Ivory Tower Inner Fire Summit
Turn Your Disenchantment With Academia Into Soul-Led Livelihood
A free, 3-day event for academics who want to stop hiding their intuition and embrace the soul-led work that they crave.
For those who want to stay in academia, those who want to leave, and those who have already left
Are you an academic (or recovering academic)
who took a vow of poverty you don't remember making?
Nine years for the degree. Four on the market. Two postdocs, if you were lucky. You have never once been paid what your work was worth, and you never expected to be. That was the deal you made, in order to play the game of academia.
Nobody made you do any of it. You'd have fought anyone who tried to stop you.
And now?
You're tired. You're still underpaid. You're unsure how much longer you can keep going like this.
The system's broken.
Not you.
The Ivory Tower Inner Fire Summit will help you validate your audacity to envision a life where you do what you love AND get paid real money for it.
Does any of this sound familiar?
You've finally seen behind the curtain and realized that as many things as you love about academia, academia will never love you back.
You’re grieving the identity you built inside academia, but you're not sure who you are outside of it.
You can't see a way out of academia and aren't sure if you want to leave but also you know that you can't keep ignoring your intuition.
You long to do soul-aligned work, but you don’t want to throw away your academic training or abandon your salary, however meager.
You're not alone.
And you don't have to navigate rebelling against academia's norms by yourself.
How Past Attendees Described The Summit
Meet the Speakers
Join us for an inspiring virtual event packed with insights, hands-on workshops, and embodied practices, led by leading coaches, healers, and scholars-turned-entrepreneurs who have left, stayed, or reinvented their relationship to academia.
This is who will inspire you:
Reclaim Your Worth
Somewhere between the qualifying exam and the tenure file, your worth turned into something you had to prove again every semester.
These talks name what that did to you and hand you ways out that don't feel like gaslighting.
Stop Proving Your Worth: How Achievement-Based Identity Keeps Brilliant Academics Stuck—and What Comes Next
Holly King, Ph.D.
Why Did I Take a Vow of Poverty, Anyway? Find the Part of You Who Agreed to Academia's Unwritten Terms
Dr. Marie Gasper-Hulvat
The Devastating Impact of Your Inner Critic in Academia & How to Quiet It Down
Erin McCarthy, Ph.D.
Nontoxic Positive Thinking: How to Use Reframes and Affirmations in Your Career Journey
Kyle Inselman
Reclaim Your Body
A decade or more of academic training taught you to live from the neck up.
Your body took notes the entire time.
Join these speakers to explore what it costs to override your body's signals and what happens when you finally stop.
Learn how to start listening before your brain chips in its verdict, with incontrovertible evidence (that still might be wrong).
Scientist by Day, Yoga Therapist by Calling: Refusing to Choose
Dr. Dawn Browning, Ph.D., C-IAYT
The Body Decides Before the Mind Does: Learning to Trust Yourself Before the Evidence Exists
Izabela Oquendo, M.S., LPC
How Surfing Saved My Life: From Traumatic Brain Injury to Somatic Coach
Jennifer N. Costanza, PhD
Re-inhabiting The Center: Coming Home to Your Embodied Inner Knowing
Shannon Simonelli, Ph.D., ATR
Reclaim Your Energy
You already know how to work hard. That was never the problem.
The problem is that the only model of working you've ever known is one that burns you out, again and again. You are the phoenix.
Join us as we explore how to rebuild "work" without reproducing the grind, both inside and beyond institutions.
Deinstitutionalizing the Way We Work: Don't Leave Academia Just to Recreate It
Tamara Yakaboski, PhD
From Ashes to Sacred Fire: Burnout as Initiation
Susan Harper, PhD
5 Strategies to Rekindle Your Fire After Burnout (without doing more)
Dr. Donelle McWhorter
The Both/And Professor: Keep Teaching and Start Consulting to Live MORE Life
Dr. Angelika Gulbis
Reclaim Your Calling
You have a citation for everything except the intuition you want to trust the most.
Join these speakers to explore what happens when the part of you that's been keeping quiet finally gets the floor.
