Anchored by the Classic Learning Test

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by President Dub Oliver, the 16th President of Union University. President Oliver talks about Union and the unique education it provides its students. He explains that College years are the most formative years of a young adult's life and the importance of structuring that growth around faith and virtue. He also discusses why many students walk away from their faith during their college years, and he shares advice for students who are attending college in an era that is increasingly hostile to faith. Guest: President Oliver

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Ryan Kelly Clark. Ryan is the founder of Scholarship Navigator, a company dedicated to teaching students and families how to strategically find, apply for, and win college scholarships. Ryan discusses why she founded Scholarship Navigator, how applying for scholarships gave her the financial stability to attend college, and how it ultimately helped her graduate debt-free. She discusses how difficult it has become for students to go to college with rising tuition fees and how student loans can hinder a student’s ability to enjoy his or her learning experience. Ryan also shares tips for homeschool students to help them find a college that aligns with their values, start applying early for scholarships, and graduate debt-free. Guest: Ryan Kelly Clark

On the latest episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Dr. Joseph Wysocki, Dean of the Honors College at Belmont Abbey College. Dr. Wysocki discusses how taking a class on Plato’s Republic ignited his love for politics, and how it reopened questions that he thought were already answered. He explains that modern education has moved to promote activism because activism suggests that you already have answers to all the questions. Dr. Wysocki also discusses the Schola program, a summer program for high school students at the Honors College. He speaks on the connection between beautiful architecture and learning, and how our surroundings help to elevate us to God. Finally, he discusses that the purpose of a liberal education is to learn how to reason well. 

In this new series of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba sit down with Rachel Greb, the Director of Secondary Partnerships at CLT. Rachel discusses her early education in classical and Christian studies and how it influenced the rest of her education as well as her career. Rachel gives insight into what "classical" means to her and why classical education is the best way to educate children. Rachel also discusses the journey of starting her own school, Oakdale Academy, and how difficult it is for young private schools to establish legitimacy. She advises students pursuing higher education to view their education as their own responsibility, striving to learn as much as possible about the world around them.

In this episode, Jeremy and Arooba sit down with Matt Scogin, the 14th president of Hope College. President Scogin grew up in a family with a deep appreciation for higher education, and despite spending much of his early years in government and business, President Scogin eventually felt called by God to apply for presidency at Hope College. He discusses his very ambitious plan to make Hope College tuition-free in order to move away from transactional relationships with students. President Scogin explains that the fear of graduating with debt skews students' views of education, causing them to see university as an investment rather than a place to learn and grow. Host: Jeremy Tate, Arooba AsimGuest: Matt Scogin

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a former inner-city public school teacher. Robert begins by discussing his blue-collar upbringing, and his relatively normal experience attending public school as a child. He explains that his relatable experience makes him the perfect candidate to connect with and aid students. Mr. Pondiscio received his Bachelor in English from State University of New York at the age of 40 and became a teacher at one of the lowest performing schools in the South Bronx. It was then that he became skeptical of school curriculum and the training teachers were receiving. Mr. Pondiscio explains that he became a school choice advocate because he saw no other way to give students the education they deserved. He emphasizes the role school choice plays in leveling the playing field for low-income families. Host: Jeremy Tate, Arooba AsimGuest: Robert Pondiscio 

In this episode of Anchored, Jay P. Greene, a senior research fellow for education policy at The Heritage Foundation, sits down with Jeremy to discuss his current areas of research in school choice and the effect of schools on non-cognitive and civic values. Greene highlights the decline in history majors due to a shift to vocational institutes and students' desires to get job-specific degrees in modern education. He also points out the shortcomings of the Department of Education, and why the federal government should not handle education policy. Greene explains that the increase in support for school choice is backed by parents who believe that the values taught in schools matter, and that education is an extension of child-rearing.

On the latest episode of Anchored, Jeremy and Arooba are joined by Dr. Aaron Howard, the CEO at As One Christian Diversity, an organization devoted to helping Christian schools, universities and organizations hire and retain a diverse staff rooted in biblical integrity. Dr. Howard talks about his time studying at Vanderbilt University, and his natural progression to studying ethics and society due to his love of Jesus and the church. He emphasizes his passion for diversity and inclusion using scriptural principles, with his main influence being Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Howard also discusses how applying scriptural principles in our day-to-day lives can bridge the gap between different races and ethnicities.  Host: Jeremy Tate, Arooba AsimGuest: Dr. Aaron Howard

Note: This is part 2 of our conversation with Michael Ortner. In the second part of our conversation, Michael Ortner discusses what initially attracted him to the CLT mission and the role standardized testing plays in shaping school curricula. He also discusses his other initiatives such as B. school, a Bootcamp specially designed to help humanities graduates enter the business world. Michael explains that the business world is in dire need of philosophy students and that B. school helps bridge the gap between them. He also discusses his work with Run with Saints - a project that helps practicing Catholics, especially students, connect with thriving Catholic communities and institutions. 

Note: This is part 1 of our conversation with Michael Ortner. Acclaimed entrepreneur, CEO, investor, and philanthropist Michael Ortner joins Jeremy and Arooba to discuss his journey with Capterra, one of the largest business-to-business websites of all time and winner of numerous awards. He discusses how reading classic books helped him regain his sense of wonder, which led him to pursue a degree in philosophy at the University of London, and how homeschooling his children with the classics revolutionized the way they learned. Michael also discusses his current role on the board of Cana Academy, an educational non-profit that trains teachers to run Socratic seminars.Host: Jeremy Tate,  Arooba AsimGuest: Michael Ortner