Athina Peterson
Hoops You Have to Jump Through: The Experience of Marginalized Students at Antioch College
Abstract: This study aims to develop a better understanding of the lives of marginalized college students through semi-structured, peer-to-peer interviews through a community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework. In this paper I report the findings of five interviews with women-identified Black, POC, and Native students at Antioch College, a small liberal arts college in Ohio, aiming to develop an “effective translational practice” that will help marginalized students have agency and access in their college experience.Themes surfaced that show the positives and negative aspects of Antioch College such as, but not limited to, concerns around the accessibility of financial aid, transparency of program offerings leaving students feeling taken advantage of and abandoned, “feeling trapped” by the quarter system, and a sense of detachment from their Administrators. Students value their social connections with peers, faculty and staff, the opportunity to develop social capital, and that the institution seems to care for their well-being. It is my hope that this research will improve the recruitment and retention of marginalized students and lead to a diverse campus community and a sense of belonging.