Dr. Mary Miller, professor of biology at Rhodes, was presented the 2024 Jameson M. Jones Award for Outstanding Faculty Service on Aug. 26 at the college’s Opening Convocation. The letters of nomination that the award committee received commended Miller’s work and described her as a fierce faculty champion, a values-driven leader, and visionary program builder.

Rhodes College President Jennifer Collins has joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a new initiative which connects leaders from institutions of higher education across the country and advances higher education’s pivotal role in preparing students to be engaged citizens and to uphold free expression on campus.

“How can we save the bees?” Dr. Kate LeCroy, assistant professor of biology at Rhodes College, is on a quest to find a solution to this pressing question. To help fund her research, she has received over $100,000 in a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture to specifically study disease dynamics and health outcomes of mason bee communities across urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes.

Rhodes neuroscience major Julian McMillian ’25 this summer participated in an American College of Physicians internship program, which is named in honor of Rhodes alum Dr. Ryan Mire ’93. The program is designed to help advance equity in healthcare by inspiring and educating college students about the wide array of impactful careers available in healthcare. “I hope this can be the beginning of a pipeline for Rhodes students to participate in this wonderful program,” said McMillian.

Jason Bishop ’98 never had formal training or lessons, couldn’t read music, and had never sung in a choir when he came to Rhodes in 1994. But his life changed when Professor Tony Lee Garner encouraged him to audition for the Rhodes Singers. Fast-forward to today, Bishop is joining the Department of Music as visiting assistant professor and choral director.

The Music Critics Association of North America has announced that the opera 10 Days in a Madhouse is the winner of the 2024 Award for Best New Opera. Music alumna Rene Orth ’07 composed the music for 10 Days, which was commissioned by Opera Philadelphia and Tapestry Opera and had its world premiere in 2023.

Darlene Brooks, director of Barret Library at Rhodes College, is a 2024 recipient of the Excellence in Advising Award presented by the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society. This celebrated distinction is presented to advisors who have demonstrated a commitment to the purpose of Mortar Board and who have gone above and beyond in their work with a collegiate chapter.

Rhodes College will expand its long-established Search program with the support of a $75,000 grant from The Teagle Foundation. “Revising and Renewing the Search Program at Rhodes College” is the title of the proposal for the grant, which will be used for three academic years through June 30, 2027.

Nominees recently were announced for the 40th Ostrander Awards, honoring the best in local theater in the 2023-2024 season. The student-run Rhodes Theatre Guild received 14 nominations.

On July 27, Rhodes College will serve as the host for a community exhibition featuring science research conducted by college students and area high school students participating in summer programs at Rhodes, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.