Winter 2015 Graduate Student Speaker

Posted by: admin on December 7, 2015, One Comment

John McKnight, a candidate for the Doctor of Education through a collaborative program between East Stroudsburg University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), will be the graduate student speaker for the ESU Fall 2015 commencement ceremony on Saturday, December 12, at 8:45 a.m. in Koehler Fieldhouse.

McKnight, who resides in Easton, is currently the dean of Intercultural Development and Deputy Title IX Coordinator at Lafayette College where he has worked since 2009. At Lafayette, he serves as a member of the President’s administrative leadership team, supervises professional staff for several departments, and manages a host of undergraduate student employees and volunteers.

He holds a Master of Science in higher education administration from Indiana University–Bloomington and a Bachelor of Science in advertising from the University of Florida. McKnight has designed and taught courses at Indiana University, Lehigh University and Lafayette College on a range of topics related to diversity, multicultural education and social justice in K-16 educational settings.

Between his own education and his professional career, McKnight has spent a lot of time in a school environment.

“I’ve spent my life studying schools and the education system as a whole by being an active participant in and observer of my own educational pursuits,” he said.

When he enrolled in the collaborative ESU-IUP doctoral program in administration and leadership studies, it immediately felt like the right match.

“The program allowed me to engage in critical thinking and dialogue about education alongside K-12 teachers and administrators from this region, and with dynamic faculty whose research and practical experiences were illuminating,” he said.

Through his journey, McKnight really learned to value education, especially in challenging times.

Above all, he believes the pursuit of education “at all costs and against all odds, is always worth it.”



One Response to “Winter 2015 Graduate Student Speaker”


I want to take this time and tell my brother in the Lord congratulation and to let hime know that I am so proud of him. Dr. McKnight the sky is the limit.