Rhodes Magazine Fall 2024 / Winter 2025

NATIONALLY RANKED LOCALLY INVESTED GLOBALLY ENGAGED

FALL 2024/WINTER 2025

Jennifer M. Collins

President

Jenna Goodloe Wade

Vice President for Development

Tracy Vezina Patterson ’84, P’22, J.D.

Director of Corporate Relations

Senior Gift Planning O icer

Martha Shepard ’66

Editor Emerita

Linda Bonnin

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Samuel X. Cicci ’15

Editor & Senior Writer

Jana Files ’78

Assistant Director of Digital Communications

Charles Kenny

Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications

Larry Ahokas

Graphic Designer

CONTRIBUTORS

Dionne Chalmers

Abigail Morici ’21

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Justin Fox Burks

Samuel X. Cicci

Ethan van Drimmelen

Jackson Hendrix ’24

Corey Nolen

Grace Rolfes

Breanna Stalsitz

Paul Stoddart

Craig ompson

Rhodes Royalty (l to r): Sana Zein-Sabatto ’25, Shanteise Bonds ’25, Hope Robinson ’25, Anna Grace Albritton ’25, Keith Adams ’25, Anna Yates ’25, Ben Burkhart ’25, Georgia Link ’25, Peter Halvorsen ’25, and Clara Sullivan ’25

Under the Oaks

Fall Sports Roundup

the Class of 2028 The Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement

A LETTER FROM PRESIDENT JENNIFER COLLINS

Happy New Year! I hope your 2025 is full of joy and good health and many opportunities to see your Rhodes friends and family. 2025 is going to be an especially exciting year on the Rhodes campus, as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of our move to the wonderful city of Memphis. Accordingly, this issue of the magazine spotlights our Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement, which has brought our many community engagement e orts together under one roof. e Turley Memphis Center enriches both our campus community and the city of Memphis in so many ways. We are profoundly grateful to Henry Turley for his enormous impact on Memphis, and especially for his generous support of Rhodes to ensure that our students, faculty, and sta continue to foster a love of service and contribute to this remarkable city in as many meaningful ways as we can.

We also highlight another facet of the Rhodes experience that makes our college so special: the mentorship that both our faculty and alumni provide every day to our students. For example, we celebrate Dr. Brent Ho meister in the physics department, who works with students on projects ranging from our NASA CubeSat initiative to building a robust GoPro camera for use with large animals at the Memphis Zoo. Dr. Jade Planchon in business connects students with high-level executives and professionals working both in Memphis and around the country. We are so appreciative of our faculty and alumni who provide these critically important networking and mentorship opportunities to our students.

e magazine also celebrates this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award winners. We are so proud to honor three notable alumni: MaryKay Loss Carlson ’81, currently serving as our country’s ambassador to the Philippines; Darrell T. Cobbins ’97, founder of Universal Commercial Real Estate in Memphis; and Kimberly W. Mancharia ’18, director of the Brave Leap nonpro t, which is centered on creating a new generation of environmental stewards through the exploration of land, sea, and space. Our alumni inspire us every day, and I know you will enjoy learning more about the illustrious careers of this year’s honorees. ank you for all the ways you have supported Rhodes this year. We have had wonderful attendance at reunions and at alumni events in di erent cities, and our fall Athletics Day of Giving was wildly successful once again. Please know the students, faculty, and sta at Rhodes appreciate your support so much, and we hope to see all of you on campus again one day very soon.

Jennifer Collins

NEWSTOK NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SPENCE WILSON CENTER FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY HUMANITIES

In September, Rhodes College announced the appointment of Dr. Scott Newstok, professor of English, as the inaugural executive director of the Spence Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities. Newly established thanks to a generous donation, the center will gather faculty, students, visiting scholars, and community members to address complex global questions through humanistic inquiry. In consultation with a faculty advisory board, the executive director will administer the center and oversee its programming.

In his prior role as the founding director of the Pearce Shakespeare Endowment, Newstok convened a wide range of symposia, bringing together scholars and creative artists to discuss their work.

A nationally recognized voice on humanities education, Newstok has received support from foundations such as the

Rhodes Undergraduates Selected for National Advocacy Program Research

A Rhodes team has been accepted to participate in the 20242025 Scholars Transforming rough Research Advocacy Program presented by e Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). e program is a competitive application-based professional development opportunity for teams consisting of a campus representative and one to three undergraduate students.

American Library Association, the American Philosophical Society, the Fulbright Program, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Humanities Center. His publication How to ink Like Shakespeare was named a Book of the Year by the Times Literary Supplement. He has received the college’s Clarence Day Awards for Outstanding Teaching (2016) and Outstanding Research/Creative Activity (2021).

“I am delighted that Scott has taken on this important leadership position. Scott’s experience and energy will ensure that the Wilson Center and the humanities in general remain at the heart of the college’s mission,” says Dr. Timothy Huebner, provost and vice president for academic a airs.

Faculty representatives are Drs. Larryn Peterson (chemistry) and Brent Ho meister (physics). Rhodes students include Jennifer Bui ’26, Hugh Ferguson ’26, Layla Lammers ’27, Trinity Liaw ’25, and Catherine Prabish ’27. e ve-month program will take 63 teams through communication and advocacy skill-building exercises to promote the transformative power of undergraduate research and scholarship on a national stage.

Rhodes Joins National Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison

Rhodes has joined the national Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison, deepening its commitment to creating access to higher education for incarcerated people.

PRIZE LAUREATE

Dr. Cary Fowler ’71, the U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security, and Dr. Geo rey Hawtin, Global Crop Diversity Trust founding director and executive board member, have been named the 2024 World Food Prize Laureates for their longstanding contribution to seed conservation and crop biodiversity. ey will share the $500,000 award.

e World Food Prize is an international award that honors individuals who have improved the quality, quantity, or availability of food world-wide. According to a news release, “ e two men played key roles in establishing the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which today holds 1.25 million seed samples of more than 6,000 plant species in an underground facility in the Arctic Circle. e repository, often referred to as the ‘Doomsday Vault,’ opened in 2008 and stands as the last line of defense against threats to global food security, including pandemics and climate catastrophes.”

Fowler was executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust from 2005 to 2012. A member of the Rhodes Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2022, he served as vice-chair (2015-2017) and chair (2017-2022). Each year, in collaboration with the Global Crop Diversity Trust, Rhodes o ers the 12-month Steve and Riea Laino Crop Trust Fellowship in Honor of Cary Fowler ’71.

e Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison cultivates and supports college-inprison programs in partnership with colleges and universities across the country. It was established in 2009 by the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) at New York’s Bard College. Rhodes is the Consortium’s rst institution in the South.

e Rhodes College Liberal Arts in Prison Program began in 2016 with a weekly Great Books Reading Group at the Women’s erapeutic Residential Center (WTRC), a state prison in Henning, TN, where more than half the women incarcerated by the state of Tennessee reside. Dr. Stephen Haynes, professor of religious studies, is founder and director of the program, which has involved 36 Rhodes faculty members from 10 departments. More than 50 Rhodes students have participated as peer tutors.

“Joining the Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison is a great honor for Rhodes,” says Haynes. “ e Consortium will provide a community of practice that will enrich our

Liberal Arts in Prison program and help us to thrive and expand. We have much to learn from the Bard Prison Initiative, as well as from prison education programs at Consortium members such as Yale, Wesleyan, Notre Dame, Villanova, Boston College, Grinnell, and Washington University.”

In 2019, Rhodes introduced a for-credit Certi cate in Liberal Arts at the prison, a four-semester sequence of courses patterned on Rhodes’ Search program. Search has been a signature feature of the college’s curriculum since 1945.

In May 2024, the fourth student cohort of the Liberal Arts in Prison Program graduated in a ceremony at WTRC. ese eight graduates joined 75 other women incarcerated at WTRC who since 2019 have completed more than 700 Rhodes College credit hours. Many have pursued associate degrees through Dyersburg State Community College.

Gift Establishes Theodore William Eckels International Art Practicum

e eodore W. and Betty J. Eckels Foundation, aided by support from Rick Eckels ’70, has established the eodore William Eckels International Art Practicum at Rhodes College.

e eodore William Eckels International Art Practicum will provide an art immersion experience for four to ve outstanding Rhodes students majoring in art or art history to work abroad during an eight-week period in the summer months. e practicum will cover the cost of airfare and accommodation while living abroad.

is is the second program of its kind bearing the Eckels name. e eodore William Eckels International Business Internship rst began in 2010 to allow students to obtain work experience in a foreign country during the summer.

DR. CARY FOWLER ’71 NAMED A 2024 WORLD FOOD

Rhodes Board of Trustees member Sally Jones Heinz ’81, Provost Timothy Huebner, Mary Miller, and President Jennifer Collins

MARY MILLER RECEIVES JAMESON M. JONES AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING FACULTY SERVICE

Dr. Mary Miller, professor of biology, was presented the 2024 Jameson M. Jones Award for Outstanding Faculty Service on Aug. 26 at Opening Convocation.

Miller joined the Department of Biology in 2001. She has chaired major standing committees of the faculty, including the Faculty Governance Committee and the Appeals Committee, and she has served on college-wide task forces to tackle important campus issues. She currently serves as

chair of the Department of Biology and is an elected faculty representative on the Board of Trustees.

One of Miller’s most impactful roles has been serving as the college’s liaison to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and overseeing the St. Jude Summer Plus Program. Under Miller’s leadership, this important partnership has continued to grow and thrive, and it includes an annual student tour of St. Jude and the Cutting-Edge research seminar series.

Rhodes College Awarded $75K Grant from The Teagle Foundation to Expand Signature Search Curriculum

“Revising and Renewing the Search Program at Rhodes College” is the title of the proposal for the grant, which will be used for three academic years through June 30, 2027. This grant follows a $25,000 planning grant the college received in 2023, jointly sponsored by The Teagle Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Established in 1945, the curriculum originally was called Man in the Light of History and Religion; in 1986, it became The Search for Values in the Light of Western History and Religion. Search today is a three-semester interdisciplinary

curriculum focused on ideas, beliefs, technologies, and cultural developments that emerged from societies around the Mediterranean, in the Near East, Europe, and Africa and that have contributed to the formation of modern America. Students read and discuss selections from the works of philosophers, theologians, political theorists, scientists, and artists. Texts include the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Homeric Iliad and Odyssey, the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, Virgil’s Aeneid, Augustine’s Confessions, the Qur’an, and Dante’s Divine Comedy

Dania Verbena ’27 Receives Young Guatemalan Inspiration Award

Dania Verbena ’27 is the recipient of the Premio “Joven Inspiración Guatemalteca” (Young Guatemalan Inspiration Award) from the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala and Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social. This award is presented to young individuals for their innovative leadership and transformative impact on society.

Originally from Esquipulas, Guatemala, Verbena came to Rhodes as a SHE-CAN scholar, a program that provides leadership training and opportunities for women to make an impact in the world. She is the founder of the “Girls Also Matter” Program in her hometown, aimed at empowering girls in rural areas of the region. Also, as a representative of the Youth Observatory in Chiquimula—a space created by The Carter Center in Atlanta, GA—Verbena promotes democratic values and youth political participation through social audits. In 2023, she received the National Young Leadership

Award from Desafío Joven, recognizing her contributions to politics, citizen participation, and community development in Guatemala. At Rhodes, Verbena is pursuing a double major in international studies and Latin American and Latinx studies and is a research fellow for Memphis Cartonera, a cooperative publishing house that works in sustainable ways to promote literacy and mentorship to

The Rhodes Theatre Guild Garners

Multiple Ostrander Award Wins

students in Memphis. As a Rhodes Student Associate for International Students, she oversees the recruitment, selection, and training of 15-20 International Peer Advisors. In addition, she participates in Model UN. Off campus, Verbena provides mentoring to Girls on the Run Memphis participants, who gain leadership skills while preparing for a 5K run.

At the 40th Ostrander Awards, the Rhodes Theatre Guild (RTG) entered with 14 award nominations. By the time the curtain fell, RTG had secured six victories for its work on several different productions. Give a round of applause to the following members of the Rhodes College community who won Ostrander Awards:

Props Design, Div II

Molly O’Connor ’24, Amélie

Rhodes Theatre Guild

Lighting Design, Div II

Melissa Andrews, Amélie

Rhodes Theatre Guild

Direction, Div II

Aliza Moran, Amélie

Rhodes Theatre Guild

Best Ensemble, Div II Musical

Amélie, Rhodes Theatre Guild

Directed by Aliza Moran

Leading Actress, Div I Musical

Cameron Crawford ’19

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

Theatre Memphis

Best Ensemble, Div I Play

A Monster Calls

New Moon Theatre

Directed by Aliza Moran

The Ostrander Awards celebrate and support excellence in collegiate, community, and professional theatre in the Memphis area every year.

Brooks Receives Mortar Board’s National Excellence in Advising Award

Darlene Brooks, director of Barret Library, is a 2024 recipient of the Excellence in Advising Award presented by the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society. This celebrated distinction is presented to advisors who have demonstrated a commitment to the purpose of Mortar Board and who have gone above and beyond in their work with a collegiate chapter.

Founded in 1918, Mortar Board recognizes college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership, and service; provides opportunities for continued leadership development; promotes service to colleges and universities; and encourages lifelong contributions to the global community. Only a select few students on each campus are invited to join the esteemed society.

LeCroy Explores the World of Mason Bees and Pollinator Health with USDA Research Grant

“How can we save the bees?” Dr. Kate LeCroy, assistant professor of biology, is on a mission to find a solution to this pressing question. To help fund her research, she has received more than $100,000 in a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture to specifically study disease dynamics and health outcomes of mason bee communities across urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes.

LeCroy’s research stems from her fascination with the world of pollination and how pollinator declines may be impacting agricultural systems. Her project, titled “Discerning the Impact of Non-Native Fungal Associates (Ascosphaera spp.) on Managed Pollinator Health and Decline of Native Mason Bees,” will run through June 2025.

In addition to partnering with both Memphis and regional scientists, LeCroy will involve undergraduate researchers in data discovery.

joined Rhodes’ Department of Biology during the 2023-2024 academic year, after serving as a postdoctoral research fellow at Cornell University, where the USDA originally funded her project.

LeCroy

Rhodes Welcomes 2024

New Faculty

From the Archives

Charles E. Diehl, who served as president of the college from 1917 to 1949, moved the college from Clarksville to Memphis in 1925. He supervised every detail in building the new campus, including selecting the location, the architects, and the design style—Collegiate Gothic. The first building, Southwestern Hall (formerly Palmer Hall), was completed in 1925, and the college opened its doors with 406 students and 16 faculty.

Cameron Ogg Biology

Casey Shin Politics and Law

Jasper St. Bernard History

James Tumulty Biology

Jason Bishop ’90 Music

Robert Chang Mathematics

Charity Clay History

Kelly Jo Fulkerson Dikuua Urban Studies

Kevin Galambos International Studies

Connor Kianpour Philosophy

Evan Kingsley Biology

Jenn Lupu Anthropology and Sociology

Alex McDiarmid Psychology

McKinley Melton Africana Studies

FALL SPORTS ROUNDUP

Historic performances, significant individual honors, and remarkable team accomplishments across Rhodes Athletics marked the fall 2024 season.

Matt Lamb

Grant ’25

Eli Luke

demonstrated exceptional prowess this season, nishing with an impressive 11-5 record and capturing the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Regular Championship Tournament nal. Individually, several players earned prestigious honors. was named SAA 2024 Newcomer of the Year for his immediate impact and contributions to the team. Head coach was honored as the SAA Coach of the Year, recognizing his leadership and strategic excellence. Defensively, and mid elder were named to the All-SAA First Team, while earned a spot on the All-SAA Second Team. Pilcher

Ben and were also

Tournament Team.

Women’s Cross Country placed third overall in the SAA Cross Country Championship with 83 points. Elena Gentry ’28 was honored with the prestigious SAA Newcomer of the Year award after securing an outstanding ninth-place nish with a commendable time of 23:45. Hannah Jane Miller ’25 and Vivian Kalb ’26  nished through the line together, placing 17th and 18th overall. Soon after, Sienna Collier ’27 and Claire Bramlett ’25 ran in to nish 20th and 21st. In the DIII South Regionals, Gentry nished in 21st place with a time of 22:44.8

Volleyball delivered a strong campaign, advancing to the SAA Championship Semi nals. Yzzi Dsamou ’27 was a force on the court, earning multiple Player of the Week honors and being named First Team All-SAA. Kym Young ’25 also had an outstanding season, earning Second Team All-SAA honors.

Women’s Soccer enjoyed a stellar 12-4-1 season, which included advancing to the SAA Tournament Championship. Taylor eo ledes ’26, Sophia Rall ’26, Mary Gale Godwin ’25, and Megan Propp ’25 were all named to the All-SAA First Team. Esther Lamb ’25, Blair Rice ’26, and Grace Culver ’26 also earned spots on the All-SAA Second Team.

Men’s Cross Country placed fourth overall in the SAA Cross Country Championship with 102 points. Austin Rhea ’25 and Daniel Blaich ’26 led the way for the Lynx, nishing 15th and 16th overall with times of 26:28 and 26:31. Diego Donald ’27 crossed the line soon after in 20th place with a time of 26:49. In the DIII South Regionals, Rhodes’ top nisher, Blaich, nished 37th at 26:31.

Field Hockey nished with a 14-6 record and an unblemished 5-0 mark in conference play to claim the inaugural Collegiate Field Hockey Conference (CFHC) regular season title. eir impressive run culminated in an appearance in the CFHC Tournament Championship. RC Kugler ’25 was named CFHC Defensive Player of the Year, while Catherine Gloudenis ’25 earned CFHC Goalie of the Year. e All-CFHC First Team featured four Rhodes players: Gloudenis, Kugler, Grace Utz ’25, and Elinor West ’25. Izzy Hendricks ’28 and Sam Holke ’27 were named to the AllCFHC Second Team.

Football posted a 3-7 record while playing one of the most demanding schedules in the nation. Brent Barlow ’25 captured Second Team All-SAA honors during the campaign for his remarkable performance as a wide receiver.

THE ACE

From Memphis to China, Zac

Sohosky keeps pitching strikes.

Facing down a batter from his spot on the pitcher’s mound is nothing new for Zac Sohosky ’26. e junior already has two seasons playing for the Rhodes baseball team under his belt, but the circumstances for a recent midSeptember matchup were a bit di erent than normal. Rather than the home comforts of Stau er Field at Irwin Laino Stadium, Sohosky instead took to the mound in a Great Britain jersey and squared up to his opponent at the Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Culture Center in China. On the line: a rst-ever victory for Team Great Britain at the Under-23 Baseball World Cup. No pressure.

Sohosky arrived at Rhodes by way of Bentonville, AR. But the junior business major was actually born in Huntington, England, after his parents had transferred overseas for work. His childhood saw him split time between the United States and England, but no matter where he was, Sohosky usually wasn’t far from a ball and bat.

“I started playing T-ball when I was four or ve in Arkansas,” he says, “but I moved back to England to Harrogate in the third grade, and my dad encouraged me to keep playing.”

While baseball has been America’s pastime for more than a century, the sport is much less prevalent in the United Kingdom. Sohosky had to make the four-hour trek from Harrogate to London every weekend to nd a youth league to participate in. After three years, his family moved back to Arkansas and his baseball career ourished.

nice for pitchers.”

A pitcher, Sohosky has found success as a Lynx. He earned First Team and Second Team All-Conference honors in the Southern Athletic Association as a rst-year and as a sophomore, respectively, and led the team in innings pitched both seasons. During his rst year at Rhodes, he caught an exhibition match between the United States and Great Britain youth teams. at’s when the gears started turning on taking his game to the international stage. “I’m still a citizen, and I thought I might have a shot at qualifying for Team Great Britain, so Coach Cleanthes here at Rhodes was really supportive and helped gather lm for my application, and I guess they liked what they

Great Britain called up Sohosky to compete in the summer U23 European Athletics Championship in 2023, but there were a few adjustments needed for international play. “It’s a bit di erent than how we play here,” he says. “ ey only use wooden bats, the balls are a bit smaller, and each game only has

And while playing for Rhodes means athletes have a whole season to build up chemistry and camaraderie, international tournaments can see teams playing together for the rst time. e crowd environments in the States and overseas, adds Sohosky, couldn’t be more di erent.

“While playing here at Rhodes and away games, the environments are usually pretty respectful, classy,” he says. “But at these tournaments, oh my goodness, everyone is trying to do what they can, with tons of

seven innings, which is

vuvuzelas and air horns blasting constantly. It’s really cool to see all of that, and how di erent countries will style their games and see what approaches work best for them.”

Sohosky had a few nerves in his rst game, where he pitched against the Czech Republic. But after pitching ve strikeouts and giving up zero runs, he never looked back. Great Britain nished the tournament with a silver medal, and that second-place nish meant they

were one of 12 teams from around the globe to qualify for the U23 Baseball World Cup in September 2024, the rst time the team had ever quali ed.

at’s how Sohosky found himself on the mound in Shaoxing, China, last September with a chance to make history. After some tough losses against high-level teams like Japan and Puerto Rico, Great Britain sensed an opportunity against e Netherlands, who had defeated them in the European Championship. “ ey’re a big rival, the only other team from Europe to qualify, so we wanted to prove to them we were the top dogs in Europe,” says Sohosky. “ e whole team was talking, we didn’t come to China just to tell family and friends that we didn’t win a game.”

e Netherlands took an early lead with a home run in the third inning; they wouldn’t score again. Great Britain seized the lead with two runs in the fourth inning and Sohosky got into a rhythm, striking out nine Dutch batters over the course of the game to help secure a 2 - 1 victory.

Back in Memphis, Sohosky’s immediate focus is on the Rhodes Baseball team. “I want to play as well as I can, help the team, and try to help get us into the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.”

Beyond that, the Great Britain senior team is set to participate in the World Baseball Classic in 2026. “I’m just going to keep my head down and keep working hard, and pitching as well as I can,” he says. “It’ll be tough, but my big goal is to make that step up and earn a spot on that roster.”

WELCOMING THE CLASS OF 2028

Anew school year also means a brand-new group of incoming Lynx, with our Class of 2028 arriving from 34 states and 18 di erent countries. ese students boast excellent academic credentials, with 47 percent ranking in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Fifteen served as student body presidents, 58 as club presidents, 68 as sports team captains, and 13 took up the mantle of yearbook or magazine editor.

“Here are some fun facts about your fellow classmates,” said President Jennifer Collins at Opening Convocation. “Many of you have founded nonpro ts, including organizations that focus on youth mental health. You have worked on behalf

of a variety of causes, including food insecurity, criminal justice reform, literacy, homelessness, environmental issues, and Alzheimer’s disease. We have business owners and entrepreneurs—a cookie shop owner, a landscaping business, and an Etsy shop owner, for example. We have a professional ballerina, a synchronized swimmer, a national team diver, and a coach for a Special Olympics swim team.”

Among the top subjects of interest for the entering class are biology, business, psychology, international studies, and computer science. To the Class of 2028: Welcome to Rhodes!

44% of the Class of 2028 are Students of Color

89% had a High School GPA of 3.50 or Greater

34% are Student-Athletes

Move-In Day

Students at Opening Convocation

President Jennifer Collins speaks to students at Opening Convocation.

Class of 2028 at the National Civil Rights Museum Students sign the Rhodes Honor Code.

“We’ve always been focused on making Memphis a better city.”

—Henry Turley

The restructured organization allows students to continue flourishing in the wider Memphis community.

By Samuel X. Cicci ’15

Every so often there’s a lull on campus, with noisy chatter and the rush between classes replaced with the chirps of birdsong and a natural quietude between the Collegiate Gothic buildings. But the reason for that isn’t exams, a holiday break, or even a lazy Sunday afternoon. Chances are that students have ventured beyond the gates to further their academic work in the eld or help a community member in need. And thanks to the revamped Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement, students are continuing to have a huge impact on their city.

e Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement has existed at Rhodes in several iterations over the last decade and acts as a hub for the college’s many community outreach programs. Initially conceived in 2012, what was then known as e Memphis Center aimed to connect students with di erent partner organizations around Memphis. And the Center also caught the eye of two people who had already made an outsized impact on Memphis.

Anyone who has lived or worked in Memphis likely recognizes the names Lynne and Henry Turley. eir ngerprints can be found all over the city, from e orts to improve education to championing neighborhood revitalization. e late Lynne Turley spent more than two decades in the public Memphis-Shelby County Schools system, helped create a template for music education in Memphis with her part in launching the Or Music Program in 1968, hosted children’s programming on WKNO, and was an early champion for social justice in Memphis. Henry Turley founded the Henry Turley Company in 1977, and spent the next several decades revitalizing Downtown Memphis, masterminding a new community in Mud Island’s Harbor Town, and creating a slew of a ordable housing units and a thriving neighborhood in Uptown Memphis. ose are just a few examples that only scratch the surface of their commitment to bettering Memphis.

Keen boosters of the city, the Turleys held conversations with then Rhodes president Dr. William E. (Bill) Troutt to discuss how they could align their goals. “We’ve always been focused on making Memphis a better city,” says Henry Turley. “Bill had approached me about continuing to get the students engaged in the city, and I thought it was a great idea. ere’s so much that can be done to improve Memphis, and the people I saw coming to Rhodes had the youth and energy and ability to engage with it. Investing in this partnership looked like a great opportunity to further our goals.”

“Community service is one of our core values, and the Turley Memphis Center has become an excellent way to organize our mission.”

— Dr. Natalie Person Executive Director of the Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement

With the Turleys’ new involvement, the Center officially became the Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center in 2018.

While COVID-19 put a hold on immediate plans to rethink the Turley Memphis Center, late in fall 2022 President Jennifer Collins coordinated a task force to focus on the college’s community engagement structure. One of the main priorities was for Rhodes to rethink the structure of community engagement across the entire campus.

“One of the recommendations that we gave was that we should centralize our community engagement activity,” says Natalie Person, dean for community engagement and executive director of the Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement. “We had so many students doing academic and volunteer work off campus, we had so many great partner organizations extending a hand to us, and we had even more students looking to find the right off-campus experience for them. So it was about pulling together all of the programs that we had and making sure we were all moving in the same direction.”

The new center brings together 12 different programs and organizations under one umbrella. Person views it as a hub for education, research, and action, acting as an inventory for all the Turley Memphis Center-related work being done on and off campus. “I would say 80 percent of our community engagement is grounded in our academic program,” adds Person, “meaning students doing research, or faculty doing research, tied to our F11 credit.”

Students and alumni will be familiar with the Bonner Scholars Program and the Laurence F. Kinney Program, which focus on scholarship and social service, respectively. But the Turley Memphis Center will promote some of the newer initiatives such as the Research 4 Action Lab. “Faculty and students lend their support to local projects through service contracts,” she says. “We’ve worked with organizations like Innovate Memphis to contribute to Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s Civic Data Hub, a platform that measures public data assets from public health to arts and culture.”

