Rhodes Magazine Spring/Summer 2024

Rhodes Rhodes

Educating Both Head and Heart

The NPHC Plaza Celebrates the Divine Nine on Campus

Magazine of Rhodes College

Brian Foshee Leaves His Mark

NATIONALLY RANKED LOCALLY INVESTED

Architectural Digest

Among

Southern

LEagle Scout. Athlete. Naval Aviator. Attorney. Businessman. Adventurer. Lifelong Learner. Philanthropist.

Joseph Lester Crain, Jr. ’51 1929 — 2024

ester Crain’s love for Rhodes College lasted a lifetime. As a student, he competed as a member of both the track and eld and football teams. He pledged Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and graduated in 1951 with a degree in political science. He obtained his law degree from Harvard University, earned his wings as a Naval aviator, practiced law, raised a family, and became a business leader and philanthropist.

Lester faithfully served his alma mater as a member of the Board of Trustees and generously established the Lester Crain ’51 Chair in Physics and the Crain Reception Hall in the Bryan Campus Life Center. In 2012, the football eld was named Crain Field.

His life exempli ed the Rhodes motto “Truth, Loyalty, Service,” and his legacy will live on for generations of Rhodes students to come.

For more information on making a gift to support Rhodes faculty, sta , and students, please contact Amanda Tamburrino’98, Senior Director of Development, at 901-843-3850 or tamburrino@rhodes.edu

In recognition of his many contributions to the Rhodes football program, e Lester Crain Award was established in 2015.

Cover Photo: Justin Fox Burks

SPRING/SUMMER 2024

A Quick Hello

Rhodes Rhodes

Greetings, my fellow Lynxcats. We don’t usually run a letter from the editor in our pages, but as the new editor of Rhodes magazine, I wanted to take a couple of paragraphs to introduce myself to the community. Our readers living in Memphis may recognize my byline from a near-decade of work at Memphis Magazine and the Memphis Flyer, but I’m pleased to bring my storytelling skills back to Rhodes, my alma mater.

I’m still in denial that graduation was almost a decade ago. When I walk around campus, I still get ashes of nostalgia from my time as an undergrad, from home track meets on Crain Field to long nights during Rites of Spring. But being back on campus as a professional comes with its own rewards, and I look forward to sharing the story of the school that made such an impact on me.

I want to share your stories, too. ere are so many Rhodes graduates out there doing incredible things, many of whom would be a great t in these pages. If you have a story you’d like to share, or you’d just like to say hi, please send me a note at ciccis@rhodes.edu. I look forward to hearing from you, and I hope you enjoy the great features we’ve lined up for our Spring/Summer 2024 issue!

Samuel X. Cicci ’15

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

Linda Bonnin

Vice President for Marketing and Communications

© 2024. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in

Martha Shepard ’66

Editor Emeritus

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

Meredith Hicks ’12

Jacob Sanders ’25

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jay Adkins

Justin Fox Burks

Ethan van Drimmelen

Betsy Sanders

Jadyn Scott

Please send address changes to alumni@rhodes.edu

Under the Oaks

Brian Foshee Leaves His MarkNPHC Plaza Honors the Divine Nine

Spring Sports Roundup

The Inaugural Venture Challenge

Mars Materials

A LETTER FROM PRESIDENT JENNIFER COLLINS

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2024 edition of our magazine! Rhodes has had a busy and exciting spring semester, and I hope you will enjoy reading about some of the highlights in the pages of this magazine.

One of the most meaningful and important events to take place during the semester was the dedication of our beautiful new National PanHellenic Council (NPHC) Plaza, a permanent monument on campus that honors and celebrates the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities. e creation of this new plaza was a labor of love for our students and alumni. I am so proud of the students who lobbied for this initiative and developed the design and so grateful to our alumni who supported the plaza through their feedback and donations. I hope you will take time to visit the plaza and learn more about the Divine Nine the next time you are on the Rhodes campus.

e NPHC Plaza is also the last campus building project overseen by the extraordinary Brian Foshee P’16, who retired this spring after 37 years of truly remarkable service to Rhodes. Brian always carried out his tremendous responsibilities with grace, patience, a steely commitment to excellence, and good humor. During his tenure at Rhodes, Brian supervised the design and construction of 12 new campus buildings; oversaw the complete transformations of many other buildings, athletic facilities, and outdoor spaces; and worked tirelessly to maintain our beautiful—and aging—campus.

