From President Anne Harris | |
|
Dear Parents and Families,
Greetings from the Middle of Everywhere!
Grinnellians are everywhere! Last month, I had the joy of spending time with the current cohort of students participating in Grinnell in London, and Grinnell alumni who live in that marvelous city." Their curiosity and enthusiasm are boundless, and they are already deeply immersed in learning from Mark Laver and Carolyn Lewis. Opening doors to international study doesn’t stop with London. I am proud to tell you that Grinnell has been recognized as a top producer of Fulbright U.S. students for the 14th time, with our graduates working and studying in Poland, Columbia, Taiwan, and Germany.
The College’s reach is truly global, and no matter where your student’s journey takes them, there are Grinnellians who will be excited to connect with them. If your student has an interest in off-campus study, I urge them to reach out to the Office of Off-Campus Study, part of the Institute for Global Engagement. There, they can find information on programs and financial aid as well as information for families.
On campus, we continue to focus on support and community related to the impact of the Israel-Hamas war. I am grateful for the leadership of Marc Reed, JC Lopez, and a diverse group of faculty and staff who have worked to offer robust programming this semester, focused on sharing and exploring this and other related topics. Over the most recent weekend, Grinnell was fortunate to host small group discussions and gatherings with noted scholar and conflict resolution practitioner, Professor Johanna Solomon. Students, faculty, and staff benefitted from her extensive experience working with the Olive Tree Initiative, NewGround: Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change, The Department of Justice Community Relations Service, and the National Conflict Resolution Center. Similarly-themed events will continue throughout the spring semester including film screenings, a book discussion with Israeli-American author Moriel Rothman-Zecher, workshops on how to have difficult conversations and a virtual event with the Parents Circle, a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization made up of more than 600 Israeli and Palestinian families.
The spring semester also brings many of the activities and traditions that are distinctly Grinnellian. Events and experiences are at the ready to connect with your student’s interests and passions. As our days lengthen and the sunshine warms Grinnell, I am grateful for your vibrant students and for your vital presence in the Grinnell College community.
Warmly,
Anne
Anne F. Harris
President
| |
Meet President Harris
Grinnell College will host "Connecting Grinnellians for the Common Good: an evening with President Anne F. Harris" in select cities. These events include a casual evening of appetizers, beverages, and conversations about the vision for Grinnell’s future. Families of Grinnellians are welcome! Learn more about dates and cities by visiting the Grinnell College Alumni website.
| |
|
Grinnell's collaborative environment a tremendous fit for Seehorn family
For John and Melissa Seehorn, a year of their daughter not attending Grinnell was how they began developing an admiration for the College.
John recalls that Ellie Seehorn ’25 received her admission letter in mid-March 2020 on one of the “last normal days for a good while.” It arrived just a few weeks after he and his daughter had visited campus, and Ellie had come away “pretty awestruck” despite the temperature being zero (negative 27 degrees with wind chill). Ellie took advantage of the College’s COVID gap year option and spent 2020-21 working on a voter registration drive and with a local Congressperson, and with a nonprofit organization Project Transformation Tennessee.
“The opportunity to take a gap year was a really positive experience for Ellie,” Melissa says. “When we’ve compared notes with our friends, Grinnell stood out for how forthcoming they were about their approach to the pandemic.” The Seehorns view the flexibility that the College offered the incoming class as emblematic of the institution.
Read More about the Seehorns
| | |
|
|
As a testament to her steadfast commitment to civic engagement, the College is honored to share the news of a $5 million gift, in part for the Katherine “Kathie” Howell Weingart ’61 Civic Innovation Pavilion at Renfrow Hall, made possible by Weingart and her brother, Steve Howell ’63.
Read More
| | |
Come Together to Support Grinnellians April 10-11
Every story starts with a place where people teach, learn, and discover with classmates from across the country and around the world. With world-class faculty in the classroom, lab and field, Grinnell students find opportunities in all kinds of places so they’re ready to go forth and change the world for the better.
For Scarlet & Give Back Day this year, an anonymous donor is offering a dollar-for-dollar match on every gift to Grinnell College, up to $500,000. When you direct your gift to the fund or program that is meaningful to you, this donor will direct an equal amount to the fund or program they find meaningful at the College.
Plus, members of the Parents and Families Leadership Council will give $100 to the College in recognition of each of the first 500 gifts from parents of current students and alumni. Your gift can help the College receive up to an additional $50,000 to benefit students.
On Scarlet and Give Back Day, every gift means the baton is passed to the next generation of Grinnellians, those who care, strive, work for good and innovate for the future. Those who are becoming active, thoughtful citizens, and go forth with impact.
The world needs more Grinnellians, and Grinnellians need you this Scarlet & Give Back Day.
Watch your email for more details or make a gift any time!
| |
Timely News from Careers, Life, and Service | |
|
CLS Summer Internship Funding
Each spring, the Center for Careers, Life, and Service (CLS) awards internship funding grants to support student participation in unpaid or low-paid summer internships. These grants are designed to help offset the cost of food, transportation, housing, and related incidentals. Internship funding grants are competitive and awards are not guaranteed.
The summer 2024 application portal opened on February 1, 2024. Students can find additional information, including funding application deadlines, criteria, guidelines, funding award amounts, and requirements, on the Application Process and FAQ pages.
