Grinnell College

Grinnell, IA · founded 1846 · 1,700 students · liberal arts college · Midwest Conference

Known for: Grinnell College is a highly progressive liberal arts college renowned for its rigorous academics, commitment to social justice, and the self-governed, individually advised curriculum that allows extreme academic freedom. It is also known for its strong financial aid policies.

Rankings

U.S. News liberal arts: #11
Forbes: #52

Top programmes

Biology
Political Science
Economics
Chemistry
English

Notable alumni

Robert Noyce — Co-inventor of the integrated circuit, co-founder of Intel
Herbert Hoover — 31st President of the United States (first student)
Thomas Whittemore — Archaeologist who preserved the Hagia Sophia mosaics
Gary Hirshberg — Co-founder of Stonyfield Farm
John Garang — Sudanese revolutionary leader

Traditions

10/10 Dance (10 days before finals in October)
Schlep (campus-wide snowball fight)
Disco (all-campus dance party)
Grinnell Relays

If Grinnell College were…

As a food: Locally-sourced heritage grain porridge with bee pollen from a worker-owned apiary — Earnestly wholesome, meticulously ethical in sourcing, more substance than flash, and absolutely committed to the process mattering as much as the product. Not for everyone, but devotees are evangelical.
As an athlete: Megan Rapinoe — Elite performance combined with unapologetic activism, never compromising principles for mainstream approval. Small-town roots, big-stage impact, and an absolute refusal to 'stick to sports' or stay in your lane.
As a person alive today: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — Young, idealistic, unafraid to challenge entrenched power structures, and convinced that grassroots organizing can change systems. Combines serious intellectual firepower with genuine populist energy and a willingness to
As a historical figure: Jane Addams — Hull House founder who turned progressive ideals into tangible community action, won a Nobel Peace Prize, and never apologized for believing intellectuals had an obligation to serve the public good. Midwestern pragmatism
As a movie or TV show: The West Wing — Idealistic, verbose, convinced that smart people talking passionately can solve problems, and earnestly committed to the notion that institutions can be forces for good if populated by the right people. Occasionally prea
As a US president: Jimmy Carter — Deeply principled, sometimes to a fault; more interested in doing the right thing than being popular; built houses for Habitat for Humanity after leaving office. Midwestern sincerity meets progressive values and an unsha
As a city: Burlington, Vermont — Progressive politics, co-ops everywhere, surrounded by farmland, punches above its weight culturally, and everyone's either in a folk band or organizing a mutual aid network. Isolated but proud of it.
As an element: Lithium — Highly reactive, essential for modern batteries and renewable energy, lightweight but powerful. Found in salt flats of remote places, and absolutely critical to the progressive vision of a sustainable future.
As a car: 1985 Volvo 240 Wagon — Boxy, earnest, and unapologetically progressive—the car your activist philosophy professor drove to Iowa on principle. Grinnell's intellectual rigor, quirky individualism, and massive endowment fund a social-justice labo

Campus life

Grinnell's campus life is intensely intellectual, politically active, and socially progressive, with a strong DIY ethos. Social life is centered on campus events, over 150 student organizations, and parties in dormitory social spaces rather than Greek life.