Design studio.

Design Studio is for educators and education entrepreneurs who have an idea for a new school model, a program within existing schools, or an educational venture and want to explore the problem and solution more.

Design Studio

Are you a DC-based educator or aspiring education entrepreneur who has identified a problem in your school or community but isn’t sure what to do next? Design Studio will introduce you to resources, tools, and new ways of thinking to guide your efforts to solve these problems.  

Over the course of two virtual three-hour workshops, you will learn the fundamentals of equitable design and explore and define a student-centered problem and the conditions that shape it. 

As an introduction to the CityBridge curriculum, Design Studio is appropriate for educators and education entrepreneurs interested in both our School Design and Transformation and Ventures pathways.

Design Studio is currently paused for School Year 2023-2024.

Curriculum

Over six hours, Design Studio will introduce you to equityXdesign, a framework that combines equity work with the power of human-centered design thinking. Participants will leave the workshops with a plan to gather more data on their problem and/or test out possible solutions.

COaching

CityBridge alumni facilitators will guide participants through identity work and an exploration of historical context to better understand the problem and design solutions that center those most impacted by the problem. While no formal coaching is offered in Studio, CityBridge staff are available for additional support and guidance.

connections

You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other educators and entrepreneurs seeking to create a more equitable public education system for DC’s students. After Design Studio, participants officially become CityBridge alumni and gain access to the CityBridge alumni newsletter and network.

Capital

After completion of Design Studio you will have access to additional opportunities for investment to continue on your design journey. Design Studio does not include a stipend for participants.

I loved coming together in a shared space with other like-minded individuals and expressing our concerns, as well as, our desired outcomes and planned solutions to problems plaguing our communities, schools, and students.

It’s an incredible feeling to know that multiple people are thinking about and working toward more just and equitable outcomes for our city’s students.

CityBridge programming provides a space where educators and education entrepreneurs can boldly design groundbreaking solutions to entrenched challenges, to better serve DC students. Each cohort joins a supportive community where members are dedicated to creating a public school system worthy of all of our children.

FAQs

No, all CityBridge programming is provided free of charge to all participants.

Design Studio consists of two three-hour virtual sessions. Ahead of the first workshop, you will be assigned pre-work that should take no more than three hours. Post-workshop activities will likely take approximately two hours to complete. This includes documenting and sharing your learnings and next steps.

The application should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. We generally offer fall, winter, and spring sessions, with the application opening approximately two months prior to each session.

Design Studio is currently paused. To learn about application openings, subscribe to our emails below or follow us on LinkedIn.

Design Studio is not a prerequisite for Design Fellowship or Design Residency. CityBridge’s programs are not linear; they are designed to meet educators and entrepreneurs at different points in their design journey. At the end of each program, participants outline next steps and CityBridge staff are available to discuss additional programming opportunities.

We’re available to discuss any questions you may have about our programming. Please contact us.

Sign up to receive our Newsletter

Newsletter