Gathering all of the college’s programs under one umbrella has two immediate benefits. First, it allows students to catalogue all their service hours through the Rhodes Engage platform. Students, faculty, and staff can sign in, log their own hours, and check the Engage dashboard for a rundown of service hours, and where the work took place. “We’re working to get all of our students on the platform,” says Person. “But it allows us to easily measure hours per month, the total service hours since we launched, and other useful information. Our Bonner and Kinney programs have

been using it, but we’re working on getting every organization under the Turley Memphis Center on board, which will let us track all of our engagement data. And one of our end goals is to create—separate from an academic transcript—a co-curricular transcript that students can reference.”

Second, Rhodes faculty and students will have a better grasp of the 260 organizations that have partnered with the college. They encompass a diverse variety of fields, from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to legal nonprofit Just City to the Memphis Zoo. Last year, 150 of said organizations were actively hosting and supervising hundreds of students. While the Turley Memphis Center does not handle academic internships, the partnerships it fosters provide further work opportunities. “If faculty want to craft a course that involves community engagement, we can use our large network to pick the right partner.”

Person’s immediate goal for the Turley Memphis Center is to build on the community work that Rhodes has always excelled at. Continuing to build intentional, high-quality partnerships will improve the college’s offerings both regionally and around the globe. The clearly defined partnership structure will also be a factor in retaining the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, when it is reevaluated in 2026. Rhodes was one of the first institutions to earn the rare designation in 2006, which signifies an elevated commitment

to mutually bene cial community partnerships. “It’s a hard designation to get and a hard designation to keep,” says Person. “But service is one of our core values, and it would be another feather in our cap. We’re required to have an institutional de nition for service in order to apply, and the Turley Memphis Center has become an excellent way that we can organize our mission.”

Community partners also seek to make an impression on campus. For example, in November 2024, Memphis Mayor Paul Young held a town hall for community members to ask questions about the city’s future. He was accompanied by Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis, both of whom had

Center hosted a series of Food, Faith, and Free Election events, helping with voter registration and answering other questions around voting and civic responsibility. Other invitees have included local lmmakers and writers, and there’s plenty more on the horizon.

an open dialogue with students. Beyond that, the Turley Memphis Center brings in plenty of guest lecturers and hosts events of its own. In the runup to the 2024 Presidential Election, the Turley Memphis

“I think it shows that Rhodes students want to engage with the city, and the city wants to engage with Rhodes,” says Turley. “And with the Center’s new direction and Natalie’s vision for it, it’s our hope that students will continue to be able to play a role in this city’s future.”

Turley Memphis Center Programs and Organizations

Ames Plantation Field School - Students conduct archaeological research at the Ames Plantation, gaining a scientific understanding of the biological and geological methods and theories.

Bonner Scholars & Leaders - An innovative and pioneering program for scholarship and community service, the Bonner Scholarship is for entering students who have a passion for service and social justice.

Clarence Day Scholarship - A scholarship program where local students will be expected to participate in campus and community events related to the Day Foundation and Memphis leadership initiatives.

Institute for Race and Social Transformation

An intellectual hub for scholarly activity and curricular development around racial equity, discrimination, and justice in Memphis and the Mid-South.

Laurence F. Kinney Program - A campuswide e ort to engage all students in service and social action in Memphis and the broader community.

Liberal Arts in Prison - A program o ering credit-bearing courses to incarcerated students at the West Tennessee State Penitentiary.

Mike Curb Institute for Music - The Mike Curb Institute for Music uses Rhodes’ strong liberal arts focus as a foundation for music and entertainment-based education that allows graduates to learn not only how to work in the industry, but how to think broadly about the world so they can become the next generation of leaders.

Research 4 Action Lab - The research hub of Rhodes’ community engagement, tasking students and faculty with assisting local civic organizations.

Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies - An eight-week summer program in which students of any major pursue research and creative projects through the regional lens of Memphis and the Mid-South area.

St. Jude Summer Plus - An intensive research experience that pairs students with St. Jude scientists and places them into St. Jude’s laboratories for a period of two summers.

Student Fellowship & Undergraduate Research - Fellowships support co-curricular experiences in which students take intellectual ownership in a faculty-mentored project or experience.

Summer Service Fellows - An intensive eight-week summer experience that challenges students to engage in significant community projects—either those identified by a community organization or something the participating student develops.

Memphis Mayor Paul Young

SOUPER KITCHEN

By

Samuel X. Cicci ’15

The longest-running student-led soup kitchen continues to serve those in need.

Most Tuesday afternoons, ’26 can be seen pushing a large shopping cart through the Cash Saver grocery store in Midtown. Pizza ingredients, potatoes, fruit, pasta, and other snacks might be some of the items added to the pile, but they aren’t for a college cookout. Instead, Oliver spends his Tuesdays preparing and serving food to the hungry and homeless at a soup kitchen in the basement of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Midtown Memphis.

Rhodes rst partnered with St. John’s to run the kitchen in 1988. Almost four decades later it’s still going strong, a testament to the college’s continued commitment to service, and the students that have always embraced that ethos.

e soup kitchen is part of the Laurence F. Kinney program, one of the many campus organizations now under the umbrella of the Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement.

For Oliver, it was a trip to the Involvement Fair as a rst-year that spurred his interest in the kitchen. e program had a vacancy and needed someone to coordinate planning, meal preparation, and gathering volunteers, and he decided that role was the right t. Oliver has been a familiar face at St. John’s since then. “It was really just an opportunity that presented

Malcolm Oliver

Malcolm Oliver ’26, Bion Cashio ’25, St. John’s caretaker Rose

Holmes, Jayln Hodge Shaw ’27, and Suzanne Baxter ’25

itself,” says the junior chemistry major, “and I’ve loved doing it ever since. It’s something that’s just become part of my routine. I’ll plan my class and lab schedule and other activities around the soup kitchen.”

Oliver normally heads to the grocery store around 1:30 p.m. to pick out supplies. A small number of students then typically join Oliver and St. John’s caretaker Rose Holmes after he nishes purchasing groceries. He and the others will slice fruit, baste buns for hamburgers, or do whatever prep work might be required before the afternoon’s meal begins at 4:30 p.m. e team will generally plate about 50 dinners, giving away most of it. Any extras will be handed out before the doors close at 5:30.

Despite the ‘soup’ moniker, Oliver switches up the kitchen’s menu on a regular basis to provide variety. “I don’t eat a lot of soup, so that’s not something that pops into my head when I’m thinking of recipes,” he says. “But after each session, I’ll spend the next week thinking of what we want to include. Other students will pitch in their ideas, and we’ll run with it. Nobody wants to eat the same thing every meal, so we try to provide lots of di erent options.

“Sometimes we’ll aim for a country meal, something like baked barbecue chicken thighs with a green bean salad or corn, maybe some Texas toast,” he continues. “Mashed potatoes are always a big hit, and we’ll usually bake dessert like cookies or brownies.” More involved weeks will see the students bake their own pizzas, while other menu items this year have included spaghetti, tacos, or burritos. “And yes, occasionally we will do soup,” adds Oliver. e soup kitchen carries the weight of decades of alumni e orts and service. Talk

The soup kitchen carries the weight of decades of alumni

e orts and service.

to any alumni working in the nonpro t sector, and chances are they’ll have spent at least a few afternoons at St. John’s. For Oliver, the work is simply an extension of the type of person he’s become at Rhodes.

“It’s a great opportunity to be connected to this long legacy of doing service in Memphis, but you don’t really think about the fact you’re in the longest-running student soup kitchen,” he says. “You just

think about the fact that you get to make food with your friends, and it gets to go to a great cause every week.”

Oliver has his sights set on a job related to chemistry after he graduates, whether that’s pharmaceuticals, water safety, or even becoming a professor. Whatever his path may be, he knows that it will be a position where he can continue to give back. “Something I’ve learned in college is that there are things of high importance and low importance. Now, I really think community service should be higher on my

list than maybe a leisure activity. You see a lot of people who do community service to tick a box, but I think at Rhodes you see people that do it simply because they love community service. At the kitchen, it’s one small way we can help people who are facing a poverty crisis here, and it’s a way to really get closer to our community outside campus.”

Don’t expect Oliver to step down from his position before he picks up his diploma; he plans to oversee the soup kitchen until his time at Rhodes is nished. Once he’s moved on, expect a new student to step up and take the reins, just as others have been doing for decades. “Once you get in the groove, other students hear about it and become interested, and we also see faculty and sta pitching in, too. is is just one small part of so much that’s happening in Memphis, and being at Rhodes is such an opportunity for us to have an impact on some of the issues facing this city.”

Alumni Spotlight

Dr. Maggie Cupit-Link

A cancer diagnosis in college paved the way for Maggie Cupit-Link’s personal journey to a career in pediatric oncology.

By Samuel X. Cicci ’15

PHOTO BY GRACE ROLFES

After her first year at Rhodes, Maggie Cupit-Link ’14, knew she had found the right place for her. Classes for her chemistry major, sisterhood in Chi-Omega sorority, and plenty of new friends had made her first lengthy experience away from her hometown an easy transition. With participation in the St. Jude Summer Plus Program scheduled to begin the following summer, she was well on her way to calling Rhodes her new home. But an unexpected Ewing sarcoma diagnosis meant that she would instead walk through the doors of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a patient. Now a pediatric oncologist/hematologist in St. Louis, Cupit-Link has harnessed one of her worst experiences to become a beacon of light and care for her patients.

“That was such a shock to get that diagnosis,” says Cupit-Link. “After such an incredible first year, to have everything upended like that was really tough.” She was resigned to leaving Memphis for treatment, but Rhodes’ then-president, Dr. William E. (Bill) Troutt, knew she was eligible to be treated at St. Jude and reached out to Bill Evans, CEO of the hospital at the time. Cupit-Link became a patient at St. Jude on what was supposed to be her first day as a student researcher.

Throughout her treatment, she took every opportunity she could to maintain her Rhodes connections. “Whenever I felt well enough, I would visit campus to see friends, professors, and there was so much support,” she says. “I had plenty of friends and even just acquaintances who helped raise money through the St. Jude Marathon. All of that was the most emotional part for me. Rhodes had been the first time in my life where I felt like just being me was more than enough, like I’d found my people.”

That campus support, coupled with what Cupit-Link describes as the really uplifting and positive atmosphere at St. Jude, was critical to getting through her treatment. She also had long talks about her diagnosis and her faith with her grandfather, Dr. Edward Henderson ’61. The two

later penned a book together, Why, God? Suffering Through Cancer into Faith, that helped shape her path to becoming a physician. “I always knew I was going to be a doctor, after a car accident I was in when I was four,” she says. “But this experience really reshaped how I wanted to go about it.

“There were many days I’d be feeling sorry for myself,” she continues. “But I would be distracted by kids in the waiting room who would be sicker than me, and I knew their chances of survival would be low. They were just so positive all the time. I learned there that kids can be really resilient, and playing with them really helped me through the process. That really helped solidify the thought that, if I was going to live through this experience, I was going to want to take care of kids with cancer for my job.”

When she resumed her undergraduate journey, Cupit-Link did get her St. Jude internship after all. And after graduating from Rhodes, she made good on her promise. She earned her medical degree on a merit scholarship at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine in Rochester, MN, and then completed her pediatric residency at Washington University/St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The next several years saw her complete a clinical hematology/oncology fellowship at St. Jude, working alongside some of the same doctors that had saved her life, before relocating to St. Louis with her husband, Drew Link ’14

Now at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, she relishes the opportunity to work with kids who are going through the same experience she did. “It’s a very close-knit community here, and I get to spend most of my time with patients,” she says. “I think my experience as a survivor lets me connect with them and empathize with what they’re going through. My job is to cure cancer. But the other part that’s very important to me is to be with people along their journey through cancer. And if I can’t cure them, I can do something really special for them, and be there for them and help them with pain, and help them have good quality of life, and make special memories with the people they love.”

Along the way, Cupit-Link received welcome news. During the final year of her St. Jude Fellowship, she and Drew welcomed their first child, daughter Lisla Jude Link, in November 2023. “After the effects of chemotherapy, I was resigned to the fact that maybe I could never have kids of my own,” says Cupit-Link. “So it was such a blessing that we had Lisla Jude, who is of course named for St. Jude.”

This past November, they welcomed a son, Houston Allan Link. “It’s a minor medical miracle that I’m able to have two kids,” she says. “And they remind me that I’m so lucky that this job I have is a calling, not just something I do for money. And I’m grateful to be able to do this work and make a difference for others.”

Maggie Cupit-Link ’14, at the St. Jude Summer Plus program

SPARKING SUCCESS

The Rhodes faculty and alumni communities provide engaging mentorship opportunities for students.

For Rhodes professors, instruction doesn’t finish when the students file out the door at the end of class. All over campus, you’ll find them engaged with students who are looking to try something new, flex their academic muscles on side projects, or simply want an extra hobby. From physics to business to medicine, Rhodes faculty and alumni will always have opportunities open for students in Memphis and beyond. Read on for a look at several members of the Lynx community who go above and beyond for students.

SATELLITES, PUMPKINS, AND ENGINEERING

Every October for almost three decades, students, sta , and faculty have eagerly gathered outside the Peyton Nalle Rhodes Tower to await the sound of a satisfying “splat.” It might seem strange to outsiders that the sight of a large orange gourd plummeting to the ground could enrapture so many, but the annual Pumpkin Drop has become a quintessential part of Rhodes College lore. e Halloween spectacle always draws a crowd. But behind the party atmosphere lies a scienti c curiosity. “ ere’s been this physics rumor that triboluminescence (light produced while striking or rubbing two pieces of a special material together) would occur if you freeze a

e Rhodes high-altitude balloon project, with Lynx plushie in tow, captured by GoPro at 96,000 feet

pumpkin and then shatter it,” says professor of physics Dr. Brent Ho meister P’25. “So early on, some students gathered some liquid nitrogen and some pumpkins, and said ‘let’s see what happens.’”

Unfortunately, nobody saw anything. But the prospect of freezing things and dropping them from high places became a time-honored tradition, with the Pumpkin Drop providing a wellattended venue for physics majors to show o some of their other ideas and experiments.

of 14 universities, and the only liberal arts college, to be selected as part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. e project aims to launch a satellite into space to test novel photovoltaic cells based on perovskite technology, and see how they fare in the harsh environment of space. Shepherded by faculty advisors Ho meister, Drs. Ann Viano and Bentley Burnham (physics), and Dr. Phil Kirlin (computer science), Rhodes students have been conducting trailblazing research and will soon reap the rewards: e satellite is set to launch in summer 2025 for a resupply mission to the International Space Station.

“Dr. Charles Robertson ’65 rst approached us about starting this program,” says Ho meister, “and there’s a ton of excitement around this new solar cell technology. ere have been very few attempts to test it so far, so there’s not much data. Our students are working on this really exciting project that has a lot of

e Pumpkin Drop is just one of numerous projects under the umbrella of the campus branch of the Society of Physics Students (SPS), led by faculty advisor Ho meister. Since joining the faculty in 1996, Ho meister has consistently striven to provide both club and individual mentorship for students. “One strong motivation for doing these projects with students is that it’s fun,” he says. “I enjoy doing these projects. en they get to learn as they go, and it’s just a net positive for everyone. inking speci cally in the context of physics, students see that what we work on is more than just a formalism. is is knowledge that they can actually use, can leverage to execute a project, or accomplish certain practical or even impractical goals.”

“One strong motivation for doing these projects with students is that it’s fun . . . and this is knowledge that they can actually use.”

like Rhodes so they could have those close interactions with students through their work,” he says. “ ey’ve always been a vital part of my research process.”

at research is always continuing. As SPS advisor, Ho meister constantly helps coordinate myriad campus and community events. In 2021, he also took on the role of advisor for the All Engineering Club (AEC). On campus, the AEC has worked on some memorable creations, such as a custom t-shirt cannon that President Jennifer Collins red at the Homecoming football game and a re-extinguisherpropelled leaf blower hovercraft.

And some of the e orts that students are involved in could have far-reaching implications. In 2021, Rhodes became one

— Dr. Brent Ho meister P’25

money invested in it, and a lot of big players are watching our progress to see what we nd out.” Students involved in the CubeSat project during their time at Rhodes have also been scouted by satellite companies after graduation. Ho meister cites Ben Wilson ’22 and Olivia Kaufman ’23, who earned jobs at Boeing’s Millenium Space Systems and CesiumAstro, respectively. Whether it’s high-level space research or a simple experiment, Ho meister can’t imagine conducting research without student input. He has directly supervised more than 60 students on research projects involving his specialty, medical ultrasound, and has students credited as coauthors on 25 published articles. “Most faculty here would probably say they came to an institution

Last fall, the club crafted a highaltitude balloon that carried a Lynx plushie equipped with a GoPro up to 96,000 feet. Projects like that have garnered attention from various Memphis organizations, too. “After we posted the balloon project, the Memphis Zoo approached us about building a GoPro enclosure that can withstand getting battered by large animals,” says Ho meister. “ at’s another really fun project with practical applications, and one the students were really eager to do.

“ ere are so many faculty members that are excited about providing mentorship on really exciting projects like that,” he continues. “It’s something that I always talk with prospective students about and reinforce through that process. And it’s really something that Rhodes excels at.”

SPS members Lauren Boughter ’25 and Sam Lippe ’25 prep the pumkins

AEC members Catherine Prabish ’27, Damian Nguyen ’25, and Keith Ho meister ’25 test the hovercraft

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

Dr. Jade Planchon ’05 remembers several of her professors lending a helping hand when she was making her way through undergraduate studies. Now a professor of nance, she strives to provide a supportive foundation of her own. “People did that for me, so when I came back to teach at Rhodes, it just felt natural to have that same support for my students,” says Planchon. “Connecting with students is why I want to come to work every day.”

With a background in investment banking at Morgan Keegan & Co. [now Raymond James Morgan Keegan], Planchon o ers pre-professional advising for students interested in the nance sector. “It can be tricky deciding if you want to immediately start a career or go get your Master’s or a Ph.D,” she says. “I’ve realized the best approach is to just sit and listen to students for a long time before we start unpacking their thoughts and asking questions. And Rhodes does a great job of making sure that, outside of teaching and other commitments, professors have the time to give personalized attention to students who turn to us for guidance and advice.”

During the process, Planchon urges students to keep an open mind about job opportunities. If they’re already interested in a certain eld, they may have preconceptions about what a certain job pathway looks like. “I always remind them

to open as many doors as possible when thinking about next steps. en you can decide which one to walk through, and it might be an opportunity you didn’t even realize was available.”

Planchon also makes use of her extended network when it comes to helping students take that next step. Many of her former

Rhodes. She oversees the Rhodes branch of the Charter Financial Analyst (CFA) Research Challenge, which tasks students to conduct in-depth research and analysis on a publicly traded company and make a recommendation about buying, selling, or holding its stock. e students must then present their nding to a panel of experts.

“We typically have ve students participate,” says Planchon. “ e process starts in the fall semester and culminates in the spring with the presentation. We typically follow the stock for about six months before we begin putting the presentation together.”

e challenge, organized by the MidSouth CFA Society, usually brings in a local company to be judged, and Rhodes competes against other schools. is year’s company is local paper corporation Sylvamo. Recent years have also seen heavy hitters like FedEx, AutoZone, ServiceMaster, and Tyson Foods. “It’s really exciting to work with students on this,” says Planchon. “It gives them real-world experience and is a chance to connect them with high-level executives. It’s also a really hands-on way for them to do the work and see if this is an industry they might want to go into.”

“Connecting with students is why I want to come to work every day.”

It can be daunting getting on stage in front of judges who occupy executive positions at large companies, but Planchon carefully coaches students through the process. “ e judges can ask some pretty tough questions,” she says. “So we make sure students are prepared to overcome these hurdles, to think fast and think critically.” ose skills pay o when it’s time to enter the workforce. And having a few extra connections doesn’t hurt.

—Dr. Jade Planchon ’05

colleagues are willing to lend an ear, and the Rhodes alumni network is always ready to spring into action. “When I’m meeting with a student one-on-one, I’ll say ‘Let’s get on LinkedIn and see who might be able to help.’ So many Rhodes alumni are willing to listen and give their time and expertise if they know a student is searching for opportunities in the workforce.”

Her extended network is a vital component for one of Planchon’s favorite programs at

“When planning out a career path, I always have to stress the importance of networking,” says Planchon. “ at’s a big part of navigating the workforce, and it’s crucial that students understand the networking component and how to approach that.” Cultivating strong connections in undergrad, she adds, is the perfect place to start. “I’ll have students from 10 years ago who I coached through the CFA Challenge stay in touch. ey either o er to judge, or are a resource I can refer to one of my students. And as that circle continues to grow, it just keeps opening more opportunities.”

HEALTH EQUITY SOLUTIONS

Mentorship and the advancement of health equity have always been passions of Dr. Ryan Mire ’93, P’23. So it was perhaps no surprise that, upon the conclusion of his term as president of the American College of Physicians (ACP), the organization decided to honor his e orts through a new and innovative summer internship program. Heading into its fourth round in summer 2025, the Ryan Mire, MD Summer Internship program aims to foster health equity within the eld of internal medicine.

“ is internship was a joint e ort by ACP leadership to invest in our future physicians and our future healthcare leaders as it relates to health equity,” says Mire, who currently practices internal medicine at Heritage Medical Associates in Nashville. “And the goal is to provide an opportunity for students who have a vested interest in health equity to get the support, advice, and career guidance they need for experiences outside of the exam room.”

Most internships, says Mire, will see a premed student follow a physician through his or her medical practice. But this eight-week summer program takes a di erent approach. “It allows the students to consider how to design solutions through the lens of equitable healthcare for all patients in the evolution of science, and also care delivery,” he says. “And so it’s a unique opportunity to give them exposure to other career paths in healthcare that are outside of the exam room. We focus on departments such as advocacy, medical education, publishing, or clinical guidelines, just to name a few.”

When Mire began growing the program in 2022, he thought back to his time at Rhodes and thought it would be great to have a participant from his alma mater go through the program. He reached out to the Rhodes director of health professions advising, Jessica Kelso, and she eventually recommended neuroscience major Julian McMillian ’25 to participate in the summer 2024 cohort.

In a positive twist of fate, both McMillian and Mire call the Nashville area home,

medical institutions, such as Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Christiana Care Health System, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and Deloitte Health Equity Institute.

“ e experience really provided a di erent perspective,” says McMillian. “We dove into the history of medicine as a whole from an underrepresented perspective, whether that was race, gender, or any minority. And it just really a rms that in medicine, everyone is unique. It made me think about how I could change my approach to better serve patients in the future.”

Mire still maintains a strong connection to Rhodes; he is a former member of the board of trustees and celebrated his daughter’s graduation from the Master’s in Accounting program last summer. And he hopes to continue sharing his expertise with the Rhodes community going forward. “It would make my day if we continue to see Rhodes students being represented in the program. I loved my experiences at Rhodes. ose were very formative years for me, so I’ve always wanted to give back. Not just through the annual fund or donations, but with my time.”

“I loved my experiences at Rhodes. Those were very formative years, so I’ve always wanted to give back.”

—Dr. Ryan Mire’93, P’23

a ording the two the opportunity to meet in person ahead of the program. “Dr. Mire actually reached out to me ahead of time to discuss the program and what it would entail,” says McMillian. “We stayed in contact throughout, and he’s been a great resource as I plan for medical school. I know that if I have a question or need advice, he’s happy to answer it.”

Over the summer, interns develop their own unique projects. McMillian studied the changing dynamics of the internal medicine physicians workforce, but also toured the country with the rest of the cohort to visit doctors and high-level executives at various

On a visit to campus in 2019 for an executive alumni board meeting, Mire decided to stroll over to Robertson Hall during a break to see what students had been researching. He struck up a conversation with Candace Hayes ’19, and at the end of the discussion, she asked if she could shadow Mire at his practice in Nashville over the summer. “She spent time at the o ce and then went on to medical school at Temple University in Philadelphia,” says Mire. “We’ve been in touch since the moment I looked at her research poster. I connected her with one of my own personal mentors when she was in Philadelphia, and now she’s starting her internship in family medicine at Rush University in Chicago.

“ at’s the reward of seeing the professional development of students as they work through their own careers,” he adds. “And it’s the gift that just keeps on giving, and they can give it back to someone else.”

Dr. Ryan Mire with his summer 2024 internship cohort, including Julian McMillian ’25 (back row second from right)

Faculty Focus STEPHANIE ELSKY

The new director of the Pearce

Shakespeare

Endowment

provides a fresh perspective on the Bard’s legacy.

During her Rhodes faculty interview, Dr. Stephanie Elsky’s curiosity was piqued when she rst learned of a program wholly dedicated to Shakespeare.

“ ey started talking about the Pearce Shakespeare Endowment and I thought, ‘Oh, this is amazing,’” recalls Elsky. “I couldn’t think of any other liberal arts college that had anything like it.” And when she o cially joined the faculty in 2017, she knew it was something she had to be a part of.

Dr. Iris

e Pearce Shakespeare Endowment is named for Annette Pearce ’42 college to enrich the study of Shakespeare, invite renowned guest lecturers to campus, hold symposiums, and provide related events for the entire community. Created in 2007, the Endowment was led by founding director and professor of English Scott Newstok until earlier this year, when he was named Executive Director of the Spence Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities.

, who left a generous bequest to the Shakespeare, at

language. Her work covers authors like Isabella Whitney, Amelia Lanier, Ann Cli ord, Sir omas More—and, of course, the Bard himself. Her rst book, Custom, Common Law, & the Constitution of Renaissance Literature, takes a deep dive into Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet. “It’s a play we typically think of in terms of interior, psychological depth. But I think it’s doing a lot of interesting and important work thinking about the nature of politics and the people, and the relationship between ruler and subject,” says Elsky. “ at really grows out of my rst book and the way Renaissance writers in England draw on ideas about how English law was thought of as totally customary; that the rules put in place, even if they changed, were how things had always been.

Named the Endowment director in September 2024, Elsky was ready to hit the ground running. “From when I rst started here, Scott was very generous in saying ‘If you want to host an event or invite a speaker, let me know and we’ll work it out,’” she says. “So I invited speakers like Professor Michelle Dowd, head of the Hudson Strode Program of Renaissance Studies at the University of Alabama, and was able to continue my involvement from there.”

Lifelong levels, rules

“And as I was diving into that, I was thinking, where do women t into this? Because this idea of custom and law, it’s very much about who has property and how people own things, and women at that time had a much more di cult relationship to owning property. Could women writers access law as a way to think about their own writing? Or was it just male writers who could really do that? My second book, which I’m currently working on, is focused on women writers and how they use the law to frame their own writing, their own personhood. And there will be sections thinking about Shakespeare and how he’s viewing women as subjects of the law, and how they manipulate the law.”

e Endowment, says Elsky, will remain a vital asset. rough o ering classes at the Meeman Center for Lifelong Learning and working with local theaters, the programming o ers a route for participants to explore di erent ways of thinking about the world, engaging with history, and engaging with themselves. “Shakespeare does all of that in his works,” says Elsky. “He engages us on the emotional, psychological, social, political, and religious levels, and on how we think about gender. We aim to continue this rich community resource that allows for this re ection.”

