Alumni Senior Awards 2024
The Grinnell College Alumni Council along with a College alumna staff representative selected two graduating seniors to receive the 2024 Alumni Senior Awards.
The Alumni Senior Awards honor graduating seniors who best exemplify the Grinnell College spirit and to whom the class will continue to look to for leadership as they become the newest members of the alumni community. Seniors were nominated for the award by their class of 2024 peers.
Brian Goodell ’24 and Zoey Nahmmacher-Baum ’24 were presented with the Alumni Senior Awards at Baccalaureate on May 19 by Alumni Council member Becky Reetz Neal ’65. Below is more information about the recipients.
Brian Goodell
Brian Goodell had a difficult time winnowing down his class choices. Although he double majored in computer science and political science, with so many varied interests he also took language, music, religion, and stats courses.
In addition, Goodell was a manager at the Stew Makerspace and a senior interviewer for the Office of Admission. He also carved out time to lead the two largest dance student organizations on campus – Contra Dance Club and Swing Society.
A native of Northfield, Minnesota, Goodell’s mom, Janet Scannell ’83 also is a Grinnell graduate.
In the athletics realm, Brian is one of the more accomplished distance runners in the history of the College. He was voted by his cross country teammates to be team captain his junior and senior seasons. Goodell spent hours analyzing race results and data from the NCAA championships to create programs that predict a runner’s movement and finish position in a race depending on their positioning at different points. Through this data-driven approach, he has helped shift and solidify the team’s race strategies.
Goodell also regularly volunteered at PALS animal shelter in Grinnell and even organized a joint running session for the dogs with the cross country runners.
Zoey Nahmmacher-Baum
As a tour guide, when Zoey Nahmmacher-Baum showed prospective students and their families around campus, she always tried to highlight the aspects that make Grinnell different from other colleges and that make Grinnellians different from other students. Nahmmacher-Baum is a sparkling example of that herself.
A psychology major with a deep interest in the human condition, she has thoughtfully fed her curiosity through classes in more than 10 different departments as well as completed a concentration in Science, Medicine, and Society.
Outside the classroom, Nahmmacher-Baum has been instrumental in the leadership and growth of Chaverim, Grinnell’s Jewish student organization. She has helped advertise and plan incredible events that introduced people to Jewish culture. The Shorewood, Wisconsin, native also was the editor-in-chief for the Grinnell College Press, managing a budget of $40,000 and helping students get published. In addition, she helped start and served as president of Grinnell’s Badminton Club.
Nahmmacher-Baum said Grinnell instilled in her a desire to help others. She realized how much she enjoyed serving as a guide and mentor. This realization has led her to consider a counseling career.
Previous Recipients