Grinnell College Innovator for Social Justice Prize

The Grinnell College Innovator for Social Justice Prize, created by Grinnell College, is an annual program honoring individuals who have demonstrated leadership in their fields and "who show creativity, commitment and extraordinary accomplishment in effecting positive social change."[1]

The Grinnell College Innovator for Social Justice Prize
Awarded foroutstanding contributions in effecting positive social change
LocationGrinnell, IA
CountryUnited States of America
Presented byGrinnell College
Reward(s)$100,000
First awarded2011
WebsiteGrinnell Prize

Each year a $100,000 award will be given, with half going to the individual and half to their organization.

In seeking nominations each fall, Grinnell encourages entries from across a wide range of fields, including science, medicine, the environment, humanities, business, economics, education, law, public policy, social services, religion and ethics, as well as projects that cross these boundaries. Nominations are also encouraged from areas that may not have been traditionally viewed as directly connected to social justice, such as the arts and business. Nominees may be U.S. citizens or nationals of other countries; no affiliation to Grinnell College is required.[2]

History of Social Justice at Grinnell
See also: History of Grinnell College

Grinnell was founded in 1846 by a group of transplanted New Englanders with strong Congregational and social-reformer backgrounds. They organized as the Trustees of Iowa College — originally in Davenport, Iowa. In 1859 the trustees moved the College to newly settled Grinnell, Iowa, where their abolitionist sentiments were more welcome. At the time, Grinnell was an important stop on the Underground Railroad that secretly transported slaves to freedom.

Grinnell's social consciousness blossomed during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, when graduates Harry Hopkins '12, Chester Davis '11, Paul H. Appleby '13, Hallie Ferguson Flanagan '11, and Florence Stewart Kerr '12 became influential New Deal administrators.

Today, Grinnell's commitment to social justice continues through a strong philosophy of self governance and personal responsibility, as well as programs and initiatives that encourage students to learn about the world beyond the campus and effect positive social change. More than 300 Grinnell alumni have served in the Peace Corps since it was founded in 1961. Together, these alumni have served in 89 countries from Afghanistan to Zambia.

For example, the Wall Alumni Prize provides financial support for Grinnell alumni to engage in service projects, programs, and organizations dedicated to improving the lives of others. Under Grinnell's Expanding Knowledge Initiative, the College has introduced curricular innovations in the areas of environmental challenges, human rights, and human dignity. The Liberal Arts in Prison Program, a collaborative effort by Grinnell students, faculty, and staff, engages incarcerated adults in courses in the liberal arts.

The Grinnell College Innovator for Social Justice Prize directly reflects Grinnell's historic mission to educate men and women "who are prepared in life and work to use their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good." With the creation of the Grinnell Prize, the College is extending its educational mission beyond the campus and alumni community to individuals anywhere who believe innovative social justice programs create a better world.

History of the Grinnell Prize

The Innovator for Social Justice Prize program was announced in November, 2010.

The idea for Innovator for Social Justice Prize originated with Raynard S. Kington, M.D., Ph.D., who began his tenure as Grinnell's thirteenth president in August, 2010.[3] In underscoring the college's longstanding belief in social justice as a core tenet of its liberal arts academic mission, President Kington noted that the prize was created to "encourage and recognize young individuals who embody our core values and organizations that share our commitment to change the world."

The program drew more than 1,000 nominations from 66 countries in its initial year.[4]

Nomination criteria

Nominations are evaluated based on how candidates have embraced the values of a liberal arts education, including critical thinking, creative problem-solving, free inquiry and commitment to using and sharing knowledge to better humanity.[5]

To be considered for the Prize, eligible nominees must:

  • Have earned a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in the past 15 years;
  • Have an exceptional record of substantive, innovative contributions within their chosen field that have enabled them to become a force for social justice;
  • Through their actions, embody the Grinnell College ideal of using their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good;
  • Demonstrate the essence of Grinnell College's broad liberal arts education through critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and free inquiry;
  • Not be widely known outside their immediate community or field;
  • Be nominated by a third party;
  • If chosen as a winner and along with their chosen organization, be verified and validated by Grinnell College;
  • Participate in an on-campus symposium and awards ceremony, and explore other opportunities to engage the Grinnell and wider community;
  • Have sufficient English fluency to facilitate participation and community engagement; and
  • Be able to provide in English any supplemental information required as part of the selection process.

