Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Possible Lessons from Revival of Antioch College for St. Joseph's and other Small Colleges

The Lafayette, Indiana Journal & Courier and the USA Today Network of papers published "The fall and rise of a college," with excellent reporting by Meghan Holden on April 14, 2017.  

Holden sets the stage by initially describing the emotional events surrounding recent news that St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana is closing.  She then shifts her focus to Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH and weaves together interviews with students, alumni, administrators, and community members to identify lessons that might be helpful to the those trying to revive St. Joseph's.  

Three central themes emerge from her discussions with different Antioch constituents:
  • emotional and financial support of alumni and the broader community are critical.
  • the effort will take more time and money than anyone can envision.
  • and, reliance on traditional funding models will not be successful over the long term.  
This initial article is also accompanied by a companion article, "The Antioch College experience," where Holden provides more information on Antioch's history and the evolution of its relatively unique mission and campus culture.

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