Experienced Leaders Program
Program Description:
You’ve made an amazing impact in a successful career. Now what? Imagine what comes next.
The Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education and Leadership Education at Teachers College, Columbia University will host its second annual Experienced Leaders Program (ELP). This immersive program is designed to collaborate with you as you transition from a full-time career or from a long-held career to finding your next-era purpose — with connectedness, reflection, creativity, and impact at its core.
ELP participants will engage over six months -- 3 days on Teachers College, Columbia University campus and 4 meet-ups on Zoom -- in a cohort of exceptional peers led by Teachers College, Columbia University faculty. Located in dynamic New York City, this experience will provide the time, space, community, and wisdom to help you unearth your next North Star.
We will help you answer essential questions as you move through this important transition: Who am I now? What does the world need now that I am most qualified to deliver? What do I want my legacy to be? How do I listen for my next purpose?
During this experience, not only will you engage with peers asking the question "What comes next?" You will also connect with emerging and aspiring leaders in schools and non-profit organizations, providing a cross-generational opportunity for connection, inspiration, expertise sharing, and mentoring.
Bring your unique experiences, a willingness to share your expertise, a desire to explore your not yet known, and a motivation to search for new possibilities. Join an enduring network of fellow participants who will accompany you on your journey. Leave the experience filled with a renewed sense of purpose and ways of seeking and determining your next purpose that ground and support you long after your time in this program.
Dates: October 2026 - January 2027
Times:
- In-person: Sunday, October 11, 2026 - Wednesday, October 14, 2026 (Times TBA)
- Online: Monthly meetings from November 2026 - January 2027 (Time TBD)
Format: Hybrid - Both in person and online meetings are required (See dates and times above)
Early Bird Price: $3,700 - save $1,300 – Fee includes most meals for on-campus modules.
For more information, questions or to register: Email tcacademy@tc.columbia.edu
Faculty
Nicole Furlonge, Faculty Director
Nicole L.B. Furlonge, Professor of Practice and Director of the Klingenstein Center, earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her M.A. from the University of Michigan and B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Teachers College, Dr. Furlonge served as Director of Teaching and Learning at the Holderness School, where she facilitated professional learning for faculty and developed LEARNS (Listening, Engaging, Asking, Reflecting, Networking, Sharing), a framework for formative professional learning and inquiry. She has taught English and served as English Department Chair and Director of Diversity at several independent schools, including St. Andrew's School (Delaware), The Lawrenceville School, and Princeton Day School. Dr. Furlonge is the author of Race Sounds: The Art of Listening in African American Literature, published by University of Iowa Press. Her book demonstrates listening as an interpretive, creative, and civic act that leads to deeper engagement with identity and racial difference. Currently, Dr. Furlonge’s research examines the intersections between listening, cognitive neuroscience, cultural competency, school leadership and adult learning. Ultimately, she is interested in investigating ways to cultivate the habits of a listening mind.
What to Expect
- A dynamic and transformative learning experience that strikes a balance between the flexibility of online learning and the richness of an on-campus experience: We’ll begin your six-month learning experience with an online orientation followed by a three-day immersion on campus and in the city. After your time on campus, you’ll continue your experience by engaging in self-directed learning, asynchronous engagement, and live online sessions with faculty and facilitators from the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University.
- Membership of an enduring cohort of exceptional people like you: Whether in person or virtual, we know how to build a strong and enduring cohort! Your network will support you during and after the program. Through co-generative peer collaborations, digital spaces to support idea exchanges, opportunities for discussion on-campus and online, and 1:1 time with faculty, you’ll gain valuable feedback that leads to discovery and deeper learning.
- Intergenerational Connections: Program participants learn how to share their experience and expertise in a way that fosters positive engagement, impactful dialogue, and collaboration as they engage with aspiring and emerging leaders across the Klingenstein global network. This intergenerational engagement adds a unique element to learning and planning through next-era transitions. It also provides a chance for participants to connect with other Klingenstein alumni and make an impact on emerging leaders.
- Emerging ready for your next chapter: You will deeply question and reflect. You will deepen your understanding of your purpose, motivations, and long-term goals. You will get inspired by aspiring and emerging leaders, and by incredible people who are thriving in their next-era transition. You’ll emerge with an actionable next-era plan.
- Listening with awe to develop a rich relationship with New York City – and yourself: What better place to be inspired than in one of the most diverse, electric, and creative cities in the world! New York City is an important text and context in this unique learning experience. You’ll discover the city (again or for the first time) in ways that will lead you to rediscover yourself in this life moment.
Projects
Impact and Future Visioning by Design
We'll use design thinking, futures thinking, place-based experiences, and listening practices to help you explore your next purpose possibilities.
Reflective Practice
Deepen self-awareness and self-discovery through writing sessions, prompts, and frameworks designed for meaningful pauses, inward exploration, and impactful purpose finding.
Who Should Attend
Register to join us if you are:
- Transitioning out of your primary career and committed to discovering your purpose and motivation anew.
- Have spent your career in education, education-adjacent, or other non-profit organizations.
- Seeking a thoughtful exploration of this new moment in your life.
- Yearning for a community of like-minded, curious peers as you make this transition.
- Seeking a transformative experience grounded in vibrant New York City and designed by a forward-thinking institution of learning.
Upon Completion
Participants who successfully complete this program will earn a verified Certificate of Participation and an official Digital Badge—valuable credentials that showcase your commitment to professional growth and can be shared on LinkedIn or digital portfolios.
View our sample program badge and certificate below:
Important Notice: This is a non-credit program. Completion does not provide academic credit toward any degree program at Teachers College or other institutions. No transcript credit will be awarded.