Welcome in 2022 with UC San Diego’s Changemaker Week

Changemaker Week events will be going virtual for the 2022 celebration. Photos by Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Communications. All photos taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The start of the year offers new opportunities to take action that positively benefits our local communities, region and more. At UC San Diego, students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members are ringing in 2022 with Changemaker Week from Jan. 15–22. As part of the fourth annual celebration, a weeklong lineup of free virtual events will highlight the outstanding changemaking work happening at UC San Diego and beyond.

Changemaker Week activity where students were invited to make new friends and share personal insights while in a ball pit.

Changemaker Week—which is led by the Changemaker Institute with programs hosted by units across campus—allows participants to explore how to create positive social change through public and community service, research, social innovation, social entrepreneurship, social justice and more. This year marks the largest celebration to date, featuring over 40 opportunities focused on creating change for the good of all.

“At UC San Diego, we are dedicated to cultivating a community of changemakers who not only do things differently but take creative action to solve social problems,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “As we kick off our fourth annual Changemaker Week, I welcome each Triton to continue building the knowledge and skills needed to drive positive change in our campus ecosystem and around the world.”

In conjunction with the celebration, the university will also be showcasing events in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Week of Service. Volunteers are invited to participate in virtual projects to honor and uplift Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. Coordinated by the Center for Student Involvement, each free event offers creative, meaningful opportunities to serve the community. In-person service projects have been postponed and will be rescheduled to a later date.

Please note that all Changemaker Week activities are subject to change based on the latest campus operations guidance. For all updates on campus operations, please visit the UC San Diego Return to Learn website. This year’s programming includes:

All Week

Volunteers from the campus community gather for a photo during a previous Changemaker Week celebration.

Green Residence Survey
Learn about how to make sustainable changes in your own life through UC San Diego Sustainability’s new Green Your Residence program. A self-assessment is available to help determine what areas of sustainability you could improve in, as well as where you are already doing well. Survey participants can also sign up to receive swag and enter a drawing to win a prize.

Jan. 17

MLK Jr. Week of Service: Compassion Prison Project Letter Writing
Campus community members are invited to become pen pals and write letters to people who are incarcerated and inmates on death row. This project is through the nonprofit Compassion Prison Project (CPP), which strives to transform prisons and communities through trauma-informed, compassionate action. This virtual event begins at 6 p.m. and is hosted by the Center for Student Involvement.

Jan. 18

Introduction to the Diversity and Science Lecture Series
Learn about the work and lives of junior life scientists in San Diego through a virtual presentation hosted as part of the Diversity and Science Lecture series (DASL). DASL features junior life scientists who present their science and comment on equity, diversity and inclusion in STEM. In this session from 11 a.m. to noon, researchers Evan Boyle, Jillybeth Burgado and Gabriela Goldberg will share information about DSL and host a conversation.

Center for Student Involvement-sponsored Community Health Project
Beginning at noon, learn about how the Center for Student Involvement-sponsored Community Health Project is working together with community partners to build healthier communities. During the virtual workshop, participants will explore how the project is addressing food insecurity, youth education, and mental health within an affordable housing framework.

Jan. 19

Campus community members attend a 2020 Changemaker Week workshop centered on leadership lessons.

Changemaker 101
In this virtual workshop beginning at noon, attendees will learn more about themselves as a changemaker and find out how they can make a positive social or environmental impact. Participants can learn where they stand on the “Changemaking Continuum” and discover ways to get involved in campus and community efforts to address social and environmental issues.

Turn Your Passion Into Action! A Conversation with Local Leaders Making a Difference
The Career Center will host a virtual program at 3 p.m. where participants will hear testimonials and learn from local changemakers who are on the frontlines of social justice initiatives and reform in San Diego and beyond. Attendees will discover how to make a powerful difference, from outreach and advocacy to community organizing and policy change.

Jan. 20

Changemakers in Graduate School
At this virtual event beginning at 4 p.m., hear from a panel of UC San Diego Ph.D. students who are changemakers through the research they engage in and the positive impact they influence on and off campus. Attendees will learn about the speakers’ journey to graduate school, the graduate student experience, and how they plan to continue serving as changemakers after graduation.

Designing a Safe Space for LGBTQIA+ Entrepreneurs Virtual Workshop
This interactive co-design workshop will focus on the creation of a safe space for LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs and allies to access the support, community, and resources needed to thrive. Attendees will explore what a safe space for LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs could look like, the necessary resources and types of support that are needed. Two UC San Diego Entrepreneurs in Residence are leading the workshop: Annie Brown, founder of the creative sharing platform Lips and Sonia Steinway, principal at the strategy consulting firm Artemis Connection.

Jan. 21

A Conversation with the Changemaker Faculty Fellows
In this virtual conversation beginning at 9:30 a.m., learn about the Changemaker Faculty Fellows program and how each fellow implements community engaged learning within their work. Attendees will also hear from a cohort of fellows about their experience in the program.

Changemaker Week Restorative Circle
The Restorative Justice Committee will lead discussion centered on Restorative Practice as a tool in social change work. At this virtual event starting at noon, participants will also have a dialogue centered on social issues.

Learn more about the weeklong lineup of free events by visiting the Changemaker Week website.