Cooperative Education
Lead an impactful life
“We have students working at foundations, nonprofits, successful businesses and companies and looking at what that feels like out in the world — being a part of a real team, making purposeful projects come to reality.”
— Luisa Bieri Rios,
Assist. Prof. of Cooperative Education
Antioch College promotes meaningful engagement with the world through intentional linkages between campus-centered and field-based experiential learning. For nearly a century, a central component of Antioch’s progressive education model has been its flagship Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program.
By linking the life of the mind with professional engagement, Co-op animates a unique liberal arts curriculum that positions students to take action in a variety of diverse settings. Students have opportunities to engage with numerous partner organizations as they learn to navigate complex work environments, communicate publicly, and experiment with solution-oriented approaches to social change.
All Antioch students spend up to a third of their academic program—a minimum of three academic terms—engaged in the kinds of full-time work, research, or self-directed learning enterprises that have earned Antioch Co-op students an international reputation for creativity, industriousness, and ingenuity.
At the core of the Co-op experience is professional engagement—meaningful work in challenging settings where students generally can expect reasonable compensation for their contributions. Not only do Antioch students graduate with an outstanding education, an impressive resume, and compelling stories of co-op adventure in distant locales, they gain exposure to innovative workplaces and discover their unique talents as they apply themselves to real problems in the world.
Real World Work Experience
Read student Co-op stories from Antioch Engaged: our journal of social practice & professional engagement
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Community Solution in Practice-Noah Yasgur ’19by Noah Yasgur on June 5, 2019
In a nutshell, and as seen on their website, the aim of Community Solutions “is to educate people about ways to make their communities more self-reliant and resilient.” However small this sounds in scope, I can assure you that there is A LOT that fits
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Art, Interview, Translations: United States Holocaust Memorial Museumby Sarah Tibble on May 15, 2019
When I first thought of working for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the idea seemed daunting. Washington D.C. in general seems daunting, working with people I have never met before is daunting, living with people I have only briefly met before seems daunting. I
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Sam Eagleburger ’19 at Center for Global Justice and Tianguis Organico in San Miguel de Allende, Mexicoby Luisa Bieri on August 11, 2018
San Miguel De Allende gets the latter part of its name from Ignacio José de Allende y Unzaga, a general in the Mexican Army and a hero of Mexico’s fight for independence from Spain. This rebellious and radical character still exists in the town to
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Japan is a Time Machine: Amanda Akers ’20 at Kyoto Seika and Yamasa Institute, Aichiby Amanda Akers on August 6, 2018
Japan is a time machine. It’s harmony driven, melding together the old and the new as if there was never a separation between the two. This term, I have been living in Japan. For the first two weeks, I was a part of a small
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Life on the Antioch College Farm: Noah Evans ’21by Noah Evans on July 24, 2018
The Antioch College farm was created to provide a space for learning about sustainable, ecological agriculture while also providing the college with fresh, organically grown produce. Much of the work that keeps the farm running is done by Antioch students, and this allows students to enjoy the fruits of their
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Joy and Wonder: Nadia Mulhall ’20 at Newtowne School in Bostonby Nadia Mulhall on March 26, 2018
Newtowne school is a Reggio Emilia inspired parent cooperative preschool in Cambridge, MA. Reggio Emilia is a philosophy that originated in post war Italy, and quickly spread around the world. Reggio is based in the idea that children learn best through discovery and pursuing their interests.
How it works
Field experience lies at the heart of cooperative education; however, developing a sense of inquiry, reflecting on lessons learned through experience, and engaging in dialogue on the ideas that emerge are essential components of the Co-op learning cycle. In order to meet the Co-op requirement necessary for graduation, all students are required to complete three approved field experiences and pass three Cooperative Education field courses (12 credits each) with a grade of C. Students enroll in these by registering for the appropriate Cooperative Education course that is offered at the time they engage in their Co-op term, as determined by fulfillment of both the co-requisite and any prerequisites identified. They thus are expected to earn a minimum of thirty-six Cooperative Education credits required for graduation.
Our voices carry around the world
Students have completed their Co-ops throughout the United States and in the following countries:
Argentina
Australia
Austria
The Bahamas
Belgium
Belize
Bolivia
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Ethiopia
France
Germany
Ghana
Guatemala
India
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Nepal
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Peru
Senegal
Spain
St. Vincent
Thailand
United Kingdom
Co-op News & Achievements
Luisa Bieri Featured by Dayton Daily News
Assistant Professor of Cooperative Education Luisa Bieri was recently featured in a Dayton Daily News print edition article detailing distance-learning innovations she's made to her Antioch Community Action course. Bieri has designed Co-op coursework...
A Small Book of Horror: Quinn Ritzhaupt ’23 and Jacob Philip ’23 Continuing Co-op
When planning for her Co-op, Quinn Ritzheupt ’23 knew that she wanted to pursue a project creatively and she wanted to find a way to combine two things which she feels very passionate about: her love for the history of Antioch and her love for horror...
Experiential Learning at a Distance
Co-op faculty are accustomed to teaching remotely as they engage in Co-op courses with students across the country and around the world. They are adept at creating robust learning experiences for students on Co-op as well as for those on campus...