Pardon our dust....

After months of hard work, the Knox Web site is getting a new look and feel! Early this fall, you will see a new, redesigned Web site that we hope will be easier to navigate and even more helpful to you as Knox parents. The Parents Gateway is -- and will continue to be -- your source for news, events, and all kinds of information about Knox.

We are still working on all of the issues with the system, so if you are having difficulty finding some information, please contact the Parents Program Coordinator or the Office of Student Development. Thanks for your patience, and we look forward to hearing your feedback on the new site!



Orientation for New Students

• August 24, 2009: Fall athletes arrive (men's and women's cross country, women's golf, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis, and volleyball). View the athlete orientation schedule.
• September 2, 2009: New international students arrive. View the international student orientation schedule.
• September 2, 2009: New multicultural students arrive. View the multicultural student orientation schedule.
• September 5, 2009: All remaining new and transfer students arrive.

Be sure to visit our Parents Drop In Session anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 5. Current Knox parents will welcome you to campus and will be available to chat or answer any questions you might have -- or you can just come and relax after a busy morning!



Family & Friends Weekend 2009
On October 9, 10, and 11, Knox will welcome families and friends from all over the country with a special series of events for you and your student. Family Knox, a special mailing, will be sent to your home in September inviting you to Family & Friends Weekend. Be sure to make hotel reservations now -- this will be a very busy time around Galesburg with lots of local events, so don't delay! View the Family & Friends Weekend tentative schedule.



Yahoo! Group for Knox Parents

 Join our Knox Parent online group! Follow these brief instructions:

1. Make sure you are registered with Yahoo.com. If not, create a user ID.
2. Once you have your user ID, go to the group page. 
3. Click on the page to join the group. You will be asked a couple of questions about you, your student's class year, etc. (This keeps spammers out of the group!)
4. We will approve your request as soon as possible -- once you are approved, we hope you join the other parents in conversation!

Contact the Parents Program Coordinator if you have questions. We hope to have some good discussions soon! We are also exploring some more possibilities for parents to talk in other settings, i.e. Facebook, etc. Watch for more information!



Parent News and Notes

Knox Addresses The H1N1 (Swine) Flu Possibility 

Parents should know that Knox College is constantly in contact with the Knox County Health Department regarding any flu outbreak and the possibility of an epidemic.  A Web page has been set up to provide updates on the spread of the flu outbreak. Knox will continue to update parents during the academic year about the status of the outbreak and when a vaccine might be available to students. 

Reminder about Heath Insurance Waivers
A new insurance application/waiver card also needs to be filled out by each student each year. Students who provide certification of equivalent insurance by returning the Student Insurance Application/Waiver Card to the Insurance Office by September 25, 2009 may have the assessment removed from their fees. Click here to download the insurance waiver form. Send it to the Office of Student Development.



Campus News

New Amenities Center at Knosher Bowl
Knox College and construction representatives gathered Monday, July 27, to mark the start of work on the new amenities center at the Knosher Bowl. The 24-by-48-foot, one-story structure at the College's football field will include space for food preparation and concession, storage, and restrooms. Completion is scheduled for October, with a formal dedication at Knox's Homecoming Weekend, October 23-25.

The facility will bring under roof the food concessions that in the past had to work at unsheltered outdoor grills and tables.

"The new amenities center is another great feature that says 'Welcome to the Bowl!'" said retired athletic director Harley Knosher. "This is another piece in the dream that I first had for the bowl 47 years ago." The Bowl was extensively renovated in 2008, including the installation of a Field Turf playing surface. It was named in honor of Knosher, who coached and taught at Knox from 1960 until his retirement in 2000. Read more about the Amenities Center and see pictures of the construction. 

Student Lands Internship at Renowned Photo Studio
It never hurts to ask. Tricia Richert '11 proved the truth of that advice, when she came right out and asked famed photographer Annie Leibovitz for an internship. "I met her at a book signing at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago," Richert says. A capacity crowd meant that Richert couldn't get into the lecture hall, so she hung around afterward. "I got her autograph and asked if she offered internships. She was very down to earth, and told me to send in my portfolio."

Richert's portfolio yielded an interview with Leibovitz's colleague Jessie Blatt, and Richert was accepted for one of just 12 internships working with Blatt in Leibovitz's studio for two months this summer. "Jessie Blatt does fashion photography for Vogue," Richert says.

In addition to typical intern duties -- errands, pick-ups, deliveries -- Richert says she expects to gain experience working with photo processing, and in page layout and design.
More on Tricia's internship.