Learning that Governor Pritzker was chosen as a Knox Commencement Speaker was terrific! In general, news from Knox these days sounds very encouraging. With so many colleges bending to Trump’s ultimatums, it’s great to see those that stand their ground.
Also, the header of the Knox website page is more meaningful than ever: When history calls, be prepared to answer.
I really want to make a day trip to Galesburg on June 8 and listen to the Governor’s speech!
Copying the announcement from the Knox website here.
Knox College announced today that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker will provide the Commencement address and receive an honorary degree at its Commencement exercises to be held in June. Pritzker will be joined by renowned Chicago artist and professor Theaster Gates and Knox College honorary trustee and longtime supporter Mary Kent Knight ‘60.
Pritzker is Illinois’ 43rd Governor, elected in 2018, and reelected in 2022, with the highest vote share for any Democratic governor in more than 60 years. Since taking office, he has accomplished one of the most ambitious policy agendas in the nation, including working with the Illinois General Assembly to overcome years of fiscal mismanagement by balancing the state budget every year, raising the minimum wage to a living wage, and investing in college readiness and access.
“It is an honor to welcome Illinois’ Governor, JB Pritzker, as our Commencement speaker this June,” said President C. Andrew McGadney. “His commitment to public service and educational access, as well as his understanding of the importance of difficult dialogues to make positive change, align directly with Knox’s mission and values. The Class of 2025 is sure to gain valuable insights from the leader of our state as they embark upon their journey as college graduates and engaged citizens.”
During Governor Pritzker’s tenure, he has worked with the General Assembly to overcome years of fiscal mismanagement by balancing the state budget every year, eliminating the state’s multi-billion-dollar bill backlog, improving pension funding, and achieving nine credit rating upgrades.
He raised the minimum wage to a living wage and made historic investments to infrastructure.
He has attracted massive new investments in electric vehicle manufacturing and quantum computing, helping Illinois’ economy reach over a trillion dollars. Illinois now ranks among the top five states for infrastructure and workforce development and has significantly improved its ranking among CNBC’s “Best States for Business.”
Illinois is now a top five state for college readiness and its high school graduation rate is at its highest level in more than a dozen years. University of Illinois has become a top ten public university in the U.S., and community college tuition is now free for working-class families. Governor Pritzker led nation-leading climate action and clean energy expansion, creating thousands of new jobs and doubling the state’s renewable energy production. With a focus on families and children, his leadership has led to an assault weapons ban, nation-leading reproductive rights protections, a ban on book bans, and guaranteed paid leave for every worker in the state.
Hettie's Reflections 