Knox History Professor Retires, Guided Student Research Programs

A Knox College faculty member and administrator who has guided many of Knox's notable undergraduate research programs has retired. Stephen Bailey, who most recently directed the Center for Research and Advanced Study, has been a professor of history for 45 years, including more than 23 years as associate dean of the College -- the longest serving associate dean in Knox history.

"Dean Bailey has served Knox with distinction for more than four decades," said Dean of the College Lawrence Breitborde. "He has helped generations of students plan and conduct research and prepare for advanced study."

As founding director of the Center for Research and Advanced Study, which was established through a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Bailey coordinated advanced undergraduate research in all fields on campus, including the College's renowned Honors Program. On September 11, 2008, he was honored at the College's opening convocation for his more than 40 years of service to the College.

On June 4, 2010, the Knox College Board of Trustees approved his promotion to Professor Emeritus of History.

Bailey began teaching at Knox in 1965. In 1984, he received the Philip Green Wright-Lombard College Prize for Distinguished Teaching. In 1995, he also served as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs. During his career, he has directed nearly every one of Knox's many undergraduate research programs at some point, and was instrumental in helping the College establish cooperative programs with foundations, federally funded fellowship programs, and graduate programs, including the following:

• James S. Kemper Foundation
• Richter Memorial Trusts
• Federally administered Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program
• U.S. Department of Education's Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program
• George Washington University College of Medicine.

Most recently, he was instrumental in helping Knox College develop a cooperative program with the Peace Corps -- the nation's first Peace Corps Preparatory Program.

He directed the Associated Colleges of the Midwest study abroad program in Florence.  Bailey has been a consultant with the Educational Testing Service, a consultant-evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission, and a member of the Midwestern Regional Council and the National Academic Council of the College Board.

His expertise is in the history of Western Civilization, European history from the late 18th century to the present, and European social thought in the early 19th century. He received his bachelor and doctoral degrees in history from the University of Chicago. He has published more than 150 books reviews, articles and papers.