Eight Knox College faculty members have received Exceptional Achievement Awards, which recognize accomplishments such as outstanding service to the College and profession, awards, significant grants, and innovative teaching. Knox's Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC) chooses recipients of the award each fall, honoring accomplishments for the previous academic year.

The awards for the 2018-19 academic year were given to Monica Berlin, David Bunde, Gina Franco, Nikki Malley, Frank McAndrew, Robin Ragan, Peter Schwartzman, and Rob Smith.

FPC Chair James H. Thrall said the committee weighs multiple factors in selecting award recipients. “I would say that this year’s list of awardees is typical in reflecting the diversity of types of achievement we try to recognize. We honored publication and general professional presence [and] also exceptional civic engagement and service to the college, as well as successful effort in obtaining grants,” said Thrall, who is Knight Distinguished Associate Professor for the Study of Religion & Culture.

“In their variety of ways, these individuals advance the College’s public image and academic prestige, while also doing the important work of keeping the College’s academic program running,” he added.

2018-2019 Faculty Exceptional Achievement Award Recipients

• Monica Berlin, professor of English: For publication of her poetry book Nostalgia for a World Where We Can Live, which won 2017 Crab Orchard Poetry Open prize; publication of other poems, including “On the Long Thought,” which was nominated for a Pushcart prize; an author interview in the LA Times Review of Books; and multiple national professional presentations.
• David Bunde, William & Marilyn Ingersoll Chair in Computer Science: For sustained excellence in National Science Foundation grant support to conduct research with the direct involvement of students.
• Gina Franco, professor of English: For her book of poetry  The Accidental, recipient of the 2019 CantoMundo Poetry Prize; publication of 22 individual poems and an article; and presentations as an invited speaker.
• Nikki Malley, associate professor of music: For extraordinary professional service to the College and the community through ongoing success in supporting jazz programming and educational outreach for the Knox Jazz Year by obtaining significant grants that assist civic engagement.
• Frank McAndrew, Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology: For service to the College above and beyond the call while maintaining an exceptional national and international professional presence through interviews and articles.
• Robin Ragan, professor of Modern Languages ( Spanish): For distinguished civic engagement service to the College and students in her interpretation and advocacy work with immigrant communities locally and nationally, and its relationship to innovative course development.
• Peter Schwartzman, professor of environmental studies: For publication of his book The Earth is Not for Sale, and sustained high-level presence in community engagement as recognized by the Mike Kroll Community Leadership Award from the Galesburg Public Library Foundation.
• Rob Smith, John and Elaine Fellowes Professor of English: For sustained creative excellence represented in the publication of five works of fiction and one non-fiction piece.

Photo at top of page: David Bunde, at right, with a student. Photos below: Peter Schwartzman works with students at the Knox Farm; Monica Berlin at a reading; Nikki Malley at the Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival; Gina Franco in the classroom; Frank McAndrew chatting with prospective students; Robin Ragan with students practicing interpretation skills in a courtroom; Rob Smith in the classroom.