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The cornerstone of the CCG is creating a shared graduate and adult learner program that will grow revenue for Coalition members by expanding the reach of Otterbein’s graduate programs and by continuing to add new programs as more members join the CCG. Now exceptional 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§programs, like the Master’s of Athletic Training or the graduate Nursing programs, will be offered on the East and West Coast at Antioch’s established locations. Alternatively, Antioch University graduate programs like Clinical Mental Health Counseling or Non-profit Management will expand offerings in central Ohio.

Antioch is the right partner for this work. Antioch University has been one of the nation’s leaders in serving graduate students and working adults since the 1960s. It has the infrastructure and expertise to provide engaging and personalized educational opportunities to working adults through online, low residency, and face-to-face programs. This flexibility is what adult and working professionals expect. That infrastructure also allows the CCG to engage with local industry and service organizations to provide professional and workforce development opportunities serving a broad spectrum of staff and clients, including seminars, stackable certificates, online adult degree completion, and advanced degrees.

What does 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§get in return for investing in the Coalition for the Common Good and transferring most of our graduate programs to Antioch University? First, 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§receives annual payments from Antioch that reimburse the net revenue that was generated by the transferred programs, so 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§doesn’t lose anything. Then, as programs expand and enrollment grows, the Coalition pays 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§an additional share of the revenue that all graduate and adult learner programs earn, after all program expenses are covered. Over time, this model generates significantly more revenue than 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§was able to generate by offering those programs on our own. The Coalition has also created a Support Services Organization that will allow us to negotiate better terms with vendors, increase the bench strength of our staff, and create back-office efficiencies that will generate savings for both universities and future members.

The CCG also is a way for 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§to distinguish itself from other liberal arts-focused schools. Students still get to work with engaged faculty focused on teaching excellence in small classes that provide real opportunities for student-faculty engagement, while also having the benefits of a large system. Students have expressed excitement about opportunities for accelerated degree programs, access to more job and internship opportunities through an expanded alumni network, and the opportunity to take courses from other member institutions. In market research, prospective undergraduate students overwhelmingly indicated that benefits like these would make them more interested in attending a school that is part of a national system of higher education institutions.

The Graduate Early Admission Pathways (GEAPs) allow 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§undergraduates to take up to nine credits of graduate coursework — at no additional cost — while still an undergraduate, and those credits count towards both the graduate degree and the undergraduate degree. This reduces the time to graduation and the cost of a degree for students seeking professional master’s degrees. In addition to the 15 approved GEAPs, we are developing new pathways with a focus on Nursing, Education, and Couples and Family Therapy. 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§undergraduates also now have access to new study abroad opportunities in partnership with Antioch. The first opportunity is a joint study abroad trip to the Galapagos Islands in May 2025. Similar opportunities will expand with every new member that joins the Coalition. We are developing study away programs that let 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§undergraduates have immersive experiences on other Antioch campuses. These opportunities enrich the undergraduate experience and help provide stronger outcomes for our students after graduation.

Co-founding the Coalition for the Common Good lets 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§focus on what we do best — teaching undergraduates. 9i¹û¶³ÖÆ×÷³§will further benefit by building a distinctive market identity, taking our graduate programs national, better serving our students, and expanding the reach of our mission with a partner that clearly shares our values of service to others and education for a more just society.

GEAP Student Leah Locke ’25, Psychology, BS

Leah Locke ’25 is currently enrolled in the Graduate Early Admission Pathway for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has set her sights on becoming a mental health counselor with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling to be completed in 2027. On campus Leah is involved in Otterbein’s Honors program, Kappa Phi Omega, and minors in Spanish and Latin American Studies