Dear Families of Grinnell Students, 

On April 12, Grinnell College lost a valued member of the student body, Julian Sahlin ’28. His tragic death is deeply felt by every member of our community. Our profound sympathy is with his family, classmates, and friends, and we ask that you hold them in your thoughts. 

Our dedicated team in student affairs, our committed professors, and many other members of the Grinnell campus community are providing care for those impacted. I am also seeing students care for one another by spending time together, checking in with each other, and offering encouragement.  

If your student needs access to counseling or support, Student Health and Wellness (SHAW) offers walk-in and same-day screenings, and there is no waitlist. I invite you to review the full list of campus support resources and contact information. 

I know those of you with students graduating in May are looking forward to celebrating this joyful milestone with them. I am eager to meet many of you and share my congratulations with your student. Information about events for those attending in person and for livestream details for the Commencement Ceremony can be found on the Commencement 2025 website.  

Each year at this time, Grinnellians make us proud through their many awards and honors. I invite you to follow the College’s new news site, where you can read about these fantastic students and share Grinnell stories to your own social media channels if you wish. You can also learn about unique experiences, like the Grinnell Singers’ trip to sing in the Cave of the Mounds over spring break.  

I am deeply grateful for this community and your student's role in it.  

Anne F. Harris

President

In Conversation Tour

We are excited to continue an event series featuring distinguished alumni and College representatives. These events are designed to foster meaningful connections, provide insight into the Grinnell experience, and uplift inspiring stories from some of our talented alumni. As we finalize details, we encourage you to stay informed by reviewing event information as it becomes available on the In Conversation event series webpage. Details will be posted approximately six weeks before event dates. Your participation helps strengthen our community and we hope we can welcome you to an event near your hometown soon!

Melissa Strovers and her daughters cherish their time together at Grinnell

As an employee of Grinnell College in the Office of Community Partnerships, Planning, and Research for the past 13 years, Melissa Strovers has seen firsthand the extraordinary benefits of a Grinnell education.

So, when her two daughters independently expressed an interest in possibly choosing Grinnell for college, she was overjoyed. But she had to play it cool, right? 

“As a parent, I want my kids to make their own decisions and explore what feels right for them based on their interests and where they see themselves in the future,” Strovers says. “I’ve learned that the more I step back and just offer support, the more confident they are in choosing a path that actually fits who they are.”

“I’m a big fan of Grinnell College,” Melissa says. “Grinnell offers students a top-notch education, incredible opportunities, and access to a global alumni network that will stay with them long after graduation.”

Read the whole story.

Highlights from the Center for Careers, Life, and Service

Explore the Updated CLS Graduate Outcomes Tool

Every year the Center for Careers, Life, and Service (CLS) surveys the graduating class to find out what they’re up to post-Grinnell. In recent years, nearly 60% of Grinnellians landed full-time employment and more than a quarter went to graduate or professional school. Young alumni are working on Wall Street and in national parks; they are scattered from Dakar to Seoul. You can explore graduate outcomes for the classes of 2021–24 on the Graduate Outcomes site. 

New! Career Catalyst Course Coming Fall 2025

Launching in fall 2025, a new special topics course offering will support second-year and beyond students as they kickstart their career development! The two-credit Career Catalyst Course, hosted by the Wilson Center, will be offered the first seven weeks of the semester and will focus on how to design and pursue a career that aligns with your interests, skills, experience, values and strengths within a supportive and energetic environment. Specific course outcomes will include an individual career blueprint detailing goals and action steps, high-quality and up-to-date application materials, polished professional profiles, an understanding of individual strengths and how to apply them, a networking plan, and compelling interview techniques. More information can be found on the Career Catalyst Course blog post.

News You Can Use

May 2024 Graduates

To avoid departmental fees, students should return the following as they prepare to leave Grinnell College:

• Audiovisual equipment
• Library books
• Meal containers
• Room keys
• Athletic equipment

Students should also check their e-bill via Student Self-Service and pay any outstanding balance due.

When the semester ends, campus offices will submit any student charges to the Office of Student Accounts. Once all department charges have been entered, the office will close out Pioneer Card accounts and damage accounts. Any balances will then be transferred to the tuition account. Statements will be sent to those who owe a balance, and refunds issued to students with a negative balance.

All refunds will be disbursed as follows:

• If the student has direct deposit information on file for reimbursements with the Accounting Office, the refund will be directly deposited to that bank account.
• If you or your student plan to close the bank account on file, please keep it open until the end of July or provide new direct deposit information for a bank account that will remain open.
• If students have not previously provided the direct deposit information, they may do so through the Banking Information section of their Student Self-Service account.
• If no direct deposit information is provided, the check will be mailed to the student at the address on file.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Student Accounts, 641-269-4100.

2025-26 Need-Based Financial Aid Application Deadline Has Passed

The deadline for domestic (U.S. citizen and eligible noncitizen) students who would like to apply for need-based financial aid for the 2025-26 academic year was April 1, 2025. Most students who had completed all financial aid application requirements by mid-March received their 2025-26 financial aid notice in early April. Financial aid notices will continue to be released on a rolling basis throughout the spring.

If your student has not yet received their 2025-26 financial aid notice, encourage them to check the online financial aid office (student login required) to confirm that all requirements have been submitted. 

GrinnBooks Offers Immediate Access to Course Materials 

GrinnBooks is a college-wide program providing students enrolled at Grinnell access to their required textbooks at the start of each term. Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, the cost of required textbooks will be included in the comprehensive fee. This allows every enrolled student to access required materials on or before the first day of classes. Electronic materials will be available through Canvas (Grinnell’s new Learning Management System) for all a student’s courses. Print materials can be picked up prior to the start of the term from the Pioneer Bookshop. Students should monitor their school email prior to the start of the term for more information on how to access their textbooks. This campus-wide program seeks to ensure greater educational equity among students and to remove the cost of textbooks as a barrier to taking a class.

Student Health Insurance Billing

All students are billed for Student Health Insurance coverage every year they are enrolled. 

If students are insured under an ACA-compliant plan that provides in-network benefits in the state of Iowa, they are not required to be insured under the College plan. However, to be credited with the insurance premium charged on the student bill, students must waive the insurance each year prior to the publicized deadline. Coverage cannot be removed after the scheduled deadline. 

Please watch for health insurance billing information when fall bills are distributed in June.

Planning Ahead for Transferring Payments

Payment for tuition statements that are sent internationally or from college savings accounts require longer processing times. Please initiate these payments as soon as possible after bills are available to make sure payment transfers are completed by the July 28 due date. Flexibility will not be provided for payment transfers requested after the due date.

Updates from Dining Services

Spring Meal Plans end after dinner on May 17, 2025 for all students except for graduating seniors. Seniors will have meals on their Pioneer One Card for May 18 through dinner on May 20. The deadline for May Gap and Summer Meal Plan signup is May 5, 2025, at 4 p.m. If your student does not sign up in the StarRez housing portal by the deadline, they will incur a $50 late fee.

May 13, 2025: Your student can take a study break and join Dining Services for an Ice Cream Social held in the JRC Lobby from 9:00 - 10 p.m.

May 17, 2025: If your student is leaving in the early morning, they can sign up to pick up a sack breakfast meal in the Marketplace at the cashiers stand. Sack breakfasts will be handed out on May 16 in the Marketplace during the dinner meal. The deadline to sign up is May 5.

Jazz Brunch for Graduating Seniors and Families

May 18, 2025, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Marketplace. Discounted pre-sale tickets can be purchased for $18 per person or $8 per youth (age 12 and under) on the GET Mobile application. Purchase your tickets early, door price the day of the event will be $22 per person.