5 Questions with Melissa Strovers

The Office of Community Partnerships, Planning, and Research’s director of community development, Melissa Strovers, and her husband, Lance, made the move to Grinnell from San Jose, California 20 years ago. Since then, they’ve added three children (two of whom are Grinnell College students) and two dogs to their family, and have completed the transformation from native Californians to lifelong Grinnellians. Melissa joined the College 13 years ago and has been busy building community and creating strategic partnerships ever since. She recently took some time from her busy schedule to share with us what her life and work in Grinnell entail.

Why Grinnell?

My husband and I moved to Grinnell to be closer to his family. Though he didn’t grow up here, his parents were originally from Grinnell and planned to retire here. We made the move for a better quality of life and so my husband could start a new chiropractic practice. Grinnell has been a wonderful place to start a business and to raise our family, which includes our son, Wolfgang; our daughters, Maddy ’26 and Bailey ’27, and our two dogs, Louie and King. 

What do you like to do outside of your work at the College?

I enjoy walking with my husband, our dogs, and sometimes our kids when they’re not studying or playing sports. Watching my children compete in sports at Grinnell College (track and field and basketball) has been a highlight. One of my favorite things about being a Grinnell College parent is the connections I’ve made with other parents. Despite living miles apart, we’ve built a strong sense of community. I also love a well-made latte and great food (both made by my husband), thrifting, traveling, exploring new places, meeting new people, learning new things, and spending time with family and friends.

In the fall of 2024, I was selected for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry’s (ABI) Leadership Iowa program (Class 43). Each month, we travel to different Iowa communities to learn about local industries and key topics like economic development, manufacturing, education, agriculture, and government, as well as explore the local community, its landmarks, and culture. It has been an incredible experience, both for my professional growth and for expanding my appreciation of Iowa, since I didn’t grow up in the state. 

What does your role at Grinnell entail?

My role focuses on leading initiatives that promote social and economic vitality. I bring together diverse stakeholders to address complex challenges and build capacity for local organizations. With a background in community building, social innovation, and strategic planning, I’ve helped guide strategic planning efforts for organizations like Drake Community Library and the Grinnell Food Coalition.

I played a key role in revitalizing Poweshiek Iowa Development in 2024 and provided collaborative infrastructure for the Build a Better Grinnell 2030 visioning project. Since 2015, I’ve been deeply involved with the nationally recognized Grinnell Education Partnership (GEP), which focuses on supporting youth and families in our local community. GEP recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with a community-wide gathering; partners were asked to use a single word to describe their experience, and they used evolving, transformative, selfless, collaborative, creative, and purposeful, reflecting the coalition’s impact.

One of my favorite aspects of my job is working with community partners across various organizations and coalitions. Building connections, developing trusted relationships, and collaborating to help continue to make our community a great place to live, work, and spend time is incredibly rewarding.

What has your experience been like working with Grinnellians?

Over the past 13-plus years, I’ve seen local organizations, businesses, volunteers, and the College align resources, adapt to challenges, and create together solutions to help address important issues such as early literacy, food insecurity, and county-wide economic development. It’s been truly a privilege to work with so many amazing community partners and to be employed by an institution like Grinnell that supports this type of important community-development work.

What is your favorite Grinnell moment to date?

Watching my daughter Maddy compete in field events and cheering on Bailey and the Grinnell Women’s Basketball Team as they made it to the Midwest Tournament Playoffs are definitely among my favorites.