Last spring and summer, as the nation faced the twin crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and sustained protests in support of racial and social justice, word had already begun filtering back to Knox about the many alumni taking action in ways large and small, from physicians adapting on the fly to new protocols to community activists working to meet the educational and health needs of schoolchildren whose lives had been disrupted.

Their experiences reflected an idea that President Teresa Amott has frequently expressed when talking about the value of a liberal arts education: It is endlessly adaptable. It inspires creative thinking about complex problems. It prepares graduates to meet the moment.

Thus, we set out to talk with alumni who are “meeting the moment” on a truly global scale, from implementing scalable clean energy solutions to finding new ways to treat and prevent the deadliest diseases, from creating opportunities to help people move up the economic ladder to looking beyond our planet for the resources we rely upon. We’re proud to share their stories with you.