Welcome, Class of 2019
Curious about the new group of first-years?
Here are a few facts about the class of 2019:
- 81 percent graduated in the top 10 percent of their secondary school class.
- 40 percent were varsity athletes.
- 54 percent participated in the fine arts (music, theater, dance, visual art).
- 24 percent are U.S. students of color.
- 16 percent are first-generation college students.
- 18 percent participated in student government.
Want to know more? Take a peek at a virtual conversation with two of them.
Grinnell College: We’re excited to begin the 2015–16 academic year. Renowned faculty and transformative research experiences here and abroad await you. Ready?
Haley Jo Cutrone ’19: I’m both nervous and excited. I love the people — every interaction I’ve had with students and faculty has been friendly and everyone seems so excited about the school. And, my roommate seems wicked cool, so that’s very exciting.
Hassan Thompson ’19: I’M very anxious and eager to study at Grinnell. One of my passions is traveling, and I’d never been to Iowa before. Grinnell will be my home for the next few years. This will be a huge culture change for me.
Grinnell College: What do you plan to study your first year of college?
Hasan Thompson ’19: I plan to major in physics. My primary goal is to get mentally ready for both the academic year and football season by letting it sink in that Grinnell will be my home.
Haley Jo Cutrone ’19: I’m undecided on my major. I enjoy history so I could potentially major in something related to that field of study.
Grinnell College: We had a great summer in Grinnell preparing for your arrival. What adventures did you have last summer?
Haley Jo Cutrone ’19: I spent my summer working as a camp counselor in Maine. I also got outside a lot on the weekends — hiking in Acadia National Park and the White Mountains, kayaking, biking.
Hasan Thompson: I’m both a Posse Scholar and a Gates Millennium Scholar. Other than working at Popeye’s fast food restaurant, I spent the summer attending pre-collegiate training with 10 other future Grinnell scholars who are my Posse. We spent our entire summer learning more about each other and just creating moments and bonds that has brought us closer and will last a life time.
Grinnell College: If you had to describe yourself in 160 characters or less, what would it say? We’ll go first.
Liberal Arts College located in the middle of everywhere. Home to social justice crusaders, status-quo challengers, and investigative globetrotters. Go.
Hasan Thompson: A genuine and gracious leader who is confident, trustworthy, and creative. Also, sees no need for violence when you can kill them with success.
Haley Jo Cutrone: Outdoorsy reader intending to travel the world, hoping to make an impact, and aiming to discover new passions and new ideas.
Grinnell College: Good luck, Haley Jo and Hassan, and the entire of the Class of 2019. We’ll get to know each other better during the next four years. We know you’ll do great.
Haley Jo Cutrone is from Hollis Center, ME, and Hassan Thompson is from New Orleans, LA.