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Our Stories

Uncovering Hidden Legacies

 Stan Grant: Coe College Class of 1953

Stan Grant returned to Coe in October, 2013 to share his story.  Listen below.

LISTEN

"I'm certainly glad I came."
 

Stan Grant graduated in 1953, and entered the Air Force shortly thereafter. His first assignment on active duty was at Edwards Air Force base in California. Grant wanted to fly, but was faced with a challenge: taking a couple of years for graduate school on a Danforth Graduate Fellowship had edged him out of the pilot training program, and he was nearing the age limit for pilot training. However, Grant took the initiative to ask the general space commander for permission to fly. Thanks to his perseverance and determination, Grant made it to pilot training in 60 days– compared to a usual wait of 18 months.

 

Grant’s maturity gained him a position as an instructor pilot right out of pilot training. After an assignment in Texas, Grant was moved to Korea, where he taught weather and survival training. While in Korea, Grant developed a close relationship with a Korean family. This assignment and teaching position is, according to Grant, one of the highlights of his career. Once back in the states, Grant left the Air Force to focus on his career as a geologist, earning a doctorate in geology from the University of Idaho. 

 

Where is he now? After graduating from Coe, Grant held numerous positions within the Air Force. He also earned a master's degree in geology from the University of Wyoming and a Ph.D from the University of Idaho. His geology work has included numerous teaching positions, directing the Iowa Geological Survey, serving as the state of Kansas’s Secretary for the Environment, and his own consulting firm. He is now retired in Deer Park, Washington, where he can enjoy the geology and scenery.  

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