Editorial

President Raynard Kington, M.D., Ph.D., had a special bond with his audience during New Student Orientation this fall. In one of his first official acts as president of Grinnell College, he faced a sea of faces and explained “You and I are beginning a grand adventure at the same time.”

In a whirlwind weekend, Kington ended his tenure at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on a Friday, flying in to welcome the incoming class of 2014 the next day. Over the next several weeks, he and his family will be settling into the community and college life.

In an early act, Kington will open the 2010-11 academic year with a Scholars Convocation on Thurs., Sept. 2 at 11 a.m. in Herrick Chapel. He will discuss “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health in the U.S.: Patterns, Causes, Trends,” reviewing the scientific evidence on racial and ethnic disparities and the challenges for intervention.

Grinnell College welcomes our newest president.

Kevin Cannon ’02 was still a student when his cartoons first delighted Grinnellians on the pages of The Grinnell Magazine. His wry, colorful graphics have had a long run.

The end of Cannon’s cartoon “run” with the magazine this summer coincides with another — the conclusion of Russell K. Osgood’s 12-year tenure as President of the College.

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Summer 2010.

Trustee Nordahl Brue ’67 had an idea and termed it “selah,” a Hebrew word for a time to pause and reflect. Brue’s idea was to celebrate the talent and achievement within the College community, to commemorate the fourth rebuilding of Grinnell’s facilities, and to honor retiring President Russell K. Osgood.

Brue hopes to make Selah an annual day of celebration focused on Grinnell’s achievements.Suggestions for future celebrations may be sent to Meg Jones Bair, director of donor relations.

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Summer 2010.

There’s something magical about an old newspaper office; it’s seen so much history, heard so many stories. The old Scarlet & Black press room at the Grinnell Herald Register is such a place.

The old makeup room is filled with the tools that editors of old used to ready the publication for print. Though replaced by computers, when you visit you can almost hear the ghosts of the past stirring among the dusty shelves.

Photos by Jim Heemstra

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Summer 2010.

Tips? We've got more tips than a truck-stop waitress. Here are some more ideas on how to survive the recession.

From Rachel Bly ’93

Director of conference operations and events in the Department of College and Alumni Relations

1. Take turns with other families and host “game nights.” Each child can pick out a board game that he or she wants to play. It's even more fun if the adults get involved.
2. Check out your local library. They often have great — and free — activities for children.
3. Go on explorations in town. Bly said a local artist in Grinnell put on a class to show children how to make stained glass.
4. Form a swimming collective with other families and rent the pool out for an hour or two at a time.
5. Form babysitting co-ops to reduce childcare expenses when the adults want a night on the town.
6. Kids love to bake. Make a batch of sugar cookies and let the children decorate them.
7. Take advantage of local events. In Grinnell, for example, the College hosts numerous events and concerts that children can enjoy.

From Erin Howell-Gritsch

Costume designer in Grinnell's theatre and dance department

1. People make the mistake of thinking clothes in second-hand and resale shops are good values, when in fact they are often overpriced. “I'd actually start at Goodwill, where you can find some pretty good things,” she says.
2. Also consider Old Navy. “You can find 97-cent bargains, which is even cheaper than Goodwill.”
3. Instead of paying as much as $20 for a jersey knit scarf, buy a yard of cotton knit at a fabric store and make three or four of your own. (They make great gifts.)

From Jen Jacobsen ’95

Wellness coordinator

1. You don't need to spend a lot on barbells. A gallon of milk or container of laundry detergent can work just as well. If that seems a little too low-tech, Play it Again Sports have cheaper barbells. “I store mine under the couch,” she says.
2. Fitness and workout DVDs are often available for free at the local library. Netflix subscribers can also get them.
3. Form child care trade-offs with friends so you can spend an hour at the gym without having to pay the cost of a babysitter.
4. There are countless ways to work out with children (for you, it's a workout; for them, it's play). Go sledding; walking up the hill is great exercise. Go on hikes. Ride bicycles together. Or let them ride a bicycle while you run along next to them.

From Ralph Eyberg

The College's horticulturist

1. Don't mow too often, especially in the hottest part of summer.
2. If you have a shaded area in your yard, create a shade garden. Place plants there that thrive in the shade.
3. Stick to a budget when it comes to landscaping. “It's easy to go into a garden center, see something you want and compulsively buy it,” he says.
4. Plant smaller trees and plants. They grow faster.
5. Use mulch for weed control and water management — but you don't want it to be deeper than four inches.
6. Use plants that are hardy for your area.
7. When planting annuals, put a little bit of Soil Moist in the bottom of the hole before planting. “It absorbs water and keeps the plant from drying out quite as much.”
8. Time-release fertilizer will take care of most plants through the summer.

