theknoxparent

Summer Storm Hits Knox Campus

A severe windstorm swept through the

The southwest corner of Old Main's roof was damaged in the windstorm on August 23.

Galesburg area on Thursday, August 23. Some damage but no injuries were reported on the Knox campus.

In addition to a number of trees and branches down on campus, two trees blew into the west side of Neal-Conger residence hall, causing some damage to the roof. The wind also lifted the southwest corner of the roof of Old Main and knocked a few bricks and blocks from the tower at the southwest corner of the building.

Fortunately, the storm did not damage any dormitory rooms or apartments, and student move-in will commence as usual; residence halls are scheduled to open for new students on September 1 and for returning students on September 4, with the first day of fall term classes on September 6. All new student orientation activities will progress as planned starting on September 1. Please note that there may be some remaining storm debris around campus; the Knox staff is working closely with contractors to make sure that all hazardous areas are cleared and that areas for student move-in are free of limbs and branches.

On Friday, August 24, students on the Prairie Fire fall sports teams -- volleyball, women's golf, women's tennis, women and men's cross country, men and women's soccer, and football -- helped clear debris from the storm. See pictures of storm damage and clean up here.

Hamblin Residence Hall Renovation

The renovation and expansion of Hamblin Hall student residence was completed over summer 2007. Project highlights include:

New kitchens and bathrooms in all units.
All new units on ground level, increasing student occupancy from 72 to 101.
New elevator and utilities, link to campus-wide security system.
New entryways, replaced balconies.

See more pictures from the renovation. Hamblin Hall is primarily a residence for seniors.

Knox Offers Primary Health Care for Students

Beginning this fall, Knox will provide on campus primary health care for students. The focus of the center will be to provide both care when a student is ill, as well as wellness programming. The center will be located in Sherwin-Neifert Halls on the west side of campus. Operating hours and other details will be shared with incoming students during Orientation on September 1. Check back to the Parent's Web site for updated information on the health services to be provided.

A Greeting from Jennifer Gallas

Greetings to all of our Knox parents! I hope that you have had a great summer and that you are ready to bring your student to Knox, whether you are a first time parent or a "seasoned professional." I have been asking some current parents for ideas to pass on to the new parents and students. The recurring suggestion from these folks is to bring a tool kit along with all of the other "stuff" that your student may pack into the car or van. I imagine you never know what will need adjusting in the new dorm rooms.

It was nice to meet some of you at the summer send-off picnics and the athlete orientation sessions. Just a reminder for new parents who will be moving their students in on September 1 -- please stop by the Parent Drop-In Session anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to say hello and relax a bit with other parents. We look forward to greeting you!

I'd also like to thank a couple of departing members of our Parent Association Steering Committee. Dave '75 and Linda Nelson Langston '75 and Rich Burke '75 were all original members of the committee -- we truly appreciate your service to Knox! Thanks so much.

Mark your calendars now for Family and Friends Weekend, November 2-4, 2007. Our new Assistant Campus Life Director Jimmy Stewart and I are working on the plans for the weekend and will post the schedule in September. We hope to see you on campus sometime this year!

Jennifer Gallas

A Note from Xavier Romano

This entering Class of 2011 takes on special meaning to me as I begin my tenth year at Knox. With time, one gains a very valuable sense of perspective for our students. I find, with the passing of years, a growing appreciation for just how distinctive our students are. Similarly, in my more than 20 years in the academy, I have not found many colleges or universities as intellectually diverse as Knox.

Once again, we welcome to the Illinois Prairie a national and, indeed, international group of individuals who continue our tradition of academic excellence. These are students preparing to make a difference in our society and believe passionately that one informed voice can still make a difference. Reading their essays is something that I rather enjoy as one gains some valuable insight as to their dreams, motivations, and expectations. I often ask our community members -- your sons and daughters -- to read their admission essays again at the end of their senior year. It is fascinating to see just how many of our students are on track to fulfilling their dreams and are prepared to take an active role in a global society.

In the coming months, I will share with you a great deal about various "bricks and mortar" projects and look forward to welcoming you back to Knox for our annual Family and Friends Weekend on November 2-4. I hope that you will return to the Parents Web site periodically as we are going to work diligently to keep you better informed as to events, activities, and items of interest at Knox.

Finally, allow me to thank you for entrusting your sons and daughters to us at Knox. If history is any measure, they will get a rather extraordinary collegiate experience here. We are at our core a very human institution forever evolving because of our students. I am forever reminded how privileged I am to be their dean!

Welcome again to the Class of 2011. I look forward to welcoming you to Knox in the not too distant future.

Most sincerely,

Xavier E. Romano
Vice President for Student Development
Dean of Students

Student News

Where is the Class of 2007?
Every parent wonders what his or her student will go on to accomplish after graduation from Knox. We caught up with a few of the members of the Class of 2007 to see where they planned to go following graduation. Here are their stories:

Read more about the Class of 2007.

Campus News

Commencement 2007 Revisited
The Langston Family with graduate Eric '07.

The Class of 2007 joined the ranks of Knox alumni at Commencement on June 2, 2007. More than 5,000 Knox College faculty, alumni, family, and friends, as well as members of the Galesburg community, gathered on the South Lawn of Old Main to listen to former United States President William Jefferson Clinton and to celebrate the 162nd Knox College graduating class. (More about Clinton’s address here.) We asked Knox alumna and mom Linda Nelson Langston '75 to give her thoughts about seeing her son, Eric '07, graduate from Knox.

"My husband Dave and I found ourselves thinking back 32 years to our own graduation and how little Old Main has changed; the set-up was quite similar, the sun shone, the robes looked the same; however, when your own child is graduating the inspiration of hearing "Hail to Alma Mater" is quite overwhelming!

"Dave and I now share Knox alumni status with our son; what a great family connection. There were such a range of emotions -- laughter, tears, inspiration, excitement, and pride. Dave and I are so grateful to Knox, certainly for our own education and experiences, but watching the excitement in your child's eyes as he processes to receive his diploma is a heady experience. Eric had the opportunity to meet and hear President Clinton, which was thrilling for him and for us as parents. This experience is only one of so many that Knox has provided for Eric and it warms a parent's heart. Thank you once again to Knox -- it is truly a special place! "

Dave '75 and Linda Nelson Langston ’75 are outgoing members of the Parent Association Steering Committee. Later that evening, the Langstons attended a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton in Iowa. Eric asked Hillary to sign his Knox Commencement program under President Bill Clinton’s biography -- and she obliged, making it a very special souvenir! (The Langstons at Commencement are pictured above.)

McAndrew Gossip Research Featured: Today, Tonight
Research on gossip by Knox College psychology professor 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 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. "For most of our evolutionary history, we lived in small groups, where it would be advantageous for an individual to be interested in everyone else in the group -- the good news about our friends and allies, and the bad news about high-ranking individuals and potential rivals." More...

College Budgeting 101

Save the date for Family and Friends Weekend, November 2, 3, and 4, 2007! More information will be posted online soon and you will receive a mailing in late September with more details.

Your college student will soon be faced with the reality of budgeting for the term. It's not too late to set a budget for books, living expenses, etc. Today Show financial editor Jean Chatzky offers money-managing strategies for college students, new or current (whether it's Mom and Dad's hard-earned cash or their own!). Read more...