At the CLS, we believe civic responsibility starts with how we live and work together—whether it’s in our residential halls, on campus, or in our local communities and beyond. Partnering with others across the College, we offer opportunities to help you develop the mindset, knowledge, and skills needed to become an active, equity-minded civic leader in any community you’re part of. We’re here to inspire meaningful action and positive change, no matter where you are.

Opportunities for Civic Learning abound at Grinnell! Do you want to:

  • Join us on a local “Social Justice Tour” to learn more about our local community’s needs and innovative change-making?
  • Volunteer with a local organization?
  • Take a community engaged class?
  • Collaborate with a community partner on an on-going service project?
  • Participate in or lead a community dialogue?
  • Take part in a workshop with our Social Innovator in Residence?
  • Apply for a Service Leadership Work-Study position?
  • Learn to diagram the systemic underpinnings of an entrenched social or environmental issue?
  • Help your peers register to vote?
  • Collaborate with local activists? or
  • Lead or explore your own distinctive initiative?

You don’t have to do it all, you only need to do what is right for you, right now.

Click on a button above or meet with one of our staff members to learn more about who we are and how we can help you hone your civic aspirations.

News & Advice

Grinnell Summer of Service

2025 Program Overview 

Location: Grinnell, Iowa  
Program Type: Volunteer / Community-Engaged Civic & Professional Learning  
Duration: May 27 – August 1, 2025 
Number of Positions:  3

Program Description

The Grinnell Summer of Service is a 10-week, cohort-based, immersive civic and professional learning program that …

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Empowering Community Connections

Grinnell College, April 29, 2025

Tanner Alger ’25 is currently working with the College’s inaugural Social Innovator in Residence, Monica Sanders and members of the greater Grinnell Community on a project that seeks to better map digital access disparities in …

By Source and Author Noted Above
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Gap year working at Grinnell is where ‘everything began to fall into place’

—by Joe Engleman ’14, Grinnell College

Almost a year ago, Sophia Estrada Snow – known by her Meskwaki name of Wabeskesiga – opted to take a gap year following her first year at Drake University. Over the summer, she became aware of …

By Source and Author Noted Above
Source and Author Noted Above
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Contact Us

Phone
(641) 269-4940
Address

John Chrystal Center
1103 Park Street
Grinnell, IA 50112

Hours

Monday 8:00am–5:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am–5:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am–5:00pm
Thursday 8:00am–5:00pm
Friday 8:00am–5:00pm
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