Alumni Relations

The College welcomed back alumni from across generations for its 144th Alumni Reunion Weekend, held from May 30 to June 2, 2024.

Nominated by their classmates and peers, recipients have distinguished themselves by their service to their careers, their community, and/or the College.

From the graduating class of Edith Renfrow Smith in 1937 to the vibrant ceremonies of today, each year’s Commencement has been a special intersection of achievement, reflection, and aspiration.

At Omni Ecosystems in Chicago, Michael Davenport ’92 is leading the movement to create green roofs that prioritize biodiversity.

During the pandemic, Brian Smith ’94 made it his mission to support his fellow clergy as they lived with the reality of COVID, which kept them from physically being with their congregants.

Celina Karp Biniaz ’52 was a featured speaker at a recent event at the University of Southern California that honored Holocaust survivors — like Biniaz — who had recorded their testimony with the USC Shoah Foundation. Biniaz received USC’s prestigious University Medallion in a special ceremony on March 25.

As a testament to her steadfast commitment to civic engagement, the College is honored to share the news of a $5 million gift, in part for the Katherine “Kathie” Howell Weingart ’61 Civic Innovation Pavilion at Renfrow Hall, made possible by Weingart and her brother, Steve Howell ’63.

In the Oscar-nominated film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” movie enthusiasts can watch out for Josh Waddell ’97, who blends seamlessly into the world of 1920s Osage County, Oklahoma.

Four projects developed by Grinnell College graduates have been selected for the 2023 Joseph F. Wall ’41 Alumni Service Awards.

Math, muscle, and music is how Rodger describes the interests of Ian Clawson ’26