Impact in Education

Experience Stanford GSB with a focus on education through experiential learning, coursework, fellowships, summer experiences, and more.

The pandemic has created an unprecedented learning crisis while at the same time technology has transformed the educational experience for students of all ages across the world. Stanford GSB students approach educational challenges from various perspectives, incorporating policy, entrepreneurship, and pedagogy. We will provide you with the tools, experiences, and network to impact the education landscape.

Join a Community of Dedicated Education Leaders

Be a part of our student and alumni community that is reshaping the world of education through managerial and entrepreneurial projects that challenge the traditional pathways to educational success. From K–12 and higher education to reskilling, our alumni are facilitating systemic change.

Learn from the Experts

The Stanford community is rich with academic and practitioner experts in issues of education access, equity, and quality. Explore entrepreneurial approaches to rethinking education with Stanford GSB professors and alumni. Take advantage of courses offered by the Stanford Graduate School of Education for a deep dive into the complexities and intricacies of public education systems. Deepen your expertise by pursuing a joint degree in education.

Featured Courses

  • Disruptions in Education
  • Leading Change in Public Education
  • Entrepreneurial Approaches to Education Reform

Faculty Insights

Make a Difference While Learning

You have the opportunity to delve deep into education career options through our experiential learning opportunities and fellowships. Opportunities include taking the role of a venture capitalist investing in edtech for the Stanford GSB Impact Fund Education deal team, starting an educational social venture in the Social Entrepreneurship Program, or interning in an educational organization.

Hannah Hsieh O'Neel
MBA/MA ’22
Impact Fund, Education Director of Investments

Hannah joined the Stanford GSB Impact Fund to try the daily activities of an investing role — sourcing, diligence, building relationships with founders, and more. She found the education deal team has given her a "great excuse to dig into what's exciting in the sector and meet rock star founders who are focused on improving educational outcomes." She also mentioned, “As Education Director of Investments, I hope to create a cohesive, committed deal team and facilitate a top-notch learning experience for them. Equally important, I want to connect with and advocate for founders who share our commitment to financial and social returns and play an active role in helping them reach the next level.”

Mariandrea Villarreal
MBA ’20
Social Management Immersion Fund Fellowship

During the summer between her first and second year in the MBA program, Mariandrea took a strategic role with the African Leadership Academy (ALA), a residential high school institution dedicated to 16- to 19-year-olds from around the African continent. ALA seeks to transform Africa by identifying, developing, and connecting the next generation of African leaders. Mariandrea worked to define the operational framework for the alumni network, conducting research, interviewing alumni and staff, and analyzing key areas to structure the network. She defined the network's programmatic offer, designed the required organizational structure, and developed a detailed implementation plan to guarantee successful execution.

Shawon Jackson. Credit: Javier Flores
MBA ’21
Impact Design Immersion Fellowship

Shawon is passionate about social justice education and youth leadership development. Shawon used his fellowship to help build a new venture, Vocal Justice, whose mission is to empower undervalued Black and Brown youth to become socially conscious leaders through a culturally affirming public speaking program. Shawon continues his work on Vocal Justice after graduation with support from the Impact Careers Fellowship.

Understand the Field

Don’t miss your chance to hear from guest speakers from innovative educational organizations to develop a deeper understanding of the educational space.

Coursera CEO, Rick Levin: Leaders Must Communicate Their Vision
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Coursera CEO, Rick Levin: Leaders Must Communicate Their Vision

During his Stanford GSB View From The Top talk, Coursera CEO Rick Levin shared key insights for leaders: "Have a vision. Communicate it clearly. Pick the right people and put them in the right jobs."

Power Your Career Right after Graduation

We offer prizes, fellowships, and loan forgiveness so that you can pursue your high-impact career when you graduate. Our students have used these programs to join highly impactful education organizations, such as Khan Academy, Owl Ventures, and EveryDay Labs, or to create ventures that use innovative community support to reshape K-12 education, offering low-income students access to the skills they need to succeed and providing summer experiences in design thinking to at-risk youth.

Experience the Potential of an Interdisciplinary University Network

When you join Stanford GSB, you gain access to Stanford’s extensive interdisciplinary resources dedicated to improving education worldwide. 

Stanford Graduate School of Education is dedicated to solving education's greatest challenges. Through rigorous research, model training programs and partnerships with educators worldwide, we're pursuing equitable, accessible and effective learning for all.