Jennifer McKnight
Triple Major: Physics, Mathematics and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry

Jennifer McKnight will attend graduate school at Washington University in St. Louis to pursue a Ph.D. in physics. She hopes to earn her Ph.D. in five years and would like to obtain a tenured teaching position at a liberal arts college or university teaching undergraduate physics. At Jewell she has served as president of her sorority, the Society of Physics Students, Sigma Pi Sigma honor society and Kappa Mu Epsilon mathematics honor society in addition to being a Pryor Leadership Fellow.

“The American Association of Colleges and Universities defines liberal education as follows: ‘Liberal education is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity and change…A liberal education helps students develop a sense of social responsibility as well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills.’ A liberal education is much more than simply preparation for one’s career; it prepares one for many facets of life. The key word for me in this definition is ‘transferable.’ The skills and lessons learned from one’s liberal education are transferable and applicable to many situations and events outside of one’s formal education.

“I am the product of a liberal education that has taken place both inside and outside the classroom. Perhaps the most important lessons I have learned have taken place outside the classroom. These experiences include my leadership roles and training, vocational and volunteer internships, study abroad, community service and research experience. These experiences have allowed me to learn much about others, the world and myself.

“I have grown and matured, and I can honestly say I am a different person than I was when I first came to Jewell – a person changed for the better. I am certainly more self-confident and self-aware, and I truly feel that my liberal education has empowered me to be more of a risk-taker and has instilled in me a sense of responsibility for both society and community. Any college or university could have prepared me for my career, but William Jewell College has prepared me for life. Now it is up to me to take my liberally educated self into the world and apply the knowledge and skills gained as a result of my liberal education so as to be a credit to society and humanity.”