George Washington Gale Scholars Program

Knox College is very active in the community. We are especially proud of the George Washington Gale Scholars program, established in 1996 and named after the founder of Galesburg and Knox College. The program is a collaborative partnership between Knox, the local school district, (Galesburg District 205) and the area community college (Carl Sandburg College), created to encourage and support higher education aspirations and success in the target population of academically promising first-generation and income eligible youth within District 205.

Each year up to 10 students are selected, and they join other cohorts to participate in summer enrichment and academic preparation, community service, and special skill-building experiences. Students who complete the program in high school receive tuition-waiver scholarships toward the completion of associate's and bachelor's degree programs at Carl Sandburg College and Knox, respectively. Highly academically successful students at Galesburg High School may qualify for direct enrollment at Knox College.

The program was recognized by the Illinois Board of Higher Education in 1999 as one of six exemplary "best practices" within the State of Illinois—a program that directly addresses the growing number of youth who, because of socio-economic barriers, often are not given the opportunity to realize their full potential as scholars and future leaders in our community.

• Gale Scholar Application
• Gale Scholar Flyer

The Gale Scholars program is making a significant difference in the lives of the students that are a part of this tremendous program. These young people are making important contributions to our community and to our world. Presently, we have 56 students that are part of the program, including 11 studying at Knox. These Knox students have a cumulative GPA of 3.34. Finally, we have had 61 students graduate from Knox College within the Gale Scholars program in our history.