I hope you will join me in extending Brian our deepest thanks for all he has meant to Rhodes and wishing him a very happy retirement.

is issue of the magazine also celebrates the essence of what makes Rhodes so very special— the creative and innovative teaching practiced by our wonderfully talented faculty inside and outside their classrooms every day. When I am

out on the road, I love asking alumni to tell me about their favorite classes at Rhodes, and I am con dent the three pro led here will feature prominently on many such lists. You will read about John Bass’s new songwriting class, which featured a special visit from Grammy Awardwinning artist Jason Isbell; Ann Viano’s camping trip with astronomy club students to view the total eclipse; and Maggie Lovell’s class on taxation of the working poor, which combined a robust classroom experience with volunteer tax preparation services in the local community. I am so thankful for our incredible teacher-scholars, and I know you will enjoy learning more about these exciting new opportunities for our students.

As the 2023-2024 academic year comes to a close, I want to thank all of you for all the ways you have supported Rhodes this year. ank you for sharing in the celebration of our 175th anniversary, thank you for coming to campus for reunions or attending an alumni event in your hometown, and thank you for making sure that both our Athletics Day of Giving and our Rhodes Day of Giving shattered previous records in terms of both dollars raised and participation. 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.

Rhodes Joins the American Talent Initiative to Expand Access for Highly Talented Low-Income Students

Rhodes College has joined the American Talent Initiative (ATI), a collective of 137 top public and private colleges and universities across the nation working collaboratively to expand access and opportunity for highly talented low- and moderate-income students. Formed in 2016, the initiative is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and coordinated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and Ithaka S+R.

Members include regional and flagship public institutions and leading private colleges and universities.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to engage with other colleges and universities dedicated to expanding access and opportunity,” says President Jennifer Collins. “Ensuring that students from all backgrounds can enroll and thrive at Rhodes, regardless of their financial circumstances, is one of our core institutional commitments.”

In concert with the college’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as well as affordability, the Office of Admission strives to identify, recruit, and enroll domestic students who are underrepresented in higher education, including first-generation college students, lowincome students, and students of color. The college offers generous merit-based scholarships, need-based financial aid, fellowships, ROTC opportunities, and other programs.

There is no cost to join ATI, which provides access to extensive networks and resources. Resources have included honoraria to tackle research on key topics of academic equity; grants to improve academic, retention, and graduation outcomes; insights from ATI presidents and chancellors on expanding access to students; and reports of Pell enrollment data collected on an annual basis from ATI members.

Rhodes Ranked Among Leading Institutions for Study Abroad

Rhodes is among the nation’s leading institutions for study abroad, according to the Open Doors 2023 Report on International Educational Exchange released by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Rhodes ranked in the following three categories:

• No. 29 for number of undergraduates participating (196 total for Rhodes)

• No. 31 for participating baccalaureate colleges

• No. 13 for number of students participating in wshort-term programs

The rankings are based on participation in academic year 2021-2022. “The Open Doors 2023 Report shows that during the 2021-2022 academic year, U.S. study abroad rebounded to more than half of pre-pandemic levels,” according to a news release by IIE. “The rebound signals a critical turning point in students’ ability to pursue inperson experiences abroad safely.”

Rhodes Alumna Dorothy Sanders Wells Makes History as Elected

Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi

The Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells ’82 made history Feb. 3, becoming the first woman and first Black person elected as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi.

Wells graduated from Rhodes with a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance, and says she counts her years at Rhodes as a transformative part of her life journey, adding that, “My professors challenged me to grow and become my best self, and I made lifelong friends during those four years. Rhodes clearly helped me become the person I am today.”

Wells went on to pursue and receive a juris doctor degree and practiced law for 18 years, first as a member of a local law firm and then as a corporate attorney for FedEx. She

“We are certainly celebrating Rhodes’ significant return to the national rankings for study abroad,” says Dr. Erin Hillis, director of the college’s Buckman Center for Global Engagement. “Achievements like this wouldn’t be possible without the combined focus and effort of our enthusiastic faculty and dedicated Buckman Center staff. Our short-term summer programs with Rhodes

eventually enrolled in divinity school, and was serving at the time of her appointment as rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, TN, and was also chaplain of the church’s preschool.

Wells is active in the Memphis community, having served on the boards of directors of the Metropolitan Interfaith Association (MIFA), Church Health, Community Alliance for the Homeless, and Room in the Inn-Memphis.

