The “Design Thinking for Rural Innovation” program at SUNY Geneseo’s Center for Integrative Learning mirrors the kind of work Aspen CSG advances—helping communities use creative, people-centered approaches to strengthen rural development. By training faculty, staff, and community partners in design thinking, Geneseo is building local capacity to identify challenges, generate solutions, and implement programs that respond directly to rural needs. This connects closely with CSG’s mission of equipping rural leaders with tools, frameworks, and partnerships to drive long-term change. Both efforts emphasize that rural innovation doesn’t come from imposing outside models, but from equipping local actors to design strategies rooted in their own communities, ensuring that solutions are sustainable, equitable, and transformative.
DESIGN THINKING FOR RURAL INNOVATION
