Class of 2030 lights up campus on first night together in Grinnell
August 27, 2026 — In a message during Friday’s Illumination Ceremony, Kyla Miller ’25 told freshly arrived first-year students that today they become part of something much bigger than themselves.
“You become part of a Grinnell constellation, where every individual light matters, and together, we create something bright enough to guide generations to come,” she said.
More than 400 new Grinnellians joined in the College’s third annual Illumination Ceremony, which took place at the Commencement Stage where those students will graduate in May 2030. The event capped a busy first day of activities during New Student Orientation (NSO). Many students moved into their residence halls that morning and took part in welcome events in the afternoon.
The Illumination Ceremony was established by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations in 2024 to introduce new students to Grinnell’s alumni network and give them a memorable first-year experience, one designed to spark institutional pride and a lasting sense of belonging.
As students entered the ceremony space, they were given light devices. Andrew Lieu ’29 and Sophia Torres Da Cruz ’27 shared their experiences as current students with the class of 2030 while Miller reflected on the symbolism behind the ceremony and the power of the Grinnell alumni network.
Following inspirational remarks from President Anne F. Harris, the students turned on their light devices simultaneously, transforming the space into a sea of light, a powerful reminder that, while each Grinnellian’s path is unique, they are now part of something larger that stretches across generations and around the world.
Con Brio, the student a cappella group, closed the show by performing “Treasure” by Bruno Mars and “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder, followed by a dance party under the stars with a playlist curated by the new class. It was a fitting end to the evening and perhaps the beginning of something even bigger: a new class finding its light, its community, and its place in the Grinnell story.
—by Jeremy Shapiro