Up for the Challenge?
Addressing Sustainability and Climate Change
The Changemaker Challenge invites University of San Diego students, faculty, and staff to employ their imagination, passion, and hard work to generate ideas addressing a current social challenge.
The 2022 Changemaker Challenge topic was addressing food justice. Winners for the 2022 Challenge were selected based on the Community Challenges provided by our community partner - Farm Forward. The entries selected will pilot their ideas in the spring 2023 semester. Students whose ideas were selected as pilots will receive prizes worth $500. You can see the videos of the selected entries below!
We are excited to announce that the 2023-25 Changemaker Challenge topic will be addressing sustainability and climate change issues at USD. Our community partners are the Office of Sustainability and the Environmental Integration Lab. Stay tuned for more details later this summer!
The following ideas were selected as finalists for the 2022-2023 Changemaker Challenge
Changemaker Challenge: GET Educated
Changemaker Challenge: Food Transparency at USD
Changemaker Challenge: Plant-Based Vendor List
Changemaker Challenge FAQs
What is the Changemaker Challenge?
The Changemaker Challenge is the Changemaker Hub’s annual idea competition that invites students to employ their imagination, grit, and passion for generating ideas to address a current social challenge posed by local San Diego community partners. This competition provides students with the opportunity to work on an urgent challenge, acquire practical experience, transferable skills, and additional support building their idea. The winning ideas are adapted to create real change in the community, and students will have the option to continue with the pilot idea and network with these local organizations.
What are the Changemaker Challenge's rules for eligibility?
Will be posted no later than August 15th, 2023.
What have been past Changemaker Challenge topics?
In previous years, the Changemaker Challenge has addressed topics related to waste (2012, 2013), water (2014-2016), equity and access: health, education, and housing (2017, 2018), homelessness, displacement, and migration (2019, 2020) and food justice (2021-22). The 2023-25 topic will focus on addressing sustainability and climiate change issues at USD.
In November 2023, a panel of judges will select and announce the ten best proposals from which the community partner will select the ideas to pilot in the spring semester. Students who submitted ideas to be piloted will receive a cash prize.
Do I have to use the prize money for the project?
Any award money will go directly to students who win and the Changemaker Hub will fund the pilot projects for the ideas during the Spring 2023 semester.
You are welcome to reuse and build upon any of your own previous work. However, we ask that you cite all the sources that you use, including your own.
The platform to enter can be accessed through the MySanDiego Portal. Please visit this site regularly for more detailed information.
The deadline for the Fall 2023 Changemaker Challenge will announced in August 2023.
Connect
Connect with us at the Changemaker Hub