Rhodes College alumnus Dr. Russell Wigginton ’88, who serves as president of the National Civil Rights Museum, has been named to the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association’s 2024 Hall of Fame. This year’s class features trailblazers from various sectors, who have built lasting legacies through their leadership, philanthropy, and dedicated service to their communities.

Rhodes College is among a select group of U.S. colleges and universities that hold the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, which is awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The college is developing an application that will be submitted by next year’s deadline for the Community Engagement 2026 application cycle.

Sheila E., a Grammy and Emmy-nominated musician and percussionist, will discuss her music and career on Oct. 28 at Rhodes College as part of its Springfield Music Lecture Series.

Muhammad Waraich ’25 was first drawn to Rhodes College by the prospect of small class sizes, supportive professors, and a beautiful campus. Once at Rhodes, the international studies and history major has also enjoyed the benefits of internship opportunities and fulfilling programs. With support from the Office of Career Services and the Department of International Studies, the New Jersey native has gained experience in places as close to home as New York City and as far away as Tokyo, Japan.

Dr. John Bass, associate professor and longtime director of the Mike Curb Institute for Music at Rhodes College, has taught guitar at Rhodes every semester for the past 20 years, and while teaching a new course called Songwriting in Memphis during the Spring 2024 semester, he finally decided to record and release some of his own songs.

Dr. Be Stone, assistant professor of political science, has received the Stephen E. Bronner Dissertation Award, which is presented annually by the Critical Political Science Caucus of the American Political Science Association. Stone received a Ph.D. in political science from The City University of New York in 2023, and their dissertation is titled “Addiction” in U.S. Political Culture.

Ryan McTigue '25 spent his Summer Service Fellowship at the Hospitality Hub, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting those facing homelessness. His fellowship was motivated by a desire to serve the community of Memphis, but it also shed new light on the issues discussed in courses such as health equity and comparative politics.

Dr. Shadrack Nasong'o, professor of international studies at Rhodes, has published a new book titled Kenya and the Politics of a Postcolony (Anthem Press, 2024) that examines the governance and politics of Kenya since its independence from Britain in 1963 to the present.

Dr. Stephanie Elsky, associate professor of English at Rhodes, has been appointed as the director of the college’s Pearce Shakespeare Endowment, which enriches courses in Shakespeare and supports events for the campus and community.

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2025 Best Colleges rankings, which evaluate nearly 1,500 four-year bachelor's degree-granting institutions across the country. Rhodes ranked No. 59 overall, No. 29 for Undergraduate Teaching, and No. 38 for Most Innovative Schools among national liberal arts colleges.