In a world where education is evolving faster than ever, one passionate and motivated female entrepreneur has made it her mission to change the way we learn. Dr. Yen Verhoeven, president and founder of Qi Learning Research Group, is on a journey to empower educators, families, and community members to revolutionize the education landscape. “I want students to have the ability to take control of their own education, and we’re doing that at Qi Learning,” said Yen. Here is the story of a woman whose vision is reshaping the future of learning.
An Unconventional Start
Yen’s path into entrepreneurship wasn’t always clear. She began with a bachelor’s degree in evolution and ecology, working at the International Lab for Tropical Diseases. A far cry from where she is today. When she decided to go back to graduate school for microbiology, a fellow student recognized her natural ability as an instructor and recommended her for a master’s program at UC Davis. Yen was accepted, and it was there that she discovered her love of teaching, which led to a six-year career as a high school teacher.
Yen is a graduate of ISU Startup Factory. She leads educational sessions for current Startup Factory cohort members where she instructs on how to give an excellent presentation.
“When I got into teaching, I discovered just how much I could really do for people,” shared Yen. “What I loved about education was that I got to see the very best of human beings, and I got to help them be the very best human beings they could be. I played a part in their journey, and that was addicting for me.”
She realized the power of education as a means of transformation; not just for students but anyone seeking a fresh start. Inspired by the stories of her own students, Yen was determined to reach beyond the classroom and address education at a deeper level.
Turning a Dream into Reality
While completing her PhD, Yen thought she would take the traditional path of academia. However, she stumbled upon an opportunity to create a company based on her unique perspective on education. Yen had no prior experience in the business world, but jumped into entrepreneurship headfirst by enrolling in the ISU Startup Factory accelerator program within the Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship. “When you’re talking about changing the world, you have to play big.” She also sought help from the local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Ames, Iowa.
Yen completed extensive research, including a deep dive into a unique, virtual schooling system held within Second Life (a virtual world where users can connect with other users all over the world). The virtual school operated 24/7 with over 350,000 students enrolled. The instructors taught for free, students attended for free, and the classes were always well-attended. She realized that Second Life had found a way of making learning addictive, and that what people truly craved was choice and a voice in their education, as well as support from their peers and community. This discovery led Yen to establish Qi Learning Research Group, founded in 2018.
Qi Learning is an organization that provides research and theory-based workshops, curriculum, instructional strategies, and other resources for traditional and non-traditional educators. “We help teachers ignite a love of learning in their students by showing them ways to make STEM easy, engaging, and enjoyable.”
The Future of Qi Learning
Yen envisions a world where families play a central role in their children’s education. “We are expanding outside of simply reaching educators,” says Yen. “We have a desire to reach everyone who needs the resources and tools to change education in their own environment.” With mental health issues and poor academic performance becoming a major concern, Yen sees her work as not just an option but a necessity.
Yen’s most recent accomplishment is the release of her new book, “REBEL Teaching: How to Repurpose the American Education Machine,” where she addresses issues within the U.S. education system and provides “REBEL” strategies to turn the traditional classroom into an environment where anyone and everyone can succeed. Yen invites teachers, parents, and all unconventional educators to join her in this exciting journey.
Empowering the Female Entrepreneur
As a female business owner, Yen recognizes the challenges women face in entrepreneurial spaces. “When we look at our world historically, it was built by men; women were often an afterthought. By bringing in female entrepreneurs, we are creating things for women, by women!” Yen believes that female entrepreneurs are the ones who are creating unique solutions to the world’s biggest problems, and she encourages other women to boldly take up space in business and entrepreneurship.
Yen lit up when describing her best piece of advice for women in entrepreneurship. Her advice? Build a “scenius”: a term coined by artist Brian Eno that identifies a group of people with a mutual appreciation for the vision and who can lend their specific expertise to help solve the problems you’re facing. Yen highly encourages women to seek mentors and embrace the occasional “bunny slipper day,” as Yen calls it, to recharge, embrace the difficult feelings that inevitably come with entrepreneurship, and get back up to pursue the dream another day.
Yen Verhoeven is full of innovative ideas and is determined to see them come to fruition. Yen’s desire is for her message to reach educators and families around the world. Let’s support Yen by purchasing her book, “REBEL Teaching” on Amazon and sharing her vision of a brighter educational future for anyone and everyone.
By: Lindsey Murray
