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Editor’s Note
What’s New?
As you read through this issue of Knox Magazine, you will see that there’s a lot of “new” going on at the College. Our new president, Andy McGadney, graces our cover and publishes his first letter in this edition of the magazine. At the same time, we also feature our new Board chair, Tony Etz ’83. His leadership role, which started at the same time as Andy’s, provides Knox with many exciting opportunities for growth, innovation, and positive change.
I am also relatively new to Knox, having started my role as executive director of communications remotely from Virginia in November 2020. Moving to the Galesburg area to serve our Knox community in person has been an exciting adventure, and I am thrilled and honored to work with our passionate, committed community. Also, for the first time in my career, I am an interim alumni magazine editor, and I truly hope that my role provides you with an interesting and engaging magazine.
We also have a new staff member who is focused on working with our young alumni. He is himself a Knox alumnus and is giving his energy and commitment to Knox; read about Levi Morgan ’07 on page 43.
What’s new for you? Please do write and share, as we always want to hear from those of you in the Knox community.
May you enjoy your spring.
CARLA WEHMEYER
Regards, Lisa K. Van Riper
Letters to the Editor
1961 Blast from the Past
Upon receiving my Knox Magazine yesterday, I flipped it open and was surprised to find myself looking at me in line at the 1961 Pumphandle. I am on the left, standing next to Pam Mott, obviously lined up in surname alphabetical order. The other two males’ faces are familiar, but I can’t recall their names.
While starting with the class of 1965, I did not graduate until June 1966. I was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and remained lifelong friends with several brothers. My wife, Sallie, and I have been married for 57 years, have two sons, seven grandchildren and three great grands.
I retired in 1999, after 32 years in human resources positions with RCA Corporation (acquired by GE in the 1980s) divisions and subsidiaries including Consumer Electronics, Random House, CIT Financial, and Hertz Corp.
We hope to attend a delayed 55th class Reunion and see our friends and classmates from ’64, ’65, and ’66.
Thanks for the well-done magazine.
—Jon (Jody) Mount ’65
Photo Credit
The list of photo credits for the feature story “Teresa’s Top Ten” in the Spring 2021 issue of Knox Magazine should have included Evan Temchin ’10, who took the photo on page 12 of a graduate taking a cell-phone selfie with President Amott at Commencement in 2014. That’s a challenging photo situation. Evan is one of the best photographers I had the privilege to work with in my time at Knox.
—Peter Bailley ’74
Send us your letters!
Knox Magazine welcomes the opinions and comments of its readers. Write to the Editor, Knox Magazine, Box K-233, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401-4999, or email knoxmag@knox.edu. Letters should refer to material published in the magazine and may be edited for length or clarity.
President’s Note
Moving Knox Forward
Over the last year, as I have met and worked with so many of you, I have learned that you share my belief that to secure the future of our great institution, we need to think big, be bold, and move nimbly. We must be creative and innovative. We need to ensure that the young students with potential from all corners of the country, and the world, know about and have access to a Knox education. We must confront the challenges of declining enrollments, decreased revenues, and unsustainable pressures on faculty and staff head-on. I believe that our most effective means to accomplishing all of these things is the collective power of the Knox community.
The passion our alumni, students, faculty, and staff have for Knox is palpable. The sense of community, pride, and commitment to mission is unlike any other college or university I have been a part of. With this passion and commitment, I know that we can achieve our vision for Knox; to provide an exceptional academic and co-educational experience in a truly equitable, inclusive, and supportive community that enables our students to thrive, achieve postgraduate success, and fulfill their potential. In just the last eight months, we have hired new leadership in student development, advancement, strategic initiatives, and information technology services. We have restored the retirement plan match for faculty and staff, and are midway through creating a strategic planning framework to guide our work over the next three to five years. We have returned to fully in-person learning and residential life, and initiated a capital needs analysis to better understand and plan for the infrastructure and deferred maintenance needs of the campus. We held an in-person commencement ceremony for the class of 2020 and began planning for a comprehensive fundraising campaign. We refinanced our debt through a very successful bond offering and introduced new admission strategies including the Prairie Promise, which is our commitment to meet the full demonstrated financial need of new students from our home state.
