The Center for Community Service opened in January 2005 under the direction of the Office of Student Development. The coordinator of the CCS, Kathleen Ridlon, works very closely with the Dean of Students, Xavier Romano. According to Romano, "The Center for Community Service works to meet the growing needs and interests of students at Knox to engage in volunteer and service projects in Galesburg and Knox County. In doing so the Center provides a much needed 'point of contact' for students, community members, and non-profit organizations."

Prior to the founding of the CCS, volunteerism among students was promoted mainly through student clubs and organizations, fraternities, sororities, and individual initiatives led by the students, faculty, and staff of Knox College. In addition, several academic programs include community service as part of their curriculum. These departments include but are not limited to Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology, The Department of Education, The Computer Science Department, The Gale Scholars Program, Trio, and the Department of Theatre and Dance. According to Ridlon, "this is the first year where volunteer service has had a central location from which to organize and operate and the student response has been tremendous."

The Center for Community Service was formed under The Plan for New Knox. It is one of six centers that were designed to further the academic and extracurricular involvement of our students. The other centers include: Global Studies, Teaching and Learning, Advanced Study and Research, Multicultural Life, and Career and Pre-professional Development. In particular, the goals of the CCS are linked with the founding of Knox College:

When Knox College was founded in 1837, students split their time between working in the fields and working in the classrooms. The City of Galesburg and Knox College were founded together and because of this the Center for Community Service seeks to continue a tradition at Knox, to serve as an integral link between the Knox College Campus and the Galesburg Community. Today the field is the community that we live in, where Knox students share their time and knowledge with local, regional, national, and international organizations.

The first year of operation of this center was made possible through a grant received from The Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation. Ms. Scripps is a Knox Alumna. In 2006, the CCS collaborated with Carol Brown, Director of Alumni Programs, to create an event where current Knox College students could work together with local alumni to participate in Make A Difference Day, a national day of recognition for Community Service events across the United States. The CCS and Alumni Office worked closely with the Boys and Girls Club of Knox County to sponsor the first Annual "Family Fall Festival" which included pumpkin carving, a costume contest and face painting to celebrate Halloween with local youth.

The work in the CCS revolves around creating and maintaining community partnerships. The coordinator works closely with three work study students in the office to collect information about volunteer events from partners and communicates this information to the students, faculty, and staff of Knox College. On several occasions, students initiate a service idea. The work that students have accomplished in New Orleans is a good example. On two occasions, students have approached the CCS to help them organize and manage the work involved with off campus service projects. Collectively these projects have involved more than 100 volunteers in approximately 6,000 volunteer hours donated to Hurricane Katrina disaster relief.

One of the main events that the CCS participates in on the Knox College campus is First Year Orientation. "This event is integral to the center's success," said Ridlon, "because it gives the CCS the opportunity to meet and greet all of the members of the incoming class at the start of their college experience." During the first week of the 2006 -2007 academic year, the CCS promoted 10 volunteer opportunities, and by the start of the second week of the term, 80 volunteers had signed up to participate in a community service project.

"In February of 2007 the Center for Community Service will host an Open House to celebrate our first year anniversary," Ridlon said. This event is set up to make the Knox community aware of how they can use this center as well as to recognize outstanding leadership among the Knox College students who volunteer."

On a local level, the CCS has worked with the following organizations:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Knox County
Boys and Girls Club of Knox County
District 205: Steele School
First Presbyterian Church
Galesburg Kiwanis Club
Galesburg Rotary
Hawthorne Inn Assisted Living Center
Knox County Health Department
Knox County Nursing Home
National Stearman Association
Prairie Players
Prairieland Animal Welfare Shelter
Special Olympics
Teen Court
United Way of Knox County