There has been no time inhistory when we have neededindividuals educated in theliberal arts tradition more thannow; individuals who canchase the big questions andadapt with creativity to thepace of change in a globalizedsociety. By capitalizing on ourstrengths—a diversecommunity dedicated toactive, engaged learning andcommitted to a sustainable,inclusive world—Knox Collegeis well positioned to preparestudents to lead lives ofmeaning and purpose in the21st century.

Knox 2018 challenges theCollege to push theboundaries of teaching andscholarship; to expandlearning opportunities beyondthe classroom; to develop and nurture a campuscommunity—faculty, staff, andstudents—that reflects today’sglobal world; to increaseengagement with its networkof alumni, parents, and thesurrounding community; toreshape and renew its physicalspaces; and to enhance itsfinancial base.

Strategic Priorities• Build on existing programsin experiential andimmersion learning tocreate expandedopportunities, to learn bydoing across the curriculum,to acquire tangible skills forlifelong learning, and toprepare to enter andcontribute to the 21st-century society andworkforce.

• Establish ourselves as anational leader in providingcurricular and co-curricularprograms, includingteaching, research, andcreative work, that leveragethe educational potential ofour culturally rich anddiverse campus community.

• Extend the boundaries of aKnox education beyond thetraditional classroom,academic year, and currentcurriculum.

Goal 1ADVANCE

Knox’s Distinct Approach to Liberal Learning

Building upon Knox’s mission to “to understand andimprove ourselves, our society, and our world” and “toput learning to use to accomplish both personal andsocial goals,” the College will bolster its traditionalstrengths while embracing new areas of study andinnovative learning experiences that are critical forstudent success in the 21st century. Students will learnthrough interdisciplinary and integrative experiencesinside and outside the classroom and develop skills andcompetencies through active hands-on learning.

Strategic Priorities• Ensure that all Knox students, regardless of theirbackgrounds or the pathwaysthat brought them to Knox,are afforded thetransformational experiencesthat promote success at Knoxand after graduation.

• Adopt the best practices ineducational and humanresources initiatives toleverage the potential of ourdiverse campus.

• Significantly increase thenumber of alumni, parents,and community membersengaging with Knox andvolunteering on behalf of theCollege.

• Build a GalesburgPartnership, a robust,mutually beneficialrelationship between Knoxand its home community.Work with Galesburgbusinesses, non-profits, andcommunity initiatives tostrengthen community ties,grow opportunities forstudent engagement, andinculcate a lastingcommitment to service.

Goal 2ENGAGE

Our Diverse, Vibrant Campus Community

One of Knox College’s greatest assets is our sense ofcommunity, rooted in our historic commitment toegalitarianism, access, and outreach across campus andinto the Galesburg community. Today, the idea ofcommunity at the heart of residential liberal arts collegeshas expanded from the local to the global and deepenedto reflect inclusivity across multiple dimensions of humanexperience. This broad sense of community is a coreelement of academic excellence in higher education. Overthe next five years, the College will strengthen its cultureof inclusivity through programs that foster engagementand participation across the many constituencies thatmake up the Knox community.

Strategic Priorities• Recruit, nurture, and sustainfaculty and staff who areleaders in their fields.

• Create a contemporary,sustainable, and accessibleKnox campus featuring thedesign, technology, andinfrastructure required for a21st-century education. Planintentionally and strategicallyto renovate existing facilities,add revenue-enhancing newfacilities, and ensure thatfacilities are suitable for year-round programming andrevenue.

• Achieve financial equilibriumby securing the short-term andlong-term funding needed tofulfill our educational mission.

• Ensure the long-term abilityfor campus operations andinfrastructure to adapt to achanging environment and theassociated resource availabilityconcerns.

Goal 3ENSURE

A Knox Education for Generations to Come

The tradition of a liberal arts education in a residentialsetting is resilient: and so is Knox, persisting and evolvingthrough extraordinary economic and social changes. Now,178 years after our founding, we continue to offer a life-changing education in a small, personalized setting. Thestudents who graduate from Knox enter society equippedwith the ideas and skills needed to lead in a changing,globalized world and to make sound choices for a moresocially equitable and ecologically sustainable future. Aswe look toward 2018, and further beyond to 2037 andKnox’s bicentennial, this is the time to ensure thatgenerations to come can benefit from a Knox education.

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