The idea of Renfrow Hall began as a project for expanding housing options for students, said Grinnell College President Anne Harris to The S&B. However, it has evolved into becoming a launching space for campus- town collaborations, promoting local economy and as a testament to the work of Grinnell alums who engaged in civic innovation.
“Renfrow was part of the economic vitality work that had been going on for many years at the College, called the ‘Zone of Confluence,’ referring to the idea that the campus and the community can come together right around the intersection of Broad, Main and Sixth Avenue,” said Harris.
This project began under Raynard Kington, former Grinnell president. During the pandemic, the discussions around this project — then named the “Downtown Student Residences” took place online, with 32 separate meetings conducted with the Board of Trustees.
“The project was evolved by students, faculty, staff and lots of interactions with community members,” said Harris.
Harris said that Renfrow Hall’s name was decided upon after conversation with Dr. Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant, Louise R. Noun chair in gender, women’s and sexuality studies who, alongside Team Renfrow, a group of Grinnellians and members in town, had been working to bring visibility to the legacy of Edith Renfrow Smith, Grinnell’s first black alumna. “
The vision of Renfrow Hall is inextricable from the history of Mrs. Edith Renfrow Smith,” said Harris.
As a researcher for Team Renfrow, the steward of Renfrow Hall and a Public History Collective Post-Baccalaureate Fellow, Valeriya Woodard `25 has worked extensively in the documentation and preservation of Black history at Grinnell, building up a strong relationship with Renfrow Smith.
“A big part of her legacy is the fact that she was born and raised in Grinnell, so she has a unique connection to the town and the college,” said Woodard. “I think there tends to be an underlying separation between the College and town, and I want to work towards bridging that gap. I think that’s what Mrs. Edith would want, and I think that’s the purpose of this building.” The Katherine Howell Weingart `61 Civic Innovation Pavilion functions as a central space for promoting collaboration between campus and college.
Jayn Chaney, the assistant vice president of alumni and donor relations, said, “At Development and Alumni Relations, we have the privilege and the opportunity of working to reach out to alumni and to donors to talk about the incredible projects and opportunities that spaces like the Weingart Pavilion can create.” She added, “We work to support those donors and make philanthropic gifts to Grinnell College for those spaces.”
Kathie Weingart was one such donor. Weingart, said Chaney, worked in higher education all her life, but was also passionate about community engagement and social equity. After her passing in 2024, her brother, Steve Howell `63, also a Grinnell alum, made a donation of $5 million dollars to the College for the Civic Innovation Pavilion. The Pavilion is intended to host events which draw in both college students and townspeople. “Flavors of 50112” and “Coffee with the College” are two events which have recently been hosted at the Pavilion which brought students and community members together.
“The community members see the Residence Hall, they see the students and they themselves have the opportunity to be encouraged more to engage with them,” said Isabelle Wilusz, Renfrow residence life coordinator.
These events are also expected to boost the local economy through student engagement. “The presence of 109 students downtown, using dining dollars and buying from the merchants in town promotes economic vitality,” said Harris.
“There’s also the idea of this beautiful building, as an architectural statement, especially in the summer, that will bring people who want to have retreats or conferences when students are not in session.”
“From dialogues facilitated by the Listening Project, to workshops and guest speakers, to open hours and volunteer fairs, the Weingart Pavilion will be a space where we build community together,” Mark Peltz, the dean of careers, life and services, wrote in an email to The S&B regarding future events at the Pavilion.Woodard said that an anniversary event for the opening of Renfrow Hall will be held on Sept. 27. Woodard also plans to hold more events which immortalize the legacy of Renfrow Smith. At the Renfrow Hall dedication ceremony last year, Grinnell College Dining Services prepared cookies based on the Renfrow family dessert recipes. Woodard noted that having meals or winter events utilizing the recipes would be an interesting idea.
“I want traditions to start which incorporate town and College life,” said Woodard.
On the impact of Renfrow on student engagement in the town, Wilusz said, “This semester, there’s actually a lot more activity downtown than there was last August, and it’s just bustling with students walking around the town. I’d like to think that Renfrow is part of the reason that that’s happening, because the students have somewhere to come to afterwards, without having to walk back to campus right away.”