Knox is at a critical stage in our history when we will differentiate ourselves from the pack of small liberal arts institutions by doubling down on our mission and moving at an intentionally rapid pace as we have done over the last eight months. While I will work with our faculty, trustees, staff, students, and administration to move Knox forward, we can’t do it alone. I have seen the power of our community in action already. For example, Tom ’76 and Ann Feldman Perille ’76 once again organized an incredible student send-off event in Colorado in the middle of a pandemic, and Philip Sidney Post Professor of Chemistry Mary Crawford ’89 chaired the search committee that brought us our new Vice President for Student Development Dr. MarQuita Barker. Trustee Rick Veague ’79 and former Trustee Heather Kopec ’10 traveled to Galesburg to help review and advise us on our information technology services and advancement operations respectively. The results of their important work culminated in Lisa Van Riper being named vice president for both communications and information technology services, and the recent hiring of fundraising veteran Monica M. Keith to lead the Knox advancement team. Provost and Dean of the College Michael Schneider deserves special thanks for his leadership over time and for willingness to continue to serve the College as part of his renewed contract. Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Barbara Baird ’73 connected us to a small consortium of liberal arts colleges that consults regularly with leading medical experts on COVID-related matters. Anne ’63 and Roger Taylor ’63 have provided a warm welcome to Camille and our family and remain incredibly loyal and passionate about all things Knox. Trustees Carol Bovard Craig ’89, John Lawler ’88, and Patrick St. Aubyn Lyn ’84, along with faculty members Joan Huguet and Jonathan Powers and staff member Leigh Brinson, are currently serving on the search committee for our new vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. Harley Knosher; Penny Gold; Owen Muelder ’63, P’96; and Jorge Prats P’85, P’93 have generously helped me gain a greater understanding of Knox traditions and history, and Gwen Lexow ’90 has lent her expertise to our staff as we reviewed our bias incident reporting processes. Saxon Alvarez ’23 and Alex Kemmsies ’09 have hosted interviews with me for student and alumni events, and my friends of nearly a decade, Paul ’80 and Tracey Rappaport Greenwood ’80, have provided equal doses of humor and encouragement as well as a very special, handmade purple and gold bow tie you will see later in this issue. Each one of these people, and dozens more who I don’t have room to list here, have shown me their deep commitment and love for Knox with their time and offers of assistance and support. Knox’s success will be OUR success, and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to be part of this community, lead our team during this critical and exciting time for our College, and partner with all of you to ensure Knox’s future. Sincerely, Andy M.
SÉAN ALONZO HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY
C. Andrew McGadney
20th President of Knox and a Historic Moment for the College
In the mid-morning hours of a Saturday last February, then-presidential candidate Andy McGadney answered questions from members of the Executive Committee of the Knox Board of Trustees on his final Zoom interview for the position of president of Knox College. He knew the end of the interview process was near, and the weight of the moment loomed. While Andy waited to rejoin the Zoom session, he and his wife, Camille, attempted to make small talk.
Then the moment arrived: The Board of Trustees voted to appoint McGadney the 20th president of Knox College. Andy and Camille listened to current and former Board members share words of congratulations, inspiration, and they shared their excitement and hope for the future.
Knox Magazine writers recently interviewed President McGadney to explore his path to Knox and his vision and plans to move Knox forward.
Where did you grow up, and what experiences did you have growing up that fostered your love of education? I am a Northeasterner with deep Southern roots; I grew up in Bloomfield, Connecticut, a suburb of Hartford.
My parents are from the Mobile, Alabama area. They understood that opportunity and education were the keys to a successful life. They both had college degrees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and yet, for many years, my dad could not find a well-paying, professional job in the South. Eventually, with the support from family, my parents ventured to Bloomfield, where my dad worked as a highway draftsman with the State of Connecticut for more than 30 years.
My love of education comes from my mom, who was a first grade teacher in the Hartford public school system. I have warm memories of many of my mother’s former students telling me about the incredible impact she had on their lives. These stories were life changing, and I saw the positive impact one could make on someone’s life through education, and that inspired me to choose this path.
KENT KRIEGSHAUSER
What was your first job out of college, and what did you learn from it? I was an account representative for Otis Elevator. It was a wonderful experience, one in which I learned many lessons. I got the job through INROADS, an organization that provides entry into leadership roles in corporate America for talented young professionals of color.
The most powerful lesson I learned was that respect and the ability to operate successfully in any field are earned through building strong relationships.
When I worked at Otis in the early 1990s there was a sense of division between the office staff and the mechanics. I realized early on that the mechanics were the heart of the company. They were talented, hardworking people who had long-term client relationships, were the first to see changes and challenges, and were problem solvers. I learned so much from them and I had a deep respect for their skills and dedication.
Tell us about your higher education career after Otis Elevator and before Knox. A position opened at my alma mater— Wesleyan University—to be part of the annual fund team; this was my pivot into higher education.
After many years in several different positions at Wesleyan, I joined two excellent institutions in leadership roles —Clark University, followed by Colby College.
Along the way, I got a master’s degree in public administration and policy from Columbia University, and a doctorate in higher education from University of Pennsylvania. The
Camille and Andy McGadney
KENT KRIEGSHAUSER
executive doctorate program at UPenn was life changing and deeply immersive; I especially enjoyed the almost daily thought-provoking conversations with some of the most innovative and influential leaders in higher education.
When I was named as president of Knox, a former supervisor and now good friend mentioned to me that when I was a student at Wesleyan, I told him I wanted to be a college president. The role of president is the fulfillment of all of my higher education passions: Fundraising to support inspiring initiatives for students and the innovative work of faculty, engaging with all members of a diverse community, and leading innovation to put a college on the map in even bigger ways. What do you most appreciate about small liberal arts colleges? Small liberal arts colleges are the sweet spot of what our world needs today— places where students are taught the importance of engaging in meaningful research, understanding all sides of issues, and having difficult dialogues in respectful ways about those issues.
These colleges, and specifically Knox, work hard to create an environment where differing opinions can still come together. Small liberal arts colleges have the obligation to ensure young minds are developed so they are open and willing to have difficult dialogues about differing viewpoints.
