Volunteer Spotlight: Carter Newton '77

Carter Newton ’77 is proud to be a member of the Grinnell College family. He’s a third-generation Grinnellian. His great-grandparents moved to Grinnell in 1902 and sent four of their five children to Grinnell. His mother, Hester Pitts Newton ’49, received a Grinnell alumni award. His youngest son, Vincent Newton '12, is the 14th family member to attend Grinnell College.

Carter says he appreciates the writing and critical thinking skills he acquired while at Grinnell. It took about a year to “get the knack” of Grinnell, gaining confidence with each passing semester. He started off in the sciences and mathematics and then migrated to sociology before finding a home in history.

While at Grinnell, he participated on the basketball team his first year and the tennis team his last three years. He still remembers fondly the Bruce Springsteen concert in Darby Gymnasium.

Carter also noted that the writing and critical thinking skills as well as the interest in history that he developed during his Grinnell years have been enormously helpful in his career as a community newspaper publisher in Galena, Ill., a community steeped in history.

Through his 34-year career in Galena, he’s been involved in numerous community organizations, including the Galena Foundation and the Community Development Fund of Galena, serving the last 10 years as president. He’s also served on the Illinois Press Association Board of directors, including two years as president, and he now serves on the board of directors of the Illinois Press Foundation.

Carter says he’s proud of two other volunteer roles. He chairs his Rotary district’s Vocational Training Team committee, which sends volunteers to work with indigenous Mayans in Guatemala and helps a community educate girls in Uganda. He’s also enjoyed helping Grinnell College as a class volunteer, as a class agent, and most recently, as a member of the Grinnell College Alumni Council.

“Education is a cornerstone of our country," Carter says. "It’s the responsibility of one generation to pave the way for the next generations. I believe firmly that my Grinnell education is the cornerstone of my Grinnell College volunteer activities as well as a way to honor my family heritage."