New stories to tell. Endless possibilities. The beginnings of lifelong friendships. It’s that time of year, when members of a new class at Rhodes College begin their journeys.
The first day of classes is Aug. 28, and the college is expecting approximately 400 new students including first-time and transfer students. Approximately 2,000 students enroll at Rhodes each year.
“With a record number of applications received, Rhodes continues to attract some of the brightest students in the nation and abroad,” said Gil Villanueva, vice president for enrollment and dean of admission and financial aid. “We are excited to welcome the Class of 2028, one of the most academically talented and most diverse in college history.”
Among the incoming class are business owners and entrepreneurs, a professional ballerina, a synchronized swimmer, lead singers in rock bands, and a coach for a Special Olympics swim team. Some have founded non-profits, including organizations that focus on youth mental health. Others have worked on behalf of a variety of causes including food insecurity, criminal justice reform, literacy, homelessness, environmental issues, and Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition, there are 15 student government presidents, 58 club presidents, 68 sports team captains, and 13 yearbook or magazine editors.
Domestic students and international students of color make up 44 percent of the incoming class.
Excluding the United States, 18 countries are represented including Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, South Korea, Ghana, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Spain, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, and Poland.
The students come from 34 states, with Tennessee having the largest representation, followed by Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, and Arkansas.
Among the top subjects of interest for the entering class are biology, business, psychology, international studies, and computer science.
Other notable stats for the Class of 2028 include:
- Mean Unweighted GPA: 3.72
- First generation college students: 18 percent
- Student athletes: 34 percent
- Students from the Memphis metro area: 19 percent
- International students: 13 percent
The college offers more than 70 majors and minors, and new this year is a major in data analytics and a minor in linguistics. Sixteen new faculty bring talent in a number of specialties, from Africana studies to biology to music to mathematics.