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

CERA Sunset Picture
Academic Excellence

Grinnell College to Launch Environmental Studies Major and Semester at CERA in Fall 2027

Building on decades of environmental education at Grinnell, the College will launch a new major in Environmental Studies (ENV), bringing together perspectives from across the curriculum and responding to strong student interest in the existing Environmental Studies concentration. At the same time, Grinnell will introduce Semester@CERA, an immersive program centered at the College’s 365-acre Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA).
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.
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.
  • 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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