Gerald '65 & Carol Klail Vovis '65

Describe your Knox Experience.

Both Carol and I were the first in our families to go to college. Our years at Knox were a life-changing experience for both of us. As a result of graduating from Knox, we were prepared for the experience of living outside of Paris for three years during the late '60s and enjoying the culture and art that Europe had to offer and, more importantly, learning that we were citizens of a larger world. I was prepared for my 10 year career in academic science. Under the tutorship of Bill Geer, I completed an Honors Project in biology even though I was a non-professional chemistry major. As a result of this early introduction to research, I learned that failure—that is not achieving the results you wanted—was a normal part of life. I was also prepared for my 31 year career as a biotechnology executive. I had been challenged by a variety of courses in a number of different academic fields. I was a graduate with a liberal arts background and was prepared to adapt to change.

Why do you give to Knox?

Carol and I realize that what we have achieved in life is the result of our education, our hard work and the fortune of living in a country in which others have provided the environment and conditions that allowed us the opportunity to succeed. We were able to attend and graduate from Knox because others had made contributions to Knox.