From Kristin Lovig

Director of human resources

1. Follow up on your job application, but don't overdo it. If you are told that your application has been received, there's no need for a follow-up call. But it's perfectly fine to check back if it feels like the process is dragging on.
2. Be willing to accept a temporary job. It's a great way to get your foot in the door and to demonstrate your work ethic. It can often lead to a full-time job.

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Fall 2010.

Babel Tower teachers (l to r): Nikeisha Sewell ’12, Juli Garcia-Vicente ’10, leader Claire Moisan, Camila Barrios-Camacho ’12, Mairéad O’Grady ’10, Hiba Elnour ’12, and Heidi Chun ’10.
Photographer: Grant Dissette '12

At the same time globalization makes communication across cultures more important than ever, shrinking budgets have forced schools around the country to cut foreign language programs. The local Grinnell district is no exception.

A new collaboration between Grinnell students and the Grinnell Area Arts Council may help fill the gap.

“The decline of foreign language instruction in schools seemed like a problem for which we may have an exceptional local solution,” says Claire Moisan, instructor in the Grinnell College Writing Lab and founder of Babel Tower Language Academy. Babel Tower is an after-school and weekend language program employing Grinnell students to teach six foreign languages.

Grinnell students are particularly well-prepared to teach languages. The study of foreign languages continues to thrive at Grinnell, Moisan says. Thirteen percent of Grinnell graduates are language majors; 86 percent of Grinnell graduates completed at least one language course, and 49 percent completed as least three. Nearly 60 percent of Grinnell students study abroad for at least one semester.

“My goal was to create a program that would be as much about learning to teach as it is about teaching to learn,” says Moisan, whose initial academic training was in French. “Teaching is one of the best ways of solidifying language skills.”

Students are excited about the opportunity. “As a future educator, I have this phenomenal opportunity to try out my lesson plans, to see what works and doesn’t,” says Chinese teacher Heidi Chun ’10.

“This last semester reminded me how much fun learning about language and culture can be,” she adds. “I had the opportunity to review a large amount of material often not discussed at the college level and to slow down and enjoy preparing lessons on cultural topics.”

Moisan also collaborated with visiting instructor Yasuko Akiyama, who trained the student teachers in a two-credit course on foreign language teaching methodologies. “This course gives the student both training in the theory of how languages are taught, and practice teaching in a low stakes, creative environment,” says Akiyama.

“I am so excited about the collaboration between the College and the arts council,” says Moisan.“ It’s a win-win situation that enriches the lives of all involved — the college students who have the opportunity to impart their skills and knowledge of topics they are studying at Grinnell, and the local community children who have the opportunity to broaden their cultural, creative, and linguistic horizons.”

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Spring 2010.

Katie Mears ’03 works for Episcopal Relief and Development as program manager for U.S. disaster preparedness and response. She was recently in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, handling logistics for transfer of relief supplies into Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake there. The organization’s network of Haitian staff is running 23 camps, serving more than 25,000 people.

When asked what gives her hope in the face of such a disaster, Mears says, “That people, somehow, continue to get up everyday. In the face of all that death and destruction, in a country that literally smells like death … they are finding strength and courage in the face of a gruesome reality. That cheers me up.

“It’s important for Americans to remember that Haitians aren’t just victims here,” she adds. “They can be and need to be in control of their recovery.”

Mears sent these photos she took in the days immediately following the Haiti earthquake.

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Spring 2010.

Mears writes, “[This photo is of] me (at left, purple shirt) and my colleague Kirsten Muth (at right) (both from Episcopal Relief and Development) meeting with the crisis commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti in Port-au-Prince a week after the quake. The one in the purple baseball cap is the Bishop of Haiti, Rt. Rev. Jean-Zache Duracin. Courtesy of the Diocese of Haiti

Destruction in Port-au-Prince. By Katie Mears ’03

The Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince was badly damaged. The center portion was formerly three stories tall. By Katie Mears ’03

Damage to the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince. By Katie Mears ’03

Steve Johnston ’92, general counsel for the Oakland A’s, says heading to Phoenix, Ariz., to watch spring training is one of his favorite job duties. He sent this photo slideshow of a day at the ballpark with the A’s, along with some family snapshots. Photos used courtesy of Johnston.

