Yellow Springs , Ohio , December 4, 2007 - The Antioch College Alumni Association announced today that it had transferred $2 million to Antioch College. This transfer represents the first step the implementation of an historic collaboration with Antioch University's Board of Trustees. This agreement enables the College to stay open past the proposed suspension date of June 2008.

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The word of the week is ADMISSIONS!!  Antioch College is officially accepting applications for transfer students and has posted links to the common application online.  In the near future, we hope to be accepting applications for first-year students as well. For more details visit the updated website.

Students, staff and alumni are all working hard to bring students in the door with a unique recruitment campaign.  Stay tuned for information on how you can participate through your local alumni chapter or by contacting the Alumni office.

First-year student Ben Horlacher is one of Antioch's most visible community members. Before he moved onto campus or began classes, Ben formed the "Save Antioch" groups at Facebook, a popular social networking website, which have grown to over 500 members.

"You can't ignore the presence of social networking sites," he said. The groups have been a way for new students, community members, and alumni to connect and work for Non-Stop Antioch. Ben is optimistic that the groups will also help in recruitment efforts. In addition to this, Ben writes for The Record, is a ComCil member, regularly attends AdCil, Community Meeting, the Leadership for Change class, and has participated in a variety of other community organizing efforts. 

18-year-old Ben lived in Hollywood, Florida; Detroit, Michigan; and Richmond, Virginia before moving to Antioch. He was the president of the debate club at his high school, which was "the false political experience that Antioch translates into real political experience."

After reading the book Colleges That Change Lives, Ben applied to Antioch and visited the campus as a prospective student. Even on this short preliminary trip, he felt a strong sense of community and home at Antioch. Ben said, nearing the end of his first term, "Antioch is everything I hoped it would be and more."

Ben is interested in film production and the communication business. He has been impressed with Antioch's faculty, specifically Chris Hill, Anne Bolyn, Hassan Nejad, and Hassan Rahmanian. Within what Algo Henderson called the "laboratory for democracy," Ben has learned to listen, take a stance and not back down.

"Everyone here is my family," he said. "This place is my home, more than my house has ever been. If this place goes away, I lose my family."

Ben encourages Antiochians to not give up fighting: "We need to show that we still care and don't see the agreement as complete. [Show] that we haven't given up. [We need to] take an active role- participate in a meeting or a party. Have a presence." He continues to inspire community members to save Antioch.