More than 370 first-year and transfer students were welcomed formally to their new home at Knox College on Wednesday, September 7, as President Teresa Amott encouraged them to "work toward becoming one community of independent thinkers."

"We learn here together, as a community," she said. "Everyone here is a teacher and a learner."

President Amott called on the new Knox students to engage with the residents of Galesburg by finding opportunities for internships, community service, and other forms of involvement.

For the next few days, Knox's newest students will start to become more familiar with one another and with the larger Knox community through various Orientation activities.

Here is a quick look at some of those students, who took the time to answer a few questions on Move-In Day.

What are you most looking forward to at Knox?

"I'm looking forward to meeting new friends, joining clubs and organizations, and gaining independence."—Gao Yee Yang ‘20, from St. Paul, Minnesota

"Making friends and starting an experience away from home."—Niamh Pemberton ‘20, from Shawnee, Kansas

"I'm really looking forward to getting involved. I'm definitely interested in sports."—Nijae Minter ‘20, from Denver, Colorado

"Learning about American culture and exploring new subjects."—Kyle Reedy ‘20, from Tokyo, Japan

What's a fun fact about yourself?

"I make too many puns."—Sushank Dhamala ‘20, from Nepal

"I've been to Japan three times."—Catherine Barisas ‘20, from Fort Collins, Colorado

"I have this hat, and it has candy in it."—Andrew Cooper ‘20, from Galesburg, Illinois

"I like to play the accordion."—Juan Soto ‘20, from Chicago, Illinois

What clubs/organizations are you thinking of joining?

"I want to join the Neuroscience Club."—Paolo Alimonti ‘20, from Italy

"I'm thinking about Best Buddies and possibly Gardening Club."—Megan Kanvik ‘20, from Waukegan, Illinois

What's on your Knox "bucket list"?

"Joining Anime Club."—Arthur Dai ‘20, from China

"Throwing myself out there, making friends, joining organizations."—Janel Lewis ‘20, from Chicago, Illinois

"I want to be part of the Galesburg symphony."—Alex Fluegel ‘20, from Eagle River, Wisconsin

"Meet a lot of friends. Try to visit every building once. Try all the restaurants."—Melody Eng ‘20, from Chicago, Illinois

"I want to learn how to paint better and learn how to do digital art."—Jeremy Barnes ‘20, from Chicago, Illinois

What are your impressions of Knox so far?

"It's very welcoming and inclusive."—Harper Colclasure ‘20, from Galesburg, Illinois

"It feels like a diverse learning experience that I'll really enjoy."—Gabriella Stocksdale ‘20, from Elgin, Illinois

"It seems very welcoming and a comfortable community, and I think I'm really going to like it."—Connor Wood ‘20, from Madison, Wisconsin

"I've never seen people so eager to help. I just think the community here is really great."—Diego Morones ‘20, from San Diego, California

Here is a by-the-numbers look at the Fall 2016 entering class:

Number of new students 374

Students of Color 41%

Latino/Hispanic 19%

Asian/Pacific Islander 14%

African-American/Black 11%

Native American 1%

International Students 19%

Number of States Represented 28

Number of Countries Represented 28