The Eco-Institute is Accredited by the Gap Year Association!
As of August 2021, The Eco-Institute has been accredited by the Gap Year Association (GYA), which sets rigorous standards for excellence, recognized by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission for gap year programs worldwide. The accreditation process demands that we demonstrate and maintain a high level of integrity in our programming: from risk management and professional ethics to culturally sensitive pedagogy.
The Eco-Institute has passed all required standards, which means that the Rising Earth Immersion has been formally vetted for excellence by a credible accrediting body for higher education.
Gap year accreditation means access to college credit & 529 funding for Rising Earth Immersion applicants
While it remains true that the Rising Earth Immersion, a program for 18-28 year olds, is not strictly a gap year program—and is, by no means, exclusive to college-bound students—our GYA accreditation status will open access to college credit for those who wish to receive it, administered by Portland State University. If you’re interested in receiving college credit for your participation in Rising Earth, let Alison know.
Further, through this partnership we will be able to accept 529 funds for tuition payments, allowing families who have saved for postsecondary education to direct those funds to our holistic leadership education. Pending a separate accreditation process that Portland State is currently undergoing, we may also be able to accept tuition payments from Segal Education Awards at some point, which are funds given to graduates of AmeriCorps programs across the nation.
GYA has a reputation for exceptional educational experiences
The Eco-Institute is honored and excited to strengthen our partnership with the gap year field, a community of experiential educators, coaches, leaders, and change-makers collaborating on the creative edge of higher education. We stand behind GYA’s mission “to maximize the potential of young adults, through accessible and meaningful gap year opportunities,” and we look forward to collaboratively elevating sustainable, ethical, and equitable education opportunities for the leaders of generations to come.
The importance of equipping our future leaders
The timing of this new partnership feels significant alongside the U.N. Climate Change report released earlier this month, which indicates tremendous urgency and calls for an ambitious, coordinated effort. Simply put: tomorrow’s leaders are set to face a dire scenario to avoid climate collapse. Our planet requires more innovative, more collaborative, and more holistic strategies to confront climate change than ever before. At the same time, young adults are finding themselves disillusioned by sterile learning environments and tenuous possibilities for a meaningful livelihood, and all at once are experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma at higher rates than generations past. Only a radically alternative education system will equip tomorrow’s leaders to confront the intersectional global issues of our times. Along with other partners of the GYA and experiential educators worldwide, we are committed to equipping young adults with essential 21st century skills, like systems thinking, collaborative governance, emotional resilience, and mutual aid.