Knox Alumnus Promoted to Lieutenant General
David P. Fridovich '74,
a career Green Beret officer with the United States Army, was recently
promoted to lieutenant general from major general. In a July 8 ceremony
at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, Fridovich also was
appointed director of the Center for Special Operations, the unit
within the U.S. military's Special Operations Command that directs
anti-terrorism campaigns.In his remarks at the promotion ceremony, Fridovich emphasized the influence of his liberal arts background at Knox. "It's something that I won't forget in this new job," he said.
One of only 40 lieutenant generals in the U.S. Army, Fridovich earned a bachelor's degree at Knox in 1974 and a master's degree in 1976 at Tulane University. He also has studied at the U.S. Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and at the British Forces Royal College of Defense Studies in London, England. Read more.
Fridovich received a 2007 Knox College Alumni Achievement Award in February. Listen to a podcast of his acceptance speech.
Professor Frank McAndrew on NBC's Today & Tonight
Research on gossip by Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology Frank McAndrew
is gaining coverage from both the entertainment and news divisions of
major media. Following recent publication of a scientific article, "Who
do we tell, and whom do we tell on? Gossip as a strategy for status
enhancement," McAndrew's research was mentioned during Jay Leno's
opening monologue on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday, July 20. McAndrew also was interviewed by NBC, and a brief clip from the interview was broadcast on The Today Show on Wednesday, July 25. His research also was featured on the MSNBC Web site."Gossip is not a character flaw, it's a social skill -- an evolutionary mechanism for maintaining social status, hard-wired from our prehistoric past," McAndrew says. Read more.
Peace Corps Launches New Partnership with Knox
Knox College and the Peace Corps signed a memorandum of cooperation
on June 20, creating a Peace Corps Preparatory Program at Knox to
better equip students for international service. Based on the pilot
program at Knox, the Peace Corps aims to widen its pool of qualified
candidates by developing similar arrangements with other colleges and
universities around the country.According to Peace Corps officials, in 2006, just two of every five applicants were invited to serve. In this highly competitive environment, applicants who are prepared for the demands of volunteer service have a distinct advantage. With this in mind, and with the goal of increasing the effectiveness of volunteers in the field, the Peace Corps has reactivated its preparatory program to better equip students for international service.
Starting this fall, undergraduates at Knox will be able to incorporate Peace Corps Prep's internationally focused curriculum, which includes economics and education, foreign language study, and community service into their degree plans. Interested students will apply to Peace Corps Prep as sophomores, then spend their junior and senior years fulfilling the program's requirements. Read more.
A Note from the Editor
Are you taking advantage of the Knox Online Community?At the close of the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 950 people updated their online community profile, 152 photos were uploaded into the community, and 358 people registered for events online. Were you one of these people?
If not, check-out the online community today and see what you're missing. You can register for Homecoming 2007, respond to a message board posting, or even make a gift to Knox. And if you aren't a registered member, don't worry. It's easy to register. Simply click on "First Time Login" in the top left-hand corner of your screen and follow the step-by-step process. To request your Knox ID number, e-mail us today.
Campus News
Knox Raises $10 Million, Thanks to Knox Alumni & Friends!At the close of its fiscal year on June 30, Knox raised more than $10 million dollars from alumni and friends. Of that $10 million, $2,790,054 was Knox Fund gifts -- or gifts that fund the College's annual operating budget. This is the second year in a row that the Knox Fund has met its dollar goal. This is also the second year where alumni participation has increased, moving from 30 percent last year to 31 percent this year.
"The value Knox alumni and friends place on a Knox education is reflected in another outstanding fundraising year," says President Roger Taylor '63. "More and more members of the Knox community recognize their responsibility to give back to Knox."
Two other noteworthy records were set this fiscal year. Seventy-two percent of Knox faculty and staff made a donation to the College, compared to 51 percent last year, setting a new record for participation. The Senior Challenge was successful yet again, raising more than $15,000 from 90 percent of the Class of 2007 and setting a new benchmark -- 101 John Huston Finley Society members, or individuals who gave $100 or more to Knox. The Finley Society is an exclusive giving club for Knox's young alumni and is part of the President's Circle.
Knox Receives Federal Grant
Knox College was recently awarded a federal grant of $1.3 million to establish an institutional research program. 17th District Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) announced the grant on Wednesday, June 20, in Washington, D.C. The grant is from the Strengthening Institutions Program of the U.S. Department of Education.
"The Office of Institutional Research will help Knox evaluate how students are navigating the new curriculum. What sounds like a simple question -- such as how many students are doing the bare minimum, and how many are going beyond the basic requirements -- takes highly specialized skills that we will be able to develop in the new Office of Institutional Research," said Lawrence B. Breitborde, dean of the College and vice president for academic affairs. Read more.
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| Galesburg-area students register for Knox's College4Kids, held on campus June 11-22. |
The 2007 Knox College4Kids program was awarded an innovation grant from the Center for Success in High Need Schools, a program of the Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI). The $10,000 grant supported 10 fellowships for Knox College students, who are working toward teacher certification, to assist with Knox College4Kids, a two-week summer academic enrichment program for local students in grades three through eight. The fellowships are part of Knox's new Project REACH -- "Recruiting and Enlightening through Access to and Communication with High-need schools." Read more.
