Grinnell will challenge you, starting your expectations: It's a place where rural doesn’t mean limited, where small doesn’t mean boring. It's a place where students learn the skills to make meaningful change in the world, to build communities that question the status quo. It's also a place where there is as much opportunity for learning off campus as on, a place where your curiosity and attention are rewarded — if you dare to give them.
Stepping off campus means stepping into a community brimming with opportunity: for art, for activities, for enrichment. Hop on the Grinnell-operated shuttles to explore the opportunities our area has to offer.
Our town boasts shops, restaurants, a movie theatre, bakery, regional medical center, aquatic center, and easy access to bike trails, local parks, and state parks.
Grinnellians never hang back when they can jump in, and there are so many ways to lead good work for our community.
Grinnell offers access. Access to local politicians, business leaders, and change-makers. Access that empowers change and emboldens action that you can actually see in your new community. That kind of access has a way of involving everyone and grounding our community. “I think the richness it adds to anyone’s life, to sort of feel really connected to and rooted in a place, is pretty invaluable,” says Tina Elfenbein, senior assistant director of admissions.
The Giving Gardens is a local collaborative effort to care for our community’s well-being by providing access to fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables. Volunteers make the work possible, from pulling the food from the ground to placing it in the hands of people — hands that deserve health and care.
A gateway between Grinnell College and Grinnell, Iowa, the Civic Innovation Pavilion at Renfrow Hall seeks to foster collaboration between the campus and the community so that each can support the other. Grinnellians value the interdependence of their communities and champion access for all.
Whether you're in search of a quick lift on campus or heading off on another adventure, there's always an option for every destination.
College-operated shuttles like the Grinnell College Local Shuttle and the Saturday Metro Shuttle give Grinnellians the freedom to explore all the possibilities and benefits our communities have to offer. Safe Rides are also available to you 24/7 through Campus Safety.
If you're looking to go even further during holiday breaks in the academic year, consider our shuttle service to the Des Moines airport or Chicago's Union Station and Lisle, Illinois.
If you want to take your influence further and extend your community farther, Grinnell is located near the cities of Des Moines and Iowa City. The Saturday metro shuttles and other transportation options are ready to take you on your next adventure.
The historic East Village is a walkable and bustling hub for shopping, dining, and nightlife, located on our side of the Des Moines River.
Iowa City's vibrant arts scene boasts film screenings, museums, live music, and plenty of food to choose from.
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