The Designers in Residence program is the collective voice of higher education leaders focused on education accessibility for new majority learners in underserved communities.
The Designers in Residence program is a cohort-based program to support higher education leaders in learning, practicing, and applying equity-centered design.
Rooted in equity-centered design, the program brings together thought leaders from across the nation to reimagine how higher education can better serve learners traditionally left behind by existing systems.
Designers in Residence, work collaboratively over the course of the program to tackle systemic challenges and co-create solutions aimed at increasing access, retention, and success for students. Leveraging the collective expertise of the cohort, the program provides a space for bold experimentation and the development of sustainable strategies that bridge gaps in education equity.
Through structured design sessions, skilled facilitation, and the use of the Lab’s design methodology, the cohort addresses critical issues facing higher education. The program is unique in its focus on centering the lived experiences of those most proximate to the problem (often new majority learners), amplifying their voices in shaping systems that directly impact their educational journeys.
The Designers in Residence program not only drives local and institutional change but also positions its participants as thought leaders and advocates for systemic transformation. Together, they are shaping the future of higher education for all learners.
“The student voice…solved problems for the teachers and others in the system” – Mario, Forsyth Student Design Team Member
“I feel so heard” – Freya, NOVA Student Design Team Member
The Designers in Residence 2.0: Accelerating Pathways initiative brought together six higher education leaders from community colleges across five states to design and implement K12-to-career accelerated guided pathways. Focused on advancing equity, the pathways were intentionally crafted to support Black, Hispanic/Latino, and low-income students, providing them with opportunities for social and economic mobility. Each Designer in Residence collaborated with regional ecosystem teams, including students, parents, educators, policymakers, industry leaders, and community members, to ensure inclusivity and alignment with local workforce needs. By leveraging an equity-centered design approach, these teams co-created transformative dual enrollment pathways that address regional challenges while fostering collaboration across sectors. The resulting guidebook shares key insights and strategies from this innovative project, demonstrating how community colleges can lead partnerships to create equitable, career-connected educational opportunities.
Building on the work of the first cohort and testing the framework in a live regional partnership project, cohort 2.0 consists of 6 higher ed leaders working with the Lab to design accelerated, dual enrollment pathways.
In the Designers in Residence 2.0 program, the six designers from community colleges across five states collaborated with their ecosystem partners to create and implement K12-to-career accelerated guided pathways. These pathways are specifically designed to support Black, Hispanic/Latino, and low-income students, helping them achieve social and economic mobility.
Each Designer in Residence formed a regional design team that included students, parents, educators, policymakers, community members, and industry representatives, thus fostering a collaborative and inclusive educational ecosystem.
Through an equity-centered design process, regional ecosystem teams co-created pathways aligned with local workforce needs. This guidebook captures the insights gained from the project, where higher education leaders led a partnership to design and implement accelerated dual enrollment pathways.
The impact of the Designers in Residence program is felt across multiple levels, from individual leaders to institutions and the broader higher education ecosystem. By empowering participants to lead with equity and innovation, the program creates a ripple effect of transformation:
Insights Brief
This initiative aims to create dual enrollment pathways for BIPOC and students from low-income backgrounds, enabling them to earn an associate degree or credential within one year of high school graduation.
Foundational Research
Substantial research shows that dual enrollment (DE) is an evidence-based practice that offers high school students in the U.S. a jumpstart on a college, resulting in broad positives impacts on student outcomes.
The engagement arc reflects the five-phase, equity-centered design journey for cohort 2. Each phase builds on the previous one, guiding participants through a structured process of discovery, innovation, and implementation.
This guidebook offers higher education practitioners actionable strategies for building and sustaining partnerships that both meet regional needs and support students, families, and communities.
The colleges’ blueprints are strategic, equity-driven frameworks that outline actionable steps and scalable solutions for implementing and sustaining their reimagined dual enrollment pathways.
Through the equity-centered design process, the six colleges revisited and revised their dual enrollment journey maps to address barriers, reimagine opportunities, and center the experiences of historically underserved learners.
The colleges’ pathway graphics visually represent their reimagined dual enrollment journeys, showcasing the streamlined, equitable steps students take from entry to completion, informed by their institutional goals and learner-centered design insights.
The first Designers in Residence cohort of 11 higher education leaders co-designed a framework for higher education and ecosystem leaders to understand the current role of higher education institutions, a possible, more equitable future, and three levers for how to get there. The Current vs. Future State Framework seeks to address a core problem: Higher education leaders need a way to bring their regional stakeholders together to leverage collective wisdom and resources in service of a shared vision for the future. Learn more about this initial prototype and the work of the first cohort in our May 2022 program brief.
Facing the complex challenges to meet the evolving needs of workers and learners.
This work represents the collective voice of these higher education leaders representing a range of geographic ecosystems and institutional drivers. Designing for a truly equitable future requires working collaboratively in new ways.
This team brings a diverse set of skills and expertise in equity-centered design and student engagement. With a proven track record of leading complex projects, the team excels in guiding institutions through transformative processes that are both innovative and tailored to the unique needs of each college. Their collaborative approach, combined with strong analytical skills and a commitment to equity, ensures that they can facilitate the design of strategic plans that are not only visionary but also actionable and impactful.
“As a first-generation, low-income college student, born to a teen mom, I feel a deep commitment to pay it forward to make college accessible for all” – Jess
“Social justice, responsibility, and advocacy are core tenets of my faith tradition and life values” – Ivan
“I am committed to pushing boundaries and making the impossible seem possible” – Bryana
“I’ve seen how higher education and workforce development strive to address systemic challenges, and I believe the future of education lies in strategically blending the strengths of both sectors. By leveraging their unique approaches, we can transform systems and create sustainable change for individuals and communities” – Asha
The vision for the Designers in Residence program is to cultivate a future where leaders are not only capable of reimagining systems for greater access and success but also serve as catalysts for scalable, sustainable transformation across the sector, ensuring that all learners have the opportunity to thrive.
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Please reach out!