Learn how to take your tarot deck or dream journal as seriously as your literature review (it has the better track record).
From English PhD to Spiritual Teacher: Tapping into Your Soul-Aligned Purpose & Path through the Akashic Records
Josephine Hardman, PhD
Building a Humanity-Based Business: Embodied Knowledge and Making a Living on What This Moment Devalues
Julia Gray, PhD
Lessons from Lucid Dreaming: Three Principles for When You Feel Stuck and Stressed
Amy Pletsch, PhD
Notes from a PhD Writing an Angel Book: Credentials as Currency in the Woo Marketplace
Scott Guerin, PhD
Stories Remember Us to Ourselves
Anna Marie Trester
Hidden Currents: Why Doing Everything Right Keeps You from Doing What’s Next
Angela Mepham
Reclaim Your Income
Academia taught you to hand over your wisdom for free, and to feel greedy for wanting otherwise.
Join these speakers to explore what people with your credentials actually charge, without apologizing.
Learn how to sell what you've been giving away practically for free during office hours and at the lectern.
Turning Research Skills into Contracts: The Impact That Consultants Really Make
Dr. Luna Munoz
Why Academics Out-Teach the Internet Gurus (and How to Cash In on That)
Melissa Camilleri, MFA
Nobody's Handing You Students Anymore: How to Actually Find Out What They Want
Dr. Catrina Mitchum
Your First $5K Project: The Consulting Skills You Already Have
Dr. Lauren McClain
Both/And Livelihood: Building a Business Without Also Leaving the Tower
Dawn Leas, MFA
You Are Meant for More: How to Turn Your Academic Expertise into Income (Without Starting Over)
Paulina S. Cossette, PhD
With all these value-packed presentations, this is an event you don't want to miss. Click below to grab your free ticket.
Plus These Bonus Live Sessions
To get your questions answered and help you move into taking the right actions to move towards soul-aligned livelihood.
Networking Event
Thursday, Oct. 8th at 4pm Eastern
Ditch the awkward conference-badge-gazing to check for names you cited in your thesis. Join us for a dehierarchical community building networking event to build abundance through reciprocity, making meaningful and lasting connections with other woo-wise academics.
with Melissa Camilleri, MFA, of The Prosper Network
Co-Working Integration Event
Monday, Oct. 12th at 5:30pm Eastern
Actually do something with the notebook full of summit takeaways you'd definitely get to next semester. Join us for a structured coworking session to alchemize three days of inspiration into your actual next step, alternating focused work blocks with coaching interludes that compassionately reframe how you think about this work.
with Alison Miller, PhD, of The Academic Writers' Space
Live Hotseat Coaching
Friday, Oct. 9, 2pm Eastern
Turn Your Academic Expertise Into Consulting
with Dr. Angelika Gulbis & Dr. Lauren McClain
Saturday, Oct. 10, 11am Eastern
Rest Your Case Against Yourself
with Erin McCarthy, Ph.D.
Sunday, Oct. 11, 11am Eastern
Find Your Reset
with Dr. Dawn Browning of Hol Sol Wellness
Live Q&A Panels
Friday, Oct. 9, 11am Eastern
Making a Livelihood That’s Worth Living For
with Tamara Yakaboski, PhD and Holly King, PhD
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2pm Eastern
The Practical and Spiritual Sides of Knitting a Livelihood Together
with Dr. Luna Muñoz and Amy Pletsch, PhD
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2pm Eastern
Why You Can't Research Your Way Into Getting Paid Better
With three days of talks, a notebook full of next steps, and a strong suspicion that you'll read four more books before you act on any of it, you'll be wondering how you'll muster the willpower to actually make something of your summit experience.
Spoiler: This isn't a discipline problem. The same brain that got you through comps is doing exactly what you trained it to do, and that's not what's going to shift your trajectory from a vow of poverty to abundant livelihood.
Join us live to explore four ways brilliant academics stall between wanting the money and receiving it, and learn what actually moves the needle. Because more insight isn't what will do it.
with Dr. Marie Gasper-Hulvat of Soul Star Attunement
What if disenchantment is a BEGINNING,
not an ending?
