Knox College

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Environmental Studies
Minor: Spanish
Student Self Identifies as: African-American Bisexual Female

Summary

At the moment, it’s my sorority and Sisters of Excellence.

Background

Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: African-American
Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

High School Experience: Charter high school in the South Side of Chicago, IL with about 120 students in the graduating class. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Environmental Studies
Minor: Spanish

Extracurricular Activities: At the moment, it’s my sorority and Sisters of Excellence.
Have any of your extracurricular activities had a particularly big impact on your experience?
I feel like Sisters of Excellence has had more of an impact because people that look like me are having similar experiences going through college. It helped me want to stay in college.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your majors?
I have pretty heavy readings and a lot of labs. The major graded assignments are the labs and the exams.
Is there anything you feel that your major’s department does especially well or poorly?
In terms of well, I feel like it keeps me up to date with the current issues happening. In terms of not so well, I think it gets too technical in certain aspects. We can talk about climate change, but we’ll only focus on one aspect of how it affects people, rather than how it might affect things more generally.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s pretty collaborative, but then it gets competitive because some classes are graded on a curve. How that curve is set depends on the people in the class.
How accessible are your professors?
They have been very accessible. They reach out to me more than I reach out to them. We have TAs depending on the class, but if I have a problem I’ll go to the professor first since they have more authority over the TAs.
What has been your favorite part of Knox academically?
The honor code. I like being able to take tests outside of the classroom. It helps reduce testing anxiety.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I picked it because I thought it was more relevant to what is happening in the world and what is to be expected in the next few years. Soon there will be more jobs regarding the changes that are happening. I’m pretty happy with it.
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation college student? Are there systems in place that help you transition?
There are lots of systems like TRIO that have been implemented on campus. So far, I’ve had a lot of help and support.
What has Knox done academically to prepare you for the real world?
They teach you what it’s like to be on your own without making you suffer. The professors are really nice and will help you, but they’re only going to help you so much. That shows you how to think on your own and be your own person while being responsible for your own actions.

Reasons to Attend

1) I’d attend Knox if you want something small with a more personal connection between people and professors.
2) If you have test-taking anxiety. Our honor code [allows you to take tests outside of the classroom.]

Reasons Not to Attend

1) The political atmosphere. We’re very Democratic [student population] at Knox, but the town of Galesburg is pretty Republican.
2) If you don’t like small schools or if you want something with more nightlife. Knox isn’t a party school at all.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: Post Hall with one roommate
Sophomore: On-campus house with one roommate
Junior: On-campus apartment with one roommate
What was your favorite living situation?
This year living in an apartment. There is more privacy and it’s closer to my classes than where I’ve been in previous years.
How was transitioning from your hometown to Galesburg, Illinois?
Distance-wise it was pretty decent because it’s not that far from Chicago. In other aspects, like transitioning from a big city to a small town, it is more difficult. There are different perspectives and I had to get used to the culture. The students view the community as a little too redneck. There have definitely been altercations, but we have also been trying to bridge that gap.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
On a scale of 1-10, I’d give it a 5. There have been times when I’ve not felt safe on or around campus. People have been held up, there have been a few assaults, and the most major thing this year was people throwing paintballs at people at night.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
There are parties, and we have a local jazz night that you can go to if you’re 18+.
Who hosts the parties? Where are they located?
Either someone off-campus or a fraternity. If it’s a fraternity party, it’s on-campus.
What have been some of your favorite times at Knox?
I love Rootabaga, it’s a giant jazz festival we hold. The town is a bit livelier. There are a lot of student events [in comparison to the size of the] environment, which I enjoy.
What kind of nightlife or weekend activities do you participate in?
Normally over the weekends on a Friday, or sometimes on Wednesdays.
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
Sometimes we go to Chicago since it’s so close. We have a really good theater scene locally, and even at the college that people will go to if there’s nothing to do.
What is the impact of Greek life on nightlife?
If you’re on campus, it’s the majority of the nightlife. There are other on-campus parties, but if you want consistency, you have to go to the fraternities.
How happy are you with the weekend activities or nightlife at your school? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m not that happy because it’s a little boring, but since it’s such a small school that’ll happen. If I were to change anything, I’d change who hosts them. I don’t want the fraternities hosting all the parties because I think the parties not hosted by the fraternities are usually the most fun.
How has identifying as LGBT influenced your nightlife experience? Are there any LGBT nightlife options that you like to go to?
The campus is really LGBTQ friendly. The majority of people that I’ve met are part of the LGBTQ community. It’s told during our consent workshops that you’re going to find a lot of people who are in LGBTQ. We have good programs and education regarding that. Since there are so many LGBTQ students here, there hasn’t been a problem with the nightlife.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
Through classes and extracurricular activities.
If at all, how did being a first-generation college student affect your social transition?
They do their best to make sure it doesn’t affect us socially, but in the end, it kind of does. A lot of us stick with other first-generation students because there’s a small gap of experiences. It’s not that bad, there are people who’re very open and welcoming to first-generation students.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Knox?
It’s based on major and interest. A lot of people might seem anti-social and don’t want to go out, but everyone is pretty much open to others in a group.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
It’s encouraged and we’re trying, but oftentimes people do keep to their ethnic groups. [The undergraduate population is 8% African American, 5% Asian, 15% Hispanic, and 17% International.]
How would you describe the student body?
I’d say it’s very nerdy. Everyone is not ashamed to be themselves here, which is pretty nice. Everyone has their niche passion, but people are pretty friendly here.
To what extent do people in Greek life and not in Greek life mix socially?
Pretty frequently. I know there are people who wanted to be in Greek life but couldn’t join, but they basically are because they have friends in sororities. People often have friends outside of Greek life.
How do you like the size of Knox? How has that impacted your experience? [Knox has about 1,300 undergraduates.]
I don’t really like the size. I think it’s too small, but the one benefit of it being small is that you know everyone or people know you. When you go to classes you might have someone there you know.
How would you describe the LGBTQ community on campus? How strong is it?
It’s pretty strong. There are clubs for LGBTQ people. A lot of people don’t feel the need to go to these clubs to experience it because they already have friends or form those interactions without the clubs.
Do people generally seem happy with Knox by senior year? Do people leave loving Knox?
I feel like people end up appreciating it. I wouldn’t say love it, but people do appreciate their experiences here.
Has Knox made you feel at home? If so, when did this happen?
Knox has made me feel at home, especially when they do the food-related diversity event called International Fair. You get home cooking made for us from different ethnic backgrounds and I don’t have to go home for it.

Careers

What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I often use it for my resume and it has helped me look for internships and jobs. It’s been pretty helpful and I’ve definitely learned things I wouldn’t have without them, such as what a LinkedIn profile is. They also taught me the proper way to write a resume and to make myself look presentable for employers.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
I’ve taken Computer Science classes that focused on Java.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, accommodating was the office to your needs?
Yes, but it’s difficult. I’ve been trying to get it done for months. They’re not very responsive.