Alumni Council Spring 2024 Summary

The Alumni Council met on campus Thursday, April 4 through Saturday, April 6 for its spring meeting. President Bernard Jackson ’86 presided over the meeting, which was attended by 21 members of the Council. 

Group photo of Alumni Council taken in Fall of 2023.
Alumni Council photo taken November 2023 on campus.

The following is a summary of the meeting:

  • The Student Connections committee hosted a successful dessert and networking reception on Thursday evening, attended by over 60 students.
  • On Friday, the Council began their morning with a fishbowl circle, a restorative practice and problem-solving tool. In the circle, the members of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce shared the work they have been engaged in since the fall. The taskforce has wrestled with the question of how to utilize the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) for their individual DEI journeys as well as for the work of the Alumni Council. The conversation continued into an opt-in lunchtime discussion about members’ experience of taking the IDI. The Council hopes to create spaces for themselves, other alumni, and students to hold conversations across difference. The DEI taskforce will deliver recommendations for next year’s Alumni Council after their final meeting in May.
  • Beronda Montgomery, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College, met with the Council to discuss curricular changes and explore pathways for augmenting faculty awareness of alumni partnership opportunities for the classroom.
  • In partnership with staff from alumni relations and the Center for Careers, Life, and Service, the Council explored and discussed successes and challenges related to alumni-student career connections through internships, externships, virtual networking, and mentorship. The Council will be working to address the need for more alumni volunteers in this area next year.
  • President Anne F. Harris joined the Council for dinner to provide a campus update including a discussion and overview of Knowledge Into Action, the strategic plan approved by the Board of Trustees last fall.
  • The Council met with Bernadine Douglas, vice president for development and alumni relations, to discuss the relationship between alumni and philanthropy to the College, and to consider how the Alumni Council’s role will evolve in preparation for the next campaign.
  • The Visibility Task Force reported on the successful analytics from its nascent social media campaign as well as updates on the event planned for Reunion 2024 featuring President Harris and Michael Kahn ’74, chair of the Board of Trustees. This event will be held on Saturday, June 1 from 9-10 a.m. and will be livestreamed at www.grinnell.edu/livestream.
  • The Awards committee selected the 2024 recipients of the Alumni Senior Awards and finalized plans for Alumni Assembly, which will take place on Saturday, June 1 from 4:30-5:45 p.m. in Herrick Chapel. The event will include the presentation of the 2024 Alumni Awards.
  • The Membership Development committee oversaw the election of four new members to Council: Jay Dick ’93, David Kurzman ’96, Maggie Bian ’09, and Mairéad O’Grady ’10.
  • Kate Goddard ’91 was elected as the next President-Elect of the Alumni Council.
  • The Council concluded its meetings by celebrating and recognizing its three departing members – Debby Feir ’68, Debbie Gottschalk ’90, and Andrea Jackson ’95.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Our thanks for your continued interest in the work of the Council.

Warm regards,

Bernard Jackson ’86, Alumni Council President
Jayn Bailey Chaney ’05, Director of Alumni and Donor Relations