theknoxparent

Xavier Romano & Jennie Hemingway

Welcome to the Knox College Parents Association

On behalf of the Offices of Advancement and Student Development, welcome to the Knox College Parents Association!

Parents become members of the Knox Parents Association at the time their son or daughter enrolls at Knox. The Association encourages parents to participate in the Knox community by attending regional events, Family & Friends Weekend, volunteering with the admission office, cheering on our student athletes, and/or mentoring a Knox student interested in your career field. Leadership of the Parents Association is provided by the Parents Steering Committee.

The Knox Parent email newsletter will be sent three times per academic year (October, February and April). We hope that you find it informative. Please email us any suggestions that you may have.

A Note from Jennie Hemingway
Hopefully, your son or daughter has filled you in on some of the exciting things that have happened on campus since move-in. Internationally acclaimed poet, novelist and filmmaker Yevgeny Yevtushenko was in residence at Knox September 21-23 and gave the Honnold Lecture. Yevtushenko also participated in classes and met with students and faculty over the course of his visit. Between keeping up with classes, listening to speakers, attending performances, participating in club and organization meetings and cheering on the Prairie Fire, your son or daughter should find plenty to be involved with at Knox.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to attend Family & Friends Weekend, November 4-6. This is a great time to visit with your son or daughter. The schedule includes opportunities to meet the people that keep the College running, visit classes with students and "classes without quizzes" that will be held just for you, attend programs on study abroad and life after Knox, and share your thoughts on the role of the Parents Association. Please save time to celebrate one of the nation's longest-running football rivalries—the Knox vs. Monmouth Bronze Turkey football game—by joining Knox alumni, students and friends at a tailgate before the game on Saturday.

I hope to see you in November!

Jennie Hemingway
Director of Constituent Relations
& Parent Program Coordinator

A Note from Xavier Romano
This has been an exciting fall term at Knox! Our degree seeking enrollment is 1206; first year students now have a sense of the amount of reading and writing that the faculty expect of them (and no longer think that three credits is an "easy" load); and many of us are enjoying the fall chill in the air.

There have been few "surprises" this fall, and, as expected, our students continue to be passionately involved in their academic pursuits and, unlike their peers at other institutions, actively engaged in an array of co-curricular activities. Our students are rarely engaged in just one activity, but rather three to five, which I find astonishing from a time management perspective. No wonder that our students are largely "nocturnal!"

Not surprisingly, parents are actively involved in their children's educations. I am not referring to the "helicopter parents," which are garnering some national attention, but rather individuals who want to be supportive of their children, while allowing them to take responsibility for their actions. Recently, one father asked the proverbial question, "What can I be doing to be supportive but not intrusive?"

If this query resonates with you, give some thought to asking your son or daughter about midterms and academic progress to date. Remember that they do know how they are doing academically and have a very real sense of how they are comprehending the information in class and/or keeping up with assignments. Engage them in conversation about what they like in class and what they find challenging. Our young adults expect you to ask, so do so! Just remember that all of our students are never educationally, socially or emotionally stagnant. They are forever evolving and attempting to sort out what "they think" about the challenges of the day and the various histories that frame our present.

Finally, know that we look forward to welcoming you back to campus for Family & Friends Weekend. As Jennie described above, a slate of activities has been planned to engage YOU and, at the same time, allow you time to spend with your sons and daughters. Every one of them will have an expectation that you will treat them to lunch or dinner off campus—I can't imagine why?!

For those of you attending Family & Friends Weekend for a second, third or fourth time, you will notice changes in the schedule . . . these reflect the feedback we received from you regarding past weekends. As always, we encourage you to provide us with your insights when you return home.

Travel safely to Knox . . . and know that your sons and daughters look forward to spending time with you. And if they ask you to take home dirty laundry, just say "no!"

I look forward to welcoming you to our prairie campus!

Most faithfully,

Xavier E. Romano
Vice President for Student Development
and Dean of Students

Knox Community Treated to Advance Screening of Clooney Film

On October 13, the Knox College Journalism Program and Warner Independent Pictures presented an advance screening of George Clooney's new film Good Night, and Good Luck about legendary broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow in Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre.

The film, which recently opened nationwide, depicted the clash in the 1950s between Murrow and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy over McCarthy's accusations of subversive activities in government and the media. The title, "Good Night, and Good Luck." was Murrow's trademark closing for his newscasts.

Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist and Knox trustee Bob Jamieson '65 introduced the film. The screening was arranged by Marilyn Webb, distinguished professor of journalism and co-director of the Journalism Program at Knox. "I learned about the film from Bob Jamieson," Webb said. "He saw it in New York, and he said we had to get it for our students. After I read the reviews, I contacted Warner Independent Pictures, and they covered the expenses to show the film."
Read more . . .

Introducing the Knox College Counseling Center

The Knox College Counseling Center is one of the most valuable College services. Located on campus at 174 W. Knox Street, the Counseling Center is open to all currently enrolled students. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Services are available after hours and weekends for emergencies.