In addition, Wells has served on the Alumni Association Executive Board of Rhodes College, the Board of Directors of the Margaret Hyde Council of Rhodes College, and the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s Episcopal School. She received the Black Student Association’s Distinguished Alumna Award in 2011, and at Rhodes’ commencement in 2015, she was presented an Algernon Sydney Sullivan service award.

faculty continue to be a highlight for students’ experiences while in college. Because study abroad is an essential part of a liberal arts education, Rhodes’ institutional aid is portable for a semester abroad, making a term in Prague, Accra, Cuenca, or hundreds of other global cities possible for students regardless of their financial backgrounds.”

Rhodes Announces New Spence Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities

Rhodes celebrated its 175th anniversary last year, and now is marking another exciting milestone in the life of the college with the establishment of the Spence Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities.

The center bears the name of respected Memphis businessman and philanthropist Spence Wilson, who has been a long-time supporter of Rhodes. Wilson served on the board for more than 40 years, nine as chairman. Wilson also has been a dedicated advocate and supporter of the humanities at Rhodes, and the Spence L. Wilson Distinguished Chair in Humanities was established more than a decade ago as an outgrowth of his involvement and love for the faculty and his long-term commitment to the humanities and the Memphis community. Having this center bear his name honors that commitment and highlights the humanities’ importance at Rhodes and positions it to serve as a national model.

“We are very excited about the possibilities that the Spence Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities will provide,” says Dr. Timothy Huebner, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The new center has the potential to transform how we think about teaching and scholarship in the humanities at Rhodes. Building on the college’s longstanding tradition of excellence as a liberal arts institution, it will provide additional resources for faculty support and student fellowships, while also spurring new initiatives such as digital humanities projects and additional public programming.”

• Raising the profile of the humanities at Rhodes.

At Rhodes, the humanities include history, English, modern languages and literatures, ancient Mediterranean studies, philosophy, religious studies, Africana studies, gender and sexuality studies, Asian studies, Latin American and Latinx studies, and Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern studies, as well as the college’s Foundations Programs in the Humanities.

“The Spence Wilson Center will be unique in its commitment to supporting faculty and students within a single division of the college and in promoting interdisciplinary teaching and research—including undergraduate research—within the humanities. Given the foundational importance of the humanities to our curriculum, the impact of the center will be felt across campus and throughout the Memphis community,” says Huebner.

“At a time when the whole world is talking about non-human artificial intelligence and its implications, we at Rhodes are committed to providing an education that promotes independent critical thinking, fosters human originality and creativity, advances knowledge of the distinctive products of human culture, and encourages civil discourse.” – Tim Huebner

The work of the Spence Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities will focus on:

• Bringing faculty and students at Rhodes, visiting scholars, and members of the greater Memphis community together for addressing complex, global questions through humanistic inquiry;

• Enabling new team-taught courses at Rhodes and encouraging interdisciplinary, public-facing research;

In addition to providing faculty and student grants, the new Spence Wilson Center for Interdisciplinary Humanities will support a scholarin-residence.

“At a time when the whole world is talking about non-human artificial intelligence and its implications, we at Rhodes are committed to providing an education that promotes independent critical thinking, fosters human originality and creativity, advances knowledge of the distinctive products of human culture, and encourages civil discourse,” says Huebner. “The humanities matter at Rhodes.”

In 2009, Wilson was awarded the honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from the college. He and his wife, Becky, created the Spence L. Wilson Service Scholarship Program and the Spence Wilson Faculty International Travel Fund at Rhodes. They are members of the Peyton Nalle Rhodes Society, which recognizes the college’s most generous supporters. In addition, Wilson serves as a member of the Council of Emeriti Trustees at Rhodes.

2024 Hall of Fame Inductees

Six graduating seniors were added to the Rhodes College Hall of Fame: (left to right) Asya Bray, Sam Frank , Oliver Hurst , Claire Kiernan, Hailey Smith, and Justin ompson.

Selection to the Hall of Fame, which was established in 1931, is based on individual merit, leadership in student activities, service to others, and overall contributions to the campus community. Honorees are chosen by their peers.

Molly Hirner Wins Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship

Molly Hirner ’25, a junior from Kansas City, MO, has been selected to receive the Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship, which is intended for U.S. students to undertake advanced research projects in their area of interest for 10 to 12 weeks at a top Canadian university.

Hirner, who is pursuing a major in economics and mathematics, will

conduct research this summer at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. Her topic is “Assessing the Economic and Human Resource Implications to Care for an Aging Population.”

e program is competitive, and students are evaluated on a combination of factors, including their academic record, application rationale, skills appropriate to the project, and reference letters.

Rhodes Giving Day 2024 Breaks Goal

Members of the Rhodes community celebrated Rhodes Giving Day on April 10—raising $270,033 and 1,340 gifts—a new record for Rhodes for number of gifts made in one day. Dozens of volunteers helped drive the challenge to success.

