Is the M.Div the new M.B.A?

Why tech execs and corporate leaders are leaving their day jobs for...Divinity School.

Last week, I had coffee with a former colleague (and forever friend) who'd just finished her first semester at Divinity School. Her eyes shone as she described wrestling with life's biggest questions alongside an astonishingly diverse cohort of fellow seekers.

I felt something unexpected: envy.

In my mid-20s, I chose business school to learn about leadership and impact. But if I had to do it again today? I might look elsewhere for answers.

A fascinating trend is emerging: tech executives and corporate leaders are trading boardrooms for theology classes. As Nicole LaPorte reports in Town and Country what was once fringe is becoming "the ultimate flex." Today, employers increasingly value a Master of Divinity over an MBA or JD – recognizing that empathy and ethical leadership are uniquely human skills that can't be outsourced to AI.

Surprisingly (or perfectly?!): Sam Altman agrees. Last fall he said something I hadn't expected to hear from him: "As tech advances, I believe we'll see a significant return to spirituality — it's what's missing when other things get solved for."

Today's seekers are rarely looking for religion – they're looking for wisdom:

✨ Questions that matter: How do we make meaning? What binds community?
✨ Space for deep reflection
✨ A compass for navigating complexity
✨ Tools to lead with moral clarity

I initially saw what we're doing at The Flight School as a sort of Alt-MBA for young leaders. But as our work takes shape, I realize what we're building – and what's needed most – is closer to an Alt-Div 😊 Our Fellows don't come to us for technical skills – they're aching for meaning. They aren't seeking more gold-stars – they're hungry for purpose.

Rather than waiting for a crisis to seek wisdom, what if we made it core to how we learn and lead?

The tide is turning. And not a moment too soon.