Brandon Washington ’26, who is majoring in Russian and international studies, is the recipient of a SPARK Award which honors an individual who is “igniting change and making a positive impact in the Greater Memphis community.” His experiences in the foster care system have led him to become an advocate for youth who are aging out of foster care and need housing, life skill classes, and other support to achieve their goals.

Each year, the Phi Alpha Theta national history honor society invites all chapters to enter its Gerald D. Nash undergraduate print journal competition. The Rhodes Historical Review won third place in the 2023 competition.

Three Rhodes College seniors are competing for the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which provides a $40,000 grant for purposeful, independent exploration abroad. They are Julia Blackmon, Khulan Erdenechimeg, and Sam Frank. If selected, fellows execute their conceived projects by traveling outside the United States for one year.

Dr. Beck Henriksen, visiting assistant professor of religious studies, has been selected as a participant of the 2024 American Examples program funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. The program is designed for scholars who are early in their careers and who study religion from a variety of disciplines to work collaboratively.

Rhodes College hosted the annual meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science (TAS) on campus in November, and several Rhodes students received awards for their research. Dr. Gregory Vieira, assistant professor of physics at Rhodes, served as local arrangements chair.

Kelsey Steinmetz, a junior with a double major in biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) and Spanish, recently received the first-place award for her oral presentation at the Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence conference. She conducts research in the laboratory of Dr. Qian Shen, assistant professor of biology.

Rhodes College President Jennifer Collins announced today that Dr. Timothy Huebner has been selected as provost and vice president for academic affairs. He served as associate provost July 2019 to July 2023, and he will assume his new role Jan. 2, 2024.

Khulan Erdenechimeg ’24 believes that every artist has a unique story to be shared, and it's her mission to ensure that these stories are as diverse and inclusive as the world of music itself. Her goal as a Curb Fellow team leader for the last two years has been to create equitable spaces for music enthusiasts, no matter their experience.

Rhodes art history alum Lauren Kennedy has formed Sheet Cake, a contemporary art gallery in Memphis. The grand opening is Dec. 1, and Erin Harmon and Joel Parsons from Rhodes are among the featured artists.

Sophia Comrie, a senior at Rhodes College, is the recipient of the HR 2023 Student of the Year Award by SHRM-Memphis, which consists of professional specialists, generalists, business partners, and executives representing the broad spectrum of human resources. The award recognizes an outstanding college student who has demonstrated excellence in leadership, citizenship, and academic and/or career and technical achievement.