Celebrating Watson Fellows

Grinnell College helped celebrate the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship’s 50th anniversary in 2018 by inviting Grinnell’s Watson alumni to campus. One part of the celebration included a “slam” event at Spencer Grill with alumni sharing their Watson journeys in brief presentations.

As of March 2018, 79 Grinnellians have been named Thomas J. Watson Fellows. Established by the Watson Foundation, the fellowship provides $30,000 for one year of postgraduate, “independent, purposeful exploration and travel — in international settings new to them — to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and to foster their effective participation in the world community.”