Celebrating 2024: A Year of Knox College Highlights

Knox celebrated a series of monumental moments in 2024, bringing together achievements, new beginnings, and campus-wide successes reaffirming the strength of the academic program and our community. Here are a few of our favorite highlights: 

New Faces Bring New Energy

The Knox community welcomed new members, each bringing diverse expertise and energy to campus. From incoming members of our Board of Trustees to seven new tenure-track faculty members and numerous new members of staff, the College saw a sizable fresh installment of talent across campus to help bolster academic offerings.

Welcoming a Record-Setting Class 

Trustees, faculty, and staff were not the only new faces on campus this year. The College achieved tremendous success in admissions, welcoming one of the largest classes in its history. The Class of 2028 hails from 33 states and 30 countries, reflecting the College’s strong national and international reputation. International students make up 37% of the class, while 29% of domestic students are students of color, and 25% are athletes. Among the transfer students, 18% are international, 21% are athletes, and 26% are students of color.

Etz Family Institute for Civic Leadership & Dialogue Launches

Thanks to the generous donation of Tony ’83 and Nancy Etz, 2024 saw the launch of the Etz Family Institute for Civic Leadership & Dialogue with a mission to prepare students to work across differences and have the difficult dialogues necessary to create lasting and positive change in the world. The launch was celebrated with an inaugural event in October that welcomed nearly 400 guests from the Knox and Galesburg communities to engage in a dialogue between two renowned experts in civil discourse. 

Unforgettable Moments at Convocation and Commencement

The Knox College 2024 Commencement closed another academic year in June, highlighted by Commencement Speaker Maria Hinojosa, who captivated graduates during her Commencement speech, encouraging students to embrace their dreams, pursue justice, and believe in their ability to change the world. A few months later, Knox opened its 187th academic year at Convocation. Chair and Professor of English Cyn Kitchen ’00 provided the Convocation address, featuring candid remarks about her journey of overcoming fear and embracing the power of storytelling.

“May we collectively and individually find it within ourselves to step up and embrace the inevitable challenges that lie ahead, to discover, develop, and deploy our unique and individual voices to the best of our abilities, and to surprise ourselves along the way by all we never dreamed possible,” Kitchen shared with the incoming class and Knox community.

A Pumphandle to Remember

In what turned out to be one of the longest Pumphandles ever, stretching from Old Main to the front of Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center, the spirit of connection that defines our campus lived on once more during the annual tradition.

Honoring a Living Legend

Knox celebrated the 90th birthday of Coach Harley Knosher, a legendary figure in the College’s athletics history. Knosher was presented with a basketball signed by attendees of the event. At the 2024 Knox Commencement ceremony, Knosher was also among those awarded an honorary degree from the College. 

Showcasing Student Excellence

The HORIZONS Research Symposium saw nearly double the amount of participation in 2024 compared to 2023. Featuring 146 student presenters, the event showcased work through poster and oral presentations. HORIZONS represents a moment for students and faculty to show the power of collaborative efforts on campus, a hallmark of the research on display. 

Green Oaks Renovations Near Completion

Work on the massive renovation project in Green Oaks continued its steady progress throughout much of the year. The new facility, which is set to feature sleeping rooms for students or guests, a large kitchen, modern facilities, and more, is slated to open in 2025 and host Green Oaks Term in the spring. 

Major Updates Around Campus

Knox College campus saw a dynamic year of updates, reflecting its commitment to accessibility and community. Major campus improvements include a first-year residence hall refresh and the installation of an elevator in George Davis Hall. Work has also started on a significant upgrade with the replacement of its air handler units in the Ford Center for the Fine Arts.

Alumni Continue to Shine

Knox alumni continued showing off their education's power through many avenues. Vir Das ’02 received an International Emmy in early 2024 and was then honored with the opportunity to host the International Emmy® Awards in November Jordan Lanfair ’11 continued his work in developing students into becoming future educators; and Bryn Donovan’s ’90 latest romance novel, Her Knight at the Museum, is currently in development for a Hallmark movie tentatively scheduled for release in 2025. These are just a few examples of the amazing things our alumni are up to. 

Faculty Release New Publications

Knox College faculty continued to shine as scholars and educators, with five professors publishing books since the start of the 2023-24 academic year. Bright Distinguished Professor of American History Catherine Denial seeks compassion in higher education with A Pedagogy of Kindness, while Associate Professor of Political Science Katie Stewart explores Russian nationalism and identity in Legitimating Nationalism: Political Ideology in Russia’s Ethnic Republics. These works, among the others released throughout the year, exemplify Knox’s commitment to intellectual engagement. 

Venture Boldly

Knox launched the Venture Boldly comprehensive campaign, a bold initiative aimed at securing the resources necessary to continue its tradition of providing an exceptional education. The campaign reflects the College’s commitment to preparing students for a world of infinite possibilities.

As we reflect on this extraordinary year, these moments highlight Knox’s vibrant community, academic achievements, and shared belief in shaping a better future. We can’t wait to see what lies ahead in 2025.