The Antioch Tradition | Core Values

Antioch University Seattle expresses core values distinctive among universities. These include:

• An ongoing, university-wide commitment to inclusiveness and welcoming people of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints
• An emphasis on social justice and community involvement
• Cooperative, holistic and experiential education that integrates work experience with classroom learning
• Student-centered, personalized learning
• Embracing broad perspectives as a basis for developing critical thinking skills and preparing students to create and manage change

A History of Firsts

Founded in 1852, Antioch College shaped its identity with an amazing series of pioneering firsts. Under the guidance of its earliest president Horace Mann, the noted abolitionist and founder of the American public school system, Antioch set numerous precedents.

Antioch College was the first college in America to educate women on equal terms with men. It also was among the first primarily white colleges to admit African American students. In addition, Antioch was the first American college to hire female faculty on an equal basis with male colleagues and the first co-educational college to have a woman on its Board of Trustees.

Antioch Innovations

Countless educational approaches that today are widely accepted across North America began long ago at Antioch College. Antioch University Seattle introduced many of these innovations to the Pacific Northwest, including:

• Independent study
• Interdisciplinary study
• Self-designed degree plans
• Narrative student assessment rather than grades
• Academic credit for demonstrated learning from work and life experience

Want to know more about Antioch’s history? Visit the Mann, Morgan Legacy to see what leadership these two early visionaries brought to the Antioch presidency. If you’re curious about where else Antioch has made a home, visit Other Campuses.