Enhance Your Education
Distinctive Programs in Environmental Studies
There are ample opportunities to enhance your studies in environmental studies through independent research, off-campus study, and internships. 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 has a number of programs that support student research, including Rockefeller, Richter, Ford and Honors Programs. Through the Rockefeller program, students receive funding to engage in environmental studies research projects in Galesburg and the surrounding area during the summer. Since environmental studies is interdisciplinary, students from a number of areas may do work in the field. Examples of some recent student research projects include:
- "Alternative Land Use: A Solution to the Socioeconomic Cause of Deforestation in Guatemala," Dan Pers '10, environmental studios and biology major.
- "Superfund: Process and Public Relations," Megan Butler '08, environmental studies major.
- "Movements to the Wilderness," Sarah Kilch '06, environmental studies and creative writing major.
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 is:
- "Feeding the Future: How Childhood Experiences Shape Adult Cooking Habits and Why We Need to Reclaim Our Kitchens," Jessica Lee Johnson '12.
- "The Environmental Health of Working for Maytag Galesburg Refrigeration Products," Alison Mariel Ehrhard '11.
- "An Environmental Evaluation of Air Pollution from the Railroad in Galesburg, IL," Sarah Komicki '10.
- "An Ethical Evaluation of Herbicide Use in Restoration Ecology," Chelsea Marie Bagot '07.
Off-Campus Programs
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. Two are of special interest to students concentrating in Environmental Studies.
- Costa Rica
The Tropical Field Research Program offers opportunities for research in 10 different ecological zones, from tropical rain forests to temperate highlands. The Latin American Culture and Society Program focuses on issues relating to development and cultural change. - Oak Ridge Science Semester
Specialties at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory include basic research in the natural sciences, and a variety of areas in the social sciences including urban development, environmental impact and energy resource availability. The program includes an interdisciplinary seminar and an advanced course in a relevant discipline.
Forestry/Environmental Management -- Dual-Degree Program
In conjunction with Duke University, Knox offers a five-year, dual-degree program leading to both a Knox College B.A. degree and a master's degree in either forestry or environmental management from Duke.
Following three years at Knox and two additional years at Duke, students are awarded the two degrees simultaneously. Duke University also offers the option of a Ph.D. in both forestry and environmental management. For more information on the program, contact Professor Stuart Allison, 309-341-7185.
Internships
Few experiences can prepare you better for life after Knox than conducting an internship. As a Knox environmental studies student, you can conduct an internship for course credit either during the academic year or the summer, working closely with a faculty supervisor while engaging in fieldwork and completing an academic paper. Recent internships by environmental studies students include:
- Intern, Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, Illinois. Corey Palmer '07, environmental studies major.
- Kayaking Intern, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine. Sarah Kilch '06, environmental studies major.
- Naturalist Intern, Wildlife Prairie State Park, Hanna City, Illinois. Ryan Arch '06, environmental studies and biology major.
- Wetland Intern, V3 Companies, Woodridge, Illinois. Abigail Letzter '05, environmental studies major.
- Wetland Intern, V3 Companies, Woodridge, Illinois. Colleen Bohlin '05, environmental studies and American studies major.