Community members from across the United States lent their support to the challenge, as well as donors from the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, India, and Guatemala.

Alumni comprised the greatest percentage of donors, with the youngest classes making up eight percent of gifts. e Class of

1994 had the greatest number of donors, with 65 gifts. Parents representing current students contributed, in addition to parents of graduates ranging from 1999-2013.

“Your investment in Rhodes supports our outstanding faculty and sta , who work daily to challenge and inspire our students, provide opportunities, and transform lives,” says President Jennifer Collins. “ ank you for your support, and for all you do for Rhodes.”

Julia Blackmon Awarded Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to Explore the World

Julia Blackmon ’24 has been selected to receive the omas J. Watson Fellowship, which provides a one year, $40,000 grant for purposeful, independent exploration outside the United States. e award allows fellows a rare opportunity right after college to pursue original projects on a global scale. She is one of only 35 fellows selected in the nation.

Blackmon’s project is titled “Rock and Roll’s In uence on Cultural Identity” with proposed destinations of Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and Argentina. “During my Watson year, I will examine the connection between rock music and cultural identity through the lens of revolution. e Watson will allow me to engage with communities who use music to reckon with radical change,” she says.

Three From Rhodes Selected for National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

ree Alumni, Scotty Wicker ’22 , Eraine Leland ’21, and Kelsey Rena Glasper ’21, have been selected for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), following a national competition. e program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. Fellowships provide the recipient with a three-year annual stipend of $37,000, as well as access to opportunities for professional development.

Glasper, who received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Rhodes, is now pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Leland is pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Miami. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Spanish from Rhodes.

Wicker, who received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry at e University of Texas at Austin.

Scotty Wicker ’22

Eraine Leland ’21

Kelsey Rena Glasper ’21

Cali VanCleve Receives Prestigious Boren and Phi Beta Kappa Society Scholarships

Cali VanCleve ’26, a sophomore majoring in international studies and Russian, has been selected to receive the Boren Scholarship, which funds study abroad with the goal of immersing students in a language critical to U.S. national security interests. In the summer and fall of 2024, she will study Russian in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as part of the School of Russian and Asian Studies’ Russian as a Second Language Program.

e Boren Awards, including scholarships and fellowships, are an initiative of the Defense Language and National Security Education O ce. e Boren Scholarships program employs a broad de nition of national security that includes global challenges such as food security, public health and disease, cybersecurity, migration, and natural disaster response.

In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the U.S. federal government for at least one year after graduation.

“A career in public service serves as an avenue to continue advocacy and policy work uplifting immigrant and refugee communities,”

says VanCleve. “Because of Rhodes’ liberal arts education, I’ve also come to nd how crucial it is to continue this work— establishing stronger migrant presence and voices—globally. In order to cultivate a world where all can thrive, we must persist at driving attention on the systematic issues within our greater international system.”

VanCleve is also one of 20 students selected as a Key into Public Service Scholar by e Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society and a leading national advocate for the value of a liberal arts and sciences education. Drawing inspiration from many notable Phi Beta Kappa members who have shaped the course of the country, the program recognizes 20 exceptional liberal arts and sciences students with a demonstrated interest in pursuing careers in local, state, and federal government.

Chosen from over 700 applicants attending Phi Beta Kappa chapter institutions across the nation, the 2024 scholars display notable breadth and depth across the arts and sciences. In celebration of their achievements, each 2024 scholar will receive a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship and will participate in an educational conference held in Washington, D.C., providing them with invaluable training, mentorship, and opportunities for re ection on pathways to active citizenship.

Four Graduating Seniors Receive Fulbright Student Awards

Lucia Berkey ’24, Riley Damiano ’24, Piper Huddleston ’24, and Gwen Williams ’24 have been selected to receive Fulbright U.S. Student Awards for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Beginning in the fall, Berkey, Huddleston, and Williams will serve as English teaching assistants in Mexico, Paraguay, and Taiwan, respectively. Damiano will serve as a researcher at the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology in e Netherlands.

Lucia Berkey Riley Damiano Piper Huddleston Gwen Williams

Several Key Positions Announced in the Office of Academic Affairs

In December 2023, Dr. Timothy Huebner was selected as provost and vice president for academic affairs. He previously served as associate provost July 2019 to July 2023, and assumed his new role Jan. 2, 2024.