The Counseling Center offers short-term, individual counseling for an array of student concerns. These may include college adjustment, depression, anxiety, roommate conflicts, relationship issues, eating disorders, alcohol abuse and other emotional concerns. Students assessed as requiring long-term counseling will be given referrals to professionals in the community. Counseling is held in the strictest confidence as permitted by law. The counseling record is separate from the student’s academic record. All services provided are free of cost, and counseling is provided by two clinical psychologists and one licensed clinical professional counselor.

Parents or family members are encouraged to contact Dr. Dan Larson, director of counseling services, with any questions or concerns. He can be reached at (309) 341-7492. Due to confidentiality, Dr. Larson will not be able to disclose personal information regarding a given student, but he will be able to discuss with you the various options for seeking assistance for the student.

At Your Service
Knox gains top-50 ranking in Washington Monthly measures of civic responsibility

Knox College is among the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the country, according to a new public service-oriented ranking system developed by Washington Monthly magazine. In its September 2005 issue, the publication uses new criteria to rank the nation's liberal arts colleges.

"While other guides ask what colleges can do for students, we ask what colleges are doing for the country," said the article written by the magazine's editors.

The magazine looked at how colleges promoted research, community service, and access to education for students with financial need. The new ranking takes into account how well colleges are performing as "engines of social mobility," as centers of scientific research and as promoters of service.

Knox ranked 46th overall among 200 of the nation's liberal arts colleges—the highest ranking for colleges in Illinois—in large part because of its high graduation rate, which includes a large proportion of high need students. Another key measure was the percentage of federal work-study funds spent providing community service jobs for students. Knox ranked 18th on that measure, with nearly a quarter of its federal work-study funds supporting service jobs such as tutoring, mentoring or community service projects. Read more . . .

Fall Institute Allows Students to Ponder Academic, Career Goals

On October 13, Knox hosted its second annual Fall Institute for all Knox students. The Fall Institute is a unique opportunity for students to step back from the hectic pace of coursework and extracurricular involvements; to take stock in the purpose of their academic career; to ask questions they might have about Knox’s educational plan, services and resources; and to learn about special opportunities that will help them reach their postgraduate goals. In addition to the kick-off event, students attended sessions revolving around four themes: Knox survival skills, graduate and professional school planning, the job track, or maximizing your academic experience.

The Institute began with a kick-off event, featuring Knox alumni Susan Blew '75 and John Podesta '71 discussing “How We Got There from Here.” Podesta, a history major at Knox, is the president and chief executive officer of the Center for American Progress. Previously, he served as chief of staff to President Clinton and was a senior aide to U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy. Blew, a theatre major, is the executive vice president in charge of information technology at Wells Fargo Bank.

Leah Heister '08 attended the kick-off and offers this observation: "I thought it was very interesting how they discussed the progression of one job or involvement leading to an opening in another. It really pointed out how important making connections are. Also, they spoke a lot on doing what you want and are interested in. They noted that their majors, though not directly linked to their careers, have aided both of them in their careers."

The Knox-George Washington University Early Identification Program

Knox College and George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences recently joined forces to offer Knox students early admission to medical school. Both Knox and George Washington University strongly support the premise that any successful academic program leading to the attainment of a medical degree must have a clearly outlined education path through which individuals may achieve their educational goals.

Open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States, the Knox-George Washington University Program is designed to recognize strong candidates for medical school while they are still undergraduate and encourage them to explore the full range of the liberal arts experience. If selected, this distinguished program provides your son or daughter with the opportunity to complete his/her studies at Knox and thoroughly explore other aspects of college life that are often left out of the traditional pre-med program. Early acceptance to medical school permits students to participate in activities, such as study-abroad programs, varsity athletics or co-curricular involvement, that otherwise may not have been available to them.

Important details for entry into the Knox-George Washington University Program:

Competitive students for the program must demonstrate high academic achievement in both science and non-science curricula.
To be eligible, the applicant must have obtained a minimum 3.3 overall GPA and have received no science grade lower than a B- by the end of the third term of their sophomore year.
Sophomore standing and completion of two years (six terms) at Knox College, with achievement of a minimum of 18 credits by the end of the semester during application.
Completion of a minimum of six terms of premedical science courses by the end of the sixth term. Such courses can include Biology 110, 120 and 130, Chemistry 101 and 102, Physics 110, 120 and 130, and Mathematics 151 and 151.
Achieved SAT score of at least 1250 and/or ACT of at least 27. Students will not normally be eligible for acceptance with SAT scores below 1200 or ACT below 27.

Those with fewer than 18 credits at the end of their sixth term will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Coursework at other universities and AP credit also will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Students transferring into their sophomore year at Knox are ineligible for the program. Knox-George Washington University students apply during their third term of their sophomore year. All final acceptance decisions are made by early summer.

Contact Us

To submit questions or article ideas for The Knox Parent, please contact Jennie Hemingway, director of constituent relations and parent program coordinator.

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