Rhodes College, established in Clarksville, TN in 1848, will celebrate 90 years in Memphis on Thursday. Under the leadership of Dr. Charles E. Diehl, the college moved to its current location and classes began on Sept. 24, 1925 with 406 students and 16 faculty.
At the time, Dr. Diehl said it was “the chance of a lifetime” to re-create an institution of excellence in a central location that provides easy access to students from all over, along with greater opportunities for them to learn both inside and outside the classroom. Today, his vision is being realized, and Rhodes students—representing 45 states and 35 countries—are truly Memphis-minded, fully engaging with the city’s culture, people, and causes through internships, fellowships, and community service. In addition, Rhodes remains one of only a few liberal arts colleges in a major city.
On Sept. 24, 2015, the college will celebrate its Memphis anniversary with a campus-wide picnic under the enduring Rollow Avenue of Oaks, grown from seedlings taken from the original Clarksville campus. The event begins at 11 a.m. and will include live music provided by student musicians from the Mike Curb Institute for Music at Rhodes. Students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff are all invited to celebrate this historic day! For more information and to register, visit here.