Elsky’s personal scholarship has focused on the legal and political dimension of Renaissance literature and how that interweaves with the complexity and formal elements of

My just studying something that’s far away,” says Elsky. “It’s something that’s un nished, with a legacy that impacts how we today look at ideas about colonialism, race, education.” at approach feeds into Elsky’s plans for building on the excellent work the Pearce Shakespeare Endowment has been conducting for years. Last fall saw fellow

Elsky’s work in Renaissance literature led her to co-found the Renaissance Project Collective in 2019, bringing together Renaissance scholars from several liberal arts colleges to share their ideas on how they approach teaching. rough lectures and symposiums, the Collective looks at the Renaissance as open-ended, as opposed to a historical event that ended several hundred years ago. “It’s not

“Shakespeare engages us on the emotional, pyschological, social, political, and religious levels, and on how we think about gender.”

Desai (Bard College) and Wendy

lectures on Macbeth, as well as host a pedagogy workshop for Rhodes faculty members. “ e Collective

Director to approach Shakespeare through that lens.”

In March 2025, the Endowment

students and community members can expect to see a varied interdisciplinary approach to all things Shakespeare. “ e ability we have here to expose students to di erent ways of thinking about something that seems really old, but is actually in

visiting artist residency, where he conversation with us in really deep ways, is amazing.”

2024 Distinguished Alumni Awards

By Abigail Morici ’21

Rhodes graduates enter the world with a passion for learning. Prepared to effect change in their communities, they provide leadership and service with integrity. Our Distinguished Alumni Awards honor three alumni who exemplify the values expressed in the Rhodes Vision and/or provide exceptional service to the college, from Memphis, to overseas, and even all the way to outer space.

Distinguished Alumni Award

MaryKay

Loss Carlson ’81

A stroke of bad class lottery luck freshman year led MaryKay Loss Carlson to a globetrotting ambassadorial career.

In the Philippines, Christmas decorations begin to go up on September 1. Holiday jingles start playing on the radio; fiestas and parades commence. Filipinos call these days the “Ber Months”—September, October, November, December—and the celebrations won’t stop until January 6, making it the longest Christmas season in the world.

MaryKay Loss Carlson ’81, the American ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines, was a bit late in participating in the Christmas tradition this year. She had to celebrate Halloween first, but by the first week of November, she was decorating her tree with ornaments—one decorated with her daughter’s handprints, another from Beijing, another from Ukraine—many souvenirs from her service around the world.

Former President Joe Biden nominated Carlson to her current ambassador role in February 2022. Having worked in foreign service for 39 years, this was a natural career progression, Carlson says. “But I have to tell you the truth, sometimes, I’ll walk around the house and I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m the ambassador.’ I still see myself as MaryKay Loss Carlson, that Rhodes College grad, the one who has college friends and family that I still stay in touch with. It is a very humbling responsibility to be the president’s chief representative overseas.”

As she reflects now, Carlson says her career mostly originated from “a stroke of bad luck,” really the bad lottery number she was assigned when selecting her classes as a first-year. “By the time I was able to choose my classes, whatever I wanted, which I don’t even remember now, those were all gone. I ended up taking Politics of Latin America and Lesser Known Plays of Shakespeare,” the ambassador says. “The Lesser Known Plays of Shakespeare did not change my life, but the Politics of Latin America did.”

That class built on her already blossoming interest in the Spanish language, but it added a political context, which made it all the more intriguing. Colonel David H. Likes taught the class; he would prove to be a mentor for Carlson, setting her on the path to double major in Spanish and international studies, even suggesting a career in foreign service. “Growing up in Little Rock, AR, I didn’t know about a career in diplomacy before him,” she says. “My biggest piece of advice: not to be closed to other options because a lot of times you don’t even know what choices are out there.”

Likes connected her to Tom ’64 and Eleanor Geiger ’64, alumni stationed in the foreign service in La Paz, Bolivia. Carlson house-sat for them in Bolivia while they were on leave one summer. “There was a military coup at the time and tanks were rolling up the street and here I am by myself,” she says. “I didn’t have a credit card. I had traveler’s checks. There was no internet. That was my first introduction to life overseas and life in the foreign service.”

Sworn in as a foreign service officer in 1986, Carlson started out as a consular in the Dominican Republic, processing visas. “You’re just working with a constant stream of applicants,” Carlson says. “But you also make a difference in people’s lives when you do consular work, when you’re able to expedite a visa so that someone can go and be with their loved one who was in a car accident, or an American citizen whose spouse died overseas. There’s just so much that we do,” she adds. “But we have no higher priority as state department diplomats than the protection and welfare of U.S. citizens overseas.”

Carlson has since served in China, Ukraine, Mozambique, Kenya, Argentina, and India. In Argentina and India, she served as chargé d’affaires, who essentially acts as the ambassador when the post is vacated. While in Argentina, Carlson says, the embassy, under her leadership as chargé, delivered COVID vaccines to vulnerable populations. “It felt so good as the representative of the United States government because this was as important for the Argentines as it was for everyone else,” she says. “But it was also in the U.S. national security interest. The pandemic, as we heard so many times, knows no borders. That was one of the most meaningful [assignments in my career].

“The other thing has been here in the Philippines,” she continues. That, she says, has been presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to the families of, or in some cases, the Filipinos themselves, who fought with the U.S. against the Japanese as Allies in World War II.

“To go and see these elderly people—literally some of them over 100 years old—get up to receive their medal and often salute, especially as we come up on the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, it is just so meaningful.”

BSA Distinguished Alumni of the Year Darrell Cobbins ’97

From real estate to civic service, Darrell Cobbins ’97 strives to build a better Memphis.

As a young Memphian, Darrell Cobbins ’97 saw many prominent Black leaders as his role models: Maxine Smith, the first African American elected to the Memphis Board of Education and leader of the Memphis NAACP; Jesse Turner, the first Black CPA in Memphis and president of the historically Black Tri-State Bank of Memphis; and Samuel Peace, co-creator of the first middle-income neighborhood for Black professionals and owner of Peace Realty, one of the few Black-owned real estate companies in the 1950s. Out of all his role models, though, Peace is perhaps the most important. He was Cobbins’ grandfather, his “Granddaddy,” and father figure.

Now, Cobbins has followed in Peace’s footsteps, blazing his own path in real estate as the first African American to found a commercial real estate company—Universal Commercial Real Estate, which he named after the historically Black Universal Life Insurance in Memphis. “I always knew I wanted to be a professional from a career standpoint,” he says, “but the people who I admired growing up were always both professionals and had a civic service side to their lives.”

For Cobbins, that has always meant a commitment to his community that went beyond a job. “It’s about giving back opportunities that I’ve been afforded,” he says. “I feel like I’ve received so much that I always have to be in service.”

He thinks back to his memories with his grandfather Peace, who would tell him to read and watch the news, to stay informed, even when he was just 8 or 9. “He’d let [my brother and me] answer the phones in his office. He’d take us to the bank with him to make deposits, and he’d take us with him to show houses,” Cobbins says. “Those kinds of things have been informative in my life.”

In another moment of gratitude, Cobbins thinks back to his mom telling him to go to Rhodes College. “The best choice mama ever made for me,” he says. “I fell in love with the campus, and it felt very much like what I needed, a very nurturing environment.”

Cobbins played football, acted as a resident advisor, was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Black Student Association, and led campus tours for prospective students. He majored in anthropology and sociology.

“The instructor-student relationship felt like I was being poured into and expected to do something with it,” he says. Today, he says, he puts his major to use “being a bridge builder of relationships and

“I always knew I wanted to be a professional from a career standpoint, but the people who I admired growing up were always both professionals and had a civic service side to their lives.”

connections.” And that’s not just in his role as a broker, but in his civic service.

In 2008, Mayor Willie Herenton, the first elected African American mayor of Memphis, appointed him to the five-member board of commissioners of Memphis Light, Gas & Water. “I ultimately became the youngest chairman ever of the board and was chairing the pension fund, which was $1.3 billion,” Cobbins says. “You can’t predict you’ll be doing those kinds of things.”

Cobbins also didn’t predict that he’d be appointed by Governor Bill Haslam in 2017 to represent the 9th Congressional District on the Tennessee State Board of Education. He still holds this position, and it holds a personal mission. “I want to be a great dad to my son Brooks, who’s 15,” he says. “He’s neurodivergent, so I want to be a voice for parents of children with special needs who often get overlooked in those conversations.”

Cobbins has also been serving on boards “for some “20 odd years” all around Memphis, currently serving on the boards for Rhodes College, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, The University of Memphis, Greater Memphis Chamber, Just City, National Civil Rights Museum, and Family Safety Center.

Distinguished Young Alumni of the Year

Kimberly W. Macharia ’18

The final frontier is simply the first step on an ambitious journey to democratize space.

Many kids might stare off into the horizon while daydreaming. But in the case of Kim Macharia ’18, her gaze drifted much higher. Six years on from her Rhodes graduation, she continues to work at making a journey to space accessible for everyone.

Macharia has always combined a feeling of wanderlust with her work. Before arriving in Memphis, the Georgia native deferred her acceptance to Rhodes so she could travel to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on behalf of Operation Restoration, an organization dedicated to uplifting impoverished youth. During her time at Rhodes, the philosophy major combined both local and international arts experiences, pursuing separate internships at the Cannes Film Festival in France and at New Ballet Ensemble & School in Memphis.

After graduating, Macharia’s work began to center much more heavily on space. She joined ConsenSys, a blockchain software technology company, where she became a researcher and organizer for their TruSat team, an open-source, citizen-powered space sustainability system.

From 2021 to 2024, Macharia took on the role of executive director at the Space Prize Foundation, which centers around democratizing and diversifying the space industry by empowering young women to be players in the growing space economy. During that time, she also held the position of board chair at the Space Frontier Foundation, which aims to cultivate equitable human settlement in the space frontier as quickly as possible.

Last year, Macharia branched out to create her own nonprofit, Brave Leap. The organization takes a three-pronged approach to environmental stewardship through the exploration of land, sea, and, of course, space. Throughout her burgeoning career, Macharia’s work has already landed her in front of leaders at the United Nations and the White House, or at a crowded SXSW stage. While astronauts took that first big step for mankind in 1969, Macharia’s work hopes to build a foundation where anyone can take those next steps beyond.

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

Coach Gordon Ellingsworth – Baseball, Football, Women’s Golf

Kurt Wyckoff ’81 – Basketball

Marshall Redmon ’84 – Football

Stephanie Boyd Gehres ’99 – Golf

J.R. Bizzell ’09 – Baseball

Becca Clarin ’10 – Basketball, Soccer

Kelli Zomer ’12 – Softball

1983-1984 Women’s Basketball Team

Coach Sarah Hatgas (individual AHOF inductee in 2014)

Melissa Hayes Baker ’84 (individual AHOF inductee in 1999)

Linda Odom ’84

Ann Webb Betty ’85

Tracey Hill Woodward ’85

Mary Ann Fesmire Emanuel ’86

Michelle Henkel ’86 posthumously

Stephanie Russell ’86

Julie Brown ’87

Trish Barron Dunn ’87

Darlene Jordan ’87

HOMECOMING/REUNION WEEKEND 2024

Rhodes College alumni came in from around the world to celebrate Homecoming/Reunion weekend 2024 the weekend of November 1. The Lynx community was out in force, with alumni swapping stories from their time at Rhodes, visiting classes, offering career advice to current students, or squeezing in just one more game of Whiteball. The class of 1989 partied it up on the roof of Rhodes Tower Observatory, while class years ending in 4 or 9 gathered under tents on the Bill & Carole Troutt Quad to celebrate.

For more Homecoming/ Reunion Weekend 2024 photos, scan the QR code.

Clarence Day Scholars Alumni

Class of 1994, 30th Reunion

Class of 1989, 35th Reunion, on the roof of Peyton Nalle Rhodes Tower

Class of 1984, 40th Reunion

Class of 1974, 50th Reunion, in Hardie Auditorium

Class of 2014, 10th Reunion

Class of 1964, 60th Reunion, in Dorothy C. King Hall

CAJUNFEST 2024

Students, alumni, faculty, staff, and prospective students and their families all gathered at CajunFest on Saturday, Nov. 16, to break bread with friends and family members. The annual feast was complete with jambalaya, red beans and rice, gumbos, and plenty of other mouthwatering Cajun-style dishes. Attendees also cheered on the Lynx football team in their final game of the regular season, against Berry College.

For more CajunFest 2024 photos, scan the QR code.

class notes

Did you graduate prior to 1957 and have news you would love to share? Please send your news to: Tracy V. Patterson ’84, Rhodes College, 2000 N. Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112 or e-mail her at pattersont@rhodes.edu.

If you are not receiving requests for updates from your Class Reporter, please send your e-mail address to alumni@ rhodes.edu. You may also need to add your Class Reporter’s email address to your list of contacts.

Editor’s Note: Some entries hav been edited for length and clarity.

1957

Reporter: Mary Frances Files Silitch silitch@gmail.com

Your class reporter served as a New York Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, an exciting experience! I’m also now on the board of the nonpro t OpenAir Shakespeare, which presents productions in the Botanical Gardens in Lisbon, Portugal. is summer’s play was Macbeth and plans

are to expand productions next year in the United States.

1958

Reporter: John Quinn jhquinnjr@gmail.com

1959

Reporter: Dan Logan danlogan318@gmail.com

1960 65th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend October 25 - 27, 2025

Reporters: Dale P ug (229) 392-1738

Morris Reagan trawickr@aol.com

is is my rst article for Rhodes Magazine. I encourage each of my classmates to send an article to bring all classmates up to date on your family travels, jobs, education, etc. You can contact me as follows: Dale P ug, Maple Court-Room 14 2408 N Tift Ave., Tifton, GA. 31794 229-392-1738

God be with you till we meet again!!

I have countless fond memories of my time at Rhodes. One of the main highlights of my Rhodes career was participating in the Rhodes choir. Gene Botsford, Don Wright, and I thoroughly enjoyed a tour that included New Orleans. Gene, Don, David Glenn, and I singing together as a quartet. I

also enjoyed the many campus activities and Sigma Nu Homecoming displays.

After graduating from Rhodes, I had no idea about my future profession. My degree was in English, so I decided to get an MBA. is, of course, required a year of undergraduate business courses. When I graduated, I was draft-eligible, so I enlisted in the Army Reserves in a hospital unit. My basic training was in Fort Leonard Wood, MO, about 300 miles from my hometown of Joplin, MO. I then nished my six- month required active duty at Fort Riley, Kansas.

I had interesting jobs before enrollment at Memphis State University in Memphis in 1962. Phil Glasglow ’61 was a fellow Sigma Nu and close friend. Sadly, Phil passed away several years ago. He suggested I work for Del Monte Food Co. processing plant in Rochelle, IL.

I interviewed several graduate school reps while at Memphis State. e U. of Florida rep had graduated from Rhodes and o ered me an assistantship to the Dean of the Business Graduate School, so I decided to attend the U. of Florida for my MBA.

Little did I know that a Rhodes friendship would cause my life to be eternally changed. My good Sigma Nu friend, Don Wright, called one day and we decided on a weekend for him to visit and go to the beach. Don asked a friend at the University of Florida to get me a blind date. My date was my future

Mary Frances Files Silitch

wife, the love of my life, Sunny. I went to work for Citizens and Southern National Bank in Atlanta, which later became Bank of America, as a trainee. Sunny worked as a ight attendant for Delta Airlines and was stationed in Atlanta. After dating for three years, Sunny and I were married on April 30, 1966, in Atlanta, so we have been happily married for 58 years. We lived in Atlanta until 1973, when I was asked to move to Tifton, GA, to be president of a bank that eventually became Bank of America. I retired from this bank in 1993 after 33 years with Bank of America.

Some travel highlights with other alumni: Baton Rouge, LA, to visit Tricia and Dr. Ed Henderson ’61, where we enjoyed a tailgate party at the LSU/U of Florida football game. And a Sigma Nu reunion in Nashville, TN (planned by Jim Petersen and highlighted by Allen Reynolds giving us a summary of his distinguished musical career).

1961

Reporter: Harvey Jenkins whjenkinsjr@gmail.com

In February, Johanna and I attended the tenth annual “Jenkins Sibling Reunion” in Venice, FL. Once again, we enjoyed the hospitality of Don and Elaine Holbrook Jenkins ’64 and spending time with our sister Jane and her husband Bill Myers. What’s up with y’all these days?

Ken Barker reports that March 31 was designated “Mack Prichard Day” by Tennesse Governor Bill Lee. Mack Prichard was a major spokesman for environmental issues in Tennessee and the rst Archeologist and later Naturalist of the State of Tennessee. In high school Mack and Ken set up displays at the “Pink Palace,” and later Mack helped with the establishment of the planetarium there. Also, Mack was involved in the early development of Chucalissa, a Native American site in Walls, Mississippi.

Bill Howard shares the following car story. When he took his almost 20-year-old Toyota Camry to be detailed, he was told the car did not need to be detailed – it needed to be restored. e “detailer” o ered to restore the Camry for $30 an hour. He did it in 17 hours, adding a few dollars for parts. Bill comments, “Less than a week later we have a ‘new car,’ and we don’t have to learn a new computer system.”

Buddy Nix tells me that he, Danny Logan ’59, and friends completed their planned cruise up the Mississippi River

from St. Louis to Minneapolis-St. Paul last September. He and his mate Sara Heckle plan to be cruising in July from Norway to London with some wonderful stops. He writes from his home at Trezevant Manor in Memphis, “Life is good!”

1962

Reporter: Diane McCullough Clark granddiva@charter.net

Joe Ajello writes: “I have been a Research Scientist at University of Colorado (CU) at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics for the past 10 years, after completing 44 years at JPL as a Senior Research Scientist. To continue my career at CU for at least the next three years, I applied for and was awarded two $1M research grants in 2024: one each by NSF

Atmospheric GeoSciences Directorate and NASA Cassini Data Analysis Program O ce. e NSF grant is a laboratory program to study electron impact UV uorescence emissions of Earth’s upper atmospheric gases. e NASA grant is to theoretically model the upper atmosphere UV emissions measured by the Cassini spacecraft over the 13-year orbital observation of the moon Titan, which is larger than Earth’s moon and has a dense atmosphere. At the same time, my avocado farm is in San Diego, CA, awaiting the summer crop and is my future hobby, should I retire someday to make the perfect guacamole! Please visit me for a bike ride along the coast.”

We learn that Catherine Liddell Skapura is excited to be welcoming her rst grandchild in mid-September.

Joe weatt reports: “For several years, Marilyn and I have realized that our living

independently is nearing its end and that we probably need to be nearer our son and his family who live in Colorado Springs. Last year we made a deposit on a two-bedroom apartment at e Palisades at Broadmoor Park, only a ve-minute drive from there to our son’s home. When we learned we were next on the list to move in, I decided maybe we should visit and experience life at e Palisades before we, native Tennesseans, sold our home and moved west. In August we spent ve nights at e Palisades, getting to know the residents, enjoying the food, and participating in the activities. While there, the sta learned we were celebrating our 52nd wedding anniversary on August 12 and presented us with an anniversary card and owers.”

Getting rid of possessions one has spent a lifetime acquiring is a constant challenge for senior citizens. Diane McCullough Clark is happy that she didn’t just throw out her box of old art supplies, because among the dried-up paints and hard paintbrushes, she found a bank envelope containing $200 in cash. Her advice is “Look before you toss.” Diane has been busy this fall with several shows at the Traverse City (MI) Old Town Playhouse. She has been the southern dialect coach for the musical “Waitress,” the vocal coach for the play about opera singers, “Lend Me a Soprano,” and the music director (her fourth year) for the Young Company Holiday Cabaret.

Frank Weathersby hopes that all his fellow octogenarians are well enough to get to the polls for the November election. “Let’s not let our aches and pains dull our patriotism.”

We hear from Pete Cornish: “Jane and I are trying to travel as much as possible while our health permits. In September we were at the U.S. Tennis Open in New York(9 of

Joe Ajello and his graduate assistant, Rena Lee

Joe weatt and wife, Marilyn

the last 10 years). In October we are doing a driving trip to Niagara Falls, Montreal, and NYC. We still split the year between Little Rock and Boston.”

Martha Ann Gooch Hogrefe writes: “I join all of you reading this in giving thanks for another year of enjoying life with family and friends. Charles Hogrefe and I are grateful for opportunities to travel and were able to share anksgiving with family in Myrtle Beach, to see the amazing total solar eclipse in April with friends in Texas, and to enjoy the cool mountain air of Colorado in July with our son and his three children. Our health is good, with the occasional challenge that goes along with being 84 years old. May you all have opportunities to do the things that mean the most to you. We cherish our memories of our time at Southwestern and know that those years had a positive impact on who we are today.”

Warren Nance reports from North Carolina that he is alive and kicking and still preaching every Sunday.

John Portwood and his wife Sandy were scheduled to travel with the National World War II Museum to Europe in commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, and they wondered if they would be able to hold up under a vigorous touring schedule. John reports: “Well, we did it all, but only by eating supper early and going to bed early. I can’t remember any relaxation. Surely there was some, but the ‘forced marches’ every day have blotted out the memory. Did we enjoy it?  Of course, we did, as we have the many trips we have taken with the organization. It’s just that we had to work harder than expected to keep up. Here’s a plus. You can lose a lot of weight walking every day.”

From Bill Davidson: “Our classmate Dr. Paul Jackson Jr. has published his memoirs. e book, Amite County, is 89 chapters, vignettes of 2-3 pages each. e rst 22 entries record family activities for a few generations in northern Louisiana based on family lore and a few archival records. e other chapters are neat comparisons of the experiences of Paul and his father, both military physicians, during WWII and the Vietnam con ict. Detailed reconstructions of what they witnessed were possible because Paul’s mother kept two sets of several letters sent home by her son and his father. Also, Sharon and I want Joe Ajello to know we have not forgotten his concluding remark during our class Zoom meeting last year –concerning the importance of “to love and have love returned.” Sadly, my brother Junie (June Davidson ’59), Charlie McCrary ’63, and Mike Cody ’58 all died recently. Also did friend Rev. Jim Lawson, from early days of civil rights and the Wolf River society.”

Dave McAdoo reports: “Lynn and I recently had the privilege of a VIP visitor out here on our little Texas farm/ranch: none other than Rhodes’ own newly minted Director of Corporate Relations/ Senior Gift Planning O cer Tracy Vezina Patterson ’84. We gave her the grand tour to meet all the animals and pet some of them. She even graciously endured all the stories about our life out here in the country. But the highlight of the event was teaching her the basics of operating a tractor and letting her drive it around the pasture. Disclaimer:  She needs a lot more practice before going solo!”

1963

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 1963 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

1964

Reporter: Mary Lou Quinn McMillan maryloumc1@comcast.net

My sincere apologies to the Class of ’64 and all who love reading about us! I totally

goofed and was a “month o ” on our deadline. Charley “saved the day” and kept us from having a blank slate!

Charley Killinger submitted the following account of an honor bestowed on his “dear friend” (and frat bro) Ron “Chip” Hatzenbuehler ’67. e two and their families joyfully spend much time together in Sun Valley, ID, where both have condos: “Ronald Hatzenbuehler ’67 and his wife Linda were recently honored with the President’s Medallion at their Homecoming by the Idaho State University Alumni Association for their distinguished careers. Chip chaired the History Department and served as Associate Dean, earning multiple teaching awards before retiring as Emeritus. Both Chip and Linda have been active in community outreach; Linda served on various health-related boards and councils, while Chip contributed to humanities programs and now serves on the Friends of Idaho Public Television Board. Congratulations, Chip, on a distinguished career.”

Charley has also just received word from his publisher (Bloomsbury) that the second edition of his History of Italy is scheduled for publication in January. Congratulations!

1965 60th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Harvey Caughey hcaughey@hotmail.com

Al Todd writes: “Rhodes meant a great deal to me with outstanding professors and friends. Just to catch up, I practiced radiology in the Nashville area for forty years. Elizabeth and I retired in Durham, NC, to be near our grands. We have two daughters in the area who are physicians, necessitating a lot of chau ering, etc.

Besides family duties, we have traveled the world. e highlight of our travels was to Antarctica. is was beautiful with all the penguins, elephant seals, and other sights. Health is satisfactory for 81 years, but we all have su ered a few maladies.”

From Janie Stone McCrary comes the sad news that her husband Charlie ’63 passed away last August. His obituary may be found in a September email from the alumni o ce. Janie, our thoughts are with you during this di cult transition.

Jim Collier informs us that “two years ago my wife and I moved to Austin, TX, to be close to our daughter and family. I have

Pete Cornish and wife, Jane

been retired from the Presbyterian ministry now for 16 years and served churches in Texas, New Orleans, and northeast Ohio. We are active in a church here in Austin as well as a number of volunteer activities. Life has been really good to me, and I continue to enjoy the love of family and friends.”

Mary McQueen Porter is “thankful to be in good health, still able to walk, swim, read, write, travel, and work (part-time as parish associate at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL)—all with a diminished intensity and at a slower pace. The recent months and years have definitely challenged! I am glad, however, to have completed and self-published two volumes of memoir. The first, A Life Recollected in Prose, contains ancestral history, my memories of grandparents, other family, my early life, and reflections on significant relationships, adult life and eventful choices. The second volume, A Life Recollected in Verse (and Such) is a collection of poetry and short prose pieces I wrote from ages 17 to 71. The primary value has been for me as I’ve attempted to come to peace with my one and only life. Believing that the past doesn’t stay in the past, I hope that my work will also be helpful to others in my family, now and in the years to come.”

After Ted and Peggy Frye Kemp downsized into a retirement community in St. Augustine, FL, “we recently welcomed our 4th great grandchild and the joy of loving babies without the parental responsibility. I still enjoy painting, reading and gardening, but my garden is much smaller now.

“We had great plans to travel, but Covid struck, so we sheltered in place for a few years.” Although they recently made up for it with a trip to Copenhagen, in part to see their large family there, “we find that

journeys through airports are a lot more complicated these days.”

Harvey and Sheila Caughey can corroborate the likelihood of airport snafus following an otherwise glorious cruise through the Aegean Sea last summer.

“We enjoyed the Greek Isles and sites in Ephesus where the Apostle Paul preached but were blown away by the marvelous sites of Istanbul.” Once back home in Huntsville, AL, Harvey moved about with some impediment for two months after foot surgery to straighten his toes, “but we enjoy helping out with grandnieces and our new joint hobby—ukulele strumming.”

1966

Reporter: Sammy Ann Primm Marshall sammyannmarshall@gmail.com

It was good to hear from John Farese who lives in Oxford, MS, and is still practicing law. He has been very busy and writes to tell us a little about the past years. “Our primary office is still in Ashland, MS. I assume, since we all drank from the same water source, that there was something in the water that caused most of the Fareses to become

attorneys. We have eight family members who are currently practicing law, and have 11 grandchildren. Needless to say, my wife, Cindy, and I are constantly going to all kinds of different sporting events and school events in which our grands are engaged.

My wife and I like to travel when time permits. European trips to England, France (three times), Italy, Greece and Croatia. Numerous scuba diving and sailing trips throughout the Caribbean and Hawaii. A wonderful sailing trip in the south Pacific;

cruise to Alaska with separate trips to several areas. One trip we took all our family members to a private resort in Jamaica.”

