The Knox Experience

Knox is not simply an education; it's an experience. Learning at Knox takes place in classrooms, in residence halls, and on athletic fields. It happens through independent research and creative work, service opportunities, internships, and study off-campus and abroad. And thanks to a truly diverse community, one that unites students from different backgrounds, cultures, and religions, our students live and learn in an environment that challenges them each and every day. The four-year Knox Experience must continue to engage a diverse student body inside and outside of the classroom—on campus, in our community, and around the nation and the world.

Help take Knox Above & Beyond by supporting the following projects:

• Student research and creative work, supported by the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study
• Additional opportunities for community service, supported by the Kleine Center for Community Service
• Upgrades to athletic facilities, courts, and Lay Natatorium, plus endowed monies for athletics
• Global studies travel funds, supported by the Stellyes Center for Global Studies
• Additional staffing and internship support for the Bastian Family Center for Career Services
• Scholarships and financial aid

Alumni Hall Transformed—Fundraising Complete

Three years after introducing a new vision for Alumni Hall, this historic building is ready to begin a new life this December, thanks to the $12 million in support from Knox alumni and friends. Within its historic interior are housed four of Knox’s signature centers -- the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study, Stellyes Center for Global Studies, Kleine Center for Community Service, and Bastian Family Career Center -- as well as the Offices of Admission and Alumni Relations. The transformed Alumni Hall will be an entry point to life on campus and the Galesburg community for students and a gateway to life beyond Knox for alumni.

Global & Off-Campus Studies

Thirty-five percent of all Knox students study off-campus before they graduate, through 31 short- and long-term programs in 18 countries, as well as the United States. To truly prepare students for today’s global world, these percentages must increase. Knox plans to increase the percent of students experiencing overseas and off-campus study to 60 percent by 2020. Endowed travel funds will support the work of the Stellyes Center for Global Studies to ensure that all students who desire to can experience the world before they leave the College.

Career & Pre-Professional Opportunities

Preparing students through experiential learning and internships is a cornerstone of a Knox education and a key to success in life after Knox. Endowed funds can expand staffing for the Bastian Family Career Center and add an array of programming to better prepare our students for a lifetime of productive citizenship and effective leadership.

Student Research & Creative Work

Knox pioneered undergraduate student research in the 1920s and formalized it in the 1950s. Endowed research funds and an array of programming opportunities will support the work of the Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study(, a key resource for the 89% of Knox students who complete independent research and creative projects. During the summer of 2014, the Center piloted a collaborative research term called ASSETS (Artists, Scholars,  Scientists & Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow) that brought together all students doing research, no matter their area of study, and no matter their research location—from the Knox campus to Bankok, Thailand.

Community Service

Last year, students provided more than 16,000 hours of service in the Galesburg community, and, for the fourth time in five years, Knox has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Endowed funds will expand opportunities for service, providing students with an even broader reach and impact beyond the boundaries of the campus and the opportunity to acquire a deeper appreciation for commitment to others.

Athletics

President Teresa Amott has publicly committed to create a competitive athletics program at Knox. Athletic Director Chad Eisele has hired full-time coaches in most sports over the past two years and their recruiting efforts are working. One fourth of all incoming students to Knox for fall 2014 were recruited by coaches. While many of Knox’s athletic facilities have been renovated in the past decade, gifts from donors are making improvements to Turner Track (re-surfaced summer 2014) and to Meridan Tennis Courts (to be rebuilt summer 2016). T. Fleming Fieldhouse’s courts must be resurfaced by 2016. In overall funding for athletics, Knox lags behind peer institutions by anywhere from $17,000 to $53,000 annually per sport. An endowment of unrestricted athletic funds would allow our athletic director to use the annual income to elevate the athletic experience for the team or teams that needed it the most at that time.