After her family moved to the Bronx, New York, she attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, featured in the 1980 Academy Award winning movie Fame and the 1982 TV series, majoring in vocal performance.
[5] In 1997, Knight became the youngest faculty member to receive the University of the Pacific's distinguished Eberhardt Teacher/Scholar Award for exemplary teaching and scholarship.
[12] After taking over at Pacific Union College, Knight has been noted for her wide experience at both Christian and secular schools and her ability to build consensus between various constituent parties.
[12] In December 2010, Knight received an award from the local Chamber of Commerce recognizing her attentiveness to and willingness to work with the community.
In the second all-school colloquy of the 2009–2010 school year at Pacific Union College, Knight spoke on "Integrating Faith and Learning: A Higher Education Imperative" and her Adventist Advantage platform.
[14] She reported that institutions of higher learning are taking a fresh look at religion and spirituality and argued that it provides Adventist Education "with multiple opportunities to showcase what we have been doing so very well for so many years.
[15] Pacific Union College's dining commons and campus center, a major hub of student life, had not been updated in 30 years.
"[15] In late 2010, a biology professor at Pacific Union College was falsely accused of promoting theistic evolution, contrary to official church belief.
As president, Knight was quoted in a statement affirming Pacific Union College's commitment to church beliefs while emphasizing the school's dedication "to understanding contemporary issues surrounding science that sometimes conflict with specific theology.