Class of 2026 Members Inducted into the Rhodes Hall of Fame

Six graduating seniors’ portraits are being added to Rhodes College’s Hall of Fame on the second floor of Southwestern Hall. The honorees are Jasmine Jeffries, Olivia Mack, Joshua Morris, Ariyana Muesse, Jude Shive, and KK Sowers. Selection to the Hall of Fame, which was established in 1931, is based on individual merit, leadership in student activities, service to others, and overall contributions to the campus community. Election to the Hall of Fame is considered one of the highest honors that can come to a student.

Arboretum Buzz: Two More Tree Species to Be Added to Campus

Rhodes College has received notable designations and rankings over the years for its Collegiate Gothic architecture and magnificent grounds, and with about 120 tree species, it is certified as a Level IV Arboretum. Now, the ROOTS Gardening Club is introducing two more tree species, both fruit-bearing, to the campus.

Kelly Receives Grant to Conduct Research Contributing to Biliteracy Education

Dr. Laura Kelly, associate professor of educational studies at Rhodes College, has received funding from the Spencer Foundation for her research project titled “Bilingual Book Clubs - A Culturally Sustaining, Translanguaging Approach to Support Biliteracy.” The grant provides support through August 31, 2026.

Rhodes Student, Alums Among Memphis Flyer’s “20 Under 30” Honorees

Rhodes College student Hugh Ferguson ’27 and alums Liv Cohen ’23 and Raneem Imam ’20 are among the Memphis Flyer’s newly released “20 Under 30” list of individuals helping to shape Memphis’ future. Honorees were selected from nominations received from the publication’s readers.

Rhodes Artwork Collection a Highlight of Tennessee Williams Festival

Dr. Kenneth Holditch '55 dedicated much of his professional life to studying the works of Tennessee Williams, a Pulitzer-prize winning playwright and prolific amateur artist. In 2022, his estate bequeathed seven of Williams' paintings to Rhodes, and in fall 2024 five of the paintings, loaned from the college, were a highlight of the Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival.

Rhodes Astronomy Team Uses Hubble Space Telescope to Image Galaxy’s Environment

In the research lab of Rhodes College Physics professor Dr. David Rupke, students have been exploring galaxy evolution by using NASA-sponsored telescopes to collect data. Now Rupke and his team, including Triet Ha ’25, Shane Caraker ‘24, and Jack Harper ’25, have taken images of the massive galaxy Makani using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (Hubble), and have detected ionized oxygen atoms in the galactic wind of Makani that could serve as a benchmark for the next generation of NASA’s ultraviolet telescopes.