It knows what it is. It is not Chicago; it is not a tiny farm town. It is a small city (pop. 33,000) that was founded alongside a great liberal arts college, at the center of a national railroad network, surrounded by prairie and farmland.
People make progress here. We're all neighbors here; Knox is deeply integrated in the life of the city; so if you have a great idea, it's easy to bring people together to bring it to life. Not long ago, for example, a Knox alumnus had the idea to turn Seminary Street into a classic independent shopping district. Now it's home to cafes, restaurants, a natural foods store, an antique mall—all locally owned.
People make art here. At the historic Orpheum Theatre, home to the Knox-Galesburg Symphony Orchestra. At the Galesburg Civic Art Center, home to the Black Earth Film Festival and a rotating series of exhibitions. If you're a student at Knox, you're a citizen of Galesburg: you can perform with a community theater, join a community service project (tutoring, serving meals), play in a community band, and more.
People make good food here. Like the pizza at Baked, the steak at the Packinghouse, the crepes at the Landmark, the baked goods (and coffee) at the Beanhive and Innkeepers. And there's the food we make on campus. Making food is a way of making community.
People make a difference here. It's true. You come here, you get involved—and suddenly, you're home.
