On behalf of the Multicultural Affairs Staff, I would like to welcome you to our website and to
Grinnell College.

Whether you are a perspective or current student, parent, alum or colleague, the information contained within our site should be useful in providing you a comprehensive overview of our programs and services.

Grinnell's commitment to educate multicultural students is not a symbolic one; rather, it is a commitment shared by the entire college community that students learn through exploring their differences. The college acknowledges that all students exhibit universal needs that transcend racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, the college and the Office of Multicultural Affairs are committed to serving all students. Thus, all students are invited and encouraged to participate in any and all of the programs, services, and student organizations associated with multicultural affairs.

While the Office of Multicultural Affairs is open to all students, the office's primary focus is to assess and meet the needs of our multiethnic students, and provide a forum by which issues of multiculturalism and diversity can be broadly addressed. In achieving this goal, Multicultural Affairs provides several programs designed to enhance student life here at Grinnell College.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs works with Grinnell's multiethnic and international students.
Each fall, the office offers a two-day multicultural student orientation. The office sponsors three mentoring programs: the Peer Connections Program which matches incoming students with returning students; the Faculty Mentoring Program which matches incoming students with members of the faculty; and the Alumni Mentor Program which matches students with alumni in their field of interest. The office also sponsors the Young, Gifted and Black Gospel Choir, which is comprised of members from different cultures, nationalities, and races.

The office provides personal counseling and advising to individual students, consults with campus constituents on related matters, and acts as a liaison to the Admission office for campus visits by prospective students.

If after exploring our site you have questions still needing to be addressed, please do not hesitate to contact me at sims@grinnell.edu or call the Multicultural Affairs Office at 641-269-3703 and ask to speak with any one of our professional staff.

Michael D. Sims
Associate Dean for Student Life