WHERE PASSION MEETS POSSIBILITY
About Immersa Education
Immersa Education was founded on a simple yet radical belief: that learning should be felt, seen, and lived - not just read about. As a high school social studies teacher, I watched my students’ eyes light up when they had the chance to experience history - when the classroom disappeared and they found themselves standing in the trenches of World War I, walking through the streets of Kenya, or exploring the temples of ancient civilizations through virtual reality.
That spark - the moment where curiosity becomes connection - was the seed of Immersa Education.
Meet the Founder
My name is Gemma, and I’m the Founder of Immersa. I currently teach Social Studies in Burlington, Illinois - and yes, I’m still in the classroom! I’ve seen the challenges and the potential within today’s classrooms. In 2025, I was honored to be named Kane County Educator of the Year, an honor that recognized my belief that classrooms should be places of engagement and imagination. But, this nonprofit didn’t begin with me. It began with students - students who deserved better than outdated textbooks and passive learning. Immersa is my response: a way to bring immersive, meaningful education into every classroom.
“I didn’t start Immersa because I love VR - I started it because I love teaching. I love the moment when students light up. I created Immersa to give those moments to classrooms in Kane County and beyond.”
- Gemma Gurney
ACCESS. EQUITY. IMMERSION.
What We Do & Why It Matters:
We believe immersive learning builds empathy, deepens understanding, and makes education unforgettable. While we prioritize equity, we strongly encourage all participating schools - especially those with more resources - to donate what they can, so that we can continue expanding access in schools in surrounding areas that need it most. Every trunk shared, every dollar donated, and every student immersed brings us one step closer to a future where all learners, regardless of location or background, can experience what they learn.
Immersa Education delivers mobile VR trunks - complete with immersive lessons, and ready-to-use classroom materials - directly to schools. We focus especially on underfunded and rural schools surrounding the Kane County area, where access to emerging technology is often limited or nonexistent. Our trunks are designed to be plug-and-play, no need for tech expertise - just instant, meaningful learning experiences that allow students to walk through ancient cities, study a volcano, become part of space, and engage with the world in ways a textbook never could.
BUILDING THE FUTURE OF LEARNING
Where We're Headed
Immersa Education began as one classroom, one headset, and one big idea - but we’re just getting started.
Our vision is to build a future where immersive learning isn’t a luxury, but a standard. We aim to scale our VR trunk program across Illinois and beyond, reaching hundreds of classrooms across the United States. That means expanding our content offerings across more subjects, partnering with curriculum designers, and developing professional learning modules so teachers feel empowered - not intimated - by new tech.
We’re currently piloting our trunks in local schools, gathering feedback, and redlining out systems. But our next steps are big: we plan to grow a regional network of educators, donors, and school leaders committed to transforming instruction through immersive experiences. We’re also seeking long-term partners - from tech companies to philanthropic foundations - who believe, as we do, that education should be felt, not just memorized.
Most importantly, we want to build a sustainable model of access. That’s why part of our vision includes developing a donation-sharing model, where schools with more resources help fund VR access for other districts that need a little help. We believe equity is something you build, not just something you talk about, and Immersa is committed to leading that movement.
The future is Immersive. And we’re building it - one trunk, one classroom, and one student at a time.
