Civic Education & Innovation @ Grinnell

Mission:

To engage and equip the next generation of equity-minded, civic agents.

Vision:

Every Grinnell College student will gain the insights and skills necessary to articulate and act upon their civic values and goals in a self-aware, sustainable, and equitable manner, alongside their academic and postgraduate ambitions.

Commitment:

At Grinnell, we are committed to providing students with opportunities to explore meaningful ways to positively impact their communities—personally, professionally, and civically. The Civic Education and Innovation team in the CLS provides hands-on, community-based learning experiences that equip students with the skills and insights needed to become creative, equity-focused civic leaders. By fostering collaborative reflection on how their civic roles intersect with and align with others addressing similar challenges, we empower students to recognize how their unique contributions can be intentional parts of broader systemic change.

Core Civic Values:

  • Flourishing Community We prioritize fostering a flourishing community centered on mutual trust, compassion, curiosity, agency, and rest.
  • Intentional Self-Reflection Equitable relationships require continuous self-reflection, assessment, and the humility to change.
  • Diversity & Inclusion Civic education and innovation should critically evaluate power dynamics and honor the strengths and voices of all participants.
  • Collaborative Partnerships Community-centered partnerships should be grounded in trust, mutual respect, collective empowerment, and co-creation.
  • Sustainability Civic collaborations should be contextually responsive, well-researched, fiscally responsible, and focused on creating positive change. Civic activities should take into consideration their social, economic, and environmental impacts as well as their alignment with effective, systemic solutions.

Overarching Civic Learning Goals:

  1. Students will see themselves as a part of interconnected local communities that they are responsible to and for.
  2. Students will be able to reflect upon and articulate how their civic commitments intersect with their concepts of social justice, long-term change-making, and flourishing community.
  3. Students will learn to navigate and integrate their identities, values, academic interests, and civic work.
  4. Students will take part in equity-minded collaboration.
  5. Students will make a practice of continually assessing and prioritizing personal and communal sustainability in their civic activities.

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 …

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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 …

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Collaborating for Kids: LINK and Peoplerides Partner with Grinnell College to Transport Student Mentors

Grinnell College

One of the most rewarding ways Grinnell College students give back to the larger Grinnell community is by mentoring K-8 students at local schools. But getting quickly to and from the school sites around town can be challenging. 

That’s …

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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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