Ideas to Serve (I2S) Program at Georgia Tech
The Ideas to Serve (I2S) program is an integral extension of the MGT 4189: Social Impact—Exploration and Design course at Georgia Tech. Embracing a community-based learning (CBL) approach, I2S encourages students to engage deeply with pressing societal and environmental challenges through immersive, experiential learning.
Program Highlights
The I2S program equips participants with essential skills to:
- Build Foundational Skills: Develop research, critical analysis, and problem-exploration abilities.
- Utilize Systems Thinking: Identify root causes of issues rather than merely addressing symptoms.
- Investigate the Solution Landscape: Analyze existing solutions to understand successes and failures.
- Cultivate Empathy: Become active and compassionate listeners, fostering a deeper connection to community needs
Focus Areas for 2026
This year, participants will delve into three critical topics:
- Mental Health (Exploring the importance of social connections and third places)
- Sustainability as Post-growth (Understanding the drivers and outcomes of overconsumption)
- Independent Journalism (Investigating what happens when the news is privatized and AI-driven)
Through a combination of hands-on workshops and insightful discussions with front-line experts, students gain versatile problem-discovery tools applicable across various fields and careers.
Program Structure
Weekly workshops are held on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:45 pm in CoB 222 as part of the MGT 4189 course. These sessions are open to all students and community partners interested in personal development, learning effective problem-discovery techniques, and connecting with community leaders in Atlanta and beyond. While anyone can attend the workshops and speaker panels, only registered students will have the opportunity to present their work at the I2S Poster Showcase.
I2S Poster Showcase
Join us on April 21 for the I2S Poster Showcase, where students will present the results of their problem-discovery projects on their chosen topics. This event provides a platform for students to share their findings with practitioners, community leaders, faculty, and peers, fostering a conversation about the challenges and opportunities for improving the human condition.