Knox in the News

From The Register Mail:

When Karima Daoudi applied for a Fulbright-MTVU Scholarship to go to New Zealand in 2008, she was rejected.

“I was disappointed but not discouraged,” said Daoudi, 22, who was in her junior year at Knox College when she applied.

Of the thousands of applicants who applied for the MTVU Fulbright that year, only five were selected. Those approved for the program would travel to different countries to conduct research on a project of their own design. As a music-centered extension of the traditional Fulbright scholarship, projects approved for the MTVU Fulbright focus on the power of music to bridge gaps between cultures.

The Fulbright program, which is primarily funded by Congress, has given more than 300,000 grants to individual projects since its inception. The program was formed in 1946 under legislation introduced by former Arkansas Sen. J. William Fulbright as an international exchange program intended to promote understanding between the U.S. and other countries.

Applicants for the 2010 MTVU Fulbright were nominated by a Blue Ribbon panel of recording artists and approved by the presidentially appointed, 12-member J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, according to Tony Claudino of the Institute for International Education.

This year’s MTVU judges were Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips and Beth Ditto of Gossip.

Though she was not approved in 2008, Daoudi wouldn’t give up.

The following year, she re-applied for the program, this time planning to travel to Senegal in western Africa to study the hip-hop scene of the capital city of Dakar and its relationship with the more traditional musical form of “griot” storytelling.

From U.S. News and World Report:

Give love coupons instead of gifts. As you plan your holiday shopping, consider this: Giving the gift of your time in the form of a coupon to take your mom to a museum, or out for tea, can be far more meaningful than buying her a cashmere sweater. Tim Kasser, professor of psychology at Knox College in western Illinois and father of two young children, encourages his family to give each other coupons for experiences, such as favorite meals or back rubs, rather than purchased gifts. For his sons’ birthdays, Tim typically gives them a special day with him, such as a trip to the local water park. Estimated savings: $25 a month or more.

From The Register-Mail:
Part of Shirlee’s story is well known. She is a mother who lost her son, Rex, to complications caused by AIDS in May 1997. Since that time, she’s been active raising awareness and money for various HIV/AIDS support groups. The latest effort to which she lent her name, considerable time and unending effort was September’s AIDS Walk Galesburg, which raised over $10,000.

The latest flare from the long-burning controversy over excluding openly gay people from the military sparked Shirlee’s memory.

“Rex went into the ROTC at Knox (College),” she said. “He was like a lot of other middle class kids at the time who saw the military as a path to opportunities.

“The ROTC offered tuition abatement and I think Rex really enjoyed the physical training and the discipline. He liked the military and he hoped that it could help him start a career in medicine.”

Rex graduated from Knox in 1986 and became a U.S. Army Reservist. He was discharged with cause in 1987. Shirlee said it was then Rex realized the perception of his behavior — more than the fact that he was sick — set him apart from others.

“It occurs to me now that if Rex had been fine and continued his military career, he would have had to hide who he was,” Shirlee said. “People might not realize what that means. It’s not an issue of sex — that’s private. It’s an issue of being able to live openly, the way heterosexuals take for granted.”

Like all civil rights, the right of homosexuals to attempt to serve in the military should be a given. It is anathema to think men of color were once barred from serving their country. Or women.

Perhaps one day soon, all Americans will finally be granted what has been rightfully theirs all along. The U.S. military — despite past advertising campaigns — has never been an army of one.

Democrat Chris Spanos said he believes Mayor Jim Ardis’ use of what appeared to be city of Peoria stationery to support his opponent’s campaign “has the potential to affect” the Nov. 2 outcome of the 10th Judicial Circuit race.

A host of political observers, though, do not believe the recent media attention in the otherwise nondescript judicial race will resonate with voters much come Election Day.

“I believe people understand that Mayor Ardis’ support is based on politics, not legal ability,” Spanos said in an e-mailed response Thursday. “And this race should clearly be about legal ability and qualifications, not who you grew up with.”

Republican John Vespa declined to comment Friday about Ardis’ letter. He also declined to comment on Spanos’ response.

In the letter, the mayor asked potential donors to support Vespa’s campaign with $25, $50, $100 or more.

The letter with Ardis’ position as mayor listed on it was distributed from his personal campaign database to 200 people.

Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons is reviewing the incident to see whether it merits criminal charges.

William Hall, professor of political science at Bradley University, said there will likely be minimal effect from the mayor’s activities, and the media attention that has followed.

“I suppose if someone didn’t like the mayor for whatever reason, it wouldn’t be helpful for candidate Vespa,” Hall said. “On the other hand, if you like the mayor and things he’s done, in a totally even situation, it might (help).”

Hall said he doesn’t believe the Peoria mayoral position has the clout, such as a mayor in a major metropolitan city, to impact a local election.

“Our mayor is like the mayors in 99 percent of cities across America,” Hall said. “When it comes time to (elect) the judge . . . I just don’t think a lot (of an impact) will occur because Jim Ardis likes John Vespa.”

Andrew Civettini, assistant professor in the department of political sciences at Knox College, said voters are likely to pay more attention to the candidate’s party affiliation when selecting who might be the best judge rather than the recent controversy.

“The truth of American politics is we pay little attention to down ticket races,” said Civettini, whose specialities include voting behavior and emotions.

From The Daily Herald

The matriarch of Giesche Shoes stores in Glen Ellyn and Geneva is being remembered by family and friends as a gracious, personable woman who loved meeting people, serving the community and traveling.

Phyllis R. Giesche died Thursday at her Lombard home from complications of Parkinson’s disease. She was 86.

“She was a beautiful person inside and out,” said Stuart Stone, second assistant chief of the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Department, who has known the Giesches since 1948.

“Both Thor (her late husband) and Phyllis cared about the community and they gave back a lot over the years,” he said.

Born in Chicago, Phyllis studied liberal arts at Knox College and married Thor Giesche in 1944.

She loved traveling, playing bridge and ballroom dancing, her son Gary said.

From the Register Mail

Knox College has been ranked 37th by Washington Monthly for the contribution the college makes to “the public good.”

Knox’s ranking is among more than 250 national liberal arts colleges, and the highest among nine liberal arts colleges recognized in Illinois.

Unlike many college guides, the Washington Monthly College Rankings examine “not just what colleges can do for you, but what colleges are doing for the country,” according to the editors.

Criteria for evaluating colleges include support for community service, research and commitments to access and affordability.