News and relevant information about Rhodes students, faculty, and staff making the most of living in Memphis. 

Working remotely as a Summer Service fellow appointed to Memphis Area Legal Services’ Restoration of Rights program, Sydney Jones '21 assists clients in restoring their right to vote, getting their drivers licenses reinstated, expunging their criminal records, and much more.

Along with graduating cum laude from Rhodes this May with a B.A. in English, Scott Hale ’20 achieved a second milestone: the Nashville native helped launch a music label designed to promote the multifaceted talents of Rhodes and Memphis-area musicians. New Arboretum Records will operate through the Mike Curb Institute for Music.

Faced with the sudden transition to remote learning and social distancing, Curation in Context students used digital platforms to address the meaning of art during a time of separation and hardship.

Rhodes students enrolled in the course Environment and Society in the spring of 2020 used innovation and creativity to make a real-world contribution within the field of environmental studies and sciences. Collaborating with five local environmental nonprofits—Memphis City Beautiful, Memphis Tilth, Project Green Fork/Clean Memphis, The Compost Fairy, and Wolf River Conservancy—they co-created infographics that will be used to promote the programmatic activities of each environmental nonprofit in Memphis and Western Tennessee. The course was taught by Dr. Kimberly Kasper, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.

As part of the Rhodes College experience, students learn how to translate academic study and personal concern into effective leadership and action in their communities. Several Rhodes alumni who are now medical students at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis are giving back to the community as volunteers at local drive-thru testing sites for COVID-19.

Ethan Ferguson ’22, a tech entrepreneur, and Sherrie Lemons ’14, communications director at Planned Parenthood, are among the Memphis Flyer’s newly released “20 Under 30” list of individuals helping to shape Memphis’ future.

While spending the summer at the London School of Economics, Jacob Fontaine '21 connected with The Big Issue, London's street newspaper. Now, as editor in chief of The Bridge, he's working to incorporate the lessons learned there to make Rhodes' street paper more meaningful to Memphians.

While undergoing chemotherapy treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital after being diagnosed with leukemia at age 16, Cruthirds founded Adam’s Army to raise money and awareness for St. Jude’s work. He says his goal has always been to raise one million dollars, which he reached just ahead of the December 7 St. Jude Memphis Marathon. 

Elizabeth Morrison Warren '12 of the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis credits Rhodes with her affinity for the nonprofit sector and her involvement in the city of Memphis.

Communities in Conversation hosted a discussion of "Memphis: 200 Years of History," an anthology co-edited by Dr. Jonathan Judaken that chronicles the story of Memphis through essays on the city’s politics, sports, businesses, music, art, and food. The anthology is a central part of this semester’s First-Year Experience, which includes the First-Year Seminar.