Mission Statement:
The Office of Intercultural Engagement & Leadership provides a comprehensive support sturcture for students of color and first generation college students from the First Year Student experience until graduation. The mission of the department is to help students thrive academically and personally at Grinnell College, a rigourous liberal arts institution. The primary goal is to help every student walk proudly across the stage to receive a Grinnell College diploma.
Intercultural Engagement: Provides a full year of student mentorship activities, workshops, diversity education and symposia on topics such as student success, equity, diversity and inclusive excellence. The First Year Student Success initiative is designed to streamline the student transformation period and develop a well balanced college program. The department collaborates with faculty, students, alumni and the community to provide a very strong sense of belonging and commitment to this global undergraduate Grinnell College.
Peer Connections Pre-Orientation Program (PCPOP):
Grinnell invites the incoming students of color and first generation students to participate in a voluntary early arrival program to learn about the distinctive strategies for student success in a thriving residential college community. The trained upper-classs Peer Mentors work with a select group of incoming first year students to place them on a successful trajectory to navigate Grinnell College transformations more successfully.
The Academic Resource Center (ARC) colleagues serves an essential part of student success at Grinnell College. The writing, math, science and reading labs each significantly impact student success in the classwork and improve overall performance of the student body. The time management workshops provide critical analysis training to expand student growth in the classroom and beyond.
Mentorship: Students are matched both with a Peer Mentor, faculty or staff mentor and a Peer Mentor to help students transition to the residential college community. The first year students become actively acquainted with various sectors of the campus community through the Peer Mentor program. The program was design to foster a healthy balance in academic, social and personal student development.
Academic Advising: Intercultural Engagement serves as an intensive role model unit to help students remain on task with course curriculum, overcome academic challenges and student life activities. The objective of the Intercultural program is to maintain active cross collaboration with faculty advisors, Career Development, alumni and resource staff.
Multicultural Leadership Council Advisor (MLC)
The student leadership cabinet members administer excellent campus-wide diversity discussions with faculty and peers to explore various commonalities and difference at the college. The intersectionality of identity, culture, community, expression, ability, gender and race are all vital parts of student success in this global college community.
