“You’ll Find Your People”: Senior Scholar Elvis on Choosing Grinnell College

A College Track New Orleans scholar reflects on four years at Grinnell College and the advice he’d give students weighing their own options.

Elvis didn’t plan on Grinnell College. As a high school senior from College Track New Orleans, he wasn’t considering the small liberal arts college in rural Iowa, about 15 hours from home. His principal saw something he didn’t yet, telling Elvis that at Grinnell, he would find his people.

Today, Elvis is a senior at Grinnell, and after graduation, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.

His path also points to what’s ahead for other College Track scholars. College Track and Grinnell recently announced a new partnership that will welcome cohorts of first-generation College Track scholars to Grinnell, beginning in fall 2028.

Elvis sat down with Elshaday, a College Track Aurora scholar at the University of San Francisco and College Track’s social media associate, to talk about choosing Grinnell, the friendships that shaped his time there, and his advice for students weighing their own options.

Why did you choose Grinnell?

“To be honest, the first time I came here, I didn’t really like it. I felt out of place, and the only thing you could see around was cornfields. But my advisors from high school went out of their way to convince me to come here. My principal pulled me aside and told me, ‘You’re not a big school type of person. At Grinnell, you’ll find your people.’ And then the financial aid covered everything. So I gave in and said, okay, I’ll go there.”

I left Aurora for San Francisco, so I know what it’s like to be far from home. Grinnell is about 15 hours from New Orleans. What has that been like for you?

“My first fall break, I flew home, and after three days I wanted to come back already. There’s nothing in Grinnell, literally nothing, so for you to want to come back here, that’s pretty crazy.”

What experience at Grinnell has stood out to you most?

“The bond I’ve built over the past four years with international students. Most of my friends are from Ethiopia, East Asia, or are Latino. I never thought I was going to have so many international friends.”

Is there a class or professor that stood out?

“My first year, I took Humanities 101, a classics class on the Iliad, the Odyssey, Plato, and those sorts of authors, with Professor Dustin Dixon. The way he structured the class and approached everyone stood out to me. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up taking two or three more classes with him, and I’m not even a classics major.”

As a fellow senior, I’m thinking a lot about what comes next. What are your plans after graduation?

“I want to go to grad school for a master’s in mechanical engineering. There’s a good engineering program in Iowa City, about an hour from Grinnell, so I’m thinking about applying there. I’m also exploring ROTC and the Air Force as a path to help make that happen.”

You almost didn’t come to Grinnell. Looking back, was it the right choice?

“Looking back after four years, I’ve realized this was the best choice, not because of the financial aid, but because of the people I’ve met, the knowledge I’ve gained, and the education here.”

What advice would you give a high school senior?

“Don’t limit yourself. Sometimes the option you’re not considering at all is the best option. As a high school senior, I wasn’t considering Grinnell at all. So think twice about that option you’re not really thinking about. It might be the best option for you.”

What would you tell a student about to start at Grinnell?

“Go out to events and meet new people. I don’t think you can make it alone, at Grinnell or any other college. Having even one or two friends, that unexpected group of friends, helps you deal with classes or whatever you’re going through. It helps a lot to make it through.”

We’re both seniors now, so we’ve experienced a lot. What would you tell students starting their first year of college?

“Have fun your first year, but also keep in mind what you actually want to do. Don’t just take random classes and say, ‘I’ll figure it out later.’ And don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Looking back, the best thing that happened to me was the mistakes I made. I wouldn’t change them. They got me to where I am now.”