Signature Civic Education & Innovation (CEI) Programs

At Grinnell, we believe civic responsibility begins with how we live and work together on campus, in our neighborhoods, and beyond. In collaboration with partners across the College and surrounding communities, we offer opportunities for you to build the mindsets, knowledge, and skills to engage as an active civic participant in any community you call home.

Building Community: Volunteering & Service

Volunteering is a meaningful way to connect with the Grinnell community, make a positive impact, and learn from the experiences of people who call this area home. Whether you’d like to join an established group of volunteers or explore opportunities on your own, we have resources, guidance, and support to help you get started and make the most of your experience.

Paid Civic Learning: Service Leadership Work-Study

Not all students have the privilege of time to volunteer in the community. The Service Leadership Work-Study Program offers paid opportunities for students to serve with local nonprofits tackling a range of community challenges. Through hourly compensation, these positions enable sustained engagement with community partners and the chance to build meaningful connections through service.

Civic Dialogue: The Listening Project

The Listening Project aims to create a space where community members of different backgrounds can listen to and learn from each other through facilitated dialogue. The program fosters curious listening so participants can learn about one another in rich, complex ways and break down stereotypes. A core component is training dialogue facilitators, who include both students and community members.

Coalition Building: Civic Organizing & Advocacy

When we build relationships and use our collective voices with purpose and sensitivity to difference, we can find common goals and form coalitions that address community needs and create positive change. Civic organizing and advocacy can take many forms, from quiet conversations, to behind-the-scenes planning, to public awareness campaigns. The goal is to find ways to take action that are effective and feel authentic to you.

Civic Immersion: Grinnell Summer of Service

Grinnell Summer of Service is a 10-week program that helps students develop as engaged, reflective participants in civic life. Rooted in the Grinnell community, it brings students together to serve alongside local organizations and build meaningful relationships. Through hands-on service, reflection, and systems-level inquiry, students respond to immediate challenges and explore the systems shaping community issues, envisioning the roles they might play in creating sustainable change.

Systems Thinking: Map the System

Map the System is a global competition and learning program sponsored by the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford and offered by Grinnell College. It challenges students to use systems thinking to understand complex social or environmental issues rather than jumping to solutions. Participants learn to map systems, identify interconnected elements, and uncover levers for change, fostering deeper understanding and revealing paths for positive impact. 

Curricular Learning: Community Engaged Classes

Community-engaged learning (CEL) courses at Grinnell connect students with local community partners and enrich classroom learning through real-world collaboration. These courses cultivate purposeful relationships and honor the expertise and insight of members of the larger Grinnell community. Rooted in Grinnell’s mission to link education with the common good, CEL classes empower students to turn knowledge into collaborative action. 

Honoring Expertise: Social Innovator in Residence

Rooted in Grinnell College’s historic commitment to linking higher education with the common good, the Social Innovator in Residence Program supports visionary change-makers working to transform systems and tackle pressing social challenges. The residency provides time, space, and resources for the innovator to expand upon their work, explore avenues for campus and community collaboration, and deepen their impact.

Exploring the Neighborhood: CEI Social Justice Tour

The CEI Social Justice Tours are designed for those interested in engaging more deeply with the civic life of Grinnell. Participants are introduced to some of the cultural and socio-economic history of the community and are invited to engage with the strengths and challenges that shape Grinnell today. The tour highlights opportunities for civic engagement and invites reflection on what it might mean to neighbor in Grinnell.

Civic Education & Innovation Resources

Beyond structured programs and courses, civic engagement often requires additional support to help you navigate logistics, funding, and planning. These resources are here to remove barriers, answer questions, and equip you with practical tools so you can focus on building meaningful connections and contributing to your community.

Funding Support: Grants for Civic Activities

Whether you are planning or implementing a civic activity or are working to complete or sustain a project started in a class, the Center for Careers, Life, and Service has funding resources that may help. These grants are supported by the Thorisson Endowed Memorial Fund.

Getting There: Service Transportation

While many of our community partners are within walking distance of campus, others are located in our surrounding communities where transportation to and from a site is required.  The CLS partners with Facilities Management to help accommodate these service transportation needs.

Student Guidance: F-1 Visa Considerations

F-1 students may typically participate in charitable or humanitarian service, like serving food at a soup kitchen, reading to children at a public library, or visiting the elderly.  However, many other scenarios of off campus community engagement fall into a category that is off limits or requires practical training authorization. Before volunteering in the US, please consult with a member of the CEI staff or with someone from the Office of International Student Affairs (OISA).

Find and Opportunity: Search For a Community Partner

Grinnellians collaborate with many organizations within about a 60 mile radius of Grinnell. Identifying a partner with whom you can volunteer or collaborate can be daunting. This resource can help you narrow down your options!

Civic Career Development: Post-Graduate Service

Postgraduate service is similar to having a short-term, full-time job with a non-profit organization. Volunteers typically make one- to two-year commitments to serve under-resourced individuals and communities, and receive a small stipend as well as additional benefits in exchange for this work.