Cliff Turns Down Gale Scholarship For Four Years at Knox College

Becoming a first year student at Knox College was not on Dean Cliff?s agenda when he earned a Gale Scholarship in 2006. This sophomore from Galesburg, Illinois turned down the college funding scholarship that provides two years at Carl Sandburg Junior College followed by two more years at Knox College. ?I wanted Knox all the way. I worked with the Education Development office to get on track. Since I gave up the scholarship I needed financial aid and had to apply to Knox as a regular student.?

Cliff ?10 says that he initially wanted to become a pharmacist and concentrated on the math and chemistry requirements for that field. ?It would have been tough transferring from CSC to Knox. I wanted to make sure I got my requirements complete for such a hefty double major. But I really wanted to attend Knox for all four years.

It was an independent study requirement on counseling during Cliff?s first year at Knox that transformed him from an aspiring pharmacist to an education studies and classics double major and crystallized his career calling in education. ?That experience exceeded my expectations in every way. The interviews, observations and research at Galesburg High School taught me a lot.?

With little experience working with kids, Cliff says his aspirations to be a teacher were confirmed while working as a teacher?s assistant at Knox?s summer College for Kids program. The summer camp offers third through eighth grade students a broad range of courses based on their interest. ?The experience gave me a chance to get my feet wet in the profession I want to pursue. ?

A member of Phi Gamma Delta, Concert band, Classics Club and Educational Studies Club, Cliff finds time to hold down two separate jobs on campus. If he isn?t flipping hamburgers in the Gizmo, he can be found in the Admission?s office meeting prospective students and introducing them to life at Knox.

Cliff says he is not sure if he is going to teach after graduation or go straight to graduate school. ?In five to 10 years I hope to be a school counselor, changing lives of youngsters and helping them whether it is a career choice, military or college. I want to help them follow the right path.?

?The faculty at Knox is plugged into the campus community,? Cliff says. ?They are always there to help. I have friends at other colleges that say they can?t get time with their professors outside of classroom. I want to be that teacher that is plugged in and changing lives,? he says.

Cliff has built long lasting relationships with Knox faculty and staff. ?The Knox faculty prepares you for the outside world. They aren?t going to do the work for you. You have to be willing to help yourself, but when you finish at Knox, you are prepared and ready,? he asserts.