Rhodes College graduate Kynnedy Tuggle ’20 has been included in the Memphis Flyer’s newly released “20 Under 30” list, which honors individuals who are making a significant impact on the future of Memphis. The honorees were chosen based on nominations from the publication’s readers. In her role as a policy and advocacy associate at First 8 Memphis, Tuggle is at the forefront of transforming early childhood care and education.

Dr. Salar Rafieetary, a vitreoretinal surgeon at the Charles Retina Institute and a member of the Rhodes College Class of 2012, recently performed a first-of-its-kind surgery in Tennessee to treat macular telangiectasia type 2, a rare disease leading to vision loss.

Dr. Nikolaos Zahariadis, Mertie Buckman Chair and professor of international studies at Rhodes College, has assumed the role of co-president of the South region of the International Studies Association. The term is from January 2026 to December 2026.

The Memphis Public Interest Law Center, Research for Action Lab at Rhodes College, and Dragonfly Studio have released a report titled “Haunted Housing 2025: The Reality of Being a Renter in Memphis,” highlighting renter experiences and quantitative data on deteriorating living conditions and systemic housing challenges. “This is the kind of meaningful, community-engaged work that sets Rhodes apart,” said Dr. Natalie Person, dean for community engagement at Rhodes.

A new exhibition celebrating the work of Dr. David McCarthy, professor of art and art history at Rhodes College, will be on display from Jan. 30 through March 28 in the college’s Clough-Hanson Gallery. McCarthy has taught at Rhodes for more than three decades, during which he has developed a body of scholarship and a teaching philosophy that demonstrate how artists reflect and shape the times in which they live.

Dr. Gretchen E. Henderson’s new exhibition, Dear Body of Water, runs through May 2, 2026, at Turchin Center for the Visual Arts at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. Henderson is the Spence L. Wilson Distinguished Professor in Humanities at Rhodes College.

The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching announced today that Rhodes College is one of 237 U.S. colleges and universities to receive its 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, which elevates an institution’s exceptional commitment to mutually beneficial partnerships with communities. The new classification is valid until 2032.

Rhodes ranks among the top institutions in the nation for study abroad participation, according to the Open Doors 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange released by the Institute of International Education. “Study abroad continues to be one of the top reasons students choose Rhodes College,” said Dr. Erin Hillis, executive director of Rhodes’ Buckman Center for Global Engagement. “Consistent placement in Open Doors’ national rankings affirms how committed Rhodes faculty, leadership, families, and students are to global education. This is an important part of our graduates’ success in their interconnected world.”

Anaya Bond ’27, a Rhodes College environmental sciences major from Jackson, TN, has been honored as one of the 2025 recipients of the SPARK Awards. These awards celebrate individuals, nonprofits, corporations, and schools across 13 different categories who are igniting change and making a positive impact in the Greater Memphis community.

Rhodes college computer science majors Karti Bomb ’27, Jack Seigerman ’26, and Juan Perdomo ’27 were members of winning teams at the third City of Memphis Hackathon. The 36-hour competition was organized by the City of Memphis, Innovate Memphis, and a steering committee comprising local tech professionals and entrepreneurship organizations. Participating teams utilized their technical skills and creativity to develop solutions to various challenges facing the City of Memphis.