Knox Learning Goals

(Version: August 2024)

Knox College wants its students to develop the agency and maturity required for successful Curricular, Co-Curricular, and Extra-Curricular outcomes, and to graduate from Knox poised for a fulfilling career, a meaningful life, and the ability to make the world a better place. 

To achieve these aims, we need to measure each student’s progress and share it across departments. The goal of Knox’s digital transformation is to help students achieve these outcomes in measurable ways and to facilitate the individuals and departments who play integral, holistic roles in a student’s Knox Experience. 

Together, we can ensure the success of our students and the viability of Knox College as it approaches its bicentennial in 2037. 

The following Statements were initially proposed during various workshops and feedback sessions and are presented here in a consolidated format under five themes:

Appreciating the Values of a Liberal Arts Education and Life-long Learning

• Students will meet the graduation requirements of the General Education program including the Elements of a Liberal Arts Education, complete the specific requirements of their majors and minors, and pursue activities and demonstrate success in educational opportunities that embody a liberal arts experience, as defined in the Catalog.
• Students will be open to new habits of mind, seek knowledge in many fields of endeavor, and prepare to thrive in varied academic environments.
• Students will develop Critical Thinking Skills and learn to apply those skills both in and outside the classroom.
• Students will demonstrate a mindset to adapt and thrive in whatever the future holds, approach problems confidently in unstructured and unscripted environments, and ask questions and pursue solutions that haven’t been thought of yet.
• Students should use their knowledge and tools in the broader academic world, taking initiative and responsibility to become contributors to that world.

Planning and Taking Ownership of One’s Knox Journey

• Students will develop an understanding of the academic advising system and the value of academic planning as an living and iterative process.
• Students will maintain clear action plans for academic progress as they progress from term to term, throughout their student journey at Knox.
• Students will demonstrate agency, becoming intentional in their decisions and taking responsibility for contributing to academic success within and among the members of the Knox community.
• Students will effectively navigate the systems (advising / mentoring, developmental, administrative, technological, student-managed, etc.) that support and contribute to the Knox Experience.

Developing a Sense of Belonging at Knox and Accepting Responsibility to Promote its Mission and Community Values

• Students will work successfully in a highly collaborative environment, developing a sense of belonging at Knox while also learning how to work with others different from themselves.
• Students will develop skills in many forms of communication, listening, interpersonal understanding, and motivation to seek connections. 
• Students will develop an understanding and passion for social responsibility and civic engagement.
• Students will advocate for social justice, consistent with the College’s historic commitment to social justice and access to education for all qualified students.
• Students will develop their leadership skills and abilities and learn to apply them appropriately and ethically in support of the greater good of our society and world.

Obtaining Effective Support for Academic Success and Wellness / Accessing Resources to Enhance their Knox Experience

• Students will develop a strong sense of personal well-being and the skill of self-assessment, recognizing when help is needed.
• Students will employ the tools and access advice to support themselves in their efforts to retain good academic standing and persist in their education through graduation.
• Students will also know how to attend to their mental and physical health needs and to access the services that are available to all students.
• Students will know the resources and range of opportunities available to help them succeed at Knox.
• Students will understand the benefits of a holistic Knox Experience that supports them in their goal to stay at Knox throughout their undergraduate career.

Developing Career and Lifetime Readiness

• Students will prepare for life after Knox through experiences that help them understand the various options that are available to them to prepare for life in the workplace. 
• Students will gain life and career experience through immersive and active learning opportunities, research, internships, employment, global and advanced studies, leadership training, and engagement with fellow graduates.
• Students will learn that their Knox Journey does not end with graduation and will begin to understand their role as alumni from all decades connect and support Knox on campus, in their communities, and virtually.