National and global news about Rhodes students and alums

Dr. Brent Hoffmeister, professor and chair of physics at Rhodes College, has been named a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America for contributions to the understanding of ultrasound characterization of bone. His research involves medical applications of physics.

Rhodes College juniors David Caddle, Walker Coleman, Priscilla Foreman, and Jimmy Mullen are competing for the 2022 Truman Scholarship, the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for those pursuing careers as public service leaders. The award provides up to $30,000 to apply toward graduate school. Recipients must be nominated by their institution, have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, demonstrate academic excellence, and be committed to careers in government or the nonprofit sector.

Dr. Mary Miller, professor and chair of biology at Rhodes College, supported by a collaborative team of biology faculty, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant of more than $350,000 for a three-year project titled “MRI: Acquisition of a Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) Supporting Multi-Disciplinary Approaches to Exploring Biological Responses.”

Michael Morgan, director of financial aid at Rhodes College, has been elected to serve as president of the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA), effective July 1, 2022. “I am honored to be chosen for this important role,” says Morgan. “Professional organizations such as SASFAA develop leadership within our profession and fight for the needs of current and future students, ensuring an affordable education for all who wish to attend college.”

Rhodes College sent a delegation of 11 members to the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature’s (TISL) 52nd General Assembly, held Nov. 18-21 in Nashville at the State Capitol. Harry Dircks ’24 won the Outstanding Senator award, and Pierce Rose ’22 received The Douglas Carlisle Award, given to an student who has made significant contributions to TISL through participation, service, and leadership. Other members of the team include Matthew Kenny ’22, who served as this year’s Governor, and Maya Ring ’23, who served as Speaker Pro Tempore of the Senate.

At an on-campus celebration on Dec. 6, 2021, Rhodes College announced the appointment of Jennifer M. Collins as its 21st president following a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees.

Erika Pope, musical arts coordinator for the Rhodes Department of Music, serves as the 39th National President of Tau Beta Sigma, which is a co-educational National Honorary Band Sorority. Dr. Carole Blankenship, chair of the Rhodes Department of Music, is finishing up a two-year term as president of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Dr. Timothy Huebner, the Irma O. Sternberg Professor of History and associate provost at Rhodes College, has been named chair of the board of editors of the Journal of Supreme Court History, published three times a year by the Supreme Court Historical Society in Washington, DC. In June 2021, Melvin I. Urofsky retired from the position after serving the Supreme Court Historical Society for 30 years.

Four Rhodes College seniors are competing for the prestigious Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which provides a $36,000 grant for purposeful, independent exploration abroad in 2022. If selected, fellows execute their conceived projects by traveling outside the United States for one year. They are Chris Prigg, Aidan Smith, Marley Wisby, and Lauren Yenari.

The New York City Internship Program runs through mid-December for a total of 16 academic credits. It is made up of an eight-hour academic internship and two courses. One course focuses on the theater industry, on and off Broadway, as well as the personal, cultural, and professional value of theater. The other course delves into the history of the people of New York. Fieldtrips and walking tours to New York City’s neighborhoods, museums, and other cultural venues are part of the course content.