Meet MFA DSI at Chicago National Portfolio Day
When: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Time: 10:00 pm am – 2:00 pm CST
Location: School of the Art Institute of Chicago 280 South Columbus Drive Chicago, Illinois 60603
Meet MFA Design for Social Innovation in Chicago, IL, at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s National Portfolio Day event. Whether you want to learn more about social design, get feedback on your portfolio, or discuss how we can design a future centered on care for people and the planet — drop by and say hi!
Meet Riley Ladner, MFA DSI’s Communications + Project Coordinator. Riley’s background is rooted in a deep passion for understanding and analyzing societal systems, through her studies in Sociology and Gender Studies. At MFA DSI, Riley leads external communications through all channels (socials, newsletter, alum, workshops), and executes the annual thesis show.
MFA DSI graduate students and faculty are working with governments, organizations, NGOs, non-profits, studios, and beyond to support the well-being of our communities and systems.
Priority deadline is January 15, 2026. Apply to MFA DSI Today!
What to prepare:
If you don’t feel like you have a full portfolio of work to show, you can still meet to ask questions and get info on MFA Design for Social Innovation (MFA DSI) and the School of Visual Arts. For MFA DSI, you have a choice of submitting a portfolio, a case study that examines a project, or a proposal for a research project as a part of the application process which we hope will enable you to share your strengths in a variety of ways.
The SVA portfolio review is a great opportunity to receive helpful feedback on your work before you submit your official portfolio submission with your graduate application. Take digital photos of any physical pieces and gather 10-15 images into a multipage PDF in preparation for the event. We recommend preparing recent work or pieces that you feel best represent your technical and creative ability.