Meet Our Admission Interns

The best way to understand a campus is to see the students who are living there. Our student interns are just a sample of the Grinnell population — take a look at what experiences they have had so far during their Grinnell careers.

Have a question for one of our senior interviewers or multicultural interns? Submit your question!

Avery Barnett ’21

Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica

Majors/Concentrations: Physics major with concentrations in technology studies and environmental studies

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: African and Caribbean Student’s Union, Black Students in STEM, Office of Intercultural Affairs curriculum intern, physics mentor, harp ensemble, steel pan ensemble, baking, embroidery

Research: Emera Caribbean in Barbados and at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) through the Princeton Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System (CIMES) program

Off-Campus Study: Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, spring 2020

Why I love Grinnell: I love Grinnell because of the many opportunities that I am afforded and being able to explore different areas. I enjoy going to conferences and exploring and Grinnell creates avenues to assist me in learning new things and interacting with different people. Moreover, I enjoy the diversity of the music program and it has been amazing that I can play the steel pans and learn the harp.
Seth Bartusek ’21

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Major/Concentration: Biology major with a concentration in environmental studies

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Baseball, work study (student photographer, Office of Admission work, athletics center worker), KDIC (radio station), Farm House resident, hobbies: music, reading, photography, sustainability

Research: Several course-embedded projects, OCS, summer research internship with East Carolina University Coastal Ecology Lab

Off-Campus Study: New Zealand (Dunedin, University of Otago), fall 2019

My Favorite thing about Grinnell: I love the sunsets in Iowa, you get beautiful evening glows all year long and makes for the best way to end the day. Similarly, being from a big city, I love the sense of emptiness and space in Iowa, you can always find the space you need out here. This state is full of hidden gems that need finding.
Martha Beliveau ’21

Hometown: Norman, Oklahoma

Majors/Concentrations: History major with a concentration in peace and conflict studies

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Crisis Intervention Services Emergency Housing intern; writing mentor; Grinnell Oral History transcriber; Marketplace Dining Hall worker; tour guide; community adviser; sociology department research assistant; opinions writer for the Scarlet & Black newspaper

Research: Public Secrets and Private Pasts: Comparing the Heroinat Memorial and the 2020 Newborn Theme from the Perspective of NGOs in Pristina, Kosovo, spring 2020; The Oppositional Presence: Blackness and Whiteness in the Popular Press During the Austin Murders of the Nineteenth Century, fall 2019

Off-Campus Study: Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo, spring 2020; Global Learning Program in Costa Rica, Cuba, and Denmark, spring 2018

Why I love Grinnell: Grinnell at its best prepares its students to be social justice advocates and change-makers in any path their life takes. And because of the diverse and outspoken student body at Grinnell, students hold each other accountable to question their own assumptions with kindness and patience.
Elizabeth Collinger ’21

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Majors/Concentrations: Sociology and Spanish double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Grinnell Singers, synchro team, Con Brio, sociology Student Educational Policy Committee (SEPC) member, liaison between the students and faculty of the sociology department

Research: I did a research project in my sociology methods course, where I got to analyze the historical construction of divorced women and our continued societal implications surrounding women and marriage. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to talk to women about their experiences!

Off-Campus Study: Quito, Ecuador, fall 2019

Why I love Grinnell: Grinnell is a place that has challenged me both academically and personally. More than anything, I love the supportive community of friends and faculty that allow me to not just survive in college, but thrive. It is because of this community, that it’s so hard to say goodbye each academic year.
Ahon Gooptu ’21

Hometown: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Majors/Concentrations: Theatre and dance and English double major with a concentration in technology studies

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Theatre productions and independent student-run theatre, Grinnell Singers, Con Brio, Vivero research fellow, International Student Organization (2018-19 cabinet member), member of English and theatre and dance Student Educational Policy Committees (SEPC) since 2018

Research: Mapping Absence in Shakespeare (pedagogical research in digital humanities); scenic and projections design for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Farmers Alley Theatre in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Pacifism in Queer Cinema (film-based research in global queer media)

Off-Campus Study: National Theater Institute in Waterford, Connecticut, fall 2019

Why I love Grinnell: The sunsets! Sunny or gloomy, golden hour never disappoints.
Evan Hurst ’21

