The Knox Student

This year’s class speaker, Maurice McDavid, has been speaking publicly since age 12, when he began preaching at his church. Now, a decade later, McDavid, an education major at Knox, is a licensed preacher through the First Pentacostal Church and is ready to speak alongside White House Director for Public Engagement Tina Tchen.


“I am really excited to be able to share my experience and the experience of the class of 2010,” said McDavid. “I hope [the seniors] selected me for my speaking ability and the content of my speech, not my devilish good-looks.”

Indeed, McDavid is a well-loved face around campus. He has been a four-year member of the football team, a founding member of the Gentlemen of Quality fraternity colony and served as the colony’s president, worked with the Office of Admissions and has been involved with Knox organizations including Intervarsity Christian Fellowship as well as Allied Blacks for Liberty and Equality (ABLE).

In his speech, McDavid hopes to inspire members of the class of 2010 to make a positive difference in the world. 


“I want to encourage everyone to be a hero to somebody,” said McDavid. He is confident in our class’ ability to succeed in making this difference because we have already done so much throughout our college years. 


While McDavid immersed himself in several different experiences and activities while at Knox, the experience that made the biggest impact upon him was studying abroad in Barcelona. He was able to connect with the church there where he identified with a few members of the ministry who were originally from Illinois. 
The most memorable part about the trip, however, was spending his birthday (also Saint Valentine’s Day) in Paris with his wife, senior Samantha McDavid. 


“I don’t know what more I could ask for,” said McDavid.


While he looks fondly on his past at Knox, McDavid is also looking forward to the future. He has spent time in grade school classrooms while at Knox and will be finishing his student teaching in the fall of 2010. 


“I know this is what I want to do. I know I want to teach. Knox has prepared me to do so in a way that is outside the box,” said McDavid. “Kids are awesome because they are unaffected by negativity, pessimism and society. They have so much potential.” 


At the same time, McDavid plans on staying active in his pastoral studies. 
“My life will be a good mix of them both,” said McDavid. 


For the moment, however, like most seniors, McDavid is focused on finishing his schoolwork and preparing for the ceremony. And of course, he is preparing his much-anticipated words of wisdom for his graduating colleagues.