Map the System. Change the World!
Map the System is a global systems thinking competition that engages students in deeply understanding and working within complex social and environmental problems. Participating students meet weekly in person to complete a research project and prepare to present their findings to a panel of judges at the annual Vanderbilt University Map the System competition. One team will be selected to advance to the global Map the System competition in Oxford, England*.
Applications for Fall 2024 Map the System Program are now closed.
Program Information
Map the System takes place in the Fall. See below for an example of the timeline.
Fall 2024 Map The System - Tuesday Afternoons
- Sept. 17 - MTS Session 1 - 4:30-6 PM
- Sept. 24 - MTS Session 2 - 4:30-6 PM
- Oct. 1 - MTS Session 3 - 4:30-6 PM
- Oct. 8 - MTS Session 4 - 4:30-6 PM
- Oct. 15 - MTS Session 5 - 4:30-6 PM
- Oct. 22 - MTS Session 6 - 4:30-6 PM
- Oct. 29 - MTS Session 7 - 4:30-6 PM
- Nov. 5 - MTS Session 8 - 4:30-6 PM
- Nov. 12 - MTS Session 9 - 4:30-6 PM
- Nov. 19 - MTS Final - TBD
Map the System is for students, staff, and faculty who:
- Are interested in pursuing a career in social innovation, social entrepreneurship, government, public policy, corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, or another related field
- Are concerned about a particular social, economic, or environmental issue and wants to identify opportunities to help solve the problem
- Aspire to launch a social business, whether for profit or non-profit
- Want to develop professional skills in systems thinking, an increasingly sought-after problem-solving framework in diverse professional fields
- Want to make a meaningful difference in the world
Additional resources from Oxford University:
- The winning team from Vanderbilt selected to compete in Oxford, will communicate with the Wond'ry staff for funding options to cover the cost of the trip. **Partial micro travel grant provided for winning team
If you have any questions about the program, please email our Program Manager, Sarah Saeed, at sarah.saeed@vanderbilt.edu.
Completion Requirements
Throughout the program, you’ll be guided through a process that will help you complete each deliverable by the required deadline. The deliverables you’ll complete are:
- A visual infographic of your problem landscape and system
- A word summary of research findings, max 3,000 words
- A bibliography of sources used during research
- An 8-to-10-minute presentation