Surge Angels 2027 Applications Open September 21st. 

Through the generous support of the Margulf Foundation, the Surge Institute has partnered with 4.0 and Camelback Ventures to refine the Surge Angels experience! 

Here's what's new in 2027:

• Updated curriculum preparing you to launch, grow, secure funding, or apply to future accelerators

• Partnership with 4.0 to help test and refine your idea, build skills to iterate effectively

• Strengthen core venture fundamentals to build a durable business in a changing environment.

• Positioning for continued support well beyond Pitch Night

Mark your calendars for these key upcoming dates! 

• Monday, September 21: Applications Open

• Tuesday, September 22 (Time TBA): Informational Session; see details above

• Tuesdays, October 6, 13, and 20 (Time TBA): Applicant Office Hours; see details above

• Friday, October 23: Applications Due; no late applications will be accepted

Learn more about the 2027 Surge Angels cohort!

We invite alumni to submit proposals for learning experiences they believe would be valuable to the Surge alumni community. We welcome a wide range of ideas that help alumni grow as leaders, strengthen connections, and advance educational equity. 

While proposals on any relevant topic are welcome, recent alumni feedback identified two priority themes we are especially interested in featuring this year:

• Leading at the Executive Level

• Leading Systems Change through Advocacy and Influence

Learn more about this opportunity and apply today.

Surge Alumni Impact is proud to offer sponsorships that help our alumni attend some of the most sought-after educational conferences. These opportunities allow alumni to expand their networks and build new skills without the financial barriers of registration, travel, or lodging costs.

Our latest offering is: 

Teach For America 35th Anniversary Summit

October 2-3, 2026, Las Vegas, NV

Sponsorship application deadline: First-come, first-served. 

Email us at alumni@surgeinstitute.org to claim a ticket.

Not a TFA Alum? All good — the Summit is open to all! Here are top reasons to attend:

• Gather with thousands of educational leaders from across the country for the first full network-wide gathering in a decade.

• Engage with an influential community where roughly 40% of attendees work outside traditional education—spanning tech, law, medicine, business, and public service.

• Reconnect with familiar peers and find fresh motivation through the diverse journeys of fellow attendees.

• Participate in panel discussions, interactive houses, and brand activations aimed at charting solutions for the next decade of student opportunity.

• Hear from high-profile speakers, authors, and advocates (such as actor and philanthropist Jay Ellis) who focus on leadership, culture, and purpose.

• Exchange innovative ideas and practical strategies to bring back to your local classroom, school district, or community

We're changing the way career opportunities reach our alumni.

Too often, the burden falls on talented leaders to constantly search for the next opportunity. We believe it should also work the other way around.

That's why we're intentionally building relationships with recruiters, executive search firms, and hiring teams who are looking for experienced, equity-driven leaders. Rather than simply sharing job postings, we want recruiters to think of Surge first when they're searching for exceptional talent—and to connect them directly with alumni whose experience and leadership align with their needs.

If you're actively (or quietly) exploring what's next in your career, know that we're working behind the scenes to create more opportunities for organizations to find you.

This is just one more way we're investing in the strength of our network and opening doors for one another.

Check out our announcement to recruiters.

Job opportunities will get posted on an ongoing basis on our Jobs & Career Supports page.

Surge Alumni Impact has entered into a new partnership with LEE to give our alumni free access to tools, training, and resources to make civic change by running for elected office or growing your impact with advocacy work or a career in policy. Through this partnership, all of our alumni and staff can access LEE’s support at no cost.

Here’s some of what LEE offers:

• Access to digital courses, virtual workshops, and more

• One-on-one career and leadership coaching

• Robust and expert candidate and campaign supports

• The Briefing Room: curated, evidence-based policy research

• Momentum: LEE exclusive jobs board for roles in the civic sector

• Cohort-based experiences and fellowships

• A national network of over 70,000 members working in education, advocacy, organizing, and public leadership

LEE is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering diverse leaders to drive change in their communities. This partnership will equip Surge Institute alumni to become highly effective civic leaders, enabling them to create the futures they want for themselves and their communities. The partnership also reflects our shared belief that strong communities are built by people who are committed, informed, and supported. LEE can help you take your next step with confidence.

Sign up today to activate your LEE membership and start accessing these powerful resources.

This past year, with support from EdForward DC, Surge Institute launched our DC Alumni Leads Pilot, an initiative designed to strengthen connection, leadership, and collective action among our 47 D.C.-based alumni. Led by alumni Rhonda Henderson and Arman Lakes, the pilot brought together three cohorts through eight alumni-designed experiences focused on leadership development, advocacy, wellness, community building, and reimagining education systems. The results affirmed something we've long believed: when alumni lead, our community grows stronger. Participants reported deeper relationships across the network, greater confidence in their leadership, and increased engagement in advocacy efforts that are already influencing schools, organizations, and education policy in Washington, D.C.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway wasn't just what happened in D.C. It was what it taught us about the future of Surge Alumni. We heard a clear desire for more opportunities to learn from one another, organize around issues that matter, and build leadership beyond our individual roles. We're incredibly grateful to Rhonda and Arman for their vision, leadership, and countless hours of work to make this pilot such a success. Their leadership has provided a roadmap for how alumni can continue shaping the future of our network.

Learn more about DC programming that happened this year! 

The *NEW* Surge Alumni Hub is here! 🚀

We are so proud to finally share a version of a digital home space for Surge alumni that reflects our evolution as a an alumni community over the years!  

This new Surge Alumni Hub is a place where you can easily find the information you need for all things Surge alumni, including, but not limited to, exploring our alumni programs more deeply and keeping abreast of job opportunities, projects, applications, and upcoming events.

Inside the Hub, you’ll find:

• Announcements & updates

• Events

• Alumni Impact Programs

• Advocacy Tools

• Career Supports

• And more!

We look forward to this next iteration of our digital home base and are deeply grateful for all the feedback and care that you have poured into shaping this community!