Rhodes The Magazine of Rhodes College Spring/Summer 2023

NATIONALLY RANKED LOCALLY INVESTED

Rhodes is consistently recognized as an exceptional place to learn, work, and live, making this year’s rankings no surprise.

U.S. News & World Report

2022-2023 Best Colleges

#23 Most Innovative among liberal arts colleges

#29 Best Undergraduate Teaching among liberal arts colleges

Forbes America’s Top Colleges for 2022

The Princeton Review

A Best Value College

#20 Most Beautiful Campus Green Colleges list for commitment to environment

Money’s Best Colleges in America 2022

Quality, affordability, and student outcomes

DegreeChoices

#13 Among liberal arts colleges for economic return

Stacker

Best Colleges in Big U.S. Cities

#2 Among Best Colleges in Tennessee

Architectural Digest

Among the Prettiest College Campuses in America

Best Degree Programs

#10 Nationally and #1 in Tennessee among Most Beautiful Best Small Colleges

MSN

Most Beautiful College in Tennessee 2022

Billboard Magazine

2022 Top Music Business School

175TH ANNIVERSARY AND PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION TO BE CELEBRATED THIS FALL

Celebrate 175 years with Rhodes as we re ect on the de ning moments of our history and embark on a bright future that continues to inspire students, transform lives, graduate trailblazers, and advance our national and international stature.

Rhodes alumni are encouraged to share their favorite memories of the college by submitting them at rhodes.edu/re ections. ese stories and photos will be gathered and shared with the greater community on our website.

President Jennifer Collins will be inaugurated as the 21st president of Rhodes in a ceremony at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, October 21, in the Bryan Campus Life Center. For those unable to

FALL EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 8 – 10, 2023

Family Weekend

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

Conversation with New York Times columnist and author David Brooks on the state of America

SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 1, 2023

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

OCTOBER 19, 2023

Lecture by Emma Smith, Oxford University scholar, on the 400th anniversary of Shakepeare’s rst folio

OCTOBER 20, 2023

Inaugural Talks: Join us for a series of brief, impactful presentations by various Rhodes faculty members

OCTOBER 21, 2023

Inauguration of the 21st President of Rhodes College, Jennifer M. Collins

OCTOBER 28, 2023

CajunFest!

attend in person, the event will be livestreamed. For more information please visit rhodes.edu/inauguration.

During the month of November, we will celebrate the history of Rhodes by inviting you to engage with courses being presented through the Meeman Center for Lifelong Learning. Attendees will be asked to register in advance due to limited space. e courses will also be o ered virtually for those who cannot attend in person. For more information and to register: rhodes.edu/meeman

As we observe this signi cant milestone and inaugurate our 21st president, we hope you will mark your calendar to attend as many events as possible. A few are highlighted below, and a full listing of events with more details can be found at rhodes.edu/rhodes175 We invite you to check back regularly for updated information.

RHODES AT 175: A HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

“Building the Memphis Campus/Master Plans”

Bill Short ’71, Associate Director of Barret Library

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

“Presbyterian Heritage/Service/Social Justice”

Stephen Haynes, Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Liberal Arts in Prison Program

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

“SEARCH Course and Curriculum”

Kenny Morrell, Associate Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Studies

NOVEMBER 27, 2023

“Fine Arts on Campus”

Carole Blankenship ’85, Professor and Chair, Department of Music

MEEMAN CENTER FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

SPRING/SUMMER 2023

38

Commencement 2023

Jennifer Collins President

Jenna Goodloe Wade

Vice President of Development

Tracy Vezina Patterson ’84, P’22

Sr. Director of Alumni Relations

Martha Shepard ’66 Editor Emeritus © 2023.

Linda Bonnin

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Jana Files ’78

Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications

Charles Kenny

Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications

Larry Ahokas

Graphic Designer

CONTRIBUTORS

Dionne Chalmers

Samuel X. Cicci ’15

Matthew Harris ’20

Hannah-Elsie Meit ’25

Troy Wiggins

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jay Adkins

Justin Fox Burks

Jadyn Scott ’24

INFORMATION 901-843-3000

ADMISSION OFFICE 1-800-844-LYNX

ALUMNI OFFICE 1-800 -264 -LYNX

Please send address changes to alumni@rhodes.edu

Cover Painting by Natalia Cipponeri ‘23

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Jennifer Collins

Welcome to the Summer 2023 edition of our magazine! is edition does a beautiful job of capturing both the excitement and vibrancy of a very busy spring semester and the enduring commitment to excellence and service that infuses everything we do at Rhodes.

In April, we were honored to host the 2023 National Mock Trial Championships, which was a wonderful opportunity to showcase one of our most outstanding student programs. We welcomed 48 teams, including our own, from 700 of the very top schools in the country to our beautiful campus, ranging from Brown to Harvard to UCLA . Professor and program director Anna Eldridge ’02 was honored with the prestigious Neal Smith Award, given to one person nationally every year for their contributions to law-related education. We are thrilled that our athletics program won the 2022-23 Southern Athletic Association Commissioner’s Cup, signifying the best overall athletic department in the conference. Our Lynx won eight SAA regular season and post-season championships, 45 student-athletes made rst team All-SAA and six were named All-Americans, and two coaches were named SAA Coach of the Year. And, of course, the football team beat Sewanee!

Two of our feature stories capture the essence of what makes Rhodes so special—our St. Jude partnership and our prison education program. Our partnership with St. Jude is now in its 22nd year and gives Rhodes students the opportunity to pursue an extensive research curriculum over the course of two summers and the intervening academic year in conjunction with the hospital’s world-class research scientists and doctors.

Students are engaged in cutting-edge and impactful research that equips them to be leaders in the scienti c and medical workforces of the future. e Liberal Arts in Prison Program, led by Professor Stephen Haynes, is one of the very few college-led programs that exposes incarcerated women to the liberal arts and helps them obtain their bachelor’s degree. You will read how this program not only transforms the lives of these women, but also the educational experience of our students and faculty on campus.

Finally, I am personally thrilled that this edition of the magazine celebrates the extraordinary Debra Manning, who has cared for four generations of presidents and the president’s home with remarkable grace, dedication, and skill. Debra is now enjoying a very well-deserved retirement, and we will all miss her terribly. She truly exempli es the very best of the devoted sta and faculty who serve this wonderful college so tirelessly every day.

I wish all of you a happy and restorative summer, and we can’t wait to see you on campus in the fall to celebrate Rhodes’ 175th anniversary!

Rhodes Graduates Reap Benefits from Decade-Long

Ties to Global Seed Vault

By Dionne Chalmers

Food security affects everyone from farmers to scientists, economists to elected officials, and nutritionists to consumers. In a snow-capped mountain located between mainland Norway and the North Pole is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which opened in 2008 and houses more than 1.1 million seed samples from the world’s crop collections as a safeguard against catastrophic or accidental loss.

Gene banks from around the world that keep seed collections have made deposits into the Seed Vault, and if something happens to a gene bank due to war, a natural disaster, pest, disease, or even human error, there are duplicates in the facilities’ samples, which could also be used one day in developing new crop varieties.

Rhodes College fellows have served for a decade on the staff of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust), which provides support for the Seed Vault’s ongoing operations, and Dr. Cary Fowler ’71 served as executive director of the Crop Trust from 2005 to 2012.

It was in 2012 that the college announced the Cary Fowler ’71 Environmental Studies International Fellowship in

Junior Walters ’19 in Bonn, Germany, location of the Global Crop Diversity Trust

collaboration with the Global Crop Diversity Trust. To apply, graduating Rhodes students had to be nominated by a professor and submit a cover letter indicating their interest and qualifications and a resume to the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

Brian Lainoff ’11, who received a bachelor’s degree in English and environmental studies, joined the Crop Trust as the first recipient of the $50,000, one-year fellowship and assisted with preparations for the organization’s move from Italy to Germany in January 2013. He also participated in conference planning, article writing, and social media and global media outreach. After completing the fellowship, Lainoff continued working at the Crop Trust for six years.

Thanks to the generosity of Steve and Riea Lainoff, parents of Brian and Mark Lainoff ’15, the fellowship became The Steve and Riea Lainoff Crop Trust Fellowship in Honor of Cary Fowler ’71. Walker Coleman ’23, an international studies and art history double major, was awarded the fellowship this spring. He’s interested in environmental security issues surrounding food and geopolitics and will join the communications and partnerships teams of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in August 2023. “Rhodes, through wonderful professional opportunities and tremendous faculty mentorship, has fully prepared me to step into the fellowship position at the Crop Trust,” says Coleman. “Dr. Jennifer Sciubba’s course on ecopolitics transformed an interest in environmental policy into a potential career path, while my other courses in international studies and art history expanded my mind and pushed me to become a more critical thinker and effective writer.”

Other fellows who have worked at the Crop Trust include Laura Brown ’13, Julia Greene ’14, Cierra Martin ’15, Amanda Fuller ’16, Adrienne Bober ’17, Erin Gleeson ’18, Junior Walters ’19, Bailey Cate ’20, Shaliz Barzani ’21, and Maya Searle ’22.

Their responsibilities have included assisting with the development of crop strategies, attending international advisory meetings, analyzing data from international plant genetic research centers, supporting fundraising efforts, assisting with campaigns and projects centered around food diversity, assisting in communications efforts and special events, and even accompanying deposits to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

“My time at the Crop Trust laid a strong foundation for a career in environmental work and exposed me to the role of agriculture as both a climate challenge and a climate solution. I’m proud to be playing a part in that effort, and my time at the Crop Trust accelerated my path to becoming an advocate for farmers, our food systems, and the

planet,” says Walters, who now works in marketing and communications for an international agroforestry training organization. Martin, who continued working for the Crop Trust after completing the fellowship, had this to say: “During my five-year journey with the Crop Trust, I was privileged to have amazing experiences that I will never forget, including making several trips to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault where I organized press visits and on my last visit, interviewed the Prime Minister of Norway.

“Perhaps the proudest moment in my tenure at the organization was the opportunity to design international tasting experiences with renowned chefs that highlighted the importance of crop diversity. It was a privilege to work with thousands of influential leaders from media to top scientists, and even the vice president of Peru, to drive awareness and action for conservation efforts. I was deeply inspired by the dedication and commitment of my colleagues and the participants who shared my vision for a more sustainable and food-secure future.

“Outside of an incredible career opportunity, my time at the Crop Trust gave me lasting friendships and the opportunity to form meaningful relationships that will stay with me forever. It strengthened my resolve to contribute to a better world and taught me the importance of working with diverse teams on an inspiring mission. Contributing to the preservation of crop diversity for future generations was a humbling experience, and I felt honored to play even a small role in this critical mission. I am grateful to the Lainoffs and Rhodes College for creating and funding this opportunity, which will undoubtedly empower and inspire future generations of young professionals.”

After leaving the Crop Trust, Martin went on to pursue a master’s degree in integrated design and management at MIT, and she now

Walker Coleman ’23, 2023 Crop Trust fellowship recipient

works as a senior consultant for Gapingvoid, a boutique culture design firm.

In 2017, Fowler was interviewed about the Seed Vault on NPR’s Fresh Air, and had this to say: “So, if we want our crops to be productive in the future, if we want them adapted to new climates or to whatever pest or disease is out there, then we need to conserve that diversity, because the diversity is really a diversity of traits. And those are the options that we have for the future, just like an artist would have a lot of different colors on his or her palette.”

Fowler continues to take leadership in ensuring the world’s future food supply, and currently serves as the U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security.

Zahariadis and Henager Receive Fulbright Awards

Dr. Nikolaos Zahariadis, Mertie Buckman Chair and professor of international studies, received a competitive Fulbright Specialist Award to lecture and conduct research on COVID-19 public health measures in Europe at the University of Macedonia located in Thessaloniki, Greece. A native of Greece, Zahariadis has published extensively in the areas of European public policy, comparative political economy, foreign aid, and nationalism and security in Southeastern Europe. He is also an editor of International Review of Public Policy, which is dedicated to advancing knowledge about public policy in different sectors, countries, and regions of the world.

A member of the Rhodes faculty since 2016, Zahariadis was a Fulbright Special-

ist in 2018 and presented several lectures at the LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, Italy, on European economics and American foreign policy, while exploring scholarly collaborations. In 2009, while teaching at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Zahariadis received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to participate in a German studies seminar in Berlin during the 2009-2010 academic year.

Dr. Eric Henager, associate professor of Spanish, has been selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for 2023-2024 for Ecuador. He will teach at the Universidad del Azuay in Cuenca, Ecuador, from September to December 2023, and will carry out a research project on contact phenomena in Spanish-language writing and performance.

Dr. Nikolaos Zahariadis

Cierra Martin ’15 at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault

McCarthy and Skoog

Presented Clarence Day Awards for Outstanding Teaching and Research

Dr. David McCarthy and Dr. William Skoog were presented Rhodes College’s highest faculty honors for teaching and research at the college’s annual Awards Convocation, held on campus April 28.

McCarthy, professor and chair of art and art history, received the Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Teaching. Skoog, professor of music and director of choral studies, received the Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity. The awards, first given in 1981, were established by businessman and Rhodes honorary degree recipient Clarence Day and are provided by the Day Foundation.

Recently, Henager was named an ACS Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow to serve as associate dean of global initiatives in Rhodes’ Office of Academic Affairs, and will start the associate dean role when he returns to Rhodes in January 2024.

A member of the Rhodes faculty since 1995 and a member of the Rhodes Class of 1989, Henager has designed and directed more than 20 summer intensive programs in Spain, México, Argentina, and Ecuador. He has served as chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures as well as chair of Latin American and Latinx Studies. He has worked tirelessly to diversify the Rhodes curriculum and engage students in projects that will have a direct impact on the local community.

Read more about Dr. McCarthy and Dr. Skoog

Dr. Eric Henager

(Left to right) Dr. William Skoog and Dr. David McCarthy

Stoddard Receives Silvia Ronco Innovative Mentor Award

Dr. Shana Stoddard, associate professor of chemistry, is the 2023 recipient of the Council on Undergraduate Research’s (CUR) Silvia Ronco Innovative Mentor Award. Established in February 2022, the award recognizes original and insightful research work by a young investigator working with undergraduates that has had significant impact in chemistry and on the STEM careers of students involved.

“I really feel that research is a way of life that allows scholars to be able to embark upon a journey that can bring good to the world. I most enjoy that journey when I have students by my side,” says Stoddard. “The opportunity to mentor students and to teach them that it is the scientist who is the connection between science and society is a truly rewarding experience. This award allows me to continue to reflect on how the platform of being a teacher-scholar-mentor-leader has been impactful and affirms the work we do at primarily undergraduate institutions in investing in students to become the world’s next generation of scholars.”

After earning a Ph.D. in chemistry and biochemistry from The University of Mississippi, Stoddard completed postdoctoral work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. At Rhodes, she has mentored 98 research students in her Molecular Immu-

notherapeutics Research lab, using a combination of computational and experimental approaches. Ninety of her students have been undergraduates, and together, Stoddard and her students have pioneered work in predicting extremely large protein structures and in the design of protein-based biotools that can be used to understand kidney function. They also have worked on the development of drug compounds to treat COVID and various cancers and are working on novel autoimmune disease therapeutics. Stoddard’s 11 publications include a total of 57 student co-authors.

Stoddard also is proud to have helped many scholars aspiring to be the first in their families to pursue doctorate degrees in a STEM field. This year, seven of her 15 research students would be the first in their families to earn doctorate degrees in a STEM field. Stoddard also makes a point to combine her research and teaching to craft authentic research experiences in the classroom. In this way, her students remain at the cusp of translating what they learn from the textbook to real and innovative research.

Stoddard is the founding director of The STEM Cohort Mentoring Program at Rhodes, which she established in 2017. Currently, 32 scholars have been accepted into 67 STEM graduate and/or professional programs with 36 program acceptances being at the doctoral level from the first three graduating cohorts (Rhodes Classes of 2021, 2022, and 2023).

In 2021, Stoddard received the Mentor Award presented by CUR’s Health Sciences Division. In 2022, she received the Henry C. McBay Outstanding Teacher Award presented by the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.

Alums Spearhead Updates to Sports Facilities to Honor

Longtime Coaches Clary and Hilgeman

Rhodes’ golfers are now able to improve their game throughout the year, thanks to the Mike and Nancy Clary Golf Facility. The more than $464,000 indoor golf facility is named in honor of Clary—head women’s golf coach and the longest-serving Rhodes athletics staff member—and his wife, Nancy.

Located on the first floor of the Bryan Campus Life Center, the golf facility includes two Trackman golf simulators and a turf putt and chip facility with holes at varying grades to mimic outdoor courses. This provides an on-campus option for training, while not allowing weather to inhibit practice time.

“The fundraising effort began in 2019 with a parent and alumnus proposing an on-campus golf facility,” says Director of Athletic Giving Nicole Lazo Tugg ’05. “This seed money was used to propel the effort forward. More than 45 alumni, parents, and friends have contributed and honored the legacy of Coach Clary and Nancy’s continuous commitment to the Rhodes community, especially in athletics.”

This fall, the court in Mallory Gymnasium will bear the name of Herb Hilgeman, who served as head men’s basketball coach from 1976 to 2010. Over the course of his career, he became the college’s all-time leader in wins for all sports.

Hilgeman has been a friend and mentor to hundreds of Rhodes student-athletes, and the college named the court in his honor after alumni came together to raise money to update the gymnasium. As head coach, Hilgeman compiled a 473-360 record, had 14 teams rank in the top 25 nationally, and had teams participate in three NCAA tournaments. In addition to his basketball coaching duties, Hilgeman served as head volleyball coach in 1982 and 1983.

