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SVA - MFA Design for Social Innovation

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@svanyc an MFA program at the intersection of design, enterprise, and social innovation. Apply now for Fall 2026 ⚡️ Links below

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How can play foster connection and creativity across generations? MFA Design for Social Innovation alumni Hao Jie Sim (@simhaojie) and Xiaolan Fu (@fuxiaolan88) brought their thesis project, Aging in Play (@aginginplay), to this year’s Games for Change Festival, walking away with reflections on the impact of designing accessible, low-barrier ways for communities to gather and create together.

Originally co-created and piloted with older adults in New York City, Aging in Play has since traveled to spaces such as the Strother School of Radical Attention in Brooklyn (@schoolofattention) and the Singapore Science Park (@sgsciencepark), each stop revealing new ways adaptive play can bring different communities together.

Swipe through for more on the project, and head to the link in our bio for the full story.

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🌟 Upcoming Workshop 🌟

Aging in Play: Designing Play as Social Infrastructure for Health, Agency, and Connection

We’re excited to share that @fuxiaolan88 and @simhaojie will be representing @aginginplay, @svanyc, and @svadsi at the @gamesforchange Festival on July 21.

They’ll be leading a workshop on Aging in Play, a project that began at SVA’s Design for Social Innovation program and explores how play can support health, agency, social connection, and belonging in older adult communities.

Part presentation and part hands-on workshop, the session will share the process behind Aging in Play. Participants will try games from the Aging in Play PlayBox, remix them by modifying different game elements, and create playful experiences of their own.

Attending Games for Change? Come play with us!

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Return of the Mending Lab! Join us for a free community event to learn garment repair skills. Schedule is being finalized and experts who will teach specialized skills. More to follow. #nycevents #mending #upcyclingdesign #circularity #themendinglab @leila_sews

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🔊Meet the Fellows!🔊⁠
⁠
This summer, the IPA welcomes eight Fellows to spend eleven weeks living and conducting research at the Block House located on Governors Island in New York City. Representing a range of disciplines including architecture, literature, technology, ecology, inclusive innovation, social infrastructure, and design - the 2026 Summer Fellows will engage with the island as a living laboratory to develop projects and ideas. IPA Fellows are among the first to stay overnight on the island since the Coast Guard’s exit in 1996 and are immersed in the interdisciplinary culture of the program. ⁠
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📍Visit us on Saturday, June 20th from 12-4pm for the first Open [Block] House of the summer. Meet the Fellows, learn about their research, and view in-progress work.⁠
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Amelyn Ng⁠
Architecture⁠
New York City, New York⁠
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Sara Dean⁠
Architecture⁠
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Finn Brunton⁠
Literature/History⁠
Berkeley, California⁠
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Ann Dinh⁠
Multi-Disciplinary Design⁠
New York City, New York⁠
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Martin Rodriguez Jr⁠
Architecture/Technology⁠
Detroit, Michigan⁠
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Susana Chinchilla⁠
Architecture/Social Infrastructure⁠
New York City, New York⁠
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Jahlik Parkes⁠
Urban Design/Ecology⁠
Queens, New York⁠
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Amanda Ramos (2026 Visiting Fellow)⁠
Inclusive Innovation⁠
New York City, New York⁠

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So incredibly excited and proud to share some big news! ✨

I’m thrilled to announce that both my co-design workshop “Designing the Receipts” and JCEN app design for When I Think of Home (WITH JC) have been selected to be featured in the exhibition for Makeshift 2026 at SVA during NYC Design Week! 🌸💻

This milestone feels especially meaningful because it started with a push from my Chair, Miya Osaki. I am so grateful for her encouragement to apply and for her constant belief in this work. Seeing these projects come to life at the School of Visual Arts during such an iconic week in the design world is a dream come true.

Can’t wait to share more from the exhibition floor! See you at NYC Design Week! 🗽🎨

#Superbloom #Makeshift2026 #SVADSI #NYCDesignWeek #SocialInnovation

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New speaker alert!

We're sad to miss @elizabeth_goodspeed at tomorrow's event, but we're so excited to welcome designer, researcher, and educator Elaine Lopez (@elopez12) to the floor!

🗓 Friday, April 24, 5:30PM

Join us for an evening with Rachel Meade Smith, editor of Search Work and author of the long-running newsletter Words of Mouth, for a conversation on job hunting, labor, design, and the search for meaningful work.

Reception and book signing to follow.

Hosted by SVA MA Design Research, Writing & Criticism, MFA Design for Social Innovation, and MFA Interaction Design.

Register at the link in bio

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Ready to work?

🗓 Friday, April 24, 5:30PM

Join us for an evening with Rachel Meade Smith, author of the long-running newsletter Words of Mouth (@words.ofmouth), for a conversation on job hunting, labor, design, and the search for meaningful work in celebration of her new book, Search Work: A Collective Inquiry into the Job Hunt.

Rachel will be joined by writer and Search Work contributor Elizabeth Goodspeed (@elizabeth_goodspeed) for a discussion drawn from the book, moderated by Ailsa Petrie '25 (@ailsa_petrie).

The discussion is followed by an audience Q&A and book signing.

Hosted by SVA MA Design Research, Writing & Criticism, MFA Design for Social Innovation, and MFA Interaction Design.

Register at the link in bio! 📎

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This workshop, led by @svadsi students, is part of their Master’s thesis exploring accessible, hands-on STEM learning. Using @thebluebusproject as a model, they brought creative science experiences directly into the community.
Grateful to the students @aeduk_lee and @irispan8868 and everyone in the community who participated.

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Spent some time at an SVA DSI workshop called Heart of Dinner (爱心餐), where we hand-painted paper bags for the event.
It was one of those simple, grounding sessions—just markers, kraft paper, and a room full of people making something together.

I painted the little horse holding a gold ingot (元宝) 🐴🧧
Wishing everyone a warm, well-fed year ahead.

马年大吉

#SVA #SVAxDSI #DesignForGood #CommunityDesign #Workshop #Illustration #Handmade #KraftPaper #ChineseNewYear #YearOfTheHorse

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HAPPY NEW YEAR from the WRC!
#hny2026 #yearofthehorse #svanyc #svaalumni #writingresources

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Writing Contest. Prize Money! Let’s go!! #writingresourcecenter #writingresources #svawrc #svanyc #wrcnyc

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Play as Practice.

Aging in Play explores senior-led play through the PlayBox.
Come learn how we play together.

Presented as part of Next Up: Tightrope.

Come to the exhibition.
Play with us.

📍 SVA Gramercy Gallery
🎉 Reception · Thu, Jan 29 · 5–8 PM

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