Grow holds a Ph.D. in American history and Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Notre Dame, where he is an Edward Sorin Postdoctoral Scholar. His Bachelor of Arts degree in history is from Brigham Young University, where he graduated summa cum laude.

He will teach a variety of courses in American history, including classes that examine communal societies in American history, religion in America, the history of reform movements in American society, and memory and war in American history.

Dr. Donald Pitzer, the founding director of the Center for Communal Studies, retired in 2007.

The Center for Communal Studies is a unique clearinghouse of information about historic and contemporary communal societies. As director, Grow will oversee the operations of the center, including its lecture series and the annual center prize for the best undergraduate or graduate paper on any aspect of communal societies. He will work closely with the staff of the David L. Rice Library to expand and enhance the world-class collection of communal studies materials currently held in the Special Collections area.

Grow said, “I am thrilled to be joining USI and the Center for Communal Studies.  The Center is a unique institution and I look forward to building on the foundation laid by Professor Donald Pitzer.  The attempts by various groups to build communal societies are not only historically significant, but also relevant to contemporary debates about the building of communities in modern society.”

Dr. Tamara Hunt, chair of the History Department, said, “I’m pleased that such an accomplished and promising scholar as Dr. Grow will be joining USI. His expertise will allow us to expand the course offerings in our department, while his knowledge of communal societies will be a definite asset to our plans to grow and expand the activities of the Center for Communal Studies.  His interests in communal societies extend beyond historic communities to embrace modern communal movements such as eco-housing and cooperative communities for seniors, and we hope to see that interest lead to new outreach programs for the local community. Dr. Grow brings a lot of enthusiasm with him to USI, which should benefit the University and the community as a whole.”

Grow is a member of the American Historical Association, Society for Historians of the Early American Republic, Western History Association, American Academy of Religion, and Mormon History Association.

Among his awards and honors are Notre Dame’s Eli J. and Helen Shaheen Graduate School Award; the Mormon History Association’s Gerald E. Jones Dissertation Award and two Juanita Brooks Award for Best Graduate Paper; the Western History Association’s Arrington-Prucha Prize in Western American Religious History; and the Notre Dame History Department’s Philip Gleason Prize.

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