Anna Quindlen to speak at Grinnell graduation

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Anna Quindlen will address the Grinnell College Class of 2011 at the college's commencement at 10 a.m. May 23 on central campus.

Quindlen, the author of five novels and seven nonfiction books, has been a contributor for more than 35 years to some of the country's most influential newspapers and magazines. She won the Pulitzer in 1992 for her New York Times column “Public and Private,” and from 2000 to 2009, wrote the “Last Word” column for Newsweek.

As commencement speaker, Quindlen will receive an honorary doctor of letters degree from Grinnell. Honorary degrees will also be awarded to Harvard genome scientist Pardis Sabeti (honorary doctor of science); “Imponderables” author and pop culture observer David Feldman, a 1971 Grinnell graduate (honorary doctor of letters); and Henry Wilhelm, an internationally recognized expert on photographic imaging and a member of the Grinnell Class of 1968 (honorary doctor of science).

Grinnell College annually confers bachelor's degrees on more than 350 students.

In the event of inclement weather, the May 23 commencement ceremony will be held in the Charles Benson Bear Recreation and Athletic Center. The ceremony will also be livestreamed at grinnell.edu. For further information about Grinnell commencement, go to

www.grinnell.edu/offices/confops/commencement