Tiffany Edwards::  Uh-huh.
Willa Collins & Tiffany Edwards::  Alright, go ahead.
Willa Collins & Tiffany Edwards::  Hello, my name is Tiffany Edwards and I'm curr-- I currently live in Bronx, New York, NY, and I am a member of the Grinnell class of 2003.
Tiffany Edwards::  And... my story. My story began when I was 18 years old livin' in New York City, Queens, New York, and I desperately wanted to get away from my mother's rules and make my own, and Grinnell College seemed like the place to be for several reasons.
Tiffany Edwards::  I came.... a part of a Grinnell Summer Science Institute program, and I stayed for the summer as a 17 year old. And I did various things: poetry class, a biology in the mud, touching frogs class, not really sure why I did that, but that's all I remember about it.
Tiffany Edwards::  And I met some nice people. Some of them came to Grinnell;  some didn't, but I definitely knew I wanted to come to Grinnell after that experience.
Tiffany Edwards::  I'm not sure if that's still around, but I definitely think it needs to be-- just having that exposure to being in Grinnell before actually being in Grinnell.
Tiffany Edwards::  And I came, and I wanted to get away from my mom. New York City to Iowa... and--
Tiffany Edwards::  Oh, my goodness, I fell in love with Grinnell, Iowa, and the beauty and the openness, the clean-- the cleanliness, the stars, and it was a wonderful experience, let alone learning-- learning very much to critical-think, and that's something still do today, and it originiated here.
Tiffany Edwards::  And the ability to question and challenge is definitely something Grinnell allows students to do, and I appreciate that. And let alone, I had like, a natural curiosity for things, but to also challenge things and not accept things as fact....
Tiffany Edwards::  I recall Katya Azoulay, a very stern professor, but she definitely was pivotal for me in terms of developing my identity, my ethnic identity, and just my identity in general.
Tiffany Edwards::  Her sternness was intimidating but I learned a lot from her, but also... also learned that even in that sternness, that can be challenged even though it may not be received well. That was a learning experience.
Tiffany Edwards::  I was very... involved in CBS, Concerned Black Students, and-- to the extent that I forgot why I was here, to learn, and that was good and bad.
Tiffany Edwards::  And Mike Sims was very helpful as an advisor. I'm very grateful for Concerned Black Students. It was helpful being connected in that way, and just having a sense of agency on campus, that's amazing when, you know-- when you're here to study but then you also can be vocal on campus.
Tiffany Edwards::  I don't know what else I can say, other than: I was definitely a North Campus person, whatever that means. I definitely can recognize that it's different being on South Campus, and it was very rare that I was on South Campus.
Tiffany Edwards::  But actually, I-- I had a boyfriend that lived on South Campus, and I acutally forgot that I visited him all the time, but it didn't feel like I was on South Cmpus.
Tiffany Edwards::  I-- I just largely appreciated Grinnell's stance towards self-governance and even learning that you have to be responsible for yourself, and there's gonna be tremendous mistakes, but you still have to be responsible for yourself. And that's one thing that I love Grinnell for.
Tiffany Edwards::  And.... what more can I say?
Tiffany Edwards::  I... I regret not getting to know the town more. I went in town a lot of times, but it wasn't an intimate connection that I had for-- to the College, and I regret that, but I look forward to get on... on town-- in town more, let alone in future reunions.
Tiffany Edwards::  And.. I definitely can say Grinnell has definitely played a large part of who I am today, and...I'm sad.
Tiffany Edwards & Willa Collins::  I'm grateful for that, you know? That's all, before I start crying.
Tiffany Edwards & Willa Collins::  Alright. Thank you.
Tiffany Edwards & Willa Collins::  Thanks.
