We are, like to a democracy, simultaneously inhabitants and stewards of our communities: as students learn with and from each other (and we from them), they shape shared civic spaces and experiences. Grinnell College can be a model of civic trust to show how a global college in a rural setting can have a national voice, and can demonstrate that research, deliberation, and collaboration are not just academic, but also civic modes.

- Anne Harris
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Activation Plan

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Below is an overview of some campus activities:

  • Set to open in the Fall of 2024, the Renfrow Residence Hall and the “Kathie” Howell Weingart ’61 Civic Innovation Pavilion will become a destination dedicated to civic engagement. The architecture is designed as a mixed-use, experimental “third space” that links the town and the College together in shared experiences to gather and solve problems for the common good.
  • Iowa and Minnesota Campus Compact’s annual Civic Action Academy is hosted by Grinnell College, bringing together students and higher education professionals across the Midwest to share their work and build skills in civic leadership and social change. Conference sessions are led by students, faculty, and community leaders and offer professional development in leadership, dialogue, advocacy, and more.
  • In Spring 2024, the College announced its inaugural Social Innovator in Residence, Monica Sanders. During her Fall 2024 residency, Sanders will engage with students, faculty, staff, and the wider community through an immersive array of collaborative initiatives to create lasting social impact.
Photo of Anne Harris, President of Grinnell College
Grinnell College Logo
Anne Harris
President, Grinnell College
Grinnell College Logo

Below is an overview of some campus activities:

  • Set to open in the Fall of 2024, the Renfrow Residence Hall and the “Kathie” Howell Weingart ’61 Civic Innovation Pavilion will become a destination dedicated to civic engagement. The architecture is designed as a mixed-use, experimental “third space” that links the town and the College together in shared experiences to gather and solve problems for the common good.
  • Iowa and Minnesota Campus Compact’s annual Civic Action Academy is hosted by Grinnell College, bringing together students and higher education professionals across the Midwest to share their work and build skills in civic leadership and social change. Conference sessions are led by students, faculty, and community leaders and offer professional development in leadership, dialogue, advocacy, and more.
  • In Spring 2024, the College announced its inaugural Social Innovator in Residence, Monica Sanders. During her Fall 2024 residency, Sanders will engage with students, faculty, staff, and the wider community through an immersive array of collaborative initiatives to create lasting social impact.

We are, like to a democracy, simultaneously inhabitants and stewards of our communities: as students learn with and from each other (and we from them), they shape shared civic spaces and experiences. Grinnell College can be a model of civic trust to show how a global college in a rural setting can have a national voice, and can demonstrate that research, deliberation, and collaboration are not just academic, but also civic modes.

- Anne Harris