Annie Griffiths, one of the first female photographers at National Geographic and founder of nonprofit Ripple Effect Images, will be the University of Minnesota’s 2024 homecoming parade Grand Marshal.
Griffiths is a Minneapolis native and graduated from the University in 1976. She worked at the Minnesota Daily as a photographer while getting her degree in photojournalism through the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Each year, the Grand Marshal serves as an exemplary role model for students and helps celebrate their achievements and contributions throughout homecoming festivities, said Marissa Smith, associate vice president of engagement for the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA).
Smith said UMAA looks for University alumni who are recognized for excellence in their industry, and a well-rounded group of grand marshals that represent the diversity of the alumni body.
“So many of our grand marshals, it should probably come as no surprise, are deeply interested in connecting with students and learning more about what student life is like now versus when they went to school,” Smith said.
Griffiths said being in photojournalism classes at the University and a photographer at the Minnesota Daily was very valuable in finding her place on campus.
After taking two years of journalism classes at the University and a gap year after her second year, Griffiths decided to try a photojournalism class. Though Griffiths had to audit the course to be allowed in the major-specific class, she switched her major to photojournalism two weeks after starting.
“I just fell in love with it,” Griffiths said. “I fell so in love with it, and it was like, what was missing somehow because I’ve always been a storyteller, it hadn’t occurred to me that I could tell a story with images until it started happening.”
After embarking on her photojournalism path at the University, Griffiths decided she needed to get serious about her career and have more of her photos published. So, she decided to work at the Minnesota Daily.
“One of the photographers graduated and I was shameless about pursuing his spot because, once again, there weren’t any women photographers at the Daily, and I got his spot,” Griffiths said. “It was the reason that I was able to build a portfolio. It was the reason that I got jobs.”
After college, Griffiths started as a photographer at the Worthington Daily Globe in Worthington, Minnesota. Shortly after, at age 25, she was hired at National Geographic as one of the publication’s first female photographers.
Throughout her career since starting at National Geographic, Griffiths has published several books and started a nonprofit organization called Ripple Effect Images.
Ripple Effect helps bring awareness to women in emerging countries, documenting their successes while raising money, training and educating women on issues such as health education, access to schools, education and more.
“I was so discouraged at the lack of coverage of women especially in emerging nations, and the portrayals of them were inaccurate,” Griffiths said.
Recently, Griffiths has gotten back into writing by publishing her work on her substack, titled “You’re Not That Nice,” which is updated every week.
Griffiths is honored for the opportunity to serve as this year’s homecoming grand marshal.
“What I’m most excited about is coming back and meeting with students,” Griffiths said. “That’s what I really like. I love teaching, and so that opportunity, in addition to the more formal events that are going to happen over the weekend, it’s what I’m most looking forward to.”