Opportunities come from those who care
"What does Grinnell mean to you? Grinnell provided both knowledge and credentials for the rest of our lives. In some ways, it may be easier to gauge the effects of Grinnell by picturing our life without it. If I hadn't attended any college, my life would probably have been profoundly different. If nothing else, the Vietnam War probably would have gotten me drafted and likely there. It is hard to imagine what my trade would have been. My father and mother had graduate degrees. And, I was steeped in the life of the mind, without being fully aware of it.
"Grinnell took me on the track I was predisposed to take. In addition, it was a good small liberal arts college, not in Texas. I grew up in Dallas. Most of my friends were going to large Texas universities. I probably would have survived in those places, but whether I would have thrived is another question. Did I thrive at Grinnell? At times, I was scared. It was hard. But, my hall mates and professors sort of knew me my freshman year. With more time and smaller classes, more people knew me, and I did better. To some extent, that would have happened at a large university, but not as quickly, nor to the same degree. It may be that an opportunity received late has a different outcome.
"Grinnell helped me become who I could be, less by blocking paths than opening them. How was it for you? I hope Grinnell had a positive effect on your life, as well. It is an interesting exercise to tease it out. My youngest brother attended, as did my daughter and son. I now have a nephew with prospects. It is important that the quality I recognized as a student at Grinnell be there for them and others."
David regularly invokes his classmates to think deeply about Grinnell. His long-standing volunteer work as a class fund director has made him and his class one of the top classes for participation of all time.
More importantly, Grinnell is part of not only his life, but that of his family.
In spring of 1992 Diane May Roberts graduated as witnessed by her father David ’65 and David’s brother Roger May ’68.
The legacy of Grinnell is strong in the May family as seen at graduation in 1992: Steven May ’94, Diane May Roberts ’92, David May ’65, Ann’s father William Bacon, and Ann Bacon May ’64.
