Interdisciplinary Studies and Innovation

Designing a Meaningful Path Forward: At VCU & Beyond

Rooted in design thinking, Life Design helps students navigate college and career with purpose by connecting their interests, strengths, and experiences to meaningful opportunities. We're here to help students navigate their time at VCU in a way that's intentional, adaptable, and uniquely their own.

For Students: Take a class with us! 

Design thinking is particularly useful in tackling big, thorny, questions that don’t have one right answer. Questions like what should I do next in life? These courses provide you with an overview of the design thinking process and gives you a framework and tools to help you design your way forward through your studies and beyond.

Designing Your VCU
UNIV 191 (1 credit)

Designing Your VCU is about getting more out of, rather than cramming more into your college experience. You’ll learn about design thinking and use this framework to craft academic, career, and life experiences that align with who you are, what you value, and what you want to do in life. Expect to tap into your sense of play as you explore these topics: we’ll use Lego bricks, art supplies and lots of group activities in class. Whether you aren’t exactly sure what you want to do in college or you already feel overwhelmed by ALL the things you want to do this is the class for you. Open to all new first-year students (some sections restricted to undeclared majors)

Designing Your Life
INNO 491 (1 credit)

This course provides you with an overview of the design thinking process and gives you a framework and tools to help you design your way forward. We’ll work together as a community of peers and mentors to help each other discover our next best steps through assigned readings, personal reflections, and in-class exercises. Open to all juniors and seniors.

Mary-Chris Escobar
Associate Dean of Student Success & Life Design

escobarmc@vcu.edu

Fun Facts about Mary-Chris
Hobby I’m currently obsessed with: Baking sourdough bread, bagels and cinnamon rolls
I know way too much about: Squirrels

Mary-Chris Escobar

Mandy James
Life Design Specialist

mintzera@vcu.edu
Hobby currently obsessed with: repurposing leftovers
One item on your bucket list: Creating a study abroad course

Want to learn more about design thinking and other innovative design frameworks? Have a project idea you’d like some help with? Our partners in the daVinci Center have you covered: Check them out here!

For Faculty/Staff

Life Design is a mindset/cultural shift. We all help students with their life design every day but don’t always realize it. If you are interested in making these efforts more intentional, book a consultation appointment with our LIfe Design Specialist who can help you incorporate Life Design principles and activities into your curriculum, programming, or other work with students.

Life Design interest form