Dr. Tarishi Verma has been named the inaugural director of the Carol G. Ditkoff Immersive Learning Collaboratory at Albertus Magnus College to usher in a new era of virtual reality education at the institution.
Verma, an Indian American associate professor of communication who maintains deep professional and academic roots in India, will spearhead the integration of “Dreamscape Learn.”
This advanced pedagogy, born from a partnership between Arizona State University and Hollywood storytellers, replaces traditional textbooks with cinematic, hands-on digital environments.
The initiative is funded by a $3 million gift from alumna Carol Ditkoff and her husband, James, establishing Albertus as the first college in New England to deploy this specific technology.
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For Verma, the appointment represents a bridge between her early career in South Asia and her current role in American higher education. Before transitioning to academia in the United States, she worked as a journalist for The Indian Express, one of India’s leading English-language dailies.
Her background in the fast-paced Indian newsroom and her experience in documentary production provided a foundation for her later scholarly work in digital labor and media culture.
“Dreamscape Learn stands out in its ability to create immersive and imaginative worlds that allow for an adventurous yet educational learning experience,” Verma said. She noted that the platform acts as a bridge for faculty to transform abstract concepts into tangible, experiential feats that inspire deeper intellectual curiosity.
Her academic journey includes a PhD in Media and Communication from Bowling Green State University, but her pedagogical approach remains grounded in the interdisciplinary spirit she cultivated during her formative years in India.
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As director, she will manage the collaboratory’s diverse components, which include a VR classroom, a free-roam pod, and the college’s growing esports program.
The New Haven, Connecticut-based Catholic college highlighted that Verma’s unique blend of empathy-driven teaching and technical expertise in film and media studies makes her the ideal candidate to lead this transition.
By focusing on “praxis” the application of theory into personal action, Verma aims to ensure that while students are immersed in virtual worlds, they remain focused on gaining skills applicable to the modern, evolving workforce.
As Albertus Magnus College celebrates its centennial year, the launch of the collaboratory under Verma’s leadership signals a shift toward experiential innovation. The college, which serves a significant population of first-generation students, views this high-tech investment as a way to level the playing field, providing students with access to the same cutting-edge tools used in major film studios and research laboratories.