Nominations/applications underway for two different Grinnell awards
July 17, 2025 — Three of Grinnell College’s most cherished alumni honors are now accepting entries.
Nominations are underway for the 2026 Alumni Awards and 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class. Grinnellians are encouraged to nominate a fellow alum for consideration. Additionally, applications are being collected for the 2025 Joseph F. Wall ’41 Alumni Service Award. These should be submitted by the applicant rather than by a nominator.
The Alumni Awards and Wall Service Awards have submission deadlines of Aug. 31. Hall of Fame nominations are due by Sept. 30.
Submitting a nomination is deeply meaningful. Even a few thoughtful sentences on the online nomination forms can go a long way in honoring someone’s impact. Letters of support (beyond the nomination form) can be sent to alumni@grinnell.edu at any time.
“Recognizing the remarkable Grinnellians in our lives is easier than you think, and more appreciated than you know,” says Guinevere Natarelli, associate director of alumni and donor relations for Reunion and awards.
Further details about each award are below.
Gabrielle Conecker ’00 makes her way to the front of Herrick Chapel during Alumni Assembly in June to receive her 2025 Alumni Award.
2026 Alumni Awards
The Grinnell College Alumni Awards have recognize individuals who embody Grinnell College’s mission of lifetime learning and service. Recipients, which date back to the class of 1900, have distinguished themselves by their service to their careers, their community, and/or the College.
Nominations are being accepted for the following classes, who will celebrate their reunions in 2025:
- 70th reunion: 1956
- 65th reunion: 1961-1962
- 55th reunion: 1968-1972
- 50th reunion: 1976
- 40th reunion: 1986-1987
- 30th reunion: 1995-1997
- 25th reunion: 2001
- 10th reunion: 2016
- 5th reunion: 2020-2022
Complete an online nomination form to share details about the nominee. Current Grinnell College Board of Trustees and Alumni Council members are not eligible for an Alumni Award. Visit the Alumni Awards web page to find more information about the award and learn about past recipients.
The Grinnell College Alumni Council will select the recipients and share the news through an announcement in The Grinnellian e-newsletter early next year. The recipients will be presented with their awards May 30 at Alumni Assembly during Reunion 2026.
Felipe Bautista ’02 shakes hands with Director of Athletics Holly Roepke during the 2024 Athletics Hall of Fame induction.
2026 Athletics Hall of Fame
The Grinnell College Athletics Hall of Fame was created in 1996 to honor individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to Grinnell athletics and have helped bring excellence and distinction to the College and its athletic program.
Individual candidates are considered based on their athletic and academic achievements while at Grinnell College and their athletic achievements and contributions to the Grinnell community after graduating. The tribute is open to former students, coaches, and administrators who exemplify the Pioneer tradition of excellence. Learn more about eligibility and the criteria for the award and view an alphabetical list of current inductees.
An online nomination form is available until Sept. 30. Any supplemental documentation should be sent to Jayn Chaney ’05, assistant vice president of alumni and donor relations, at chaneyj@grinnell.edu or via U.S. mail to: Office of Development and Alumni Relations, 733 Broad St., Grinnell, Iowa 50112-1690.
Honorees will be announced early next year and honored at an induction ceremony during Grinnell’s all-sports Athletics Reunion in September 2026.
2025 Joseph F. Wall ’41 Alumni Service Award
During Grinnell College’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1996, the Wall Award was established as a tribute to the College’s 150-year tradition of social commitment. The award was named in honor of Joseph Wall ’41, professor of history and longtime dean of the College, who inspired an ideal of social responsibility in his students.
Each year, a committee composed of alumni, faculty, and a student choose up to two alumni award recipients. They receive up to $40,000 prizes to either jump-start or complete a project that shows creativity and commitment to effecting positive social change. Any graduate of Grinnell College is eligible to apply, as long as they themselves will act as a principal of the project.
To apply, read through and complete the Wall Service Award application. Additional information about the award and a partial list of past winners can be found on the Wall Service Award webpage.
— by Jeremy Shapiro