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Summer 2010.

Johnston soaks up some sunshine while the team takes the field.

Johnston (second from right) watches the team run drills at spring training with (l to r) Oakland A’s owner Lew Wolff, Field Manager Bob Geren, and General Manager Billy Beane.

Johnston watches the team at work. The Oakland A’s are part of the Cactus League for spring training.

Steve and two of his three sons (Brady and Ty) take in a game.

Steve’s sons Brady, Will, and Ty with former Oakland A’s/Yankees All-Star Jason Giambi.

Steve’s wife Angela with their son Ty — she and Steve coach their son’s Little League team.

Steve, Angela, and the boys enjoy a day at the beach.

Johnston's son Will at an A’s game impatiently waiting for his hotdog.

Johnston's sons at the Oakland A's batting cage at the stadium.

Brady and Johnston at a San Jose Earthquakes soccer game.

Brady helping the photographer at the San Jose Earthquakes game.

On Aug. 1, 2010, Raynard S. Kington, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., will become the 13th president of Grinnell College. When Kington was introduced to a packed Herrick Chapel on Feb. 17, the response was remarkable in its passion and its volume. Photos by Jim Heemstra.

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Summer 2010.

Herrick Chapel, which has served as a setting for Grinnell’s defining moments for more than a century, overflowed with joy (and Grinnellians) for the presidential announcement.

David White ’90, chair of the Grinnell College Board of Trustees, introduced Kington to the standing-room-only audience.

Kington received three standing ovations from the happy crowd in Herrick.

As most parents would agree, keeping a small child quiet in church can be challenging. Kington’s partner, Dr. Peter Daniolos, entertains the couple’s older son Emerson during the announcement ceremony.

Emerson's attention wandered, but he would soon be on the move.

“C’mon up!”

Emerson and his father face the audience together.

Emerson appears to be thinking, "Hmmmm … what happens if I drop this over the side?"

A sunny day greeted Kington for the presidential announcement, complemented by a warm reception from Grinnellians in Herrick.

Jeff Phelps ’71 (right) greets the new president and his partner, while Seth Allen (second from left), dean of admission and financial aid, waits to speak with the new president.

Daniolos and Emerson wore big smiles as they walked to lunch at the Joe Rosenfield ’25 Center.

Trustee Hal Fuson ’67 walks with Kington on their way to the Rosenfield Center.

Kington got a round of applause from students eating lunch when he and his family walked into the dining hall.

Raynard S. Kington, M.D. — Grinnell’s 13th president.

Images by Jim Heemstra.

This article appeared as a web extra for The Grinnell Magazine, Summer 2010.

Pfun with the Pfishes: Vic Verrett, Lucy Green, Bob Baumann, Dewey Meyer, Tom Evans, and Art Heimann.

Vic Verrett, Art Heimann, and Gordon Packard begin their workout in the pool.

Everybody in the pool! Back row (l to r): Betty Gerber, Bob Johnson, Ruth Samson, Tom Evans, Lyle Kuehl, and Dewey Meyer; Second row: Virg Groth, Ed Eichorn, Bob Baumann, Karen Packard, Jean Libbey, Linda Eichorn, Judy Cook, and Vic Verrett; Third row: Pat Emmert, Bessie Tedrick, Mary Schucmann, Art Heimann, Rita Baustian, Rowena Porter, Lucy Green, and Gordon Packard; Fourth row: Deloris Johnson, Judy Kuehl, Susan McIntyre; Front row: Irma Lincoln, Gloria Clay, John Green, and Ken Tedrick.

Swimming with the Pfishes: some members of the group take advantage of the opportunity for lap swimming as well as the water aerobics workout.

Virg Groth hits the ropes.

Ropes are an integral part of the water aerobics workout Pfitsch designed: Vic Verrett (facing camera) and Bob Baumann

Clockwise from left: Ed Eichorn, Lyle Kuehl, Steve Lovig, Dewey Meyer, Virg Groth, and John Green enjoy an invigorating early morning workout.

Stretch! Lucy Green takes a moment to stretch her muscles.

The ladies: Susan McIntyre, Linda Eichorn, Betty Gerber, Judy Cook, and Judy Kuehl.

Clockwise form upper left: Ken Tedrik, Ed Eichorn, Dewey Meyer, Tom Evans, Bob Baumann, Vic Verrett, and John Green.

Judy Cook exercises with a smile on her face.