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According to Professor Hossein Hakimzadeh, chair of the computer science department at IU South Bend, two people have played a central role in the creation and development of the department: Professor John P. Russo and Professor William J. Knight.
Professor Knight retired in 2006 after nearly 20 years of teaching, and the department honored him with this named scholarship. Professor Knight was "one of our best and brightest faculty members,” Hakimzadeh said. “He is a dedicated professional, a wonderful mentor, and has a natural ability to demystify complex subject matter.”
“I'm not surprised that Hossein proposed this scholarship fund," Knight said. "I'm happy to lend my name to any initiative that has the potential of helping our majors. The majority of them have to support their academic lives with unrelated jobs, and they barely get by financially. Sometimes they avoid buying texts that they ought to have,” Knight added.
Knight came to South Bend, Indiana, as an adjunct instructor in 1977. He taught mathematics at the University of Notre Dame and IU South Bend. He earned a computer science degree from the University of Illinois in 1986 and found a new niche in life. “It was the right place for me. I was meant to teach. I was very lucky,” Knight said.
Professor Knight played a critical role in developing the department at IU South Bend, serving as associate chair and working on major initiatives. During his tenure, the department grew from five to 10 faculty members, and it currently enrolls approximately 250 students. “The scholarship is a nice way to continue this work,” reflected Knight.
Since its inception, this endowed scholarship has been awarded nearly 20 times, and it will continue to serve the student population of IU South Bend with the help and support of generous donors like you. Thank you!
Your giving matters
The classes I took with Dr. Knight were the among the most rigorous and valuable experiences of my life. The scholarship I received was very helpful during a stressful time. Make no mistake: earning that scholarship is an honor I will carry through the rest of my days.
William J. Keeler BS'09
Important Disclosures
Please note, the name and purpose of the fund displayed on this page constitute the authorized description of the fund by the Indiana University Foundation, Inc. Your gift supports the fund as described herein.
This account is an endowment. Your gifts to this fund will be invested in perpetuity to provide annual income to support the purpose of the account. Per Indiana University Foundation, Inc. policy, endowment accounts which do not ultimately become fully funded at the required minimum through pledges/gifts will be converted to an expendable account supporting the same purpose as the original endowed fund.