Friday, August 1, 2008

Hail to Alma Mater!

Knox College, my alma mater, was recently named by the Princeton Review as one of the top colleges in the midwest. The Review's ranking also looks at a variety of aspect of student life at a college, and Knox ended up ranked 9th overall for its radio station, WVKC; 16th in the percentage of students happy with their financial aid; and the theatre department was ranked 17th overall (one above Carnegie Mellon -- and NYU and Northwestern aren't even in the top 20 list).

WOW!

It's one thing to know you went to a good school; it's entirely another to see it in print. I know, I know -- whoop-de-doo. But Knox has always felt like this "secret" -- this great school that no one has ever heard of if you travel much beyond Illinois. I'm sure that people who went to Harvard or Yale or Stanford are all jaded about how great their schools are, but when a little school like Knox gets some recognition, it's a big deal.

My years at Knox were a pretty incredible time. I made a lot of friends who have been with me through thick and thin, who have cheered for my victories and held my hand through defeat and sorrow. I truly cherish the years I spent at Knox, whether it was the hours spent dj'ing my own show on WVKC, working in the theatre until the sun came up, sitting around and talking about whatever came to mind, or even the hours I spent in the library (pictured here).

So thank you, Princeton Review, for recognizing a place that is and always will be an integral piece of my heart.

3 comments:

Danielle Filas said...

Finally! They finally got it right!

I'm so incredibly proud to be a Knox graduate. And of everyone I've met post-Knox, I can't help but notice that our Knox clan remains close. My non-Knox friends even roll their eyes when I introduce someone as a "Knox friend." I've heard it many times, "You're EVERYwhere!"

I am especially pleased to note that the Theatre Department has received the recognition it deserves. I don't know some of the newer folk-- but congrats to Liz, Craig, Kelly, Jennifer, and for goodness sakes MARGOT! And a shout out to the faculty I don't know. I think it says something, too, about Knox that so many former students come back to teach and so many faculty members stay forEVER-- even in Galesburg.

Huzzah! Go Siwash! Er... uh... Prairie Fire.... whatever.

Peter Von Brown said...

I second everything that Danielle has said. I mean, really, she said it all. Along with Mel, of course. Plus, we've been the subject of Colbertian concern. Even that is a cool.

dbz said...

It's "Go Siwash", always :D