Antioch of Today

Mike Hogan has always had an interest in politics and writing. He came to Antioch looking to find a happy medium between the two. Two of his co-ops have helped him come close. The first was at the Monthly Review, a book press for political science materials in New York City. The second was five blocks from campus at the Yellow Springs News where he was a reporter covering everything
from Antioch campus to high school sports.

Mike’s senior project examines the common arguments made in favor of school vouchers, and the people making those arguments. Mike is investigating a few key questions: “How did the general propositions for a voucher plan change over time and how have the advocates changed the idea from a purely economic mechanism into a political issue?” His title, “Educational Astroturf,” comes from examining a third question that asks what the right wing has done to politicize this, turning it into a kind of fake grassroots: “These think tanks get millions of dollars from a couple people and do studies that are really on shaky ground statistically speaking. For example, you hear about dropping SAT scores since 1960 in public schools. That’s true but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you look at what’s been going on since the ’60s, there are a lot more people from a different economic backgrounds going to college. Your sample size is a lot larger and so, in a weird way, that’s a good thing. It shows that a lot more people are going to go to college.” Mike hopes that this is the kind of project he can continue to revise for eventual publication.

SGS majors get 15 minutes to defend their senior project, something Mike is a little nervous about. Fortunately, he is prepared weekly for this presentation, “Senior seminar provides a mini presentation for each student. We talk about our work and defend it in a super-concentrated version against the entire SGS faculty.” While this may sound intimidating, Mike says that classes throughout his Antioch education have prepared him. Research Methods with Hassan Rahmanian, Associate Professor of Administration and Management and his senior project advisor, provided him with the necessary skills: “Research methods is the hardest class I’ve ever taken. Hassan puts you through the most rigorous methods. He takes you through every step, every paradigm of research that you can possibly think of. It teaches you critical thought and how to examine even a simple problem from a lot of different viewpoints.”

Mike is also among a group of students working on a peace referendum, to be put to a community vote: “The peace referendum calls for Antioch to be institutionally against the war in Iraq. There are hundreds of colleges and cities that have done this. By itself, President Bush won’t care but add it up it makes a difference.”
Mike is going to finish his co-op requirements after graduation and will be spending the summer in Europe.

Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of a few of Antioch's current students and graduates:

• Alena Schaim '03
• Elena Hillard '03
• Marcus Brevik '03
• Megan Gann '03
• Amy Noel Lee '03
• Becka Dale
• Mica Phelan

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