91 Days to Graduation: Career Advising & Resources Available
Has your graduating student been to the CLS recently? Students can connect with a range of resources and services, including industry-specific advising, graduate school application review, help with networking, and clarifying their interests while exploring their options. Students can schedule an appointment on Handshake or explore our website at career.grinnell.edu.
Graduating students might be particularly interested in the CLS Professional Attire and Senior Interview Grants, the four private interview rooms available for virtual or phone interviews, and the Career Clothing Closet to put their best professional foot forward.
| |
Grinnell College Museum of Art - New Exhibits
Jan. 25 - Mar. 31, 2024 William Villalongo: Myths and Migrations
Over the past 20 years, William Villalongo has expressed in his work the absurdity, beauty, and vulnerability of black presence against the backdrop of race. The works become portals or navigational devices for thinking about the mystery within human experience through the poetics of history, myth, and satire. This exhibition will present more than fifty paintings, collages, and signature velour paper cut-outs by Villalongo, who was a 2021 recipient of the Rome Prize in the visual arts, awarded by the American Academy in Rome.
Jan. 25 - May 20, 2024 not one without water
This exhibition, featuring works drawn from the Grinnell College Museum of Art’s permanent collection, takes its title from W.H. Auden’s poem, “First Things First,” in which water, fittingly, is the last word. Water’s paradoxical nature — life-sustaining and life-threatening, powerful and fragile, abundant and scarce, endangering and endangered — makes it a rich backdrop (if not the primary subject) for artists applying their own creative forces to one of life’s most essential and inscrutable elements.
The Grinnell College Museum of Art is free and open to all. Learn more.
| | | |
News You Can Use
Education Credit/IRS Form 1098-T
On behalf of Grinnell College, ECSI provides the ability to easily access your 1098-T form online. Paper copies were mailed prior to Jan. 31, 2024. Questions regarding eligibility for education credits should be directed to a tax professional. Questions? Email the Office of Student Accounts.
It’s Time to Reapply for Need-Based Financial Aid for 2024–25
The deadline for domestic (U.S. citizen and eligible noncitizen) students who would like to apply for need-based financial aid for the 2024–25 academic year is April 1, 2024. Find detailed instructions on the website, and have your student check the online financial aid office (student login required) for their specific requirements.
International students who receive financial aid and domestic students who receive only merit scholarships, but not need-based financial aid, do not need to take any action to reapply for the 2024–25 academic year. Email the Office of Financial Aid if you have questions.
Supporting Your Student’s Academic Success
The Academic Advising Office supplements your student’s faculty adviser by supporting a wide range of academic needs and learning development. From time management to project planning and study strategies, Grinnell’s team of learning specialists can help. Your student can access helpful guides on Academic Advising’s GrinnellShare site or make an appointment for one-on-one academic coaching, getting connected with academic resources, and more.
New Self-Service Photo Booth Available for Professional Headshots
We are excited to share the latest addition to our campus resources – the Iris Photo Booth. A joint venture of the Center for Careers, Life, and Service (CLS) and the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM), this self-service Photo Booth is an easy way for students to update their professional headshot, which can then be used on LinkedIn and other professional profiles. Located in John Chrystal Center (JCC), students can check at the 2nd-floor CLS information desk to be directed to the booth and have any questions answered.
Residence Life Key Dates March 1st: Summer Housing Application Opens
March 15th: Housing Priority Application Closes
April 3rd: Housing Timeslots Assigned for Priority Room Selection and viewable on the housing portal
April 8th: Priority Room Selection for 4th years and rising 4th years
April 9th: Priority Room Selection for rising 3rd years
April 10th: Priority Room Selection for rising 2nd years
April 11th: Nonpriority Room Selection
April 12th: Room Selection Closes
April 29th: Summer Housing Application Closes
May 18th: Halls close @ 5 PM
May 21st: Halls close @ noon for graduating seniors
Upcoming Public Events
From Jazz to Jiu-Jitsu, noted authors to open mic, you can find upcoming public events on the Campus Calendar.
Planning ahead? Check out Writers@Grinnell for upcoming events with writers of all kinds.
| |
Campus Dining Updates
Send a Cake for a Special Occasion! Dining Services offers special occasion cakes for sale on the GET app. Send your student a cake today! Cakes can be picked up from 7:00am to 7:00pm at the cashier stand in the Marketplace.
New vending machines on campus, including two SMART coolers holding fresh made and microwavable meals located in the Bear Center and the Humanities and Social Studies Center.
Spring Break to-go meals: there will be early breakfast meals on Saturday, March 16th available for pick-up for students that must catch a bus or flight before the Marketplace opens at 8:30am. Students will need to sign up for these meals and plan to pick-up prior to that Saturday.
Summer Meal Plan: Dining Services is open to serve students this summer! Remind your student to watch for summer meal plans email.
Comments or feedback? Email Dining Services.
| | | |
|
|
Commencement Caps and Gowns
The Pioneer Bookshop will start selling the caps and gowns for 2024 Commencement on May 1, 2024. The full set includes a cap, gown, tassel, and red satin stole. Individual items can be purchased separately. Advance orders are not needed. The Pioneer Bookshop will stock an assortment of sizes by height. Class t-shirts and bouquets of flowers will be available to pre-order at a future date. Watch for announcements and visit the Pioneer Bookshop online store any time!
| | | | | | |
