Episode 8
Faith in Action: Education, Virtues & the American Dream
Featuring Ian Rowe
January 6, 2026
Ian Rowe, founder of Vertex Partnership Academies and a leader in public charter school education in the Bronx, joins Cornerstone University President Gerson Moreno-Riaño for a Wisdom Conversations interview on putting Christian faith into action through institution-building. Rowe introduces his FREE framework — Family, Religion, Education, and Entrepreneurship — as four pillars that help young people in vulnerable communities develop agency and lead self-determined lives, and he explains how Vertex Partnership Academies grounds its students in the cardinal virtues of courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom to reject victimhood and cultivate moral character. The conversation also examines research on upward mobility and the American Dream, highlighting data showing that strong families, religious participation, and access to quality K-12 education are the primary drivers of economic advancement. Rowe and Moreno-Riaño further discuss declining public confidence in higher education, the value of Christ-centered universities, and the importance of creating multiple career pathways — including apprenticeships and international baccalaureate programs — so students can pursue education with clear purpose. Listeners will gain a framework for matching faith with analytical rigor to build institutions that foster human flourishing.