The Phyllis M. Taylor Center for Social Innovation and Design Thinking cultivates a diverse network of changemakers who are working and learning together to create a more just and equitable society.

Founded in 2014, the Taylor Center envisions a powerfully connected network of changemakers who support and learn from each other as they work to create lasting positive social change in their communities.

Our Values

We are guided by our values:

RESPECT: We are committed to equity and recognize humility and empathy as cornerstones of effective and ethical engagement with others

CONNECTION: We see innovation as a social act that is grounded in the relationships between people across difference.

LEARNING: We practice persistent curiosity and recognize that everyone has knowledge to gain and share.

CREATIVITY: We are committed to being open and at times uncomfortable as we seek out the unexpected in imagining a better world.

Our Work

Our programs are grounded in the teaching, research, and practice of social innovation and design thinking.

Taylor offers training and coaching for instructors looking to integrate social innovation approaches and human-centered design into their courses. Taylor faculty also teach courses in social innovation, design thinking, changemaking, and life design.

Taylor supports changemaker research and scholarship through programs and funding opportunities. Taylor also develops original research and scholarship in the field.

Taylor offers a variety of programs open to students, staff, faculty, and community members in social innovation, human-centered design, and changemaking. We also offer funding for undergraduate and graduate students

As an Ashoka U Changemaker Campus, we espouse the value of “everyone a changemaker” and engage Tulane constituents, New Orleans residents, and our global community in the movement toward positive social and environmental change.