Hometown/State/Country: Carbondale, Illinois / Lexington, Kentucky

Majors/Concentrations: Gender, women’s and sexuality studies (GWSS) major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Sexual Health Information Center peer educator, College Curriculum Committee, GWS-395 course assistant, 2019 Multicultural Reunion Oral History assistant, Phonathon student caller, GWSS student committee, Spanish student committee, Spanish House resident, Stonewall Resource Center (SRC) volunteer, Drag Show volunteer and emcee, summer 2019 Grinnellink intern (Northwest Film Forum, Seattle, Washington)

Research: LGBT Oral Histories of Central Iowa project; “Fat Studies” mentored advanced project

Why I love Grinnell: My absolute favorite thing about Grinnell is the student body. Grinnell students make this campus their own, and being surrounded by an immensely supportive community has influenced so much of my personal growth and provided me with more perspectives to learn from than I could’ve ever imagined.
Ryuta Kure ’21

Hometown: Fukuoka, Japan

Majors/Concentrations: Computer science and economics double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Editor for Scarlet & Black, Student Government Association senator/Green Fund, Grinnell College Museum of Art student guide, international pre-orientation program (IPOP) mentor

Research: Data-Driven Games mentored advanced project (MAP), summer 2019 and 2020

Off-Campus Study: Budapest, Hungary, spring 2020

Why I love Grinnell: I really love how tightly knit the Grinnell community is. Through my years here, I really felt that a lot of the professors, staffs, and alums really care about the growth and development of the students. For me, Grinnell feels like another home.
Nicole Méndez Subieta ’21

Hometown: Cochabamba, Bolivia

Majors/Concentrations: Sociology and economics double major

Extracurriculars/Work Study: Grinnell Student Advocates, Big Brothers/Sisters mentor, research assistant for a professor in the sociology department

Research: I spent the summer of my third year researching Mexican and Bolivian contemporary populist politics, more specifically the conditions that allow a leftist leader into/out of power.

Off-Campus Study: “Tolerance and Intolerance” Global Learning Program in France and Germany, spring 2019; semester abroad in Lisbon, Portugal, spring 2020

Why I love Grinnell: I love that at Grinnell I always find something to admire from most of the people I meet. The passion Grinnellians tend to have towards their projects, be them academic or personal, the commitment, and genuine interest, make of this learning space one that always encourages me to be better.
Gilberto Perez ’21

Hometown: Hanover Park, Illinois

Majors/Concentrations: Sociology and Spanish double major with a concentration in Latin American studies

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Men’s varsity soccer, alternative break, Student Organization of Latinxs (SOL), Peer Connections Pre-Orientation Program (PCPOP), Crecemos Unidos, athletic center worker, Office of Admission multicultural recruitment intern, All Campus Events student safety, Revolutions Tailor intern

Research: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, MAP: Midwestern Quinceañeras

Why I love Grinnell: There are countless opportunities to explore that combine my different interests, all of which have been fun and challenging, while also helping with my personal development. I am always astounded by the beauty of our campus. The size of campus also leads to constantly being able to see new and familiar faces!
Cinthia Romo ’21

Hometown/State/Country: Lenexa, Kansas

Majors/Concentrations: Sociology and French double major

Extra-curriculars/Work-Study: Student Organization of Latinx co-leader, peer advocate for sexual assault, PCPOP mentor, SGA senator, Student Life Committee member, Restorative Practices Committee member; Liberal Arts in Prison program coordinator; alternative break leader; Questbridge Special Events coordinator; Grinnell High School Speech Team assistant coach; Davis Lunchtime Lang Learners teacher; Empatia Ahora founder (immigration work at the border); Mellon Mays fellow

Research (MAPs, seminars) — Directed Research: Representations of Refugees in French Media from 2015-2020; How they Maintain the Refugee-Migrant Binary. Mellon Mays Research; Storytelling in a Liminal Space; How Migrants Experience Intersectional Violence at the Southern Border

Off-Campus Study: “Tolerance & Intolerance: What does Enlightenment Mean Today?” Global Learning Program, France and Germany, summer 2019. Off campus research/internship: Mellon Mays research and paralegal with Lawyers for Good Government, Texas and Tamaulipas, Mexico, spring & summer 2020