Huebner will partner with faculty, staff, administrators, and students to design and implement a holistic vision for the academic experience at Rhodes that will inform both high-level strategy and day-to-day operations. With a firm commitment to shared governance, the provost will work to craft programs, policies, guidelines, and approaches that are proactive, transparent, and thoughtfully tailored to the college’s mission and needs.

Huebner, who is the Irma O. Sternberg Professor of History and a specialist in the constitutional and legal history of the American South, joined the faculty in 1995. He founded the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies and was named Tennessee Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in 2004.

Huebner served as chair of the Department of History for six years, and was a recipient of Rhodes’ Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Teaching, the Jameson Jones Award for Outstanding Service, and the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.

Since Huebner’s appointment, the Office of Academic Affairs has added four new key positions. They are Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, who is now dean for faculty

development; Dr. Natalie Person, dean for community engagement/executive director of The Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center; Dr. Sujan Dan, dean for postgraduate and special programs; and Dr. Geoffrey Maddox, associate dean for assessment and academic effectiveness. All assumed their roles on July 1.

“I am thrilled that we have assembled such an experienced and talented team. Together, we will work with our outstanding faculty to ensure that we are providing the best learning opportunities that we can for 21st century students,” says Huebner.

Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, Dean for Faculty

Development

For the past year, Thomas has served in an interim capacity. In this role, she has coordinated all faculty reviews in collaboration with the provost and the Tenure and Promotion Committee, while also leading all faculty development programming and diversity and equity initiatives within the Office of Academic Affairs. As the Plough Professor and Chair of Urban Studies since 2012 and chair of the Faculty Governance Committee from 2021 to 2022, Thomas brings deep institutional knowledge and professionalism to her new role.

Dr. Natalie Person, Dean for Community Engagement/ Executive Director of The Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center

After having served five years as dean for curricular development, Person will work to build on and strengthen the college’s commitment to Memphis. Last year, she chaired the Community Engagement Task Force, which outlined a unified strategy of engaging with the city with academics at the center. She joined the faculty in 1994, and as a former chair of two academic departments, Person brings a breadth of institutional experiences and community connections that make her ideally suited to this position.

Dr.

Sujan

Dan, Dean for Post-Graduate and Special Programs

Dan joins the Office of Academic Affairs as the college’s first academic leader focused on overseeing programs outside of the undergraduate domain. Having joined the college in 2013, Dan has served as chair of the Department of Business and on a variety of task forces and faculty committees.  His scholarly expertise in the areas of strategy, innovation, and new products, as well as his familiarity with the college’s M.S. in Accounting program, make him uniquely qualified for this position. As

“securing the future” is a strategic imperative of the college, Dan will focus on ensuring that existing and new programs outside the undergraduate curriculum provide sustained revenue.

Dr. Geo rey Maddox, Associate Dean for Assessment and Academic E ectiveness

Over the past few years, in his work as a Faculty Fellow and as director of Assessment and Administration, Maddox has collaborated closely with the O ce of Academic A airs on a number of projects, including peer institution salary comparisons,

From the Archives

chair compensation, and faculty retention. e current chair of the Department of Psychology, Maddox brings knowledge and experience in the areas of assessment and data analysis, and he will be a key player in the college’s upcoming SACS re-a rmation in his new role as associate dean. He came to Rhodes in 2013 as a visiting assistant professor and joined the faculty full-time in 2015.

“Congratulations to these new members of the team, as they join Associate Provost Rashna Richards, Mellon Fellow and Associate Dean Eric Henager, and me in advancing our academic program. I am especially grateful to members of the Faculty Governance Committee for their feedback in the selection process,” says Huebner.

Talk about getting into the “swim of things!”

April 15, 1977: Students christen the new Alburty swimming pool by pitching in President James Daughdrill!

e amazed Dean of Students, Ann Marie Williford, is already in the pool, on the left.

e pool was the gift of E. A. (Bob) and Emily Beale Alburty of Memphis.

Elizabeth omas Natalie Person

Sujan Dan

Geo rey Maddox

SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP

WOMEN’S LACROSSE won the SAA regular season championship, with Avery Burke ’24 earning the O ensive Player of the Year honors and Bari Pinkett ’25 securing Defensive Player of the Year. Chloe Parker ’24 joined Burke and Pinkett on the First-Team All-SAA team. Molly Heidrick ’25, Caroline Kardian ’26, Anna Erskin ’25, Emma Norris ’24, and Isabelle Sklena ’24 earned Second Team All-SAA.

WOMEN’S GOLF nished second in the SAA Tournament, with Ava Bankston ’27 capturing the individual crown as SAA Champion.

