The Spence L. Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities at Rhodes College will host a free public lecture titled “Is a River Alive?” on Thursday, Oct. 1, by Dr. Robert Macfarlane, professor of literature and the environmental humanities in the Faculty of English at the University of Cambridge.

Dr. Sarah E. Rollens, associate professor of religious studies at Rhodes College, has been awarded First Place in the “Scripture-Academic Studies” category of the 2026 Catholic Media Association’s Book Awards for her book titled Judeophobia and the New Testament: Texts and Contexts.

Rhodes College's Tau Delta chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, has been recognized with a Best Chapter Award for 2025-2026. Prof. Thomas Goodman is the chapter advisor.

This summer, 17 fellows participated in the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies (RIRS), one of the college’s innovative programs where students capitalize on their liberal arts education and explore Memphis and the Mid-South through research. It operates under the auspices of the Lynne & Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement.

Exciting news! Rhodes College is proud to be one of 65 colleges and universities awarded a $10,000 College Service Grant from The Allstate Foundation. This funding will support the college’s youth-led, youth-driven service initiatives, empowering students to create real change in the community.

Rhodes College is pleased to announce the addition of nine new full-time faculty members for the 2026-2027 academic year. This talented group spans various specialties, including art, chemistry, psychology, and urban studies. The college offers more than 70 majors, minors, and interdisciplinary programs.

Rhodes College is featured in The Princeton Review’s The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition. The Princeton Review, an education services company, surveyed 172,000 students from the 392 schools included in its rankings. This survey covers a variety of categories that reflect student experiences and campus life.

Opening Convocation, which is the formal academic ceremony to welcome the new class and to begin the college’s 178th session, was held on Friday, Aug. 14. Classes begin on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The Class of 2030 comprises 400 students, who come from 35 states and 14 different countries. Seventeen percent are first-generation students; and more than 100 students will represent Rhodes as varsity student-athletes.

Dr. Loretta Jackson-Hayes, professor of chemistry at Rhodes College, was presented the 2026 Jameson M. Jones Award for Outstanding Faculty Service on Aug. 14 at the college’s Opening Convocation. Established in 1988, the Jameson M. Jones Award for Outstanding Faculty Service recognizes a member of the faculty who exemplifies a deep sense of service to the college’s mission.

Rhodes College has been awarded a three-year Institutional Impact Grant of $600,000 by the Educating Character Initiative, a project of The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University. The Educating Character Initiative is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. The college will use this grant to integrate character education into its liberal arts curriculum and student experience, as well as to support a re-alignment of the college’s motto—Truth, Loyalty, Service—which is featured on its seal.