Rhodes College welcomes eight new full-time faculty to its ranks for the 2025-2026 academic year, bringing talent in a number of specialties, from chemistry to interdisciplinary humanities to computer science.

The Rhodes College chapter of Mortar Board is a recipient of the national office’s 2025 Gold Torch Award, which honors chapters that are dedicated to the organization’s purpose and its Ideals and are active on campus in ways that improve the quality of student life. The chapter also has been recognized in the Project Excellence in Community Service category for its Teacher Appreciation Drive.

Rhodes College has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant in the amount of $180,000 for research conducted by Dr. Larryn Peterson, professor of chemistry and chemistry department chair. The award for the project, titled “RUI: Interrogating Catalytic Efficiency Through Kinetic, Structural and Small-Molecule Guided Investigation of L-DOPA 2,3 Dioxygenases,” will be distributed over three years. Peterson will work in collaboration with Dr. Keri Colabroy of Muhlenberg College and Dr. Katherine Hicks of the State University of New York at Cortland.

Students from LeMoyne-Owen College and Rust College conducted summer research at Rhodes College under the supervision of Dr. Qian Shen, associate professor of biology. This work was supported by a National Science Foundation grant award providing the means for biology-focused research collaborations across peer- or research-intensive institutions.

Each year, 70 percent of Rhodes students complete at least one internship. This summer, Rhodes psychology majors Sudiksha Polasa ’25 and Julia Schuetze ’26 are among 92 college students from across the nation who will be applying their classroom knowledge while gaining work experience through an internship with Youth Villages.

Rhodes College was announced in May as one of the Peace Corps’ 2025 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities. Allison Jennings ’25 of Yukon, OK, is one of the Peace Corps’ newest members. She recently graduated from Rhodes with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and Russian studies and will promote English literacy teaching and learning and leadership development at a primary school in Samoa.

Rhodes Theatre Guild (RTG) is in the running for multiple Ostrander Awards, which honor excellence in local theater. The Theatre Guild received nominations for productions during the 2024-2025 season; the 41st annual event for the awards will be held Aug. 24 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Memphis.

Rhodes student Margaret Wakefield ’26 has been accepted into the Academy for Civic Education and Democracy (ACED) held at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is a political science major with a minor in international studies.

Rhodes College, for the fourth consecutive year, has made Money’s annual Best Colleges in America list, which showcases the country’s top colleges and universities based on quality of education, affordability, and student outcomes. The company uses a unique star system, and Rhodes received four out of five stars.

The Louise Taylor and Annie Trawick Chamber Music Series has been established at Rhodes College, thanks to the generous support of Dr. Morris Reagan, a physician and member of the Rhodes College Class of 1960. The series is named for his mother and grandmother and will provide Rhodes students with experiences with professional chamber music performers as well as career opportunities in music.