In continuing efforts to bolster Knox’s signature immersive learning, the College is offering a trio of experiences for students during the summer and fall 2025 terms.

Immersive terms are part of Knox’s core curriculum and provide students with hands-on experiences in the real world, outside the comfort zone of the classroom. Travel immersive terms have been part of the Knox experience since 1971, when a group of students took a 10-week, three-credit “Farm Term” in Wisconsin. As outside the box as that first immersive term seemed more than 50 years ago, now it is part of the traditional education and experience that continues to set Knox apart from peer institutions.

Travel limitations due to COVID-19 cut into immersive experiences, but with the pandemic in the rearview mirror, travel experiences are making a strong comeback for Knox students and faculty. After the success of Japan Term and Drumming and Dance in Ghana, students can partook in a domestic travel experience this summer, exploring Chicago for Chicago Term: Life, Work, and Culture in the Second City.

Political science faculty members Andy Civettini and Thomas Bell led the students on a three-and-a-half-week experience of life, work, and culture in Chicago. This is the second consecutive summer Bell and Civettini have taken students to the Windy City.

During the course, students participated in a 12-day internship to learn what it is like living and working in one of the world’s largest cities.

“The internships are all over the place. Immersion is the goal,” Civettini said. “Chicago is a vibrant, multicultural city. The neighborhoods have character and there’s a flavor in each neighborhood. There’s also the museums, the cultural centers, the historical sites. We want our students to experience that along with the internships and the soft skills they’ll learn that are so valuable.”

During the fall and winter terms, Knox is also offering a pair of international immersive experiences, as new students can learn and explore the history and cultures of Taiwan or Peru.

Students must also complete a project and deliver a presentation based on what they learned during the experience, along with the classroom coursework.

During the term, students will learn the background, history, and culture of the countries, while also brainstorming project ideas. Companion courses that are prerequisites for the trips are offered during the fall. For the Taiwan trip, students are required to take courses on Chinese culture, language, and religion to prepare. For the Peru trip, a course on the Spanish language is a prerequisite.

After the fall term, students and professors will visit each country, putting their classroom knowledge to use in the field. The Peru trip is planned for November 24-December 15, and Taiwan is from November 24-December 10.

The trips are an opportunity for students to have a study abroad experience while not having to stray far from their studies and classes for an entire semester or term.

To help fund expenses for each course, students can apply for a Power of Experience grant, which provides up to $2,000 to support experiential learning opportunities. Students can receive additional support from the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study to help support their experience.