On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Jennifer Berkshire, journalist and host of the education policy podcast Have You Heard? She discusses her experience bringing liberal arts education into prisons with the Boston College Prison Education Program. They explore how reading the Great Books allows inmates to grapple with sincere questions about guilt, innocence, and responsibility, and how serving a life sentence can shape a student’s educational telos. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Mandi Gerth, Administrative Director of the Cowan Center at the University of Dallas and author of Thoroughness and Charm. They discuss her book, the meaning behind its title, and her vision for teachers as guardians and keepers. She shares her advice for teachers who are simultaneously excited and daunted by the richness of the tradition they get to teach. They explore how teachers embody the classical tradition by cultivating a love for the material and transmitting it to their students, even when the content isn’t their personal favorite.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Dr. Cornelis J. Schilt, Professor of History and Philosophy of Knowledge at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, and Founder and President of Lux Mundi, a new Catholic university in Belgium. Dr. Schilt shares his unique educational journey from a small town in the Netherlands to prestigious institutions like Oxford. He discusses the challenges he has faced in academia in Europe, and his vision for Lux Mundi as a transformative educational institution that emphasizes character development and the pursuit of truth.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Jeff Brown, Headmaster of Hunter Classical Christian School in Richmond, Virginia. They discuss Jeff’s journey to discovering classical education, and Hunter Classical’s commitment to cultivating character before transcripts. They examine the CLT as a valuable standard for what an ideal student should aspire to learn and an exemplary school should aspire to teach. They conclude by talking about the future of Hunter Classical, including their first class of ninth graders starting this fall. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Jovia Godfrey, Admissions Officer at Saint Constantine College and a seventh-grade writing tutorial teacher at the Saint Constantine School in Houston, Texas. They talk about Jovia’s journey to discovering Saint Constantine for her kids, and the school’s resolve to cultivate an environment that is risky but not hazardous. They dive into Saint Constantine’s K-16 educational approach and their revolutionary return to learning well. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Brandon Vogt, author, Founder of ClaritasU, Senior Publishing Director for Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire, and Founder and Chairman of Chesterton Academy of Orlando. They discuss his journey in founding a Chesterton school in Orlando and what inspired him to choose its curriculum for his children. They explore Brandon’s defense of the Harry Potter series as rich in Christian virtue and having the power to re-enchant reality. 

Read Brandon Vogt on Catholics and Harry Potter: https://brandonvogt.com/potter/

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Jim Gash, President of Pepperdine University. They unpack his recent viral U.S. News & World Report article titled “Can Belief in God Strengthen Academic Freedom?” They also explore the value of a traditional brick-and-mortar school in the age of unlimited information access, and conclude by discussing why students from the classical renewal movement are well-suited for a Pepperdine education.

On this episode of Anchored, CLT’s Chief Strategy Officer Noah Tyler is joined by Vince Verges, who recently retired from the Florida Department of Education after 31 years in Florida public schools. They discuss how Florida emerged as a national leader in classical education. Vince shares his journey from classroom teacher to serving as the head of Accountability and Assessment at the Florida Department of Education, including his choice to steer away from Common Core standardized testing. They explore the role of virtue in education, particularly in connection to the rise of AI. 

