5 Questions with Rachel Bly

For more than 30 years, Rachel Bly ‘93 has embraced the role of Grinnellian — on campus and in the greater community. Bly returned to the College a few years after graduating with a degree in political science in 1993 and has been a stalwart champion of the community ever since. She’s been with the College for 26 years, and on Jan. 1 took on her current role as assistant vice president for auxiliary services. In addition to her role at the College, Bly has been a member of the Grinnell City Council for 13 years and a volunteer for several community organizations. Even with these commitments, Bly still finds time to knit, try out new recipes in the kitchen, and work toward her goal of completing a sprint triathlon in every state.

Q: After 26 years at Grinnell, what do you still find engaging and exciting on campus?

A: I love the students, staff, and faculty that I get to work with. I also love the amazing events that we all get to be a part of. We are so lucky to have so many interesting speakers, concerts, and activities on campus. Seeing the new buildings and how things change (but also how many things stay the same) is also really fun. It is nice to be able to update my alumni friends when fun things are happening. As a student, I worked in the dining hall, catering, the bookstore, and the financial aid office. The folks I worked with impacted my experience in tremendous ways and still impact my world today. I hope to have a little of that same positive impact for students and others in my role on campus. 

Q: What are you most proud of having accomplished with the Grinnell City Council?

A: The intricacies of running a city are incredible and it is interesting to learn even a small piece of that. I am exceptionally proud of how well our council works together for the greater good. We have a big variety of personalities and beliefs and yet we are always able to very respectfully, thoughtfully, talk things out in committee, and get to the decision that is best for the whole community. We have done some great things like the ambulance service (in process), the pool, library, and safety building, and lots of great street projects, economic development work, and lately, bringing in some housing projects, but none of that could happen without the group of folks serving being willing to work together. 

Q: What exactly is a sprint triathlon and how many have you done to date?

A: A sprint Triathlon is the shortest of the triathlon distances, with a swim that is up to 800 meters, a bike that is up to 15 miles, and usually a 5k run. I started doing triathlons about six or seven years ago when a friend and I were looking for a new fitness challenge. I said I would try it if we did one in a fun location, so we picked Dallas Texas and had a blast! We came home, signed up for a few more in Iowa that summer, and realized how much we loved the atmosphere. But I knew that I would soon be bored of doing the same ones over and over, so I proposed to my friend that we combine our love of travel and adventure and do a sprint tri in every state. We did our 26th state in March of 2020 just as the pandemic was rolling in and are looking forward to more in the near future. I do want to be clear, I am not fast, nor am I very good at any of the three sports, but we have a lot of fun, we meet great people, and we have amazing adventures!

Q: What kind of volunteer work are you involved with in the community?

A: I am a firm believer that it is up to each of us to make our community better by investing ourselves. I have been involved in lots of different things, but the two that are closest to my heart right now are the Mental Health Coalition/JPK, which connects folks to mental health resources in our community and makes those resources stronger, and TTT, an organization that sends young girls to camp, which can be a transformative experience. We also work with the girls outside of camp and mentor them. It is a women’s organization, so if anyone is interested, I would love to have you join the group!

Q: In all the spare time you have between work, triathlons, local government duties, and volunteer work, what creative outlets do you like to explore?

A: Haha! My free time is a little limited, but I love to knit, travel, and try new recipes when I have the time. I am always up for trying out new creative outlets even if I am not very good at them – the journey and the learning is always just as fun as the end product!