STUN engages with students at OTC’s Advocacy Day

Promotional image for Ekklesia's Advocacy Day event at OTC. Image taken from https://www.instagram.com/ekklesia.otc/

As housing prices rise and the cost of college slides further out of reach, students exist at an arduous intersection. Whereas education should be an avenue to escape poverty, many enter the first stages of chronic poverty in their young adult years. Isolated in college towns, away from their traditional supports, and facing new challenges as a growing individual, college students often feel voiceless.

Solidarity soon presents itself as a necessary currency amidst this increasingly oppressive landscape. This October, a step towards unity across organizations presented itself at Ozarks Technical College on the north side of Springfield.

On October 23rd, 2025, the Ekklesia student organization at Ozarks Technical College (OTC) hosted their Advocacy Day event, working to engage students in community-based change in Springfield. Among the voices represented at Advocacy Day were Springfield Tenants Unite (STUN), the Party for Socialism & Liberation (PSL), Greater Springfield Indivisible, and Southwest Missouri Solidarity Network.

Ekklesia defines themselves as a “progressive campus ministry that welcomes Jesus followers, seekers, doubters, interfaith advocates, and people of all ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.” The inclusive campus organization is spearheaded at OTC by their president, Chandra Locke, and seeks to create a welcoming campus that platforms diverse voices. On October 23rd, the organization’s focus was education on community involvement. They established the importance of advocacy and encouraged students to seek involvement in community organizations.

I had the pleasure of sharing a presentation titled “Making the ‘S’ in STUN Stand for Students.” At technical and community colleges like Springfield’s OTC, approximately 1 in every 8 students face homelessness, as per the Bipartisan Policy Council’s nationwide studies. Nearly half of all students encounter some form of housing insecurity, and NPR reports that over 1.5 million college students are homeless. This alarming statistic is indicative of an often overlooked demographic facing housing insecurity. It also demonstrates that you are not alone if you are experiencing housing instability as a college student.

Currently, there is no unified federal housing policy platform directed towards students, and students face virtually immovable obstacles when attempting to access social services. College students are generally ineligible for Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) and largely unable to rent from properties receiving support from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).

This most commonly drives students into the private housing market where they face slumlords who take advantage of student age and income. For many students, this is their first experience renting alone, which can lead to a cycle where they accept substandard housing as “normal”. Rapidly deteriorating housing conditions follow in the surrounding communities, and in towns with large student populations like Springfield, the challenges are evident.

These trials underscore the importance of the work that STUN is doing with the Healthy Homes Guarantee pilot program. Rental inspections ensure that all Springfieldians, college students included, can live in safe housing. Pursuing higher education should not be met with the assumption that your housing will be neglected or structurally dangerous. Rather, our homes should be places where we feel dignified to connect with young leaders, able to unwind after busy days balancing work and school, and empowered to focus on homework.

Housing security and safety is a critical step in ensuring educational equity. If you are committed to standing for a healthier Springfield, join us at 6:00pm on Monday, November 3rd at the Springfield Regional Police & Fire Training Center for City Council’s final vote on the Healthy Homes Guarantee. Your voice and solidarity matters, and you can make a difference for generations to come.