MEN’S GOLF tied for third in the SAA Championship Tournament, with Avery Stansell ’24 tying for fth individually. Stansell was also picked as one of six individual players to compete in the NCAA DIII Tournament.

e team went on to win the SAA Tournament, with Parker earning SAA Tournament MVP.

Earning the league’s automatic quali er to the NCAA Tournament, the Lynx traveled to nationally ranked Washington and Lee University (W&L). e team defeated Transylvania in the rst round before eventually losing to host W&L.

MEN’S TENNIS nished third in the regular season and advanced to the semi nals of the SAA Tournament. Christian Mainella ’26 was named to the All-Tournament Team.

WOMEN’S TENNIS nished third in the regular season and advanced to the semi nals of the SAA Tournament. Gracie Rask ’26 was named to the All-Tournament Team.

SWIMMING AND DIVING

e Women’s team placed rst in the SAA Championship, making it back-to-back titles for the Lynx. Taylor McNerney ’27 was recognized as SAA Newcomer of the Year and Anabelle Morlé ’25 won High-Point Diver of the Year.

At the NCAA DIII Championship, Gracie Shapard ’26, Paxton Smythe ’26, Eliza Hulverson ’25, and Adeline Caroll ’25 earned All-American honors with an 11th-place nish in the 400m relay, their time breaking both school and SAA records. Shapard placed 35th in the 100m backstroke, and Smythe nished 37th in the 100m breaststroke. Morlé placed 21st in the 1m dive and 17th in the 3m dive.

e Men’s team took home its rst SAA Championship in program history. A notable achievement saw Arthur Bishop ’24, Jack Whitten ’26, Jeb Brownell ’26, and Nick Kunst ’26 nish 1st in the 200m medley relay with a new school and SAA record.

At the NCAA Championship, John Beuerlin ’24 nished 7th in the 3m dive. Whitten nished 21st in the 100m breaststroke, setting a new school record. Coach Steve Webb was recognized as SAA Coach of the Year for both the Men’s and Women’s teams.

TRACK & FIELD

Finishing the regular season, TJ Clayton ’24

SAA Track Athlete of the Year, and SAA Outdoor Track and Field Newcomer of the Year.

e SAA Championship saw the Men’s Outdoor Track and Field nish third, with Clayton winning the 100m and 200m while earning the Male Athlete of the Meet. Davis won both the long jump and triple jump. Winning the 4x100 race was the team of Davis, Hugh Stokes ’25, Evan Byrd ’24 Clayton.

MEN’S LACROSSE nished fourth in the conference regular season and advanced to the quarter nals of the SAA Championship. Drew Downes ’25, David Hart ’25, and Lucas Pagliarulo ’26 were named to the First Team All-SAA. Dylan Farley ’25 was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Women’s Outdoor Track and Field nished third in the SAA Championship. Rhodes Women’s team won three events.

was named the Justin Davis ’27 claimed , and Kendra

Payne ’24 won the pole vault, Kym Young ’25 won the high jump, and Olivia Freeman ’26 won the 100m.

SOFTBALL nished third in the SAA regular season and advanced to the seminal round of the SAA Championship. Gina Dudley ’26 was named First Team All-Conference, while teammates Savannah Russell ’27, Quinn ompson ’27, Jasmyn Stanley ’27, and Kate Ledlie ’27 were named to the second team.

BASEBALL nished sixth in the SAA regular season and advanced to the semi- nal round of the SAA Championship. Corbin Kinder ’25 and Ben Burkhart ’25 were named First Team All-SAA; Zac Sohosky ’26 and Quinn Blackman ’24 were named Second Team All-SAA.

Pitch Perfect

Students mean business at the new Rhodes College Venture Challenge.

The sharks were circling as Drishti Bhatia ’26 took to the stage in a packed Blount Auditorium. She and her business partner Winston Gasch ’26 had spent the better part of a semester drawing up a strategy and pitch for their new app, PlatePlan, as part of the 2024 Rhodes College Venture Challenge—a business pitch competition akin to ABC’s Shark Tank. On the line was a $15,000 grand prize, a dizzying sum for full-time students and plenty of startup capital to get their new venture o the ground. But if there were any nerves, it was hard to tell. Bhatia’s smooth and composed presentation impressed the three judges and secured her and Gasch rst prize in the inaugural Venture

Challenge. And for Rhodes’ Department of Business, it’s hopefully the rst of many successful pitches.

