Design Connect is rooted in collaborative, democratic, and sustainable principles for the advancement of towns in Upstate New York. Every semester we provide practical experience to students through cooperation with local municipalities and non-profit organizations by providing design and planning services for these groups that may not have the resources to hire professionals. A student-led organization housed in the Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP) at Cornell University, our teams are made up experienced and aspiring planners, architects, engineers, policy-writers, designers, and more. We strive to empower both students and citizens by advancing collaborative, democratic, and sustainable design projects. We research, build consensus, generate ideas, and identify opportunities for our partner municipalities and non-profits. Students from any degree program join a Design Connect team for credit and experience work outside the classroom while partnering with real communities. Projects are announced at the beginning of each semester, and all students are encouraged to sign-up for a unique and impactful program.