How can innovative learning and doing opportunities develop students’ powerful and durable future-of-work skills, along with the capacity to lead meaningful change in their communities?
For over 10 years, HFLI’s Social Innovation Studio(R) hands-on learning programs have helped young people and professionals build design thinking skills and knowledge as they develop and advance social impact projects that address pressing needs in their communities. Participants enter the meaningful, facilitated experience with a desire for impact and a pressing question or area of interest; engage in focused activities and explore tools grounded in human-centered design; and work in a non-judgmental, collaborative culture, guided by skilled, empathetic coaches. Teams emerge with a solution idea, tools and resources for further development and activation, along with personal and professional growth, and new contacts and mentors.
In 2026, HFLI is engaging students from select colleges, universities, and skilled trade programs through three extended project-based learning experiences, all sponsored by Ford Philanthropy.
Ford College Network (FCN) 2026 Test Track is underway and now in its third year. Teams of students from four-year colleges/universities (HBCUs and HSIs) are immersed in a cohesive, multi-session virtual learning program, addressing a pressing community challenge while partnering with a local community organization. Teams in the 2025-2026 cohort represent Wayne State University, University of Michigan, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Florida A&M University, Florida International University, Prairie View University, and North Carolina A&T University. Participating students are developing their experience with design thinking tools and methods, as well as entrepreneurial mindsets, as they build their understanding of the problem and envision an innovative digital solution. They generate ideas and action plans that have the potential to create broad, socially and economically positive impact. Teams will present their solution ideas to a panel of judges, who will select winners for three awards to enable those teams to drive impact through their projects (totalling $65k) in the following categories: Social Impact, Social Innovation, and Social Mobility.
Learn more about our two newest programs and how you can get involved:
NEW! Ford College Network (FCN) Digital Design Challenge for Community College Students. Bringing together student teams and their faculty advisors from community colleges and 2-year institutions in SE Michigan and northern Ohio who will partner with local organizations. We will guide the teams through a process that helps them create tech-enabled solutions to pressing community challenges. The experience empowers students to develop leadership, creativity, and social innovation skills while driving meaningful local impact.
NEW! Ford College Network (FCN) Women in Skilled Trades: Advancing Career Competencies Fellowship. We will provide young women in SE Michigan who are entering or seeking entry into the skilled trades workforce with an in-person, 3-week immersive summer learning experience focused on building personal confidence, entrepreneurial mindsets, and employability competencies.
How You Can Get Involved: We are seeking student teams and working professionals who can support meaningful learning opportunities for students by sharing their real-world knowledge, personal experience and time. Can you connect us with any of the following?
- Alumni of Ford’s Thirty Under 30 fellowship
- Professionals in social impact / social enterprise / nonprofit
- Practitioners of human-centered design and/or related skills (software engineering, UX, project management, data, etc.), or contacts at community colleges and 2-year institutions who would be interested in sharing this opportunity with their students and faculty
- Subject-matter experts from manufacturing industries, skilled trades and/or engineering
- Plant leaders and production experts
- Career & Technical Education (CTE) administrators and instructors (familiar with career competencies in the skilled trades)
If you are interested in learning more, please contact HFLI’s Social Innovation Studio(R) program lead, Theodore Kozerski.