What appealed to you about the opportunity to lead Knox College? I saw an opportunity to help make a great institution even better. The Knox community has a deep passion and commitment to the College; there is a strong institutional history built over the last 184 years here in Galesburg. I felt an instant connection to the people and the mission, and our community is ready to take bold steps to ensure success for future generations.
What has been your focus during the first months of your presidency? I have been focused on listening and learning—hearing where people are coming from, and ensuring I understand the various differences
in perspectives. I am meeting with students, faculty, staff, Galesburg leaders, and as many alumni as I safely can in person and virtually since I started in this role.
While listening and learning, I am simultaneously working with the Board of Trustees and the senior leadership team on goal setting, and short- and long-term planning. Later this year, in partnership with the Board of Trustees, I will recommend an innovative strategic planning framework that will address several priorities that will be key to our future success, including growing our applications and enrollment, identifying and creating distinctive student programs and experiences, and planning for a comprehensive fundraising campaign, among others.
I have also been working hard on building a highly collaborative and experienced senior leadership team to help develop and carry out our shared vision for the future. Over the last several months, we welcomed to campus Vice President for Student Development MarQuita Barker and Vice President for Advancement Monica Keith; moved oversight of our information technology function under Vice President for Communications and Information Technology Services Lisa Van Riper; created a position focused primarily on strategic initiatives held by Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Heather Bumps; and we are currently in the midst of a national search for a new vice president for administration and chief financial officer.
And while the trustees, senior team, and I have been planning for the future, we have also been working through the continuing challenges caused by the
pandemic. Knox has a great team of committed faculty and staff who are constantly collaborating on new and creative ways to continue to offer the unique Knox experience during the pandemic. The Knox campus community is learning to be nimble and flexible—characteristics not usually attributed to institutions of higher education. Our faculty and staff—and especially our students—continue to impress me with their resilience.
What do you see as the areas of greatest opportunity to move Knox forward? The areas that surfaced most often during my listening and learning efforts are priorities that will be addressed in the strategic framework I just mentioned. These priorities include a focus on increasing admission and enrollment, elevating Knox’s reputation and expanding its reach, and identifying and creating distinctive student programs and experiences.
I also see our people as one of our greatest opportunities. Our on-campus community, as well as our thousands of alumni, parents, and friends are extremely passionate about Knox. Whether parents of an incoming student, an employee who has worked in dining services for decades, or an alumna who graduated 50 years ago, the passion for Knox is sincere. I want to ensure that I am bringing our community together with a shared sense of pride and aspiration for what Knox can be for future generations.
The College’s place and responsibility within the Galesburg community is another opportunity I’m excited to begin addressing. Knox and Galesburg have been dependent on each other since our founding and that is still true today. There have been many successes over the last decade in Galesburg, and I’m committed to continuing to find new ways to partner with the local community. There is a lot of energy around what is possible in the future in Galesburg and we are committed to being an active partner in creating that future.
What can our community expect from you next? Delivering results as I move forward with bold goals and strategic priorities,
SÉAN ALONZO HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY Kyle, Camille, Naomi, Andy, and Max McGadney and a consistent, relentless focus on moving Knox forward. I will continue to listen and engage in meaningful conversations with students, alumni and community members.
What is one of the greatest lessons that you have learned from your mentors that you can share with our readers? The little things aren’t little. Pay close attention and think through the impact everyday decisions and actions have on others. This is one of the areas where my own liberal arts education continues to serve me well. I try to look at every decision and issue from many different perspectives and understand the impact on others.
In March 1971, a group of idealistic Knox College students and two hardworking professors headed to the driftless region of Wisconsin for Farm Term, one of Knox’s first immersive learning experiences—similar to the current Green Oaks Term. The Knox professors wanted the students to appreciate how farms form the backbone of the nation, and, along the way, educate them about impending ecological changes.
Farm Term was a life-changing experience for those involved. This past July, 11 of the 15 original student participants gathered for a 50th reunion of Farm Term on the Robin Metz Farm in Crawford County, Wisconsin, while two others joined virtually. They shared stories, laughs, and many warm memories. Here are some of their stories.
Imagining a “Satellite Curriculum”
The 1960s and early 1970s brought rapid societal changes, but, at the time, some recently hired Knox faculty members felt that the College was stuck in an earlier decade.
“Younger faculty wanted to make trouble,” recalled Doug Wilson, a recently hired English professor, and currently George A. Lawrence Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus and co-director of the Lincoln Studies Center. “There were a number of restrictive social rules we wanted to change; for example, women had to be in the dorms at eight o’clock in the evening.
“We also wanted to make the curriculum more interesting, provocative and challenging,” he said. One concept was providing a “satellite curriculum,” a precursor to the immersive experiences that Knox continues to this day.
Wilson and his wife, Sharon, enamored with the driftless region in Crawford County, Wisconsin, had purchased a farm there. Bypassed by glaciers, the area is geographically and geologically significant, with a rugged landscape bordered by the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers.
