Back in the day, when we were young and idealistic, ambitious and starry-eyed, it occurred to us that design could change the world. We really believed it. Until we grabbed a toe-hold on the fringes of the industry, and came to realize the typical level of concern for anything aside from paychecks and fame was, ultimately, far below par. Exceptions prove the rule, of course, and we're in no way even sipping on haterade for the likes of Ban or the Rural Studio. So it is with a mix of hope and skepticism that we recommend Design for Change: A Symposium on Design, Social Responsibility, and Nonprofit Organizations, at Parsons tomorrow from 9am to 5pm.

What is the role of design in advancing the public good? How can nonprofit organizations effectively leverage design to help them achieve their missions? These are questions that faculty and students at Parsons have explored over the years through dynamic collaborations with nonprofit organizations in a variety of fields. Parsons presents its first symposium that brings together design educators and practitioners and nonprofit administrators to discuss the role of design in addressing larger social issues. The daylong program will include panel discussions, presentations of case studies, and opportunities for informal dialogue.

Speakers include

Bob Kerrey, President, The New School Paul Goldberger, Dean, Parsons The New School for Design David Bornstein, Author, How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas (keynote address) Alastair Fuad-Luke, Author, The Eco-design Handbook

$25 for members of the public; $10 for students; and free for students, faculty, staff and alumni of The New School. Tickets can be purchased at the New School Box Office, contact 212-212-229-5488 or boxoffice@newschool.edu.

We can't go; we'll be jury-ing a studio, expanding young minds, increasing the reach of our addled soapbox. But go, and learn how to save the world. It kinda needs it now.