Annual awards were presented at the 176th Commencement Exercises of Rhodes College held May 17 on campus.
Hannah Meit is the recipient of the Peyton Nalle Rhodes Phi Beta Kappa Prize, the college’s highest academic honor awarded to the graduating senior who has best demonstrated an exceptional combination of scholarship, creativity, and achievement and a commitment to the liberal arts and sciences.
The 2025 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards were presented to graduating seniors Hope Robinson and Sana Zein-Sabatto and Sandi George Tracy, director of career services at Rhodes. In cooperation with the New York Southern Society, Rhodes presents the awards annually to two graduating seniors and one non-student who have given selflessly to the college and others.
The college presented the Distinguished Service Medal to William M. Short, associate director of library services at Rhodes and a member of the Rhodes Class of 1971.
More about the recipients:
Peyton Nalle Rhodes Phi Beta Kappa Prize
Hannah Meit is a mathematics major from Johnson City, TN, and recently was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, which is America’s oldest collegiate honor society that champions the liberal arts and sciences. She was awarded the Peyton Nalle Rhodes Phi Beta Kappa Prize for her “critical and comprehensive exploration of the liberal arts, unparalleled academic abilities and accomplishments, and passion—not just for learning but for understanding deeply and thoroughly for its own sake.”
Meit, who also pursued a minor in Russian studies, enjoys reading classic Russian literature and encouraging other students to step outside of their comfort zones. In addition, she has presented pure mathematics research at several conferences and completed Honors Research on combinatorial game theory. Although Meit initially was unsure of a major, she enrolled in mathematics courses to push her academic boundaries. What started as a personal challenge quickly turned into a sincere passion for the subject as she began taking upper-level classes and even conducting computational invariant theory research—a blend of group theory, topology, and geometry. She admits there were times that research questions seemed answerable, but with her professors, she continued the work, which was published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Dr. Geoffrey Maddox, president of the Rhodes chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, said about Meit: “You arrived at Rhodes in pursuit of expertise—but what you discovered was something deeper. As you put it, ‘a liberal arts education is not simply a bird’s eye view of knowledge—it is a return to childlike wonder and the empowering knowledge that starting at square one is always free.’ In embracing that freedom, you intentionally took intellectual risks. At times, you set yourself up for failure—not out of recklessness, but out of a belief that nervousness could be transformed into excitement. That mindset became a kind of liberation, a source of confidence and clarity.”
Outside of the classroom, Meit has served as the mathematics chair of Rhodes’ chapter of Women in STEM and a student associate in the Office of Marketing and Communications. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in pure mathematics.
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards
Hope Robinson, an educational studies and Latin American and Latinx studies double major from Charlotte, NC, has made a profound impact on the Rhodes campus and in the Memphis community.
Robinson’s passion for learning has shone in various academic pursuits, including her roles as a student research assistant in the Educational Studies Program and as a research fellow for the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies. Her community service work, particularly in literacy enrichment studies across multiple Memphis neighborhoods, has showcased her dedication to making a tangible difference in the lives of others.
Her leadership in campus organizations includes serving as president of the Omicron Xi Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., as vice president of Africana Women Supporting Ourselves and Maintaining Excellence (A.W.S.O.M.E), a senior intern for the Bonner Center for Service, and as an executive member of the Rhodes Activity Board.
For the Bonner Center for Service, Robinson has served her peers tirelessly, and her leadership in A.W.S.O.M.E. has fostered cultural celebration, mental health awareness, a sense of sisterhood, and community engagement.
In nominating Robinson for the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, an individual commented, “Hope Robinson has the remarkable ability to translate her academic studies and personal concerns into effective leadership and meaningful action within her communities. As a dedicated Bonner Scholar, Hope has contributed over 1,000 hours of service, making a real difference in Memphis, her local community, and on a national scale. Her impactful work expanding Binghamton’s Carpenter Art Garden and her service as an AmeriCorps VISTA member at Freedom School Partners truly highlight her genuine compassion for others.”
While pursuing a major in biology and minor in environmental sciences, Sana Zein-Sabatto of Nashville, TN, has displayed a passion for the natural world and wildlife conservation, asking meaningful ecological questions, engaging in interdisciplinary research, and working in real-world settings.
Zein-Sabatto has worked with endangered amphibians and reptiles at the Memphis Zoo, studied pollinator conservation with Rhodes’ Beekeeping Club, and gained firsthand experience exploring diverse ecosystems during her semester abroad in Ecuador.
Outside of her academic pursuits, Zein-Sabatto has served as co-founder and president of the Middle Eastern Student Association, as an executive member of the Muslim Student Association, a student employee for the Office of the Chaplain, and as an ambassador for Health Professions Advising. As a committee member of the Belonging is a Big Diehl Committee, she helped launch a campus-wide recognition for World Hijab Day and Arab-American Heritage Month.
Beyond Rhodes, Zein-Sabatto serves her community as a board member for the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament, where she helps organize national programming for high school students focused on leadership, faith, and identity.
One of Zein-Sabatto nominators commented, “Sana exemplifies a life of profound service, selfless dedication, and a commitment to uplifting those around her. She is a beacon of compassion, intellectual curiosity, and unwavering integrity. Whether in the lab, the field, or out in the community, Sana leads with an unwavering moral compass and a boundless generosity that enriches the lives of those touched by her work.”
Sandi George Tracy, who is retiring from the college this year, has been a steadfast champion of students at Rhodes for the past 35 years.
Under Tracy’s leadership, the Office of Career Services has expanded its offerings, deepened employer partnerships, and embedded career development into the heart of the Rhodes experience. Whether through one-on-one coaching, career fairs, internship programs, or her tireless behind-the-scenes work, she has helped to guide students through numerous roles as they transition from college to careers.
Tracy’s impact reaches far beyond the Division of Student Life, as she has been an invaluable collaborator with faculty and staff, taking on additional responsibilities, serving on various committees and working groups, and helping integrate career education into the college's academic fabric. Her cross-campus partnerships have strengthened the student experience.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Tracy is known for her deep kindness, insightful mentorship, and unwavering belief in the potential of every student she encounters. She is the parent of a member of the Rhodes College Class of 2019.
For her guidance to so many of the talented students and alumni and her commitment to serving the Rhodes community, she has been awarded the non-student Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
Distinguished Service Medal
William “Bill” Short graduated from Rhodes in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in English. After teaching at a Memphis high school and earning a graduate degree in library science from Vanderbilt University, he returned to Rhodes in the fall of 1975 to join the library staff.
“For nearly 50 years, I have been honored to work at Rhodes,” Short has commented. “The ability to tend the history of Rhodes is a source of immense pride and joy for me. It has always been my goal to ensure the college’s history is preserved and accessible, so that it can be a source of learning for future generations.”
The campus benefits from Short’s careful curation of the archives and Special Collections, and he has been described as the walking embodiment of the college’s institutional memory, a mentor to the students working every day to access the archives, and a fount of knowledge to faculty, always ready to share historic materials they can use to augment their classroom instruction. The Memphis Area Library Council has recognized Short’s work, having presented him with its Award of Excellence. He also is an award-winning member of the Memphis-area theater community.
In addition, Short has contributed to the college’s theater offerings and provides walking tours of the campus to faculty and staff, sharing fun stories and tidbits about the campus as well as its relationship to the city of Memphis. He is a welcoming face to new students and families, eager to share how the next four years will be transformational.
To alumni, Short is a campus celebrity, with many recalling their interactions with him during homecoming or other returns to campus. And as Rhodes celebrates its 100th year as an institution in Memphis this year, it’s appropriate that Short be recognized as a key author and curator of the Rhodes story.