While the rst Venture Challenge was a resounding success, it’s not the rst competition of its kind at Rhodes. Eric Mathews ’02, founder of start-up incubator Start Co. and now the college’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, had previously produced the Rhodes Business Plan Competition in 2016.

e winner, Nick Parinella ’17, won a $7,500 prize for the Kangaroozie™, a can cooler with a water-resistant storage pouch for cash, keys, or anything you might need to keep dry while hanging out at the beach or while tackling whitewater rapids.

Parinella also received legal advice from patent lawyer Bill Hulsey ’77, who helped secure a design patent for Kangaroozie™ in 2019 and a utility patent in 2021. To date, Parinella has sold more than 9,000 units. “He kept the business strong and did it full-time during the pandemic,” says Mathews. “Now he’s wholesaling the product to retailers around the country. We want to open this kind of pathway for other students interested in entrepreneurship.”

She and Gasch set to work designing the app, coming up with a business plan, and rehearsing their pitch over and over again. As they went through this process, they leaned on some of their professors. “I drew a lot on managerial accounting with [Associate Professor of Business] Dr. Wendy Bailey,” says Gasch. “A big part of our business will be analyzing companies’ nancial statements and telling them exactly how we’re going to be saving them money and improving their bottom line.” ey also consulted with economics professor Zoe Laulederkind and chemistry professor Will Eckenho on analyzing food waste from the refectory, which helped form the baseline of their pitch.

Since becoming an o cial part of the Rhodes faculty last spring, Mathews has sought to bring a renewed focus on student entrepreneurship. In addition to teaching a three-course entrepreneurship curriculum with Steve Zatechka, he has rebooted the Student Entrepreneurship Club, which amassed more than 100 members in just a few months, and has connected students with speakers and resources from Memphis and beyond.

In the Venture Challenge semi nals, contestants were analyzed by judges Lia Winter, founder and CEO of Winter Innovations medical device company; Jim Golden ’85, co-founder of CommonTask.AI; and Robert “Bobbo” Jetmundsen ’77, chairman of Worthscape, LLC.

Mathews also drew on both talented alumni and notable community leaders for the nals’ three-judge panel. On April 25, Hulsey; Dev Varma ’11, CIO of Rhizome Group; and Audrey Willis, co-founder of CodeCrew, watched each nalist present in person and found PlatePlan to be the most compelling pitch. Kyla Bursey ’24 was voted the People’s Choice Award winner for Hikylabur, a media and engagement brand that puts self-care and a healthy work/life balance front and center.

“ ere’s a high demand for entrepreneurship here,” says Mathews. “ e problem-solving skill set, the innovation skill set, things like these are crucial components of the liberal arts education here and really important workforce skills that students will need in the future, especially in the highly adaptive, changing technology environment that we’re in. I’d say more than 20 percent of students will participate in an entrepreneur activity at least once on campus, and these are all things that will help us start building that entrepreneurial ecosystem at Rhodes College.”

e Venture Challenge was a great rst step to building that ecosystem. For economics and mathematics major Bhatia and business major Gasch, their path to victory started with a quick elevator pitch competition. In a 90-second video, they broke down their aims for PlatePlan, an app which they hope will revolutionize the dining industry. “ e app will allow students to give realtime feedback to dining companies on meals and ingredients that they like or don’t like,” says Bhatia. “ is will in turn allow these companies to increase their e ciency and save money, and also decrease food waste.”

With the Challenge win under their belt, Bhatia and Gasch are using the summer to plan their next steps. Shortly after the spring semester ended, Bhatia was already meeting with community resources like Epicenter, a nonpro t that supports entrepreneurship in the greater Memphis area. “Since stepping into this eld, I’ve seen so many resources available in Memphis,” says Bhatia. “ ere are plenty of companies and nonpro ts that will help you succeed.”

As he looks forward to the next Venture Challenge, Mathews hopes to maintain a high level of engagement. But for him, the end goal is to prepare students to take their skills and ideas o Rhodes’ campus. “I’m out and about in the community a lot, and a lot of people are excited for Rhodes to step into this role of creating economic opportunity that will extend beyond the walls of our college very shortly,” says Mathews. “If we do this consistently over the next four to 10 years, we’ll de nitely see the job creation, and economic opportunity grow in our community. at’s what everybody on a communitywide basis really is excited about for our institution.”

Winston Gasch ’26 and Drishti Bhatia ’26 won the rst Venture Challenge competition.

Kyla Bursey ’24 received the Venture Challenge People’s Choice Award.

MARS MATERIALS

After a few years working in government, Aaron Fitzgerald ’10 wanted a change of scenery. A friend’s bachelor party trip to California provided just that, as well as an important light bulb moment for his career.

