Starting in early 2025, Antioch University began bringing together nearly two dozen students, alumni, and faculty for monthly sessions called “Pivot Points: Mastering Professional and Life Transitions.” This five-month pilot series explored what it means to grow, adapt, and reinvent oneself within a lifelong learning community. Co-facilitated by School of Interdisciplinary Studies Dean Amy Rutstein-Riley and Leadership and Change Professors Beth Mabry and Harriet Schwartz, the five-month series invited participants to reflect and learn from one another through themes such as healing and renewal, identity shifts, practical coaching, and coming into the scholar-practitioner self.
The gatherings were deeply rooted in Antioch’s philosophy of relational learning, where dialogue, story, and presence become the tools for transformation. The organizers reported that from the very first session, it became clear that Pivot Points offered more than professional development—it offered connection. Participants described a sense of belonging that transcended cohorts and generations. The series became a meeting ground for those in transition, including career changes, new leadership roles, or personal reorientation, each finding resonance in the stories of others. Through conversation and shared reflection, they began to see that the path of change is not solitary but communal.
By the series’ end, participants reported having the insight that lifelong learning thrives when nurtured in community. As Rutstein-Riley puts it, “Pivot Points demonstrated the power of bringing together Antiochians across sectors and life stages to share wisdom, listen deeply, and accompany one another through change.”
Feedback and experiences from the inaugural series continue to shape future offerings, and the organizers say that they plan for Pivot Points to extend beyond a single pilot. It points toward a sustainable model for lifelong learning at Antioch: one that honors the complexity of human transitions and celebrates learning as a lifelong, relational journey.
To learn more or request participation in future iterations of the series, please contact Antioch University’s Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for the School of Interdisciplinary and Individualized Study, Les Creighton.
