These student leaders offer meaningful perspectives on community engagement, showcasing their lived experience, their academic interests, and their identities in the work of strengthening community through service, leadership, and collaboration.

Grinnell’s annual Jingle Bell Holiday celebration once again lit up downtown on Friday, Nov. 21, drawing crowds of students, families, and community members for an evening filled with connection, tradition, and festive cheer.

Over fall break, the College’s Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies Department offered a free three-day theatre camp for fourth-through eighth grade students from the Grinnell-Newburg schools.

Student Estella Newton ’26 recently stepped forward to support local families by organizing a community food drive as part of Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls’ Iowa Giving Week of Action — a statewide effort focused on strengthening food access through grassroots service projects.

The College is joining Grinnell Mutual and the Campbell Fund in responding to an urgent call from the Grinnell Food Coalition (GFC), which is mobilizing support for Poweshiek County families affected by the temporary suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits earlier this fall. Although benefits are expected to return, many households and local food providers continue to face significant strain as demand for food assistance rises.

First opened in 1918, the historic residence has long welcomed generations of alumni. The dedication marked the beginning of its next chapter, unveiling a resplendent renovation that transforms the 107-year-old home into a comfortable hub where alumni can relax, socialize, network, and reminisce whenever they return to Grinnell.

The Wilson Center’s annual Pioneer Weekend pitch competition took place from Friday, September 26, to Sunday, September 28. The objective of Pioneer Weekend is to bring together student innovators to develop and pitch a business or nonprofit plan. It encourages hands-on experiences and helps develop skills critical to entrepreneurship. The top three teams also receive cash prizes.

Grinnell College will celebrate the dedication of Hannah Alumni House with a ribbon cutting and community open house on Thursday, November 6. The event, themed “A Place to Return, A Place to Belong,” invites alumni, students, faculty, staff, and community members to come together in celebration of this beloved space.

Grinnell has been awarded a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) program [ITE-2519806]. This competitive program supports colleges and universities in building capacity to engage with external partners and contribute to the U.S. innovation economy by working in cohorts to address similar challenges and opportunities.

When Tristan Davis ’25 first visited Grinnell College, it was the small classes and close faculty relationships that drew him in. But what he found in his four years as a student extended well beyond the classroom: a deep connection to the community, an opportunity to engage in meaningful local work, and, ultimately, the inspiration to pursue a graduate degree abroad in the growing field of environmental humanities.