Why I love Grinnell: Grinnell has fulfilled my wildest dreams. It has allowed me to explore everything I’ve ever wanted to and more with its generous support from professors and generous funding for internships, travel, and research.
Conner Stanfield ’21

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Majors/Concentrations: Sociology and theatre and dance double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Sociology SEPC, theatre and dance SEPC, Grinnell Singers, Con Brio, Student Health and Wellness peer educator, Stonewall Resource Center, costume shop

Research: Drag Will Never Be Mainstream - Commercialization and Commodification in the London Drag Scene, blur

Off-Campus Study: MAP in Taipei, summer 2019; Grinnell-in-London, fall 2019

Why I love Grinnell: The night sky is so clear in Grinnell that on a clear night you can see the Milky Way. I love going to the soccer field or the golf course and stargazing with friends, especially during something like a meteor shower.
Andrew Tucker ’21

Hometown: Wellesley, Massachusetts

Majors/Concentrations: Biology and economics double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Head lifeguard and lifeguarding instructor, athletic events supervisor, Title IX Advisory Committee, student athletic training assistant, The Scarlet & Black, Block Party chair, Students Athletes Leading Social Change

Research: The effectiveness of different classes of nitric oxide inhibitors on preventing the progression of oxidative stress on neurological activity (Grinnell College)

Off-Campus Study: Global Learning Program in Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, spring 2018

Why I love Grinnell: I love the people. Being part of a community where anyone can sit down and have a thoughtful discussion about current events, systemic issues, etc. regardless of whether personal beliefs may differ is something that sets Grinnell apart.
Olivia Woolam ’21

Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Majors/Concentrations: Studio art and English double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Women's basketball team, athletics broadcasting and social media management, welcome desk manager at the athletic center, co-chair of Student Athletics Leading Social Change (SALSC), Grinnell Relays co-chair

Research: I wrote a feature-length movie script in a seminar English class!

Why I love Grinnell: I love how fierce Grinnellians are and always have been throughout my time on campus. We are a resilient student body and are proud of who we are — I have always admired that about my peers.

Chaz Del Mar ’22

Hometown: Harvest, Alabama

Majors/Concentrations: Philosophy major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Football team, Office of Intercultural Affairs MCEE intern (Men of Color Empowered and Engaged), Harris Center staff

Why I love Grinnell: I love that Grinnell supports self-Gov and gives a voice to students to create change on campus.
Nina Kouchi ’22

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Majors/Concentrations: Computer science major with a concentration in technology studies

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Member of the women’s golf team, member of the Athletics Student Educational Policy Committee (SEPC)

Research: A Mathematics of Images: Constructionism, Creativity, and Computation MAP at Grinnell College

Why I love Grinnell: I love the sense of community at Grinnell. Everyone is incredibly supportive and I feel like I can ask anyone for help and learn from everyone around me.
Erica Satchell ’21

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Majors/Concentrations: General science major with a concentration in technology studies

Extracurriculars/Work Study: Big Brother Big Sister, Concerned Black Students, Food Recovery Network, Minority Association of Pre-medical Students (MAPS)

Off-Campus Study: Granada, Spain, spring 2020

Why I love Grinnell: I love the resources Grinnell provides for students.

Puravi Nath ’21

Hometown: Kolkata and Bangalore, India

Major(s)/Concentration(s): Psychology

Extracurriculars: President of International Student Organization (ISO), international student pre-orientation program (IPOP) mentor

Research: How to promote and encourage COVID-19 preventive behaviours using behavioural technique of nudging, spring 2020

Why I love Grinnell: I think Grinnell really allows you to explore beyond what you ever thought you cared about or were interested in. There is a whole community- and more!- around learning just about anything.

Get in contact with Puravi.

Sara Castro ’21

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Majors/Concentrations: History major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Community organizing, Student Organization of Latinx (SOL), Peer Connections Pre-Orientation Program (PCPOP)

Research: Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, mentored advanced project (MAP) in History

Off-Campus Study: IES Amsterdam - Humanities and Social Sciences, spring 2020; Grinnell course-embedded travel: London and Athens, spring 2019

Why I love Grinnell: The Grinnell community of students, faculty, and staff, have pushed me to grow in ways I didn’t know were possible when I entered college and have been so supportive along the way!
Wagih Henawi ’22

Hometown: Laughlin, Nevada

Majors/Concentrations: Computer science and economics double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Track and field team

Research: Did research on the effects of religion on political actions, agendas, and voting trends in a political science course, the effects of aid through microloans to developing countries in an economics course, and the factors that contribute to a person’s salary (ie. age, race, gender, education level) in a computer science course.

