Four students dance on Mac Field

Knowledge into Action: A Strategic Plan for Grinnell College, 2023-2030

Knowledge into Action

"We are, like to a democracy, simultaneously inhabitants and stewards of this College: as we live and work here, we shape the shared experiences and thus the future of Grinnell College and the society it shapes."

President Anne F. Harris,
Inaugural address, May 7, 2022

Grinnell College’s strategic plan, approved by the Board of Trustees in fall 2023, was the culmination of inquiry by and input from Grinnellians: students, staff, faculty, alumni, and trustees. In creating “Knowledge into Action,” the College’s core values: academic excellence, a diverse community, and social responsibility frame what we do and how we do it in the context of Civic Trust. This is the “Why?” that powers Grinnell and its mission.

Strategic plan initiatives are fueling Grinnell’s success, inspiring philanthropy, supporting excellence and new academic options, enhancing the student experience and safeguarding inclusion, preparing graduates for rewarding careers, enabling hands-on learning, and doing all of this in ways that value and promote civic engagement and innovation.

See it in Action

Strategic Plan News

Grinnell College President Anne F. Harris appears in a group photo of university presidents attending an annual dinner hosted by Bucknell University.
Campus & Community

3 Takeaways From a Dinner With Presidents (Media Mentions)

President Harris was quoted in an article titled "3 Takeaways From a Dinner With Presidents" published by insidehighered.com on September 14, 2026.
MtC Banner: Gates Hall and ground
Campus & Community

Why college presidents are now rethinking shared governance (Media Mentions)

President Harris was quoted in an article titled "Why presidents now want to redesign shared governance" published by universitybusiness.com on September 15, 2026.
Student Millie Leonard stands in a small creek, holding a large, clear bottle containing a water sample.
Academic Excellence

Summer Research Where Land Meets Water

During her summer Mentored Advanced Project (MAP), biology major Millie Leonard ’27 sampled and compared microbial life and antibiotic resistance in soils neighboring streams at two local sites.
  • Noah Biniam

    Noah’s Story

    Meet Noah Biniam ’26 — an anthropology major and filmmaker whose Grinnell experience has taken him from Ecuador and Japan to London, Prague, and Atlanta. Every step of his journey was made possible by donor support and collaboration among multiple campus partners.

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