My name is Nick Gossett and I am the Higher Ed Specialist at Avant Assessment. Avant Assessment is the world’s leading language assessment company where our focus has always been on improving the world through the magic of language. Avant Assessment has its roots in Higher Ed having been founded at the University of Oregon a little over two decades ago. Although we still call Eugene, Oregon, home and are partially owned by the University of Oregon Foundation, Avant Assessment has expanded assessment options to meet the needs of language learners around the world. 

A few years ago, I stepped away from my role in academia where I directed a Russian language program, managed my department’s language resource center, oversaw assessment for all languages, coordinated the minor in Applied Linguistics, and led study abroad programs throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Having formerly worked at Avant in Test Development, my goal in returning in my role as Higher Ed Specialist has been to assist departments in developing assessment programs that provide meaningful data to improve instruction, apply for various grants, and provide their students with tangible evidence of their language proficiency as they enter the workforce. 

I'm also tasked with our badging and credentialing initiatives at Avant Assessment. In that role, I've worked with ACE and Credly to develop badges aligned to credit recommendations from ACE. Through our work with badges at Avant, we hope to assist education institutions in developing articulation agreements for incoming students, work with language programs to align their programs to proficiency with the goal of obtaining the Global Seal of Biliteracy, and collaborate with corporations to assist them in leveraging the language skills of their employees. 

Don't hesitate to reach out to me about how we can help your students and employees develop pathways to language credentials!