David Norton ’95, who was the catalyst for the fundraising effort, had this to say: “If you ask anyone affiliated with Rhodes basketball from the mid-1970s to 2011, they immediately talk about Coach Herb Hilgeman and the impact he had on their life. From his constant, upbeat attitude, to his intensity on

the court, Coach poured his heart and soul into Rhodes College. As competitive as he was, he also knew that our pursuits off the court were more important to our future as productive members of our communities. In short, he understood and truly embraced the spirit of Division III athletics.”

Milestones

$1 Million Endowment in Biology

Rhodes has established a $1 million endowment thanks to the generosity of Patricia and Charles Robertson, Jr. ’65. The Charles and Patricia Robertson Biology Faculty Research Fund will provide $50,000 annually to the Department of Biology to fund new and ongoing faculty-led research projects.

“We are so grateful to the Robertsons for their continued support. This gift allows us to build on our successful model of transforming students into practicing biologists who are able to publish their research and contribute to the biological sciences. We are very excited to have these critical resources and look forward to supporting the amazing work our students do with our faculty,” says Dr. Mary Miller, professor and chair of biology.

$2 Million Gift in Psychology

A $2 million gift from the estate of Dr. Frances Elaine Donelson ’59 will endow a new chair and fellowship program in the Department of Psychology.

First of Its Kind Opportunity for Division III Athletes

MOGL, the leading provider of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) technology and digital agency services, signed a partnership with Rhodes to offer NIL opportunities and support to the college’s student-athletes so that they will be able to monetize their personal brands in a safe and compliant manner. The deal was the first of its kind in Division III athletics. Clean Energy, a clean label sports nutrition leader, was selected as the provider of products.

Division III athletes don’t receive athletic scholarships and now Rhodes student-athletes will have the opportunity to earn income through endorsements, sponsorships, and other marketing opportunities, which can help offset some of the costs associated with being a student-athlete.

The F. Elaine Donelson Chair of Psychology and Religion will recognize the outstanding work of a psychology faculty member and provide resources to enhance their research and teaching. When fully funded, the F. Elaine Donelson Fellowship program will provide five or more students with opportunities to pursue research with faculty mentors, engage in community service, establish connections between academics and vocation, and explore meaningful projects related to student wellness and spirituality. Donelson, who died Jan. 5, 2021, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rhodes in 1959. A member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society at Rhodes, she earned a master’s degree from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. A widely published author, Donelson was a professor of psychology at Michigan State University for 33 years, where she taught such courses as Psychology of Women, Psychology of Religion, Women and Religion, and Personality Theory.

Rhodes College Giving Day Breaks Record

Rhodes College’s annual Giving Day, held March 28 and 29, raised $175,915 with 1,116 gifts. This is the largest number of gifts ever made in one of the giving day challenges.

Faculty and staff giving increased 100 percent while student giving rose by 39 percent, and alumni giving increased six percent. The top two performing classes were the Class of 2016 and Class of 1993.

The event was held for 1,848 minutes, in honor of the college’s founding date.

Nancy and Mike Clary ’77

Herb Hilgeman speaking at the Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony

Four Receive Fulbright Awards

Class of ’23 graduates James Blan, Ace Cole, and Isabela Tablan have been selected to receive Fulbright U.S. Student Awards for the 2023-2024 academic year. Beginning in the fall, they will serve as English teaching assistants in their assigned countries—Blan in Palestinian Territories (West Bank), Cole

in Argentina, and Tablan in Thailand. Tim Turcotte ’23 is the recipient of a Fulbright Austria U.S. Teaching Assistantship, which provides an opportunity to experience a new culture and to gain first-hand classroom experience while teaching English to secondary school students in Austria.

Benjamin Oelkers ’23 Named a Thomas J. Watson Fellow

Benjamin Oelkers, a biochemistry and molecular biology major, is among a select group of graduating college seniors nationwide to receive the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which provides a $40,000 grant for one year of independent study and travel outside the United States. The program is designed to produce a year of personal insight, innovation, and leadership. Oelkers’ project is titled “Desertion of Pediatric Cancer Care,” with proposed destinations of South Africa, India, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. He seeks to immerse himself in healthcare systems and community organizations to understand why a pediatric cancer patient would choose to stop lifesaving treatment.

Oelkers, who is from Metairie, LA, was a St. Jude Summer Plus Fellow in 2021 and 2022, working with the St. Jude Children’s Hospital anesthesiology department to identify risk factors for airway devices in pediatric cancer patients.

“During my time at the hospital, I understood the global nature of medicine and realized that there are other ways of treating patients,” says Oelkers. “Medicine is more than just learning medical terminology, and it is crucial to understand the different barriers

that patients face globally, including limited access to care, nutrition, race, or religious beliefs. I hope to understand how a patient’s community can influence a patient’s experience during treatment.”

Benjamin Oelkers ’23

James Blan ’23

Ace Cole ’23

Isabela Tablan ’23

Tim Turcotte ’23

Two Selected as 2023 Goldwater Scholars

Junior Abigail Hultquist and sophomore Ryan McCrory are among the 413 students from across the United States who have been selected as Goldwater Scholars in the 2023 competition.

Established by Congress in 1986 to honor Barry M. Goldwater, a ve-term U.S. senator, the Goldwater Foundation provides scholarships to support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming the nation’s next generation of natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering research leaders. Students cannot apply for the scholarship, but rather must be nominated by their institutions. Since 1997, Rhodes has had 21 Goldwater Scholars, including Hultquist and McCrory.

Fikemi Aiyepeku ’23 Heads to Top Management Consulting Firm

By Hannah-Elsie Meit ’25

Business and French double major Fikemi Aiyepeku ’23 is the rst Rhodes student to secure placement at one of the big three management consulting rms— Bain & Company, McKinsey & Company, and Boston Consulting Group—which mostly recruit from graduate programs and a narrow set of top 10 universities.

e Lagos, Nigeria, native credits her liberal arts education, faculty mentors, and peer support as the driving factors behind her placement as an associate consultant at Bain. “Having this kind of education really helped me think creatively within a business context and to balance multiple complexities in case studies.”

When Aiyepeku began her college search, she hoped to nd a personalized experience in which she would be equally challenged and supported. She found that dynamic at Rhodes, saying, “I’ve been pushed to focus on my weaknesses until they become strengths, and I’ve found a loving community here to support my progress—from students to professors.”

Having come to Rhodes with experience in competitive leadership roles from attending the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aiyepeku found Rhodes’ collaborative approach to education refreshing.

“I love that I feel like I don’t have to immediately know everything,” she says. “I can trust my peers and professors for guidance when I need it.”

national student also gave her a unique outlook on academics, as she was able to apply her classroom experiences to a global context.

this spring was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious collegiate honor society.

support Aiyepeku to tackle ambitious pur-

at support and trust allowed Aiyepeku to tackle ambitious pursuits during her time at Rhodes. In spring 2022, she completed a fully immersive semester abroad in Lille, France, which, while challenging, she considers one of the most rewarding experiences.

“I learned to nd the joy of life outside of my comfort zone.”

Another major contributor to Aiyepeku’s successful college experience was the community she fostered with other international students. “ e international community at Rhodes is where I found my closest friends to date,” she says. “I feel so appreciated, special, and encouraged by our friendships.” Being an inter-

Additionally, as the Rhodes Student Associate for International Students Services, she has helped other community members navigate their experience at Rhodes. She is also the president of the African Student Association, a Rhodes Global student coordinator for the French honors society Pi Delta Phi, and

As Bain only extends o ers to one percent of all applicants, Aiyepeku considers her professors’ support in navigating the recruitment process itself invaluable to her success. is achievement is noteworthy not just for Aiyepeku, but for Rhodes. Her placement leaves a legacy of excellence and opens doors for future Rhodes

Fikemi Aiyepeku ’23

don’t guidance

major I friendships.”

Delegate, the students.

RHODES CLAIMS 2022-2023 SAA COMMISSIONER’S CUP

all

The Commissioner’s Cup recognizes the all sports champion among SAA member institutions with points awarded according to each program’s finish in the regular season standings.

Rhodes captured the 2022-23 Southern Athletic Association Commissioner’s Cup with four conference titles and eight runner-up finishes during the academic year. e Lynx totaled 110.5 points in the standings, surpassing runner-up Centre, with 105. Berry earned 102.5 points to finish third.

Jim Duncan, director of athletics, remarked, “From the first athletics staff meeting of

the year, until the final horn at the Women’s Lacrosse NCAA Tournament game, our goal has been capturing the 2022-23 SAA Commissioner’s Cup. Winning the Cup takes the effort of 529 Lynx student- athletes and the entire athletics staff. Our athletic success, combined with 400 student-athletes earning All-SAA academic honors, meets our high expectations of the championship culture we are building at Rhodes.”

Rhodes has won the cup four times in conference history, taking the crown in 2015, 2018, and 2019. In 2022-23, the Lynx earned SAA titles in men’s soccer, field hockey, women’s swimming and diving, and women’s lacrosse.

SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP

• Women’s Lacrosse won their 8th-straight SAA tournament championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

• Men’s Lacrosse finished the season with a 12-6 record and made the final four of the SAA Tournament.

• Men’s Golf finished their season by finishing 2nd in the SAA Championships.

• Women’s Golf finished their season by finishing 2nd in the SAA Championships.

• Women’s Tennis advanced to the SAA Tournament Championship.

• Men’s Tennis advanced to the SAA Tournament Semi-finals.

• Baseball tied for 2nd in the regular season.

• Women’s Track & Field finished 2nd at the SAA Championship Meet. The Lynx won three individual events (high jump, pole vault, 4x100 relay) and posted 16 AllConference finishes.

• Men’s Track & Field placed 3rd at the SAA Championships, winning six individual events (100, 800, 110 hurdles, 400 hurdles, 3000 Steeplechase, 4x400 relay).

• Softball finished their year by winning a game in the SAA Tournament before being eliminated.

Be sure to follow Rhodes sports at rhodeslynx.com!

Rhodes Plays Host to National Mock Trial Championship

Smart. Talented. Articulate. Dedicated. ese words aptly describe the top 48 out of 700 mock trial teams in the nation that were in Memphis April 14-16 for the 38th American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) National Championship.

The event was hosted by Rhodes and sponsored by Burch, Porter & Johnson and e University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. AMTA is the governing body for undergraduate mock trial competition, and the championship tournament marked the pinnacle of its season.

“It was such an honor to be selected by AMTA to host its premier event. All weekend we heard from students who praised the beauty of the courthouses and Rhodes campus,” says Anna Eldridge ’02, who directs Rhodes’ mock trial program. “We were so grateful to host these talented and incredible students from all over the country. It was thrilling to watch the exceptional championship round presided over by Judge Bernice Donald and hear the esteemed panel’s comments about the devotion, drive, and intellect of the students who make this competition so special.”

Rhodes’ mock trial A team was a tournament contender, but in the end, e University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) took home the championship trophy and Harvard University was runner-up.

Eldridge Receives Award

Eldridge received the Neal Smith Award, given annually to an individual who has made outstanding and exemplary contributions to law-related education and the mission of promoting public understanding of law and the legal process. Emeritus Professor of Political Science Marcus Pohlmann, who formed Rhodes’ rst mock trial team in 1987, presented Eldridge with the award and noted her achievements of having a lucrative law practice, providing pro bono work, teaching law-related courses at the high school and college level, and founding Rhodes’ summer Mock Trial Academy for high school students.

(Top left) Anna Edridge ’02 receiving the Neal Smith Award from Emeritus Professor of Politcal Science Marcus Pohlmann. (above) Edridge speaking at the Awards Ceremony in Fisher Garden

Christopher Hom ’24

A Match Made in Memphis

From biomathematics to biology, a longstanding partnership between Rhodes and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides students a window into world-class research and scienti c advancement with real-world applications.

By Samuel X. Cicci ’15

As Christopher Hom ’24 began his internship studying sonic hedgehog pathways at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital last summer, an unrelated lecture that the hospital planned to host caught his eye. One lecture turned into several, and before he knew it, Hom had absorbed everything from cancer biology programs to a breakdown of St. Jude’s recent e orts at rendering aid in Ukraine. Such access to a fount of cutting-edge cancer research was simply too good an opportunity to pass up, especially when in service of nding cures or advancing treatment for pediatric catastrophic diseases.

Hom was enrolled in the St. Jude Summer Plus program, in which Rhodes students pursue an extensive research curriculum over the course of two summers and the intervening academic year. And the biochemistry and molecular biology and economics dual-major planned to make the most of his time.

“I’d started working in the lab of Dr. Stacey Ogden, and I realized that there were probably two dozen presentations every week covering every facet of the hospital,” recalls Hom. “So outside of the research I was doing, I started attendingas many of those as I could.” Hom, and many other students before him, have had the privilege of conducting research alongside world-class doctors and facilities thanks to Rhodes’ multi-decade partnership with St. Jude.

“ is partnership is incredible because we do so many di erent things that strengthen experiences that Rhodes students have by intersecting them with

researchers and faculty over at St. Jude,” says Dr. Mary Miller, chair of biology at Rhodes College and director of the partnership. “And in turn, St. Jude researchers intersect with our students and strengthen their own experiences. It’s a relationship where all parties bene t and enrich each other.”

e o cial partnership between Rhodes and St. Jude is currently in its 22nd year, and has grown exponentially since its inception. e arrangement came about as an agreement between Rhodes’ 19th president, William Troutt, and former St. Jude director and CEO Dr. Bill Evans. And 22 years on, the commitment to maintaining the professional and academic ties between the two institutions remains strong. “Rhodes is profoundly grateful for its longstanding partnership with St. Jude,” says President Jennifer Collins. “ e opportunity our students have to participate in St. Jude’s groundbreaking research is

“By using the opportunity to work alongside our scientists and conduct research in world-class facilities, these students are taking an important step in becoming the scientific workforce of the future. We have enjoyed mentoring these remarkable young researchers over the years.”

Dr. James Downing, president and CEO of St. Jude

Dr. James Downing and Dr. Mary Miller

truly extraordinary, and it helps launch our students into exciting careers in the health and STEM elds.”

e Summer Plus program has long been the agship experience of the partnership. Students in their rst, second, or third years may tour St. Jude and meet with several principal investigators to learn about various research projects. St. Jude mentors and students are then paired together based on shared interests. Students are paid for their 12 weeks of fulltime work throughout the summer and have housing provided by Rhodes. Once the academic year begins, students work for 10 hours a week, and then resume their full-time schedule the following summer. e Summer Plus program also provides students with two class credits per semester, in addition to the F11 Foundation requirement. And the program culminates in a research presentation at a local, regional, or national conference.

St. Jude welcomed six students in the inaugural Summer Plus program. Several of those individuals worked in the molecular pharmacology lab of Dr. Linda Harris, who is now St. Jude’s director of postdoctoral talent acquisition. “I remember hosting one of the rst cohorts of students that we had here,” says Harris, “and they just blew us all away.

ey came in well-prepared from the undergraduate courses they were taking, paid close attention to instructions, and did an amazing job in the lab. Ever since then, whether they’re doing cell culture work or protein puri cation, they’re always up for the challenge.”

Over the past two decades the program has continued to expand, with this year’s program seeing 20 students conducting research at St. Jude. Including next summer’s cohort, says Miller, the total number of students who have been enrolled in the Summer Plus program will reach 209 students. “We’ve been incredibly impressed with the students from Rhodes and their participation in the Summer Plus program,” says Dr. James Downing, president and CEO of St. Jude. “By using the opportunity to work alongside our scientists and conduct research in world-class facilities, these students are taking an important step in becoming the scienti c workforce of the future. We have enjoyed mentoring these remarkable young researchers over the years.”

Other colleges and universities have their own summer programs with St. Jude, but Rhodes’ proximity allows students unprecedented access and familiarity with St. Jude’s laboratories and facilities. “With

“The Summer Plus program was a big reason why I chose Rhodes, St. Jude is so renowned, and when I saw we had the opportunity to conduct research there, it really solidified my choice.”

Helen Pennington ’24

“One of our goals is to provide an opportunity for these postdocs to teach an upper-level course here at Rhodes, called Topics in Biomedical Science. It’s run by a Rhodes faculty member who mentors the fellows as they teach the course.”

one of our other programs, students come in to do their research, and then they leave,” says Dr. Gerry Zambetti, a longstanding member of St. Jude’s faculty. “So they leave, and maybe come back the next year, but they have to re-learn protocols and get back up to speed. For Rhodes students, they’re always ready, they’re familiar with the project, they hit the ground running and they’re working on the project all year long, fully immersed.”

For biomathematics major Helen Pennington ’24, a lifelong passion for helping others made pursuing a career in medicine a simple choice. When it came time to pick a college, Rhodes’ partnership with St. Jude brought her to Memphis. “ e Summer Plus program was a big reason why I chose Rhodes,” she says. “St. Jude is so renowned, and when I saw we had the opportunity to conduct research there, it really solidi ed my choice.”

Pennington has spent her time studying pediatric epilepsy with Dr. Heather Me ord, using patient DNA to nd disease-causing variants via bioinformatics. Wading into the complexities of biological data analysis may have been tough to learn on the y, but Pennington came prepared, having picked up plenty of coding experience thanks to mentoring from her academic advisor at Rhodes, Dr. Erin Bodine. “She’s taken a lot of time to help teach me coding, taught me a lot about the research process, and I’m publishing a paper with her this year, too. at really gave me a full picture of what I would be doing at St. Jude and prepared me for the opportunity.”

