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

Members of North High / By Degrees students that were "Team Frostbyte", which won the national 2024 NASA App Development Challenge.
Alumni News

Opening a Path to Grinnell

Emily Westergaard ’02 and By Degrees are helping Des Moines students see college — and Grinnell — as a possibility.
Professor Jon Andelson speaks at an event in the Amana Colonies
Campus & Community

Professor Jon Andelson Receives 2026 Distinguished Scholar Award from Communal Studies Association

Jon Andelson ’70, professor of anthropology, has been recognized by the Communal Studies Association (CSA) with the 2026 Distinguished Scholar Award.
drone shot of gates in the fall
Campus & Community

Grinnell’s Strengths Earn National Recognition

Curiosity takes many forms at Grinnell College — in the questions students pursue, the ideas they explore with faculty and classmates, and the paths they create for themselves. That distinctive approach to learning continues to earn national recognition.
  • 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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