Celebrating our Legacies

a diverse group of recent graduates, still wearing their robes, surrounded by their parents and families
Front row, from left: Olivia Warfield ’15, Lauren Warfield Jenkins ’06, Anne Lacy ’84, Lacy Deegan ’15, Elizabeth Barr ’15, George W. Wilson III ’53, Braden Taylor ’15, Sara Taylor ’13. Second row: Katelyn Dagen ’15, Anne Weems ’12, Amelie Weems ’77, Jason Jenkins ’05, Becka Moore Tait ’83, Andrew Tait ’15, Elena Mosby ’15, Kathryn Woodson Barr ’85, Macon Wilson ’15, April Lassiter ’15, Perri Carroll ’15, Heidi Carroll ’82, Emily Heine ’15. Third row: Ryan Dagen ’08, Brett Dagen ’10, Hallie Weems ’15, John Weems ’77, Phil Mischke ’79, Lisa Gilchrist Mischke ’81, Will Mischke ’13, Michael Mosby ’86, Charles Mosby ’85, Ward Wilson ’79, Jack Lassiter ’69, Victoria McCullough ’07, Brianna McCullough ’10, Piper Carroll ’13, Holly Hubbard Heine ’87, AJ Heine ’86, Bill Boyd ’65. Fourth row: Jared Gab ’13, Buckley Willis ’15, Turner Willis ’13, Emily Sellers ’11, Laura Sellers ’08, Missy Jordan Redmon ’82, Melissa Redmon ’15, Cameron McCullough ’13, Morgan McCullough ’15, Will Posey ’15, Billy Posey ’80, Kenneth Boyd ’15. Back row: Matt Spinolo ’85, Lynda Hamlington Spinolo ’86, Luke Spinolo ’15, Mark Sellers ’15, Jack Stevens ’71, Will Murphy ’15, Melia Miller Murphy ’88, Ed Miller ’64, Jordan Redmon ’13, Marshall Redmon ’84, Grace Porter ’15, Ed Porter ’80, Ashley Porter ’82, Ed Porter ’11, Brian Lainoff ’11, Mark Lainoff ’15, Brad Priester ’86, Halle Priester ’15, Joanne Smith Priester ’88, Donna Jo Miles Smith ’62, Robyn Barrow ’15, Rob Barrow ’75, Ann Sartwell ’88, Robert Moore P’15, Matthew Moore ’15
May 03, 2016

As you can see from this large group photo, even the rain during the Commencement Exercises of the 166th Session of Rhodes College could not dampen the spirits of the proud alumni family members posing with their new graduates. The annual alumni/legacy photo has been taken for decades, an indication of how fully our alumni value their Rhodes experience as something cherished, to be shared with and bequeathed to younger family members. Several of the graduates in the photo are third- or fourth-generation alumni, following parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. A few others are the youngest siblings to graduate from families in which all of the children are Rhodes alumni. The wonderful article about Robertson Hall communicates the many ways that Dr. Charles Robertson, Jr. ’65 has taken full advantage of the Rhodes legacy given to him by his parents, Lola ’33 and Charles, Sr. ’29.

At Rhodes, a legacy is a child, step-child, grandchild, or sibling of another Rhodes alumnus/a. In an effort to capitalize on the importance of family ties to the college, members of Alumni Relations work to build relationships with our prospective Rhodes legacies at an early age. Once we are notified by alumni of a birth, we send a “Baby Lynx” bib. At age five, prospective legacies receive a “Junior Lynx” insulated lunch box. A Rhodes keychain is given to children of alumni when they turn 16. One 16-year-old wrote a thank-you note asking if we would now encourage her parents to provide the car to go with her new keychain. (If your child has not received any of these milestone gifts, please contact us at alumni@rhodes.edu so we can update your information.)

In addition to gifts, we also offer a special program each year to alumni and their high-school-aged children. Admission 101/201 provides parents and future college students a general overview of the college admission process—from financial considerations to selecting the best college to penning the perfect essay. This year’s featured speaker is Vice President of Enrollment and Communications and Dean of Admission J. Carey Thompson. Dean Thompson will be joined by members of the Rhodes admission team as well as college counselors from the top schools in Memphis and Shelby County. This year’s program will take place September 19. If you are interested in learning more or wish to register to attend, please contact me at pattersont@rhodes.edu.

As the Rhodes legacy program has grown, so has the size of our photographs. I look forward to standing among the group myself in a few years!

Tracy Vezina Patterson ’84, P’17