For the first time in 19 years, Knox College’s President was able to join an alumni gathering in Tokyo, Japan, on October 21, 2023, bringing together Japanese alumni to celebrate their time at the College. 

The visit was held as a collaborative initiative to foster alumni connections and promote new student recruitment, while concurrently celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Japan Study Exchange program. President C. Andrew McGadney and Provost and Dean of the College Michael Schneider flew to Tokyo to participate in the event in person, accompanied by numerous alumni and their families. Attendees encompassed students from the graduating classes of 1973 to a current Knox student studying in Japan who plans to graduate in 2025.

During their visit, President McGadney and Dean Schneider conducted visits to various foundations and institutions throughout the city, including Waseda University, Knox's collaborative partner in the Japan Study program since 1963. They also met with the leadership of the Grew-Bancroft Foundation, which has provided scholarships for Japanese students to study at Knox dating back to the 1930s.

The international student base at Knox has undergone substantial growth over the past decade, more than any decade prior. Knox currently has more students from Japan than at any time in its history. With 20% of Knox’s current student population coming from international countries, President McGadney says connecting with the international community is essential. 

“Engagement opportunities for the College are essential for the long-term viability and community bond of our institution. My goal and those of our colleagues is to invest in opportunities to engage not just locally, but globally,” McGadney said. “Our commitment needs to be one of consistent effort to maintain activity with alumni, parents, friends, and the prospective student populations across the world as we look to strengthen Knox in the short and long term.” 

President McGadney emphasized the College's commitment to engaging with international students on equal footing with their local counterparts, and expressed plans to host more frequent in-person alumni events in the future. The goal is to increase the College’s efforts to host events across countries worldwide.