Spotlight On: Michael Ulku-Steiner, Head of School, Durham Academy

January 2026 — In an interview with Invest:, Michael Ulku-Steiner, head of school at Durham Academy, discussed how they integrate academics and character development, emphasize digital literacy, and craft a well-rounded education. “If we can help students leave Durham Academy with a strong sense of who they are, good habits, and a healthy orientation toward the world, then we’ve prepared them not just for college, but for life,” he said.

Join us at caa’s upcoming leadership summits! These premier events bring together hundreds of public and private sector leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities for businesses and investors. Find the next summit in a city near you!

Durham Academy is widely recognized for its commitment to both academic rigor and character development. How do you balance these two elements in your daily work?

Durham Academy has long believed that academic achievement and character formation are not separate pursuits. They are mutually reinforcing. Our school dates back to 1933, and since those early days, we have tried to prepare students for a moral, happy, productive life. That commitment didn’t arise in response to modern pressures such as COVID; it’s a thread that has run through our culture for nearly a century.

We emphasize productivity and generosity as foundational values. Parents are often drawn to Durham Academy because they want an education that stretches beyond the traditional academic benchmarks. We don’t measure our success simply by end-of-grade tests or college admissions. We strive to offer an integrated spiral, an environment where students experience belonging, emotional well-being, intellectual curiosity, and personal responsibility.

That includes teaching some foundations that sometimes get overlooked in academic conversations: sleeping well, staying hydrated, moving your body, forming genuine friendships, navigating conflict, and understanding one’s emotional landscape. We focus heavily on the “bottom of the pyramid” of learning. If students don’t feel physically, emotionally, and socially safe, they simply cannot reach their highest levels of academic development. We take that seriously.

Our location in the Research Triangle allows us to partner with institutions that enrich this balance: universities, research labs, medical institutions, and cultural organizations. This network helps us nurture students who excel academically while also becoming thoughtful, empathetic human beings.

How do you ensure that Durham Academy is preparing students not only for college, but also for meaningful and adaptable lives in an ever-changing world?

Having worked at Durham Academy over a span of three decades, I’ve had the privilege of staying in touch with many graduates. I’ve watched them grow, change, pivot, and reinvent themselves. One thing that’s become clear is that the path to success is far less linear than it used to be. Careers evolve, industries shift, and personal goals develop as people move through life.

Our responsibility as a school is not simply to send students to strong colleges, though we certainly do that. Our responsibility is to help them cultivate the mindsets, habits, and capabilities that will serve them no matter which path they follow. That means helping them learn to live in humane and sustainable communities, to collaborate, to learn everywhere, to lead ethically, and to approach challenges with resilience. It means teaching them to think critically and to communicate clearly. It means encouraging curiosity and, importantly, humility.

If we can help students leave Durham Academy with a strong sense of who they are, with good habits, and with a healthy orientation toward the world, then we’ve prepared them not just for college, but for life.

As technology continues to transform education, how do you incorporate digital literacy and innovation while maintaining a focus on relationships and meaningful learning?

You’re touching on something that sits at the heart of contemporary education. Terms like “technology” and “innovation” can easily become buzzwords, appealing on paper, but hollow if not implemented thoughtfully. Complacency is what concerns me most. When a school or institution has a strong history and a solid reputation, there’s a temptation to assume that what worked in the past will work indefinitely. But even the most accomplished schools must continue evolving.

At Durham Academy, we’re proud of our affirming metrics: strong applications, great student outcomes, philanthropic support, and high satisfaction. But we never want to rest on those accomplishments. We’re committed to preparing students for a world shaped by artificial intelligence and new modes of communication.

So yes, we integrate new technologies, including AI, into our teaching practices. But we do so with intention. We want students to understand technology as a tool, one that can enhance creativity, deepen inquiry, and support problem-solving. It should never replace the core human experiences of learning: conversation, collaboration, critical thinking, and the ability to grapple with ambiguity.

Our goal isn’t just to familiarize students with digital tools; it’s to help them develop discernment, ethical awareness, and learning agility so they can use those tools wisely in their academic, professional, and personal lives. 

Education today is becoming increasingly holistic and multidisciplinary. How do the arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities contribute to well-rounded education?

This is an area of the school that I’m especially proud of. Arts, athletics, and co-curricular pursuits aren’t just “add-ons” at Durham Academy; they’re a vital part of how our students grow. We offer opportunities across the board: robotics and debate teams, theater productions, jazz ensembles, community service groups, 20 sports, year-round strength training; you name it. In recent years, we’ve created some new ladders of exploration for our Upper Schoolers. These independent studies, practical and research projects are like undergraduate theses: academic and scholarly, deeply engaged with the community, and helping to solve real-world problems. 

These experiences matter because they create spaces where students engage in authentic, self-driven work. The activities aren’t graded. Students motivate themselves, set goals, persevere, and experience both success and disappointment. That’s a deeper type of learning.

Some of our most compelling students are those who discover passion and identity through these pursuits, whether on a stage, in a lab, or on a field. Engaging in these activities builds confidence, nurtures creativity, encourages healthy risk-taking, and teaches teamwork and leadership in ways a classroom cannot fully replicate. They complete the moral, happy, productive community we are striving to build here.

Want more? Read the Invest: Raleigh-Durham report.