Grinnell Connect Resources

What is Grinnell Connect and why should I be involved?

Grinnell Connect — your place to be a mentor or mentee, network with alumni and students, and connect professionally with your alumni peers for career and sharing opportunities.

  • Reconnect with fellow graduates.
  • Find and provide mentorship.
  • Expand your professional network and advance your career.
  • Utilize the Grinnell College community to volunteer.
  • Post and apply for jobs.

Grinnell Connect allows you to sign in with LinkedIn, Facebook, or email. The site is easy to manage and is your passport to the Grinnell College network.

Are there any how-to videos for Grinnell Connect?

Yes!   Below, you will find a list of videos regarding the different features of the platform.

How do I sign up or log back in to Grinnell Connect?

Please take a moment to check out our quick start guide. 

Who has access to the site?

Access to the site has been granted to alumni, students, faculty and staff.

How do I update my profile?

Updating your profile is easy. In the top right corner of the home screen, you will see your picture. Click and then select “Edit Profile.” Within this page you can change your mentoring options, update your information, and change your profile picture.

Will updating Grinnell Connect update my account with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations?

Yes. Data from Grinnell Connect will be downloaded weekly and added to the database. However, to fully update your information, visit alumni.grinnell.edu/profile (you must be logged in) and update your profile.

How is email utilized within the site?

All messages will be sent to the email address associated with the account you use to register. That email address (including an email address associated with Facebook or LinkedIn, if you choose to register with one of those accounts) will become your preferred email address, and all communications from other users will be sent to it. Be sure your listed email is your preferred email.

What types of jobs should be posted on Grinnell Connect?

Grinnell Connect is a great place for you to share job opportunities with other alumni. If your opportunity is better suited for a current student or a recent Grinnell graduate, be sure to share the opportunity with the Center for Careers, Life, and Service and post the position on Handshake, Grinnell's job and internship board for students.

I see that I can post a job, but what about an internship?

If your internship is geared toward graduate students and/or alumni, then it would be appropriate to post it on Grinnell Connect. However, if the internship is better suited for a current Grinnell student it is recommended that you share the opportunity with the CLS and post the position on Handshake.

Grinnell Connect offers mentoring. What does this mean?

Within the site, you have the opportunity to mentor students and your fellow alumni. You will be asked to share ways in which you would like to help others by selecting categories of mentorship when you first join the site. These preferences can be updated at any time in your profile.

How do I start a mentoring relationship?

In order to be a mentor, be sure that your mentoring options are updated in your profile. From there, others will be able to request you as a mentor. If someone requests you as a mentor, you will receive an email that will direct you through the process.

If you wish to ask someone else to be your mentor, you may search for them within the directory. If they are accepting of mentees, a box saying “Request Mentorship” will appear on their profile.

What resources are available to me as a mentor?

Please visit mentoring resources for more details.

How do I end a mentoring relationship?

At some point, you will most likely need to end a mentoring relationship, hopefully once you both have met the set goals/objectives. All of your mentors and mentees will appear on your profile page. Click “Mentoring” in the left column. There, you will see “Mentoring Relationships”. Once you see the list of mentors and mentees, click on the picture of the mentor or mentee with whom you would like to break the connection. You will be asked to confirm that you are removing them as your mentee.

Note that if you are ending a relationship because something negative happened or the relationship was not working, be clear with your mentee that you are ending the relationship and why you are doing so. Explain that things are not working and encourage them to find another mentor to help meet their goals.

What if I have an interaction with a current student that concerns me?

Many alumni will develop trusting relationships with their mentees. In doing so, students may become comfortable sharing very personal information. For example, mental health might be a topic of discussion. As an alum, if this causes you concern, and you would like to share or discuss the situation, contact Jayn Chaney, director of alumni and donor relations, in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.

If you encounter an emergency situation, contact Campus Safety and Security, 641-269-4600.

How do I limit my number of mentees?

The best way to manage your mentoring requests is to simply turn off the mentoring option once you have reached your limit. To remove the mentoring option from you profile, click your picture in the top right corner. Then select “Edit Profile”. Once in the new screen, you can edit your mentoring offerings under “Offer Mentoring.”

How do I delete my account?

We’d be sad to see you go. Before removing your account, please let us know how we could have improved your experience within the site. Your feedback is important to us. To delete your account, log in to your profile and select your picture in the top right corner. Then select “Settings”. Once in the new page, scroll to the bottom. There, you will find the option to delete your account. If you have any problems, feel free to contact alumni@grinnell.edu.