Matthew Lawson is passionate about compost. Where some see stinky, rotting waste, Lawson sees a renewable resource. What is worthless trash to some is, to him, a rich biodiversity.

A local debit card with rewards for shopping locally. A business incubator on the Antioch campus. Crowdfunding for local businesses. Student debt refinancing for those who live here after graduation. These ideas and more were explored in a series of conversations last week spearheaded by the Yellow Springs Federal Credit Union, or YSFCU.

On Wildflower Boutique’s opening day  three years ago, owner Danyel Mershon placed an expensive necklace on display. At the end of the day, she realized it was gone. 

A decade after Antioch College closed, and seven years after it reopened to students as an independent institution, rebirth has been slow. But those struggles didn’t dampen spirits on campus last week, where the mood was one of optimism and excitement.

Antioch College has been recognized as a top performer in the 2018 Sustainable Campus Index.

At last Saturday’s State of the College address to college alumni, Antioch College President Tom Manley closed with a quote from South African human rights activist Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”