The DCI Experience
The DCI program provides a year of thoughtful reflection and reinvigoration, which our alumni affirm is a dynamic and “life-changing” experience. We do this through the three pillars of Purpose, Community, and Wellness, by offering:
- Academic discovery and immersion through access to courses and programs across Stanford’s seven schools.
- A stimulating and supportive new community of colleagues and a robust network of Stanford faculty and staff.
- Curated programming and resources to support physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
- Holistic exploration of individual meaning and purpose in later life.
- Mutually beneficial opportunities for intergenerational collaboration, learning, and mentoring.
- Exploration of opportunities for meaningful future endeavors.
- Ongoing learning and engagement with a vibrant alumni network.
DCI’s Pillars
Purpose
Each person’s life journey is unique. DCI takes a holistic approach to supporting Fellows as they explore interests and renew their purpose.
Community
One of the most important and valued pillars of DCI is the opportunity to build friendships with individuals from around the world who are exploring their personal journeys and who are eager to share experiences with a new group of colleagues.
Wellness
DCI Fellows are supported by faculty Wellness Specialists with expertise in various aspects of well-being including physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Program Overview
The DCI program is built around three interconnected pillars: Renewing Purpose, Building Community and Recalibrating Health and Wellness. These three pillars serve as the foundational elements around which DCI is constructed and implemented during the year of fellowship and those that follow.
Reflections on the DCI Experience
“Update: My Experience
at Stanford DCI”
“Lizness School”
In this podcast, Liz Dolan (Stanford DCI 2024) shares various experiences and observations during her DCI year at Stanford.
Image – @keeganmdunn @nomadstudios
Many of you have asked about my time at the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford—let me tell you, I absolutely LOVE IT! I’m so glad I chose to make this my first year after Microsoft—a bold, wise decision to shake things up and approach life from fresh perspectives.
My Classes and Learning Areas
The courses I’ve taken have been nothing short of transformative. I’ve focused on three primary areas: neurodiversity, public policy (especially democracy and health), and AI & systems—each offering incredible opportunities for personal growth.
Neurodiversity
I started with an introductory class on neurodiversity, exploring the mechanics of brain functions, processing, key areas of discovery, and diagnosis. It was ridiculously challenging, with tons of homework, but the depth of learning was worth it! I also delved into classes like Neurodiversity of Persuasion, Human Motivation seminars, and Literature and the Brain. These were riveting explorations of how our brains process information across languages, genres, and even sci-fi movies. Particularly fascinating were the scientific studies using EEG, fMRI, and MEG to understand effective communication techniques—it’s incredible what science knows about the brain and yet how under appreciated this knowledge often is.