Dear Knox community,

I am excited to share an update regarding plans for a new multipurpose facility at our Green Oaks Biological Field Station, approximately 18 miles east of campus in Victoria, IL. Beginning in 2024, Green Oaks will be home to a new, year-round facility that will be available for use by both the Knox and Galesburg communities. 

Green Oaks has been an invaluable resource for Knox students, faculty, and staff with the mission of Green Oaks—”to enhance the cultural and intellectual life of the College, and be a resource for learning across the curriculum”—since 1958. The mission remains as relevant today as it was 65 years ago. 

Our ability to take this project from concept to reality is the result of the generosity of an anonymous lead donor whose great appreciation for the powerful impact immersive learning has on our students and faculty, inspired the gift. Over the last several months, with the input of many across campus, we have been working with the designers at Farr Associates in Chicago to develop plans for a flexible and modern facility to be built north of the west prairie. 

Image provided by Farr Associates

The Green Oaks facility will feature sleeping rooms for up to 16 students or guests, a small director’s suite, a large kitchen, modern bathrooms, and laundry facilities The residential side of the building will be connected to the program side of the building with a four-season porch that will provide additional flexible space for everything from gear storage to study groups and recreation. On the program side of the building there will be two classroom spaces with flexible furnishing that can be arranged to meet the needs of any program or event. Both classrooms will be equipped with the technology to support classes in any discipline, as well as ample storage, and a restroom in each classroom. 

The entire facility will have heating and cooling, allowing for it to be used throughout the year. This new facility will be nearly three times the size of the current Schurr Hall, will be one level, fully accessible, and have solar panels mounted on the roof. 

As many of you know, Knox students have been participating in the Green Oaks term for decades. During the term students maintain residency at the field station for 10 weeks in the spring. For many, the experience has been life changing. This new facility and the opportunities it will provide will enable us to offer a similar experience to many more members of our community. The new facility will be available year-round for day-use, small group retreats, longer-term programs, classes involving interdisciplinary learning experiences, expanded opportunities for recreational use, community, and local school groups, and much more. It will be an inviting extension of our campus. I can’t wait to see the exciting ways the Knox/Galesburg community will identify to take advantage of this distinctive new resource. 

As this project gets fully underway we will be sharing regular updates and more details. I am grateful to our anonymous donor who has provided this opportunity for us to build and expand upon the unique experiences we offer here at Knox. I also want to thank the faculty and staff who have worked together over the last year to provide advice and expertise on how to make this new space at Green Oaks a place where every member of our community can grow and learn. 

Thank you to Katie Adlesberger, Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies and The Douglas and Maria Bayer Endowed Chair in Earth Science; Stuart Allison, Watson Bartlett Professor of Biology and Conservation, Chair of Mathematics, and Director, Green Oaks Biological Field Station; Danielle Fatkin, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Associate Professor of History and Chair of Archaeology; Tony Gant, Associate Professor of Art; Tina Hope, Director of Sustainability; William Hope, Chair and Associate Professor of Anthropology-Sociology; Monica Keith, Vice President for Advancement; Jim Mountjoy, Associate Professor of Biology; Brad Nolden, General Counsel and Vice President for Administration; Pat Pendergast, Director of Maintenance; Nick Regiacorte, Professor of English; Director of Creative Writing; and Mike Schneider, Provost and Dean of the College and Professor of History.

Selective tree removal for this project will begin very soon, with construction of the facility beginning directly thereafter. Many of the trees marked for removal in the construction area are black locusts, a species of tree not native to central Illinois. Decisions on which trees to remove and where to site the building were made thoughtfully and in consultation with members of our community who know the land best. Our goal has been to locate the building and related services in areas that will cause the least amount of disturbance to the prairie restoration and ensure the building fits into the surrounding natural landscape. You can learn more about the site selected, including the history of the black locust trees, from Dr. Stuart Allison, here. ( If you plan to visit Green Oaks during this project, please use caution, avoid marked construction areas, and obey all postings.)

We can’t wait to share this new and improved space with all of you. Thank you for your patience and understanding during the construction process. We look forward to sharing updates with you along the way.

With warm regards,

C. Andrew McGadney
President
Knox College