Brian McKnight

Every morning, Brian McKnight takes a moment to count his “lucky stars.” He’s deeply grateful not only for his role as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor in Triton College’s Adult Education Department but also for overcoming a life-threatening diagnosis of Stage Four Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2014.

“I’ve led a lucky life,” he said. “I’ve had a good support system of family and friends, as well as amazing doctors when I was sick. I’ve been very charmed.”

Growing up just north of Cincinnati, Ohio, in a rural town called Middletown, McKnight earned his bachelor’s degree from Wright State University and later received a master’s degree from DePaul University.

“While visiting a friend in Chicago many years ago, I fell in love with the city,” he said. “I’ve been all around the world, but Chicago makes me the happiest. There’s no place like Chicago.”

McKnight moved home to Ohio in 2010 after being diagnosed with Stage Four Hodgin’s Lymphoma to be near friends and family. After recovering, he returned to the Chicago area in 2014. Unsure about his path in life but passionate about teaching, a friend suggested he try teaching ESL.

“I started teaching ESL in the city, but I stumbled upon the opportunity to teach ESL at Triton online,” he said. “I was intrigued.”

McKnight began teaching Intermediate Conversation and Level 5 ESL at Triton in January 2023. He says he’s constantly inspired by his students’ bravery to leaving their home countries to start new lives in the United States.

He also notes that many of his students work full time and attend school at night, a testament to their amazing work ethic.

“Michelangelo has a great quote about his statue of David,” he said. “Michelangelo said, ‘[David] was already in there. I just chipped away everything that wasn’t David.’ For me, that’s what teaching is like. I want my students to find their own journey. They have the knowledge inside of them.”

Outside of Triton, McKnight is the artistic director of Glass Apple Theatre in Chicago—further showcasing his passion for communication and bringing people together to exchange ideas.

“I’m very lucky to have had such incredible opportunities to teach,” he said. “Sometimes, I thank my students at the end of class for allowing me to spend time with them. I hope they feel as enriched as I do.”