Director of Spiritual at Knox College Job Galesburg area,Illinois USA,Education / Teaching

Director of Spiritual Life at Knox College

Knox College, academically the most distinguished national liberal arts college in Illinois and a paradigmatic College That Changes Lives, seeks a new Director of Spiritual Life for a twelve-month, full-time position with a target appointment date of August 1, 2021.

The College ’ s enduring hallmarks, dating from its founding in 1837 by abolitionists, are academic rigor; student access without regard to gender, race or financial circumstances; a social justice ethos; and a supportive, richly elaborated student culture that inspires high affinity and loyal, active alumni devotion. The word alumni use most often in describing their Knox experience is “ transformational.”

The Director of Spiritual Life will shape the transformational nature of a Knox education by encouraging spiritual exploration, creating space for contemplation and promoting vibrant multi-faith dialogue among members of the greater College and Galesburg communities.

The Director leads Knox’s Office of Spiritual Life, which is housed in a new student-named facility, the House of Peace and Equity, also known as the HOPE Center (https://www.knox.edu/news/house-of-peace-and-equity-opens-on-knox-campus .) The building that is now the HOPE Center was an active church until its congregation relocated elsewhere in Galesburg. Thoughtfully renovated by donors, the HOPE Center welcomes the Knox community to use its many open spaces available for contemplation, reflection or worship.

The Office of Spiritual Life shares the HOPE Center with Knox’s Office for Intercultural Life and the Office of International Student Support Services, two other resources that demonstrate the College’s commitment to a welcoming and inclusive campus.

The position of Director of Spiritual Life at Knox College was created four years ago and has been vacant for about a year. The new Director will have considerable flexibility and discretion in defining the role, shaping the growth of the HOPE Center, determining its programming and guiding spiritual life on campus.

The Director reports jointly to the Vice President for Student Development and the Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The new Director will have the opportunity to work with Knox’s incoming President,

C. Andrew McGadney, in extending the College ’ s story afresh. https://www.knox.edu/news/knox-names-20th-president .

Knox has the most diverse enrollment among Associated Colleges of the Midwest institutions: some 40% are domestic students of color and almost 30% identify as LGBTQ. A member of the American Talent Initiative, Knox is among the most successful colleges in retaining and graduating students who are first-generation. The College ranks in the top four percent of liberal-arts-college producers of PhDs.

The new Director of Spiritual Life will come to know and advise a notably diverse, academically driven, civic-minded and compassionate student body.

As spiritual leader of Knox College, the new Director will:

Develop educational initiatives and programming around spiritual issues, justice, ethics and values, in both formal and informal settings.

Directly advise student Interfaith Ambassadors and provide support to a range of religious and spiritual student organizations.

Conduct and participate in multi-faith services and academic ceremonies.

Act as a moral and spiritual leader to the community by writing, speaking and keeping current on social justice issues of concern to members of the Knox and Galesburg communities and society as a whole.

Collaborate with staff and faculty colleagues including Intercultural Life, International Student Services, Campus Life and others to deliver a holistic co-curricular education.

As head of the…