A Legacy of Sisters

Two sisters who served Grinnell College’s Office of Admission with distinction are being honored with a new experiential learning fund that carries their name. Kathleen “Katie” Brown Anderson ’49 and Mary Lou Brown ’56 have a combined 99 years of service in the Grinnell office. 

The fund was established by Ed Senn ’79, who worked for the sisters as a student tour guide during his second, third, and senior years at Grinnell. 

Now a vice president at Verizon and a leader on the College’s Alumni Council, Senn says that the sisters taught him the value of hard work, perseverance, and making a good first impression. He established the Katie Brown Anderson ’49 and Mary Lou Brown ’56 Experiential Learning Endowed Fund to help Grinnell recruit the best students, provide them with challenging opportunities, and support them as they prepare to graduate. 

In particular, Grinnell’s Center for Careers, Life, and Service will use the fund to support student externships, internships, and other initiatives.

“Katie and Mary Lou were shining examples of the Grinnell spirit for generations of students,” Senn says. “They gave meaning to the Grinnell experience and provided equal amounts of support, humor, and whimsy for prospective students and their guides.”

Anderson and Brown, who still live in Grinnell and worked with the admission staff from 1948–1998 and 1950–1998, respectively, say they are truly honored by Senn’s establishment of this fund. The sisters agree that, “Ed was an outstanding tour guide who always made sure students and parents had a memorable campus visit.” 

After graduating from Grinnell in 1979 with a degree in biology, Senn worked as a field organizer for John Anderson’s 1980 presidential campaign and served as legislative director for U.S. Rep. Tom Tauke (R-Iowa). As Verizon’s vice president of state public policy and government relations since 2006, Senn focuses on state public policy issues across the country.

In 2003 he established the Jenny Erickson Endowed Scholarship (named for the College’s Forum director), was part of the group that started The Richard T. Cervene ’51 Scholarship Fund, and in 2009 created the John and Emily Pfitsch Scholarship, which honors Grinnell’s legendary athletic director and his wife. All of these funds support current students while honoring staff members who influenced Senn during his time at Grinnell.