Articles & Student Stories

Verto Education

June 20, 2019

How to Fund Your Verto Experience Abroad Using Scholarships

Verto Education was designed to give participants the opportunity to see new countries while graduating in four years at the same cost, if not less, then your typical semester of college. We do our best to eliminate anything that does not directly contribute to our students’ educational experience. That means students aren’t charged any dues…

Aaron Montoya

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Verto Education

June 13, 2019

Education Should Be A Treasure Hunt

Course Director, Dr. Karen Straight, shares her teaching philosophy and experience on a semester with Verto Education. Dr. Karen Straight earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and will be serving as the Course Director for Identity, Politics and Equity, Cultural Anthropology, and Global Health Fall 2019. My…

Karen Straight

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Verto Education

May 29, 2019

Meet the Team: Verto Education Course Directors

The key to every successful semester of Verto Education is the team behind the scenes! Our Course Directors will serve as adjunct faculty at Portland State University and be responsible for designing the curriculum, training the teaching staff, and supervising the delivery and grading of the course. They've all travelled far and wide and think that…

Aaron Montoya

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Verto Education

May 22, 2019

How Colleges That Ban Credit on Gap Years Are Harming Students

Colleges increasingly support the idea of students taking a year out of the classroom between high school and college. Most agree that gap years are great for student outcomes. Harvard’s own admission’s team wrote at length about the benefits of gap years, stating that, “The results have been uniformly positive. . . students who had…

Ben Welbourn, Vice President for Enrollment

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Verto Education

May 15, 2019

An Argument For Taking the Nonlinear Path to a College Education

It’s been more than ten years since I graduated high school. Thinking back to that time, I remember vividly how important college felt. I was an honor roll and AP student, President of the Student Government Association, an editor for our newspaper, member of class council, the track team, cross country team, soccer team, and…

Aaron Montoya

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Verto Education

May 1, 2019

5 Reasons Verto is #ABetterFreshmanYear

College is an amazing opportunity. It’s the one time in life when your community is made up completely of peers your own age (except for maybe assisted living, but that’s less fun). Your campus is designed solely for your personal betterment. You have access to advisors, coaches, cooks, cleaners, landscapers, and of course educators. Your…

Ben Welbourn, Vice President for Enrollment

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Verto Education

April 24, 2019

HIPS Don’t Lie: High Impact Practices at Verto Education

When students think about the educational experiences that resonate with them most, from their undergraduate or high school careers, there are often key moments, projects, or classes that really stand out. These may include things like the creation of a learning community, collaboration on a project, or civic and community engagement that gets students out…

Stephen Barnes

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Verto Education

April 17, 2019

What Is a Homestay? How Does It Work?

One of the best parts about spending a semester with Verto Education is getting to see everything a country has to offer. While students enjoy the beachside accommodations, and base houses with their own pool or live-in chef, one of the most impactful experiences students have time and time again is living with host…

Aaron Montoya

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Verto Education

April 3, 2019

Letter from the President, Mitch Gordon

As Verto Education grows, I increasingly receive emails and questions from parents about how and why we started this bold new educational model. At its core, Verto Education was created to provide a better freshman year for students, and make international travel a core part of the college experience. As the President of Verto Education,…

Mitch Gordon, President

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Verto Education

March 25, 2019

Verto Education on the College Admissions Scandal

In light of the recent admissions scandal, it is clearer than ever that proactive change is needed in the higher education system to create a more inclusive and accessible environment for students of all backgrounds. At Verto Education we believe that new and innovative models are essential to shifting the educational paradigm. Part of our…

Aaron Montoya

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Verto Education

March 15, 2019

Advice from Parent Alumni on Sending Your Student Abroad for a Semester of College

How much communication will I have with my student? What are the classes like? What differences did you notice in your student after a semester with Verto Education? We asked our alumni parents to share their experience. Video Transcription Erin, Anya's dad, Verto Class of 2018: My name is Erin O'Connor. My daughter Anya went…

Aaron Montoya

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Verto Education

February 23, 2019

How Does Verto Education Partner With Colleges? Hear From The Admissions Teams

Verto Education partners with college and universities around the world to allow students to spend their first semester of college abroad while staying on track to graduate in four years. Hear from our partner colleges about how our relationship works and why they are excited to be partnering with Verto Education. Video Transcription Scott Friedhoff,…

Aaron Montoya

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Student Stories Verto Education

January 11, 2019

Agriculture & Sustainability: Teaching Philosophy & Personal Credo

As a young person, who was fortunate enough to participate in alternative and experiential education growing up, I know by experience how powerful interactive learning environment can be. Stimulating educational environments where students have a physically and emotionally safe space to challenge themselves for growth are the most conducive to learning. I still remember…

Charlotte Prud'Homme

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Verto Education

November 9, 2018

Verto Team Training: The Story Begins With You

I’ve always liked who people can be when they have a world of possibilities and new human experiences awaiting them. That described my feeling at the end of the first day of Verto Education Admissions Representative training, and it was one we were able to explore throughout the four days we spent together. It’s…

Zach Kuiland

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Student teaching while traveling abroad in Thailand

Verto Education

November 8, 2018

The 10 Learning Foundations of Verto Education

Think about your most transformational educational experience. The ‘Aha’ moment that has stuck with you the rest of your life. Was it sitting in a lecture hall among a hundred other students in varying degrees of consciousness? Probably not. The Brazilian educator Paulo Freire understood this, and passionately denounced traditional education systems built upon…

Aaron Montoya

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