5 Questions with Vrinda Varia
Hailing from Princeton Junction, New Jersey, Assistant Chief Diversity Officer for Intercultural Student Life Vrinda Varia never suspected she would land in Iowa. When she first came to Grinnell it was with the idea of “giving it a shot and seeing what things look like in 6 months.” That was in 2016. Varia has since carved out a role helping students feel celebrated, seen, and centered in their Grinnell experience. Now, eight years into her six-month “trial period,” Varia shared with us some thoughts on, her role at Grinnell, what keeps here, and what life in Iowa looks like for her now.
Q: What does your role at Grinnell entail?
A: My work has always been student-facing and it’s always been connected to the efforts of the institution. Currently, my work involves building affinity, multicultural, and identity development opportunities at the College, which supports our cultural centers and our multicultural student organizations. Really, the way that I think about my work is helping all of our students feel celebrated, seen, centered, and anticipated in their experience while also simultaneously understanding what institutional barriers we might have in supporting that effort and advocating for those structural barriers to be lifted.
Q: What was the path that brought you to Grinnell?
A: My interest in working in higher education started during my own small liberal arts college experience. My student leadership experiences, commitment to DEI [Ed.: diversity, equity, and inclusion] and social justice work, and service-oriented upbringing shaped much of how I spent my time in college. I learned a lot from my supervisors and mentors on campus; I valued how they asked questions and brought our voices forward as a way to advocate for institutional change. I wanted to approach social change like them, and this shaped my interest as a social work practitioner. Before coming to Grinnell, I lived and worked in Philadelphia, a city I still hold close to my heart. I learned a lot about the social services landscape there, working in an array of landscapes — immigration and refugee services, adult learning and literacy, and harm reduction, to name a few. All of those interests had a thorough line in education, and I soon found my way back to small liberal arts colleges. When I interviewed at Grinnell, I wasn’t sure I was ready to leave my life in Philadelphia. Leslie Bleichner, then director of intercultural affairs, introduced me to a curious and passionate campus community that was committed to what Grinnell could be. There was a different level of intentionality, a different level of humanity that Grinnell was seeking from a practitioner, that I hadn’t experienced in other interviews. I remember some of the questions asked that felt prescient and thoughtful. I was intrigued by the personal reflection I felt in that interview and imagined that this could be a place that I could learn and grow.
Q: You’ve expressed an affinity for snail mail. Is this a way you stay connected to your people?
Yes! It’s been a while though and it’s a practice I’d like to put into place again, but writing cards is a practice that I find grounding, or just checking in with friends by sending postcards. There’s something about getting mail that isn’t a bill or a coupon flyer that I find joyful. It’s also a good processing space for me. I’ve always found journalling to be a difficult practice for myself, but if I’m sharing my ideas or what’s happening with me with people in my life that I care about and trust, it’s a little easier to move through my thoughts. In the very least, it feels like somebody else is going to know that they were on my mind.
Q: Do you like to travel? Do you have a favorite place?
I like to be in new places, and I like to be where my people are. Something that people kind of joke with me about when I travel is that I try to squeeze in, like, six trips in one, see all the people that are in a place. I like to just simply be in places that I can walk and drink coffee and eat a good meal. Walking is one of my favorite things to do so if I’m somewhere I feel like I can understand the landscape of a place pretty easily, whether that’s in nature or in city spaces, I am grateful.
Q: What is your favorite Grinnell moment to date?
A: I’m lucky that my favorite Grinnell moments happen every year, during PCPOP (the Peer Community Pre-Orientation Program). There are always moments of PCPOP that I find true joy in. I love working with first-year students who have endless possibilities for their time at Grinnell, and I love working with our mentors who are committed to fostering inclusive community. I am captivated by how earnest the beginning of the year is, and how palpable the commitment the community feels on our campus. That whole week to me is a really special time. It’s a true labor of love, and so much happiness and authenticity comes from it.