Knox College Athletics

 In the long history of Knox College, few students have combined such board-based success in athletics, scholarship, and extra-curricular activities as Jin Stowell.
   
Jim Stowell was awarded nine varsity letters in football, basketball, and track during his undergraduate days at Knox. He was a member of the Co-Mid-West Conference championship football team in 1956 and was Co-Captain of the football coach at Knox, Al Partin, includes Jim on his list of one of the most outstanding athletes to ever play for him during his coaching career.

During his senior year he played basketball on the first of three consecutive conference-championship teams coached by Frank Adams. A ferocious rebounder and consistent scorer, Jim was one of the only three players to play in all 24 games that season. He also excelled in track and field leading the Siwash track team in total point’s scores during the 1957 season. Before graduating from Knox, he won the Arvid P. Zetterberg, Jr. Award and the Hunter Trophy.

In addition to his many athletic accomplishments, Jim was an officer of K-Club, representative on the President’s Round Table, president of the Honor Board, and was elected to the Student Senate and Inter-Fraternity Council. He was also chosen as a Friar. He somehow found time to be active in Scabbard and Blade and his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi.

From 1958-1960 he served in the United States Army as a Second and First Lieutenant and in 1960 he entered graduate school at the University of Iowa where he received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, Jim was employed by Staley Manufacturing Company in Decatur, Illinois where he helped develop three U.S patents. Since 1978 he has worked for Morton International where he has been instrumental in several new products for the paper industry. He and his wife, Diane, have two children and reside in Crystal Lake, Illinois.