Tagged As From the President

A message from President Anne F. Harris -
I write today to share the sad news of the passing on Saturday of one of our College’s most remarkable members: President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus George Drake ’56. For the great many Grinnellians who knew George Drake, this news will bring great sadness.

Staff council recognized the following staff members as the fall 2022 Staff Council Grand Grinnellian Award winners. Each of the winners has demonstrated their commitment and dedication to the college by being an excellent performer in their duties while representing the core values of the institution, our THRIVE principles, and the mission of Grinnell College.

I write today with great excitement to share that the Civic Engagement Quad (CEQ) Core project was approved by the Board of Trustees on October 1, 2022, at the conclusion of the fall board meeting.

Trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, students and community members were invited to celebrate the new and renovated spaces, which support teaching, learning, and collaboration. The event included tours of the building, a formal dedication, and an all-campus luncheon on Kington Plaza.

As we conclude our semester, we continue to experience and seek to acknowledge the many ways that the pandemic has placed sustained stress on the mental and physical health of our community. The intensity of our communal experience calls for action out of the ordinary to provide a change in pace and time for relief. Time is simultaneously among the most valued and the scarcest of elements of the academic experience, and the action detailed below seeks to institute a demonstrable change of pace for each of us to advance our well-being within our work — a moment to breathe in our hectic schedules.

Anne F. Harris talks about her new book, the significance and relevance of Medieval art today, the transition from teaching to administration, what it's like to head a premiere liberal arts college in the age of Covid (and all else), and her vision for Grinnell. An Authors and Artists podcast episode.

Seven works have been selected for 2022-23. In-person attendance is limited to 12 individuals per session; advance registration is required and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The book will be provided to participants who do not own a copy. All discussions for registered participants will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Nollen 1 conference room. 

I want to extend a warm welcome to all Grinnellians, starting with the newest members of our community, the class of 2026. Whether you are familiar with the rolling prairies and wide-open Iowa skies or you are seeing campus for the first time — you belong here.

Grinnell College will welcome one of its most diverse, highly-qualified classes in history. This fall, the incoming first-year class of 441 new students will join an already outstanding student body attracted by the College’s outstanding academic reputation, individually advised curriculum, and opportunities to gain knowledge and experience both in and outside of the classroom.