Knox colleagues Dewey Moore, professor of geology, and Robin Metz, Philip Sidney Post Professor of English and co-founder of Knox’s Program in Creative Writing, also relished the thought of owning land there, and both purchased property near the Wilsons’ farm. Spurred by the significance of the region, the three colleagues developed Knox’s first immersive experience, creating a satellite program called Farm Term that could educate mostly urban students about rural life through a literal on-the-ground experience.
Knox faculty loved the idea of providing such an experience for students, so Farm Term easily passed the curriculum committee. At least 30 students applied for the program and 15 students were accepted. Soon after, nine women and six men set off for the 10-week term, which ran March 21 through May 26, 1971. Only a couple of the Farm Term students had been on a farm prior to this immersive experience.
While the nine female students lived at the Metz farm, Robin Metz remained at Knox. Male students lived at the Moore farm, where the rest of the Moore family lived, including two of the Moore children, who attended local schools. Farm Term was co-taught by Doug Wilson and Dewey Moore.
Field Trips, Food and Fiber, and a “Mangy” Goat
Every morning, the students met at the Metz Farm. Guest speakers provided their expertise on farming, local history, botany, poetry, and farm life to the students.
County Agent Virgil Buttress gave a talk on “food and fiber,” and a local writer, Pearl Swiggum, talked about the rural community. Organized activities included field trips to various locations, including conservationist Aldo Leopold’s shack near Baraboo,
Wisconsin, and trips to examine geology along the Mississippi with Moore. The students worked on independent projects that focused on the domestic and the natural landscape, varying from identifying edible plants and wool spinning to working with local farmers to milk cows and grade eggs.
Students Marla Rybka Biss ’73 and Sandy Lamprech Heggeness ’73 bought a horse that they cared for and rode around the area; Judy O’Keefe Van der Linden ’73 raised chickens, and Kevin Corrado ’72 raised a “mangy” goat named Billy.
I knew that milk came from cows, but it didn’t occur to me that they had to have a calf first, and they had to have one every year! Kind of embarrassing since I was a biology major. —Marla Rybka Biss ’73 Every Monday morning, we took the same walk for hours all around the farm, so they could see the way the landscape was changing. As summer came on, we saw more flowers and bushes. The world was waking up! That really got through to them. —Doug Wilson Billy was my goat teacher. Even though Billy had oozing skin because of mange, he was friendly and inquisitive and he certainly brightened my day with his mischievous antics. —Kevin Corrado ’72 I still brag about going to school in the ’70s and getting a science credit in beekeeping! I also remember being allergic to bee stings and how my ankle swelled up so badly that I had to be carried to the outhouse. —Caitrine Curley Callison ’73 My project was to survey animals in the area. I hadn’t taken Dr. (Peter) Schramm’s course on how to trap and stuff animals before I got to Farm Term, so I mainly did it by the book, and they docked me half a credit for that! It was kind of nice because people were on their own to create their own thing, but if you didn’t know what you were doing, it didn’t work quite as well. —Sandy Lamprech Heggeness ’73 The students developed a sense of connection to the land by visiting grounds being cultivated and hearing farmers and government officials describe the business of running a farm; by having students compare natural and cultivated growth in a landscape; and by gaining historical perspective about the settlement of the landscape. —Dewey Moore Dewey’s perspective on being open to the wisdom of farmers has an influence on me to this day. They have a knowledge base that should be respected. Doug and Dewey were really trying to convey to us an openness of thinking. —Mary Mundt Reckase ’73
Rural Life Lessons
Living on a farm for 10 weeks had challenges. The male students, who bunked in a not-well-insulated attic room at the Moore farm, were ferried daily to the Metz farm. Because the farms used septic systems, students showered once a week, and the flush toilet was used sparingly so an outhouse was constructed. Doug’s wife, Sharon, and Dewey’s wife, Ruthie, were a big part of the experience as they did the shopping and cooked meals for the students.
Evening entertainment was strumming guitars and singing around a bonfire. Students could come and go as they pleased on the weekends by walking or hitchhiking. Kevin Corrado bought a bike to ride to the two rural schools that he was researching for his project. Students also had to find their own way to the Friday night dinners at the diner in Ferryville, a nearby town, which gave them more access to locals and also gave Sharon and Ruthie a much needed break.
