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Ernie Seevers
M.A.Ed. with principal preparation, 2001
 An educator with 25 years of experience, Ernie Seevers is in his fifth year as principal of AS#1, an alternative K-8 school in Pinehurst. He has been with Seattle Public Schools for 15 years as well as a middle and high school math and science teacher in the Lake Washington and Tacoma school districts.
"I chose Antioch," he says, "because it fit my needs to be able to pursue a graduate degree while I continued to work at what I loved, public education."
He appreciated that his teachers and guest teachers were actively engaged in work in public schools as well. One, in particular, stood out.
"Dr. Maxine Mimms was a guest teacher on several occasions, and I credit her with opening my thinking around equity issues and the critical need to create culturally relevant learning places for our children," he says.
"I tell [prospective students] that it worked for me, that it prepared me to do the work I'm doing now. I also tell them Antioch people are genuinely engaged in building positive community."Equity issues continue to be part of his work now, too.
"Antioch's core values around social justice are similar to mine, and I've counted on the inspiration, education and connections from my Antioch time to help me in the equity work at my school," he says.
Seevers says he attended Antioch with a colleague from the school where he had been teaching at the time.
"We were able to partner on an action research project that resulted in a re-visioning process at our school. Our work included the whole school community in creating a values-based, five-year plan for the school," he notes.
His best memory?
"The best that I took from my time at Antioch are relationships – personal and professional – that I grew while pursuing my degree there. I currently work with four Seattle School District leaders who were in my master's program with me at Antioch," he notes.
When Seevers recommends Antioch to would-be teachers and administrators, he focuses on Antioch's strengths at community building.
"I tell them that it worked for me, that it prepared me to do the work I'm doing now. I also tell them Antioch people are genuinely engaged in building positive community," he says.
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