Isabell Van Merlin has moved to California to be near her daughter and her family. She is still connected to events in Maine, however. She has another sculpture in the Maudslay Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit in the State Park in Newburyport, MA, “Connecting Heaven and Earth” dancing in the wind. The theme of the show is THREAD. She recently started teaching her second Tell Your Story creative writing class at Sonoma Community Center.

Bob Wild also is staying busy and active. He wrote about both the present and fond memories of the past. Bob wrote … “Just before Vern McCarty died in the fall of 2023 he wrote to me. He said, “Rhodes was my introduction to the civilized world and it has been with me every day since I first arrived at the college.” I, too, am thankful every day for all that Rhodes did for me. Dr. Rhodes personally communicated with the President of the University of Virginia and also the Dean of the Medical School on my behalf. So much in my life was affected by my opportunity to attend Rhodes. Isn’t it marvelous that two roommates were so wonderfully affected by the nurturance of little Southwestern at Memphis.

Now that I have joined the 80 and over club, I have qualified for a free season pass at Alta Ski Resort in Utah. I hope to keep skiing for years to come.  Skiing with two of my granddaughters and their dads helps to keep me in better physical shape.”

It is always good to hear from Joyce Malone Wilding who writes, “My volunteer work is still with United Religion Initiatives(URI). Seems now more than ever URI is needed in many countries in the world as religious groups fight for more than their share of food, water, and housing as promoting their religion as the best and only viable religion in the world. My third order TSSF Franciscan and Society of Ordained Scientists membership and affiliation guide my prayers and volunteer work. Daily I pray let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me!”

Tina Alston recently moved from Nashville and writes that she is “proud to be a resident of Old Greenbelt, MD, a planned community started by the Roosevelts 90 years ago. My dog Jimmy Wayne and I walk about four miles daily to our little lake and

Peggy Frye Kemp and husband, Ted

Sheila and Harvey Caughey in Istanbul.

John Farese and family

to the Roosevelt Plaza (town center). I’m just .5 mile from the Center—bank, hair salon, cafe, restaurant and a vintage movie theater. Very nearby my son Darian Boggs and his family live. Nearly every month I get to visit with Martha Overholser Whitney in Virginia (40-min drive). This is what I’ve always wanted to do—replicating the community I experienced at Rhodes.”

I have made an effort to visit with family and friends over the past months and recently had lunch with Larrie Del Martin when I was in Nashville. She moved to Nashville a couple of years ago to be near her daughter and her family. It was great to catch up with each other. I also visited with Olivia Deloach Zahler when I was in Asheville this summer. Being in Memphis has its advantages for seeing people who live here and also to visit with classmates who stop by when in town. We would love to hear from other classmates who have connected with Rhodes friends so consider telling us about your times together.

— Sammy Ann Primm Marshall

and Wendlandt

Holly Springs, MS, artist Randy Hayes ’66 and Wendlandt Hasselle ’74 recently enjoyed a reception held at David Lusk ’87 Gallery in Memphis.

1967

Reporter: Eleanor Jackson Howe eleanorhowe@icloud.com

Having enjoyed living in Chapel Hill, NC, the past 33 years, I always delight in talking with others who love my adopted home. Pam Richardson Hays writes that she and her husband Al have “lots of good memories from the four years” they lived in Chapel Hill while studying at UNC – Pam for her MA in English and Al for a PhD in political science. After six years in Richmond, VA, and Pam’s second master’s degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University, they moved to Cedar Falls, IA. Al took a job at the University of Northern Iowa, and Pam

directed nonprofits, where her main focus was racism, sexism, sex abuse, child abuse, and poverty. “We’ve been here 45 years and love it. Both of us have been very involved in various volunteer social justice efforts and are active in our Unitarian Universalist community and very grateful to be a part of it,” she reports. In 2010, Al had a Fulbright grant that took them to Belfast, Ireland, for six months; they have also traveled “quite a bit,” especially enjoying trips with Road Scholar. “Al and I have been married for 55 years, and it has been a glorious trip. We’re both in pretty good health right now, and we have two wonderful sons, one fabulous daughter-in-law, and two mischievous granddaughters; they are all the light of our lives. Unfortunately, they live on the coasts – both coasts. However, visiting them makes for great vacations.”

Gus Breytspraak reports from Prairie Village, KS, that he and Linda continue to stay busy in retirement. Linda is active in her university’s retirees’ association, of which she was recently president. She also rings bells, sings in choirs, and volunteers at Village Presbyterian Church’s Food Pantry. Gus sorts donated groceries there, teaches adult classes, and works on various committees. He stays active in The Polanyi Society and coordinates a Zoom study group focusing on the life and work of Michael Polanyi. This has put him back in touch with Larry Churchill and several close friends from graduate school days. Gus and Linda’s two granddaughters live seven houses away from them; their two grandsons are in Denver. Gus says frequent family reunions are lively affairs as the four cousins are about the same age and great friends. This past Labor Day, Gus and Linda returned to the Mid-South for a celebration of life for his sister, Elizabeth “Betsy” Breytspraak Awsumb ’63, who died Christmas Eve 2023 in Rome, GA, and her oldest daughter, who died in California in February 2024. Thirty-three members of the family from all across the country gathered near his youngest sister’s home on Pickwick Lake at the corner of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. On the way to that gathering they spent an evening with Ed McColgan and Catherine Caldwell in Little Rock and on their return with Kris Pruitt and Charley Durham in Murfreesboro, TN. Beth Pevsner Polanka writes that she and Jim made it to Brevard, NC, last April, where they stayed at the Davidson River Campground. “I fly fished (with a guide) for the first time in my life! It was great

fun. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we hope to return this Spring, probably in May.” While camping at Brevard, Jim had an “incident” that led to a stent in May, after they returned to Oxford, OH. “We feel ever so lucky for the warning. He spent 36 hours in the hospital in Brevard and had caring, competent care.” Both are doing well now and were planning an October 2024 camper journey to Northern Michigan to see the Fall color. “It should be beautiful. Of course, we shall vote early before leaving town. I remember 1964 as a contentious time politically, but not as contentious as 2024. I am thrilled to have a Black, South Asian Woman running for President!”

The highlight of Annette Anderson Bowen’s summer was a trip to a family reunion in Red Wing, MN. “My grandson, Anderson, 23, went along to help me with the long drive from my home in Webster, TX, on the Gulf Coast. My husband Jim always planned our trips, so this was my first attempt since he died in 2019 to plan a long trip with activities that would be fun for my grandson and for me. We visited the remarkable Joplin History and

Mineral Museum in Missouri, rode the Boone Scenic Railway in Iowa and explored Maquoketa Caves State Park in Iowa, took a Mississippi River tour aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat at Hannibal, MO, and enjoyed a night ghost tour at Pythian Castle in Springfield, MO. Of course, the reunion involved mostly visiting with my cousins and eating! When I asked Andy what he enjoyed most, he surprised me by saying, ‘The Mineral Museum was hard

Randy Hayes

Hasselle

Annette Anderson Bowen and grandson Andy boarding the “Mark Twain”

to beat.’ He said I was a ‘cool grandma,’ the ultimate compliment! While we were gone, Hurricane Beryl visited. Another grandson, Monty, was dog-sitting at my house. He and my dog were ne. My dog spent the hurricane hiding under my bed. My house was without power for only a few hours, a bene t of living near several hospitals.” Annette moved to Webster in 1968 to work on the Apollo program at the Johnson Space Center. “Jim started to work for the same contractor one week before I arrived. He had served in the Air Force after college. We were in the same o ce, and we married in 1970. He took early retirement, and as soon as I could join him, we began traveling in our motorhome. We had 20 years of wonderful trips across this beautiful country.”

is past summer, Susan and Doug Post enjoyed a river cruise on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in Oregon and Washington and were planning to gather in New Orleans in December with their children and grandchildren, who live in Berkeley and Boston. “ is past year I nished my textbook on developing and using virtual prototyping software to design and test physical systems. I also nished reading a very good book, e Second World War, by Antony Beevor. I had read e Rise and Fall of the ird Reich many years ago. Beevor gives a graphic description of Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Hirohito, etc., and it seemed appropriate this year to learn more about narcissistic politicians. It’s amazing the pain and su ering these politicians can cause.”

Sam Highsmith writes that he and Beth moved to Presbyterian Village, a continuing care retirement community in Little Rock, three years ago. “It’s been an adjustment for us, but we’ve done fairly well. We’re still active and go out about once every quarter with a dinner group of old friends; occasionally we go to someone’s home. And we now have two cats instead of two dogs. Our French poodle Gracie was 16 when she died, and we decided we didn’t want another dog.” Sam says he also had to downsize his accumulation of prized vintage and modern fountain pens, from about 600 to six, and his 60 bottles of ink to four. “My father’s best friend gave me a good pen set when I graduated from law school. After I had my grandfather’s pen from the 1930s restored, I became really interested in old pens.” He and Beth went to six or eight pen shows a year, all around the country, from Chicago to Houston, New York to San Francisco. “I

made a lot of friends, but now we just go to the Little Rock show once a year.” Recalling Don Hollingsworth’s recent passing, Sam said, “Don and I did really well up until Covid. en when Covid hit, everything fell apart. Before that, we played poker monthly, the only two Southwestern grads in the group. We had a good time with that. He was a superlative poker player. He often cleaned the rest of us out.” Don’s memorial service on June 26 at Little Rock’s Second Presbyterian Church was “very meaningful and the congregation was huge.” Sam has three children: son Cameron is an ordained Presbyterian minister and a chaplain with Tyson Foods, daughter Kathleen is a registered nurse at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and daughter Sheena is a dental hygienist.

1968

Reporter: Drue om White drueboo@aol.com

Dorothy J. Pounders has been named a 2024 Pillar of Excellence by the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. She holds a Juris Doctor degree awarded in 1981.

In 1991, Pounders was appointed by the Governor of Tennessee as the rst woman to serve as Tennessee Commissioner to the National Conference on Uniform Laws. In that role, she served on a drafting committee for the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, which all fty states have adopted. Pounders has been elected as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, again the rst woman in Tennessee to be awarded a fellowship in this highly prestigious national organization.

She was elected in 1999 as president of the Memphis Bar Association, the rst woman to serve in that capacity. Pounders was also the rst female attorney to receive the Jerome Turner Lawyer’s Lawyer Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Memphis Bar Association. She later served as the President of the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Foundation.

In 2006, she was honored as a University of Memphis Distinguished Alumna. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the Cecil Humphreys School of Law. Pounders is married to award-winning Memphis architect, Louis R. Pounders, FAIA.

David Lehmann writes: “Ken and I have an exciting nine months coming up. We

have two college graduations and a wedding between now and June. All three family members are children of Rhodes graduates. Needless to say, we are proud great uncles.

On a more personal note we continue to enjoy travel. We spent a month in May/ June in Greece. e month of September we were in Venice. If any of our classmates haven’t visited this special city we strongly encourage you not to miss it.”

From Barb Borleske: “ e photo above is of me with a friend who entered one of my hybrid plants at the Gesneriad Society Convention show in St. Louis in July. e plant, Primulina ‘Minnie Pearl’ received recognition as the best new cultivar registered within the past 5 years.

I love to grow Gesneriads, hybridize them, exhibit them in shows, and judge shows in the U.S. and Canada.

Steve and I are still enjoying travel, but I don’t like to be away from my “green children” for too long. We recently returned from a trip to Nova Scotia, ying to Halifax from Philadelphia and renting a car there. We drove all over the province and had a wonderful time. Highly recommended for older folks; very easy and the $$$$ exchange rate is quite favorable!”

1969

Reporter: LouAnne Crawford Cooper louanne@me.com

e Class of ’69 was one of the best and most interesting things in my world right from that start almost 60 years ago.

Barb Borleske

And, apparently, you’ve spent all this time becoming even more so! Thanks so much to all of you who took a moment to share!

Marcia Roberts Cecil enjoys that we “are doing a great job with our class notes. It was fun to hear Lee James’ shoutout in the last Class Notes. I get to Whidbey Island once or twice a year and it would be fun to meet up. We’ve had a busy year with trips here and there. One of the most fun was to New Orleans to see Mary MacLaurin Arnold and Wayne Rickoll. We look forward to seeing them again soon. Meantime, my husband Bill and I are going to Alaska on a National Geographic Lindblad Expedition, leaving next week and return September 25. This is a small ship cruise exploring national parks and forests and cultural sites. I continue to paint and have had work in a few shows this year. This is a painting I started at a workshop in France which was accepted in a juried show in Seattle.”

Linda Emigh Warren and her husband Rev. Dr. William Warren celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary at the Coastal Restaurant in Shelby Farms, Memphis. In the booth next to them was a former music student of Linda’s who is now with the City of Memphis as city planner. Linda is always pleased to see former students

who have done well in their adult lives. (And it’s always amazing to Linda that she is still recognizable!). Linda and William enjoy getting to occasionally entertain two wonderful grandsons, Luke, age 6 (soon to be 7) and Ben, age 2!

Jim Newport celebrates: “We just missed another tropical storm. Thank heavens.” And he shares: “my comments, some without nouns and verbs. Spent 32 years

writing credit analyses and pitch decks using short phrases. My wife, Julie, and I live in Albany, GA. Albany is located in the other Georgia (ex Atlanta Metro). Hot, hot summers and abundance of peanuts, pecans and gnats. I’m a retired banker, and she is a retired college professor. 55 years since graduation has passed too fast. U. S. Army - personnel specialist. Service in South Korea and Memphis. Emory University MBA on GI Bill and Fellowship. Met my wife at Emory. International and Corporate Banking career. SVP at Bank of America and Regions with years of focus on Agribusiness, especially peanuts and pecans. Advisor to USDA and CCC on peanut industry. Board member National Peanut Council, American Peanut Shellers, and Georgia Agribusiness Council. Moniker - Mr. Peanut. Retirement - consultant to former customers and CFO of pecan company for several years. Manager of family farms. Memories - Dr. Harmon, Dr. Kinney, Dr. Anderson. My roommate, Bruce Lindsey. Working on Senator Fulbright’s 1968 campaign. Now, just to make it to 60 years.”

Bill Hulett sends “Kudos to Class Notes for allowing me to reconnect with old frat brother in Kappa Sigma, Mickey Brigance and his lovely wife, Patty. After my days at SAM earning a chemistry degree and later earning a M.D. degree, I have recently graduated from Mississippi State University with a B.A. in Liberal Arts. The

enclosed picture is my last day of school picture. My wife of some 52 years, Karen, and I are enjoying our retirement years, spending much time at MSU watching someone else’s kids playing sports from a skybox where the motto is “it never rains in the ‘box!” And, because I mentioned Antrim County and “Up North Michigan” he added: “We visited Traverse City many years ago on Vermont Biking Tour escapade. Beautiful country.”

We get “greetings from Jo and Joe Clift. We’ve lived in Memphis since the early 80s and have been enjoying our retirement for several years. Jo retired from St. Mary’s School, and I finished up about 30 years in the medical device industry. Jo is pursuing

her interest in photography, and I teach workshops at The Metal Museum here in Memphis and at a crafts school in North Carolina. We both enjoy cooking (I’m a fairly competent assistant) and we love traveling. We’ve been to The Galapagos Islands twice and made two trips to Africa. Our favorite cities are New York and Paris and we’re returning to Paris next April. We keep in touch with David Lehmann ’68 and with Ken and Cathy Awsumb. I see my dear friend George Elder and Suzanne when I travel through Monteagle, TN.

Brad and Susan Hoefer Foster are glad to contribute: “Susan and I had a really nice visit with Courtland Mobley Lewis and Rich earlier this summer as they were heading to British Columbia to see their son, Drew Lewis ’97, and it was good to get the time together! We’ve stayed pretty close to our home in Montana with just a few trips to other spots in Montana this summer. We’ve traveled nicely in earlier years and will do more, but Montana has a short gardening season, so summer is pretty much right here in the Gallatin Valley. Family time at Cumberland Island, GA, was in mid-March with our children and grandboys; that is always special, and we’ll be back in Memphis for Christmas. Other than that, right now we’re awfully comfortable in God’s time zone out here in Montana! We always enjoy being with Barbara and Ken Stanley when we go to Cumberland. They’re in Fernandina Beach, FL, and are wonderful to spend time with in a beautiful location! Y’all take care! Regards.”

Margaret Cogswell has been exhibiting her work in Japan. “This is my project in Ichinomiya, Japan, at mhProjects

Linda and Rev. Dr. William Warren

Jo and Joe Clift

in Nokogirini. The exhibition opened August 24. It closed October 27. I will be returning to Japan for the closing events which include giving another presentation on my work in Japanese. It’s also been exciting to have coverage from two Japanese newspapers, local TV, and eventually an interview later this fall with the Yale university radio in Japan. So, it’s been quite exciting!!

Also here is a photo is of me giving a presentation at the exhibition opening event in my mother’s yukata—and in Japanese (since I grew up bilingual essentially). All best.”

My Antrim County reference also inspired another comment: “We RVed to Manistique last April to visit family there. I see that we were attempting to see your shore. And, yes, I am a bit of a political junkie . . . Best, Lee James (Whidbey Island, WA)

Bill and Stephanie Norowski Harris report: “Last year our grandson, Logan Rayburn ’23, graduated from Rhodes. I happened to find an old sketch book of mine from art class I attended in 1962 at age 15. In the sketchbook was a drawing of then Burrow Library. So, in Logan’s honor I had the sketch printed on canvas and

painted it as a gift to him. That’s 61 years to complete one modest painting, 19622023! It only took Michelangelo a total of 33 years to complete his masterpieces at the Sistine Chapel! We are a proud threegeneration Rhodes family! Both Stephanie and I are alumni (’69) as well as our son and daughter-in-law Monroe Rayburn ’91 and Carlyn Merz Rayburn ’93 and their son Logan Rayburn ’23!”

Becky Wynn Weiler and her husband, Rick “have moved back to Dallas. Although we loved living in Durango, we decided that taking care of our house and continuing to travel was just too much! We’re now living at The Tradition at Prestonwood which is a Senior living facility. It’s back in our old neighborhood (where we lived for 35 years) and we really love it. Feels like we’re “home” again!! We have our 55th Reunion on our calendar for November and are looking forward to seeing lots of you there! It’s wonderful to hear how so many of our friends are doing. Hope to see you in Memphis!!”

Martha Schulz Thomas Laurie is turning a big life challenge into positive life changes and some thoughts for all of us: “Here goes: I was diagnosed with very early Parkinson’s disease (no need for meds) and just had my first six-month check-up. Great news: no progression of my symptoms, and great improvement of my balance problems. I have been going to Rock Steady Boxing for Parkinson’s. Here’s what I have learned: Parkinson’s disease is the most rapidly increasing degenerative brain disease. 80% of Parkinson’s patients develop dementia. Drugs are available to treat the symptoms, but no drug has been shown to stop the progression of the disease. Exercise has long been known to help with symptoms, but there is really good news: A study from Yale published in February 2024 indicates that “High-intensity Exercise May Reverse Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease.”

Evan Morris, Ph.D. a principal investigator, said, “This is the first time imaging has been used to confirm that the biology of the brain in those suffering with Parkinson’s disease is changed by intense exercise.” Three times a week you will find me with a wonderful group of senior citizens, all dripping with sweat from the intense exercise. A suggestion for my classmates: if intense exercise can reverse neurodegeneration, then (logically) it ought to also prevent it.” Thanks, Martha. John Walters shares a couple of pictures with us. “Me at our Kappa Sigma house,

which is now, thankfully, completely remodeled after all these years, and Yen and me at Southwestern Hall!”

From Linda Gill Rutherford: “This past May, Robert ’68 and I celebrated our wedding anniversary by taking a little trip to Memphis. We started with a wonderful golf cart tour of the campus including everything new over the last few years. The grounds were absolutely beautiful and the new buildings as well. It was great to see all of the wonderful additions! We stayed downtown where we enjoyed views of the mighty Mississippi as well as some fine eating at Flight, McEwen’s, and The Brass Door. We also visited the STAX museum which was quite interesting.”

Laurie Stanton Elliott “retired from Hutchison School four years ago and soon met John Elliott. We married and are both very involved in our church. We love traveling to see family from Minneapolis to New Hope, PA.”

And Peggy Fritsch Woolley shares: “I have been busy emptying most of my house of four generations’ accumulation of stuff. This is so that my daughter, son-in-law, and 10-year-old grandson can move in with me next summer. Fortunately, I don’t need care yet, but why not make the move now, which will benefit us all. I am also on the leadership team taking a group from the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky on a

John and Laurie Stanton Elliott

pilgrimage to Montgomery and Selma, AL, to visit and immerse ourselves in the ongoing Civil Rights Movement.”

1970 55th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Ron Eades reades@juno.com

Jim Brinson: “For the past 21 years, I have been on the music facility at Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, PA. Please take a look at mercersburg.edu. I have been a choral director, chapel music director, and faculty advisor for students each year. As I get older, I am cutting back a little but continue to enjoy my teaching. A highlight of my life is playing the 50-bell carillon. I invite you to look it up by searching for Mercersburg Academy Carillon.”

Bill Lyons is serving as associate director of the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This follows a long career as professor of political science at UT, then Chief Policy Officer for four Knoxville Mayors, and Deputy to Mayor Madeline Rogero. For the past few years, he has written a column that regularly appears in the Knoxville News Sentinel, Nashville Tennessean, and the Commercial Appeal.

C.W. Stacks writes that except for a pandemic year, for the past 14 years Bruce Parker, David Lloyd ’71, C.W. Stacks, and five of their K-12 classmates from their hometown of Davidson, NC, have spent four days together at Bruce’s mountain home near Mt. Mitchell in the NC mountains.

Bruce Parker, David Lloyd, and C.W. Stacks

Bruce lives in Charlotte, NC, where he founded Parker Medical Associates. He invented and patented a variety of items, including fiberglass casts, soccer shin guards, and the elbow guards that baseball players wear. He served as a Rhodes trustee for a number of years.

David is a retired attorney who lives in

Greensboro, NC. He currently serves on the Board of the John Templeton Foundation, which has a $3.4 billion endowment and as of 2023 had given away $2.28 billion to organizations in 58 countries.

C.W. retired to Williamsburg, VA, after a 44-year career as a high school teacher and coach in private schools in six states (his wife had careers as a Presbyterian minister, partner in a large law firm, and again as a pastor). C.W. taught AP Chemistry and AP Physics and for 25 years served as science department chair, senior class advisor, and service program coordinator. Over his career, C.W. coached 97 teams – tennis, basketball, and cross country. The tennis team he coached in 1977 won the National Interscholastic Championship.

John Purvis retired from pediatric orthopaedic surgery practice a couple of years ago. He and Gayla recently celebrated 51 years of marriage although she wouldn’t pose with him for this photo during a recent hiking trip in the Cotswolds. “Those Brits in Oxford, England were quite impressed by the real Rhodes College shirt!”

“Bill Maguire here. I am happily retired, and contentedly engaged as a grandpa and gardener. Married to a wonderful lady, and we have a daughter, two grandsons, and a yard wolf. Life is good!”

1971

Reporter: Jim Mulroy mulroyj@me.com

From Jim Mulroy: Thanks everyone for contributing on such short notice. I edited entries a bit to compress the overall length. If for some reason you are not in this edition, it is likely because the e-mail got jumbled in group replies but please send me your input again and it will appear in the next edition. Send input to me directly at mulroyj@me.com and not in response to any group email I might send. This has been fun for me after I got through most of the technical problems. I even have a great resource for our next family trip! There were several people who we did not have good emails for; if you know of such an omission

please send a good email address for our list. We have had two classmates recently recognized by this publication. Note that our classmate Bill Short is our last link to the present-day staff at Rhodes. He has worked for Rhodes for fifty years! Hope everyone is well. Look forward to more updates.

Jim Anderson: “Susan and I will mark our 50th anniversary this November 30th.  We celebrated early (we are optimists) by taking trips this summer to South Africa and Alaska. Our older son, Geoffrey, is an attending trauma and critical care surgeon at The Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Our younger son, Russell, is an account manager with Choice Hotels.  He and his wife Maria have two children – Logan (9) and Parker (7). They live in Charlotte, NC. I retired from the CIA Senior Intelligence Service in 2005 after 27 years, which included five overseas assignments in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Since one doesn’t grow wealthy – in monetary terms – from government service, I started my own company and spent the next eleven years conducting leadership training seminars for government and private sector management teams. When we married, Susan was working as a medical technologist. Over the years of our travels around the world, she has reinvented herself professionally several times, including a few years with the CIA. Along the way, she finished an MPH at Johns Hopkins and had a rewarding second career in the environmental health field. We continue to live in the Virginia suburbs outside Washington, DC. We both are active in our open and affirming United Methodist Church. Susan teaches ESL and participates in several outreach ministries. I lead or co-lead several small study groups. I’ve combined my love of history (my major along with English) and overseas experiences to lead multiple church pilgrimage groups to Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Greece and England (John Wesley). I also continue to teach Civil War and American Frontier History courses and lead field trips at the George Mason University Osher Institute.”

Ron and Carmen Webb Anderson: “Ronnie and I are still living in Germantown. He hasn’t retired from the aircraft business but is considering cutting back a bit. His love of airplanes keeps him interested in the business too much to quit! He also loves bikes and has been an avid cyclist for about 30 years, riding in

numerous organized rides, including several two-day 150-milers, many countries, and an 80-mile ride that goes from 8,000 feet to almost 12,000 feet, called the Copper Triangle,14 times. Colorado has become our happy place, and we spend three weeks each summer in Keystone. I also bike but it’s on a spin bike, plus I enjoy walking. I stay busy with various church endeavors as a deacon, committee chair, and I work the month of October on our annual Pumpkin Patch. I’m in two women’s groups who meet monthly. Ronnie and I remain avid readers, have enjoyed traveling all over the world and taking photographs. We have one daughter here (a Rhodes grad of ’97), who lives with her husband and two of our grands. Our other daughter lives in Marietta, GA, with her husband and two more grands.”

Leigh Brasington: Hi ’71ers! First off, many thanks, Jim, for becoming our class reporter! Jim’s email arrived just as I was preparing to leave for a 3-week silent retreat. It’s been great to read all y’all’s responses since I’ve returned.

I got married right as we graduated. We stayed in Memphis for another three years. I got a job, first as a computer operator, and then began a 35+ year career as a computer programmer. We moved to San Francisco in 1974 – partially for a change of scenery as well as for her to go to law school. We got divorced a year later.

I quit my programmer job in 1978 and at the end of the year embarked on a 3-year solo trip around the world. When I left, I told friends I was looking for adventure and education. When I got back to S.F. I told ‘em I had found education and adventure. Computers had changed immensely while I was gone. Before I left it was all mainframes and punched cards; when I returned it was personal computers. I liked the change! In 1985 I went on my first silent meditation retreat, yet another life changing event. In 1988, I traveled for another whole year, this time to Australia, S.E. Asia, China and Tibet.

In 1990 I reconnected with my first meditation teacher, the Ven. Ayya Khema, who taught me the Jhãnas – the meditative absorptions. In 1992, I started studying also with a Tibetan teacher, Tsoknyi Rinpoche. In 1995, I began helping Rinpoche with his multi-year Tibetan text preservation project by writing a Tibetan dictionary computer program. (No, I don’t know Tibetan – I worked with a translator.)

