Shane Creepingbear ’08, a member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, has been appointed Dean of Admissions, making him the first Native American to hold this critical position. Shane is somewhat of a household name around the table for generations of Antiochians, he was a classmate to many in the early 2000’s and has played a pivotal role in recruiting every class of students since the college reopened.

Dean Creepingbear’s appointment is a nod to Antioch, to allow ourselves to trust those closest to the work to uplift it and transform it in new and exciting ways. His work will lead Antioch into brave spaces where we can ask questions such as “How do we, as a College, re-frame admissions to be a process by which communities feel uplifted, nurtured, and connected?”  “How do we pour into the communities that honor us with their most-prized gifts — young people — how does having a new leader committed to uplifting communities help us at Antioch connect to the past but also move us forward in a time where the value of young people’s education is critical to our future as a just society? It’s important to ask these questions so our students can grow as leaders and continue to address critical issues like the climate crisis, land rights, LGBTQ rights, voter rights and reproductive justice for all of us.

Please join me in congratulating Shane Creepingbear for this tremendous role and leaving a comment below and consider making a gift via our secure online giving form in recognition of the important work he is about to undertake in support of Antioch’s commitment to low income, first generation, Black, and Indigenous people, and on behalf of all marginalized communities and their families.