Enhance Your Education

Distinctive Programs in dance

There are ample opportunities to enhance your studies in dance through independent research and creative projects, off-campus study, and internships. Independent study in dance has included variations on the traditional curriculum, such as an outreach program for local grade school students. These programs are integral to a Knox education, teaching you how to apply your skills in "real world" situations.

Student Research and Creative Projects
Knox is a leader in promoting top-notch undergraduate research. In fact, more than 90% of all Knox students complete an independent research or creative project by the time they graduate. Many students' projects are supported by an unusually rich array of Knox College funding programs that together provide students more than $200,000 each year in support of their work. These sources include: Richter Memorial Scholars Program, Ford Foundation Research Fellows Program, Ronald E. McNair Fellows Program and departmentally supported independent studies. In addition, special fellowships awarded to Knox through national competitions and through the research grants of Knox faculty make Knox a leader in promoting top-notch undergraduate research and creative projects.

College Honors
Outstanding students may elect to undertake College Honors in their senior year, carrying out an advanced research project presented and defended to a faculty committee that includes a distinguished outside examiner. An example of a recent Honors project in Dance:

• "From Idea to Audience: The How and What of Meaning(s) in Modern Dance," Rachel McRoberts, '05.

Off-campus Study
Knox offers you plenty of opportunities to begin exploring the world while still a student. Almost 50% of Knox students participate in off-campus study and consider their studies abroad to be the highlight of their college experiences. Knox offers several off-campus programs of particular interest to dance students:

• Dance History and Contemporary Trends in Choreography, two-week class held in Chicago. Students take daily classes with working dance professionals, attend several concerts, and go on field trips to area museums.
• The American College Dance Festival, a regional event that takes place every year. Recently, students attended this conference in Iowa, where a choreographed piece featuring five Knox students was one of nine dances selected for the Festival's Gala Concert.
• Students interested in dance and its context within theatre and the performing arts should also consider the interdisciplinary Chicago Arts Program.

Internships
As a student of dance at Knox, you'll have the opportunity to expand your education—to get that valuable experience you hear so much about—by completing an internship. Internships provide an opportunity to explore and test career options, to gain experiences and skills needed to succeed as a professional, to build a resume, to network and make critical connections, and to experience a work environment. More and more employers are looking for college graduates with career-related experience. Knox's Center for Career and Pre-Professional Development specializes in helping you find an internship that best matches your goals and interests.