Dewey and I had to do so much. We had so many car breakdowns, especially my car. A mechanic in Ferryville was practically occupied full time keeping us on the road. The logistics part was always a headache and there was always unexpected stuff. It finally dawned on us that we were not only teachers, we were the people making arrangements, the business office, the transportation office, and the health department. We hadn’t imagined all the work that it would be. —Doug Wilson At one of the reunions, Dewey mentioned that he and I had a contest over which of us could save the most water and provide the least impact on the septic system by going the longest time without taking a shower. I’m certain it must be true. I don’t know if anyone remembers who won our contest. —Leonard “Lenny” Greene ’72 Doug changed the way I approach students when I became a teacher. One rainy day, I borrowed Doug’s car to conduct interviews with farmers and a couple of the girls came with me. I made a turn on a gravel road, and the car started slipping on a hill. I slammed on the brakes and the car tipped and rolled over. We had visions of the car blowing up. I said, ‘I just totaled this professor’s car.’ When we got back to the farm, Sharon said we were all in shock and made us hot fudge sundaes. Then Doug gave me the keys to the other car and wanted me to drive him to the scene. I said ‘I’m never going to drive again,’ but he came with me. I remember that generosity, trust, and knowledge. Thanks to Doug, I tell kids who are failing, ‘You can do it this time.’ —Jan Novak Dressel ’71 It wasn’t until I was older that I realized what a sacrifice Doug and Dewey had made to give us this experience. And they weren’t much older than the students, but they were a whole lot more mature than us, believe me. —Marla Rybka Biss ’73 I later spent some time in rural dairy farming communities in New Mexico and Costa Rica, which reminded me a lot of Ferryville. Farm Term made it possible for me to move into a rural community and not experience a lot of culture shock. —Jane Wolff ’72
Farm Term Schedule
(provided by Marla Biss ’73) 3/21, 3/22 – arrive and settle in Tues. 3/25 – logistics lecture, Prairie du Chien shopping trip Thurs. 3/25 – drive around Crawford Co. Fri. 3/26 – county agent Virgil Buttress visit (“food & fiber”) Sat. 3/27 – seminar, move hay to Dewey’s farm Tues. 3/30 – geology field trip to Iowa Fri. 4/2 – Mrs. Slayton history seminar Mon 4/5 – a.m. hike Fri. 4/9 – a.m. speaker “I don’t know, I wasn’t listening” Mon. 4/2 – a.m. hike Wed. 4/14 – NFO speakers talk on log cabins. Sort eggs at Emerson’s egg farm Thurs. 4/15 – Pearl Swiggum’s farm “tractor ride, sink holes, antiques, flower drying, cookies & cows” Tues. 4/20 – ‘soils’ field trip Thurs. 4/22 – field trip: fossil dump, Santa Gertrudis cattle, Effigy Mounds Nat’l Monument Fri. 4/23 – Nancy Lurie (?) seminar Sat. 4/4 – plant trees at Metz farm Mon. 4/26 – plant trees at Dewey’s farm Fri. 4/30 – Sherman Paul talk on Thoreau Mon. 5/3 – a.m. hike Wed. 5/5 – soil scientists talk Thurs. 5/6 – hike w/ botanist Jeanne Smith Mon. 5/10 – a.m. hike Tues. 5/11 – field trip Aldo Leopold Farm, Devil’s Lake Thurs. 5/13 – cheese factory Sat. 5/15 – hike w/ Dr. Peter Schramm visiting from Knox Mon. 5/17 – a.m. hike. Unload 3500 chickens at Emerson’s farm. Thurs. 5/20 – we all gave talks on our projects Sat. 5/22 – open house, neighbors over Sun. 5/23 – calf born at Steven’s dairy, cows inseminated Wed. 5/26 – official end date
SUBMITTED (3)
To have the experience of living on a farm; to study and work with the soil and come to some understanding of its origin and character; to develop a sensitivity to the earth and a sense for man’s relationship to it; to examine the consequences of treating nature as a commodity; to make contact with the people of the rural community and attempt to understand their situation and outlook; to become familiar with the work of the farmer; to consider the agrarian tradition in American history; to consider the history and the significance of the government’s relation to agriculture and to the farmer; to consider the application of technology to agriculture and its consequences. From “A Proposal for a Farm Term in the Satellite Curriculum”
Farm Term participants: Steve Axon ’73 Marla Rybka Biss ’73 Karen Claus ’73 Kevin W. Corrado ’72 Caitrine Curley Callison ’73 Jan Novak Dressel ’71 Charles “Chuck” Gardner ’74 Leonard “Lenny” Greene ’73 Sandra Lamprech Heggeness ’73 Kadi Finlayson Meyer ’72 Judy O’Keefe van der Linden ’73 Dan Reckase ’72 Mary Mundt Reckase ’73 Jane Wolff ’72 Richard “Rick” Yerkes ’73
Romance on the Farm
Dan Reckase ’72 and Mary Mundt ’73 knew one another through mutual friends on campus, and Mary was interested in getting to know Dan better. At Farm Term they became a couple. They married in 1978 and settled in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, not far from Crawford County.
It was about halfway through the term. We were on a field trip to Baraboo and stayed in a cabin at Devil’s Lake overnight. There was a common room in between the cabins that housed the guys and the girls. We were the last two left in the common room, talking and sitting by the fire. —Dan Reckase ’72 Farm Term was a perfect setting for getting to know someone. It was very natural. We spent the day together from breakfast on. It was nice to be given the gift of time. —Mary Mundt Reckase ’73
The Farm Termers gained a deep appreciation for the land and farmers, though with differing perspectives. Marla Rybka Biss worked in a regulatory role for a pesticide company and respects how pesticides have changed the world for the better. Karen Claus ’73 only eats free-range eggs. Some became vegetarians, others are active gardeners and hikers. A few considered becoming farmers but realized how difficult the work is. Some left Knox, taking time off and transferring to other institutions. The professors were exhausted, and Doug Wilson lost 15 pounds during Farm Term. On the whole, however, the participants agreed that they discovered a lot about the region, farming, one another, and, perhaps most importantly, themselves.
