The EdD Residency: What to Expect During Your Immersive On-Campus Experience

The NYU Steinhardt online Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation (EdD) kicks off with an immersive residency experience on the NYU campus. This experience is a defining moment in students’ EdD journey, establishing peer and faculty relationships that grow throughout the program and providing opportunities to share backgrounds and set expectations.

It’s not uncommon for students to begin advanced degree programs with concerns and doubts. The EdD residency is designed to address both. As NYI EdD student Noé Orlando Escobar explains, the residence provided “the reassurance that I was selected with purpose and that I belong here. The residency made it real” and helped convince him he was “in the right place.” He left the residency assured he was “chosen for a reason” and that his cohort had been “tactically crafted to be the best it can be.”

This article explores what students attending the EdD immersive residency can expect.

What Is the EdD Residency?

The NYU Steinhardt online EdD residency is a three-day immersive event designed to help students lay a strong foundation for success in the program. 

Core Components of the Residency

The online EdD residency focuses on creating an active learning environment that prioritizes participation. Key components include: 

• Faculty-led workshops that introduce key leadership and innovation concepts
• Collaborative projects where students tackle real-world challenges
• Networking and discussion groups that help build long-term professional relationships

For EdD student Brian Moreno, “The people stood out, the faculty stood out, and the support and belonging resonate. You overcome your imposter syndrome—which, it turns out, everyone feels even though they are all very talented and accomplished—and begin to feel like you are part of a shared experience.”

What to Expect During the Residency

The residency is an interactive, immersive experience. Students should prepare to engage fully throughout the three days; do not expect to passively observe a series of lectures. Participants engage in collaborative learning, networking, and academic work. The experience offers opportunities to emerge with knowledge and meaningful connections.

The residency also sets expectations for success in a rigorous doctoral program and offers opportunities to discuss ideas for doctoral students’ Problem of Practice (POP). This allows them to begin to refine their research direction with faculty and peer feedback.

Escobar cautions that “You have to challenge yourself. You’re going to get out of your comfort zone. I think this is what the residency really offers: reassurance and guidance  for this journey from alumni, staff, and professors.”

A Supportive and Collaborative Environment

The NYU EdD in Leadership and Innovation is built on a cohort model that fosters connection and collaboration. During the residency, students meet others from their cohort and have the opportunity to begin to build relationships. 

The residency is designed to be inclusive and promote students’ sense of being supported and valued. Student Serenity Smith notes, “Not at one moment did I feel intimidated; I just felt inspired and ready to dive in and learn.”​

Student Hailey Holt agrees, noting that she was intimidated when she reviewed her peers’ credentials while preparing for the immersion. Afterward, she felt differently. “The cool part about residency is that all those titles are stripped, and we’re all here for the same reason,” she explains. Student Juliet Neal adds that her cohort peers provide an invaluable support network. “If you should stumble along the way, there are people who will be able to lift you up,” she observes. 

Hands-On Learning and Real-Time Application

During faculty-guided workshops and collaborative projects, faculty members encourage students to think critically and apply leadership concepts in real time. Students actively engage in problem-solving and innovation, kickstarting their academic work.  “It’s in real time, it’s innovative, it’s not just theory… That is really the value-add of this particular opportunity,” Neal explains.

The Impact of the Residency

The three-day immersive residency can be a turning point in students’ educational journeys. Students describe leaving the program with bolstered confidence and a stronger sense of belonging. The residency is not just about learning—it’s about stepping into a professional network and leadership community.

A Defining Moment in the Doctoral Journey

During the residency, many students engage leaders from various sectors, connecting their career aspirations to a broader leadership framework. Student Christi Kobus Rokicki puts it this way: “For me, as a human and a person, getting my doctorate has been a lifelong goal. Getting to this point where I’m at the residency has been a five-year process because it was a stop and a start impacted by the pandemic. The NYU online EdD is opening up a whole different universe for me, and I’m staying open to that.” 

Holt reports that the residency helped her recognize that she had the skills and knowledge to take over her family business. She could see that “the NYU EdD in Leadership and Innovation will help me understand how [to assume control of the family business]. I feel like this is the next step in my getting ready to transition my parents into retirement as I step up and take over our companies,” she notes. 

Next Steps—Join the Next Cohort

The immersive residency is a crucial element in the NYU Steinhardt EdD experience. It enables EdD students to connect with their peers and faculty members, learn more about the program, and set their intentions and goals for their doctoral studies. The residency experience also helps students overcome their imposter syndrome and build confidence in their abilities. 

Connect with an enrollment advisor to learn more about the NYU Steinhardt online EdD in Leadership and Innovation and the residency experience. Or, if you’re ready to take the next step, you can start your application now.