On this episode of Anchored, Dr. Jennifer Frey shares the story behind her recently published New York Times op-ed, "This is Who's Really Driving the Decline in Interest in Liberal Arts Education." Frey reflects on her abrupt dismissal as Dean of the Honors College at the University of Tulsa—despite building a demonstrably successful program. She reflects on the tension between student's intellectual needs and college administrators' own view of "success." Dr. Frey emphasizes the need for reform in higher education and the importance of authentic liberal education for a thriving democracy.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Tucker Carlson, host of Tucker on X and The Tucker Carlson Show. They discuss the ultimate purpose of education as arriving at wisdom, rather than merely accumulating knowledge. They dive into the connection between ugly architecture and the pursuit of evil. Tucker also talks about his regrets surrounding his children’s education. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Ann Brodeur, the Chair of Education and Liberal Arts at Catholic International University. They explore the relationship between Ann’s love for medieval history and her background growing up on a ranch in Montana. They dive into how a view of education as formational, rather than mere informational, helps mitigate the threat posed by AI. They discuss Catholic International University’s founding mission to educate the laity along with today’s cultural revival of Catholic education and orthodoxy. They conclude by highlighting key texts that shaped medieval culture for an illiterate audience. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by CLT Director of Legislative Strategy Michael Torres. The two discuss the recent policy victories for CLT and the classical renewal movement in states such as Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. They unpack the surprising and predictable responses from politicians and SAT and ACT lobbyists. Finally, they dive into the characteristics of states that are excited about adopting the CLT into their college admissions processes. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU and host of Real Talk. They discuss Marissa’s educational experiences growing up in Israel and attending college in America, exploring how her travels deepened her appreciation for American freedoms. They dive into the founding of PragerU and PragerU's breakthrough moment. They also discuss how PragerU embraces the classical education movement and how homeschoolers and traditional school communities alike utilize its resources.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Michael Adkins, Dean of Academics and Director of the Lower School of Saint Agnes School in St. Paul, Minnesota. They discuss the secret to keeping Catholic education faithfully Catholic. They dive into misconceptions about the word “classical” and how its popular conception has changed over time. They also explore the identity crisis driving people to reconnect with the cultural heritage of classical education. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Andrew Ellison, Vice President of Enrollment at the University of Dallas, and Amber Dyer, Head of School at Great Hearts Irving. Andrew introduces the exciting new University of Dallas–CLT Auto Admit Initiative, which grants automatic admission to students who score 88 or higher on the Classic Learning Test. The three also share insights on how to choose a college that values and cultivates a classical education. Finally, they reflect on the enduring legacy of former UD professor Louise Cowan, under whom Amber studied. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Josh Dyson, the Executive Director of the C5 Urban School Initiative, launching Hope Academy Wichita this coming fall. They discuss the founding of C5, the meaning behind its name, and its mission in serving inner-city communities. They conclude by exploring literacy as a core educational value and the importance of creating a safe, joyful learning environment.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Austin Stevenson, Assistant Professor of Theology at Palm Beach Atlantic University and former Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. Austin reflects on his experience at Oxford and his transformation from initially seeing academia as a barrier to finding fulfillment and enjoyment in it. They explore why Christians have withdrawn from academic institutions in the past, and the current shift as more Christians begin to reengage with higher education. They conclude by discussing his book, Consciousness of the Historical Jesus: Historiography, Theology, and Metaphysics, and Austin's venture to bridge the work of theology with biblical scholarship. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Jason Bedrick, Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy. The two discuss the Phoenix Declaration, a document espousing an American vision for education. Together, they explore the outlined principles of the document, including the role of parents as primary educators, the reality of objective truth, and the vital importance of passing on cultural heritage. 

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Sara Osborne, the author of Reading for the Long Run: Leading Struggling Students into the Reading Life and Assistant Professor of English and Director of Classical Education at College of the Ozarks in Missouri. They examine the claims that classical education is elitist and explore how classical schools can position themselves to challenge that perception. Sara shares her journey teaching her children how to read and some of the challenges that come with meeting different students’ needs. They dive into anecdotes and insights from her book, including the importance of viewing literacy as an individual journey. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Loren Rotner, Associate Provost, and David Puelz, Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science at the University of Austin. They discuss what makes UATX distinct, including its heterodox faculty, emphasis on tech education, and full tuition scholarships for all admitted students. They talk about the decision to grant automatic admission to any student who scores a 105 or higher on the CLT, with encouragement and guidance for all looking to apply.

On this episode of Anchored, CLT’s Brand Marketing Manager Taryn Boyes is joined by Aryanna Highfill and Kate Creecy to discuss their experience participating in the National Homeschool Speech and Debate League, Stoa. They discuss the array of skills Stoa helped them develop, dive into how it shaped their high school experience, and share how it prepared them for their college years and beyond. They also discuss how to approach the competitive aspect of speech and debate.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by James Cowart, head of Trinitas Christian School in Pensacola, Florida. They discuss why music is a key part of education at Trinitas. They dive into the nuances of school choice and the strings that often come attached to government money. James concludes by discussing his advice for those looking to start a new classical, Christian school.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Leslie Voorhees, director of member schools at Ambleside Schools International, an organization that offers a Charlotte Mason educational approach to schools around the world. They discuss Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy and the way it translates into principles at the Ambleside schools. They explore the benefits of an education that centers and values the potential of every child. They conclude by discussing the differences and similarities between Charlotte Mason and classical education. 

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy and special guest co-host, CLT Chief of Staff  Katie Prefontaine, are joined by Cornel West and Robert George. Cornel serves as a professor of philosophy in Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and is an emeritus professor of African-American Studies at Princeton University. Robert is a professor of Jurisprudence and the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. The two discuss their deep bond of friendship, built on the basis of pursuing truth and fostering intellectual humility, explored in their recent book Truth Matters. They discuss how to cultivate these relationships and bring people to the table for these conversations. They conclude by examining the importance of studying both the progressive and conservative traditions for the flourishing of the individual and society as a whole.

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Jamie Burns and Hin-Tai Ting, co-founders of the Fellowship for Classical Learning and educators setting up classical schools across the UK. They discuss the current state of education in the UK and the troublesome separation of value-conversations from classroom-conversations. They dive into their own journeys to believing in the importance of a classical Christian education from both an intellectual and personal perspective. They conclude by talking about some of the roadblocks to classical education in the UK and why they are motivated to overcome them. 

St. Anselm’s, School co-founded by Jamie Burns: https://www.stanselmscardiff.co.uk/ 

The Fountain Christian School, of which Hin Tai Ting is the founding headmaster: https://www.thefountainschool.london/