Office for Socially Engaged Practice
The Sam Fox School’s Office for Socially Engaged Practice connects students and faculty to communities in St. Louis and beyond to collaborate on meaningful projects in art, architecture, and design. These collaborations allow students to experience St. Louis beyond the WashU campus while supporting education, innovation, and more in our community.
The Summer Public Design Workshop is a 4-week partnership between St. Louis community groups and the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts. Community organizations, neighborhood groups, and nonprofits interested in advancing their mission and vision through design are invited to submit project ideas for Summer 2026 consideration.
What we do
Our Work
The Office for Socially Engaged Practice facilitates a variety of programs, from the longstanding University City Public Art Series and Alberti Program: Architecture for Young People, to newer initiatives like student fellowships and faculty grants. In each case, the office connects WashU students and faculty to community partners working on real-world issues.
Socially Engaged Courses
Open to all WashU students, courses emphasizing socially engaged practice give students the opportunity to broaden their perspective and contribute to projects that have a tangible impact in their community — from creating 3D-printed sculptures installed in St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation District to designing and building unique upcycled bicycles with St. Louis youth.
Grants & Awards
Students and faculty are invited to apply for funding through the Office for Socially Engaged Practice for community projects, collaborations, courses, and fellowships.
Minor in Creative Practice for Social Change
Supported by the Office for Socially Engaged Practice and available to all WashU undergraduates, the minor in Creative Practice for Social Change prepares students to tackle large-scale challenges through a creative and collaborative lens.
Events and News
Nov 11 at 12pm • Olin Library, Room 142
Engaged City Community Fellows Introduction
Join us for a special lunchtime session where our three inaugural Engaged City Community Fellows will introduce themselves and share more about their work, creative practices, and visions for the Engaged City project.
This is an opportunity to get to know the fellows, hear about the questions and ideas driving their work, and learn how they plan to engage with our communities in the months ahead.
The 2025-2026 Fellows are:
Muhammad “Mvstermind” Austin — Music industry visionary and STL CITY SC’s Director of Musical Experience, known for bridging artistry and entrepreneurship through his work with Mvstercamp.
Damon Davis — Acclaimed post-disciplinary artist and co-director of Whose Streets?, whose work explores identity, power, and mythology across visual art, film, and music.
Paulette Sankofa, Ed.D. — Founder of Aging Well Renaissance, artist, and author whose quilting, writing, and filmmaking honor elders, uplift cultural traditions, and foster community wellness.
These three fellows are the inaugural cohort of the 2025–2026 Engaged City Community Fellows in Residence. This fellowship is a major initiative of the newly launched Engaged City project, a multi-year effort to collaboratively map and celebrate the cultural life of St. Louis. The Engaged City project is a partnership between the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity (CRE²), the Center for the Humanities, and the Office for Socially Engaged Practice.
Featured news
Summer Public Design Workshop pairs students and community partners for design-build project
Featured news
Architecture students Hannah Grau, Ashley Herrera, Bedgid Laguerre, and Alexia Leek took part in the 2025 CityStudioSTL fellowships.
Featured news
Multiyear collaborative initiative pairs local design team and WashU faculty with community organizations to enrich neighborhood.
WHO WE ARE
Situated within WashU’s Sam Fox School, the Office for Socially Engaged Practice was established in 2014.
Today, it facilitates dozens of collaborative projects and courses each year, with three staff and up to two practicum students.
Director of the Office for Socially Engaged Practice; Lecturer
Project Manager for Public Design Projects, Office for Socially Engaged Practice
Program Manager - Community, Access, and Well-being