The summary statement’s purpose is to have applicants to the Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies program articulate in clear and concise language what they intend to study and why. The statement assists the admissions committee during the preliminary stages of the applicants review.

Sample statements have been provided below. The word count of each statement is listed in parentheses at the end of the statement.

If you have any questions or need assistance with this portion of the application call Student and Alumni Services at 937-769-1818.

Summary Statement Applicant Instructions

In no more than 150 words, please describe your intended focus of study and identify primary academic and/or professional experiences that prepare you for such studies.

1. I am applying for a Master’s program in Holistic Health Education with a special focus on yoga psychology. I have been practicing yoga and meditation regularly for the last five years and have recently completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training. During the last two years I have attended several seminars in integrated healing and have also read a variety of related literature. My undergraduate education includes a double major in Psychology and Health Education. As a patient advocate I communicate with a variety of individuals about the meaning of “health” and the ideas of holistic healing. I also teach yoga classes twice a week. At this point I want to engage in a systematic learning with a goal to open my own integrated healing services studio in the next few years. (131)

2. I am applying for a Master’s program in Integral Education. As a certified Montessori elementary school teacher for the last five years, I have come to believe that finding innovative solutions to some of the deep-rooted problems in our present education system requires a more holistic approach towards life and learning. Realizing that my approach to life and learning has been deeply influenced by a personal spiritual seeking, my long-term goal is to become a voice for thoughtful and progressive change in American education. I wish to learn about some of the non-Western perspectives on life and transformative learning in addition to some of the Western holistic philosophies, particularly that of Rudolf Steiner. I plan to enroll in some courses listed in the Integral Knowledge Systems track and design a few other courses and hope to design a program that is true to the spirit of “whole-person” education. (148)

3. My background in mental health counseling and my interest in intercultural studies prepare me well for pursuing a master’s degree in liberation psychology. Liberation psychology cannot be regarded as a separate, independent discipline-- rather its focus is interdisciplinary, drawing on sociology, anthropology, history, communication and psychology. Part of my interest lies in identifying the connectors between these disciplines. In addition, I intend to take a critical look at how traditional practices in these fields have created and perpetuated local and global injustices. Through my studies I hope to learn about alternative visions, such as those advanced by post-colonial and feminist theories, to engage in fieldwork studying the conditions for, contexts and effects of cultural trauma, and to develop guidelines for liberatory psychological practices. (123)

4. I am interested in the theories and practices that relate to rural economic development. I am particularly interested in learning what others have done to engage the community (businesses, the newspaper, schools, and residents, etc) in collaborative efforts. I want to study what researchers and practitioners are learning about community assets, community politics, the barriers to collaboration, and how they can be overcome?

My bachelor’s degree is in sociology. I was a volunteer for several community organizations when I was in college. I grew up in a rural community in Arkansas and live there now. Before returning to this community, I worked for the United Way organization in Pine Bluff. (110)

5. Building on 15 years of professional practice as a graphic design consultant, several years community college teaching experience and my earlier educational studies some years ago culminating in earning my BFA, I am currently applying for admission to the ILPS program with an intended focus in Visual Cultural Studies and the emerging influence of digital media in public culture. I believe my design practice and earlier educational experiences provide a relevant context for these studies which in turn I hope will serve as a basis for an extended range of future teaching opportunities and/or eventual continued graduate study in an appropriate doctoral program. (103)

6. My field is creative writing. My genre study will be novel writing, and specifically the style and method of writing a contemporary American novel. I am applying to Antioch because it allows me the freedom to choose my courses and set my own goals. My main goal is to emulate great writing. For my thesis, I want to complete a novel manuscript, and submit it to my committee for approval as ready for the process of submission to a literary agent. To accomplish my goal, I intend to produce syllabi for my workshops, which concentrate all activities and writing in genre study and include instructors who will assist me to meet this challenge. For my bibliography, I intend to read several novels by American writers from the second half of the twentieth century. In short, I intend to study what these writers did to produce great writing and emulate them. (150)

7. I am applying for a master’s degree in creative writing. I graduated in 1990 with a degree in English; after graduation, I worked at many jobs, all variously involving words–journalism, freelance writing and editing, and fiction writing. At the first writing workshop I attended, I work-shopped a story I had been working on that led to my first publication. Beginner’s luck, no doubt. I have been working on writing short stories for ten years now and have published my share in quarterly literary journals. I would like to use these stories for prior learning credit. I would like to continue to work on developing my writing craft and technique and to work closely with accomplished writers. The appeal of your program is its flexibility, allowing me room to design a curriculum and to study with writers I have in mind. My intention is to write a short story collection. (150)

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