Alumni to revisit the past while reconnecting with classmates at Reunion 2025
May 27, 2025 — Grinnell alumni from 48 different classes – ranging from 1960 to 2016 – are returning to their alma mater for a weekend of reuniting.
Grinnell College’s 145th Alumni Reunion Weekend is taking place May 29-June 1 throughout numerous venues on campus as well as in and around Grinnell. The largest alumni event of the year, 1,140 guests have registered to attend (825 alums along with family members, friends of the College, and faculty and staff).
Alumni return to the College to rekindle connections with classmates, enjoy lively conversations and events, explore the campus and city of Grinnell, and relive their student days.
More than 800 alums will be back on campus to take part in a variety of Reunion events such as the Pioneer Athletics Reception.
This year’s Reunion classes celebrating milestone reunions are the classes of 1965, 1966, 1975, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015. Alumni from any class are always welcome and some alums attend every Reunion as part of the GRA/EY – Grinnell Reunion Any/Every Year – contingent.
This year’s registered attendees are from 45 states, Washington D.C., and 21 foreign countries: Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Great Britian, Ghana, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, India, Ireland, Jordan, Kosovo, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, Uganda, and United Arab Emirates.
“There’s nothing quite like seeing the campus come alive with the energy of returning alumni,” says Jayn Bailey Chaney ’05, assistant vice president of alumni and donor relations. “Reunion is part celebration, part time-travel, and all heart. Whether you’re reliving old traditions, reconnecting with classmates, or discovering how much has changed (and how much hasn’t!), it’s pure Grinnell magic. We’re ready to roll out the welcome mat, throw open the doors, and make this year’s Reunion one to remember – again.”
As usual, Reunion weekend is bursting full of activities, intellectually stimulating lectures and panels, social gatherings, and family fun. Attendees will have a variety of event options to choose from throughout the weekend.
Reunion gets underway the afternoon and evening of Thursday, May 29 with campus tours, a Multicultural Reception, and welcome events for each class or cluster.
SonTierra, co-founded by Karin Stein ’84, second from right, will be one of the bands performing at Block Party on Friday evening.
Early risers Friday can go on a birding tour, take a trip to the Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA), go for a Bike Ride Around Grinnell, or take part in a golf scramble. Later that morning will be the Grinnell Black Alumni Network (GBAN) Reception, the Conexiones Latine Alumni Reception, the Pioneer Athletics Reception with Coaches, and a faculty lecture about sustainability at Grinnell.
Among the options Friday afternoon is All-Reunion Moth Storytelling, a Social Justice Tour, and the Center for Religion, Spirituality, and Social Justice (CRSSJ) Open House.
The Reunion Block Party will be held Friday evening complete with nine food trucks, yard games, activities, and Latin music performances by Tropicante and SonTierra. Drag Show and a midnight bakery run complete the Friday festivities.
Saturday is another full day of activities, starting with a fun run/walk at 7:30 a.m. Other highlights include a Liberal Arts in Prison Program panel discussion, the All-Reunion Mac Chill Time (with reverse tie-dyeing and axe throwing), and a Renfrow Hall open house where attendees can see the new downtown residence house and learn more about the life and legacy of the College’s first Black alumna, Mrs. Edith Renfrow Smith ’37, DHL ’19.
Reunion also is a time to recall and treasure the lives of Grinnellians no longer with us. A quiet space to preserve and share memories of classmates who have passed away will be open all weekend at the Flanagan Studio Theatre inside Bucksbaum Center for the Arts. On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., attendees will gather to remember and celebrate the life of Professor Andrew Hsieh by making dumplings – one of Andrew’s favorites – in the HSSC Global Kitchen. A Celebration of Professor Don Smith will be held at 2-4 p.m. Saturday at Grinnell House with remarks from family and friends at 3 p.m.
The Alumni Choir will sing May 31 during Alumni Assembly at Herrick Chapel.
Everyone will come together for the Alumni Assembly at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Herrick Chapel. The event will include an address by President Anne F. Harris, and she will present the inaugural Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award to Randy Morgan ’65. Also on tap is an alumni choir performance, and Alumni Council members will present the 2025 Alumni Awards. The Council selected 14 recipients this year who have distinguished themselves by their service to their careers, their community, and/or the College.
This year’s recipients are:
- Kenton Clymer ’65
- Jeri Langham ’65
- Michael Cullen ’75
- Bill Ferguson ’75
- Renee Garrick ’75
- Amy Fraenkel ’85
- May-lee Chai ’89
- Clint Korver ’89
- Kent Koth ’90
- Monique McLay Shore ’90
- Juan Castaño ’00
- Gabrielle Conecker ’00
- Caitlin Davies ’09
- Evan Griffith ’15
Alumni Assembly will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
After Assembly, an all-Reunion dinner will be held. A Titular Head Revisited session, performances by the Too Many String Band and Loggia Patrol, along with the Reunion Harris Party round out Saturday’s events. A farewell breakfast Sunday morning closes out the weekend.
The planning for Reunion 2025 started more than a year in advance by 102 Reunion Class Committee volunteers.
“These dedicated volunteers spent countless hours preparing for Reunion to make sure their classmates and all Grinnellians have a fantastic experience back on campus,” says Guinevere Natarelli, associate director for reunion programs. “Thank you so much for your time and efforts in planning truly meaningful events, contacting classmates, raising funds for Grinnell students, and the numerous other activities you have taken on.”
Upon returning to campus, Reunion attendees’ first stop should be the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center (JRC), 1115 8th Ave., where alums can pick up materials or register, if they haven’t done so already. The registration and help desks will open at 8 a.m. on May 29 and be available throughout Reunion.
—by Jeremy Shapiro