Farm Term was not repeated, though Moore continued to lead field trips in geology around the country every spring. Later, Wilson, Moore, and Rodney Davis, Szold Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of History and co-founder of the Lincoln Studies Center, developed a Great Rivers course, which was also offered as an Elderhostel course. Eventually, Knox created the Green Oaks Term, building on experiences and suggestions for a rural immersion opportunity that is housed closer to the Knox campus.
Life Unplugged
Memories have faded over the years, but the sense of connection that they have with one another has deepened. Mary Mundt Reckase attributes it to the fact that the participants were “self selected” by applying. “Maybe the people who respond to this type of immersive experience just naturally got along and easily fell into having a pleasant time together.” She also believes that the group melded together because they didn’t have distractions like cell phones. “We were each other’s focus, environment, and entertainment. We were unplugged before there was a plug.”
I loved this place, the character of the people. When I came home, I worked extra jobs to buy 27 acres that butt up against Dewey Moore’s farm. I thought it was a very special place for me, and I wanted some part of it. —Jan Novak Dressel ’71 As we learned about ecology and nature and the importance of taking care of them and honoring what we’ve got, I realized that this transfers to one’s personal care and wellbeing. I needed to learn to take care of myself too, and the lessons we learned at Farm Term contributed to that. —Kadi Finlayson Meyer ’72 College learning can take place off campus. In fact, it has the potential to be extraordinary learning, introducing new ideas while actually experiencing the subject—seeing, touching, and understanding its scope. — Judy O’Keefe van der Linden ’73 After I became an archaeology professor at Ohio State, I led an archaeological field school that I modeled after Farm Term. We received National Science Foundation funding for projects in Cyprus and Hungary. The areas where we were based are similar in size to Ferryville, and similar to the farmers there; the people are so welcoming. Now some of my students are professors themselves and continue similar field schools, so the Farm Term model lives on. —Richard Yerkes ’73 One late spring day, I took off for the creek and climbed into my favorite silver maple tree. It was a big tree with seven branches springing from the trunk, all newly leafed out in a soft green, making an ideal nesting spot in the middle. I recall being perfectly comfortable, happy, and aware that I was exactly where I wanted to be and did not want for anything besides what I had at that moment. I thought to myself ‘This is a perfect day and I shall never be happier than I am right now, at this very moment.’ Fifty years later, with my joys over the years that equal that day, I can say I was right that none have exceeded that day. —Sandy Lamprech Heggeness ’73
DAN BARRON SHELLEY MOORE
Farm Term 50 years later Above: Farm Termers presented the professors with Farm Term Remembered books of memories and certificates from a donation made in their honor to the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. Pictured are Kadi Finlayson Meyer, Dewey Moore, Doug Wilson, and Lenny Greene.
Left: Front Row, left to right: Dan Reckase, Dewey Moore, Doug Wilson, Jan Novak Dressel. Back Row: Mary Mundt Reckase, Rick Yerkes, Kevin Corrado, Jane Wolff, Sandra Lamprech Heggeness, Karen Claus, Judy O’Keefe van der Linden, Lenny Greene, Kadi Finlayson Meyer.
BY MATTHEW WHEATON ’10
Baseball was the first sport played on Knox College’s campus, but in the institution’s first 100 years of existence, it’s not the only one that caught students’ attention. “As late as October 1893 and October 1894, Knox sent to the Illinois Inter-Collegiate Oratorical contests not only an orator, but also teams for football, baseball, tennis, and track and field events.”1
hirty-six Knox grads who are in the
Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of
Fame (HOF) participated in track and field. The first HOF class was inducted in 1987, and four of the 10 members were listed on track rosters for the College. Many played other sports, as well.
In recent years, Knox track and field athletes have put the College on the map for the program’s strength. In the program’s history, 17 NCAA qualifying performances have taken place, with four athletes garnering All-American status. Most recently, Derrick Jackson ’22 recorded two All-American performances in the 2021 season. Since the program’s inception, there has also been one national champion—Mike Pankey ’89 who claimed the 400-meter dash title in 1989. While the women’s outdoor track and field team is still seeking their first Midwest Conference title, the men’s outdoor track and field team has won the Midwest Conference Championship six times—1922, 1928, 1929, 1937, 1952, and 1987.
In recent years, Knox student- athletes have had a lot of success in men’s and women’s track and field. Jackson will be competing in the 2022 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Miami Gardens, Florida, native is ranked 20th in the nation in the 60-meter dash with a qualifying time of 6.85. Last May, he also took part in the championship, finishing fifth in the 100-meter dash finals and sixth in the 200-meter dash finals.
Wells makes immediate impact
Jackson is convinced he wouldn’t be where he is without Prairie Fire head track and field coach Evander Wells, who was hired in May 2019.
Wells had a successful sprinting career at the University of Tennessee and graduated from that institution in 2010. He was a four-year member of the Vols and a nine-time All-American, as well as an 18-time Southeastern Conference finalist. What he says resonates.
