”

Workshops two and three are by invitation only for those who attended the first workshop. The next workshops will be held on February 26th and March 19th at the University of Missouri. The Social Innovation Project team looks forward seeing promising students rise to the challenge of fostering positive social change.