In 1996, Ayya Khema taught what would turn out to be her last retreat in the US before she died. She had been urging me to teach Jhãna retreats and training me to do so. At that retreat I said, ‘If someone will organize a retreat, I’ll teach it.’ And one of her students did, so I taught it in early 1997 and it went well. Since then I have taught over 160 long retreats (10 days, 2 weeks, 1 month) plus numerous one-day and weekend classes on various Buddhist subjects.

When I returned to the S.F. Bay Area in 1999, my computer job was half of my time, and I taught meditation retreats the other half time. Near the end of 2008, I retired from playing with computers for money and spent 20 of the next 37 months on silent retreats. And for the following five years, I was on the road teaching retreats, attending retreats, visiting friends all over the US and Europe, and visiting the National Parks. During that time, I wrote a book on the Jhãnas, Right Concentration I returned to the Bay Area in late 2016 and settled in Oakland. I’m living with Minia, a wonderful woman I met back in 1999. I go hiking three or so times a week, often in one of the many redwood forests here in the Bay Area. I continue to teach retreats – mostly on Zoom since 2020. I’ve written two more books on Buddhist topics and am working on another one. I self-published these later books so I can give them away for free.

The Rev. Peter F. Casparian: “After our graduation in 1971 I spent the next three years in seminary at Sewanee and then took a call to Kansas City in 1974 as a youth minister at a wonderful Episcopal

Church there. During those years I picked up an M.A. in Sculpture (my continued thanks, Lon Anthony, for the good start in Memphis) and also met my wife, Marguerite West, there as well. She is from Memphis and the daughter of two Southwestern grads and is an artist and illustrator, as well as a very confident and competent companion in ministry and life.

I always imagined that I would eventually be looking to serve as the headmaster of some Episcopal school. It only took two one-year stints in Texas to decide that I was not cut out for secondary school chaplaincy, and in 1979 I was offered a job as the Episcopal Chaplain at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. We spent the next six years there and produced our two wonderful daughters, Rachel and Hannah. In 1986 I felt that it was finally time to launch into parish ministry and was called as Rector of St. Michael’s Church in Lexington, KY, where we spent the next 10 years in a dynamic and challenging ministry. During those Lexington years we had the opportunity to spend a sabbatical in Costa Rica, and two summers supplying for clergy in San Miguel de Allende and in Madrid, Spain. When the opportunity came in 1995 to become rector of St. James Church in Florence, Italy, we never thought twice.

From 1995 until 2004 we loved living in Italy and experiencing it all! We lived through the early days of Italy’s transition to the EU and the change from the Lira to the Euro. And in the months and years following September 11, 2001, we lived somewhat “on edge” as a very visible American church during our entry into the wars in the Middle East.

In 2004 with both daughters in New York (the elder as a budding actor in the city and the younger at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park) we were called to Christ Church, Oyster Bay, Long Island, where Teddy Roosevelt and his family spent many of their Sunday mornings and TR’s spirit still presides! We loved the North Shore of Long Island and the 10 years we spent there. But by 2014 and after 40 years in continued ordained ministry we decided to follow our younger daughter (then a chef in Austin) to central Texas.

We now love in San Marcos (between Austin and San Antonio) where I’ve done several interim ministries and am presently assisting our local parish and have become quite involved with our ministry at Texas

Leigh Brasington

State University. Additionally, the Diocese of West Texas has had long involvement with various short-term missions in Honduras and Mexico and I have been active especially in the English speaking Episcopal Church in Oaxaca where we’ve spent a month in each of the past four years. And while we still have some retained Italian, we have been able to serve the Church of England churches in both Taormina, Sicily, and in Assisi.

So, if you are traveling to Italy this coming May and June (2025) I will again be the ‘English Chaplain’ at St. Leonard’s Chapel in the place where St. Francis still seems to sing songs of hope and peace along those medieval streets each day at dusk. We are always happy when we pass through Memphis and see family, friends and classmates. And we are also very happy to see any of you if you find yourselves in between Austin or San Antonio. We know where to find the best Texas BBQ... which is not as good as Memphis, by the way!”

Stephanie Springfield Chalona: “After graduating, I spent some time in France and Spain with fellow grad Ann Wyly Gilfoil I then earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Duke University. After graduating, I moved to New Orleans where, after working in the Tulane University library and as a caseworker for the Big Brothers agency, I went back to grad school at Tulane for a Master of Social Work degree. My husband and I eventually moved across the lake to the Hammond, LA, area where I worked for 29 years on a multidisciplinary evaluation team for the Special Education Department of the Tangipahoa Parish School System. After living in the country near Hammond for 40 years, my husband and I moved back to Memphis in 2018 to be near our son and grandson. We love our neighborhood which is only a few blocks away from Rhodes College. Our son Andrew is a physical therapist, and he keeps us going! We love spending time with our grandson Tate who is twelve and is in middle school in Germantown. We are loving retirement!”

Jim Cogswell: “I am still on the faculty at the Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where my primary undergrad teaching is in painting and drawing. I work with grad students of any description. I am a very fortunate person to have had a career here, going on 35 years. It is a stimulating and delightfully challenging environment, I know retirement is coming, but I have no

plans. My wife Sarah Stitt ’72 worked as an attorney for many years. She retired and moved to Taos, NM, ten years ago. I have a studio there and go out to join her during the summer and over the Christmas break each year. I went to Japan directly after graduation from Southwestern to do my Alternative Service as a Conscientious Objector for two years at a small college in Shikoku. I stayed an additional year to live in Kyoto and study Japanese painting. Sarah and I got married in Japan, spent six months backpacking through SE Asia before returning to the U.S. We lived in Houston for two years, then in Cambridge for two years where she got her MTS at Harvard Divinity. Then we moved to NM for me to get my MFA at UNM. I got a job at Florida State out of grad school and Sarah went to law school there. I left FSU after three years to move to Houston, where Sarah had a high-powered job in a big law firm. We were there for five years until moving to Ann Arbor in 1990 for my position at UM. We have two grown kids, Katherine and David. How could that trivia be of interest to anyone? The most important detail is that as an English major at Southwestern I came to the art world equipped with tools and intellectual habits a bit atypical of your usual art school grad. I have felt like I have been playing catch up on the art front in many ways for most of my career, but I have never for a moment doubted that it was worth it to have those years of liberal arts education. Sarah loves it in Taos. It is a spectacular natural environment. I love it in Ann Arbor. It is a fabulous place to live, and the university is a source of constant stimulation. So what if you go for months without seeing the sun. Ugh. For now, it works. I am still very active in my artistic career with big installations in Athens, Greece, and in Portugal over the past three years.”

Tim Crais: “After graduation I began my career in Memphis as a teacher in a private boy’s school (PDS) and taught for three years. Then Anne Cannon ’72 and I married in 1974. We moved to Knoxville so I could go to U.T. law school and Anne could teach special education. However, I decided after a short stint in law school to withdraw and I switched back to education. I received my teacher certification and a Master’s in Educational Administration at U.T. I returned to teaching and coaching at Webb School of Knoxville for four years. By 1980 Anne and I had a son, and I changed my career path and entered the business

world, concentrating on marketing for a wood flooring company in Oneida, TN. I spent the next 27 years handling marketing, advertising, public relations, trade shows, and product management for five wood flooring companies in the Southeast, Texas, and Virginia. Along the way Anne and I had two more children and traveled extensively with them in the United States. Two of the children later graduated from Wake Forest and one from Ole Miss. All are grown up and married, and we have six grandchildren who range in age from 15 years to 18 months.

In the last 10 years Anne and I finished our list of all 50 states and traveled in Europe, the Middle East, Panama, Mexico, and the Caribbean. I also helped start a non-profit for people with disabilities and got involved with another nonprofit called Justice Knox. I play golf once a week and volunteer at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Anne and I also celebrated 50 years of marriage this year.

Southwestern helped me develop an intellectual curiosity and a penchant for asking questions. In addition, Southwestern gave me a chance to make so many genuine, lifelong friends who have made and are still making a positive difference in the world. I will forever be indebted to Southwestern. It was a great school with great people and it still is.”

Jack Davis: “My four years at Southwestern were definitely a time of questioning everything in my past, from what I’d come to believe without questioning and the plans I had for my future. I questioned so much that I kind of lost my direction and had to figure it out again after graduating. But in the end, it has all been worth it. And I do appreciate my parents for sticking by me even though it aggravated them to no end. Somehow, I was able to convince my dad to

Tim Crais and family

send me back to Southwestern to finish my senior year. He definitely questioned that. I had some momentous summers during those college years which taught me a lot about the real world: survey crew in WI and IL, scab worker in a steel mill in TX, epic motorcycle journey in Europe (and a great ride with Bob Henry and Peter Casperian for part of it), and an epic trip to Italy, North Africa, Spain, and France to do a photography project to graduate. The main reason for that trip was to see my girlfriend Francesca in Florence. Somehow my advisor Ray Hill and I were able to convince the Independent Study committee to approve it.

After graduating with my degree in Biology, I thought I should go into something agricultural. I got a job at the LSU Agricultural Experiment Station in Calhoun, LA, with the dairy herd. I was just a farm hand. Fortunately, one October morning while I was planting winter pasture, I had an epiphany. I basically heard this voice in me saying that I could become a doctor like I had always wanted to. I spent the rest of that morning planning out what to do to take necessary courses, bring up the GPA and apply to med school. Then, I had my goal and direction!

I ended up marrying Francesca. Unfortunately, since we were both too young and unsettled, that didn’t work out. I ended up going to Paris to learn French. Then, to medical school in St. Etienne, France for three and a half years. I transferred to LSU Med School in New Orleans and received my M.D. in 1980. Then, it was an internship with Tulane, family medicine residency with LSU. Finally, I started my career in medicine in 1983. I married again and had two lovely children: Jason and Samantha. No grandchildren. That marriage ended and then I later married my present wife, Ann, in 1994. We are still married after 30 years and many, many adventures and travels. We live in Fairhope, AL.

Medical practice has been so interesting. I started practice in Daphne, AL, with another doctor. We brought in two more doctors. By 2016, I felt the desire to retire from that practice and visit the Pacific Northwest before I got too old to enjoy it. So, I’ve been doing what is called locum tenens work in various locations: around Seattle,WA; Eugene, OR; Mobile, AL; Foley, AL; Honolulu, HI; Port Angeles, WA; and now back in Eugene. Very soon, I’ll be really retiring, I promise. But it has been so much

fun discovering these places on my off time. And the primary care medical work has kept my mind active and the person-to-person contact with patients has been so fulfilling. So, there you have it in a very tiny nutshell. About each thing, I could write pages, but I’ll end it here. The photo is from a couple of weeks ago at Koosah Falls in the Central Cascades of Oregon.”

Jim Dick: “Living the life of retirement along with my wife, Jeanne, here in the Madison, WI, area where we’ve been for the past twentysix years. Always open, however to any intriguing freelance communications projects that might come along. After forty plus years in TV/ radio news and video production, including sixteen years at NBC News in NY overseeing news coverage and newscasts on the Today Show, I had the opportunity to work eight years for the State of Wisconsin as communications director for two major state agencies. I did freelance communications work after officially retiring from the state in 2019. Even dabbled in politics, working communications/media for two statewide office campaigns. No real travel plans at this stage even though our daughter and three grandchildren live 2,000 miles away. Thank goodness for FaceTime. Liberal arts education has served me well. Little did I know when entering Rhodes, then Southwestern at Memphis, that I would end up in the broadcast journalism field where

you need to become an instant expert on several topics daily. While the academics were first rate, it was the experience of working and living with others from diverse backgrounds, beliefs and ideas that made a lasting impression. As current events today are shaping this generation, so did the tumultuous events of 1967-1971 impact our lives, our thinking, and approach to life. History does repeat itself; I believe. Learn from the mistakes of the past rather than letting our history be cancelled.”

James Dobbins: “Influenced by our classmate Jim Cogswell, I went to Japan for a year after graduation, then spent a year at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, and then one more year back in Japan. Afterwards I returned to the U.S. where I did an MA in East Asian Studies and a PhD in Religious Studies at Yale. That’s where I met my wife who was a grad student in Japanese history. We spent our careers on the faculty at Oberlin College in Ohio. In 2019 we retired and moved to Seattle where both of our children live. I have done research and writing throughout the years, mostly on Japanese Buddhism, publishing four books and many articles (cf. https:// oberlin.academia.edu/JamesDobbins). My most recent book, titled Behold the Buddha about Japanese Buddhist art, appeared in 2020. My wife and I have slowed down since retirement, but we still try to travel. We spent three months in the Netherlands at Leiden University in the spring of 2024 and one month in Japan in the fall.”

Bobby Doolittle: “For me, and I’m sure for many of you, the experience at Southwestern encouraged a lifelong commitment to social justice, pursuit of new knowledge and community activism. My first job after graduation was arranged by German Professor Overbeck for Dickie Heien, Charles Jones, and I in Berlin in 1971. We learned what hard work was and that being in Europe was no answer to American problems with race and Vietnam. I returned to medical school at Alabama, residency in internal medicine at Wake Forest, and fellowship in adolescent healthcare in Birmingham. My years in primary care since 1980 have always included clinics in middle schools, high schools and university settings intended to prevent health problems from interfering with successful maturation to adulthood and promoting a lifelong commitment to health. My current position, medical director at North Carolina A&T State

Jack Davis

Jim Dick

University Student Health started with the Covid pandemic in 2020.

My spouse, Kathy Adams, and I moved to Greensboro, NC, in 1980 for her Psychology professorship at Guilford college where she progressed through teaching and research to the academic dean position and back to teaching before retiring in 2017. We are extremely proud of our two sons and their wonderful spouses, and each have provided a grandchild born in the last four years. Jesse, the older, has a Master’s in sustainable construction and design from Stanford and has lived in Boston for the past several years. Ben is a family practitioner in Mills River, NC, soon to move his practice to New Zealand feeling very discouraged about the state of medical care in our country.

After track at Southwestern, I continued running both competitively and for fun into my 60s. My alter ego is still musical, and I play in several local bands, covering everything from jazz to bluegrass on the mandolin and guitar among other instruments. True to the Southwestern way, I continue to take lessons on several instruments.

The Florence crew who came to Southwestern with me – Jeff Carter, James Megar, and Jim Willis – continue to get together frequently. I doubt those three will update their profile or report on their many successes, but I will be glad to do that if anyone is interested. As you might imagine, they are all amazingly accomplished.

I am an avid reader of all the alumni profiles from all the places I have attended, and I’ve always wished for more reports from those of you who were in school with me. 1967-1971 were powerful years for the country, and I am in hopes that we are now entering another time that might be equally as powerful and forward moving for our country in what should be our ongoing attempt to achieve equal justice and opportunity for everyone.”

Lillian Avizian Eades: “Ron ’70 and I live close to our son in Columbia, SC, and our daughter, son-in-law, and our grandsons, who all live two blocks away. There are some spirited basketball games, cross country and track, and other fun-raising sports events we attend, all including our grandsons as participants. They don’t let me use pom poms at the games.

Ron continues to annually update several law books he has written over the years.

I enjoy my book club, being a volunteer reading tutor, walking with friends, and traveling with Ron, as much as possible, mostly by air to New Orleans, the Caribbean, and south to Aruba. We had the opportunity to attend a Charleston gathering hosted here by Rhodes a few months ago. I was delighted to meet Rhodes President Jennifer Collins, and a group who came with her from Rhodes. There were several Rhodes alums there, including Mary Tinkler ’02, elected Charleston County Treasurer. Our best to Rhodes and their continued success!”

James Robert Farrell: “I have read the Class Notes for decades and always enjoyed seeing the successes of fellow classmates and cried inside over the tragedies that we humans endure on this Planet Earth. And, because of my Broken Road, my “class” includes those in 1970 and 1972. But I’m guilty. And my guilt exploded when I saw that no one in those three classes had sent a note. Nonetheless, I’m guilty of not responding. Part of that is my tendency to be a “submarine” – “Run Silent. Run Deep.” I think many in the Classes of 1970-1973 were, and are, that way.

I was trained as a field biologist and used that training to perform environmental studies under NEPA around nuclear, fossil-fueled, and pumped storage projects in various parts of the country. After a few years of that work I became involved in water management projects for the refining, petrochemical, gas processing, plastic extrusion industries (and others) and for various defense plants around the country. Along the way I married a smart Texan, had two boys, and celebrated our 50th anniversary in July. Linda is my college football resource among other more important endeavors. And our partnership has been quite a journey! So, I retired in 2006 through shrewd financial planning, that is by luck, but continued contract work for another ten years and then retired from employment to enjoy ... grandchildren! But Covid (SARS-CoV-2) came along, and that critter piqued my interest as a biologist. I began tracking that virus, using field biology techniques when cases first appeared in the Florida Panhandle in March 2020 and have been following the little devil since. That study included a number of locations in FL (including the state as a whole) and a number of locations along the Gulf Coast. To date, I’ve written about 270 field reports on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to a segment of our

community which have been well-received for their readability as the style, though scientific, can be readily absorbed by the non-scientist. That reporting continues.”

Jim Habenicht: Jim writes that he is currently living on a golf course in Palm Springs, California. The summer has been a little hot—try 118 degrees. He said he is properly hydrated and knows exactly those drinks necessary to avoid the pain (a little editorializing by JM).

Dan and Robin Ritter Hatzenbuehler: “Robin and I are both retired and now living just south of Chapel Hill, NC. We moved here in 2019 just in time for the Covid shutdown. We enjoy it here very much but miss our friends and relationships in Memphis. I’m still serving on the Board of Trustees at Rhodes and enjoy the work immensely. It’s heartwarming to get to be back on campus and experience again what a liberal arts education is all about. Robin is busy here with exercise, neighborhood events and getting to enjoy reading and personal exploration. She’s enrolled in a multi-year course in spiritual direction through the Hayden Institute. She is a retired Episcopal priest and was the Chaplain at Trezevant Manor in Memphis for many years. A lot of my time is taken up by our two goldens, Molly and Malcolm, reading and enjoying long walks in our scenic neighborhood. Robin and I have two “kids,” Mark who’s a tenured professor at Harvard and Liz who is a policy director with Community Servings, a nonprofit focused on implementing food as medicine. Fortunately for us, she and her husband now live in Durham, NC, about 25 minutes from us, but also fortunately for us, we get to go to Boston to visit Mark and his husband Erin.”

Beverly Cole Hooker: “My husband Bill and I live in Cordova, TN. I worked in the Memphis school system for 32 years. I also worked in Marietta, GA, for four years. I was a teacher and later a guidance counselor. When I retired in 2007 I started volunteering at Regional One Hospital. The name of the organization is Johnson Auxiliary, and we work in the gift shop there.

Our daughter Jessica and her family live close by in Germantown. She is a teacher also. Our son Joseph and his family live in North Little Rock.

Bill and I recently returned from a trip out West.”

Hadley Hury: “Marilyn (Rhodes Meeman Center director, 1997-2008) and I are savoring each day, and realizing Virginia Woolf was onto something when she wrote: ‘The compensation of growing old is that the passions remain as strong as ever, but one has finally gained the power which adds the supreme flavour to existence—the power of taking hold of experience, of turning it around, slowly, in the light.’

After many years of writing about film and theatre for a variety of publications – and a novel The Edge of the Gulf (2003) and a collection of short stories It’s Not the Heat (2007) – I began focusing more on poetry. A collection, Almost Naked, was published in late 2018. I’m now working on a novel and enjoying the daily challenges, disappointments, small triumphs, and surprises very much. I’d forgotten the particular rewards of the long form: even the hand-wringing problem-solving can be exhilarating. We visit with offspring and grandchildren as often as possible, including college students at Vanderbilt and Point Park in Pittsburgh, a political communications writer in DC, and a high school junior. As has been a constant in our lives, we do a lot of reading and walking – and are fortunate to be able do as much traveling as suits (a small-ship cruise to Hawaii in January). Marilyn retired as Director of the Meeman Center in 2008 and I as chair of the English department at Hutchison in 2012. A few years ago, she rediscovered her love of bridge and now plays with friends a couple of times a week, which fills the house with raucous merriment and the occasional colorful oath.

She also enjoys cooking and working (with a team of longtime friends) as a volunteer in the greenhouse of Dixon Gallery and Gardens. I’ve also done some work with Dixon, the Olmstead Conservancy, Volunteer Odyssey, and help direct a hardwood tree-planting initiative here in our “inner-suburban” neighborhood in Memphis. A couple of afternoons a month I go over to Barret Library and bother Bill Short in the Archives, assisting in a variety of tasks and discussing the meaning of life – as we all learned to do so capably in our days at Rhodes.”

Jane Anglin Jarrell: “After graduation I worked at Baptist Hospital for nearly a year before taking a job with the federal government at Fort Gordon, GA, in the drug and alcohol rehab program there. I worked and lived in Augusta, GA, until 1974 when I moved to Nashville, TN,

and began work on my MSSW degree. I married in December 1974 and received my degree in June 1975. My husband was a career military officer and we began moving around as he continued his career in the Army: Ft. Campbell, KY, Georgia, California for language school in Monterey, Germany, North Carolina, Panama, and Virginia, not in that order. Bob also did a tour in Korea. I retired from Fairfax County schools in 2012, Bob retired from the Army in 2001 and from Department of Energy in 2018. We have three children, Patrick,

Bryant, and Meg. Since Bob retired, we have done a bit of traveling and visiting with grandchildren. We have 6 grandchildren so far, the oldest is 15 and the 5 youngest are all under 6. Patrick is in Florida with the oldest granddaughter, Bryant is in Texas with a daughter and two boys, and Meg is in Raleigh with two little boys. We are grateful for them and enjoy them so much. I have always been, and continue to be, in awe of the incredible career accomplishments of my classmates! I am glad to be able to hear from them again.”

Latta Johnson: “I got married my senior year to Janice Holt ’70 and we just celebrated our 54th wedding anniversary in August. We have two sons (one went to Samford and the other to Virginia Tech) and four grandkids (three girls and one boy). Three of them went or are now going to Samford and the youngest is playing basketball at North Greenville University on a basketball scholarship. I spent my entire career as a YMCA resident camp director. I directed camps in Birmingham, Hamilton, Ohio, and Chattanooga. I retired from Camp Ocoee in Chattanooga after spending 20 years as the director. (I also was a camper and counselor at Ocoee.) Many people think I got to play for 34 years and I guess in a way I did, but when you hire staff, recruit campers, organize budgets, raise

money, console homesick campers at 2 a.m., fix broken water lines, cook for 150 when your cook doesn’t show up…well you get the picture. I guess you can say it wasn’t all play, but I would do it again. After retiring in 2005 I worked a couple of summers at Paragas Canoe Outfitters in Ely, MN. Janice and I volunteered for six summers at the Bodie Island Lighthouse at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I spent many years canoeing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern MN and only stopped because back problems prevented the paddling and portaging. Janice and I still go back almost every year and rent a cabin. I took up photography as a hobby after retiring and have been shooting grandkids playing sports and doing landscape and bird and bear photography for fun. Southwestern was where I grew up. I went not knowing a soul but left married and knowing what direction my life would take. I have always been proud to say I was a graduate of Southwestern and Memphis and now a Rhodes Scholar.”

Gayle Bartos Polye: “After graduating from Rhodes, I worked a year in Memphis, then moved to Southern California for 49 years, had several interesting jobs there, and met my husband, Richard, at the bank where we worked. But at 44 I retired to write books. I write under the pen name G.B. Pool. That’s all I ever wanted to do. I have 28 books in print. Richard made that happen. We didn’t get to have kids, but had 11 dogs, cats, and a parakeet. Richard passed away five years ago. Me and my last dog moved to Ohio three years ago where my brother and his family live. I lost that wonderful dog but have just acquired a new little guy who makes me happy. I still write. Published my latest this past August. I learned a lot in college and use bits and pieces in my writing, everything from History to Philosophy. My stint as a private detective also helped. Most of my books are detective novels. That’s my life so far. Nice to see how fellow graduates from 1971 are doing.”

Jim Mulroy: “I was seventeen when I entered college. In June of that year (’67), my dad had health problems, and I recognized that I would have to work to get through school. I got lucky in a job assignment through work-study that summer working for Memphis Boy’s Clubs serving disadvantaged kids from the housing projects. My next student job was as a sorting clerk in the mail room. After two weeks of loud complaining from the

Jane Anglin Jarrell and husband Bob

other side of the mailboxes and students straightening out the mess I made, I decided on a career change. I went back to the Boys Clubs and was given a position working 30 hours a week. It was better pay than work study. I roomed in the basement of the Sigma Nu house with two great roommates Glen Cunningham and Jerry Stauffer Shortly before graduation I was offered a job at Tennessee Psychiatric Hospital, thanks to the work study job working with kids. There I met my wife, Nancy. We have been married 52 years now. Both the Boys Clubs and the Psychiatric Hospital programs were

heavy on training in communications skills. I consider these jobs as part of my liberal arts education and especially important to later life events. I decided to go to law school in ’72 (UT-Knoxville ’75). Nancy worked as the first Special Ed teacher in Grainger County, Tennessee, one of the poorest Appalachian counties in the south. At the time, special ed kids in that county either stayed at home or wandered around aimlessly in classrooms. She eventually retired from Memphis City Schools as a Special Ed teacher.

In 1973, I became Ensign Mulroy JAGC, USN-R. After graduation from law school and training at Newport, RI, in the bicentennial year of 1976, I volunteered for overseas duty in Asia. I was assigned to NAF Atsugi Japan as the junior lawyer to the largest geographical command in the Navy. It was an historic location. We travelled a lot (still do). As SLJO (ask Navy or

Marine folks) I was frequently assigned to duty at outlying facilities including remote Diego Garcia. In Japan, I was a trial observer for the Embassy for trials of service members in Japanese Courts, visited prisons to check on conditions, and liaison with Japanese prosecutors. Nancy was hired by the Keihin Institute to instruct English with a southern accent (Carter years you know.) It was a fantastic job for her and opened a lot of opportunity for us to meet Japanese people and learn about Japan. I was transferred to Great Lakes NTC near Chicago, where I was Head Prosecutor for the Midwest Region. The marriage lasted and we had our first child (Colin) in 1981 (ten years after our wedding). Colin was later determined to have a severe form of autism. I resigned my regular commission, took a job at a local firm, and accepted an Active Reserve Commission. I retired later from the Navy with twenty-six years’ service (Goodbar would never have believed it!) We eventually returned to Memphis to be close to family. We now do a bit of travel and take care of three grandkids from time to time— all boys (10, 7 and 3), all in Memphis. My daughters Cat and Lizzie both went to School in Portland, OR, in a small liberal arts college, which they also loved. Cat is a medical doctor and Lizzie a nurse anesthetist Colin lives near us in assisted living with a roommate. He has been employed at Goodwill for almost twenty years. I am now mostly retired after being both in private practice and as an in-house corporate counsel after leaving the Navy. I enjoyed law practice and over the years served on many non-profit boards related to mental health.”

The most important part of our educational experience to me was analyzing basic life questions. What is virtue? How do you lead a good life? And how do you evaluate how society should be ordered? The questioning makes you curious and as a result makes life more fulfilling.”

