theknoxparent

Welcome to The Knox Parent

This is the first edition of the Knox College Parents Association newsletter for the 2006-07 academic year. Welcome to our new subscribers! We hope you will find it to be both enjoyable and informative.

New Knox parents—if you would like to learn more about the Knox College Parents Association, please attend the Parents Networking Session during Orientation 2006 on Saturday, September 2. See the full Orientation 2006 schedule . . .

Good News For Knox!

Knox College is ranked in the top 25 among more than 200 of the nation’s liberal arts colleges by Washington Monthly magazine. The rankings, published in the September 2006 issue, are based on three factors—community service by students and graduates, research by students and graduates, and a school’s commitment to access for lower-income students. Read more about the Washington Monthly Rankings . . .

Knox College is one of 40 colleges in the nation featured in the new edition of Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College by Loren Pope, former education editor of the New York Times and founder of The College Placement Bureau. Knox is included in a nation-wide tour with the 40 other schools included in this widely-read guide to America’s best colleges for undergraduate students.

“Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL) is one of the best things to happen to Knox,” says Paul Steenis ’85, vice president for enrollment and dean of admission. “The book has helped to raise Knox’s visibility across a broad spectrum of people. It has put a stamp of approval on traditional liberal arts colleges.” Read more about Colleges that Change Lives . . .

Knox College continues to show strength in the newly released U.S.News & World Report rankings, and in the institutional data that goes into the rankings. Knox’s ranking of 79th among more than 200 liberal arts colleges places it among the “Top Schools” in the Liberal Arts classification. Read more about the U.S. News rankings . . .

A Greeting from Jennifer Gallas

Greetings from Knox! I can tell that the preparations for our new and returning students are in full swing. The parking lots are beginning to fill with cars, and I’ve seen a few of our early returnees wandering about campus. I always look forward to fall and seeing the campus come alive once again.

We have been hard at work this summer. Some changes will be coming soon to the Parents Web site, as we wish to create an area for parent resources—a number of you have agreed that a special resource section would be very helpful to all parents. I met some of you at various alumni events and picnics this summer—it was wonderful to see so many of you in attendance. Please watch the Web page and The Knox Parent for announcements about upcoming events. And mark your calendars for Family & Friends Weekend at Knox, October 27-29, 2006! Details will come in Family Knox, which will be mailed to your home in September.

A special welcome to our incoming Knox parents—I look forward to greeting you at the Parents Networking Session at Orientation on September 2. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Gallas

A Note from Xavier Romano

Hard to believe that the fall term is soon upon us, which translates into “summer is over!” Of course, there are those traditional signs at Knox that mark the passage of time—the arrival of the Knox football players on August 14, and the arrival of all new fall sport athletes on August 21. Fraternity houses are coming to life with cleaning held over from last spring (not really . . . well, not all of them!) and preparations as we hurriedly prepare for the arrival of our new community members for Orientation 2006.

This, of course, means that the telephones have started ringing at an increased tempo as new students attempt to sort out what to bring and what pet may join them this fall (no to the dog and cat; a possible “yes” to the guinea pig so long as the roommate is in agreement; “no” to the cayman, which looks like a crocodile with a more pointed nose; and “yes” to the “fancy rat” in a cage). When in doubt, call!

I suspect you have heard the rumors (rumors at Knox? Never!!!) that due to the “massive” size of the incoming class, we are “overcrowding”—e.g. “sardine mentality”—our residence halls. It’s probably wise to provide some clarification as accuracy and language matter.

One fact of the matter is that we are not overcrowding our residences by adding additional “bed sets” (bed, chest of drawers, study table, and chair) to any of our residence halls. What is true, however, is that we are at housing capacity, as we are having to use all available bed spaces. In the end, I strongly felt that placing our students in sardine-like housing configurations would provide a level of stress in our community that simply did not make sense from a quality-of-life perspective.

Two factors—in fact, two outstanding variables—contributed to our housing assignments this fall. The first being a larger than predicted “yield” of entering students (in other words, more students who were admitted and deposited to Knox are actually showing up . . . far in excess of our historical models) and, the second, a stronger retention rate. Our already strong retention figures (students are opting to “stay” at Knox!) are getting stronger.

If you have any questions regarding housing, please contact either Craig Southern, associate dean of students for campus life, who oversees campus housing, at 309-341-7223 or myself at 309-341-7221. And remember the following . . . Overcrowding in Knox residence halls? No! At housing capacity? Yes! Is there a difference? Very much so!

Finally, allow me to share some very exciting news with you. In case you did happen upon the Washington Monthly’s ranking of America’s liberal arts colleges, then take a peek at Knox’s ranking (top 25!). As a colleague from the West Coast shared with me last week, “Knox continues to be ‘hot’.” To which I replied, “. . . no, Knox is just being Knox. You are just finally paying attention!”

