The Award was established to honor Celina’s courageously hopeful life and legacy and bestows a cash prize. Celina Karp Biniaz, class of 1952, endowed the award to support a graduating senior with two key intentions: One, to aid students like her who had to overcome obstacles to obtain their education. Two, to recognize and support such students who wish to pursue careers teaching young people OR working for organizations or governmental entities whose core mission focuses on the education and welfare of young people.

Rudacille is one of 54 new Truman Scholars selected from 743 candidates nominated by 288 colleges and universities. Truman Scholars must demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to a career in public service, and academic excellence. Each Truman Scholar receives a scholarship worth up to $30,000 for graduate or professional school, leadership training, career advising, and special internship and fellowship opportunities within the federal government.

Sarah Toay ’23 has been awarded a C$10,000 McCall MacBain Regional Award for graduate study at any public university in Canada. The scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength, and intellectual curiosity.

Erik Genet ’26 and Shabab Kabir ’26 have been awarded Goldwater Scholarships by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. 

This year’s recipient of the Fischlowitz Travel Fellowship, Chikako Inoue ’26 , will explore the history of comfort women in World War II.

Garcia, from St. Paul, MN, is among 37 students selected nationwide from 155 finalists from 41 partner schools to receive the $40,000 fellowship stipend. The program offers “college graduates of unusual promise a year of purposeful, independent exploration and international travel to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and leadership and to foster their humane and effective participation in the world community.”

Aaron Yost ’23 begins the journey as a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship. Yost received a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship, which will support him in a two-year graduate program, two summer internships, and extensive professional development leading to a Foreign Service Officer position in the U.S. Department of State.

The Carnegie Classifications have long been a hallmark of institutions that excel in research and practice. This year, under the newly reimagined classification system, Grinnell has been designated as a Research College and University, reflecting the College’s ongoing commitment to scholarly inquiry and impactful research.