College Highlight

Knox College

From the fiske guide to colleges

This friendly and progressive Illinois college was among the first in the nation to admit African Americans and women. Offers a strong writing program and exceptional sciences. More mainstream than Beloit and Grinnell and smaller than Illinois Wesleyan. With a hugely diverse student body of about 1,300, Knox offers an unusual degree of personal attention, even by the standards of small colleges.

Knox College has long made a name for itself by breaking away from the conventions of the day. Founded by abolitionists in 1837 as the Knox Manual Labor College, this liberal arts college has a tradition of debate that extends beyond the Lincoln-Douglas event that occurred here in 1858. And through a warm, supportive academic community and emphasis on "putting knowledge into practice through real-world experiences," the college continues to foster a strong sense of individualism.

Located in the heart of the Midwest—almost midway between Chicago and St. Louis—the 82-acre campus has spacious, tree-lined lawns and a dynamic mixture of architecture that reflects the 160-year span of construction dates of existing buildings. Old Main, constructed in 1857, is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates. The Whitcomb Art Center, housing art and art history programs, opened in 2017 and features a variety of art studios, metalworking and woodworking shops, and dedicated studio space for seniors.

Students say the academic relationships at Knox are infused with a spirit of cooperation and equality. Knox operates on an honor system that allows students to take tests unproctored in any public area. Beyond the classroom, students, faculty, and administrators make decisions on boards together, each with identical voting power. First-year students confront the core issues of liberal education in Preceptorial, a one-term seminar examining questions of ethics and truth through multidisciplinary reading and critical writing.

"Knox is challenging but not overwhelming," says a senior. Seventy-five percent of classes have fewer than 20 students. Knox's trimester system packs a great deal of studying into a short period, but students are only required to take three courses per term and professors are widely available for extra help. "Professors at Knox teach two classes per term, which is intentionally designed to give them time to devote to office hours with students," explains a senior. Six immersive terms give students the option of engaging in a hands-on exploration of a single field of study for an entire term; available subjects include clinical psychology, Japanese language and culture, studio art, repertory theater, start-ups, and fieldwork and community-building at the off-campus Green Oaks prairie restoration site. Students praise Knox's academic advising system for helping them navigate the multitude of options. "Advisors are always available to discuss anything ranging from future plans to personal problems," says a junior.

Galesburg is a small Midwestern railroad town, and the Amtrak station makes travel easy and relatively cheap. At one time, this city of about 31,000 was a center of abolitionism, and the honorary degree that the college bestowed on then-presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln was his first. Now, Knox students devote more than 80,000 hours of service to the community every year. A junior says, "Galesburg surprisingly has a lot to offer; you just have to go out and look for it." Nearby Lake Storey offers boating, water slides, and nature trails, and students looking for more excitement can travel to Peoria, about 50 miles southeast, or Chicago, about 200 miles northeast.

Prairie Fire athletics' 20 Division III teams generate a reasonable degree of enthusiasm, boosted by the recent introduction of a new mascot, a fox named Blaze. The men's and women's soccer teams are strong, both having recently earned Midwest Conference regular season titles. Every fall, the football team endures lots of "hard Knox" against archrival Monmouth to bring home the highly prized Bronze Turkey trophy, a throwback to the time when the game was played on Thanksgiving Day. About 35 percent of students participate in intramurals; basketball is the most popular.

Knox may not be a well-known school, but students here have little else to complain about. Academics and hands-on experiences are the priority, and students are encouraged to be individuals, but the close-knit, open-minded atmosphere helps them form strong connections with a diverse group of students and down-to-earth professors. Says a student, "There is a 'freedom to flourish' at Knox. My opportunities are limitless."