Like many Knox College alumni, Nancy Oertley Varness '68 and Frank Mannino '68 rekindled a long-standing friendship when they returned to campus for the 2018 Homecoming festivities.

In town to celebrate the 50th Reunion of their class, they agreed that one of the best aspects of Homecoming is connecting with other members of the Knox community.

“It’s always interesting to talk to people who you did know when you went to college, but weren’t very close with, and to find out a lot of interesting things about them,” said Mannino, whose wife was roommates with Varness. “I always say to myself: Gosh, I wish I would have known this person better back in college.”

Varness said that an advantage of attending Knox was its small size, which encouraged students to get to know their professors well and to spend time with other students “outside your major, outside where you lived.”

“For me, a small liberal arts college was perfect. I found I was interested in things I never knew about, things I remain interested in,” she added.

Mannino recalled spending a summer in Galesburg so he could conduct chemistry research at Knox. “I also worked in the railroad yards at night to help support myself, and got to meet Galesburgians—both people who worked in town and people who were farmers,” he said. “I got to love Galesburg and the people of Galesburg.”

They were just two of more than 1,000 Knox College alumni and friends who visited campus for Homecoming 2018 on October 19-21.

Homecoming 2018 featured a wide range of celebrations and activities, including a bonfire, the all-class reception, alumni panel discussions, and home football and volleyball games. Some alumni arrived in town a bit early to participate in mock interviews and a networking reception Thursday with current Knox students.

Homecoming wasn't only about Knox's past. The Borzello Gallery, a new art exhibition space, made its official debut during the 2018 Homecoming festivities. Emeritus Trustee Fay Stevenson-Smith, M.D. '64, a noted sculptor, unveiled a new work, “Got Your Back,” to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of Allied Blacks for Liberty & Equality (A.B.L.E.). President Teresa Amott and other officials led a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of renovations to the center core of the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Building.

Alumni Memories

Kiara Honeysucker '16 said one of the reasons she returned for this year’s Homecoming is because she was involved with Allied Blacks for Liberty & Equality (A.B.L.E.) as a student, and the organization is observing its 50th anniversary.

“I just wanted to see how the new students are doing and if there’s anything we alumni can do to help out or give advice,” she said. “I have so many connections here, so many people I care about and love.

"Anywhere you go during your formative years has the chance to have a really big impact on you, and I just happened to be blessed enough that the people who came here were of the same spirit and mindset of caring and compassion and creativity and exploring—such that I had a great experience. I met so many good people. I won’t forget them.”

Dennis Reynolds '71 returned for this year’s Homecoming because his wife, Cathy, is celebrating her 45th Class Reunion. He enjoys returning to campus every few years to get together with his friends from Alpha Delta Epsilon fraternity, which no longer exists at Knox.

His favorite Knox memory is meeting his wife at someone else’s birthday party, and he also looks back fondly on his time playing intramural sports and the valuable friendships he made.

“The Knox experience was a whole package for me,” Reynolds said.

Mary Mangieri Burgland '68 served as the Class of 1968 speaker at Homecoming Convocation. “Ours was a generation of sea change in American culture,” she said, pointing out that leaders including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated during the Class of 1968’s college days.

“We came [to Knox] with our skirts, sports jackets, short hair, and left with slacks, sandals, beads, and long hair,” Burgland recalled. “We made it through some of the most tumultuous years of the recent past.”

“In looking out over this group of ours, I see classmates that I know have made the world a better place,” she added, saying that she believes they will all work to continue doing that.

Jason and Elizabeth Flanders Monaco '98 are marking their 20-year Class Reunion. When they arrived at Knox on Friday afternoon, they were looking forward to seeing friends and former professors, attending the Prairie Fire football game, and going to Reunion get-togethers.

One of their favorite memories is meeting at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house, even though neither belonged to TKE.

What’s it like being at Knox again? “Some things are very different, but it’s always nice to be back on campus,” said Jason. “It makes you feel young to come back,” said Elizabeth.

As a member of the Knox Board of Trustees, Joe Bastian '67 visits campus a few times a year. Knox is “a very special place,” he said.

“I think it really was fundamental to my evolution and growth as an adult,” he said. “Knox is the kind of place where you can come and try out a lot of different things and figure out what fits and what works with you.”

Kiiri Tietjens '98 hadn’t been back on campus since her five-year Class Reunion 15 years ago. “I just wanted to come back and see Knox. I have really fond memories of when I was here,” she said.

As of Friday afternoon, she already had toured the Whitcomb Art Center and was impressed by it. She looked forward to checking out the restored Alumni Hall, singing in the Choir for Homecoming Convocation, and seeing classmates.

Her favorite Knox memories include “late-night eats in the Gizmo, listening to jazz on Thursday nights at Cherry Street, and late-night study groups in SMC.”

Homecoming Awards

The traditional Homecoming Convocation on Saturday morning began with a processional by members of the Class of 1968, who are celebrating their 50th Class Reunion. More than 100 of them walked into Kresge Recital Hall as a recording of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” played in the background.

Later, the Class of 1968 presented the College with an oversized check that represents the classmates’ combined gift of more than $806,500.

Also as part of Homecoming Convocation, several awards were announced:

• The Ralph Walter Prize to the Class of 1968 for the highest percentage of alumni donating to the College.
• The Homecoming Attendance Award to the Class of 1968 for having the largest number (a record-breaking 107, as of Friday night) of registered class members at Homecoming.
• Knox Service Awards to Susan Blew '75, Rob Clark '95, and Cathy Kucik Heimann '70. Service Awards are given to members of the Knox community in recognition of outstanding volunteer service benefiting the College.
• The Steven Floyd Fellowship Award to Beatriz Jimenez '19.

For more photos of Knox Homecoming 2018, check the Knox Flickr page.