Small Town, Big World

International students have always been a vibrant presence on campus, but the class of 2020 represents a new frontier for global Grinnell. Nearly one quarter of the incoming first-year class — 97 students — come to Grinnell from places like Singapore and Somaliland, Bolivia and Bangladesh.

How does the College support this diverse array of students as they embark upon their journey at Grinnell? Enter the International Pre-Orientation Program, affectionately known as IPOP. This weeklong program takes place just prior to New Student Orientation (NSO), when the rest of campus arrives, giving international students a valuable opportunity to acclimate to the College (and the country) while developing connections with other students from around the world.

One of the more high-octane events that takes place during IPOP is an annual scavenger hunt through downtown Grinnell.

Armed with tote bags that read “More Culture, Less Shock,” 10 teams of “amigos” spend an hour and 15 minutes racing to complete a colorful tour of town. In between human pyramids and photo ops with local business owners, students paused to catch us up on their first week as Grinnellians.

When asked for one word to encapsulate IPOP, students described a whirlwind of activity. Answers included “poppin’,” “nonstop,” “unique,” and of course, “cornfields.”

At Bates Flowers by DZyne, IPOP students got a crash course in small-town charm. Along with tasks like finding the post office and learning the name of Grinnell mayor Gordon Canfield, IPOP students were challenged to “propose” with a rose from one of our local florists!

As the clock ticked down, students sought assistance from local townspeople and each other. Pratik Karki ’20, who came to Grinnell from the capital city of Nepal, looked forward to 4 years in a small-town community. Where else could 10 teams of students visit a music store, buy kazoos, and run through town playing their national anthems — without anyone blinking an eye?

Despite all of the commotion, students found Grinnell to be a peaceful place. “I love the quietness of the countryside,” says Hongyuan Zhang ’20, a first-year from Tianjin, China.

For Alden Wahsono ’20, the transition to Grinnell from his home country of Indonesia was less of a culture shock than he had anticipated. “I came to Grinnell for the values,” he explained, “and so far, the campus doesn’t seem exclusive at all, which was something I definitely looked for in a college. You could almost call it cozy.”