Rhodes sophomores Hadley Lim and Lily Whitesell are part of an international astronomical research team, thanks to the work their Rhodes physics professor Dr. David Rupke is doing in preparation for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to launch in 2021. The team of astronomers—made up of students, postdoctoral researchers, professors, and other scientists from around the world—have been writing software used to study quasars, which are bright, active supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies.

Three Rhodes students won awards for their research presentations at the Arkansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) virtual conference recently hosted by the University of Arkansas. They are Will Newman ’21, Dasha Safarian ’21, and Kameron Klugh ’22. Students from more than 20 colleges and universities participated in the conference.

Mystery Writers of America (MWA) has named prominent Rhodes alumna, Charlaine Harris Schulz ’73­­, a 2021 Grand Master. The New York Times bestselling author, who writes under the name Charlaine Harris, has published 13 novels in her Southern Vampire series, which was adapted by HBO into the popular television series, True Blood.

A remote semester at Rhodes has offered new challenges, but also opportunities for students to get creative. Seniors Harrison Rozman, Katie Gordon, and Ellie Schreiner have used this time to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

Madison Zickgraf, a senior English major from Mount Juliet, TN, made the list of American finalists for the 2021 Rhodes Scholarship, the oldest and perhaps the best-known international fellowship program, which enables exceptional young people from around the world to study at the University of Oxford. Applicants for the Rhodes Scholarship must be endorsed by their college or university. Zickgraf was lauded for her intelligence, drive, insightfulness, and empathy by her recommenders at Rhodes College.

Rev. Beatrix Weil, chaplain at Rhodes College, is the recipient of multiple awards—totaling $14,000—that will help Rhodes students connect with the broader world and support the college’s commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility.

Dr. Dan Cullen, professor of political science at Rhodes College, has been named to a new national task force addressing ways leaders in higher education can ensure their campuses flourish as places of open inquiry, free expression, and inclusion. The Academic Leaders Task Force on Campus Free Expression was launched by the Bipartisan Policy Center located in Washington, D.C., and is made up of college presidents, professors, administrators, and civic leaders.

Rhodes College has joined the Liberal Arts Colleges Racial Equity Leadership Alliance, a group of 51 national liberal arts colleges committed to addressing systemic racism and the unique challenges pertaining to racial diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. Alliance membership provides a range of resources that will assist the college in achieving its strategic goals of fostering a culture of belonging and ensuring a transformational student experience.

With an impressive resume that includes time in the White House and service in the Department of Homeland Security, Victoria McCullough ’07 credits Rhodes with influencing her career path in community service and activism. Now serving as the Director of Public Policy and Social Impact at Tumblr, McCullough says that her affinity for social activism is more important than ever.

Rhodes senior and mock trial captain Matthew Mussalli has been working as a student clerk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, one of the offices of the U.S. Department of Justice. This summer, he experienced first-hand the development of protocols for virtual trials due to the pandemic.