Selection committee

Committee members are recognized individuals who work for social change in various capacities – largely Iowa-based – and represent the college's faculty, student body, alumni, staff and trustees, plus prominent individuals not formally affiliated with Grinnell.[6] Current / past committee members have included:

  • George A. Drake '56, Grinnell president from 1979 to 1991 and currently professor emeritus at the college
  • Rekha Basu, columnist for The Des Moines Register
  • Monica Chavez-Silva, director of community enhancement and engagement, Grinnell College
  • Laura M. Ferguson, M.D. '90, member of Grinnell's board of trustees
  • Emily Westergaard Hamilton '02, executive director of Des Moines "I Have a Dream" Foundation
  • Ben Offenberg '11, Grinnell student body president
  • Suku Radia, president and CEO, Bankers Trust
  • Suzanne E. Siskel, executive VP and CEO of The Asia Foundation
  • Marsha K. Ternus, former chief justice, Iowa Supreme Court
  • Eliza Willis, professor of political science, Grinnell College
  • Gabe Schechter '12, Grinnell student body president
  • Meg Jones Bair, director of donor relations, Grinnell College
  • Chris Hunter, professor of sociology, Grinnell College
  • Kristi Knous, president and COO, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines
  • Colleen Osborne '13, Grinnell student body president
  • Barrett Thomas '97, associate professor of Management Sciences, University of Iowa
  • Karla Erickson, associate professor and chair of sociology, Grinnell College
  • Julie Gosselink, president, CEO, and chair of the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation
  • Mary Kramer, former Iowa state senator
  • Thomas Neil '14, Grinnell student body president
  • Peggy Saika, president and executive director of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
  • Jocelyn Wyatt '99, executive director of IDEO.org
  • George Moose '66, former assistant secretary of state for African affairs
  • Tilly Woodward, Faulconer Gallery curator of academic and community outreach
  • Opeyemi Awe '15, Grinnell student body president

List of winners by year

2011
  • Boris Bulayev, president, & Eric Glustrom, executive director, Educate! [7]
  • James Kofi Annan, executive director, Challenging Heights [8]
  • Rabbi Melissa Weintraub, co-founder and director emeritus, Encounter [9]

2012

2013
  • Emily Arnold-Fernandez, founder and executive director, Asylum Access [13]
  • Elizabeth Scharpf, founder and chief instigating officer, & Julian Ingabire Kayibanda, chief operations officer in Rwanda, SHE (Sustainable Health Enterprises) [14]

2014
  • Ani Vallabhaneni & Lindsay Stradley, co-founders, Sanergy
  • Adam Kircher & Kiah Williams, co-founders and co-directors, SIRUM (Supporting Initiatives to Redistribute Unused Medicine)

2015
  • Deborah Osei-Agyekum, co-founder, Golden Baobab
  • Maria Vertkin, founder, Found in Translation

2016
  • Luna Ranjit, founder, Adhikaar
  • Diana Jue Rajasingh and Jackie Stenson, co-founders, Essmart

2017
  • Gina L. Clayton, founder, Essie Justice Group

2018
  • Mélanie Marcel, founder, SoScience

2019
  • Shafiq R. Khan, founder, Empower People

2020
  • Alexander McLean, founder, Justice Defenders

References
  1. "4 Under 40 Making a Difference for Social Justice.". The Nation. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  2. "Nominations". Grinnell College. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  3. "Grinnell College Announces Winners of the $100,000 2011 Young Innovation Social Justice Prize." SocialEnterpriseLive.com. Referenced 25 September 2011.
  4. "Kofi Annan Wins International Social Justice Prize" GhanaNaija.com. Referenced 25 September 2011.
  5. "Social Justice Prize Recipient Announced". The Scarlet and Black. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  6. "Selection Committee". Grinnell College. Referenced 16 November 2014.
  7. "EDUCATE!'S Winner of the 2011 Young Innovator for Social Justice" NextBillion.net. Referenced 25 September 2011.
  8. "Ghanaian Wins International Social Justice Award" Ghana News Agency. Referenced 25 September 2011.
  9. "Rabbi Melissa Weintraub wins $100,000 as Young Innovator." Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Referenced 25 September 2011.
  10. "2012 Grinnell Prize Awarded to Global Press Institute Founder Cristi Hegranes." Newstex. Referenced April 2014.
  11. "Grinnell College Selects Team Rubicon Founders as 2012 Recipients of Social Justice Prize" Team Rubicon USA. Referenced April 2014.
  12. "Traveling to the Heartland of America: Grinnell, Iowa" Embrace Global. Referenced April 2014.
  13. "Emily Arnold-Fernández '99 Is Awarded Grinnell Social Justice Prize for Her Work With Asylum Access" Pomona College. Referenced April 2014.
  14. "Elizabeth Schaprf and Julian Kayibanda are 2013 Grinnell Prize Winners" Archived 2014-04-29 at the Wayback Machine SHE. Referenced April 2013.
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