While many students head to St. Jude to pursue their research projects, the partnership also sees plenty of St. Jude researchers headed the other way. Several of the hospital’s postdoctoral fellows are invited to campus and give research presentations as part of the Cutting Edge Seminar Series; di erent departments host di erent lectures, so presentations can cover anything from molecular biology to chemistry. Even if students aren’t participating in the Summer Plus program, they still have open access to all kinds of new research and innovations by attending such seminars. Meanwhile, Rhodes faculty will work with the researcher ahead of time to help tailor the presentation to the right level for undergrads. For some of those students, it will be no surprise to run into a few of the postdoctoral fellows later on in the classroom. “One of our goals is to provide an opportunity for these postdocs to teach an upper-level course here at Rhodes, called Topics in Biomedical Science,” says Miller. “It’s run by a Rhodes faculty member who mentors the fellows as they teach the course.” Leading a curriculum is a powerful training opportunity for St. Jude researchers, who work closely with Rhodes faculty to learn syllabus and exam design, classroom engagement techniques, and many other crucial aspects of high-impact undergraduate instruction. After time spent in a Rhodes classroom, some fellows catch the teaching bug and want to continue sharing their experience with students. One former postdoctoral fellow who taught a class is Dr. Ann Viano, now an associate professor of physics

Dr. Mary Miller, chair of biology

at Rhodes

College and director of the partnership

Dr. Gerry Zambetti

Dr. Linda Harris

at Rhodes who also led the program for many years. And the enthusiasm to teach such a class is shared by many of her peers.

“I taught one such cancer biology class,” adds Zambetti, “and I can’t tell you how exciting it is to be in the classroom. ere’s this satisfaction that many of us get when we get to help train the next generation of researchers. And for many of our fellows, it’s an invaluable learning experience for them.”

e partnership between the two institutions is always growing. For example, a monthly organizing committee is working to leverage St Jude’s global reach after a COVID-induced hiatus and is always seeking to enrich the experience for both sides. On Rhodes’ side, Drs. Miller, Katie Welsh, and Larryn Peterson work with St. Jude Drs. Zambetti, Harris, and Sally McIver and predoctoral program coordinator Chris Cotton. e committee members help select students and faculty who will bene t from the partnership and are looking at ways to expand the program. “ ere are just so many ways that our two organizations can intersect,” says Miller. “We have student volunteers who want to help out at St. Jude and we have majors from outside the sciences who can nd a position at St. Jude and be part of the mission. It’s just such a huge bene t to us both, and we’re really excited for what the future holds.”

“It’s really grown to a point where interest among St. Jude faculty has skyrocketed,” says Harris. “So many members want to accept students into their lab year after year. I think it shows how valuable these students are and how much they can bene t our team here.”

For the current Summer Plus members, there are only a few months left before their time comes to a close; however, St. Jude has left an indelible impression on them. “It’s not just that you’re able to learn so much,” says Hom. “it’s that so many of the faculty members at St. Jude are excited to teach you, and they really want you there. We’re learning cutting-edge research techniques before they come up in the classroom. I can’t stress enough that this is one of the best opportunities I’ve been presented with in my Rhodes experience.”

“For my part, my lab is looking at conferences where I may be able to present,” says Pennington. “And it’s so exciting to be able to share what I’ve been working on. St. Jude and Rhodes are really intentional about pairing you with the program that you’re most suited for. And you can surprise yourself when you look back and see just how much you’ve learned, and just how much you’ve accomplished.”

“It’s not just that you’re able to learn so much, it’s that so many of the faculty members at St. Jude are excited to teach you, and they really want you there.”

Christopher Hom ’24

DEBRA MANNING

After an extraordinary 38 years, Debra Manning reflects on her time at Rhodes.

By Matthew Harris ’20

Before coming to Rhodes, Debra Manning was working at a national hotel chain but was looking for something that would be more dependable. “I was at church one Sunday and there was a lady that was talking about her job at Rhodes. I thought the position sounded interesting, and I have always loved how the campus looked.”

And dependable Rhodes proved to be—before her retirement in February, Manning served 38 years at the college, becoming one of its longest-serving employees. While the campus grew over the years, the pace of the work and the feel of security that Rhodes provided was always there. “Rhodes was a great job,” says Manning. “It was a good place to work—there’s not a lot you have to worry about when you’re working here.”

Manning was originally assigned an academic building and East Hall, later renamed Robinson Hall. When President James Daughdrill retired in 1999, Manning’s longtime co-worker and friend Joyce Rollins also retired as Executive Housekeeper at the president’s house to continue working with him. Manning got the nod to take over her role as executive housekeeper and began working in the President’s house the same year that William and Carole Troutt began their tenure at Rhodes. “I was a bit nervous at the time because I didn’t know what to expect, but excited because it was something new.”

For the Troutts, who had not had a housekeeper prior to coming to Rhodes, Manning’s presence was at rst a bit strange. ough President Troutt was often away due to his work at Rhodes, Carole Troutt could often be found at the home and had to adjust to Manning’s help.

“In the mornings when I would get there, she would have xed enough co ee and enough bran

mu ns for President Troutt and me and be in the middle of cleaning. It took some time for her to get used to me being there to do the work.”

Manning and the Troutts quickly established a routine, and her and Carole Troutt’s similar personalities and interests led to a long-lasting friendship.

“ ere were lot of things she and I did together. In fact, she would say we were Lucy and Ethel. We would cook together, garden, and help take care of the house. ey were there for 19 years, so we had a lot of time to get to know each other.”

When she began considering retirement, Manning asked her children their opinion. While they were surprised, they were both supportive of her decision and worked with her to get everything in order. “I talk with them all the time, on everything. So, when I realized that it was time, I asked them what they thought.”

For most, a 38-year career would merit a welldeserved break, but that’s not for Manning. She’s already looking toward her next adventure.

“I think I’ll miss coming to work every day. I’m going to nd something to be my new routine. I’m still trying to gure out what that will be, but it has to be something that will keep me going and keep me moving.”

“Rhodes is certainly going to miss Debra Manning,” says President Jennifer Collins.  “She is an extraordinary woman who has served Rhodes with remarkable dedication, grace, and professionalism for decades. I know the entire community joins me in wishing her the best on her very well-deserved retirement.”

In addition to being recognized as Employee of the Month in 1994 and Employee of the Quarter in 2002, Manning was selected to receive the 2014-2015 Administrative Sta Service Award.

J OHNSON BRINGS CHANGES TO STUDENT LIFE

Nicole J. Johnson joined Rhodes in February 2023 as the new vice president for student life. Formerly serving as the dean of students and associate vice president for student affairs at Goucher College, Johnson brings an extensive background in the areas of student support and outreach, strategic leadership, student inclusion, administration and operations, student health and well-being, crisis management, and student accountability. We sat down with Johnson to discuss her new role at Rhodes.

First, what attracted you to Rhodes?

My goal was always to move back to the South. My parents were originally from Arkansas, and that’s where my mom is currently. The other part of it is my professional connection to smaller liberal arts colleges. Rhodes is an institution that other liberal arts colleges pay attention to. So, I was intrigued about where Rhodes is situated as an intellectual space.

What helped you make a connection to the campus?

My conversations with students are what really swayed me. I appreciated their honesty. They were very clear about the need for stability in this role. That they wanted Rhodes to be better, but it wasn’t just, “I’m going to complain.” It was, “We want this place to be better than we found it. And we want somebody that we feel we can entrust with making Rhodes better.” With a new president and a number of new vice presidents, there is an element of excitement for what can be built here. There’s a lot of hope here as well.

Is there something that you feel is missing at Rhodes or that you feel you’ve seen on other campuses that you don’t see here?

I don’t think there is necessarily something missing. I think there are challenges that all colleges and universities are having, which stem from the impact of COVID-19 on students’ socialization and what they believe belonging and engagement are. That’s changed a lot. I think a lot of colleges haven’t really thought about the inconsistency of academic preparedness during COVID—not everybody was educated the same due to education discrepancies. Not just at Rhodes, but across the board, the biggest challenges are going to be around how we create a 21st century post-pandemic residential college and

laying out what that will look like, because it can’t look the same as before.

What are some immediate challenges that you want to tackle?

One of my early goals is reframing how people see the role of Student Life. Most of the time, people just think Student Life is about crisis, but we’re also educators. We’re in the process of making sure that we have the staffing and the systems in place so the students can thrive. We also must think about how we frame the roles of the professional staff in student spaces and give them the resources to grow and learn. We must make sure that our residential advisors find it rewarding and are compensated appropriately. All those things that go into making a campus run smoothly are being evaluated right now. A big goal will be getting students to understand that this is a partnership. Students drive the bus on how educators engage with them during the academic process.

Down the road, what are systems that you would like to have in place for the incoming first-year class?

I would like to have a residential curriculum in place through the Office of Residential Life that promotes living and learning communities. I would manifest a comprehensive experience program, meaning curriculum that would evolve from a student’s first-year experience to their senior-year experience. I want to make sure Rhodes is a place where students not only feel like they belong, but also that they matter, and have a team and division that is happy to be here and to come to work every day.

What is something that you’re excited for?

All the opportunities, all the challenges, and having the opportunity to process ideas with students, faculty, and staff. I enjoy the process of creating solutions together. I believe that there’s always room for improvement to make it better in the next academic year. There is a tremendous amount of space for growth in the division. I think there’s an opportunity to do some cool and innovative things in the field of student life and student affairs.

Nicole Johnson, Vice President for Studen Life

NEW RESIDENCE HALL AND UNITY LODGE OPEN

Rhodes’ newest residence hall, dubbed East Village C, welcomed its first residents this spring. Built in the southeast section of campus next to East Village A and B, the three-floor, 61,717-square-foot building models the architecture of those existing buildings, will house 150 students when fully occupied, and contains flexible work and study spaces and common areas. Room plans include townhouses as well as 4- and 8-person suites with single rooms that share living and study spaces to foster community.

Connected to the residence hall is the Unity Lodge, designed for the needs of VOICES, the umbrella organization for Rhodes’ cultural student groups under the Office of Multicultural Affairs. The lodge, designed with the input of focus groups and organizations from across campus, has separate access, a kitchen, and outdoor space to be used for student group programming.

East Village C allows more students to take part in the transformative residential experience at the heart of the campus’ cultural life. The focus on community building both in the neighborhood-style rooms and in Unity Lodge sets a model for Rhodes students of the future.

The Southern Gothic GRANDMASTER

Renowned author Charlaine Harris continues to weave myriad genres to great acclaim.

By Samuel X. Cicci ’15

“You have to examine yourself and see what you have in you. At Rhodes, I was able to do that and try di erent things out. And what I had in me was genre writing. That was what I wanted to do, that’s what entertains me, and that’s what entertains a lot of other people.” Charlaine Harris

From a reader’s perspective, it must seem that the pen of Charlaine Harris ’73 ies across the page at lightning speed when she’s formulating a new story. e No.1 New York Times bestselling author has been on a streak since releasing her rst novel in 1981, publishing a new book almost every year for the last several decades. e Rhodes alumna has found great success with her works—notably

with e Southern Vampire Mysteries that HBO adapted into the hit True Blood series—and is currently planning to release All the Dead Shall Weep, the fth entry in her current Gunnie Rose series, this coming September. But despite producing a vast body of work, Harris, 71, still has plenty of ideas to commit to the page.

“I’m working on a sixth Gunnie Rose novel,” says Harris. “And if the ideas keep coming, I’m going

to keep on writing. And, since I was a kid, I’ve always been able to come up with ideas.” Harris grew up in Tunica, Mississippi, about an hour south of Memphis, and counted fellow future Rhodes alumnus Clint Bailey ’73 as one of her best friends. Living in an area that she calls “really out in the country,” she was able to let her imagination wander, and from an early age started envisioning stories in her head. “I always

knew I was going to be a writer. I just started out writing things that people didn’t necessarily want to read,” she laughs. “But at eight or nine, that’s all right. at’s the way it’s going to be until you have more life experience to inform your writing.”

Looking for a change of scenery, Harris left the Mid-South for college but soon decided she wanted to remain closer to her family. Familiar with Rhodes (at the time called Southwestern at Memphis), she decided to attend and pursue a degree in English and Communication Arts. “After a year, everything clicked,” recalls Harris. “I knew why I was there: I wanted to learn, and to hone my craft.” She worked closely with Communication Arts chair Ray Hill and Professor Beatrice White in the English department and spent plenty of time writing stories and even scripted several one-act plays that were performed by her fellow students. But she spent much of her time re ecting on what type of writer she wanted to be.

“You have to examine yourself and see what you have in you,” she says. “At Rhodes, I was able to do that and try di erent things out. And what I had in me was genre writing. at was what I wanted to do, that’s what entertains me, and that’s what entertains a lot of other people. I didn’t think I had a great American novel in me, whatever that might mean, and I focused on genre writing.”

Her early writing career focused on two mystery novel series following the exploits of Aurora Teagarden (also turned into a series of movies for the Hallmark channel) and Lily Bard. Harris looks back especially fondly on the Lily Bard (Shakespeare) series, calling it a cathartic experience for her. “ at really served my purposes at the time,” she says. “And it allowed me to incorporate new things into my work; I’d taken karate for six years, for example, and was able to use that in my writing. It wasn’t my biggest money maker, but it was a story I thought was really important to tell.”

But after reading several early works by Laurell K. Hamilton, it all clicked for Harris. “ ere was this explosion in my brain,” she says, “where I wanted to cross mystery and action with science ction and fantasy, and that led to the creation of Sookie Stackhouse and the Southern Vampire Mysteries.” Since then, her proli c output has garnered Harris plenty of writing accolades, the title of grandmaster from the Mystery Writers of America, and even an honorary doctorate from Rhodes College.

Harris maintains a strong connection to Rhodes, having previously served on the college’s board of trustees, and continues to support the college. And after All the Dead Shall Weep releases, the next stop may just be in Memphis for her class reunion. “I mention the school whenever I can,” she says.

“I want people to know that it

produces writers. It produced me, and it’s produced many others, so I do my best to boost it and hope that it has some e ect.”

For aspiring writers going through their own rigorous paces in the college’s ction and non ction workshops, Harris says to keep working, and that rejection is a natural part of the process. “It’s a competitive industry right now, especially with many publishers being bought by the same couple of mega publishers, so there are fewer places to submit your book now.” And persistence and dedication, as much as anything else, are key. “You can come up with lots of great ideas, but you have to sit down and nish the book. You can’t just keep writing good openers; following it through to the end is the hard part.”

And for more than four decades of writing, Harris has always been able to push through to the end. After Gunnie Rose concludes, it would be foolish to bet against her creative mind conjuring up another successful series. But what shape those stories might take, she isn’t revealing just yet. And that’s just ne for Harris, who embraces the journey and the process. “I generally know what’s going to happen in the book, but I don’t always know the ending. So I just write, and write, and write, because nothing is really the ending until you see that last line. And when you see it, you know that’s the best time to stop.”

“There was this explosion in my brain, where I wanted to cross mystery and action with science fiction and fantasy, and that led to the creation of Sookie Stackhouse and the Southern Vampire Mysteries

Charlaine Harris

“I’m hungry for education. Rhodes gave me a community where I wasn’t in prison anymore. I was able to have intellectual conversations with people that were meaningful, and that inspired growth and change.”

— Brooke Whitaker 2022 graduate of the Liberal Arts in Prison Program

RHODES’ PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAM SEEKS TRANSFORMATION THROUGH THE LIBERAL ARTS

BY TROY WIGGINS

On Monday and ursday afternoons each semester, Stephen Haynes and three to ve student volunteers meet outside of Burrow Hall. e contingent loads up in a small caravan and drives one hour and 13 minutes northeast across the rolling green hills and unincorporated townships of Shelby, Tipton, and Lauderdale counties. eir destination is the Women’s erapeutic Residential Center (WTRC), a medium-security prison facility located inside the West Tennessee State Penitentiary in Henning, TN. WTRC provides skills-based programming, reentry services, and career development opportunities to the women residing there.

Upon arrival, the visitors remove their belts and shoes for a 20-minute trip through the prison’s main “checkpoint,” then navigate several more security checks as they make their way through the facility. When they reach the educational wing, with its vibrant door decorations and bulletin boards full of photos and student artwork, Rhodes faculty members and students are greeted by the smiling faces of up to 22 eager women, each of them here to attend the evening’s class.

ese women—all Rhodes students—are laden with school supplies: textbooks open, notepads ready. During the day this classroom is used by the prison’s culinary education program: “Describe the four ‘mother’ sauces” is written in pink on the chalkboard.

On these nights, the women, along with Haynes, guest faculty, and Rhodes student volunteers, ll this space with the sounds of college learning. Some nights there’s a lecture. Other nights, the entire class performs as the cast of Julius Caesar. Together, they discuss texts like e Epic of Gilgamesh; Paradise Lost; Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, A Slave; and Elie Wiesel’s Night. Student volunteers facilitate multiple rounds of peer-review of the women’s papers.

is is Rhodes College’s Liberal Arts in Prison Program, a creditbearing educational opportunity aimed at introducing these nontraditional students to the liberal arts experience and helping them imagine and achieve high educational goals. And, by all accounts, it’s working.

and

Rhodes is one of a select few liberal arts colleges that provides in-person, credit-bearing courses designed to help incarcerated students obtain their bachelor’s degree. e program is the brainchild of Haynes, a veteran religious studies professor who found himself at a crossroads in the late 2010s. While he was considering an attractive job o er away from Rhodes, a colleague at Lipscomb University in Nashville inquired about the availability of college programs in West Tennessee correctional facilities. At the time of their conversation, incarceration rates for women in Tennessee had increased more than 15 percent since 2012.

e idea sparked something in Haynes, an ordained Presbyterian minister and advocate for social change. After some research, he discussed with other Rhodes faculty the possibility of developing a prison education program. Following a momentous meeting with the director of women’s programs for the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), the Great Books Reading Group, a program designed to introduce students to the “Great Books” of the Western canon, was born in Fall 2016. It would be housed inside the WTRC, which had recently opened to ease the swelling population of women in county jails and to introduce rehabilitative measures designed to decrease rates of both incarceration and recidivism among Tennessee women.

