Cooperative Education
Knowledge Applied in the Real World
Antioch College promotes meaningful engagement with the world through intentional linkages between campus-centered and field-based experiential learning.
For 100 years, a central component of Antioch’s progressive education model has been its flagship Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program.
Lead an impactful life
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.
Co-op provides knowledge and knowhow which is why generations of Antiochians have had significant impacts in their communities and professions.
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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The Center of a Movement in the Middle of Nowhere: Ike Wylie ’22 at Camphill Copake in Copake, NYby Ike Wylie on October 10, 2020
In a valley that, if observed from up high, resembles a bowl- there is a village of twelve houses. They hold farmers, bakers, and candlemakers. These houses do not have televisions, pets, or microwaves. They sing and bless their meals. They are from Europe
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The Dream of a Future Farmer: Kaylee Rutherford ’23 at the Antioch Farmby Kaylee Rutherford on October 9, 2020
At the Antioch Farm, sustainability is of the utmost importance. Food forests and annual gardens spread across the vast fields towards the south end of the campus, where permaculture practices are explored and utilized to create a beautiful and bountiful environment. The food grown on
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Conflict of Interest: Chris Chavers ’21 at the Law Office of Phillip Brighamby Chris Chavers on October 9, 2020
There’s this moment when I walk into the courtroom that surrounds my body with excitement, inspiration, and fulfillment of purpose. It is a feeling that I can’t wipe off my skin because in these seconds I feel alive. I see the bench, I see the
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Life and Lessons in Panamá: Dillon Powell Zuniga ’22 in Mount Totumas Cloud Forestby Dillon Powell on March 1, 2020
Everyday I wake up ready to take on a new task here at Mount Totumas. I’m a volunteer here in the Panamanian Cloud Forest, always ready to help move the project here forward. They have a huge coffee project here, along with a couple others,
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More Than A Home: Delaney Schlesinger-Devlin ’22 at Estia Agios Nikolaos in Greeceby Delaney Schlesinger-Devlin on October 14, 2019
“Estia Agios Nikolaos is the only community in Greece where adults with special needs live, work and spend their free time together with their caregivers.” When I started my first year at Antioch I knew I wanted to study psychology, but I did not know
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Looking at the Green Mountains through Chroma Lenses: Moumita Dam ’20 at Chroma Technology Corp in Vermontby Moumita Dam on October 14, 2019
I am a senior at Antioch College and, for my fourth co-op, I chose to work for Chroma Technology Corp in Bellows Falls, Vermont. My experience with Chroma was very different in many different ways. I was working in a lab as a quality control
“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
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...