Eccentric type of independent party embedded in American college (6)

I believe the answer is:

misfit

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'eccentric' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for misfit that I've seen before include "Person not well suited to life or environment" , "Lone wolf" , "Person unsuited to environment" , "Someone not suited" , "Social outcast" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times and the Irish Times (Crosaire).

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