“Coach Wells has played a huge part when it comes to on the track or off the track,” said Jackson, who is also on Knox’s football team. “We put in twice as much work as we usually would have because of what happened with the whole COVID-19 situation. Our
Evander Wells, Knox’s track and field coach, focuses on form and technique as he guides the Prairie Fire to success. outdoor season was an example of what’s to come with a full season.
“It was a pretty decent season. It was my statement year, but I still feel like I didn’t hit my highest points when I should have. I’m slowly getting better,” Jackson added. “My block starts got better towards the end of the season. I could have been more explosive at the beginning, but we worked every day, and as long as I got a percent better every day that’s all that really mattered.”
Wells sits on Tennessee’s top 10 all-time list in the 60 meter, 100 meter, and 200 meter dashes, and since he’s arrived on Knox’s campus, almost every member of the track and field program has set personal record (PR) times.
“Of course, you’re going to have standouts. You’re going to have some athletes win conference and do some great things, but if everyone isn’t getting better, they’re not going to have a great experience.
“We highlight everyone after each meet who has a PR. We just want to make sure everyone gets recognition for what they’re doing. We’re all putting in the same work and it’s great to see it pays off for everyone,” Wells added. “We see a lot of PRs on a regular basis. My first year here, I think we had 33 athletes and 30 of them ran PRs at some point during the season. 2020 was an interesting year because the first half was cut, but we still had the second half and I think just about everyone had a PR at some point in the season. The vast majority of the team gets PRs in their events and that’s just fun to see.”
Kristin Herndon ’23 clears the bar during the 2021 Van Steckelberg Invite.
ROBERT NGUYEN ’21
Form, technique tweaks help
From the start, Wells has helped Knox’s tracksters improve their form and technique, and with tweaks have come faster times.
“There are always technical parts for every sport and it’s just the technique of running and how can each athlete be more efficient,” Wells said.
“His number one things are form and technique. Without those you can’t run fast,” Jackson said. “Coach Wells has taken this program and done a whole 180, and I say 180 over 360 because if you do a 360 you’re back in the same spot.
Like Jackson, Lydia Mitchell ’22 and Tyrell Pierce ’24 are multiple sport athletes at Knox, and the pair agree with his assessment of Wells.
“When I was in high school, I was running a 51 (seconds) in the 400 meter and that was because I didn’t really have a good form, and I didn’t know how to breathe,” said Pierce, a sophomore, who also hits the gridiron for the Prairie Fire. “Coach Wells really taught me how to change my running form, how to breathe and how to be more relaxed. Now, I’m running a 48 (seconds).
Mitchell, a senior, focuses on the 200 meter and 400 meter when she has her track spikes on. The Maryville, Missouri, native also hits the pitch for Knox’s women’s soccer team. Wells isn’t the only track coach Mitchell’s had while donning Prairie Fire gear, but he’s had the biggest impact on her.
“I ran cross country in high school because soccer and track are the same season, so I chose soccer in high school,” Mitchell said. “Coming in, a lot of my teammates had high school coaches who knew how to run and to sprint properly, and I never had any of that. I had the endurance from soccer, but I didn’t know how to actually run. Coach Wells taught me how to run properly, how to be explosive. It has really helped with my short sprints and my endurance.
Room to grow
Knox’s track and field athletes have achieved their goals with Wells’ help, but there’s not much depth. It’s one area Daniella Irle, the College’s director of athletics, and Wells have focused heavily on. Wells has been hitting the recruiting trail hard, as there’s something to say about strength in numbers.
“Numbers is one of the biggest things. We had some conference champs in specific events last year but after that you’ll have someone else with a third, fourth and fifth place finisher, so even though we may have the winner in the event they still outscore us,” Wells said. “We have to have more depth for each event and bring in more athletes who can score points. We have to continue to bring in good athletes and that’s the biggest thing. If we bring in good student-athletes, they’re going to do well. The great thing about Knox is we’ve got everything here to help our student-athletes get better in what they do. We just have to get that right student-athlete here.”
“We’ve been coming at it from a couple of different angles, quality coaches, equipment, and students,” Irle said. “We feel like we are another class or two from 40 or 60 instead of 20. We want to grow the size of our program, so we have more depth at events. It helps the College and it helps the other talent.”
And what should a prospective Knox student and track athlete know?
“I would tell them that our team is a family, and Coach Wells cares about all of us so much. Just because we have good vibes, it doesn’t mean that we don’t work really really hard. It’s a good environment and you will learn,” Mitchell said. “Wells focuses on those little details that you can learn to make habits that will make you successful.”
Multiple sport athletes help
Since the College was founded, students have participated in multiple sports, and Wells welcomes those individuals with open arms.
“A lot of it naturally happens especially with a new coach coming in—one of the good things to see was Knox has great athletes in other sports as well so I can take someone who plays basketball. They jump a lot and you can do a jumping event and you should do well. In volleyball you jump, so we can put you in a jumping event and you should do well,” he said. “Volleyball is a fall sport. They do get a spring season but it’s relatively short, so if I can have a volleyball player come out and compete in track and field, then hopefully they go back to volleyball a better athlete but in the process they help me as well.
