Oh Snap! A Year of Gatherings and Shared Moments

Campus & Community

● Jan 2, 2025

A farmer’s market vendor speaks to a student over a brochure.

With the year 2024 behind us, this photo essay reminds us of the connections made throughout Grinnell College’s campus and around the town of Grinnell. Each month marks a moment — whether an accomplishment, a successful collaboration, or a celebration — that will go forth into the new year. From the welcoming of Edith Renfrow Smith to the annual Homecoming Parade, each picture highlights numerous stories, events, and journeys that made 2024 special. Dive into a visual journey of shared moments and connections around town.

January

In January, Grinnell celebrated a significant milestone in the construction of Renfrow Hall. During the Topping-Off Ceremony on Jan. 30, 2024, campus and town residents celebrated the completion of the skeleton building structure. Attendees left their mark by signing the iconic elevator hoist beam that was the ceremonial centerpiece.

A young Black woman shakes hands with an older white man.

Feven A. Getachew ’24 (left), Grinnell College President Anne F. Harris, and Grinnell Mayor Dan Agnew gather for the Renfrow Hall Topping-Off Ceremony.

A Black basketball player jumps towards the basket to block a Black Grinnell basketball player about to score.

January also saw the continuation of winter sports, with intense matchups in basketball and swimming and diving. From the stands, you can see town residents and fellow students cheer on the Pioneers as they passionately battle for wins.

February

In February, students were invited to the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center to collect a gift, an annual tradition spearheaded by fellow Grinnell alumni. Now in its ninth year, students collected one of over 1,300 care packages during finals week.

Students smile as they select from an array of gifts sprawled out on a table.

February also kicks off the Lunar New Year, which marks the first new moon of the year. Students celebrated the Year of the Dragon with a Chinese New Year Gala at the Harris Center, hosted by the Chinese Student Association. Students performed dances, enjoyed food, decorated and hung lanterns, painted Chinese characters, and more.

An Asian student stands in front of a line of lanterns.

March

In March, Grinnell highlighted a few of our Grinnell College Local Shuttle drivers in the Beyond the Shuttle News article. Most of them are retired long-time Grinnell residents who love to converse with students and get to know one another better. The shuttle service transports students to popular Grinnell spots, including McNallys, the Grinnell Area Arts Council, and Walmart.

Three white man smile widely through the window of a bus.

In the early spring, the theatre, dance, and performance studies department performed the “Songs of the Scarlet and Wayback,” a fictional play inspired by archives, uncovered interviews, and oral histories from the Drake Community Library and the Poweshiek Historical Preservation Project. In the play, students restaged the town of Grinnell’s 75th-anniversary pageant and used songs from old Grinnell College songbooks. Read more about the fictional play and its drawing of collective Grinnell history on the News site.

A student actress raises her arm in a theatrical manner while other actors watch.

April

In April (and all year round), students visited the Mayflower — a local Grinnell retirement community — to play games and enjoy arts and crafts with residents. The Mayflower is home to long-time town residents and former Grinnell alumni, faculty, and staff. Current students often become certified nursing assistants (CNA), which translates to more time with residents. Read more about the College-Mayflower connection on the News site.

An older woman smiles as a young student paints on a rock with a marker.

Three older people and a young Black student plays dominos.

May

May is always a magical time, celebrating a new class of Grinnell graduates each year. The class of 2024 consisted of 332 graduates, many of whom are first-generation students, people of color, and from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Commencement speaker Peter Segal delivered comedic yet meaningful remarks, preparing this new class of Grinnellians to go forth and succeed in their future adventures.

A man in black traditional graduation gear gives a speech in front of a crowd of graduating students.

Peter Segal is the dynamic host of NPR’s acclaimed comedy news quiz show: Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

A Black student smiles widely as they hold their diploma.

K’Jae Anderson ’24 with their political science and gender, women’s, and sexuality studies degree. They are one of many accomplished graduates and first-generation students who will be entering the workforce this year.

June

In the month of June, you may have noticed more art and people around town! Ally Frame completed the mural at the Grinnell School of Music.

A collaged image of a mural with painted animals and musical instruments.

Grinnell College welcomed back alumni from across generations for its 144th Alumni Reunion Weekend, held from May 30 to June 2. This year's gathering saw 1,100 guests, including 826 alumni from classes spanning 1953 to 2019, along with their families and friends.

July

A student gives a presentation at the library.

A young student talks to a farmer’s market vendor.

Grinnell’s summer 2024 “Market Science” students set up a booth at the Grinnell Farmers Market. The Market Science program is an innovative public engagement initiative led by Grinnell faculty and students representing the biology, chemistry, and computer science departments.

August

Students make a pyramid in front of the Comeback Cafe. One student stands on the top of the pyramid and poses while another student takes a picture.

Students smile as they stroll in front of businesses on Main Street.

Before the first day of classes on August 29, students from the class of 2028 came together to participate in various orientation programs, including the International Pre-Orientation Program (IPOP), the Peer Connections Pre-Orientation Program (PCPOP), and, of course, New Student Orientation (NSO). So far, these new Grinnellians have met classmates from around the globe, enjoyed downtown spots such as the popular Grin City Bakery and Dari Barn, and received a preview of academic and social life in Grinnell.

September

Renfrow Smith is greeted in a red car by President Anne F. Harris.

Young elementary students hold signs welcoming home Renfrow-Smith.

On Sept. 27 and 28, Grinnell College hosted a series of special weekend events in culmination to the dedication of Renfrow Hall, named after Edith Renfrow Smith ’37, DHL ’19. Born in 1914, Edith Renfrow Smith grew up in one of the oldest Black families in the town of Grinnell. The College’s first Black alumna, and its oldest living graduate, this special weekend was in celebration of Renfrow Smith’s life and legacy, as well as her commitment to education, community, and equality.

October

A firefighter truck with students and mascots waving from the roof.

Students walk downtown with a banner that reads, "More Culture, Less Shock."

Grinnell College Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) participated in the Grinnell-Newburg Community School District Homecoming Parade in October.

November

Dancers in red perform at the Central Park stage.

People stand for coffee in front of Saint's Rest.

Grinnell’s annual Jingle Bell Holiday brought the magic of the season to life on Friday, Nov. 22. The festivities filled downtown with holiday cheer. Guests enjoyed the lighting of Central Park’s festive decorations, activities at local businesses, horse-drawn carriage rides, and the Winter Farmers Market. The Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual event marked a joyous kick-off to the holiday shopping season and showcased the vibrant community spirit of Grinnell.

December

The Gates Tower building lit up with blue fairy lights.

Established in 2015 as a community-building event by Austin Cotes ‘15, the Grinnell College Student Alumni Council organizes an annual event to light up Gates-Rawson Tower.

Students laugh as they hold plates of pancakes.

The Grinnell Fire Department served up pancakes to students taking a break from finals on December 15th at the Pancake Palooza.