“At the beginning, our mission was more exploratory, to try to gure out if what we o ered at Rhodes in terms of a liberal arts experience was transferrable,” Haynes says. “We found that it was, and that we could create a prison learning environment that really serves students.”

Built on Rhodes’ e Search for Values in the Light of Western History and Religion, a program begun at the college in 1946 and now called SEARCH, the Great Books Reading Group met weekly from 2017 to 2019. Faculty across several academic disciplines—biology, English, chemistry, modern languages and

literatures, political science, and more—were among the initial volunteer instructors.

e stars, it seemed, aligned again when in 2019 Rhodes instituted a certi cate program in engineering, opening the door to more credentialing opportunities. Haynes expanded the Great Books Reading Group to a four-course program of study called Culture and Values. WTRC students who completed the sequence would receive a Certi cate in Liberal Arts, a credential that would ease their entry into college programs inside the prison and beyond.

During more than 26 years of incarceration, Laura Jones participated in every skill-building program available to her. Early on, she completed the requirements for her GED, but sought out other opportunities to gain essential experience during the remaining years of her sentence.

“I did everything I could possibly think of,” says Jones, a 2021 program graduate who now works in logistics for a construction supply company. She spent eight years working in a dog obedience program, served as an inmate observer monitoring residents on suicide watch, and restocked shelves in the prison library. While there, Jones took note of the authors, but it was rare that she gave them or their work more than a passing

“We found that we could create a prison learning environment that really serves students.”

— Stephen Haynes

Stephen Haynes, professor of religious studies, came to Rhodes in 1989. Since 2016 he has directed the Rhodes Liberal Arts in Prison Program at West Tennessee State Penitentiary.

thought until WTRC education clerk Shonda James told her about a new program hosted by Rhodes College.

As James described it, women interested in the program had to undergo a rigorous application process, complete with an admission essay and panel interview, and there was a limited sign-up period. Jones had missed the deadline, but still dreamed of taking part. She persisted and eventually was able to enroll in the Liberal Arts in Prison program.

“I just wanted to learn,” Jones says. “You have to ght for your education when you’re incarcerated.”

Brooke Whitaker possesses a similar drive. After 16 and one-half years incarcerated, Whitaker is slated for release in November.

“I’m hungry for education,” Whitaker says. “Rhodes gave me a community where I wasn’t in prison anymore. I was able to have intellectual conversations with people that were meaningful, and that inspired growth

and change. I’ve always been recognized for the negative things that I’ve done and being recognized for something positive is a high better than any drug or any feeling that I’ve ever had.”

Octavia Cartwright, a poet who enjoys the work of Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou, is another 2022 graduate of the Liberal Arts in Prison Program. She echoes the positive outcomes described by students in the program. “We’ve all made mistakes,” says Cartwright, “but we deserve to be invested in. I got a sentence of 91 years, but I told myself I would take advantage of every opportunity. Here, I think I found my voice. I appreciate how humble the students and faculty are. ey come in and treat us like humans, like we’re family.”

Students like Jones, Whitaker, and Cartwright spend class time learning the same skills as traditional Rhodes students, poring over the same texts, examining the same big questions, and writing the same essays. Over the course of the 14-week program, they are challenged intellectually to perform on par with their on-campus counterparts. Meanwhile, they help Rhodes ful ll its mission to instill a passion for lifelong learning, while creating e ective leaders who translate compassion into action in their communities. e mission applies to students at WTRC as well, who not only help change the culture of the prison, but are able to imagine di erent futures for themselves and their families.

Transformation is a theme that pervades the Liberal Arts in Prison Program. But it is not limited to the incarcerated students. It occurs at every level, with every group involved in the program.

Madison Zickgraf Burke, a 2021 Rhodes graduate, began as the Great Books program’s very rst student volunteer in 2019.

“I came to Rhodes as a transfer student my sophomore year. I was trying to nd ways to get involved, and I knew I wanted to be a part of changing the criminal justice system,” Burke says. “I tried mock trial and I thought, ‘the legal path isn’t really for me.’”

“We’ve all made mistakes but we deserve to be invested in.”

— Octavia Cartwright 2022 graduate of the Liberal Arts in Prison Program

After a lunch meeting, Haynes invited Burke to join him as a student volunteer at the WTRC. She was instrumentalin the program’s growth and success, eventually becoming its first student director. Burke organized volunteers, coordinated with faculty members and facility representatives, and even spoke before the faculty in support of launching a for-credit program.

“It was a really scary thing to do, to speak to all my past and future and current professors and say, ‘I think if you don’t approve this program, you don’t really get what Rhodes is doing, what our education is supposed to be,’” says Burke. “There were professors crying, and it is just a testament to the program. It passed pretty overwhelmingly.”

Burke now works as an editor at Oxford University Press, but volunteers like Katie Miller ’23 and Ashleigh Edwards ’25 are among the newest group of students who continue the program’s mission.

Miller, who signed up to volunteer her first year at Rhodes, is the program’s current student co-director, along with Izabella Arsenault ’25. Miller was looking for deeper community involvement during her time at Rhodes as she prepared for a career in law. She has found genuine connection with the women at the WTRC.

“The students bring in very different perspectives because they connect so well to all the material they read in class. We work on writing skills or analytical skills, but we also have real conversations,” Miller says. “It really does hurt when they share certain stories with you, but being with them, learning from their experiences, having them learn mine and still take me seriously, is valuable, and I appreciate having that relationship with them.”

Edwards also points to the power of connection as integral to what the student volunteers receive from the program. She

relates her experience with Liberal Arts in Prison to her participation in Rhodes’ Mock Trial Program, where she sometimes acts as a prosecutor on trial cases.

“These are real people you’re working with,” says Edwards. “Our criminal justice system, it’s human, it has flaws. The Liberal Arts in Prison Program just really opens your mind to how we handle people that do what we call ‘bad things.’ It opens your mind to the flaws of the American system.”

Faculty are also deeply impacted by their teaching in the program. During a class visit in the Spring 2023 semester, Alexandra Kostina, associate professor of Russian Studies, led a discussion of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, a novel whose thematic center is crime and its consequences. The class devoured the text, delving deep into the novel’s philosophical and spiritual lessons.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” says Kostina, “and I was pleasantly surprised by the level of students’ preparation, motivation, and engagement. Energy in the classroom was magic. Everyone was giver and receiver, learner and instructor. Some of the students lingered after the class was over and commented on how captivated they had been by the novel. I still feel the energy created by the impact that teaching in this course has had on me.”

But the program does more than introduce members of the Rhodes community to prison education and give them hands-on experience in the work. It inspires them to make change within the systems that affect these women and hamper their chances to maintain full, vibrant lives once released.

Burke, who was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship and will soon begin studying English in graduate school, plans

“This is the most real experience you can have at Rhodes.”

— Ashleigh Edwards ’25

Katie Miller ’23, student director for the Liberal Arts in Prison program

to explore ways of impacting the systems that contribute to mass incarceration.

“I can’t really go back to a world doing something that doesn’t relate to helping people that are incarcerated, with the ultimate goal that we don’t incarcerate people anymore,” Burke says. Both Edwards and Miller are bound for law school. Miller, who recently went to the Tennessee Capitol as a prison abolition activist with the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH), hopes to celebrate her recent commencement in coordination with one of the 2023 graduates of the Liberal Arts in Prison Program. Edwards, a computer science major, hopes to become a patent lawyer—but her time in the program has her considering an alternative professional pathway.

“Meeting people that are directly affected by the criminal justice system kind of lit that fire under me. Now I’m like, do I want to go into criminal defense?” says Edwards. “This is the most real experience you can have at Rhodes.”

The program’s ultimate goal, according to Haynes, is true transformation—introducing these incarcerated students to the joy of engaging their natural intellectual curiosity, expanding their perspective on the world, and living “the life of the mind.”

Despite the program’s success, including receiving a grant through a goverment agency that helped the program secure invaluable technological resources, there are still challenges to negotiate. The COVID-19 pandemic required the Rhodes team to make logistical and technological adjustments, and students can be transferred to different facilities without notice, disrupting their educational progress. Additionally, although federal funding for prison education is about to become available again for the first time since 1994, most of the institutions utilizing this funding will use it to support on-line programs, with classes that are taught asynchronously. As the only in-person, credit-bearing postsecondary education program in West Tennessee, Rhodes is committed to

maintaining the personal interactions that make for mutual transformation.

Haynes has plans for expanding the program to include students on the men’s side of West Tennessee State Penitentiary, as well as in facilities like the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, TN. Student participants, like Burke, believe that the Liberal Arts in Prison Program is foundational work for the college.

“The way that higher education really provides meaning is if it’s actually changing people’s lives,” says Burke. “If we think about liberal arts as liberating, then we need to think about that in really tangible, material ways. The same way that a college education benefits us as free people ‘on the outside,’ as the students incarcerated would say, it is liberating for those people who are incarcerated. A Rhodes College credit can really change lives for those people. They deserve that.”

Students like Whitaker and Cartwright, once they receive their certificate from Rhodes, can continue their education at partner institutions like Dyersburg State College and Lane College, which apply Rhodes credits earned at WTRC to their degree programs. But this is only the start.

“By the time I retire I would like to establish a well-identified path between our program and

graduation at Rhodes,” Haynes says. “I think that’s doable, given where we are right now.” Cartwright, thanks in part to her hard work in the program, is being considered for executive clemency from the state of Tennessee. Whitaker, who has graduated from the program and will be released from the facility in late 2023, is slated to be the first program graduate to attend Rhodes full-time as a transfer student, tentatively beginning classes in January 2024.

“I’m so excited,” Whitaker says. “I look at photos of campus on the computer sometimes. There’s this one picture on campus and it has this arch. It’s fall and I’m seeing a student walk there. I sit in my room and I just envision myself there already. I cannot wait to stand in that exact place.”

Brooke Whitaker, Stephen Haynes, and Octavia Cartwright

Rhodes Archives

Preserving the Past with an Eye to the Future

By Matthew Harris ’20

A s Short explains it, “Whether it’s a sheet of paper, a photograph, or some kind of three-dimensional object, all of these items are here for one purpose, and that is to be used for teaching and learning.”

The Archives contains five primary collections that cover a wide range of disciplines and mediums. The Photo File is a collection of photographs and slides, while the Documents Collection contains paper copies of institutional

records, annual reports, and alumni files. The Rhodes Special Collections are non-circulating catalogued items, primarily books that have been written by alumni or faculty and college publications such as yearbooks and view books that help document the college’s history. The Memorabilia Collection includes the first gifts given to the college by Henry S. Bunting, Class of 1891, and other items that comprised the college’s original

“museum of college antiquities.” Much of the college’s physical items can also be viewed online through DLynx (dlynx. rhodes.edu), the digital version of the Archives.

Despite all the work that Short has done to grow the Archives into what it is today, he gives all credit of the planning and development of the Archives to Elizabeth Gates. Gates, who served as college archivist, spearheaded the modern inception

Since its creation in the 1940s, the Rhodes College Archives has served as a resource for learning and reference, and that legacy continues to grow under the watchful eye of Associate Director of Library Services Bill Short ’71.

of the Archives in the 1980s. Following Gates’ retirement in 2015, Short says he stepped into her role looking to continue much of the groundwork that she had already laid out.

A core aspect of the Archives is the role that students play in the upkeep and preservation of the collections. Through the Rhodes Student Associate Program, students from all disciplines can work in the Archives following a hiring and training period.

“The work that we do here comes into three categories. First, there is accepting the gifts that we’re offered. Most of the things we gather are those things that are offered to us. Then we do the curation. We decide which area they’re going to be kept in and how they’ll be listed. The third category would be the sustainability of the collection, which falls under conservation and preservation. Also, my students are trained to the level of delivery. So, if I’m in a class or a meeting and someone comes in, they’re able to greet them and talk them through the process by which they interact in the Archives. The student associate is acting in my stead.”

Through a mix of videos from the British Museum, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and Oxford University, along with hands-on training, students working in the Archives get firsthand knowledge on the history of the objects and how they are best cared for.

“In the training they’re learning how to manage objects, whether they be rare things, fragile things, or everyday objects,” says Short. “More importantly, they learn what not to do.”

For Short, a longtime goal has been transforming the Archives into a more approachable place for alumni and students. DLynx has been a major way that the Archives have been able to educate

and connect with those interested in accessing items globally. The Paul Barret, Jr. Library’s podcast, Lynx to the Past, has also been able to leverage the Archives to tell the college’s stories in new and refreshing ways.

“I think the common misperception is that there’s nothing in the Archives that one would be interested in. Students walk by here on the way to the classroom next door and look in, but they have no sense of what this is about. We’re not keeping it a secret. All those rare books are in the catalog. For many, DLynx hasn’t been discovered yet, but we’re pushing it heavily. Our podcast, which is the brainchild of Kenan Padgett, interlibrary loan librarian, and her students, is

literally the active voice of our collection. The episodes are telling the story of this college, and I could not be happier that all we’ve collected and curated here is finding an audience.”

Despite the meticulous work that goes into the preservation and upkeep of the Archives, Short says that the impact that it makes on preserving the college’s history makes the difficulty worth it.

“We work with this motto that’s been around for centuries, Festina Lente, which means ‘make haste slowly.’ It’s the way we work here. I think I have the best job on campus. I get up every morning knowing that what we’re doing here is meaningful to our student body.”

“An archive is about the past, but it’s for the future.” Bill Short

Commencement 2023

Following one of the wettest springs on record, the sun came out for President Jennifer Collins’ rst (and the college’s 174th) Commencement at Rhodes.

Walker Coleman (near right) was presented with the Peyton Nalle Rhodes Phi Beta Kappa Prize, the college’s highest academic honor. e 2023 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards were presented to graduating seniors Mia Harris and Priscilla Foreman (center), and to Dr. Timothy S. Huebner (far right), associate provost and the Irma O. Sternberg Professor of History.

Scan this code for many more pictures of Commencement, before, during, and after.

Ryan Mire ’93, Mallory Mire ’23, Eric Teal ’91, Aaron Teal ’23, Liv Brien ’85, Peyton Brien ’23, Kim Collins Bates ’88, Rachel Bates ’23, Wright Bates ’87, Tim Davis ’87, Will Davis ’23, Wiley Pippenger ’23, Andy Pippenger ’93, Colin Johnson ’88, Anna Johnson ’23, William Jackson ’94, Molly Bradley Jackson ’94, Frederick Jackson ’23, Bridget Bradley Kantoff ’93

(Back

(Front from left to right) Jake Templin ’23, Krista DeWitt Wood ’05, Kathleen Cutting ’23, Heather Cutting ’85, Isabelle Bruner ’16, Catharine Bruner ’23, Heidi Trainor ’23, David Trainor ’93, William H. Harris ’69, Stephie Norowski Harris ’69, Alexandra Cullom ’23

(Middle from left to right) Mark Wilson ’21, Lisa Tomlinson Wardlaw ’95, Jay Wardlaw ’94, Patsy Wardlaw ’23, Mimi Young ’23, Bina Hussain Young ’94, Keri Doyle Perry ’94, Rachel Christine Perry ’23, Jim Perry ’93, Jeff Bean ’93, Lauren Bean ’23, Carlyn Merz Rayburn ’93, Logan Rayburn ’23, Monroe Rayburn ’91, Thomas Cullom ’18, Courtney Cullom ‘18

from left to right)

While most seniors were receiving their diplomas in Fisher Garden, the Women’s Lacrosse team was in Geneva, NY, advancing through the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Upon their return, President Collins presided over her second Commencement exercise in three days, when a special ceremony was held for the senior team members in Troutt Quad.

Pioneering Scientist

Dr. Charles W. Robertson, Jr. ’65 Awarded Honorary Degree

Robertson, co-founder of NanoDrop Technologies Inc. (now Thermo Fisher Scientific), was awarded an honorary degree at Commencement.

Robertson holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Rhodes and a Ph.D. in physics from Florida State University. He worked for the DuPont chemical company for 29 years before he and his wife, Patricia, founded NanoDrop Technologies in Wilmington, DE, which was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2007. Under his leadership, NanoDrop pioneered microvolume instrumentation techniques that allow scientists to quickly and easily quantify and assess the purity of samples such as proteins and nucleic acids. NanoDrop instruments have been utilized in fields such as genomics, proteomics, drug discovery, molecular diagnostics, and bio-manufacturing.

A Rhodes trustee, Robertson and his wife are both members of the Benefactor’s Circle and Rhodes Society and over the years have generously funded various fellowships, projects, and

facilities in the sciences. Dedicated in 2017, Robertson Hall on campus is named for Robertson’s parents, Lola and Charles Robertson, who both were Rhodes alumni, scientists, and educators.