Tom Morgan currently serves as Board President of Project Dignity of WNC, Inc.: “When I retired from FedEx in 2005, we moved to North Carolina. My wife Barbara created Project Dignity of WNC, Inc., a nonprofit that distributes free period products to people in ten counties in WNC. When Barb passed away in May 2021 from MDS, I took on the leadership role for Project Dignity. Today over 50,000 people depend on our distribution of free period products (pads, tampons, liners). https:// www.projectdignitywnc.org”

1972

Reporter: Robin McCain robin@slmr.com

1973

Reporter: F. Clark Williams Jr. f.clark.williams@gmail.com

Judy Brooks Tygard has resided in Nashville ever since earning her degree. She worked for the IRS for ten years, then in private tax practice for the next forty. She married her college sweetheart, Charlie Tygard (a Vandy grad), and they worked together for over 35 years. Charlie served as an elected representative to city council for six terms. The Tygards have two grown daughters (one now deceased) and three grandchildren, two of whom are now at Ohio State University (“yuck!” interjects Judy). They co-own a condo in Panama City Beach, FL, and go on a Viking cruise once a year.

Judy observes, “I still think we got the best well-rounded education available and feel sorry for anybody who did not have our college experience.”

Amy Bailey Evans has been painting with two dear friends, Addren Doss and Julie Hayes, for over 25 years. They met in North Carolina and formed the first plein air group in the state. Two of them moved away due to job changes, but they continued to have painting trips together in different parts of the country. A retrospective exhibition of their plein air pieces and studio paintings growing out of their plein air experiences, has been organized for viewing October 1 through November 2, accompanied by a two-day workshop in October: “Three Artists, Three States, Three Styles” at the Florence Thomas Art School and Gallery in West Jefferson, NC.

David and Virginia Shettlesworth Garrett spend their days hiking (usually in the Smokies near home, but wherever they go, too), chasing grandchildren, doing a little

Jim and Nancy Mulroy

Ensign Jim Mulroy

Amy Evans and friends

ballroom dancing when the opportunity arises, and traveling.

Early this year they made their annual “Whirlwind Winter Swamp Tour” to favorite Georgia and South Carolina swamps. (Being a naturalist photographer, David prefers swamps to the beach.) In March, they attended the four-day Big Ears Festival in Knoxville which focuses on new music and musicians. They made a special trip to Evansville, IN, to view the April 8th total solar eclipse with their two oldest grandchildren. In July, they vacationed with family and friends on Edisto Island, SC. Then in August, they visited friends in Pennsylvania, went on to Maine and Acadia National Park, and came back through Hocking Hills in Ohio, a geological wonderland they had been wanting to see for some time. More trips are in the planning stages.

David serves as a “supply” pastor two weekends a month at the Episcopal church in Gatlinburg, TN, and keeps working at serious photography. Virginia is engaged with various community and church groups and in tending her sourdough starter.

Eileen Hanrahan Queener reports living “a pretty ordinary life” in Surgoinsville, Tennessee (population 1,700). Her garden produced a few tomatoes and jalapeños this year. She defeated the deer and rabbits by enclosing a small area, which she will try to expand next year. Eileen is a member of CareNET, a Community Conservation Committee of the Sierra Club, which undertakes several clean-up service projects a year, organizes hikes, interacts with local elected officials regarding environmental issues, staffs information tables at local festivals, and generally tries to make the world a better place.

Eileen is also a member of the Surgoinsville Area Archives and Museum. She and her daughter, Alice, catalogued most of the artifacts in the museum and have assisted

in obtaining grants and doing research for exhibits. Eileen occasionally kayaks with friends on the Holston River and enjoys going to local music venues, even though bluegrass is not her favorite genre.  Last March, she and friends travelled to Jonesborough, TN, to see the Carole King musical. At the last minute, she was able to finagle Stephen Patrick to join them.  A good time was had by all!

She gets together occasionally with David and Virgina Shettlesworth Garrett for hikes. Eileen enjoys visiting with her children and their wives. She regularly works at the polls as an election official, usually a registrar. Speaking of the November election, she notes “It should be interesting!”

Candace Keirns-Bitensky reports attending the May 16 ceremony in which Patricia Spears Jones was awarded the Porter Prize, a literary honor for Arkansans who have distinguished themselves in letters. The event was held in the President William Jefferson Clinton Library. Rhodes alumni in attendance included classmate Gerald Koonce, Susan Baker Chambers ’74, and Sharon Meador ’75

On August 6, 2024, Patricia, adjunct associate professor of English at Barnard College, was awarded a $50,000 fellowship by the Academy of American Poets, in conjunction with her award as the 2024 Poet Laureate Fellow for New York. With this fellowship, Patricia will develop and lead a series of intergenerational workshops focused on social justice, environmental degradation, systemic oppression, cultural resistance, and the meaning of beauty. Inspired by Walt Whitman’s “Democratic Vistas” essay, these workshops are meant to encourage meaningful conversations rooted in Whitman’s belief that “a new Literature ... a new Poetry” is essential to American democracy.

Her most recent collection, The Beloved

Community, was a finalist for The HurstonWright Legacy Award in poetry.

On September 26, Patricia engaged in an evening of readings and conversation at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture - New York Public Library. Her papers are housed in the Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books division at the Schomburg Center, and were on display. The conversation explored the evolution of her writing, the necessity of personal archives to shape one’s legacy, and the use of archives to develop new material.

Pam McNeely Williams observes that “the 50th reunion was so much fun at John Keesee’s Friday night class party, and meeting the president of the college at the Saturday breakfast was so nice! We all were having such a great time that we had to be reminded not to be late for the campus tour! It was great seeing so many classmates!”

Pam and husband Brian celebrated their 41st anniversary this past May and look forward to more great years in the great state of Arkansas. Their three children, Ellen, Scott, and Matt have blessed them with thirteen(!) grandchildren: Ellen and Andy’s eight in S.D., Matt and Hannah’s three in Minnesota, and Scott and Brooke’s two in Tennessee. Ellen is one of the founders of their home-school cooperative and Andy, after 21 years in the Air Force, retired as a Lt. Colonel. He now flies the Triple 7 for FedEx. Andy, Ellen, Matt, and Hannah are all Air Force Academy graduates. Matt and Hannah are in the Air Force Reserves and Matt is a physician’s assistant for an emergency room hospital. Scott is an avid Ole Miss rebel and is a senior business-fiber executive with

Patricia Spears Jones

Pam McNeely Williams at her birthday party

Virginia Shettlesworth Garrett and grandson

AT&T while Brooke is a pediatric dental hygienist.

Pam retired after 38 years in the West Memphis, AR, school district and Brian works as a public defender and child support attorney for the state.

Pam and Brian recently returned from Waco, TX, where they helped Ellen and Andy move their second daughter to Baylor University.  The group attended the Air Force Academy vs Baylor football game in which the Baylor Bears “annihilated” Air Force.  “Heartbreaking!” Brian and Pam considered turning their Air Force hats backwards.

Pam also reports that she is recovering from an illness which has limited her activity.

Bob Tigert and his duo partner Lisa Webb headlined the Vienna Ukulele Nights festival in Austria in September, after a series of “warm-up” performances along the Adriatic Coast in Italy. The WebbTigert Duo has headlined eleven festivals across the USA and in three other countries in the last twelve months. In addition, they have released two CD/ streaming albums to positive reviews and sales. “Uhhhh, what?” Bob queried. The albums are available on almost every streaming service, including Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, etc., and can be found by searching Webb-Tigert Ukulele Duo.

F. Clark Williams updates his notes from the last issue, noting that the trip to Portugal was “mostly” worth the money. Photo highlights can be found at https://photos.app.goo. gl/64UqcwQFrXcQ5roBA, and for those with insomnia, the comprehensive set of pics can be found at https://photos.app.goo. gl/68eTD6iasZX1uiMr6 (Good luck typing in all that stuff!)

He traveled once again to Las Vegas to play in the World Series of Poker, with disastrous results on the felt. However, he finished 16th of 592 in a $250 side event on his last day, so did not come home broke. Well, not entirely broke, anyway.

Subsequent to his rolling off the board of directors at the Belcourt Theatre, he was awarded director emeritus status along with H.G. Webb, another long-term participant on the board and its committees. The two are the first to receive the designation. “This probably means that I’m to continue service on the development committee, asking folks for money,” Williams observed, “and I suspect that they are expecting a pretty substantial legacy gift upon my demise.”

1974

Reporter: Wendlandt Hasselle jahlove2222@yahoo.com

Henry Slack: “I have played trombone in a marching band in Atlanta since 1974. Called ‘The Seed and Feed Marching Abominable,’ it was started by a theater director who wanted a marching band. We play Sousa the way other people play softball … with the very best of intentions. The band is known best for its colorful costuming, performing in dozens of parades and hundreds of venues in the Atlanta area and the southeast. The Abominable is as serious about being silly as the 15 of us who performed for Southwestern as the ‘Mighty Marching Lynxcat 100,’ 50 years ago.”

Gay Blouin Clapp will be unable to attend the class reunion due to her husband’s health challenges. Gay practiced law for 44 years in four jurisdictions and is now retired. Her husband’s work as a psychiatrist gradually took them from Memphis to Denver, Casper, WY, and Helena, MT, before settling in Minneapolis for his position as Director of Residency Training in Psychiatry at the Univrsity of MN Graduate Medical School. She sends blessings to all, along with a family photo.

Ward Archer was written up in Memphis Magazine as being one of the “Who’s Who” in their August edition (as was Rhodes’ President Jennifer Collins – hers was in the Education category). Ward was in the Philanthropy/Nonprofit category for having created the largest and most successful advertising shop in Tennessee (ArcherMalmo, now Archer), founding Archer Records to bring contemporary music to the world, as well as the Music and Arts Studio – plus funding Protect Our Aquifer to ensure that Memphis’ sand aquifer remains accessible and clean for the future!

Stratton Bull is now with Rhodes Trustees Emeriti and continues living in Natchez. He will, sadly, not make it to the reunion.

This year was Stephanie Ryburn Rodda’s and Thad’s ’72 golden wedding anniversary as well as her 50th class reunion. They celebrated with their children (plus the kids’ spouses) in February on a trip to Kauai, the “Garden Island of Hawaii,” and she looks forward to our reunion.

William Symes is celebrating his 50th year as a clinical therapist, having started

Bob Tigert

F. Clark Williams with H.G. Webb

The Mighty Marching Lynx 100

Gay Blouin Clapp and husband Bill welcomed grandson home from study in England with his BFA theater program at UMN, son Josh, granddaughter Lilah, and daughter Rachel.

his first group in 1974. He’s been in private practice for 43 years in Fayetteville, AR, and is currently working half-time training, supervising, and consulting with therapists. This year, he and Patsy celebrated their 37th anniversary and are “still going strong.” Patsy is retired as a journalism professor at the University of Arkansas.  They are “stone cold social justice liberals.” He loves flower gardening, clouds, and bird watching (see his FB page for photos of those).  William’s book, Mastering the Art of Psychotherapy, is in its second printing and will be converted to an audio book by this Christmas.

Parkesy (now Vera) Casselbury has had a bad case of Covid and is hoping that her immune system will be strong enough to allow her to travel to and be around so many people at our 50th reunion.

Wendlandt Hasselle took the train to New Orleans to visit family on Mothers’ Day weekend, went with husband Bard Selden to a fabulous National Rolls Royce Meet near Nashville, and took an Alaskan cruise

with family in July—gorgeous, but not the best weather—spending a couple of days in Vancouver. The downside was flying there on the day of “the computer glitch” (quite an experience, and one of their party didn’t make it) and returning home with what’s known as Cruise Covid at the local clinic— as did another of their group. This was her 2nd case of Covid in 2024, ugh.

1975 50th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 1975 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

1976

Reporters: Julie Allen Berger

jab0539@gmail.com

Georgia Atkins atkins.georgia@gmail.com

Hello, Classmates. Georgia McGehee Atkins here. I’ve been living in Southern California (Whittier, in Los Angeles County) since 1998, and I like it a lot. I was married when I moved here and got divorced during that time. Now I am single with a long-time partner David. We enjoy going to McCabe’s Guitar Center (the starting place for many successful artists) for music events. Currently I enjoy swimming laps outdoors year-round several times a week with my adult son who has a disability. Sometimes we swim in the ocean, and that’s fun but always a little frightening.

In thinking about our 50-year reunion to come in 2026, I wonder if classmates would be interested in doing something a little different besides a dinner. Do you remember Larry Raspberry and The Highsteppers? Larry lives in Los Angeles now. I called him last year to ask if he could play at our reunion. Basically, he said we’d need to talk closer to the time. These days with health problems in our age group and all, he might or might not be able to make it. If we couldn’t get Larry, we could get another group. We could consider inviting other classes as well. I would love your feedback on this idea. Please reply to atkins.georgia@ gmail.com.

From Paula Beck: “One of my favorite things to do in retirement is reconnecting

with people I haven’t seen in a LONG time. Earlier this year I had breakfast with Kappa Delta buds Jan Castleberry and Pat Fagan DiSanza ’74 in Austin. So much fun! I highly recommend reaching out and having a moment with former classmates!”

Julie Allen Berger, Bizza Nelson Britton, and their spouses were recently guests of Sallie Clark and Bob Puckett for a relaxing week in their lovely Gypsum, CO, home. Stories and laughter from roommate days abounded over Sallie’s luscious meals and on the trail. Highlights: the Meeker Classic sheepdog trials, Iron Mountain Hot Springs, and mucking out paddocks at Mountain Valley Horse Rescue, where Sallie serves on the board.

Jerre Birdsong retired as vice president and treasurer of Ameren Corp. and was then ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri after five years of study and formation. He serves at two churches, one in St. Louis City and one in Webster Groves. As deacon, he has served as chaplain for hospice patients, immigrants checking in with ICE (he writes “wish I had studied Spanish at Southwestern rather than German”), and flood victims. He enjoys being a personal shopper at a food pantry with classmate Julie Allen Berger. In his free time, he writes sermons, attends opera in St. Louis, Santa Fe, and Chautauqua, and still plays piano. His daughter is a jammer on the Arch Rivals roller derby team, ranked number two globally. And “I have the coolest grandpa name ever - Big Dude.”

After moving to Western North Carolina and retiring from the University of Texas, John Brejot has started a new job as director of development for the Haywood Christian Ministry. HCM runs the largest

Wendlandt Hasselle in Alaska

From left to right: Jan Castleberry, Pat Fagan DiSanza, and Paula Beck

Julie Allen Berger, Bizza Nelson Britton, and Sallie Clark

food pantry in WNC. John is enjoying serving others while enjoying the natural wonders of the Smokies and Blue Ridge mountains. Here is his front porch view below.

Oliver Cobb continues as an assistant manager of Forgiveness House (FH), a halfway house for recently released Tennessee Prison System prisoners. FH is a faith-based ministry in partnership with HopeWorks, a large ministry in Shelby County which helps a wide variety of persons in need. Oliver joyfully participates at his church, Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal, in Midtown Memphis. He continues as an adult Scout leader and a Reserve Scouter, in Scout Troop 34. He enjoys musical events around Memphis, especially Memphis Symphony concerts, where his niece Frances Cobb Kinney (daughter of Thomas O. Cobb ’73) is principal harpist.

Jed Jackson just retired after 45 years teaching at the college and university level. He has been a Rhodes track and field official for over 20 years. As background, Jed transferred over to the Art Academy in 1975, where he received his BFA. Over the years he’s taught at NYU, Southern Illinois University and Memphis, where he was Chair of the Art Dept. from 1999-2006. His paintings can be found at jedjackson.com.

From Marian McCain Olson: “I’m having a blast as part of the string band at church. I play hammered dulcimer, which I fell in love with in college, but have only been playing for a few years. Jeff ’75 enjoys a weekly online bridge game with buddies Chuck McGrady ’75, Frank Cole ’75, and Ralph Carl ’75. By the way, I just noticed while writing this that our ages are creeping up to equal our graduation year. C’est la vie!

1977

Reporters: Jill Fuzy Helmer jillhelmer25@gmail.com

Bonnie Moore McNeely bonniemcneely2@gmail.com

It is Sweet Home Alabama for Becky Cowart Hammond and her husband Dewey! She writes the adventure of having lived in so many wonderful places over the years was a joy but has found being back in her hometown of Huntsville to be special. While not fully retired she still teaches ESL to refugees and immigrants via Zoom for the Tennessee Language Center in Nashville. Their son, Army Major Daniel Hammond ’07 and his wife Elizabeth Carlson Hammond ’07 are now stationed at Fort Knox, KY; daughter Lauren and her family are living in Rising Fawn, GA; and daughter Virginia is in Birmingham, AL. Now with closer proximity to her children, Becky looks forward to spending more time with her eight grandchildren.

Bill Harkins and his wife Vicky started a new chapter in life, moving 60 miles north of Atlanta to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There he enjoys running the mountain trails and for races he sticks to mostly ultra-trail races (that’s anything longer than a marathon!) Bill runs not for the competition, but for the gratitude of people and places dear to him. So it is no surprise that he continues to run Atlanta’s July 4th Peachtree Road Race, his 48th consecutive year, in memory of Rhodes track teammates Mark Edwards ’75 and Brian Sudderth ’77. Bill presently serves as a part-time interim priest at their small mountain Episcopal church. He is working on a book about the importance of male friendships in an epidemic of loneliness and isolation along with three friends from graduate school at Vanderbilt. Missing Atlanta’s traffic congestion, Bill returns twice weekly to counsel patients at the Cathedral (St. Philip) Counseling Center. This fall he and Vicky will travel to Switzerland and onto Paris where they will meet their family.

Jill Fuzy Helmer writes from Highlands, NC, “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would help run a non-profit. Topping it off, I must have had an out of body experience when I agreed to a second term as Board President of our town’s local thrift store. We have approximately 60 volunteers, a drama queen’s dream, and a following of weekend shoppers who line up early, rain or shine—so many shoppers they can run circles around the lines at any given Chick-fil-A. Last year we gave away over $420,000 to local charities with $50,000 of it going to high school seniors to help further their education. It is hard work and takes a lot of my time but I still manage to squeeze in time to garden, walk what was

supposed to have been my husband’s dog, work to keep my floral arranging talent at the top of its game by chairing our church’s flower guild, and of the utmost importance, I help report news of our brilliant and fun classmates for Class Notes. I am looking forward to putting all the above behind me this December as husband John and I cruise the Danube visiting Christmas markets. We’ll end our travels in Munich for Christmas, then onto the airport with the other three million folks trying to get home.”

Edward McDonnell lives in Madison, MS, and volunteers as a docent at the Mississippi State Capitol. Edward writes, “Since I started giving tours in 2018 (with a 1 ½-year pause for Covid), I continue to be astounded at the number of visitors we get each week and from where they come. Guests arrive from all states in the USA, all European countries, Israel, Turkey, Asia, Russia, Ukraine, Australia, and New Zealand. What baffles me is that in all my travels around the world, it has never occurred to me to go visit a state or national capitol building. But come they do to visit our capitol building.”

Taking a respite from Nashville’s 102-degree temperatures, Mike Pearigen spent some time this summer cooling off in Maine on Hupper Island. Arriving by car to Port Clyde, Mike and his friends were met by their host who shuttled them to the island by boat. Such began a lifestyle he could easily become accustomed to—no cars, no roads, no tourists (even though he was one), lots of R&R, lots of sunshine, cool weather, coastline sightseeing, and of course— lobsters. Like most visitors (a.k.a. tourists) to Maine, he indulged in lobster, lobster rolls, lobster reubens, a variety of clam chowders, seafood chowder, scallops, and grilled oysters in the shell. Back in Nashville while dreaming of lobsters he received a call from Rhodes asking him to be on the Rhodes Alumni Association Executive Board. As the only Board member from the mid to late 70s, Mike will be our “in” for communication between the college and alumni. If anyone has thoughts, questions, ideas, etc. that you’d like Mike to present to the Board or college, feel free to contact him at mpearigen55@gmail.com.

From somewhere in Ohio, David Smathers has diligently worked on answers to our Class Reporters’ questionnaire. In a nutshell, he’s still happily hard at work for Materion Corporation as a technology

and innovation engineering fellow. Out of the office he stays busy walking his neighbors’ dogs and is a grandparent to three fine dogs. Reflecting on his fondest memory at Rhodes he says the third term spontaneous concert in the amphitheater by Pure Prairie League ranks up there at the top. As far as what he finds hard to believe, it’s the fact he was able to afford four years at Rhodes (which at that time was UNDER $5,000/yr by graduation). When asked if he framed his Southwestern diploma or the one we received later after the name change to Rhodes, he chose to frame SWAM because it was in Latin.

For business and personal accomplishments, he has a lot to celebrate and be proud of: he’s been director of two different companies, has 34 U.S. Patents to his name, is celebrating 40 years of marriage to the same woman and has two smart and successful daughters (a lawyer and a physicist). Somehow between his outstanding professional career, raising children, keeping his marriage together, and walking dogs, he has managed to visit and hike the majority of our state parks—he named 19 but we’ll refrain from listing them all. He has no shortage of other hobbies as his list is witness to that: took up sailing–moved to a place with no convenient lakes for sailing (Bahamas trip bare boating once upon a time); took up fly fishing—moved to a place without good salmon and trout fishing nearby; took up golf—moved to a company without a golf culture (hole-in-one and an albatross); took up flying—private pilot license with high power and tail wheel endorsements but not current—rusty pilot status.

Sallie Stamps Swor took our Class Reporters’ tips for topics to heart. She answered almost every topic we suggested: Sallie is now a 9th generation Nashvillian presently giving talks and demos about Beaten Biscuits—not beating biscuits but Beaten Biscuits (Sallie is a cookbook

author and tv kitchen personality). Her much-adored Chili Dog (a real dog, not a hot dog) now keeps company with their first grandchild, Sammy Mac. Some of her fondest memories while at Rhodes were listening to people sing and play guitar, midnight zoo raids, and road trips. She seems to remember hitch hiking once, but then reassures herself it was just a bad dream. Sallie chose to attend Rhodes because it was as far away from Nashville as she could get while remaining in Tennessee (parent’s requirement: school in TN and private school). It was a great decision for her, and she is grateful for the opportunity to have attended Rhodes. She is also very grateful for her happy marriage and the publication of her cookbooks. She reports she has no tattoos.

Experienced a false start to retirement? Ernie Williams has tried twice and has now committed to three more years with Innov8Africa. Perhaps three times will be the charm. Living in Kenya for half the year gives Ernie and his wife Lisa time to travel and to visit Nashville where they enjoy being with their three grandchildren, with another on the way. The foundation continues to grow, and they are now partnering with the University of Tennessee, Maasai Mara University in Kenya, and have a USDA grant supporting their latest educational research. They still take groups of twelve twice a year on safaris. So, put “Safari With Ernie” on your travel list! Richard Nutting reports their annual gathering to watch the NFL draft at Phil Mulkey’s Pensacola Beach condo was a perfect weekend of golf, exaggerated stories, good food, refreshments, and card playing. Attending were Kent Pylant ’79, Jerry Hampton ’79, Richard Nutting, Gary Graham ’80, Phil Mulkey, and Joe Badgett ’78.

1978

Reporter: Sandy Schaeffer sandeford.schaeffer@gmail.com

Chuck Cobb writes to offer his congratulations to Coach Robert Shankman ’80 and Rhodes College for hosting the annual Rhodes Cross Country Invitational 2024!

Mike Berton writes: “I am still working and probably won’t retire for another few years. I still enjoy working as an academic, teaching immunology to medical, dental, and graduate students, directing our 200-student PhD program, running our institutional Flow Cytometry core laboratory and serving as deputy chair of my department. Margaret and I will have been married for 32 years next June and have three grown kids, all of whom are very musical, creative, and NOT scientists like their dad. We are still in San Antonio and have been for almost 35 years. Other than it being hot as hell in the summer, San Antonio has been a great place to live. Go Spurs! Getting out into the wild on hiking and backpacking trips keeps me sane!”

Jerry Heston writes that he and Pat Flynn ’77 just got back from a trip to the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer train. It was a great trip with stunning scenery, but when they returned, he came down with the almost obligatory, at this point, post-travel Covid infection. Jerry says it was mild and he recovered quickly, but it was still a hassle. Work wise, Jerry continues his gradual transition (descent? ascent?) into full retirement. He closed his physical office in July but is still doing telehealth for his ongoing child and adolescent psychiatry patients a couple of afternoons a week. He was afraid it would be too much like the forced total telehealth lockdowns of the early Covid days, but

David Smathers stopped at Taft Point for a selfie in Yosemite National Park last September.

From left to right: Kent Pylant, Jerry Hampton, Richard Nutting, Gary Graham, Phil Mulkey, and Joe Badgett

Robert Shankman

Margaret and Mike Berton near Leadville, CO, before his hike to the summit of Mt. Elbert

notes that it is actually going well and he might continue another year or so. Mari Trevelyan shared this Rhodes alumni travel and astronomical experience: “Last April, four best friends and Rhodes alumni Mari Trevelyan, Bryan Taylor ’79, Tim Duning ’80, and Bobby England ’79—had a mini-reunion in Ohio, which included viewing the eclipse.”

Europe. This was our fourth get together and we always recreate a pose from our time in Greece. We attempted to mine our fortunes in gold but only dug up lots of laughs. There was a lot to catch up on and new memories were made. Leigh will welcome grandchild #11 in March. Sheila has two, Angie four, and I have two grand dogs. We look forward to our next trip!”

1979

Eva Guggenheim reports continued thespian activity performing in Two Gentlemen of Verona in August for Syracuse Shakespeare in the Park. She is also working on a collage.

Sandy and Beth Deming Schaeffer are enjoying a rejuvenation of skills related to parenting while helping with their second grandchild (Robin) when needed. Chasing an 18-month-old around the house and picking up books and other objects tossed everywhere has become a new form of exercise.

Jane Terry shares this story: “These four Chi Omega sisters met for a much needed get together in July. Angie Kinnaird Linn ’79 and her patient husband, Kurt, hosted Leigh Klusmeier Freeze, Sheila Bush Brantley ’77, and me at their Colorado home and their wonderful mountain ranch. We first got together in 1978 for a trip to

Reporter: Mary Palmer mpalmerc@comcast.net

Your reporter Mary Palmer continues as a part-time doctor evaluating possible child abuse, living in the childhood home, and raising a 3-year-old with my hubby within our blended diverse family. I plan retirement for spring of 2026 with adventures ongoing. Barney Stengle (bfstengle@fuse.net): “In May 2024, I retired from my career in higher education publishing at Cengage. I am enjoying my free time with plenty of travel, cycling, and golf. Before I retired, I did find myself in Rome, GA, for business, and was able to connect with my junior year roommate (Glassell Hall), Randy Sumner We were able to celebrate St. Paddy’s along with his wife Su.”

Becky Montgomery Greenhill: “I hope the 175th anniversary celebration last fall was epic!  I retired last year after 36 years spent at Cox Enterprises in Atlanta, and my husband and I were in the middle of moving to our new home in Bluffton, SC.”