Your dream of meaningful, soul-sustaining work that also pays the mortgage is possible -- whether you choose to stay in academia or carve your path outside of it.
It's your time to:
Embrace the intuitive parts of yourself that years in academia has pushed down.
Finally see how your academic path prepared you for sacred, sustainable work.
Hear what people with your credentials actually charge for their services.
Find community with others navigating their soul-led desires alongside a career in academia.
This is exactly what you’ll experience
at the Ivory Tower, Inner Fire Summit.
A sacred, subversive reimagining of making a living as an academic.
By the end of this summit, you’ll…
Stop shaming yourself for asking to be paid what your work is worth
Start seeing your academic experiences as part of your path to financial stability
Take actionable steps to identify what you're being called to pursue alongside your career in academia or outside of it
Feel empowered through connecting with others pursuing work that honors our souls
This isn’t just a summit.
It’s a collective movement of sacred rebellion.
Click below to grab your free ticket and join a community of other academics just like you who are reclaiming their inner fire.
You're Not Too Woo, Too Late, or Too Lost
MEET YOUR HOST
Hi! I'm Marie Gasper-Hulvat, an Associate Professor of Art History and founder of Soul Star Attunement, LLC, where I mix up a spicy cauldron of Human Design, EFT Tapping, tarot, crystals, and other metaphysical magic to help my clients turn their life moments of chaos and disillusionment into sacred opportunities.
In academia, I've done everything "right." I pulled off a fully-funded Ph.D., published and gave talks internationally, earned tenure, checked every box I believed would make me feel like I was worth something.
After earning tenure in early 2020 and learning the hard way just how little my university valued my hard-fought research agenda, I realized: I don't actually have to play this game any longer.
Though I still haven't outgrown academia, I have now questioned everything it taught me about logic, intuition, and what it means to do meaningful work.
Join me and 20+ mystics, misfits, and mentors who will help you embrace your intuition and find soul-led livelihood.
This one-of-a-kind event is designed to help you break that unspoken vow of poverty and make a living that honors your tremendous worth.
If you’re ready to rise from the ashes of academic disenchantment with the clarity, integrity, and sacred fire of a blazing phoenix, your ticket is waiting.
What to expect at the IVORY TOWER, INNER FIRE SUMMIT
When and Where
October 9-11, 2026 | All virtual, attend from anywhere
Expert Sessions
20+ pre-recorded talks and interviews with 48-hour free access. Deep conversations about what soul-sustaining work looks like, non-ick financial stability, monetizable skills you didn't realize you had, and more.
Live Connection Events
Daily live sessions: Q&As with speakers & orchestrated networking and co-working events.
Plus, for VIP pass holders:
Hot seat coaching.
Private Summit Community
Connect with other academics who are navigating what it looks like to embrace their intuition and find their path to soul-led livelihood in our private, pop-up LinkedIn group.
Games + Giveaways
Yes, there will be BINGO. And trivia.
And yes, you could win magical prizes from our speakers.
Upgrade for a Fire-Raising Experience
After registering, you’ll have the chance to upgrade your ticket and grab a fire-tested, phoenix-approved all-access pass: ongoing presentation access, VIP status for live events, and bonuses from our speakers!
This is NOT an academic conference.
These speakers have not PAID to participate in this event. And you don't have to pay to attend.
It’s also not here to tell you to quit your job, renounce your degrees, or abandon everything you’ve worked so hard for.
We won't tell you that you have to leave academia to find soul-led livelihood.
And if you've already left, it's not here to tell you that you should be "over it" by now.
Instead, it’s an invitation to alchemize what’s burning down.
To listen to what your disillusionment is trying to tell you.
To honor the wisdom of your intuition more than the comments of your peer reviewers. Especially Reviewer #2.
To connect with others who also know that soul-sustaining work and a legit income aren’t enemies. They’re collaborators.
Because sometimes lightning strikes the Ivory Tower…
And what rises from the rubble is radiant.
This is NOT an academic conference.