Off-Campus Study: Planned: Aquincum Institute of Technology in Budapest, Hungary, spring 2021

Why I love Grinnell: Grinnell has given me so many opportunities that I never imagined I would be able to pursue. The accessibility of resources provided to the students makes me truly believe that Grinnell really cares for it’s students’ success.
Rachel J. Hinkley ’21

Hometown: Bainbridge, New York

Majors/Concentrations: Independent major in higher education

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: 2021 class ambassador, Grinnell Singers, Education Professions Career Community, Phonathon, and biking

Research: Fall 2020 Thesis — College Match Factors Among Rural High School Students & Responsive Institutional Policy Change

Off-Campus Study: The Hague, The Netherlands, fall 2019
Sophie Jackson ’22

Hometown: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Majors/Concentrations: Independent major in international relations

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Grinnell Advocates, intern at Crisis Intervention Services, Rosenfield Program student assistant and committee member, peace and conflict studies committee member, co-coordinator for S.A.V.E (student group that volunteers at the local animal shelter)

Research: Mentored advanced project (MAP) on pacifism in the early modern period

Off-Campus Study: Moscow, spring 2021

Why I love Grinnell: I love being able to connect with students who are kind, passionate and diverse. Conversations happen everywhere and anywhere.
Claire Pollard ’22

Hometown: Champaign, Illinois

Majors/Concentrations: Political science and religious studies double major with a concentration in policy studies

Extracurriculars/Work Study: Intern with the City of Marshalltown, religious studies SEPC member, SGA, KDIC radio show host, animal shelter volunteer coordinator, Campus Dems

Research: Last semester I completed a research project on “The Bachelor,” where I used Twitter data to find out how the show impacts young women’s perceptions of dating and romance.

Off-Campus Study: Washington, D.C. and Moscow, spring 2021

Why I love Grinnell: I love how passionate everybody is. There are so many unique people on campus and they all have this incredible drive behind them! It’s the perfect environment to learn and develop in.
Heather Suh ’21

Hometown: West Chester, Pennsylvania

Majors/Concentrations: Sociology major on pre-med / public health track

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Grinnell Symphony Orchestra, sociology SEPC, volunteer at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital

Research: At the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California

Why I love Grinnell: I love Grinnell for the people and the community on and off campus. Grinnellians are driven, passionate, and supportive individuals, whether they are current students or alumni. I like that I carry this piece of community with me, and that it sparks a connection wherever I go.
Will Telingator ’21

Hometown: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Majors/Concentrations: Sociology and Spanish double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Grinnell, Grinnell College Preschool Laboratory, Spanish SEPC

Off-Campus Study: Quito, Ecuador, fall 2019

Why I love Grinnell: I love how the faculty, staff, and students at Grinnell work together to create an environment of intellectual and personal curiosity, where people seem to genuinely want to learn more about themselves and the world around them.
Merel Timmermans ’22

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Majors/Concentrations: Political science and Spanish double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: Cross country, track and field, Grinnell Symphony Orchestra, Queer Athletes and Allies (QAA), spoon carving club, NextGen

Off-Campus Study: Living and studying outside Ogden, Utah during fall 2020

Why I love Grinnell: The stars! It’s a small thing, but every time I see the stars in the middle of Iowa I am as stunned as the first time I saw them.
Malia Wells ’21

Hometown: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

Majors/Concentrations: Biochemistry and anthropology double major

Extracurriculars/Work-Study: QuestBridge scholar, service-learning work study, anthropology SEPC

Research: I conducted research with a partner on the influence of metals on the development of tadpoles during my Introduction to Biological Inquiries course in my first year.

Off-Campus Study: IES Amsterdam: Humanities and Social Sciences Program, spring 2020

Why I love Grinnell: During my time at Grinnell, I have always felt accepted and supported by the community. I have grown as a person and as a student by taking classes that I have never tried, taking chances on new activities and putting myself in leadership roles. I have met some amazing people here who have become my greatest friends and have helped me get closer to my goals.