Gwen Owen: “We are proud grandparents of a one-year-old little boy. Our daughter, Elizabeth and family are in Bentonville, AR. I stay busy with various charities and clubs and playing pickleball and tennis. We are still in Memphis and looking forward to seeing our classmates at our reunion.”

Earle Harding: “I look forward to attending our reunion this Fall. My wife, Jean, and I still live in Greenville, SC, (where I was born) and after 45 years in commercial banking I retired last month from First Horizon Bank. I am active with our church as well as the local The Salvation Army command where I currently co-chair a capital campaign to rebuild our emergency shelter. We have three children scattered across SC who are all married and six grandchildren ranging from 1-6 years old. We spend our time on the lake, with friends, hiking when we can, and visiting family and the grandkids. See you in November!”

Mark Hammond: “Rhonda and I relocated to Fairhope, AL. I’m serving as an adjunct professor at USA medical school in the program of Integrative Health and Wellness. I was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a worldwide organization dedicated to educating and promoting the health benefits of preventative healthcare including whole foods, plant based lifestyle. Best!”

Billy Kennedy and Becka Saunders: “Becka volunteered for local nonprofits while the children grew up. Once our nest emptied, Billy served as Watauga County Commissioner for a decade. Now we’re focused on building our senior friendly 2nd home in Black Mountain, NC. We will keep our 130-acre farm outside Boone, but as we age it is too much work! Our children live in California, so we boomerang back and forth often. Willis is a senior software engineer at Roblox and Jessica is a website designer and strategist at Ridge Merino. We have breakfast ‘in the box’ daily with our one-year-old grandson. Thanks to remote work, we see them a lot! Life is good!”

Catherine Caldwell Eagles: “My husband and I have lived in Greensboro, NC, for 40 years. We recently became grandparents

It was a Rhodes Reunion at the Cincinnati Museum Center: from left to right Mari Trevelyan, Bryan Taylor, Tim Duning, and Bobby England

Eva Guggenheim performing in Two Gentlemen of Verona

Angie Kinnaird Linn, Leigh Klusmeier Freeze, Sheila Bush Brantley, and Jane Terry

Barney Stengle and Randy Sumner

and look forward to this new role. I will be moving towards a phased retirement starting in January 2025.”

Caroline Morgan Passerotti: “Eight years from concluding a meaningful career in public school district finance in Eugene, OR, I feel like I am finally getting the hang of retirement! The new center of my family’s universe is daughter Sara’s 14-month-old son, Ari, whom I get to grandparent a couple of times a week. Another source of great joy is singing with a small a cappella ensemble, The Clefs of Insanity, and with the Eugene Symphony Chorus – both influenced by my treasured years with the Southwestern Singers. Beyond that, I have found deep meaning and inspiration in the study of Celtic spirituality with John Philip Newell, whom I joined for a pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona in Scotland in 2022. It has been rewarding to explore my spiritual heritage beyond my life as a Presbyterian preacher’s kid!  This fall, just before our reunion, my husband Tim and I are traveling back to Scotland to learn more about the cultural history of Edinburgh, Perthshire, and mainland Orkney. When not figuring out how to see more of the world beyond our borders, I’ve enjoyed trips to the San Francisco Bay Area to see my brother Chris ’80 and to northern New Mexico to visit my cousin Truman Nabors ’55). I am looking forward to returning to Memphis for our 45th reunion this November!”

Diana Scarbrough Jester: “Steve and I both retired in June so we are enjoying the ability to travel - first Colorado and New Mexico, then to Mexico for a week at a spa and now getting ready to leave for three weeks in France. Pam and Paul Caldwell stopped in Louisville recently on their way back to Colorado from a family reunion, so we were able to catch up. We are grateful that here in Kentucky we have Andy Beshear as our governor! We won’t be able to attend the reunion but look forward to seeing any group photos. Louisville is a fun place to visit, and we would love to be your tour guides, especially on the Bourbon Trail.”

Li Li Chung: “I have lived in Singapore now for more than 30 years, having gallivanted all over after graduation. Retired from Asia Pacific management of American multinational IT companies in 2011 and went back to school in London for three years to study Asian art history and contemporary art theory. So thankful I did the study and intense travel then rather than

during Covid or now. I have commissioned photography art projects on Singapore issues since 2015 and should complete my goal of 30 projects in 2027. And then maybe move on to exploring food history and decolonizing cookbooks. I am fascinated by gap cuisines like Cambodian and indigenous cuisines like Ainu of Hokkaido that don’t make it to world stage. My son has long moved away to Montreal; he’s happy that his mother is happy. I am indeed grateful to live in a safe place and be able to do learning activities; but I have to admit my favorite thing to do is a great lunch and a long nap. Best wishes from Li Li.”

1980 45th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 1980 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

Deborah Legg Craddock and a few of her classmates stopped by the President’s Office in July. The alumnae were in town for a mini-reunion and girls’ weekend.

1981

Reporter: Sherri Godi Madden rhodesalum81@gmail.com

As most of us are approaching retirement age, I thought it would be fun to do a survey on where all of us are concerning retirement, family issues, and highlights of the past couple of years. Due to me not reading the small print on the survey website, only the first 25 answers were permitted! Some of you were kind enough to send answers straight to my email. So these results are just from a small sampling (34 total) and who knows if we were accurately able to decipher who the first 25 were compared to those that emailed in their responses! So, I present to you the very

unscientific results of the Class of 1981 survey!

Retired? YES 53% ; NO 47%

If not retired, will you be in the next two years? YES 56%; NO 44%

Grandchildren? YES 44%; NO 56%

Number of grandchildren? 1-2: 53%; 3-4: 20%; 5-6: 13%; 7-8: 13%

Travel outside of USA in ’23 or ’24? YES 59%; NO 41%

Travel to special USA destination in ’23 or ’24? YES 88%; NO 12%

Major life event in past 2 years?

TRIP: 38%; AWARD: 3%; LOSS OF LOVED ONE: 21%; BIRTH OF GRANDCHILD: 14%; ACHIEVEMENT: 7%; HEALTH CONCERN:10%; JOB CHANGE OR PROMOTION: 7%

Some interesting data! From our sample, a tad more than half retired. Of those not retired, almost half are not planning on retiring in the next two years. Wow! We have some persistent classmates in their commitment to continue working! I was surprised that less than half of us have grandchildren. Only two participants had 5-6 grandchildren and another two had 7-8 grandchildren. I almost won the award for having the most grandchildren as our 7th one will be born this November. But alas, Janet Murphy has eight! Most of us seem to enjoy traveling—both abroad and in the States. A trip was the highest percentage of the major life event followed by the loss of a loved one. Condolences to those of you who have experienced a recent loss. Next came the birth of a grandchild followed by a health concern. Achievements, promotions or job changes, as well as awards scored the lowest in major events. I think this sample falls in line with the natural progression of life.

I, Sherri Godi Cox, fall in line with most of these. I have more grandchildren than most, but that’s probably because I had five children and have a blended family with my new husband which accounts for two of our grands. I thought I was retiring. I was winding down my online Latin classes, but then a friend at church was in desperate need of a Latin teacher. So here I am, back in the classroom! I love it actually, but it is a big adjustment as I was in retirement mode! A three-week trip to Italy last October was definitely a highlight. I had been awarded a travel grant from the National Latin Exam

From left to right: Dedie Kelso, Deborah Legg Craddock, Cathy McAfee Maiocco, Gloria White Rainey, Abby Jackson Todd, Liz Smith Russell, and Patty Bowen Barker

back in 2020, but had to delay my trip due to Covid. So, it was fabulous to finally make it back to Italy! My husband joined me for the first two weeks and one of my daughters came over for the third week. We had tons of fun as we went in search of ancient deities, emperors, and authors!

Tom and Cathy (Millar) Woods have experienced wonderful weddings with their children recently.  Their daughter, Emily Woods ’12, had an Indian wedding with her husband, Samarth Brahmbhatt, in Vadodara, India in December 2023, following a pandemic-related delay after their American wedding in Atlanta, GA, in February 2020. Their son, Alex Woods, married Erin Popelka in Seattle in June 2024 in Puget Sound. Alex and Erin and many of their cold-water swimming friends waded out into Puget Sound from Alki Beach to hold their ceremony. Most others attending, including Emily, Samarth, Cathy,

and Tom, just dipped their feet into Puget Sound. Both weddings were beautiful, joyful, and memorable occasions. Major congratulations also to Tom for being awarded the prestigious NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal for 2023. Check out this link to read all about it: https:// lasp.colorado.edu/2024/05/08/lasps-tomwoods-awarded-nasa-outstanding-publicleadership-medal/.

Katie Kennedy reports: “I am retiring at the end of the year. I am currently winding down my Houston law practice. My husband Andy Noel and I are moving to Charlotte in October 2024. I will do some mediation and arbitration work from there remotely. Our daughter Rebecca Noel is the education reporter for the Charlotte Observer newspaper. We are looking

forward to being closer to family and to escaping the hurricanes, heat, and humidity in Houston.” What a career Katie has had as a lawyer and former District Judge. Couldn’t be heading to a better city—my old stomping grounds! Lots of Class of ’81 alums in that area. Enjoy your retirement there!

From Donna Perdue: “In May, my husband Calvin Johnson and I went on the “In the Footsteps of Paul” trip to Greece organized by the Meeman Center.  The group included Rhodes alums spanning generationsincluding classmate Catherine Howe Hunt - with spouses and friends,  We were guided by Professors Patrick Gray and Nikolaos Zahariadis, and shepherded by Knight Champion ’86. Exploring millennia of Greek history with Rhodes companions made it a trip of a lifetime.” Your last sentence says it all – sounds fabulous!

Bryn Wood Bagwell is now retired and shares that “she is expecting her fourth grandchild any minute and it is especially wonderful now that I’m retired and can be present.” Grandparents are so important in the lives of their grands—so happy you’ll have more time with them. Enjoy snuggling with your fourth grandchild!

John Adams sends this news: “I have been happily married to Stephanie “Dug” Bankston Adams ’82 for 41 years. We have two wonderful granddaughters: Emory and Lillian Adams of Franklin, TN. I continue to be a fulltime practicing urologist in Germantown and for more than 15 years have been president of the Conrad-Pearson

Clinic and chairman of the board of Wolf River Surgery Center. Stephanie and I love foreign travel and antique collecting. I enjoy underwater photography, pheasant shooting in England, and deer hunting.”

Paul Ward reports: “We got a small cubicle in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, FL, and practiced being snowbirds in January/ February. It was so nice to have more sunlight and milder weather than typical Ann Arbor conditions. Coincidentally, my nephew, a Rhodes 2019 graduate, has a friend who lived on Amelia Island. And my brother-in-law and his quasi spouse live there, plus her cousin. Family all the time! My wife has reduced her work to 80%, so we could spend four weeks in Florida. It was fun seeing citrus trees, occasionally covered with sheets/blankets for the rare frosts. I really liked the fresh seafood. There’s a retail place downtown near the river with fresh seafood from whatever the fishermen bring to them. I walked there several times. And the downtown farmers market had fresh shrimp from a local shrimper. ‘Mayport’ shrimp is popular there. We saw a great horned owl and bald eagles in several nature areas there. No lynx, however.”

Sally Barge Hawley shares: “The past two years have been a trial for me. After much deliberation and counseling, I ended my 37-year marriage earlier this year.  It was a really difficult decision, but all told, it was the right decision. Retirement is going well for me as a newly single ‘miss.’ Volunteering with local businesses on accounting issues keeps my head in the game (as well as daily

Tom Woods, recipient of the prestigious NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal for 2023

The Meeman Center trip to Greece

NYT crossword). My two boys are doing wonderfully – one married and living in Dallas, the other committed and living in Seattle. Absolutely love my daughter-in-law.  She’s the daughter I never had. I am so very thankful. No grands yet. Still love visiting them and travel in general.”

Carole Freeburg has had two major events in her life—she was married in May of 2024 and had her first grandchild in August. Congratulations, Carole, on those happy events!

Rebecca D’Anna reports: “Small world story for you … My husband and I bought a townhouse in Whitefish, MT, in April! What a surprise to discover that our neighbor, Caleb Kaywood, graduated from Rhodes in 2010! Caleb is an attorney here and a busy father of two adorable children! John and I have spent four months here fly fishing and hiking! We love these mountains!”

Charlotte Thompson is still working fulltime at Microsoft and recently received a promotion. She lives abroad and travels extensively. She has enjoyed trips to Whidbey and Vachon Islands, wonderfully special. A catamaran sailing trip in the British Virgin Islands was also on her itinerary lately.

Janet Ross Murphy writes: “I am currently in Norway with my sisters and our husbands. We have been on a two-week trip exploring Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. This obviously has been the highlight of the year and has really given me the travel bug. Who knows where we might go next?”

Beth Patton Allen is an activities coordinator for a retirement community. (Can’t you just see her being so perfect for that position with her sweet and fun spirit?)

She and her husband, Kyle, a Presbyterian Minister in Roanoke, VA, are enjoying their two grandsons and traveling. They enjoyed a wonderful two-week trip in summer ’24 to hike and bike in the beauty of Vermont. An amazing two-week trip to Nova Scotia was also on their travel list. They pursued many outdoor activities: hiking, biking, and thoroughly exploring the beauty of the land and the history of its people.

1982

Reporter: Margaret Fain ’82 mfain@sc.rr.com

Dug Bankston Adams writes, “My husband, John Adams ’81 is the president of Conrad Pearson Clinic in Germantown, TN. Our son, John R. Adams, III, got married to Sara Weddington on December 10, 2016.  We have a granddaughter, born May 4, 2021. Her name is Emory Catherine Adams. Our daughter, Heather, got married March 12, 2023 to Michael Wascom, an electrical engineer, in Baton Rouge. Our son Trey and his wife Sara welcomed a second daughter on February 27, 2024. She is now six-months old. Pictured below is the Adams family vacationing in Grand Cayman back in June.

Janet Kaller Geerlings writes “I live with my husband Jon on our farm in East Tennessee. While he does chicken chores, weeds the garden, and builds things, I continue to teach part-time at the Chattanooga School of Language, where I have taught off and on since it was founded 13 years ago. I am happy to get to do something I love in such an extraordinary place. Currently teaching Portuguese, French, German, and Spanish. My students inspire me! I love having time to travel with my family: three children, two childrenin-law, and five grandbuddies. I joined the Chattanooga Community Orchestra a year ago and it is a thrill to be playing horn again with such a lovely group of musicians. I am

looking forward to attending Homecoming soon - Mom Gerry Kaller’s ’54 70th reunion and late sister Elizabeth Kaller’s ’84 40th. If you’d be so kind, help me talk my 92-year-old mother into coming to Memphis with me, please!”

Alison Eggers Morris just earned her Master’s of Education in Languages from the College of Charleston on December 16, 2023 and currently teaches International Baccalaureate French at Woodmont High School in Greenville County, SC.

Elizabeth “Tookie” Smith Bray and Beth Ward took a trip in early November 2023 to see Wendy Zilch Dyer and Brant Dyer ’81 who have retired from CA to Los Barriles, Mexico! Beth says, “It was a miniRhodes reunion and we hadn’t seen them in 30 years! We all had a blast reliving old times reminiscing about Gooch crucibles, Dr. Amy’s 24-hour chick embryos, and Dr. Gilow’s alcohol lecture! Wendy and Brant are part of a lovely community on the Baja peninsula about an hour north of Cabo.”

The Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells made history Feb. 3, 2024, becoming the first woman and first Black person elected as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. After Rhodes, Wells went on to pursue and receive a juris doctor degree, and she practiced law for 18 years. She eventually enrolled in divinity school, and she was most recently rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, TN, where she is also chaplain of the church’s preschool.

Kyle and Beth Patton Allen

Stephanie “Dug” Bankston Adams and family

Tookie Smith Bray, Beth Ward, Brant, and Wendy Zilch Dyer

1983

Reporter: Ted de Villafranca edevillafranca@gmail.com

Terry and Julee Carroll Bate, Paul and Charlotte Patton Parks and Richard ’84 and Trish Witherspoon Spore gathered for a fun weekend in Monteagle, TN, last May. Terry writes “Time together with some of our best friends from Rhodes College days … is the sweetest time of all. Long walks, long talks, gales of laughter, listening to our favorite oldies, reflecting on our shared memories & creating new ones. We called ourselves “the comfy crowd” in the mid 80s and we still live up to that name with distinction.”

Terry and Julee Carroll Bate, Paul and Charlotte Patton Parks and Richard and Trish Witherspoon Spore

1984

Reporter: Linda Odom linda.odom@klgates.com

After 30+ years at Federal Express World Headquarters as Senior Manager, Human Capital Management, Jennifer Frost Ramos Stark recently joined AutoZone’s

corporate headquarters in Memphis, TN, as Manager, Benefits, Time Away and Leave of Absence. Starting on April 8, 2024, Jennifer is responsible for developing and overseeing all time off policies and managing the leave of absence administration program, with the support of eight leave of absence benefits specialists on her team. Her role also supports compliance with federal, state, and local paid sick and paid family leave laws across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jennifer is enthusiastic about the opportunities for continuous improvement in this space, focusing on enhancing the employee experience, and operational efficiency. Fun fact, AutoZone’s color scheme is red and black, so she feels right at home!

After 38 years with Sabre Holdings, a travel technology company, Cathy Cotham Harris has officially retired! She has a number of spectacular trips planned and is looking forward to living a life of leisure. Cathy Reese retired as full Professor from Arkansas State University July 1 and is now exploring options for becoming certified as both a regular and a genetic investigative genealogist, with an eventual goal of solving cold cases. Her older daughter recently transferred to University of Memphis, where she is playing trombone, in both classical and jazz studies, and is a member of the Mighty Sound of the South marching band. Her younger daughter is a senior at Jonesboro High School, Head Captain of the Color Guard, member of the choir, and actor in school plays. Such an exciting time!

Meanwhile, Tracy Vezina Patterson will never retire and is continuing her career at Rhodes College in a new role. Tracy joined the Rhodes Development Department in 2006, moving to Alumni Relations in 2008. After 18 years at our alma mater, she will now serve as the Director of Corporate Relations and Senior Gift Planning Officer. “Let’s do lunch!”

1985 40th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Ann Webb Betty 11webby@gmail.com

Doug Trapp and Doug Franklin: “2023 was the year that the Class of 1985 turned 60, and to commemorate it, Doug Franklin invited a bunch of us 1985-ish ATOs (including John Guthrie, Ed Cannon ’84, Joe Nash ’81, and David Lusk ’87) to the Smokies for his birthday in October. Some of us literally had not seen each other since graduation, but we all agreed to converge at a turn-of-the-century cabin on a mountain creek for hikes, happy hour on the back porch each evening, and long dinners filled with lots of laughter and rememberwhens that went well into every night. We also ventured to the Elkmont Swimmin’ Hole, Dollywood, Mount LeConte and Baskins Creek Falls to gather buckeyes. The celebration included our wives, husbands,

a well-behaved dog, some unruly yellow jackets and a mama bear in the front yard!

Julia Weaver: “I was excited to be present for the historic election of our fellow alum

The Reverend Dorothy Sanders Wells ’82 as the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. I restrained myself and did not shout ‘Go Lynx!’ Congratulations, Dorothy!”

Rhodes Alumni friends at the consecration of the XI Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, from left, Leslie McCormick Darr ’87, Jane Trambley, Cheryl Reaves Peeples ’83, Dorothy Sanders Wells ‘82, Trice Gibbons ’83 and Tracy Vezina Patterson ’84.

From left to right: Billy Kimmel and Doug Trapp, Doug Franklin and Gigi Franklin, Ed Cannon ’84, and Joe Nash ’81

Bryant Haynes and Claire deSaussure Haynes are on tap to work their second season in Yellowstone National Park. Both will serve as interpretive rangers with the National Park Service. Last season they lived and worked out of the visitor center in Yellowstone’s Canyon Village. is year their base of operation will be Yellowstone’s Fishing Bridge Visitor Center. During the season, they live in their RV in the park. National Park Service seasonal work is their new “gig” as they haven’t quite reached full retirement age.

Ann Webb Betty: “I am pleased to report that the 1983-84 Southwestern at Memphis Women’s Basketball team is being inducted into the Rhodes College Athletic Hall of Fame at Homecoming 2024. e team includes two members of our class, myself and Tracey Hill Woodward. Other members include Coach Sarah Hatgas, Melissa Hayes Baker ’84, Linda Odom ’84, Mary Ann Fesmire Emmanuel ’86, Michelle Henkel ’86 (deceased), Julie Brown ’87, Darlene Jordan ’87, Trish Barron Dunn ’87 and Stephanie Russell ’86. is team was the rst women’s team in the school’s history to win a conference championship.

1983-84 Southwestern at Memphis Women’s Basketball team

“ is will be my 5th year working with the Davidson County Election Commission as an Election O cer. I rst signed up to work the November 2020 election and have worked every election in Davidson County since. is work makes for a very long day AND is very rewarding. Be extra kind to your election o cials!”

Maria Bonovich Marvich: “I just traveled to Croatia to swim Island to Island in August and fell in love with the Croatian people and towns. After was a bit of an adventure travel, making up the stops as we went, leading to mishaps turned iconic moments. e trip ended in Southern Italy at my mom’s family for food, wine, and lots of love. To double the fun, I had a trip

in September as an age group champion in the Sydney marathon. Before the marathon, my son, husband and I spent a couple of days exploring Melbourne courtesy of a past work colleague and Cairns with the Great Barrier Reef. e highlight was actually the animals – kangaroos in John’s backyard, wildlife habitats where you could feed the animals, and holding koalas. But, I also had a great run to qualify for next year’s age group championship race in New York!

1986

AND, to answer a common question, I am not retired, just decidedly prolonging my work life by traveling too much.”

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 1986 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

From Ray Bar eld: “I direct a hospital palliative care program in Asheville, NC, where my parents, sister, son, and grandson live. My wife, Karen, is the priest for St. Andrews Episcopal Church in the nearby town of Canton. And I recently published my third novel, Dreams of a Spirit Seer.

1987

Reporter: Mimi Swords Fondren mimifondren@outlook.com

From Kathryn Murphy Anderson:  “I am living in the Boston area, teaching English (surprise!) at a public vocational high school, and really enjoying it. In my experience most teachers are polymaths, but that goes double at votechs, which I love. I get my drama x by reading plays with my 9th and 11th graders. Singing in our church choir. I have been playing the ddle for a while: traditional/folk (transatlantic), singer/songwriter, bluegrass, rock, blues. I’m an adult learner, so it’ll always be about fun, not $, but I’m in a duo that made its Newton PorchFest debut this past June, so that was pretty cool.  New England folk, or people passing through, please get in touch!”

From Mark Kazemba: “Happy to share that I recently joined American Airlines Federal Credit Union in Dallas as Associate General Counsel. On a sadder note, I lost my wife of 26 years to illness in 2021.”

From Lisa Davis Larrabee: “It feels like so very long ago since I walked those halls at Rhodes!! I have moved around quite a bit since graduation, and lots of life is still unfolding! I married in 1990 to Chad Larrabee (a South Carolina boy, and Clemson grad) and we moved from Memphis to Houston, TX, to Phoenix, AZ, to Seattle, WA, and then back to the southeast to Charlotte, NC. Chad is a VP with Ingersol Rand and early in our marriage we worked in full time ministry while in Phoenix for a small start-up church, and all three kids were born there. is southern girl was about ready after nine years there to move on. Ha! He eventually moved back into his engineering career, and it moved us on, with lots of fun traveling opportunities along the way. I used my business/marketing degree in the beginning in the medical eld, and from there have held lots of great positions as we moved, not the least, raising those three great kids! Of late I’ve fallen into event planning and am currently studying to help train and coach others with a celiac diagnosis transition into managing it and feeling a sense of normalcy again. I am very hopeful it will take o in the new year. Our three are thriving and continue to be a joy and a blessing, and we gained one more almost two years ago when our daughter married one of her big brother’s best friends! I should stop here before this gets far too long!”

From Kitty Riley Bacon Scrip: “I’d like to share the news that Kitty Riley Bacon Scrip’s and Allan Bacon’s’88 daughter Meg was recently engaged. We are thrilled and so happy to have Henderson Button o cially join our family! Also, our daughter Kate graduated this past spring from UAH with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She plans to be a therapist. We are so proud of her!”

Al “Tiger” Taylor has retired from a 34-year career in hospital administration. He and his wife Kassie Sprague Taylor ’90 are spending their time traveling in their RV and

Maria Bonovich Marvich

live in Northwest Arkansas. ey are avid Razorback fans and have season tickets to four Razorback teams.

Alan Harris writes: “After 15 years in Austin and now that our youngest is o to college, Carrie and I are moving back to the Houston area. We’re looking forward to being closer to family and discovering what else this next stage of life has in store. My law practice, Harris Law Firm PC, continues to maintain a presence in both Houston and Austin.”

1988

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award recipient Ira Jackson ’87 attended the foundation’s 100 year anniversary kick-o reception in NYC in September. Ira serves on the board of trustees of the Sullivan Foundation.

Reporter: Brooke Glover Emery brookegemery@gmail.com

Brooke Glover Emery’s “life has been a bit busy at Union University, I’ve moved from being the Associate Dean of the School of Business to the Dean of the School of Adult and Professional Studies and Graduate Admissions. I’m also in the nal stages of the dissertation for my EdD.” Congratulations, Brooke!

1989

Reporter: Julianne Johnson Paunescu jpaunescu@yahoo.com

While some of us enjoy our retirement, other classmates are launching new phases of their career and others are celebrating milestone moments.

ree of our classmates are trying new jobs in Washington, DC. Russell Porter is now serving on the National Security Council as the director for Central America and Cuba and Amy Davis-Klimek, after over twenty years of private practice, moved to Alexandria, VA, in order to embrace a new career as a civil litigation attorney with the United States Department of Justice. She reports that, “so far, it has been a great new adventure.” Gretchen Greiner-Lott is now the co-executive director of e Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. e

foundation works to improve the lives of DC-area residents, with an emphasis on creating a more equitable region. Grants are made in ve program areas: Arts & Humanities; Community Services; Education; Environment; and Health & Wellness.

Jennifer Busbee Hunt wrote that she was “super grateful and excited” to begin a new chapter at the Ivester College of Health Sciences, Brenau University in Gainesville,GA.

June of 2024 saw Jim Rizer celebrate a number of important anniversaries. He completed 30 years of ordained ministry and running 10,000 miles in under 10 years. De nitely an unusual, but impressive, combo of achievements, Jim! Maybe the latter explains the need for his other June event - ankle reconstruction! It was also an important month for his youngest child, Vivian, who graduated from high school.

old historic home in Sanford, FL) and spend a little time visiting my family. Also gives more time to devote to my near-fulltime volunteer gig: President of Florida Orienteering, a nonpro t club promoting the sport of orienteering in central Florida.”

Kara Babin Gee was also celebrating recently! She and her husband Hunter honored their accomplishments this year (including their 25th wedding anniversary!) with a hiking trek on the Salkantay trail to Machu Picchu. Also worth a hurrah was Kara’s designation as a registered architect after sitting for her licensing exams.