These speakers have not PAID to participate in this event. And you don't have to pay to attend.
It’s also not here to tell you to quit your job, renounce your degrees, or abandon everything you’ve worked so hard for.
And if you've already left, it's not here to tell you that you should be "over it" by now.
Instead, it’s an invitation to alchemize what’s burning down.
To listen to what your disillusionment is trying to tell you.
To honor the wisdom of your intuition more than the comments of your peer reviewers. Especially Reviewer #2.
To connect with others who also know that soul-sustaining work and a legit income aren’t enemies. They’re collaborators.
Because sometimes lightning strikes the Ivory Tower…
And what rises from the rubble is radiant.
Got Questions? We've Got Answers!
I already left academia. Is this still for me?
Emphatically YES.
This summit is not only about the decision to leave, it’s about what happens after. If you’ve already stepped away from academia but are still in the process of rebuilding your livelihood, you are exactly who this space was created for.
I don't want to leave academia. Is this for me?
Emphatically YES.
This summit fully embraces the possibilities of both/and: holding a productive career both inside and beyond the academy as a way to sustain your soul and livelihood.
When is this thing happening?
The main part of the summit will happen October 9-11, 2026, with a few pre-summit events on October 8th and post-summit events on October 12th. You’ll also get access to our private online community right away when you register, so the fun and connection-making can begin immediately.
What are the times? And will there be recordings?
All of the presentations are pre-recorded.
At 5 am EST each morning, 7 or 8 presentations will drop, and they will be available for 48 hours. So you can definitely watch at your own pace.
There are also two live events each day: a Q&A panel and a Hotseat Coaching session. The times for these will vary from 8am to 8pm Eastern, depending on the day. We'll post replays of both of these live events as soon as possible, and they'll be up for (at least) 48 hours also.
We also have 2 live events on the day before (a kickoff call & networking session) and the day after (a co-working session & closing call). These are in the late afternoon and early evening, Eastern. Replays for the kickoff and closing calls will also be posted, but the networking and co-working sessions won't have replays.
What if I can’t attend live?
All the presentations are pre-recorded and available for 48 hours with your free ticket, so you’ll have some time to take your pace with them. That being said, we will have live sessions each day, so if you can block out some time for those, you’ll get more out of the experience because these will be great opportunities for interaction within the summit community.
How long do I have access?
Free ticket holders get 48-hour access for each presentation. If more time is what you need (don’t we all?), you can always upgrade to one of the two all-access passes for extended access (plus some pretty snazzy bonuses to sweeten the deal).
Are the presentations live?
No, they will all be pre-recorded for fewer headaches all around.
We will have live sessions each day for networking, speaker Q&A, and coaching.
Will speakers get my email address?
Nope. I’ll add you to my Soul Star Attunement email list when you register, so that you can get event updates and links to the presentations each day. After the summit ends, you’ll continue to hear from me, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
The speakers will have free resources to offer you, and if you sign up for those, they may ask for your email address. But they won’t receive your email address unless you choose to give it to them directly. This is clutch because we all know that inboxes can get cluttered, and we all only want you to be hearing from the people we love to hear from.
Are the videos captioned or transcribed?
Yes! All presentations have captions, and transcripts are available with the upgrade options you’ll see once you register.
Please reach out if there is anything we can do to make sure you can enjoy this event.
I've never been part of academia. Can I still attend?
100% Yes. We are an inclusive, welcoming space. If this speaks to you, please join us!
Although this summit is designed especially for academics and recovering academics, the deeper themes are universal. If you’re feeling called to reimagine your work or your path, you’ll be in very good company here.
I’ve got more questions!
That’s FANTASTIC. Don’t even get me started on how much I love questions. (I am an educator at heart ... and in my Human Design!)
Email us at [email protected], and we’ll get back to you.
Cared For. Surprised. Changed.
What attendees told me after Summit 1
Get your free ticket and join us for the
IVORY TOWER, INNER FIRE SUMMIT today!
Turn your disillusionment into sacred fuel.
Reimagine your next chapter.
Reclaim the inner fire you thought got smothered under a pile of paperwork.
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