Robertson also established the Jack H. Taylor student fellowship and the Charles W. Robertson Endowment for Student Research and Engagement in Physics. His gift of the Zeiss Confocal Microscope System helped support faculty research in the Department of Biology. More recently, Rhodes College has established a $1 million endowment, thanks to the generosity of the Robertsons, that will support faculty-led biology research projects. In addition, Robertson has worked with students on projects such as the Great NASA Moonbuggy Race. In the spring of 2021, a Rhodes team made up of faculty and students from various majors learned that a proposal for a four-inch cube satellite of their own design, named RHOK-SAT, was accepted by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. This program provides U.S. universities, high schools, and nonprofit organizations the opportunity to fly their miniature satellites aboard a NASA-sponsored rocket. It was Robertson who encouraged Rhodes to develop a proposal to be submitted to NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative and generously provided funding for the project.

Grateful for Robertson’s untiring support, Rhodes awarded him the 2008 Distinguished Service Medal. Now for his continued support and leadership, the college bestowed upon Robertson the Doctor of Science,  honoris causa

(Left to right) Board of Trustees Chair Deborah Craddock ’80, Dr. Charles W. Robertson, Jr. ’65, and Dr. Carole Blankenship ’85

class notes

1956

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’56 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

1957

Reporter: Mary Frances Files Silitch silitch@gmail.com

1958 65th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 – 30, 2023

Dear members of the Class of ’58, I am so sad to share the news that your trusty class reporter, Lorraine Abernathy, passed away on April 18. Lorraine faithfully served as your reporter for more than 20 years, working tirelessly to keep you connected to one another and to our alma mater. She will be sorely missed by her family (daughter Allison is a member of the Class of ’87), friends, classmates, and me.

Tracy Vezina Patterson ’84, P’22 Senior Director of Alumni Relations

Robert Neil Templeton writes that, as always, he’s looking forward to what classmates write in Class Notes. “By the time that the fall issue of Rhodes Magazine is published, Karen and I will have completed our trip to Scotland and England. We leave in April and I’m sure we’ll have a terrific time.” He and Karen live in Virginia Beach and are involved with children and grandchildren’s sports, graduations, etc.

From Memphis, Betty Chalmers Peyton reports that she and Beth Lemaster Simpson “are alive and kickin’ . . . not high, but kickin.’” [You may notice that phrase appearing a lot since we ask classmates to let us know whether they’re “alive and kickin’” even if they have little to share.] Betty said that she and Beth still try to get together at a local pub once a week for a meal—“no hookups . . . gray hair may be a factor.” Betty recently had lunch with Lynda Graham McCarty, who she says is doing great and living in Black Mountain, NC.

Also from Memphis, we hear from Mike Cody that he has had the good fortune of having two new great-grandchildren: a little boy born in 2020 and a little girl born in 2023. We heard from John Quinn, in Memphis on a visit from D.C., that he and Mike had a nice, nostalgic visit. John was in Memphis to have

a meeting and have breakfast with Rhodes President Jennifer Collins and Vice President of Development Jenna Goodloe Wade. He presented her with two books he had received from Dr. Charles Diehl decades ago, one of which is about the value and importance of a liberal arts education. As he aged, Dr. Diehl lost his eyesight, and John used to read the Sunday NYTimes to him. It was interesting, John said, to hear President Collins’s perspective on the subject of the value and importance to the “good life” of a liberal arts education that Rhodes continues to provide for students.

Lewis Murray, somewhere between his apartment in Rome and home in Chevy Chase, MD, wrote that he and his wife, Giorgina, have found the benefits of approximately 45 minutes of exercise daily with their “personal trainer guru, on Zoom since COVID, makes all the difference.” Lewis writes in all caps, “REALLY WORKS . . . KEEP MOVING, ALL OF YOU!” Lewis is looking forward to our 65th reunion in September.

Speaking of health, John Gay passes along this little ditty from south Texas: “My legs are weak/My mind is sturdy/I’m in my eighties/ But feel like thirty.”

Traveling again are Dickie Jones and his wife, Joan, from home in San Diego. Enjoying cruises, the Joneses took one round trip from Boston to Quebec in October of 2022. ey had gone to Quebec on their honeymoon exactly 60 years before. ey enjoyed the city but said they were not as spry as 60 years ago. ey spent anksgiving with their daughter and family in Spartanburg, SC. Dickie just renewed his CA appraiser’s license for another two years: “It pays to be optimistic.”

Nancy Carter Burnidge, in Elgin, IL, writes that she went to Golden, CO, for a granddaughter’s birthday. Gratefully “still alive and kickin’,” she said that the best book she’s reading right now is e Firebrand and the First Lady, about the amazing Pauli Murray, a hero of a woman, and Eleanor Roosevelt, also a hero. “I’m looking forward to hearing from everyone for the 65th time. Unbelievable!”

“So happy to hear that so many of our classmates are alive and kickin’” is Beverly Smith Pugh in Paducah, KY. She hopes all of us continue to stay safe and well and wishes us “Happy spring.”

Mary Jane Smalley Roberts sends word from

Charleston, SC, that travel, cut back during COVID, has not really resumed for her and husband Paul. He has a milestone birthday coming up in March, and the Robertses will be hosting their son and daughter-in-law from NJ for the event. ey have plans to go to the symphony to hear “a fabulous pianist playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1, Op. 23, led by a female conductor. Not bad!”

We hear from Milton Knowlton in Memphis that things are going well for him and his wife, Mary JoyPrichard ’61. Milton will celebrate his 62nd year in the financial services industry on April 1. He is now Agent Emeritus with Mass Mutual Financial group and still goes in almost every day.

Paul ompson writes from Cape Cod, MA, “After a harrowing time in the hospital in mid-January and then rehab for newly diagnosed congestive heart failure and major back pain, I am home and doing pretty well. Looking forward to a resolution of the problems and the coming of spring!” Paul and his wife, Bunny, are enjoying their children and grandchildren and eagerly awaiting Red Sox baseball season, as well as gardening days. Always seeming to have projects going, Tom Reed in Richmond, KY, explains some of his main ones: 1) to continue building on the book Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation at Starts in Your Yard; 2) to continue studying how the January 6, 2021, insurrection metastasized and increasingly undermines the quality of our national and international security and individual wellbeing; 3) to study scientific evidence in the book Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut, which gave him a much better understanding of the movement away from pills and towards the daily consumption of fiber, probiotics, prebiotics, polyphenols, and resistant starches.

1959

Reporter: Dan Logan danlogan318@gmail.com

I have just started this challenge of trying to fill in for Shiney Jackson as our class reporter, who did a wonderful job for many years! I hope that many of you will contact me with news about fun trips, grandchildren, volunteer activities, or changes of address. We are all interested in our former classmates! Email me at danlogan318@gmail.com or you can call my cell phone at 318-464-4403. Put my

number in your cell phone so you will know that it is me calling and not some telemarketer! If you prefer mail, you can write me at P. O. Box 159, Gilliam, LA 71029. Yes, I am still on the farm! I oversee the cotton gin while my son and grandson run the farming operation. We grow cotton, corn, and soybeans. I also stay active fishing on local lakes and the gulf coast. I have three children and seven grandchildren.

Keith and Nora Petersen Buckley report very cold weather in St. Paul, MN. They had three feet of snow in their front yard and are happy to be healthy! Keith is a retired psychologist.

June Davidson retired from Schering Plough in Memphis. He is currently the President of the Memphis Horticulturist Society. He has four grandchildren that are age ten and under; he is busy!

I heard from Charles and Merelyn Davis Hammett in North Chesterfield, VA. Charles is retired and both he and his wife are doing well. Larry and Day Kennon reported that they are planning one more trip – I hope we get a report on their travels!

1960

Reporter: Mary Crouch Rawson marycrawson@hotmail.com

Gary Don Wright writes: “a ‘hello’ from down in warm Panama! I am with my wife, Micheline (Mimi), visiting her sister and brother-inlaw for some weeks. They live out in the mild (and a bit wild, especially warmer) boonies, so it is a different atmosphere from our usual habitat in the currently wintry suburbs of Paris. I am eating quite well and enjoying the fine weather.” Gary sends best wishes to his old friends at Southwestern (Rhodes).

Carolyn Shettlesworth McClurkan writes: “I guess my biggest news is that I’m still alive and well! I have a new grandson (17 months old). He is a grand, not great-grand! My traveling days are about over—no more countries to add to my list of 143! My traveling is limited to my timeshare in Puerto Vallarta and to my kids, who all live in different sections of the USA. If anyone is coming to Seattle, let me know!”

Lynda Wexler writes she is expecting her 6th great-grandchild, a girl, this summer. Son Hal Patton ’83, a Rhodes graduate, and wife, Claire, are wonderful grandparents for all. Daughter

Avery ’86 and Will Albritton ’86 moved from Germantown to Fairview, TN, last summer to be near their two daughters and a son-in-law. Lynda sends blessings to all classmates!

Wishing best of luck to all the Rhodes Community! I took this photo above from my lakeside yard. Look at the left-hand top corner. It was a full and double rainbow! Mary Crouch Rawson ’60

1961

Reporter: Harvey Jenkins whjenkinsjr@gmail.com

From your Class Reporter, Harvey Jenkins: Since retiring in 2004, I have bought, shown, and sold three 1950s Studebakers, a 2003 Jaguar, and a 1970 Samco Cord. I am currently on the lookout for another classic car—a 1960s Studebaker Avanti or 1990s Jaguar XJS convertible. A word of advice: don’t collect cars as an investment.

Margaret Hagler Davis lives in Fairhope, AL, having retired from teaching literature at Spring Hill College in Mobile. She keeps busy with volunteer work in church and community, as well as traveling with her sister Carolyn “Bunky” Hagler Ikenberry ’62. She recently visited with Rhodes friends Jean

“Shiny” Jackson ’59 and Marcia Wooten Barstow

Harvey Heidelberg has moved 11 times in 15 years and keeps busy doing tax returns. He lives with his daughter and her spouse, two grandkids, and several felines in Germantown, TN. Harvey writes, “It’s hard to share a bathroom with cats.”

Additionally, I heard from my former roommate Bill Howard and from Mary Elizabeth McCharen Streete, who continues to live in Memphis.

1962

Reporter: Diane McCullough Clark granddiva@charter.net

Charles and Martha Ann Gooch Hogrefe wrote: “We just returned from a trip to visit our daughter in Punta Gorda, FL. A happy addition to our itinerary was a stop to visit with Sarah Richards High in Mt. Dora. It was wonderful to see her again after so many years.”

A note from Jocelyn Dan Wurzburg says that she is grieving the death last summer of her life partner of 40 years, Robert L. Bostwick, Jr. She recollects how much Bobby enjoyed meeting her classmates and going on a trip to France that included classmate Lynn

Finch. Jocelyn had her second knee replacement surgery in December.

Bill Davidson writes that he and Sharon continue their research on Ceiba pentandra in cultural context, so they will probably head for Puerto Rico next. Ceiba is the national tree of Puerto Rico, and they expect to find many planted in parks, educational institutions, and old haciendas.

Bill and Mary Beth Mankin were driving to San Antonio to visit daughter Emily when they both developed COVID and had to beat a hasty retreat; fortunately, the cases were very mild. Bill has started serving on the Leadership Council of Pine Street Church in Boulder.

Diane McCullough Clark is recovering well from her Jan. 4 hip replacement surgery and is excited to conduct the premiere of her SATB anthem Breathe on Me, Breath of God at the Traverse City MI, Central United Methodist Church on March 19.

1963 60th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 - 30, 2023

Reporter: Dan Gilchrist dangil4@bellsouth.net

1964

Reporter: Mary Lou Quinn McMillan maryloumc1@comcast.net

From your Class Reporter: As I gather the greetings from our classmates and think of the friendships developed and shared across the years, these words from another more recent friend, Stephen Cherry, come to mind: “Here comes laughter, fanning flames of fun, warming souls, melting brittle-boned boundaries, while wining and one-ing us for good.

Let laughter my companion be, and let it make of us a company of friends.”

Lee and Ann Autry Brown wrote of two delightful visits shared with Charles and Peggy Jernigan in Albuquerque over the last six months due to the Jernigan’s attendance at two performances of Opera Southwest: Bertin’s La Loup Garou in September and Rossini’s Le

Comte Ory in February. These were the first opportunities the long-time friends had to visit since the beginning of the pandemic. The Jernigans stayed at guest quarters just down the hall from the Browns’ new apartment at La Vida Llena, a continuing care retirement center.

Hayden Kayden reports, “Bonnie and I are doing about as well as can be expected at our age and station in life. We are still living half the year in our home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and half the year in Gustavus, Alaska. We celebrated my 80th in November with 25 friends by renting a hotel on the beach south of Zihuatanejo. Friends came from Alaska, California, New Mexico, and San Miguel. We were able to take all the hotel rooms and the six bungalows on the property for a sun- and fun-filled week. It came with a fabulous chef and an on-site masseuse and 25 old-timers wanting to party like aging rock stars. We proudly have two grandsons— Hayden (15) and Asher (11)—who live with their parents, Sierra, our daughter, and her husband, Carlos, in Haines, AK. Hayden has been working summers since he was 13 on a crab boat in northern Southeast Alaska. This coming summer he has been offered a job on a boat in Bristol Bay, AK, fishing for sockeye (red) salmon. He is a very hard working and independent kind of guy, makes great grades in school, does extreme skiing on skis that he spent a year making by hand, came in second and third in state wrestling his freshman and sophomore years in high school, and the bragging list goes on and on. Asher loves playing the violin/fiddle and reading and camping. He was his brother’s sparring partner in wrestling around the house and he has now joined the middle school wrestling team, despite being in 5th grade. He got a special dispensation from the school district and is on the travelling wrestling team. His first match in Ketchikan got weathered out because the planes couldn’t fly, a common occurrence in Alaska, but his second match was accessible by ferry to Skagway where he was undefeated. Hayden accompanied him as his personal coach and trainer while their parents made a getaway to their cabin on a lake near the Canadian border outside of Haines. Our plans for the summer are no plans. Well, we do have some friends coming in June, we think, to go halibut fishing with

us on our boat and perhaps spending four or five nights with John Kibbons ’64 at his summer home on Lemesurier Island, which is about 15 miles by ocean from where our home is. Other than that, there is maintaining our wooden buildings in the rainforest of SE Alaska, raising a fairly hefty vegetable garden, and mowing several acres of lawn. I don’t know if anyone has experienced this same phenomenon, but I really love mowing acres on my John Deere lawn tractor but I hated with a passion in my teens mowing our small suburban family yard with a push mower.”

Linda Walter wrote to share her new email address: lindawalter@comcast.net and announce that she has finally retired. Congratulations, Linda! May you experience a well-deserved rest.

Patricia “Trish” Gladney Holland is doing well and enjoying working on her next book, Memorable Moments, which she hopes to have in the mail by St. Patrick’s Day. Her granddaughter Sofia Freed ’25 is a sophomore at Rhodes majoring in French.

From Jim Bullock we hear, “We did not evacuate for tropical storm Ian, but at 8:00 a.m. at high tide we watched it hit our sea wall and the waves splashed onto our second story window. It only took our steps down from the sea wall to the beach. But it did take our highway three miles north and a mile south. So we are getting serious about going to higher ground at some time. I continue my mentoring and Ervin ’66 continues working for Compassion at St. Augustine, pushing for housing for those who have lower income, but cannot afford housing as it presently exists. She has also worked in strengthening Epicure (a food program that takes food that might be thrown away and brings it to food deserts across our county.) She also just started again an interfaith youth group. We are planning this year to visit one of our grandsons in Alaska. He is 25 and has become a captain of a fishing boat. So life rolls on. Many adventures yet to come.”

That’s it, folks! Stay healthy and stay in touch!

1965

Reporter: Mary McQueen Porter 2harps1dog@gmail.com

1966

Reporter:

Sammy Ann Primm Marshall sammyannmarshall@gmail.com

Ray Bye writes that he and Kathy enjoyed having their daughter, Ellie, and her family with them for Christmas and to help celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. They are enjoying playing golf and have three trips planned for this year. They will be traveling in Turkey for a few weeks in April and then going on a cruise around the British Isles in June and winding up with a trip to the beach with their children and grandchildren.

Joyce Malone Wilding continues to stay busy, and reports, “For the last few years I have studied conditions of Indigenous people, with special attention about Indigenous people who were and are key leaders in Tennessee. They helped eliminate Columbus Day focus and host Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Nashville. I work with Albert Bender, a dynamic Cherokee Indian leader who plans and promotes events that ensure that ‘Indigenous nations keep rising!’”

1967

Reporter: Sam Highsmith arpenguy@me.com

1968

55th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Drue Thom White drueboo@aol.com

From David Lehman: “Ken and I have been blessed to have remained healthy throughout the COVID pandemic. We are feeling comfortable back on the subways and at concerts, the opera, and the theater. We have also begun to travel. We celebrate Ken’s 75th and our 40th later this month in our happy place, Stonington, CT. In May, we are in Jackson, TN, to celebrate a great niece’s high school graduation. Later that month we leave for a month on two favorite Greek islands, Rhodes and Symi. In July, we are in Munich for a Lehmann family reunion that has been postponed for the past three years. In September, we spend a month in our favorite Tuscan hilltown, Montepulciano. We are making up for lost time and expending pent-up travel energy.”

