Star Wars Grinnell!

This movie was put together by a member of the Grinnell Pioneer track team and it recently won "Best Picture" at the all-college film festival held last week. Most of this video was shot here on campus and is an original film.

Recruiting, Recruiting, Recruiting

Big recruiting weekend for Grinnell College football. We have very good recruits coming in this weekend from all over the country- 10 different states! We think we will have an outstanding freshmen class!!

Cool, Small Towns!

Grinnell, Iowa; A Cool Small Town

Budget Travel Magazine recently held a poll to determine America's "Coolest Small Town". And as we all expected, Grinnell finished near the top of the list. Finishing third in the country is no minor feat for this small town that fits well into the qualifications of a "Cool Small Town",

"It's got to be on the upswing, a place that's beginning to draw attention—and new residents—because of the quality of life, arts and restaurant scene, or proximity to nature. And cool doesn't mean quaint. We want towns with an edge, so think avant-garde galleries, not country stores."

Check out the poll here!

Another Grinnell College Blogger!

Grinnell College's Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, Seth Allen, has started his own blog and we encourage all those going through the admissions process here to monitor it frequently.

Check it out!

Grinnell College on YouTube

See a number of videos from Grinnellians on YouTube, including the 2005 construction of the new Darby Gymnasium.

Pioneer in Argentina!

Scott Koenning (left) and his Argentine host family

Pioneer Football player Scott Koenning '10 is spending the spring semester studying in Argentina. The following are his words, with photos, about the experience.

My name is Scott Koenning, I'm a junior Grinnell College football player and a Sociology/Spanish double major. First, I'd like to send a warm hello to the whole GC football family: players, coaches, fans, and recruits! I sincerely miss what being a Pioneer football player in the off-season means - hanging out with my teammates, cheering on other Grinnell teams, and playing wesball.

Casa Rosada

Anyways, I'm writing to share my experiences from this semester so far. I'm studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina - the country's capital and largest city. Buenos Aires is famous worldwide for its love of tango, soccer, and the delicious and abundant Argentine beef. As juniors, Grinnell students are afforded the amazing opportunity to spend a semester abroad. I chose Buenos Aires and my program in particular because it focuses on the social sciences and gives me the chance to practice my Spanish in a vibrant, unique, and wonderful city. Of course, near-perfect weather doesn't hurt either. I think I made the right choice, because I've been loving it so far; there are so many wonderful sights to see and things to do. Being immersed in a very different culture and language is fascinating to me as a Sociology major and obviously incredibly beneficial to my Spanish.

View of the Argentina vs. Venezuela World Cup Qualifying Match

I live with an Argentine family, who I've gotten to be close with after many meals and adventures together. I take classes in Spanish with Argentine students at the University of Buenos Aires. It's intensely different from Grinnell College, with over 300,000 students and a campus that spreads many miles - it's a challenge, but well worth it. I have also been to a few soccer games, and the passion is incredible. The fans stand and sing for the entire game, and the rivalries can get very intense. For a recent World Cup qualifying game, some friends and I stood in line from 2 AM to 10 AM to get tickets. Being packed in with thousands of young soccer fans for 10 hours, held back by police in riot gear, was quite an experience, but being in the stadium to see Argentina's national team play before their home fans was unforgettable.

I still have a few months here, and I'm so excited for all the experiences I have in front of me. I hope to learn a lot, enjoy myself, and come back with a more global perspective. Here's hoping beautiful weather comes to Grinnell sooner rather than later, and that all of you have a wonderful spring! Thanks for reading, and feel free to e-mail any questions or comments to me at koenning@grinnell.edu.


We hope to hear more from Scott as his semester abroad winds down!

Dodgeball Video!