JOHN R KNEPPER

When I miraculously graduated from Kenyon, I spent the remainder of my IRS certified working years in education, albeit different brands and levels.  Even in education one can switch sides many times.

I entered graduate school at the U of Rochester in Canadian Studies 10 days after taking my comps in January 1962. Big mistake not staying around to enjoy a relaxing last semester on the Hill.

I worked at Kenyon in Admissions with Tracy Scudder for a year and then for 4 more years as Alumni Secretary and Assistant to the Vice President for Development, Bill Thomas. (Bill Thomas is at the top of my list of the most wonderful  people in my life.) He was also incredibly underappreciated at Kenyon)

After Kenyon I was mercifully accepted for employment at Wesleyan University (CT), Shady Side Academy (where I hired 7 Kenyon grads for faculty positions) and The Art Institutes International, which never did anything International when I worked for them, not even in West Virginia.

At Wesleyan University I was Assistant Secretary of the University.  At SSA I was a senior administrator, teacher and coach for 12 years. At the Art Institutes I served as president of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh (a college of2000+ students). Subsequent assignments included rebuilding the Art Institute of Houston and the Art Institute of Philadelphia administrations.  And later, while functioning as Senior Vice President for Education for the entire corporation, I also served as an interim President for the Art Institute of Atlanta and the Art Institute of Dallas. Lots of moving around. While in Atlanta, I founded the first of four Culinary School divisions which rolled out in Atlanta, Ft Lauderdale, Houston and Denver. I retired from Education Management Corporation in  1991.

I began my retirement by restoring a 30 foot flybridge Lyman boat during a very 8 foot snowy winter in Syracuse. When it was time to re-christen the boat Kneps Tune and sail into the sunset, I was recalled to serve for about 6 months as president of The Colorado Institute of Art. That was an enjoyable assignment, partly because of the location and partly because I felt like they were serving at MY pleasure !

Then I began my more permanent retirement with May to October summers at my Canadian home and winters in Gambier at our beloved Kenyon. I also did some academic/curriculum evaluation consulting for the Ford Motor Company education division. From then until the present, I have spent summer seasons in Canada and the winters in Gambier. At Kenyon I have been actively involved as an officer and director of The Philander Chase Corporation and as Coach and Advisor to the Kenyon Squash Club.

So, that’s my pretty accurate, not excessively exaggerated story for now.

John Knepper with the Kenyon Squash Team, which he coached to the 2010 CSA Chaffee Cup Championship.