New Knox Students, Parents Arrive and Then Part Ways

After the newest Knox College students moved into their residence halls Saturday, they and their families gathered near Old Main for official welcomes from President Roger Taylor and Dean Lawrence Breitborde. At the end, students said goodbye to their families and focused on getting to know fellow members of the Knox community.

The day was one of mixed emotions, especially for parents of first-year students. Parents said that while they will miss having their children at home, they're also enthusiastic about the opportunities that Knox is providing.

"It's a big change, but a lot of positive things are going to happen," said Rob Knight of Ferguson, Missouri. His daughter, Laura, just arrived on the Knox campus.

Jim and Janice Stewart of Dousman, Wisconsin, dropped off their daughter, Jordyn. "It'll be difficult for mom," said Janice Stewart, referring to herself. "I'm excited and happy for her, but I'm also sad." Jordyn, who became aware of Knox through one of her teachers, 2000 Knox graduate Abigail Kean, said she was so eager to get to campus that the 3½ hour drive from Wisconsin felt much longer.

The parents of Emily Fuentes, a native of Beloit, Wisconsin, appreciated how easy the moving-in process was, thanks to the large number of student volunteers.

"It was like a swarm," said her mother, Mary Ellen. "Everybody just took something and carried it up." Her father, Robert, added: "It took me five hours to load. It took them 15 minutes to unload."

Another parent, Ruth Moses of Clinton, Maryland, said she has been trying to prepare herself so she won't miss her son, Jmaw, "too much." She plans to spend more time doing volunteer work and taking classes while he attends Knox.

Jmaw Moses said being apart from his mother will be strange for him, too. "She's a single mom, and we're really close," he said. "My mom's one of my best friends. I think it'll be good to have the experience to be (away at college), but it'll be very difficult."

While participating in Multi-Cultural Student Orientation earlier in the week, Ruth and Jmaw Moses got acquainted with the city of Galesburg, touring some local businesses and restaurants. "I think it's really cute," Ruth Moses said. "I love the big old houses, and everybody was very friendly."

She was particularly surprised and impressed when a taxicab driver tracked her down to return a packet of information that she accidentally had left in the vehicle. She recounted the tale to a local bed-and-breakfast operator, who responded: "That's Galesburg."

On Saturday, after students and their families parted ways on the Knox campus, many of the parents headed to a reception at Ingersoll House, where Taylor and his wife, Anne, reside. The event featured food and beverages from several Galesburg businesses.

Eric Steingruber of Meridian, Idaho, enjoyed getting an idea of what Galesburg offers for his son, Eric, and he looks forward to sharing that information with the rest of his family. They plan to visit frequently so they can watch Eric wrestle for the Prairie Fire squad. "He holds a real important place in the house, of course, being the oldest brother," Steingruber said of his son, who has a younger brother and sister.

At the reception, the mothers of three other first-year students discovered their daughters are residence hall neighbors. "We think they're all in the same suite," Kathy Langley of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, said as she chatted with Gini Ohmert of Vashon Island, Washington, and Undrea Blakley of Atlanta, Georgia.

For Ohmert and Blakley, dropping off a child at college is a new experience. "I'm going to miss her terribly," Ohmert said about her daughter, Jessica. "But I want her to spread her wings." Blakley added: "I've been feeling like it's bittersweet."

All three said they've been impressed with Knox and with the Galesburg community. "It feels like the all-American town," Ohmert said.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 45 states and 48 countries. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.