From Jane Bishop: “I still live happily in

Montpelier, VT, with my son and his wife and their teenagers a few blocks nearby. I am finally fully retired—plenty of time to read, to keep learning, and to reminisce and write a little for fun and for family posterity. I continue to appreciate Rhodes for help in becoming a lifelong learner. I grew up in Brownsville, TN, with four grandparents, 19 aunts and uncles and their spouses, and 50 first cousins nearby—so there is much to recall given time and distance. I also had a robust career that my Vermont children know little about and hardly believe. I’m hearing from John and Jo Matthews Pine but have lost contact with Bonnie, Tracy, Jinger, Anne . . . except in wonderful memories.”

From Jim and Peggy Early Williamson: “After some 50 years in Memphis, we are moving to our cottage in the mountains of North Carolina.”

Louis Pounders, FAIA, was one of 10 leaders in architecture recently named to the International Architizer A+Awards Jury. The jury is comprised of thought leaders in architecture from every continent who will select this year’s award winners from all over the globe.

1969

Reporter: LouAnne Crawford Cooper louanne@me.com

Huge thanks to each of you who took the time to report in—you are all so interesting, and we know the resource of time is so valuable!

From Lynda Alexander: “It seems like yesterday when we all were just kids listening to The Beatles and hanging out in the Lynx Lair. Here’s my update, 50 some-odd years later . . .

I’m still a church musician, director of choirs (singing and handbells) and organist; still teaching therapeutic yoga and have been since 2008. My husband, Keith, and I married in 1995 and traveled extensively until

the pandemic. We have four children between us and two grandchildren. It’s definitely been a grand adventure. I hope to continue in my “un-retirement,” tasting the world in every moment and sharing all that I find. My motto: Be alive to what is out there, to life around you! Don’t miss a thing!!! With love and deep affection for all my fellow classmates.”

Linda Harrell Blair writes: “I was surprised in a recent issue of class news to see how many classmates had visited Asheville, NC, recently. I’ve lived in Asheville for 30 years now, since I was able to retire early from IBM. Once I left IBM, I’ve worked part-time sewing for an artist, worked in a first-class fabric store, volunteered and worked for our local NPR station, and volunteered with my church and the Southern Highland Craft Guild. I also travelled on several Road Scholar tours to England, Spain, France, and Scandinavia, pretty well checking off my travel bucket list. I moved in late 2021 to a CCRC in south Asheville and am loving no longer being responsible for a house. In the small

Lynda Alexander ’69 holds granddaughter Mia Mischak.

world of Rhodes and Asheville, my upstairs neighbors are good friends with John and Eleanor Rosson Kennedy and Linda Henson ’70, who was a year behind us; another neighbor was a law partner of the late Russell Stanton; and a third neighbor’s son went to Rhodes in the late 80s. That’s all in a building of 35 apartments!”

we got outpriced in Brooklyn about 12 years ago—so we are fortunate to still be able to follow our respective muses even today. Since 2002, the main focus of my work has been an ongoing series of River Fugues projects exploring the interdependency of people, industry, and rivers. My work will be included in an exhibition titled This Earth at the Concord Center for the Visual Arts (Concord, MA) for artists who were awarded residencies at the Montello Foundation in the Great Basin of Nevada in 2022. Please visit or contact me through: www.margaretcogswell.net.”

“

Unsettling into Dusk is from a series of drawings/paintings titled Transcending Loss created

finally built our house in 2003-04. I would drive Susan and the dogs out in May, would fly back and forth from Memphis when I could, and drive her back in October. We’d come out when we could in the winter and loved that change from Memphis. I retired from my law firm late in 2015, gave up my Tennessee law license, but kept my Montana license. My only legal work up here is for the Episcopal Diocese of Montana; I had been the lawyer for the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee for 12 years before. Susan and I love Montana, and we’ve developed good friendships here. We are southeast of Bozeman about 5 miles, in a unique group

Mickey Brigance says: “The photo is of my two favorite blondes—Patty and Bentley. I have officially retired as of the end of the year but continue association with the company I founded via consulting agreement. I am enjoying the best of both worlds. Patty and I continue to be very active with family and golfing.”

And from Margaret “Peggy” Cogswell-Kolb: “I know I have been ‘MIA’ for over 50 years— life does take over as I’m sure you all know for yourselves as well. Recent ‘news’ includes moving upstate to our place in the Catskills (with my husband of 39 years—Terry Kolb) after living in NYC just about since I graduated from what will always be for me Southwestern!! Both Terry and I are artists, though his focus is on woodworking and custom furniture, while I am a mixed-media installation artist. We built our studios upstate when

in February 2022. Painted not long after my father’s death, during the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and amidst the increasingly dire global climate reports, these works seek to grapple with grief and overwhelming loss. Listening to Berlioz’s Requiem Mass while painting inspired me to harness that grief and use it to create a body of work exploring defiant landscapes.”

Ken Cushing and his wife, Rachel, are visiting Boston in May 2023 with their daughter, Jennifer Bares, and her husband, Chandler. “Dr. Jenn Bares is finishing her residency in dermatology at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. We plan to visit John and Shirley McClanahan Zachry in Chelmsford, MA, while we are up there. John was my roommate at Rhodes in Ellett Hall our junior and senior years.”

From Brad and Susan Hoefer Foster we hear: “Greetings from nice and snowy Montana! Susan and I have been here full time since 2015, and still love the variety of our surroundings and the climate. We had been coming out to Montana since 1989 and

of homes called Eagle Rock Reserve (ERR), about a thousand acres with hay, farming, and cattle. We hike in the warmer weather and snowshoe or cross-country ski in the winter (but less of the more rigorous stuff as age continues—happily!). Susan is on the Board of Yellowstone Public Radio, and I am now Senior Warden of St. James Episcopal Church here in Bozeman. Both of our children, Laura and Charley, are back in Memphis, happily married, and we have two grandboys of Laura and her husband, Josh. Charley’s wife, Whitney, is with the international part of St. Jude’s, and handled a good bit of the moving children with childhood cancer out of Ukraine to other hospitals. Charley is with TD Capital, an investment firm. Laura is an Episcopal priest at Grace-St. Luke’s church, and Josh is an educational specialist with Slingshot Memphis, a nonprofit. We get back fairly often to Memphis, and travel when we can, but COVID has kept that to a minimum. We still go for a week to Cumberland Island off the Georgia coast and love our time there with our whole family and the chance to be with Ken and Barbara

Stanley, who are in Fernandina Beach, FL. Ken and Barbara ended up as Deans of two different schools of Valdosta State University, but retired in Fernandina Beach. We count ourselves blessed, and life has been so good to us. Who would have thought that two Southerners like Susan and I with few mountains in our past and warm weather in our blood would wind up in Montana??!! If any classmates are in our neighborhood (Yellowstone is less than an hour and a half away), then get in touch.”

From another Class of ’69 couple, Bill and Stephanie Norowski Harris: “Acquaintances at Southwestern who met again after 20-plus years, fell in love, got married, and will be celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary in 2023. Just as happy today as the day we got married! Four children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild! Three generations of our family have attended Southwestern/Rhodes, with our grandson graduating in 2023! We are so thankful for our life together. We have been truly blessed!”

Bill Hulett and his wife, Karen, check in with a picture and this note: “Karen and I are avid

fans of Mississippi State baseball. Temp in mid 30s! Typical baseball weather in February in Mississippi.”

Claudia Oakes will be taking her first postCOVID trip in June, a cruise from Glasgow to Bergen, taking in Scotland’s west coast islands and Norway’s fjords. She is very privileged to have been included in the present-day section of the recently published book, Remarkable Women of Giles County (Tennessee). And no, no money changed hands for that recognition!

David Owen reports that he and his wife,

Carlene (an Ole Miss girl), celebrated their 50th Anniversary last fall by renewing their vows at their home in Louisville, KY, followed by a trip to Lake Como, Italy, and then a Viking Cruise on the Rhine River that began in Basel, Switzerland, and went north through France, Germany, and the Netherlands, ending in Amsterdam.

Judy Gordon Simpson tells us: “2022 was a very exciting year for me, as I was able to accomplish my most important bucket list item. Due to the kindness of a fellow Rhodes and ZTA friend and her husband, I was able to see the Grand Canyon! Martha Schulz Laurie Thomas and her husband, Champ, allowed me to meet and travel with them. We visited Ruth Duck at her home in Pilgrim Place in California and also saw the Hoover Dam and a bit of the Las Vegas strip.

Afterward, I was able to visit my ZTA big sister, Judy Owen ’68, in Ventura, CA. She was an excellent hostess. I lived in Germany in the 80s and have been up and down many states on the east coast, but added California, Utah, and Nevada to my list. l am retired in Daphne, AL (just across the bay from Mobile). I stay busy exercising, dancing, playing ukulele, and volunteering. My two children are doing well with their spouses and I have two grandchildren, 11 and almost 6. I recently visited with Morgan Bunch at a shape note singing that happens near me. His wife, Sue Brown Bunch, passed away last year and is missed. I stay involved with 12-step work due to the loss of my younger son 10 years ago.”

Rebecca Welton Sumlin says: “Sad news for me as I had a stroke recently, so now moving to independent living at a local retirement community here in Naples, FL. This is a HUGE life change for me, especially without my husband.”

Martha Schulz Thomas sends: “I often talk with Ruth Duck. She is not able to use her phone and it is disconnected. Fortunately, she has a helper who uses her phone to help her make calls. I asked Ruth about input for the newsletter, and she was thrilled to be included. Ruth would love to get cards and notes from her friends. If you would like to talk with her, include a phone number.

(Dr. Ruth Duck, 627 Leyden Ln, Claremont CA 91711-4236.) Looking forward to our next reunion!”

Bob Towery wrote this: “What a long, strange journey. By age 12, Bob Towery was

From left to right: Carlene Owen, Reverend Hadley, and David Owen ’69

operating a hot-metal press for his family’s newspaper in a small town tucked between Memphis and the Mississippi state line. Once a week, he descended into the purgatory of the paper’s deadline. He swore that he would never submit to the drudgeries of journalism.

“Harboring a vague conceit that he was a writer, he graduated in English from Rhodes College in 1969, adopting two weakly linked notions for his future that embraced his primary passions, “Hmm . . . I’ll become a racecar driver—that’s something you can write about.” The turbulence of the times abetted by his low draft number insisted otherwise. He headed off to the culture wars, wandering around Europe and England for a year before founding a commune in northwest Arkansas. At 26, back home in Memphis, he took the helm of his family’s newspaper and printing company. He expanded its scope by launching Memphis magazine. Over the following decade, it won more journalism and illustration awards than any other city magazine in the United States. It lost money faster than a dog can swallow bacon.

“In 1985, he established Towery Publishing. By the mid-90s, it had become the country’s largest publisher of city guides and released more than 150 coffee table books about North American cities. In 1999, Inc. Magazine named the company among America’s 25 best mid-sized tech companies. Towery holds a fourth-degree black belt in Taekwondo, is an open-ocean sailor, and achieved his early goal of becoming a racecar driver. He has sailed in two hurricanes and was one of three drivers who (together) won the 1998 North American GrandSport Team Championship for Mazda. He retired in 2020 from his role as Chief Instructor for ChinTrackDays, the country’s leading high-performance driver training organization.

“He lives in Memphis with his good wife and bad dog. He has two children and two grandchildren. He released his first novel, Magnolia Song, in the fall of 2022. A sequel is in the works.” (Sounds like an author to me! I’m going to get the book).

We heard from Jim Vardaman: “After graduate school in Japanese Studies and 42 years of teaching in Japanese universities, I retired from Waseda University in Tokyo, where I triedto explain America—particularly the South—to

students and help them learn a highly complex foreign language. Since then, I have continued to publish books about American and Japanese culture and social issues while teaching adult education classes online. When we graduated, I would never have imagined that this would be my career path and my residence for half a century. Regards to all my classmates.”

And Randy Walker: “Good morning, I have one item of significance to report. In June 2021, I got married to the former Gail Barnett. Quite simply, I hope everyone is as happy as we are.”

John Walters writes: “Our world is still our granddaughters. Mocnhien loves her karate class, is bi-lingual, Vietnamese and English, and plays piano. She is seven. Ha-Anh is 4 and a singer and artist, and though she does not know English yet, she says the Lord’s Prayer daily in English at her Catholic pre-school. We plan to visit Vietnam again this year to see the family, this time for four weeks.“

Peggy Fritsch Woolley shares: “To my surprise, I am serving on the vestry for my Episcopal church and will be the Senior Warden this year. (That’s the congregational leader.) I also sit on a Racial Healing Commission of the diocese, and work with a national group called Showing Up for Racial Justice. I have great fun being with my nineyear-old grandson and will vacation with him and his parents to North Carolina in June. I’m looking forward to visiting with some Rhodes women in April! My spring flowers are popping up. I love reading Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache series. I’m looking forward to this new year.”

And Becky Wynn Weiler writes: “Just a note to say that the “cruisaholics” are at it again. Rick and I are in the middle of our fourth world cruise on Regent Seven Seas Mariner. It began in Miami on January 7 and will end in Barcelona on May 30. The big highlight for us will be our 4-day safari in South Africa. We have several more cruises booked in ’24 and ’25. When we’re not on the high seas, we’re still enjoying our home in Durango with the beautiful scenery and great weather. We’re hoping to see everyone at our next reunion next year!!”

1970

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’70 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu

1971

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’71 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

1972

Reporter: Robin McCain robin@slmr.com

1973 50th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Pamela McNeely Williams usafa2@sbcglobal.net

1974

Reporter: Wendlandt Hasselle jahlove2222@yahoo.com

From Parkes Casselbury: “For the past couple years I have been working on a butterfly garden with the help of my neighbor, who is a Master Gardener and has a certified butterfly garden. I’m focusing on Monarch butterflies, but I have several other breeds as well. I’m

Parkes Casselbury in her butterfly garden

so fortunate to have hummingbirds and a multitude of songbirds. I have a wonderful sunroom with two walls that are totally sliding glass doors. They look out on a preserve. I enjoy working in the garden, but I particularly enjoy sitting in my sunroom and having breakfast and lunch and watching the birds and butterflies. Even though I’m retired, I still am involved with dog sitting and care of older neighbors who have no family locally. I’m the vice president of our HOA and stay busy with that. Last summer I swam every single day. I particularly enjoy going snorkeling. I’ve had a couple of nice trips where I’ve had a chance to snorkel new reefs in my life. I’ve been swimming the past month because it’s been so warm here in South Florida!!”

Robbie Evans graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1978. He subsequently “survived” an internship and residency in internal medicine at Vanderbilt. This was followed by a fellowship in endocrinology, where his research demonstrated the mechanism of action of GnRH agonist analogs in men. Following a chief residency in medicine, he returned to practice endocrinology in Jackson, MS, for 37 years. He happily retired in 2021. Robbie and his wife, Donna, have three daughters and two grandchildren. He plans to play more golf, travel, and divide his time between Jackson, Nashville, and Lower Alabama.

1975

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’75 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu

1976

Reporters: Julie Allen Berger jab0539@gmail.com

Georgia Atkins, atkins.georgia@gmail.com

From Patti Peery George: “I’m still in Atlanta, married for 45 years so far. I retired in 2019 from working for Atlanta Public Schools as a middle school media specialist. We have two sons and one grandson.”

1977

Reporters: Jill Fuzy Helmer jillhelmer25@gmail.com

Bonnie Moore McNeely bonniemcneely2@gmail.com

Southwestern friendships run deep as Paul Ainger will attest. March of 2023 will mark the 18th annual trip with classmates Marc Courtney and Larry Crawford to the Cactus

League Spring Training in the Phoenix/ Scottsdale area. Every year Paul arrives from Sacramento, Marc Courtney from London, and Larry Crawford from Memphis. Paul has retired from his career as an affordable housing developer, Marc from his health care career, and Larry continues to practice law with Butler Snow in Memphis.

Marynell Branch assures us her recent government appointment by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders will not be her debut into the political arena. Instead, she will keep a low profile serving on the War Memorial Stadium Commission. The Commission oversees the direction and growth of the 1948-built, 55,000-seat stadium. It plays host to several sports teams as well as major concert events such as the Rolling Stones, Garth Brooks, Elton John and Billy Graham. With 55,000 seats she should be able to get tickets for our entire class to upcoming concerts.

’77 classmates in the Cloister. From left to right, enjoying the 45th Reunion last October, are Jerry Heston ’78, Pat Flynn ’77, Carol Richardson ’77, and Louise Rutkowski Allen ’77.

At Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, AZ, are ’77 classmates Paul Ainger, Marc Courtney and Larry Crawford on their annual Cactus League Spring Training trip.

By the time Mike Clary reads this issue, he’ll have joined the ranks of retirement. Wife Nancy claims his eligibility is up after serving 44 years on the athletic staff of Rhodes. (See Fall/Winter ’22 issue for a wonderful write-up on his many accomplishments, and a photo.) The ever goal-oriented Mike already has plans to purchase a truck, pull a 20-ft. trailer and head east and west. No report on north and south . . . yet. When not on the road, Mike plans to be an engaged alumnus, and will definitely be seen cheering on the Lynx at football games and golf matches. He wishes to express his gratitude to the classmates of ’77 and the entire Rhodes community for his great experience at Rhodes.

Frank Frisch writes, “At the advanced age of 68 (with both time’s winged chariot and associated decrepitude advancing rapidly), Debby and I decided it would be a good idea to downsize, and made a move three miles from our old house. Note to self—for the next time such an idea enters my head: (step 1)secure 8 foot long 2 by 4; (step 2) firmly grasp either end; (step 3) beat self over head with 2 by 4 until such thought passes. Although it seems

likely the move will never end, we are— a mere four months from its start—almost moved. The competition is fierce, but this may be the dumbest thing this feeble 68-year-old has done (lately at least). Take heed classmates . . .”