Obama's Knox Speech Selected for Anthology
The Commencement address at Knox College by U.S. Sen. Barrack Obama (D-IL) has been included in the book, Great Speeches by African Americans. Published by Dover Publications, the anthology features 20 speeches spanning more than 150 years, including orations by Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Obama delivered the Commencement address and was awarded an honorary degree at Knox in 2005.
Hamblin Hall Renovation in Full SwingThe $6 million renovation and expansion of Knox's Hamblin Hall student residence is in full swing and on schedule for completion prior to students returning to campus in the fall. The project will add spaces for 29 students, increasing capacity to 101 from the current 72. The new two-person and four-person apartments will be built on the ground level, along with a new lounge area. The College also will replace all kitchens, bathrooms, and doors in the existing apartments. The outside entrance and all the lounges and common living areas will be renovated. A sprinkler system, new fire alarm system and an elevator will be installed. Follow the Hamblin Hall renovation project.
Alumni News
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| Whitney Bey '07 |
Where is the Class of 2007?
Nearly two months has passed since the Class of 2007 received their diplomas on Old Main's South Lawn. What are the 240 members of Knox's most recent graduating class up to? Here's a small sample of the class's life after Knox:
- Jake Kuhnline '07 planned to take a break from the classroom after graduation, but just two days later, he was studying a new lesson plan with Teach for America. Read more.
- Travel, community service, and baseball are three pretty nice ways to spend a summer. And Jake Ayers '07 is experiencing it all. Ayers is spending his summer playing in the inaugural season of the Israel Baseball League (IBL). Read more.
- Whitney Bey '07 wanted to do more than leap into the job market after graduation. The Peace Corps offered an alternative. Read more.
Donnie Forti '06 Snags Fellowship with ABC NewsDonnie Forti '06 remembers building microphones out of Tinker-Toys and digging around for shoe string to use as imaginary wire while pretending to be a news reporter. "I also built a low-power transmitter out of a walkie-talkie and pretended to be a radio personality in my room," he says. Fast forward some 15 years later, and Forti is building news stories and digging under rocks for information while on a Carnegie Fellowship at ABC News' Brian Ross Investigative Unit. Forti was one of six graduate students from around the country chosen for the fellowship. Read more.
Joe Moore '80 Foils Purse Snatcher in Chicago
Chicago City Alderman Joe Moore '80 went above and beyond the call of duty on May 16 and foiled a purse snatcher's attempt to rob a member of his ward. A bystander who saw the attempted robbery said, "In pursuit was a man in a black suit and his tie was flying over his shoulder. I said 'That looks a lot like Joe Moore.'" Read more.
Dan Martin '61 Joins Obama Campaign
Dan Martin '61 recently joined the the Presidential campaign of Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), where he will develop policy positions for the Senator on domestic conservation issues, including national parks, endangered species, open space, land trusts, the management of public lands, and related topics. He is also joining the group working on foreign policy for the campaign. He was formerly the senior managing director of Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund at Conservation International.
Alumni Participate in 365 Days/365 Plays
Jessica Drew '07, Heather Courtney '06, and Jaclynn Jutting '00 recently participated in Vitalist Theatre's production of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays, a nationwide play cycle. Drew designed costumes; Courtney was the property master; and Jutting directed the show. Professors Robin Metz and Elizabeth Carlin-Metz, co-founders of Chicago's Vitalist Theatre, produced the show.
Come Home to Knox, October 18-21, 2007!Hotel reservations are going fast! Don't miss your chance to catch up with old friends, attend classes with current Knox students, cheer on the Prairie Fire, celebrate Old Main's 150th birthday, and much more. Make your reservations today!
Alumni Notes
William Grandgeorge '55 recently retired from Roger Williams University, where he served as professor of theatre for more than 30 years. The university held a surprise tribute for Professor Grandgeorge in June, where more than 300 Roger Williams alumni, including Elizabeth Carlin-Metz, Knox associate professor of theatre, gathered to celebrate his career. Read more.
The Carving of Insects, the collected poems of 20th-century Chinese poet Bian Zhilin co-translated by David Lunde '63, won the 2007 PEN USA Translation Award.
Scott Harrod '65 received the 2007 distinguished service award at the Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America (ISMAA). Harrod is a computer system administrator for Abbott Laboratories in suburban Chicago.
Richard Riddell '72, special assistant to the president of Duke University, was recently promoted to vice president and university secretary. He will officially assume these responsibilities on January 1, 2008. Riddell currently serves as a Knox College general trustee.
John Bucher '73 was recently named the new associate director of the National Toxicology
Program (NTP). The NTP is an interagency program with the mission to coordinate, conduct, and communicate toxicological research across the U.S. government.
Catherine Cox '75 recently received rave reviews for her lighting design on the SkyPilot Theatre Company's production of Requiem for a Heavyweight.