I look forward to seeing you on campus shortly. Do come back to the parents Web site from time to time, as we work to keep you updated with information and those items of particular interest to you. And remember that if you come across something that might be suitable for the Web site and/or be a good “parental” resource, just let Jennifer Gallas or myself know.

Travel safely and see you soon!

Most faithfully,

Xavier E. Romano
Vice President for Student Development
Dean of Students

Student News

Junior One of 15 Students in Nation to Receive EPA Fellowship
Megan Butler ’08 is more than concerned about the environment—she’s actually doing something about it! Butler, a junior environmental studies major, was one of 15 undergraduate students in the nation to receive a fellowship from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The fellowship, which is open to all colleges and universities, provides her with monetary support for her junior and senior years of undergraduate study and an internship at an EPA facility during the summer between her junior and senior year. The total value of the fellowship, including a yearly stipend, tuition scholarship, research expenses, and an internship allowance, is $41,500. The fellowship is part of the EPA's Greater Research Opportunities program.

Not only is Butler pursuing an environmental studies major, but she also is a member of KARES (Knox Advocates for Recycling and Environmental Support), which is currently working on implementing sustainable energy practices on campus. She is one of a small group of students who lives in the campus’s new “eco-house.” The eco-house will work to implement sustainable living guidelines and promote campus and community awareness of environmental issues. Thanks to the EPA fellowship, Butler can tailor her Knox experience to her personal goal, which, she says, “is to promote public education and appreciation for natural resources and enforce sustainable resource management techniques in areas of high ecological risk.”

Sophomore Daniel Hoffman Selected as Kemper Scholar
Daniel Hoffman ’08 has been selected as a 2006 Kemper Scholar. The program, sponsored by The James S. Kemper Foundation of Chicago, selects outstanding students at an elite group of liberal arts colleges to promote the development of leadership and service in the areas of business and administration. “This summer, I am doing research and working with an advisor from the Kemper Foundation, to select a non-profit organization in the Chicago area where I’ll be employed next summer,” Hoffman said. He will receive scholarships for the next three academic years and a stipend for the summer following his sophomore year. Read more . . .

Campus News

Trevor Field Under Renovation
The outdoor track at Trevor Field has served since 1961 as the venue for intercollegiate track and field competition at Knox College. Although the track was resurfaced a little more than 10 years ago, it was in dire need of expansion and repair. In addition, the other track and field event venues have not kept pace with developments and new technologies in the sport. Construction is currently underway for a new and improved outdoor track. Read more about the renovation and the progress of the track . . .

On Campus Employment

Students play an important part in the day to day activities of running Knox College. They provide vital help in such places as the cafeteria, library, language and computer labs, and many offices across campus. There are benefits for each party involved; students receive job experience and the chance to build a resume, while college staff receive needed assistance and the joy of getting to know Knox students.

Did your student receive a campus or federal work study award as part of his or her financial aid package at Knox? If so, your student will receive priority for campus jobs. Eligible students can work up to 10 hours per week and earn up to $1,950. Most work award recipients use their earnings to pay for personal expenses, books, and supplies.

The following steps will help your student to learn about on campus job opportunities:

Step 1. Before coming to campus, make sure your student has the right documents: a state-issued driver’s license or a state-issued photo I.D. and an original social security card or birth certificate are needed to complete the paperwork for a campus job.

Step 2. Your student should attend the Campus Job Session, which will be scheduled during new student orientation. The job session is open to both new and returning students and will be held on Wednesday, September 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Kresge Recital Hall in the Center for Fine Arts. During the job fair, students will fill out W-2 forms and applications for on-campus jobs. Representatives from departments across campus will be on hand to meet with students and tell them about the job opportunities in their respective areas. Students will then fill out applications for the jobs they would like to have on campus. Some off campus non-profit organizations will attend the job fair as well, and these organizations also accept work study students.

Students are asked to apply for several jobs; there is no guarantee that your student will receive his or her first choice. Departments will then call students for interviews within a week of the job fair. If your student is unable to attend the job fair for some reason, he/she should get in touch with the Personnel Office at Knox to set up a time to complete the paperwork and apply for jobs.

If your student does not qualify for work study, he/she may still be able to work on campus. Your student should attend the Job Fair or check with the Personnel Office to see what jobs might be available for students who do not have work study awards. Some students have worked in the cafeteria for extra money or have made calls for the Knox Student Phonathon to raise money for the college.

Of course, the most important thing is your student’s academic progress, but he/she will also develop life skills and build a resume while earning some money at a campus job.

Sources: Roxana Hadad, “Get A Job: Federal WorkStudy”, FastWeb, MSNMoney; Knox College Personnel Office

Contact Us

To submit questions or article ideas for The Knox Parent, please contact Jennifer Gallas, associate director of alumni and constituent relations and Parents Program coordinator.

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