Mark Griffee writes “I have been quite busy in the last year, starting my life over again.” After losing Virgina Watson ’78, his wife for more than 41 years, he met Sundari Atamimi, who would later become his bride. In February of 2022 Mark had more than just his birthday to celebrate—his first grandchild, Jeffrey Mark Griffee III, was born one day after Mark’s birthday! The proud grandfather refers to him as JMG III. This past summer he and Sundari traveled to Indonesia to meet her family and see her hometown on Bangka Island. Apparently the family approved, as they tied the knot this past January in Nashville, with classmates Woods Falls and Paul Buchanan attending. He has also recently opened a new law office in Brentwood, TN, for his Memphis-based firm Black McLaren Jones Ryland & Griffee, P.C. Commuting

lin, Mark is still practicing law and Sundari works for Pinnacle Financial Services in Franklin, TN.

If you’ll remember, in our effort to get classmates to reminisce and reply, we posed

between Memphis, Brentwood, and Frank-

Mark Griffee and grandson, Jeffrey Mark Griffee III

During a recent trip to New Orleans, Coach Mike Clary ’77 was invited to breakfast by a group of his former players, the Cajun Lynx! From left to right: Pat West ’17, Ray Rando ’91, Trey Babin ’92, Brady Jubenville ’92, Scott Decker ’89, Mike Clary ’77, Kevin Marks ’90, John Dalton ’96, Terry Ursin ’97, and Hogan Crosby ’17.

the question, “What was your favorite 3rd term class?” Mike Pearigen chose to reminisce about his least favorite: “Hands down it was Modern Chinese History—a misnomer since it covered the past 2,000 years of Chinese history, not the past couple hundred as one might have expected. I don’t know why I decided to dive into such an esoteric, impenetrable subject, but I did take it as a Pass/Fail class. Like many 3rd Term classes, Prof. Apperson let us decide if we wanted to meet daily for an hour + or three days a week for two hours per day. We chose the latter and class was held on Mon., Tues., and Wed. at the unholy hour of 8:00 a.m.

“As was the case with many victims of 3rd Term, I tended to stay out every night a wee

bit too late and have a few too many beers. This came home to roost three days a week at 8:00. At the end of each week, I would review my class notes and find the words changing to a line of ink trailing across the page as I nodded off in class. I was especially perturbed when grades arrived and, despite my handicap, I made an “A” in a Pass/Fail class.”

Remember Jim Watson with camera in hand? Thought those photographs of you smoking, drinking, dancing on tables had vanished? Guess what? Jim has them and is sharing what he has. Since Jim was on the yearbook staff, many of the photographs were published in our Lynx yearbook or Sou’wester newspaper. Like your reporter here, Jim also regrets that he no longer has a copy of the Lynx, so this is the best some of us will be able to do. Use the photos as you like, but he asks to be given photography credit. Jim has many more photos yet to be scanned—on the list to have been done this winter, but he went skiing instead. He hopes to tackle it before horse riding season commences!

Still living in Kenya, Ernie Williams is be-

hind the organization www.Innov8Africa.org teaching school children to grow their own food.They have stored enough food to last six months, but Kenya is experiencing the worst drought in 40 years. Tragically, even if the rains come, the harvest will be too far behind to supply food when it will be needed.

1978 45th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Sandy Schaeffer sandeford.schaeffer@gmail.com

1979

Reporter: Mary Palmer mpalmerc@comcast.net

1980

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’80 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu

1981

Reporter: Sherri Godi Madden rhodesalum81@gmail.com

Wow—the big R (retirement!) is occurring for some of us! That doesn’t seem to have slowed us down though, with lots of adventures planned for those free years and lots of grandparenting going on! Others are embarking on new careers in new places. Here’s some of our latest news:

Joyce Holladay Doyle: “My big news is that last May I retired after a 35-plus-year career at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Animal Health Laboratory, first as a technician, then as a supervisor in the Immunology Section. I was also responsible for establishing the Molecular Diagnostic and Chronic Wasting Disease sections. Soon after my retirement, my daughter gave birth to my first grandchild, a baby girl, whom I’ve been babysitting since my daughter returned to work in January.”

Karen Levy: “We have two grandsons, 3 years old and 2 years old.”

Steve Crabtree reports he is enjoying the enigmatic quality of life in Connecticut and Fort Myers, FL, (hurricane shack renovations underway) and keeping up with his kids spread across North America: Jefferson

Ready to reminisce with photos by Jim Watson? Go to https://www.flickr.com/photos/196683918@N05/albums/72177720302834665

From left to right, roommates Merry Noel ’76, Sarah Powell ’77, Susan O’Donoghue Witek ’77, and Pat Schenck Robertson ’77 in Ocala, FL.

(Rhodes Class of 2017) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Sarah, at Dodge Film School, Orange, CA. Fun stuff!

Neville Carson: “As for news, in January I joined Atlanta rock band Cover to Cover on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. We specialize in danceable classic rock tunes from the 60s through the 90s. It’s so much fun I can hardly stand it. You can check us out at https:// www.facebook.com/CoverToCoverATL.”

Robert Cruthirds: “I’ve retired from the Memphis Public Libraries effective the first of January after 20 years. No plans right now for the time being, just trying to get more exercise.”

Sarah Windes: “I live in Blacksburg, VA, where I have returned to church work as a Coordinator of Church Life at my home church of 28 years. It suits me well! My adult children have, amazingly, both returned to Blacksburg (for now) to live and work.”

Kathy Keil Brown: “I am doing well—still enjoying raising alpacas and playing with their fiber. Our 2nd and 3rd grandkids were born last year—both girls. Our grandson is almost 3 and is a total joy! Life on the farm keeps us pretty busy, so we don’t do anything really exciting, but we are enjoying life. Always something to learn and think about—that Rhodes education comes in handy!”

Brooks Robey: After 17 years in Northern New England, he and his wife, Kathy, have sold their snow thrower and relocated to New Orleans, where he is Associate Chief of Staff for Research and Development for the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System and Professor of Medicine at both Tulane University School of Medicine and LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. Their eldest son, Jack, is presently a senior at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and their youngest son, Murphy, is a junior at Emerson College in Boston. “Needless to say, life is busy at Chez Robey these days . . . Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

Nanci Ostergaard Bucchianeri: “I am on Cape Cod and enjoy having the ocean so close by. I don’t like being landlocked. I saw Connie Thompson ’83 last year in Plymouth, MA. We went to Plymouth Rock. Always a disappointment, as just a rock. I am liking retirement and enjoying pretty good health.”

Leslie Phillips Hubbert: “I am in the last four months of my public school teaching career. I am looking forward to having more time with my grandson very soon. My husband and I are still playing guitar, accordion, mandolin, and fiddle at local events. We are planning some trips in the late summer and fall; trips I could never make when I was a teacher! Lately we have enjoyed some rare snowstorms here in Boonville, CA, (basically we are at sea level here and it never snows). It has been beautiful.”

1982

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’82 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.” She is also acing retirement: “I am very ambitious about not planning anything that looks like work and enjoying it immensely. I also enjoy planning trips, exercising more than I used to, cooking more . . . reading more . . . volunteering more when friends/family need help or just attention . . . and saying ‘yes’ to tons of things I would have said ‘no’ to when I was consumed with work.”

Aldervan Daly and Lisa Deering Temoshok are teaming up! “H. Aldervan Daly, executive vice president of institutional advancement at Rising Ground, NYC’s largest human services organization, is delighted to announce that, along with Lisa Temoshok LMHC, he will

1983 40th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Ted de Villafranca edevillafranca@gmail.com

1984

Reporter: Linda Odom linda.odom@klgates.com

Joanna McIntosh shares, “My nephew, Jackson McIntosh ’22, and I traveled to Japan in November 2022 for a combined graduation/ retirement trip that included sightseeing in Tokyo and Kyoto, as well as hiking the Kumano Koda Trail in the Kii Peninsula, a network of 1000-year-old Buddhist and Shinto pilgrimage routes, which was declared

be presenting a session at the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference in April 2023 in New Orleans. Lisa specializes in strength-based, holistic counseling for adults, including EMDR, Somatic Psychotherapy, Internal Family Services, Mindfulness-based CBT, and other trauma-informed therapies. Our session is entitled ‘Trauma-Informed FundraisingUnderstanding your role and the donors’.”

Aldervan is still basking in the glow of the great alumni turnout for his April 2022 cabaret show at Don’t Tell Mamas, in NYC’s theater district. In attendance were 10 alumni, including Ruth Metcalf Rye, Lisa Temoshok, and Susan Matthews Arnold, from the Class of ’84. The show, entitled Songs I Want to Sing Now, is available at Aldervan.com.

Joanna McIntosh ’84 and nephew Jackson McIntosh ’22

Cathy Reese has been busy!!! “I formed my own publishing company, Zada Publishing, LLC, in December 2022 and published my first e-book, Fair Pay for Women: Time for a Revolution, which is available now on Apple Books. It is designed for a general audience, colorful, and interactive. I also co-edited the 2nd edition of a book that came out in December 2019 (with two other women political science professors in the State of Arkansas!), Readings in Arkansas Politics & Government, and have a few co-authored chapters in there as well. I am still the only full professor in my Department of Political Science and am also Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program Director here at Arkansas State University, where I have been for a quarter of a century! Meanwhile, during the worst of the pandemic, I have been doing various renovations on my house, teaching myself to cut and install baseboard, built-in closet shelving, floating wood flooring, and my latest feat, crown molding! I really enjoy building practical, attractive things from wood and have the giant garage to do it in. I also am working on building my genealogical research skills in order to prepare for my second career.

“My daughter Selah is a freshman majoring in Jazz Studies at Arkansas State University, on scholarship and in the top orchestra and top jazz band. My little one, Lilah, is a sophomore at Jonesboro High School and very involved in band (she is a flag) and theater (playing Henrietta the Loud Barfly in a production of All Shook Up at the end of March.)

“I try to see many classmates regularly, including Laura Mathews, Jennifer Frost Ramos Stark, Robin Newcomb Friend ’85, Amy Doville, Cathy Cotham Harris, and, of course, the great Tracy Vezina Patterson. I stay more loosely in touch with many more on Facebook.”

Writing about her favorite thing about her time at Rhodes, Cathy named The Pub. “What I loved the most were the many great bands I saw there. Barking Dog, the band with David Shouse, where they used to throw pieces of fried chicken out into the audience; Arlo Guthrie . . . and, of course, the Uncommon Houses were fantastic, too. I remember Valerie (who was Melody Johnson’s roommate) doing “Breakdown,” the guys who always did Monty Python’s “Lumberjack Song,” Jim Hunter ’85 and Paul Eich ’86 playing the Dead, the great

Bill Ridley ’82 singing and playing piano like Billy Joel. I wish I could see a list of all the bands and all the people who performed at Uncommon Houses, too! Great, great memories!”

Karen Manroe includes some advice in her notes: “Our big news is our daughter’s wedding! She’s getting married on March 25th in Mexico. Word of advice to you parents of daughters: don’t do a destination wedding!” (Note to self: Ask her again after it’s over.)

Linda Odom writes to shamelessly plug her rock band, Stillhouse Crossing: “We are lining up gigs for the summer and are playing Durty Nelly’s on April 4. I also enjoy my technology/fintech/startup law practice, which I augment with pro bono work in anti-human-trafficking, disaster payments, and aiding NGOs in their work against sexual violence in war time.”

1985

Reporter: Ann Webb Betty

11webby@gmail.com

From your reporter: This is the year most of us are turning 60. Thank you, Doug Trapp, for reminding me that we are now older than lots of our professors were when we were in school! (Oh, by the way, Doug Trapp’s grandmother and my grandmother were buddies in Tuscumbia, AL.) I’m retired, still live in Nashville (although I moved further out in 2021) and still active. I managed to get to a Rhodes Women basketball game in February—we won. The campus is fabulous— please plan to attend our 40th in 2025!

In case you didn’t know, Doug is an actor. He’ll be seen in a couple of episodes of The White House Plumbers on HBO, out in March. He got to work with Woody Harrelson in this dark comic look at the debacle of the Watergate break in. Coincidentally, Woody turned 60 on the day this picture was taken! We’re in good company!

Doug and his partner Billy are coming up on 24 years soon. They’ve lived in New York (state) for 20 years, got an amazing dog, Riley—a rescue from North Carolina, a wonderful addition to their life. If you’re ever in Germantown, NY, do not hesitate to look him up. The door is open!

Thank you, Christy Weir Krueger, for your six years of service on the Rhodes Alumni Board and as president of the Rhodes Alumni Association for 2 ½ years! She has now retired from that role. It was a great experience connecting with alumni—recent graduates to those who came before us. She was continually amazed by the current students’ passion for our great school. Her one public service announcement . . . get involved! If you are interested in working with other alumni, current students, and the administration, let Tracy Patterson know.

Christy just celebrated 15 years with MakeA-Wish Mid-South, having the great reward of witnessing the joy on the face of a child and their families when a wish is granted, and watching small communities rally and raise thousands of dollars to keep the mission going and inspiring hope. Name change alert: Christy’s new name is Mimmie! Being a grand is the best thing in the world. Watching a three-year-old discover new things on a daily basis, putting words together to form sentences, and getting a random hug cannot be topped. It is also exhausting! There is a reason we have children when we are younger. After a night with Noah, Mimmie needs a nap!

Jean Asinger says hello!!

Ellen Hopkins Flottman has four grown children spread out from Honolulu to Cape Girardeau to New York City. Ellen still works as a public defender, but enjoys her free time and spare bedroom space building dollhouses while her husband David takes over the back yard with his radio antenna hobby.

Doug Trapp ’85 and Woody Harrelson

Margaret Bryan Hakimian and Heather Cutting met in Dr. Mosby’s Music Appreciation class in 1983. It only makes sense that their reunion in September 2022 included some good concerts (Alison Krauss and Robert Plant and the Doobie Brothers). They also enjoyed lunch with Kathy Woodson Barr, some great food on the Boston waterfront, and lots of catch-up time. Stay tuned for their next concert reunion!!

Livingston Brien has a kid at Rhodes, and we’ll hear more from him after that graduation! (I got to see Livy a lot when I was working where his kid went to school.)

Will Smart (formerly known as Bill) and family are still living in Covington, LA, although they moved from a “downtown” apartment above their business to the “country” on the Bogue Falaya River into Will’s grandparents’ house, which they spent almost two years renovating. The company Will started with his father (Greenleaf Technologies) while he was at Rhodes turns 38 this year. Greenleaf has allowed them to travel North America and parts of Germany and France for “work.” Will is proud to have changed agricultural applications for the better.

Will was recently looking through some old college stuff and found a statement signed by Ira Jackson and Will explaining why they

burned their 1984 Yearbooks. Someone actually called the fire department, but we went ahead with our demonstration anyway. Looks like Ira is in the commercial printing business. No more book burning for him!

Will recently saw Brent Hedge (“Captain Bugman”), who is excited that his son Sam has moved back to Camden (with his wife, a successful dentist) to work in the family business. Brent said he and his wife are a “power couple” in Camden, where he is a small business owner and Jennifer is an assistant DA and judge. Sounds like his son and daughter-in-law might replace him.

Will’s kids are 31 and 28 and making their way in the world, but are not part of any power couples. Will is still water skiing, paddle boarding, and doing aerial yoga, trying to stay in shape for our 40th reunion.

Allison McCarthy Gauthier retired from a career in commercial banking last summer, ready for a new adventure. She moved full time to Vermont in 2020 and recently joined

the mountain hosts at Stratton Mountain and has spent her first winter post-retirement skiing as much as possible. It’s a fun volunteer activity with a great group of friendly people who also happen to love pickleball! Her oldest son is living in Cambridge, MA, and younger son is now married and living in Dallas, TX. She enjoys traveling a lot with her family and spending time at the cabin in the mountains of Vermont.

At the end of 2022, Helen Reinecke-Wilt semi-retired from a long career in the Washington, DC, area as an urban planner and climate change mitigation/sustainability specialist. Still hoping to do some part-time climate work at some point, she is currently enjoying free time, cycling a lot, helping her elderly parents, and traveling. Husband Justin also semi-retired at the beginning of this year, so they keep each other company. Currently, they are both recovering from Mardi Gras down in New Orleans.

Ed Scott and lots of boys still live in Austin, TX, enjoying the hill country. Sons are 9 (Dashiell), 11 (Walker), 12 (Henry), and the oldest, Ian (26), is traveling through the Balkans to finally settle with a UN job in Vienna.

Ken Cannon retired from his job at Walt Disney World at the beginning of the pandemic and recently celebrated his 60th birthday with twin brother Keith by hiking over sand dunes and enjoying a landscape

Heather Cutting and Margaret Bryan Hakimian ’85

Ken Cannon ’85 and brother Keith in Namibia

safari in Namibia. He would like to go back to work strictly for fun sometime, as well as get back into competitive tennis (played at Rhodes). Ken also is running an age-group 200-meter sprint at the Florida Senior Games. The finish line looks farther away than it did during his track days at Rhodes, but it’s still exciting when the starter’s gun goes off. Go Ken!

