Rhodes faculty reflect on teaching remotely. The takeaway? Even in a time of “social distancing,” Rhodes faculty are finding creative ways to maintain close connections with their students.

Maleelo Shamambo, a neuroscience major and French minor at Rhodes College, is one of only 47 college seniors nationwide to receive the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which provides a $36,000 grant for one year of independent study and travel outside the United States after graduation. Her project is titled “Pills and Potions: Indigenous Knowledge in Modern Medicine,” and she seeks to explore how different communities integrate traditional knowledge systems into modern science and medicine while charting the traditional and scientific value of indigenous medicinal plant specimens.

Scott Newstok, professor of English at Rhodes, has published his edition of Michael Cavanagh’s Paradise Lost: A Primer. Cavanagh, a Grinnell College professor who was Newstok’s mentor, passed away before he could revise his manuscript. Newstok worked with Cavanagh’s family to complete the volume, which introduces first-time readers to John Milton’s 1667 epic poem.

A team of five Rhodes seniors recently won the local competition of the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Institute Research Challenge, and now will match wits and analytical skills against other student teams advancing to the regional competition to be held April 20-21 in New York City. They are Ted Bilden (business), Liza Esther (economics and business), Elliot Gorski (economics and business), John Medich (mathematics and economics), and Andrew Morton (business).

“I like helping people create resumés and showing them how to communicate with employers. I feel like I have been given a lot of responsibility, designing programs for students. The position has really solidified my skills in terms of creativity and leadership,” says Taylor, who is pursuing the community health track of the urban studies major and is interested in becoming a registered nurse or nurse practitioner. “I feel like working in Career Services has also helped prepare me for applying to schools for nursing.”

With primary elections underway throughout the U.S., Dr. Michael Nelson, a recognized Presidential scholar and the Fulmer Professor of Political Science at Rhodes, is discussing his new book on Bill Clinton’s place in American politics.

Members of the Rhodes community and local residents gathered in the Bryan Campus Life Center Feb. 25 to hear 100-year-old Sam Weinreich share poignant moments of one of the most horrific times in history. He and his 95-year-old wife, Frieda, are the oldest Holocaust survivors living in Memphis. “You are looking at a piece of history, because there are not too many people around anymore who can tell you exactly what happened,” he told a packed room.

Joon Hwang '21 spent the summer in Hong Kong as a Mertie W. Buckman International Intern. There, he not only learned about business, but became a firsthand witness to the historic events happening in the city.

Acclaimed London actor and director Nick Hutchison will present a masterclass on directing Shakespeare at Rhodes College Saturday, Feb. 29. In addition to offering this masterclass, he will be co-teaching Rhodes courses and presenting a workshop at Crosstown Concourse. His three-week artistic residency is sponsored by the Pearce Shakespeare Endowment.

Isabel Lopez ’23 and Becca Folkes-Lallo ’22 are among a few select students nationwide who participated in Harvard University’s 20th annual Public Policy Leadership Conference this Feb 6-9. Presented by the university’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, the conference is designed to inspire talented and driven first- and second-year undergraduate students to pursue public policy careers and become future leaders.