High school students with a passion for creative problem-solving are invited to apply for the 2024 Wege Prize High School Collaborative Studio, a paid summer workshop hosted by Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD) of Ferris State University. Open to high schoolers entering their junior or senior year, the two-week program immerses participants in the solving of complex problems through the lens of whole-systems design thinking, sustainability, and the circular economy.

This year, a group of returning students will join newcomers in the summertime workshop, which expands from three to four student teams, with each student participant receiving a $597 stipend, a nearly $100 increase from last year’s offering. In addition to hands-on design experience, benefits for participating students include free daily lunches, portfolio-quality design work, letters of recommendation, and opportunities for professional mentoring and community network building.

The Collaborative Studio empowers students to develop innovative solutions to real-world environmental and social issues in their community.

The workshop is modeled after KCAD’s international collegiate student design competition, Wege Prize, www.wegeprize.org.