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91���� has been recognized with the 2024–25 Best of CASE District VI Award in the category of Special Events: In-Person (Multi-Day) for the dedication of Renfrow Hall. The honor, announced last week by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), highlights the collaborative work that made the September 2024 celebration a powerful tribute to community, legacy, and place.

“It’s remarkable to reflect on the dedication weekend just over a year later and to remember the collective effort that made it so meaningful,” said Jayn Bailey Chaney ’05, assistant vice president of alumni and donor relations and the convenor of the dedication planning committee. “Thank you to everyone whose partnership and commitment shaped that extraordinary moment. This award gives us the chance to celebrate Mrs. Renfrow Smith and that historic occasion all over again.”

Honoring a Legacy of Service and Courage

Renfrow Hall was dedicated on September 28, 2024, as a downtown residential and civic-engagement space where 91���� students learn and live alongside community partners. The building is named in honor of Mrs. Edith Renfrow Smith ’37, the College’s first Black alumna, its oldest living graduate, and a lifelong advocate for education, equity, and service. Renfrow Smith, who celebrated her 111th birthday in July 2025, is an Iowa African American Hall of Fame and 91���� High School Hall of Fame inductee whose legacy has inspired generations.

The dedication weekend brought together students, alumni, faculty, neighbors, civic partners, and members of the Renfrow family to celebrate a story that is deeply rooted in 91����’s history and future.

A Weekend of Community Celebration

The multi-day event began with the unveiling of Rooted in Resilience, a photo timeline and exhibit curated by Valeriya Woodard ‘25 at the Smith Gallery chronicling Renfrow Smith’s life and legacy. Community members later gathered along downtown streets for a joyful Welcome Parade honoring her return to 91����. Throughout the day, guests observed the creation of a large-scale wheat paste mural of the Renfrow sisters, led by artist Isaac Campbell, and ended the evening with a dance and dessert celebration in Central Park.

Visitors explored Renfrow Hall and the Katherine Howell Weingart ’61 Civic Innovation Pavilion, viewed exhibits featuring the Renfrow family and Black history in 91����, and joined in a moving dedication ceremony that affirmed Renfrow Smith’s impact and the building’s future purpose as a space of connection, civic trust, and community building.

Team Renfrow and Planning Committee Leadership

The award also recognizes Team Renfrow, founded in 2021 by Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant, Louise R. Noun Chair in Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies. The team, comprising faculty, students, alumni, and community members—including Dan Kaiser, emeritus professor of history; Monique McLay Shore ’90; Stuart Yeager ’82; Feven Getachew ’24; Evie Caperton ’25; Libby Eggert ’25; Hemlock Stanier ’25; and Valeriya Woodard ’25—has worked and continues to uncover and share the rich history of the Renfrow family and other Black 91����ians, making significant contributions to public history. 

In addition, the planning and execution of the dedication weekend reflected the shared work of many faculty, students and staff across campus and community. The Dedication Planning Committee members included:

Deborah Afeni ’25, Jayn Bailey Chaney ’05, assistant vice president of Alumni and Donor Relations, Meg Jones Bair, director of board relations and secretary of the College, Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant, Louise R. Noun Chair in Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies, Rachel Bly ’93, assistant vice president of auxiliary services, Ellen de Graffenreid, vice president for Communications and Marketing, Bernadine Douglas, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, Libby Eggert ’25, Feven Getachew ’24, Myrna Hernández, vice president of administration and chief of staff, and Laurel Knox, associate director of Alumni and Donor Relations, Monique McLay Shore ’90, Nino Parker ’07, director, regional and affinity programs, Sarah Smith, director of outreach programming and events, office of community partnerships, planning, and research, Jenelle Veit, manager, conference operations and events, Valeriya Woodard ’25. 

Continuing the Work

Renfrow Hall stands as a living tribute to Edith Renfrow Smith’s commitment to community, belonging, and collective care. It also represents 91����’s ongoing dedication to civic engagement and partnership.

This award serves not only as recognition of an extraordinary weekend, but also of the lasting work still unfolding inside Renfrow Hall and throughout the 91���� community.