Extraordinary journeys begin in unexpected places.
Read more about the extraordinary places these students experienced through their Grinnell College journeys.
Student Journeys
’25
Now a software engineer at DoorDash, Nam Do is from Hanoi, Vietnam, a city of over 8 million people. He wanted a big change — a small liberal arts college in a rural setting.
’24
Now a chemistry Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan, Mia initially intended to pursue a pre-med path. She stayed open-minded and found something even more interesting to her.
’23
After graduation, MJ worked at NERA Economic consulting and is now a Ph.D. candidate at Rutgers. As a student, she fell in love with Grinnell’s community, engaged with politics, studied abroad in Sweden, and majored in economics!
’22
Now a med student at the University of South Dakota, Catherine came to Grinnell excited about the small classes, the close relationships with faculty, and the powerful student voice. She quickly became involved in the community and with Grinnell Concerts. She has also immersed herself in the environment through ecology courses, and in language and culture through French courses.
’22
After graduation, Claire worked as a paralegal in the U.S. federal government and is now a law student at the University of Michigan. At Grinnell, she worked for the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during election season, secured a remote internship while spending a summer in Grinnell, studied abroad in Denmark, and prepared for a career in law by job-shadowing a Grinnell alum and attorney.
’22
After graduation, Eva worked at Goldman Sachs and CNA Insurance. As a college student, she felt safe, comfortable, and empowered to shape her education. She participated in and mentored the Peer Connections Pre-Orientation Program, built a supportive community, explored Iowa, researched gender-based violence and femicide in Latin America, and more.
’22
Now a law student at UCLA, Merel worked at an NGO in Mexico and joined the cross country team, within her first year at Grinnell. A political science major, Merel caucused in Iowa during the election season, then found ways to maintain Grinnell community during Covid.
’21
Now a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University for science, technology, and environmental policy, Avery experienced Grinnell as a launching pad to explore her interests in physics, policy, and sustainable energy — on campus, at 13 national conferences, and across four continents!
’21
Now an alumnus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Gies College of Business, Gil found Grinnell through QuestBridge, played on the soccer team, had a double major and concentration, and pursued internships, experiential learning, and volunteer opportunities in Chicago and Minneapolis. Next up: a master’s degree in management.