William A. Wilcox '83, who is a lawyer at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman in Washington, D.C., recently published a new book, The Modern Military and the Environment: The Laws of Peace and War, a practical analysis of the conflict between national security requirements and environmental responsibility. Read more.
Elena Rakochy '95 participated in the Galesburg Civic Art Center's Studios Midwest program. A ceramist from Evanston, Illinois, she spent eight weeks this summer working in Knox's art studio facilities.
Kamesha Jackson '97 is directing the play Stoop at the ETA Creative Arts Center in Chicago. Krystle Liggins '09 is working with Jackson as an intern on the production.
Lindsey Roland '03 received the District 6640 Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship for 2008. She will use the scholarship to study tropical ecology and conservation at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia.
Sylvie Davidson '06 was recently cast in the professional production of High School Musical at the nationally renown Seattle Children's Theatre. The play opens in mid-September and runs until November 24. In addition, she has been touring schools in a one woman show called Letters from A Friend, an educational piece on the Holocaust, and her original song, "When I Lived Next Door to You," was featured in a Knox online presentation.
Faculty & Staff News
Kasser receives fellowshipTim Kasser, associate professor of psychology, was awarded a fellowship to collaborate with researchers at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom, into the links between happiness, prosperity, and ecological sustainability. The fellowship will allow Kasser to spend four weeks in fall 2007 at the University of Surrey's Research Group on Lifestyles, Values, and the Environment (RESOLVE). "RESOLVE and I are both interested in personal values and in broader societal values," Kasser said. Read more. Kasser's research on personal happiness and materialism was also recently featured in The New York Times and USA Today.
Wagner Volunteers in Haiti
Jon Wagner, professor of anthropology, and his wife, Jan Lundeen, a nursing instructor at Galesburg's Carl Sandburg College, recently volunteered with the Friends of the Children of Haiti organization, which provides medical care to Haitian residents out of a clinic in Cyvadier, Haiti. Read about their trip in Galesburg's The Register-Mail.
Layer Joins Knox Fund TeamOn July 1, Julie Layer joined the Office of Advancement as the newest member of the Knox Fund team. She joins Brian Gawor '98 and Jennifer Gallas who also oversee aspects of the Knox Fund. Layer brings to Advancement 18 years of development experience, primarily in the arts, and served for four years as a development consultant working for Campbell and Company, a leading fundraising consulting firm. Molly Mannino, who served as director of the Knox Fund for the last six years, retired in July.
Knox Faculty Member, Alumnus Receive ISMAA Awards
Dennis Schneider, professor of mathematics, was presented the 2007 award for distinguished teaching at the Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America (ISMAA). Scott Harrod '65 received the organization's 2007 distinguished service award. Schneider has taught at Knox since 1973 and has served on the ISMAA board of directors. He has written and lectured widely on the use of the "Mathematica" software package to teach calculus. Harrod earned a doctoral degree in mathematics at Dartmouth College and is a computer system administrator for Abbott Laboratories in suburban Chicago. Read more.
Faculty & Staff Notes
Under the leadership of Ivan Davidson, professor emeritus of theatre, the Joe Jefferson Players has been named Outstanding Arts Organization of the Year in the Bay Area by the Mobile (Alabama) Arts Council.
Robin Metz, director of Knox's Program in Creative Writing, was a featured poetry performer in April at the Green Mill Jazz Club, Chicago, the original venue for "Poetry Slam Nation." In May, he delivered the commencement address at Galesburg's Carl Sandburg College graduation.
Jim Vandergriff, visiting assistant professor in educational studies, was an invited presenter at the opening of the "Between Fences" exhibit at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum in Mansfield, Missouri, on May 12.
Student News
Putnam Named Kemper ScholarEmily Putnam, who recently completed her first year at Knox, was chosen for the prestigious Kemper Scholars Program, which selects outstanding students at an elite group of liberal arts colleges to promote the development of leadership and service in the areas of business and administration. Putnam, who wants to work for a development organization in Africa, says that one of her objectives is to "understand how non-profit, for-profit, and governmental organizations work together to accomplish their goals," including alleviating poverty and combating disease. Read more.
Helvie receives Stellyes International Internship
Sable Helvie '08, a St. Louis, Missouri, native, was named recipient of a 2006-2007 Stellyes International Internship and will teach English as a second language in Barcelona, Spain. Helvie, a 2004 graduate of Parkway North High School in St. Louis, is majoring in anthropology/sociology and modern languages. The Stellyes International Internship is for students in Knox's Besancon or Barcelona programs who seek to enrich their understanding of the life, culture, and enterprises of Spain, France, and Europe. Established in 1994, the internship is sponsored by the Eleanor W. Stellyes Fund.
26 Student-Athletes Make MWC Academic All-Conference
Knox had 26 student-athletes from six spring sports recognized on the 2007 Midwest Conference Academic All-Conference Spring Sports Team. A cumulative 3.2 grade point average is necessary to be on the team. Read more.
More coverage of Knox students is available on the Knox news page.
Contact Us
Submissions to The Gizmogram should be made to the editor at gizmogram@knox.edu. Submissions may be edited for space.
Editor
Megan Scott '96
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