A group of graduate students and George Aye from Greater Good Studio in the SVA MFA DSI space.

Design change. Innovate.

At MFA DSI, you’ll learn the design mindsets and capabilities to support people and the planet.

How can design shift us towards more healthy, caring systems?
What conditions and collaborations enable communities, systems, and ecosystems to thrive?
How can eco-social design increase innovation and our capacities for change?

Social design
works with communities, organizations, governments, businesses, and the planet through:

Strengthening Relationships + Care

Advocating for health, access, ecologies, restoration, joy, and healing. Supporting shared values and interdependence while honoring nature’s wisdom.
Social Design asks good questions and deepens connections, with care.

Co-Creating Intentionally.

Collaborating with communities, advocating for mutual benefit, accountability, and abundance. Centering lived experience and responsibility, while reducing harm.
Social Design can shift power while building leadership and creatively responding.

Embracing Complexities

Breaking from things that no longer serve us. Recognizing the continuum and pluralities, and making the invisible visible.
Social Design supports new thinking over more things, to imagine possibilities and lead with vision.

Learn More

EVENTS

MFA DSI Open House 2025 - November 14, 5pm (NYC)

Grow your network, leadership, and connections.

When: Friday, November 14, 5 – 8 pm EST
Where: MFA DSI, School of Visual Arts, 136 W 21st, 5th Floor
RSVP Required

Learn about MFA DSI’s cross-disciplinary, collaborative, and hands-on graduate program and understand how eco-social design grows healthier, ethical, caring futures. Eco-social design is good for people, organizations, institutions, enterprises, and the environment. Hear from our amazing alum – Amer Jandali (MFA DSI ’16), Alejandra Libreros Saker (MFA DSI ’24), Bruno Monteiro (MFA DSI ’16) – about their career pathways and how their leadership is making a difference in the world. See our student gallery, featuring projects with communities and real-world partners.

RSVP, please

EVENT

MFA DSI Virtual Open House 2025 - November 6

Join our Virtual Open House to discover more about DSI and SVA. Participate Karen Proctor, beloved, legacy faculty, will lead a hands-on activity to offer an in-depth look at the DSI Leadership course. $80 application fee waiver. Register to hold your space!

BLOG

Alum Corner: Alejandra Saker (MFA DSI '24)

Reflections on the Bronx Living Legends exhibition by Alejandra Saker: “This exhibition reconsiders one of New York City’s most mythologized infrastructures: the Cross Bronx Expressway, through the lens of the communities who live alongside it.”

EVENT

Ask Us Anything Virtual Info Session - October 23

Come to our info session on Thursday, October 23 (9:00 am est) to learn more about how to apply for MFA DSI. Don Norman Design Award winner, Susanti Vijaykumar (MFA DSI ’25), will share her journey at DSI and her exciting career today.

RSVP Today

Thesis 2016

Thesis 2016

Green Nest

Nelson Tseng (MFA DSI ’16)

Impact investment involves investing in businesses that do good, such as those manufacturing clean energy and creating affordable housing. Green Nest is a platform that streamlines the investment research process, making decisions straightforward and easy to understand. In the future, impact investment will become a competitive financial product, and Green Nest will ensure social value is generated from investment, can be measured, and understandable