I was looking for a small liberal arts college in the Midwest, hopefully one where I could run cross country. After growing up in Roseville, a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota, I also was interested in immersing myself in a rural community. After visiting Grinnell, I applied Early Decision and was happy to have heard back by mid-December!

First Year

Settling in first-year meant exploring off- and on-campus through lots of fun events, including Ha-pizza-ness dinners at a local farm and the Jingle Bell Holiday winter festival in town.

Cross Country

While I’ve never been the fastest runner on the course, I really enjoyed cross country in high school and hoped I could continue to run in college. I learned that the Beasts (the nickname for the women’s cross country team) were an incredibly inclusive and caring group with a plethora of quirky traditions, and the rest was history.  

My positive team experience led me to look for other ways to build and support student communities on-campus. I served as a student athlete mentor and a community advisor my second and third years. I am now a cross country co-captain, and I co-lead the Student Athlete Mentor (SAM) program. I’ve valued the opportunity to connect students with Grinnell’s many resources and the privilege of being a listening ear for students going through tough times.  

Church Community

When entering college, I knew I was interested in asking questions about religion, I just wasn’t sure if I would do that inside or outside of the classroom. It turns out, I did both! Outside of class, I attend St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, have gotten to serve as a student representative to the church board, represent the congregation at state conventions, met the national leader of the Episcopal Church, and voted for the next Bishop of Iowa! I enjoy getting to know people I wouldn’t have met through the college. It’s been a great firsthand view of how tight knit small town communities can be!

Religious Studies

Pandemic Year

Over the pandemic, I returned to the Twin Cities. While doing online classes, I lived with my grandparents and learned to quilt. Quilting wasn’t a hobby I expected to pick up in college, but I’ve been surprised by the opportunities to connect with others through crafting. Though I wasn’t physically on campus, Grinnell kept popping up everywhere — including on the street signs!

Fourth Year and Beyond

Now back on campus, I’m spending my fourth year returning to much loved events and gatherings (like watching friends perform with the Neverland Players and cookie baking with my friends and housemates) as well as trying new things (like running trail races around Iowa). I’m looking forward to pushing myself in senior seminars and a triathlon class. I’m applying to service programs for next year so I can continue building community and connecting people.