The Baccalaureate Service of the 165th Session of Rhodes College will be held on campus Friday, May 9, followed by Commencement on Saturday, May 10. President William E. Troutt will preside over both programs.
Dr. William Evans, director and CEO of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, will deliver the Baccalaureate address and will receive the Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree at Commencement.
Evans, who is internationally known for his research in the field of cancer, has been with St. Jude for more than 40 years and will retire from his executive post in July 2014. He serves as vice chairman of the Rhodes Board of Trustees and is a staunch supporter of the Rhodes/St. Jude Summer Plus program, which began under Evans’ leadership.
The program provides Rhodes fellows unparalleled research opportunities in the laboratory of a St. Jude mentor. Not only do students work on independent research projects, but they also participate in lectures, group meetings, and onsite discussions, and present their work at professional venues. Also through Rhodes’ partnership with St. Jude, many students serve as interns and volunteers.
The Baccalaureate Service on May 9 begins at 3:30 p.m. in the multi-sports forum of the Bryan Campus Life Center (BCLC), and Commencement on May 10 begins at 9:30 a.m. in Fisher Memorial Garden (BCLC in the event of rain). Seating tickets are necessary for both programs, which will stream live from the Rhodes home page as well as broadcast from various locations on campus.