1986

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’86 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu

1987

Reporter: Mimi Swords Fondren mimifondren@outlook.com

Sounds like Susan Hook Patterson is thriving and doing profound work! “Had a wonderful time with our family at Christmas. Now that the ‘kids’ can work from anywhere, they stay

home! “First off, I’ve moved! Back in October 2022 I applied for and got a fantastic job at HNTB, a nationally recognized civil engineering and transportations solutions firm. I’m working in the firm’s Baton Rouge office as their senior technical writer and editor, which is familiar territory, even if I’m learning more about bridges and trains and highways (oh my!) than I ever thought possible. It’s a great gig and I really love my coworkers (and they like me too!). Plus, it gave me the opportunity to move back “home” and start moving things into our Baton Rouge house (which was part of the reason why I missed our 35th Reunion; I was shuttling back and forth from Baton Rouge to Hernando).

toilet-ware to the good residents and tourists of NOLA, like we always do. Make sure to mark your calendars for 2024, as we Roll the Avenue on Saturday, February 10! And speaking of . . .

“Y’all consider my/our new residence an open invitation to come visit! The only caveat is that we only have the one bed right now, but I am happy to treat folks to dinner and drinks (this being Louisiana, there are no shortage of awesome places to nosh, and nosh well). And you can always find out the latest shenanigans or news on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks again, and much love to the Class of 1987!”

longer! I’m beginning to find a foothold in my second-half career as a Conscious Dying Coach. It’s exciting to learn something totally new!”

Our very own theologian, Greg Carey, also reported in. “I’ll be traveling to Australia in March to provide the Northey Lecture at the University of Divinity in Melbourne. The lectures spring from my new book, Death, the End of History, and Beyond: Eschatology in the Bible (Westminster John Knox, 2023).” I guess by the time we read this, he will have gone to Australia and back. Hope he gives us all an update!

Nathan Tipton has a new job and a new

“But what about the Divine Paul? Glad you asked! He’s still in Hernando taking care of seven dogs and two cats (I brought one dog, Puck, with me . . . he’s a quintessential grumpy old man who doesn’t get along with any of the other dogs, but is presently living his absolute best life in Louisiana). Paul has been struggling with what we have come to find out is “progressive idiopathic peripheral neuropathy,” which is extremely painful and, unfortunately, there isn’t a treatment for it because none of his doctors can pinpoint where the disease is coming from. Not even going to lie; it’s very hard for him and for me seeing him suffering with this, especially since I’m 350 miles away. I do get home almost every weekend to help out and he seems to be managing, but I will be very ready to have him down here in Baton Rouge with me on a full-time basis. Long story short: y’all please keep him in your prayers. This is not something we signed up for at all, so good thoughts are always much appreciated.

“In happier news, now that I’m in Louisiana, I am closer to New Orleans and my Krewe of Tucks peeps. This year’s Carnival was amazing, exciting, exhausting, and completely off the chain, and our krewe brought our best

Brian Mott has also embarked on a new career and continues to make the world a better place. “I started a new job at Peconic Landing, a continuous-care retirement community in Greenport, NY, as their Cultural Arts Coordinator. I get to spend my days programming fun events for some amazing people! My commute is a lovely drive through farms and vineyards. Life is good.”

1988 35th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Brooke Glover Emery brookegemery@gmail.com

1989

Reporter: Julianne Johnson Paunescu jpaunescu@yahoo.com

Stop the Presses!! What? You didn’t know that February 11 is Andy Robinson Day in Chicago?! Mayor Lori Lightfoot made this proclamation in honor of Andy’s “many years of service and indelible contributions to education, community, culture, and theater at the Chicago Academy of the Arts and throughout Chicago.” Andy also received the Academy’s Faculty Legacy Award on February 10 for his contributions and dedication to the school. He began his teaching and arts career in New York City at the Cornelia Connelly Center for Education and the Village Community School and helped start Shakespeareto-Go, which brought free Shakespeare to school children around the city. Andy has been a fixture in the Chicago Academy community since 2007 and has led its Musical

Susan Hook Patterson and family

Theater Department since 2011. He started the Academy’s Shakespeare Festival, which has produced over 30 Shakespeare productions in a decade.

In other news, some of our classmates are taking advantage of their traveling offspring to jet off to exotic locales. Anna-Catherine Wylie Super reports that, 30 years after her Rhodes in Europe experience, she’s looking forward to visiting some of western Europe with her family when her son finishes a semester in Barcelona. This is a way that she celebrates having parents and children to be “sandwiched between!”

Amy Baldwin Crockett and her husband Stephen ’90 plan to go to Berlin to visit their younger son Will, now studying in Europe, and then go to Prague in May. China is on their itinerary for the summer, to see older son Campbell, who is there teaching English. Let’s hope they don’t join him on his next ski trip to a resort where one side borders North Korea! When they are not in the air, Amy has her own psychology practice and Stephen still owns a cloud-based telecom company.

Speaking of China, Lee Boyd has lived in Shanghai with his wife Jing and three daughters for almost nine years. His older two daughters are now in college in Miami and Seattle. Since graduation, Lee has been “bouncing around” Japan, the U.S. Midwest and West Coast, and China. For most of his time in China, he has been managing the Asia Pacific operations for Bio-Rad Laboratories, a California-based life sciences company. Lee reports that COVID has made the last three years “an extra adventure.” He did the multi-week China hotel quarantine three times and spent most of 2022 living from a suitcase while stuck outside the country. After the stresses of the “extra adventure,” it’s great that Lee is able to relax as a singer with his band, Bio-Rock!

Lisa Turnbow did not have to travel to have a very busy 2022! Besides building a new home and starting a job as senior recruiter for Honest Medical Group in Nashville, she was also ordained and had the honor of presiding over the wedding of two dear friends.

Lynn Martin Wonders authored The Midlife Self-Discovery Workbook, which has become

the focus of a number of personal growth seminars for women and men. Lynn also continues to work on her Ph.D. in psychology with a special focus on spirituality, consciousness, and integrated health from Saybrook University.

1990

Reporter: Marci Deshaies Woodmansee mwoodmansee@gslschool.org

1991

Reporter: Tracy Courage tracy_courage@yahoo.com

1992

Reporter: Sara Hawks Marecki saramarecki@sbcglobal.net

1993 30th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Wendy Mullins wendy.mullins@yahoo.com

1994

Reporter: Judy Brown judyporterbrown@gmail.com

1995

Reporter: Sarah Hall Stump sarahhallstump@icloud.com

1996

Reporter: Jennifer Larson larson_jennifer@yahoo.com

Jennifer Larson shared a photo of the Lynx Ladies Cookbook Club in Nashville during one of their recent regular dinners. How does it work? Everyone prepares something from a particular cookbook (or by a particular chef/ cookbook author), and then they share! From Jennifer: “Pro tip: it’s always a good idea to stick around to eat whatever Mary Clare makes for dessert.”

1997

Reporter: Laurea Glusman McAllister laureag@gmail.com

After 25-plus years as a creative director in NY, LA, and Austin, TX, Tom Hamling has started an advertising agency in Nashville. Tom has led work on Popeyes, Farmers Insurance, Hilton, Dodge, and others. He has done six Super Bowl commercials. The name of the agency is THE MAYOR. themayoragency.com

1998 25th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Susan Meredith Meyers susanmeyers26.2@gmail.com

Laura Hardin Becker recently began her 16th year as pastor of Northminster Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. Her oldest daughter, Julia ’24, is a junior political

science major at Rhodes, and Laura has loved visiting Memphis again and watching a new generation of students experience the school.

Zarina Mason recently moved to Evanston, IL. Her daughter, Isabella, is a senior at St. Ignatius College Prep and her son, Oliver, is a sophomore at Evanston Township High School. In March, she celebrated her 18th work anniversary with First American Bank.

Leslie Curry continues to enjoy her work at VMware, where she is chief of staff for the Ecosystem Strategy and Tech Partner group. She’s able to stay in touch with many Rhodes friends from her home base in Atlanta, and enjoyed a fantastic Rhodes girls’ trip to Asheville, NC, last May with Susan Meredith Meyers, Nadia Blakemore Hensley, Molly Molina Crawford, Elizabeth Hood, Maggie McDonald, Angie Wellford, and Abigail West Jumper.

Jordan Schniper recently published a novel, Midnight in the Wilderness of America. The

Lynx Ladies Cookbook Club. Lower row (L to R): Jennifer Larson ’96, Tracey Theofiledes (wife of Chris ’96 and mother of Taylor ’26), Shannon Simpson Bevins ’96, Shelley Roberts McLay ’97, Madison Moore Agee ’99; Top row (L to R): Mary Clare Younger Champion ’96 and Elizabeth Epley Sheets ’98

story is about a clash between attributes of the Garden of Eden versus the Tower of Babel that occurs in modern day America as solar flares arrive, auroras cascade, and Earth enters a new dark age. He traveled to 46 states and half of the national parks while writing and researching over many years as a hobby. He followed up with a short story epilogue called Gault, Alabama. Both books blend photography with fiction.

Liam O’Donnell Patrick ’24, son of Audrey O’Donnell Patrick and Eric Patrick ’97, is currently a junior at Rhodes and just declared political science as his major. He is enjoying Rhodes as much as his parents did! Dr. Christine Bertz shared this exciting news: “In late 2022, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) selected me to join the 50th class of AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellows (STPF), along with roughly 300 other highly trained scientists and engineers placed in host offices throughout the U.S. government. e highly competitive STPF program, founded in 1973, is designed to connect evidence-based decision-making with public policy. During my two-year placement in the U.S. Department of State, I will work in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of Marine Conservation, helping to formulate and implement U.S. policy on a broad range of international fisheries management issues.”

1999

Reporter: Kathryn DeRossitt kathrynderossitt@yahoo.com

Kathryn Royster relocated in 2021 with her family to Los Angeles, where she’s now leading the marketing and communications team for a research institute at the University of Southern California.

Kyle and Libby McCormac Ryan have lived in Jacksonville, FL, since 2004, after stops in St. Louis and Steamboat Springs, CO. eir three teenage boys keep life moving quickly and allow for both amazing parenting fails and boy stories. Libby works at Wolfson High School in the College Counseling office and loves her work with the kids. Kyle loves his work for a medical device company, ERBE, as a territory manager, in the surgical oncology space. May 20th was their 23rd year of an

amazing marriage! Kyle advises, “It’s not too late to send a gift if you missed the wedding!”

David and Adrienne Ballew Elder have lived in their hometown of Oklahoma City since they left D.C. in late 2005. David is a partner at the law firm Hartzog Conger Cason and Adrienne is a consultant who works with the state, nonprofits, and foundations to help underserved communities. Her current focus is on expanding the “Handle with Care” program in Oklahoma. ey have two children, James (15) and Grace (13). ey attend the same prep school David and Adrienne graduated from in 1995, love it as much as they did, and are active student-athletes!

Greg Sims recently completed the Executive Leadership Program for Nonprofit Organizations at the University of Georgia’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development and celebrated the 10-year business anniversary of his wife Gina’s interior design firm, Gina Sims Designs.

In December of 2021, Ty Hallmark graduated from the University of Maryland with a Master’s in Library and Information Science. After 18 years in the Washington D.C. area, Ty relocated to Western North Carolina, where she’s enjoying some peace and quiet in her mountain home just south of Asheville. She currently works remotely as a senior event strategist for the MITRE Corporation.

It will come as no surprise to our class that Matt Marcotte just appeared on Game Show Network’s game show Master Minds in January, winning two games and coming just short of being crowned a new Master Mind! Reach out to Matt, he can provide links to cool videos showing his performance!

Christy Boles McAllister relocated 12 years ago to her husband’s hometown in Northern Ireland. When she’s not working as a global clinical trial manager, she can be found playing taxi driver to her sons, ages 5 and 9. With global travel opening up, the family looks forward to globetrotting again—starting with their next adventure to Egypt!

Hunter Phillips Goodman and her husband, Mark Goodman, live in Little Rock, AR, with their two sons, Lowell Hunter Goodman (6) and Patrick Lars Goodman (4). Hunter is an assistant professor of community, workforce, and economic development at the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooper-

ative Extension, where she focuses on building the capacity of rural Arkansas communities with a focus on individuals, associations of people working together, and institutions. Back in December, Gerald Botta completed his first marathon (Honolulu Marathon). He is also currently the president of a nonprofit, Covenant Community Land Trust.

2000

Reporter: Nicki North Baxley nickinp@gmail.com

2001

Reporter: Katy Minten Gray mkminten@hotmail.com

Kila and Keva Woods Wilson (above) have celebrated one year of wedded bliss!

2002

Reporter: Shannon Cian shannoncian@gmail.com

2003 20th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

September 29 – 30, 2023

Reporter: Scott Holmes holmes.scott@gmail.com

Greetings Class of 2003. I hope you are all getting ready to join us in Memphis the last

weekend of September to celebrate our 20th Reunion!

Grace Williams Bailey is currently working as the coordinator for Accelerating Scholars, Metro Nashville Public Schools’ high-dosage tutoring initiative. She and her husband, Richard, live in Nashville with their three children: Margaret, age 7; Richard, age 5; and George Williams “Will,” age 2.

Haskell Murray was promoted from associate professor to professor at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, where he teaches business law, negotiations, and ethics.

Anne Kathryn Rice founded the Global Doula Project, a nonprofit organization working for a world where every family receives loving, nonjudgmental support at the beginning and end of life. She currently lives in Genoa, Italy, with her husband and three children.

Betsey Bogler Efird lives in Hot Springs, AR, on a small farm with her husband, Cole, raising five kids (ages 12, 10, 9, 9, and 4), with lots of animals and working very part time as a pediatric nurse practitioner. She recently got a turkey her boys named “Jamal” and she is thankful to have chickens, since the price of eggs has gone crazy.

After a national search, Cindy Hallums was named executive director of the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund (DMSF). DMSF serves 500 scholars through high school scholarships and programmatic support to ensure success

in high school, college, and beyond. Adds Cindy, “The organization is based in Chicago, where I live with my husband and two kids, Will and Lilly James.”

Gelsey Bennett started a new job in September with an NGO called ACDI/VOCA. As a senior director for the Resilience & Growth practice, she provides operational and technical oversight to international aid projects in Latin America.

On Nov. 1, 2022, Shayla Purifoy was reappointed to the judiciary as a Judicial Commissioner for Shelby County Government for a four-year term. This position was originally appointed by the Board of Shelby County Commissioners. In 2020, she served her term as president of the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association (African American Attorneys Association of Memphis), volunteered as immediate past president in 2021, and returned to the board in 2022. She also served on the National Bar Association’s Ethics Board. She is concluding four years on the Memphis Bar Association board this year, after several years of volunteering in the organization. During the pandemic, Commissioner Purifoy earned certification to teach yoga. She will continue to volunteer on the board as chair of the BFJ Wellness Committee to encourage attorneys, judges, and community members to make self-care and wellness a priority. To follow Commissioner Purifoy’s involvement in the

community and better understand her role as a Judicial Commissioner, she encourages you to please follow her on social media.

2004

Reporters: C. Kyle Russ ckyleruss@yahoo.com

2005

Reporters: Brandon Couillard (last names: A-M) brandon.couillard@gmail.com

Molly Fitzpatrick (last names N-Z) mhfitz11@hotmail.com

This past October, Mollie O’Dell Ross and her husband welcomed James Dorsey Ross to their family. Big brother Thomas will be 2 in May, so they’re seeing a lot of sunrises as of late, with two little early risers!

Dan Swanstrom left the head football coach position at Ithaca College last spring and is now the offensive coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania. His wife and fellow Rhodes alum, Kristin, recently started working at Mainline Health as a physician assistant in the G.I. practice. The Swanstrom family currently resides in Havertown, PA, just outside Philadelphia.

Joanna Young Ridgway and husband Eric welcomed a baby boy, Coen Paul Ridgway, on Oct. 5 of last year. Coen joins big sister Thea (age 2). Joanna and Eric are adjusting to life with two little ones! Joanna is back from maternity leave, still as a managing director of Corporate Banking at Santander Bank.

2006

Reporter: Caroline King Willson Caroline.king.Willson@gmail.com

2007

Reporter: Mollie Briskman Montelaro mollie.montelaro@gmail.com

The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) is pleased to announce Rene Orth has won first prize in the 2023 NATS Art Song Composition Award for her work “Weave Me a Name.” As first-prize winner, Orth receives $2,000, and her work will be performed at the 58th NATS National Conference, in Knoxville, TN. The Cincin-

PLANNED GIFTS OF YESTERDAY HELPED SHAPE THE RHODES OF TODAY

Take a walk on campus and you’ll be surrounded by the impact planned gifts have made on Rhodes. Members of our community—alumni, parents, retired faculty, and sta˜ —have made generous commitments to support Rhodes through bequests. ° ese gifts have endowed scholarships to ensure students have access to a Rhodes education, established professorships to attract and retain exceptional teacher-scholars, and provided funding for our campus facilities, including the Paul Barret, Jr. Library.

It is hard to overstate the transformative power of bequests at Rhodes. ° e legacies created by these gifts are vital to the future of the college. At the same time, bequests remain one of the simplest and most flexible types of planned gifts to establish.

For more information on the benefits of making a planned gift to Rhodes, please contact Nicki Soulé ’93, Senior Planned Giving Oÿ cer, at 901-843-3740 or soulen@rhodes.edu. More information about planned gifts is available at https://rhodes.giftlegacy.com

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE IMPORTANT DATES THIS FALL

FAMILY WEEKEND

SEPT. 8 - 10

HOMECOMING/ REUNION WEEKEND

SEPT. 29 - OCT. 1

INAUGURATION OF THE 21ST PRESIDENT OF RHODES COLLEGE

JENNIFER M. COLLINS

OCT. 20 - 21

CAJUNFEST

OCT. 28