“I think one of the great things about DIII athletics is you can come here and make this your experience,” Wells added. “If you want to do a fall sport, a winter sport and a spring sport, it’s possible. At the Division I level, you’re kind of at the mercy of the program that gives you a scholarship.”
Derrick Jackson ’22 recorded two All-American performances in the 2021 season.
A Leadership Legacy
Meet Knox’s New Board Chair, Tony Etz
SUBMITTED
Tony Etz ’83 grew up with purple and gold running through his veins; he is a fourth generation Knox alumnus. His grandfather, Robert Murphy ’31, was a longtime member and former chair of the Knox Board of Trustees, and his great grandfather was a first-generation college student at Knox, coming from the family farm in Geneseo, Illinois. Tony’s uncle, Jim Murphy ’82, also attended Knox.
“I was very close to my grandfather and saw how he valued the College and what a responsibility his leadership roles were for him. I feel the same,” said Etz. “I always knew how special Knox was, and how deeply my grandfather held the College in his heart. Following one year elsewhere, I was fortunate to transfer to Knox. It was the key that fit my lock. I made a lot of good friends and was able to get involved in a lot of activities, like Union Board and Catch. I didn’t have a clear academic direction when I came to Knox, but I became an English major because I found strong connections among the faculty in that department.”
Following his graduation from Knox, Etz attended the Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa. “At Knox, I had great opportunities to explore leadership. I also appreciated the mentorship I received from (Professor) Robin Metz and a number of different professors. The entire English department was very encouraging, and that’s how I ended up going to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. I did like the process of being in a workshop and writing, and my experience at Knox prepared me for the education I received at Iowa.” After earning his M.F.A., Etz moved to New York for a stint working in the film business. He then moved to California to produce television movies and miniseries but wanted a career change. He landed at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as an agent and has had a successful career there for the past 27 years, representing talent and packaging television shows. He also teaches media classes as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California.
What do you look most forward to during your tenure as Board chair?
Without any question, the partnership I am developing with Andy McGadney, the new president of Knox. We have worked together since we both officially started our new roles in July, and I have become increasingly excited by the opportunity his presidency offers us. I am fully convinced we made the right choice for a president, and look forward to helping Andy realize the full potential of Knox College.
In what areas would you like to see Knox progress during your time as Board chair? We have a great Board, and a great group of people on the Board. Now, we have to do more to diversify our Board, not only in terms of ethnic or gender representation, but also in terms of economics and non-graduates of the college. We would benefit from more diversity of viewpoints across the entire spectrum, and we have to try to enhance this diversity quickly.
The trustees have created a subcommittee that is going to take a very hard look at these issues. They are already working, and our goal is to have some recommendations within the first few months of 2022.
What do you believe is Knox’s greatest challenge right now? Greatest opportunity? Our greatest opportunity rests in what already exists at the College. We have truly exceptional faculty who are dedicated to their students and to teaching. We have fantastic staff who really care about the College. Everyone deeply cares about the students. Starting with this foundation gives the College a huge advantage as we go forward.
Our biggest challenge is going to be the pace at which we accept change. Every college in the United States is confronting the question of how they are going to evolve. The institutions that are going to succeed are the ones that are willing to truly change, and at a pace unusual for higher education. As a community, we have to be willing to lean in to change. I like the John Wooden quote, “Be quick, but don’t hurry.” That’s how we need to think about our pace of change.
What do you see as the essential elements that you bring to your Board leadership? I grew up valuing Knox and understanding what it meant to the students, as well as the entire Knox and Galesburg communities. I experienced firsthand as a Knox student why my grandfather was so excited about his alma mater. That strong connection is what I bring to my role; I have a genuine respect and appreciation for the faculty and staff, and I love the way that the mission of the College has remained constant as our student body has evolved. We have so many first-generation students now, we are so much more diverse in all the ways that are great—I feel we are as aligned to the core mission of the College as we’ve ever been.
The ’Burg
Knox Professor Elected Mayor of Galesburg
Ten years and a day after first being sworn in as a member of the Galesburg City Council, Professor of Environmental Studies Peter Schwartzman took the oath of office as Galesburg mayor on May 3, 2021.
Schwartzman defeated two other candidates to win a four-year term as mayor in the April 2021 election. He previously served as the Ward 5 representative on the City Council, winning elections in 2011, 2015, and 2019. A member of the Knox faculty since 1998, Schwartzman has a long track record of community involvement and has participated in numerous organizations, including Knox Prairie Community Kitchen and the Galesburg Youth Athletic Club.
In Galesburg, the mayor serves part time. Schwartzman plans to continue teaching at Knox.
Asked to describe his vision for the community, Schwartzman noted that Galesburg is a city with a rich history and many ambitious, community-oriented residents. “As with most cities in the United States, Galesburg has suffered economic hardship in part due to globalization and inequitable policies at higher levels of government,” he said. “I believe the people living in Galesburg want better for themselves and their neighbors. They want to make our city safe and prosperous in the years to come. I plan to empower people to do this work. The creative minds and generous hearts of Galesburg’s residents will rise to the occasion and bring about positive change, working assiduously and collectively.
CARLA WEHMEYER
