Dr. Russell Wigginton ’88 has been named to the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association’s (TICUA) 2024 Hall of Fame.
The TICUA Hall of Fame, now in its fifth year, highlights the contributions of alumni from Tennessee's 34 private nonprofit colleges and universities. This year’s class features trailblazers from various sectors, who have built lasting legacies through their leadership, philanthropy, and dedicated service to their communities.
Wigginton currently serves as president of the National Civil Rights Museum. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Rhodes in 1988 and went on to receive a master’s degree and doctorate in from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Wigginton returned to his alma mater in 1996 to teach in the history department. In 2003, President Emeritus William E. Troutt tapped him to serve as special assistant to the president to build meaningful partnerships in the Memphis community. His more than 20-year career at Rhodes also includes serving as vice president for college relations, vice president of external programs, and vice president of student life.
In 2019, Wigginton joined Tennessee’s State Collaborative on Reforming Education as its chief postsecondary impact officer. He became president of the National Civil Rights Museum in 2021. Wigginton serves on numerous boards, including the Rhodes College Board of Trustees.
Throughout Wigginton’s career, he has embodied Rhodes College’s vision of graduating “students with a lifelong passion for learning, a compassion for others, and the ability to translate academic study and personal concern into effective leadership and action in their communities and the world.”