The Wilson Center’s annual Pioneer Weekend pitch competition took place from Friday, September 26th, to Sunday, September 28th. 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. 

On Friday, Sept. 12, faculty, staff, students, community members and local organizations gathered at the Katherine Howell Weingart ’61 Civic Innovation Pavilion for Coffee with the College. The event spotlighted the meaningful impact of Grinnell College’s Community Mini-Grant Program as recent recipients shared updates on their funded projects.

Emma Stefanacci ’22, content fellow in the Office of Communications and Marketing, tells us about her passion for science and for telling the stories of Grinnellians.

As summer draws to a close, anticipation builds for the arrival of the Class of 2029 and the start of another year of discovery and connection. Grinnell College opens its doors to the Class of 2029 — 421 students whose stories, talents, and ambitions will shape our community in the years ahead.

Held on Friday mornings from 9:00–10:00 a.m. throughout the academic year—with Thursday sessions during Board of Trustees weeks—each gathering features a different campus guest and offers community members a welcoming opportunity to connect over coffee.

Grinnell in the summer is a vibrant mix of quiet beauty and meaningful engagement.

Meet Kirsten Koester, head coach for the women’s soccer team, who came to Grinnell with a passion for the sport rooted in her own experience as an athlete. Who thinks that family is everything and that the community of Grinnell has also provided them with friends who feel like family.