2023-24 Alumni Council Committees and Task Forces

Alumni Awards 

Purpose: The Alumni Award committee’s purpose is to encourage nominations and select recipients of the annual Alumni Awards (presented each year at Reunion) and the Alumni Senior Awards (presented each year at Commencement to two students). 

2023-24 Projects

  • Reviewed nominations and selected 2024 Alumni Award recipients to be recognized at Reunion 2024. 
  • Reviewing nominations to select the Alumni Senior Awards
  • Planning the Alumni Assembly event for Reunion 2024

2023-24 Members

Robert Gehorsam ’76, chair 
Ed Atkins ’66 
Ken Schofield ’71 
Anne Stein Velma ’84 
Shelley Aggeler Harper ’87 

Membership Development 

Purpose: Coordinate Council membership development, including activities which promote member education, training, and connections. Manage the interview and election process for new members in the spring.

2023-24 Projects

  • Alumni Council Book Club 
  • Alumni Council bylaws and handbook review and maintenance 
  • Council trainings and social engagements 

2023-24 Members

Scott Shepherd ’82, chair 
Debby Feir ’68
Jennifer Beinart ’06
Ben Vaughn ’15 
Suha Gillani ’16  

DEI Curriculum Task Force 

Purpose: In concert with DAR and ODEI, complete a needs assessment and devise strategy in support of a DEI training curriculum and resource library for Grinnell College volunteers.

2023-24 Members

Dawn Helsing Wolters ’87, chair 
Jeremy Youde ’99, chair 
Debbie Gottschalk ’90 
Vivek Venugopal ’01 
Grisel Hernandez ’17 

Student Connections Task Force 

Purpose: Partner with staff to deepen the Council’s engagement with current students. Students informally and formally connect with Alumni Council in a variety of ways already, but this committee will focus on specific programs and coordination to ensure that this connection is both formalized and meaningful for students and Council members alike. 

2023-24 Members 

Sasha Aslanian ’90, chair 
Steve Macfarlane ’82 
Anton Jones ’02 
Atavia Whitfield ’06 

Council Visibility Task Force

Purpose: Focused efforts to improve Council's digital marketing including development of content for social media platforms, sharing of information with Class Agents, and coordinating an annual event at Reunion.

2023-24 Members

Kate Goddard ’91, co-chair 
Natz Soberanes ’13, co-chair 
Becky Reetz Neal ’65 
Andrea Jackson ’95 
Tony Pham ’03