1990 35th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Trish Puryear Crist nashvilletrish@gmail.com

Craig Gibson: “I completed the Iowa Master Naturalist program this year and have been volunteering in citizen scientist projects. Hoping to run into Dr. Kesler one of these days!”

Blaik Mathews: “Just nished a 6-year stretch as an application developer at Verizon Finance, ending in layo in Verizon’s latest re-org. It’s all good though. Taking a little time o to make a dent in the ever-present DIY home improvement list (I own a 120-year-

Marlon T. Perkins, Sr. is pastor of Living Waters Worship Center of Seventh-Day Adventists in Dallas, TX, and is completing a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership. Trish Puryear Crist continues to rejoice in her job at the Frist Art Museum and with her sweetheart Mike and dear alum friends like Ann Vines Roberts ’60.

Brad Shelton: “I continue to live in Los Angeles with my wife, Miki, our 20-yearold son Noah, two dogs, and two elderly parents down the street. My job as the VP of Creative and Story at BRC Imagination Arts continues to ing me around the world on a pretty regular basis (I’m currently wrapping one up that has taken me to Boston, Riyadh, Bahrain, Paris, Zurich, Montreux, Budapest, and London). And we’ve taken on a new project, recently buying an 1870 farmhouse on Lake Champlain in Vermont,

Kara Babin Gee

Blaik Mathews

Marlon T. Perkins, Sr.

Ann Roberts and Trish Crist

10 minutes from our daughter and her wife, which we’ll be putting on AirBNB next spring and is the perfect location for your next Rhodes friends’ reunion.”

Little did we know that I was moving to urgent care right before COVID hit. What a wild three years that was. Fast forward to now and I do shift work in the same little clinic and live in the small town of Elkins outside of Fayetteville. My wife Ashley, an RN, burned out on medicine as well and went back to her cosmetology training. She now runs her own salon in Elkins and loves what she does once again. I may be part owner, but I am the maintenance man!

1996

Reporter: Jennifer Larson larson_jennifer@yahoo.com

Mimi Reed Salazar: “It seems like life has a funny way of coming full circle. After my youngest son started at Rhodes in 2022, I found myself reconnected with the Development O ce—where I was a work-study student back in the day. In April 2023, I joined the team as Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, and— drumroll, please—I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve just been promoted to Director of Alumni Relations!

Anna, 26, graduated from UA and Baylor with honors and now works at Arkansas Children’s Hospital as a Speech/Language Pathologist after I talked her out of going to medical school. Drew, 23, graduated from UA and is using his supply chain degree working for a large HVAC company, spearheading the company expansion to new territory in north central Arkansas.  He played football for the Hogs and graduated in 3 1/2 years. Dawson, 16, is a junior at Elkins High School and aspires to play football in college as well, only as a placekicker at which he has become quite adept.

F. Grant Whittle: “I have inadvertently become a high school teacher. I’m teaching etymology this semester, which is a real bore, but next semester I get to do creative writing. Go Kingsbury Falcons.”

Dr. Phillip Zeni Jr. MD FSIR formed a new partnership with Dr. Jacqueline Majors, MD in 2023, bringing together their expertise to o er comprehensive vascular and broid care solutions to patients in the Memphis area.

1991

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 1991 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

1992

Reporter: Sara Hawks Marecki saramarecki@sbcglobal.net

Carl Vest: “After 14 years of practicing rural family medicine in Arkansas and delivering just over 2,000 babies, I stopped obstetrics and transitioned to suburban clinic-only family practice for ve years.  It almost killed me due to burnout and we made a leap of faith, moving back to my childhood home of NW Arkansas to be nearer to my family.  We moved to Fayetteville in December 2019 where I now work in an urgent care setting – no prior authorizations, formularies, drug reps, PCMH, meaningful use, or any of the other annoying red tape encumbering current day primary care.

My free time is spent maintaining our seven acres out in the country and renovating an old cabin on 65 secluded acres out in Madison County. It’s a labor of love and provided for perfect social distancing and unwinding during the pandemic and continues to be with habitat management projects ongoing. I guess you could say I have fully returned to my Arkansas (redneck?!) roots and embrace them completely.”

1993

Reporter: Wendy Mullins wendy.mullins@yahoo.com

From James Westphal: “After 10 years in North Chattanooga, I’m building a house just south of the city in Walker County, GA. It’s easier to get outdoors, and it’s still close to the Tap House in St. Elmo. My better half, Barbara, is from Germany, which we visit every chance we get.”

1994

Reporter: Judy Brown judyporterbrown@gmail.com

1995 30th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Sarah Hall Stump sarahhallstump@icloud.com

It’s an honor to step into this role and work with our incredible alumni community. I look forward to helping everyone stay connected while catching up with some old friends myself. Here’s to new beginnings at the place that still feels like home!”

1997

Reporter: Brendan Minihan bminihanjr@gmail.com

In June, Allen Boudreaux, Rodney Abele, and Enrique Espinosa met up in Oxford, England for a week-long mini-reunion trip commemorating their Rhodes European Studies experience.

Anne Hardwick Hudson started a new position as HR Coordinator for the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder. Also, 50 is fabulous!

Peter LaMotte lives with his wife and two kids in Charleston, SC. He is President of Cherno Newman, a leading integrated communications rm in the Southeast.

Brendan Minihan and Margaret Ann Taylor Minihan ’98, live in Wilmington, DE. Brendan started his eighth year as Middle School Head at e Tatnall School, where his two sons graduated, and his daughter Clare is a sophomore.

Miki and Brad Shelton

F. Grant Whittle

Mimi Reed Salazar

1998

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

Janae Shultz spent this past summer in South Africa on a Fulbright grant. She stayed at North-West University in Potchefstroom, S.A., while teaching a graduate course, giving a public lecture and exploring Pilanesberg National Park with Environmental Philosophy Students. She was promoted to Professor of Philosophy at Alvernia University in May 2023 and made Director of General Education in 2024.

Sunni ompson, Madison Moore Agee ’99, and Shannon Simpson Bevins ’96 set out to hike Mt. LeConte together in early July 2024. ey are pictured at the summit in the Smoky Mountains of beautiful eastern Tennessee where they enjoyed a night together in Cabin 7. Shannon writes, “Rhodes friendships are gifts that keep on giving. I am so thankful for these women who continue to push me out of my comfort zone to do new things.” Next stop: A visit to the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in October 2024 to see one of their favorite bands and make more new memories.

1999

Reporter: Kathryn DeRossitt kathrynderossitt@yahoo.com

In May, Marissa Murphy Loper and Brook Loper ’98 celebrated 25 years of marriage! “We also have two children in college and one in high school, so pray for us.”

2000 25th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Nicki North Baxley nickinp@gmail.com

2001

Reporter: Katy Minten Gray mkminten@hotmail.com

2002

Reporter: Shannon Cian shannoncian@gmail.com

2003

Reporter: Scott Holmes holmes.scott@gmail.com

Dentons has hired Anne MacDonald as senior policy director and head of political risk.

“… MacDonald is leveraging her experience in political risk management to counsel clients navigating complex geopolitical issues,” the agency said in a statement.

Based in the rm’s Dallas o ce, she is a part of Dentons’ public policy practice.

Lisa Harsch Miller lives in the Nashville, TN, area with her husband, Jeremy, and two kids Maximus (4.5) and Alexandra (3).

2006

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 2006 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

2007

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 2007 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

2008

Reporter: Madoline Markham Koonce madolinemarkham@gmail.com

Amy DeLong graduated in May 2024 with her J.D. cum laude, from Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, RI. After three wonderful years living in Newport, RI, she and her husband moved this summer to Alexandria, VA, where they currently reside.

“I’m excited to hit the ground running to help our clients across the rm with counsel on navigating this tumultuous U.S. election season and preparing for whatever the new composition of presidential administration, Congress and state legislatures could bring,” MacDonald said via email.

2004

Before EGA, MacDonald worked as EVP of U.S. public a airs and senior policy strategist at Edelman. She also worked for former President George W. Bush and rst lady Laura Bush in the White House, Pentagon, and State Department, including as chief of sta to Mrs. Bush for the launch of the Bush Presidential Center.

MacDonald also operated her own rm, Matterhorn Advisory, for over ve years, delivering policy and partnership guidance to Fortune 500 companies.

Reporters: C. Kyle Russ ckyleruss@yahoo.com

2005 20th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

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

Molly Fitzpatrick (last names N-Z) mh tz11@hotmail.com

Brice and Sarah Hampton Cambas welcomed a baby girl, June Hampton Cambas, in February. Currently residing in Houston, TX, Brice is President of BC1 Partners and Sarah Hampton is the director of technology at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.

Alex and Lauren Brooks Foti welcomed their fourth child, Benjamin “Benny” James Foti, to their family on September 13. “Now we have three boys and one girl,” Lauren writes.

2009

Reporter: Kelsey Dean Gri th kelsey.dean.gri th@gmail.com

First Horizon celebrated its 25th anniversary on the NYSE on June 11, 2024, and its 160th anniversary as a

Sunni ompson, Madison Moore Agee, and Shannon Simpson Bevins

Anne MacDonald

Amy Delong and husband

company. Rhodes Alumni, Natalie Flanders ’09 (SVP, Head of Investor Relations) and Bryan Creech ’95 (SVP, DCIO Client Platforms), participated in the NYSE ringing of the opening bell ceremony.

2010 15th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Amanda Law Maxson amanda.h.law@gmail.com

is past January, Christina Cooke published her debut novel Broughtupsy, a coming-of-age chronicle of Jamaican girlhood, migration, sexuality, and loss as told through the lens of family. Broughtupsy has been named a best book of 2024 by ELLE as well as recommended reading by e Atlantic, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Shondaland, Ms. Magazine, Chicago Review of Books, and others. On January 28, 2025, Broughtupsy will be available in paperback wherever books are sold.

Erin Foster Farry and husband, Robert, welcomed a baby boy, Foster Mitchell Farry, on May 14, 2024. He joins big sisters, Ansley and Maisie, and they are all so in love! “ e Farry family still live in Greenville, SC, and continue to x up our 1929 four-square.”

Erin also shared that they are loving having Kelly Ordemann Smith and her family (Eddie, Sloane, and Eddie) close by in Athens, GA, as Kelly just started working as a neonatologist at Piedmont Athens Regional.

John Hensley and his wife recently purchased e Harpswell Inn, a historic bed and breakfast in coastal Maine. ey run the inn seasonally with their three-year-old son, Archer, while also working to establish an events business at the waterfront location. If you’re ever in Maine, please visit them and say “hello!”

Emily Jenkins and husband welcomed baby girl, Ariana Eileen in Spring 2024! She’s precious!

Amanda Kirtley has big news that she has been appointed as an associate municipal court judge in Sugar Land, TX. Amanda was sworn in on September 30, 2024 and her husband, Jared Ewing ’11, and daughter Pamela Ewing both were in attendance.

Trey Lowery shares an exciting update:

“After earning my degree from Rhodes College, I was accepted into the MD/PhD program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), receiving a fulltuition scholarship. is rigorous eight-year program laid the foundation for my medical career, after which I began my Emergency Medicine residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis.

During my residency, the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, and I found myself on the frontlines in the emergency department, responding to the unprecedented healthcare crisis. Before vaccines were available, I contracted the virus and experienced a prolonged recovery over three months. Despite this setback, I utilized the experience to contribute to the development of innovative medical techniques and protocols designed to enhance safety for both patients and healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Following the completion of my residency, I served as an attending Emergency Medicine physician in Little Rock, Arkansas, for two years. I was then accepted into the highly competitive Space Medicine Fellowship

Natalie Flanders and Bryan Creech

e original Girls of Glassell reunited for the 14th time this summer, where their unbreakable bond was matched only by the seriousness of their faces. Left to right: Bridget McCall, Catherine Casey Cannon, Giules Cangelosi-Fritz, Stacey Rohan, Emily Caress-Wheelwright, Beth Hazelrig Howell, and Melissa De Fabrizio.

Erin Foster Farry and family

Ariana Eileen Jenkins

Trey Lowery

at UT Houston, where I am currently completing my second and final year. This fellowship is one of only three Space Medicine programs globally, with just one position available at each institution—UT Houston, UCLA, and Harvard. As a newly emerging subspecialty within Emergency Medicine, Space Medicine addresses the unique and complex medical challenges associated with human space exploration. It’s been an incredible experience, and I feel extremely lucky to be a part of it. I would love to help future Rhodents get into this exciting new field of medicine!”

Natalie Mayo married Alec Ward in Boston, MA, October 12, 2024. Natalie’s siblings and Rhodes alumni, Allie Mayo ’15 and Joey Mayo ’17 were joyfully in attendance. Fellow Rhodes Class of 2010 alumni, Nina Guo Foreman, Alex Kiester, Jennifer Whatley Vaughn, Peter and Elizabeth Sharpe Zanca ’09, excitedly celebrated the couples’ nuptials! Amanda Law Maxson celebrated from a distance due to the birth of her second child.

Alex Nicoll says “After graduating from Rhodes, I received a law degree from LSU, and later served the Marine Corps as a judge advocate (JAG). After my service, I entered the corporate world, and recently took a position as General Counsel for AESSEAL Inc. In September 2024, I was selected as an “East Tennessee 40 under 40” by Knoxville News. I am happily living in Knoxville with my wife and two kids.”

2011

Reporter: Grace Weil gracem.weil@gmail.com

Your intrepid, and amusing hero Emerson Cook has been very busy for the last couple of years. He has been building a successful private counseling practice, Calm Harbor Counseling, in Georgia as a licensed

clinical social worker, and he encourages you all to check him out at harborofcalm. com. He went adventuring at Universal Studios Orlando, Ocala, FL, Asheville, NC, Birmingham, AL, and the Alabama Gulf Coast. He ended his adventures in Glacier National Park, MT, where he proposed to the love of his life, Teresa, last year, and may be married and in Italy enjoying his honeymoon by the time you receive this edition! May you and your families be blessed this season, fellow Rhodents!

Chenise Anthony was recently named the executive director of the Fair Housing Council of Metropolitan Memphis, a new non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating housing discrimination throughout the Memphis Metropolitan Area. She looks forward to working with the Rhodes community to foster partnerships in this important endeavor.

2012

Reporter: Kelly Parry kparry1211@gmail.com

Alice Havner Kent and husband Adam Kent welcomed their first child, Lily Jean Kent on July 18, 2024. Just prior to Lily’s arrival, Alice was promoted to Chief of the Family Division in the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office where she continues to prosecute child protection cases on behalf of the state.

2013

Reporter: David Dorris david@vepartnersllc.com

Alex Nollan has gained international recognition as a professional jazz pianist after graduating from Rhodes with a major in music. He spent three years at the University of Tennessee in the Jazz Studies program, studying with 6x Grammy nominee Donald Brown. Then he moved

to Lubbock, TX, for five years, performing there and taking lessons in Houston with Hollywood jazz pianist Bobby Lyle. Nollan has recorded two well-received albums, both produced by Brown: Stand (2019) in a quintet, and Mandatory (2023) in a septet.  His composition “Obligatory” was named a top-ten international jazz song in the UKbased Unsigned Only competition of 2020.  He has returned to Memphis, reuniting with his Tennessee quintet, performing and recording regularly!

Jasmine Gilstrap Hunter graduated from the Surge Institute Fellowship in Chicago, IL, on July 20, 2024. Jasmine serves as executive director of Lion’s Pride Mentoring, an organization she co-founded in 2019 with a mission to uplift and inspire youth through intentional and empowering peer mentorship. Through her participation in the Surge Fellowship, Jasmine has honed her skills in leadership development, community engagement, and policy creation, with a focus on building supportive environments where students of color can thrive.

Lily Jean Kent

Emerson Cook and fiancée Teresa

Jasmine Gilstrap Hunter

2014

Reporter: Matt Washnock washnockm@gmail.com

2015 10th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

October 25 – 27, 2025

Reporter: Caroline Ponseti caroline.ponseti@gmail.com

Adam and Kendyl Smith Howard celebrated the birth of their second child, Austin, in March. Adam is now a scientist at Neurogene and Kendyl is a senior wealth strategy associate at UBS Financial Services in Houston, TX.

2016

Reporter: Tina Tran tinatran.tm@gmail.com

Samantha Wong: “Just completed pediatric residency! Excited to join Pediatrics East, a private practice in Memphis.”

Mac McLaughlin ’16 and Lizzy McLaughlin ’18 welcomed baby Olive in March.

2017

Reporter: Mason Brown marymason.brown910@gmail.com

Corena Hasselle took a family trip to Alaska this summer. She currently lives in New Orleans where she teaches school.

2018

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 2018 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

2019

Reporter: Junior Walters je reywalters2@gmail.com

Ryan Rosenkrantz: “I am now the chair of the steering committee for the Memphis branch of the Tennessee World A airs Council.”

Tevin Mathew received his M.P.H. from Vanderbilt University with a concentration

in Global Health on May 10, 2024. His capstone project looked into “Advancing Equity rough Empowerment: Identifying Barriers to Paternal Engagement and Increasing Awareness of Child Malnutrition in Rural Guatemala,” and he completed his practicum with Primeros Pasos in Guatemala.

2020

Reporter: Ben Gri th bengri th3@yahoo.com

2021

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 2021 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

2022

Reporter: Priya Tummalapalli Priya.Tummalapalli@alsac.stjude.org

Adrian Russ passed his thesis and Master’s portion of his Ph.D. Program, Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University.

for the opportunity to continue with this personal and professional growth now as the alumni relations manager as I continue to plan events o -campus and work on communications for my o ce. “

Sona Vaghela is a second-year student at the Southern College of Optometry. She just completed research this Summer on Vision erapy Technology. Sona, John Meyers ’23, and Dr. Carrie Engstrom Lebowitz ’96 have studied and researched together.

Meyers, and Dr.

Former Day Scholar, Ethan Ferguson has gone on to found his own company, Cinilope, and continues to lead the organization with partners in Silicon Valley to develop cutting-edge 3-D visualization software for robotics and autonomous vehicles.

2023

Reporter: Ko Whitehead ko .whitehead12@gmail.com

Lina Beach writes: “ is summer, I became the newest member and guitar player of Al Green’s band, e Hi Rhythm Section, and went on tour with them to Germany and London! ey also recorded a few songs on my album that we should be nishing this year, and I put out my rst song on Spotify, ‘Exotic Love’ a couple of weeks ago!”

Andrew Smitty lives in Washington, DC, working as a legislative correspondent for a Member of Congress (OH). He is pursuing a Master’s in Security Policy Studies at George Washington University Elliot School of International A airs. He extends a warm welcome to any Rhodes students who would like to reach out to talk with him about graduate school or working on the Hill.

Walid Abu Al-A a isworking at St. Jude as Computational Engineer II.

Sidney Marr works as a Peace Corps volunteer in the mountains of rural Colombia. She recently completed the rst year of a two-year term. Sidney is a teacher at the local school and o ers English classes to other community members.

2024

Adelaide Turpin: “I graduated from Rhodes in 2022 with a degree in English and Studio Art and joined the Alumni Relations Team in February 2023 as the Alumni Services Coordinator. roughout my time at Rhodes, I have had the pleasure of deepening my relationship with alumni, students, faculty, sta , and the college as whole. I am very grateful

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of 2024 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

Brock Netherland joined the Rhodes O ce of Admission in June as an assistant director. He will be recruiting students from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and a portion of Texas.

Corena Hasselle

Adrian Russ

Andrew Smitty

Adelaide Turpin

John

Carrie Engstrom Lebowitz, and Sona Vaghela

IN MEMORIAM

’40 Jane Lederer Northcross of Memphis, TN, October 15, 2019. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’47 Ann Pridgen Bailey of Memphis, TN, July 24, 2024. She was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity and served on the staff of the Sou’wester. She is survived by her daughter, two sons, her nephew William L. Pridgen ’82, and niece Allison Pridgen Varner ’86.

’47 Julia Wellford Allen of Memphis, TN, August 10, 2024. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity, Honor Council and later served as Director of Volunteer Opportunities in the Kinney Program. She is survived by daughter Rev. Julia Allen Berger ’76, grandchild Louise Allen Page ’16, and daughter-in-law Louise Rutkowski Allen ’77

’48 Dorette Storn Humphries of Houston, TX, March 7, 2024. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’48 Cozette Cole Bannister of Memphis, TN, February 26, 2019.

’49 Geneva Trim Vaughn of Tiptonville, TN, July 4, 2024. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity and the Southwestern Singers.

’49 Lenora Spellings Stephenson of Bells, TN, June 21, 2024. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority.

’49 Martha Vivian “Molly” Birdsong Nickey of Jackson, MS, August 16, 2024. She was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority.

’50 Reverend Lloyd Donald Ellis of Greensboro, NC, May 1, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

’53 Susanna Renshaw Barnett of Germantown, TN, March 26, 2024. She was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity and selected to be Kappa Alpha Fraternity Rose.

’54 Mary Frances Forbes Reed of Birmingham, AL, June 22, 2024. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. She is survived by her brother William K. Forbes Jr. ’53.

’55 Captain Joe H. Parker, USN, Ret. of Columbia, SC, August 31, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and the Rhodes Football Team.

’56 Geraldine “Geri” Dozier MacQueen of Memphis, TN, March 8, 2024. She was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity. She is survived by nephew Andrew McQueen ’87.

’57 Dudley P. Schaefer of Germantown, TN, March 26, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

’57 Miriam Elizabeth “Mimsy” Townshend of Memphis, TN, April 6, 2024. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’58 Dr. Ed Smith Dorman of Memphis, TN, March 16, 2024. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

’58 Walter J. “Mike” Michael Cody of Memphis, TN, September 15, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Rhodes Men’s Track Team, Rhodes Student Government, ODK, and was an inductee to the Student Hall of Fame. He received an Honorary Degree in 1989. Mike was named the 2016 Distinguished Alumni of the Year. He is survived by his wife Suzanna M. Cody ’75

To view full obituaries, please scan this QR code or visit https://news.rhodes.edu/memoriam

’59 Dr. Malcolm D. McAuley of Tupelo, MS, September 18, 2024.

’59 Dr. William “Bill” Weber of Wahoo, NE, March 19, 2024. He was an officer of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

’59 Junius E. Davidson III of Memphis, TN, June 26, 2024. He was president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and a member of the Men’s Track Team and Football Team. He is survived by his brother William V. Davidson ’62 and nephew William C. Davidson ’94

’61 Dr. Westley F. Busbee of Alpharetta, Georgia, July 20, 2024. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, the Men’s Track Team, and was inducted into the Rhodes Hall of Fame in 1961. He is survived by wife Stella Carol Bradshaw Busbee ’62, child Jennifer Busbee Hunt ’89, and sonin-law Robert M. Hunt III ’92.

’62 Dr. Claude Warren Thompson Jr. of Nashville, TN, March 24, 2024. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and Psi Chi Honorary Fraternity.

’62 Helene N. Griffith of Homewood, AL, September 2, 2024. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority.

’63 Dr. William “Bill” Cobb Johns of Memphis, TN, August 23, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He is survived by his wife Barbara Yost Johns ’63 and daughter Jennifer Johns Wilkes ’94.

’63 Dr. Charles W. McCrary of Memphis, TN, August 16, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He is survived by his wife Janie Stone McCrary ’65.

’63 Emily Hatcher Landreth of Tallahassee, FL, July 2, 2024. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. She is survived by her son Charlie Landreth ‘87 and daughter-inlaw Andi E. Williams ’88.

’63 Rev. Daniel Gilchrist IV of Carthage, MS, June 9, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and was editor of the Lynx.

’64 John C. Peacock of Dothan, AL, May 22, 2024.

’64 Patricia “Trisha” Bryan Whyte Edington of Shreveport, LA, April 30, 2024. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity. She is survived by her two daughters and husband Howard Edington ’64

’65 Carter C. Osterbind III, of Jacksonville, AL, June 21, 2024. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

’65 Fay Milner Reed of Laurel, MS, August 21, 2024.

’65 Roger L. Hart of Elkhorn, WI, February 17, 2024. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and sister Mary “Mamie” Hart-Paul ’74.

’67 Amiel J. Dent of Knoxville, TN, July 4, 2024. He was a member of Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society.

’67 Dianne Fuller Seal of Picayune, MS, March 1, 2024.

’67 Donald M. Hollingsworth of Little Rock, AR, July 16, 2024. He was a member of the Rhodes Football team, inducted into the Rhodes Hall of Fame in 1967, and graduated with Distinction in History. He is survived by his wife and brother Cyril Hollingsworth ’64.

’67 Betty Sue Bogard Dodd of West Memphis, AR, August 6, 2024

’70 Rosemary Wood Potter of Memphis, TN, March 18, 2024. She was a president of Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity and named Miss Southwestern.

’74 Evan W. Murray of Memphis, TN, July 15, 2024. He was a member of the Rhodes Baseball Team.

’74 Martha Suggs Drexler of Collierville, TN, May 30, 2024. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority.

’75 Milton Scott Turner of Brownsville, TN, March 16, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and the Rhodes Football Team.

’75 Patricia “Trish” Potts Aldredge of Dallas, TX, June 15, 2024. She was member of Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity.

’76 Dr. Mark S. Young of Memphis, TN, July 19, 2024.

’76 Joyce C. Broffitt of Memphis, TN, August 23, 2024. She was a part of Rhodes Student Government, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc, and later served on the Rhodes Board of Trustees. She is survived by her brother Samuel Broffitt ’75

’78 Terry Lynn Boudreaux of Hot Springs Village, AR, July 31, 2024. She graduated with Distinction in Art.

’90 Christopher Lee Sanders of Eunice, LA, August 22, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He is survived by his sister Kelly Sanders Cannon ’89

’94 Stephen Alec Montgomery of Millington, TN, May 16, 2024.

’97 Jeremy R. Kellar of Conway, AR, March 18, 2024.

’21 Avery E. Rust of Lafayette, LA, February 27, 2024.

’27 Russell H. Jankowski of Nashville, TN, March 19, 2024. He was a member of the Rhodes Football Team.

FRIENDS/STAFF

Margret E. Cardwell of Memphis, TN, March 13, 2024. She worked as a reference librarian at Rhodes from 1984-1996.

Dr. Kathy Deen Evans of Memphis, TN, March 26, 2024. She was the Director of Teacher Licensure and Field Placements. She is survived by her son Victor J. Evans ’08 Anna Lou Gallaher Farris of Arkadelphia, AR, November 4, 2024. The wife of Rhodes English Professor Jack D. Farris, Anna served the college for many years as an administrator in the dean of students office and as associate dean of the British Studies at Oxford Program. She is survived by former daughter-in-law Anna Farris Rosen ’78.

Prof. Frederic “Fritz” R. Stauffer of Bartlett, TN, March 31, 2024. Prof. Stauffer served as a member of the Physics Department faculty from 1964 to 1990. Frederic is survived by his sons, Jerome T. Stauffer ’71, Robert S. Stauffer ’74, and Frederic R. Stauffer Jr. ’77.

Adrienne McMillan Burns ’88 Memorial Labyrinth

Please send address changes to alumni@rhodes.edu.

If you no longer wish to receive a printed copy of the Rhodes Magazine, please let us know at alumni@rhodes.edu.