While celebrating with his close friend John Hensley ’10, Fitzgerald took a moment to bask in the serene beauty of Lake Tahoe and re ect on his professional path. “I’d just spent a few years working for Senator Bob Corker in Tennessee,” he recalls, “and it felt like government wasn’t the right change agent for me, personally. I loved the view of the lake, and started thinking about climate change and how that a ects us all, and I could see opportunities in front of me for how I could make an impact.”

what climate change looked like, how it was going to impact people of color and people in poverty.”

Mars Materials is currently in the process of commercializing technology that can produce lowcost, low-carbon acrylonitrile (AN) using captured CO2 . “In essence, we’re a startup working to turn everyday essential products into carbon sinks,” says Fitzgerald, “which is something that removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases. We’re doing that by using novel technology developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that enables us to make a chemical monomer that is used as the raw material for carbon ber, water treatment chemicals, and so many other things.”

Fitzgerald packed his bags back home and soon made California his permanent residence, kickstarting a journey that would see him found Mars Materials in 2019, a venture with the goal of reversing humanity’s industrial waste carbon footprint. Now located in Houston, TX, Fitzgerald has made nding a solution to climate change his primary focus.

But this isn’t Fitzgerald’s rst foray into environmental issues. During his time at Rhodes, he joined a group of students who traveled to New Orleans to help with cleanup e orts after Hurricane Katrina. “We helped people in the lower ninth ward get their health back to a livable standard. at was where I rst witnessed

Most people probably haven’t heard of AN. But it’s used to create objects that people use every day, and is the backbone of a $13 billion industry that poses a signi cant climate risk. “ e market for AN has been moving towards China in recent years,” says Fitzgerald, “and they start with coal instead of crude oil, which increases the emissions and intensity of greenhouse gases by 150 percent.”

e company will purchase captured CO2 and use its technology to turn that into AN, which can be inserted in place of the traditional chemical. While that process may happen out of the public eye, it has the potential to have a huge e ect on the environment. “Since AN can be made into carbon ber, that means it can be used to make everything from carpets, to keyboard keys, to car parts—you name it,” says Fitzgerald.

Aaron Fitzgerald ’10

“We want a scenario where our tech is a no-brainer to adopt, where that new car you buy, that new pickleball paddle, or that new carpet, is carbon removal, and your life hasn’t necessarily changed.” —Aaron Fitzgerald ’10

Last year, Mars Materials produced 100 milliliters of AN to be used for water treatment chemicals. at’s when other companies began to take notice. Mars Materials partnered with Shell, and Fitzgerald and co-founder Kristian Gubsch were named as Fellows by Microsoft founder Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy accelerator focused on clean energy technology.

“Breakthrough funded the design, fabrication, and commission of our rst-of-a-kind pilot plant,” says Fitzgerald, “which is our lab capable of producing about a kilogram a day of AN. We’re using this to collect data for our demonstration plant, which should

be able to produce kilotons of our materials per year.” e process included a personal visit from Gates to tour the pilot lab at Shell’s Technology Center Houston. e end goal for Mars Materials is a world where consumers can participate in the carbon dioxide removal process without lifting a nger. “We want a scenario where our tech is a no-brainer to adopt,” says Fitzgerald. “Where that new car you buy, that new pickleball paddle, or that new carpet, is carbon removal, and your life hasn’t necessarily changed.

“If our tech grows the carbon ber market,” adds Fitzgerald, “it can be used in other strategic decarbonization applications, like replacing steel in transmission lines, which is something being tested in Texas and California. You can replace those steel conductors with carbon ber conductors, and it improves line capacity and reduces grid loss.”

As Mars Materials continues to scale up, Fitzgerald plans to grow his team. And he hopes the next phase of his business will grow as quickly as the rst. “We have been acknowledged as building one of the hardest businesses that you can as a startup,” he says. “And I think that’s why we’ve been able to get such good attention from companies like Shell. ey’ve recently told us that it took us 18 months to bring our pilot plant to life and it would take them ve to 10 years to do that. So I’m really impressed with what our team of eight has achieved, and we’d like to let more people know about the work we’re doing.”

Aaron Fitzgerald with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who invested in Mars Materials through his Breakthrough Energy accelerator.

“At the end of my first week here, I went home and told my wife, ‘This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I’ll retire from here.’”

A GRAND GOTHIC DESIGN

SDirector of Physical Plant Brian Foshee leaves his mark on campus after nearly four decades of service.

tudents and faculty see plenty of recognizable names as they stroll through the beautiful Rhodes College campus. Every day, there are the Barrets, the Burrows, the Buckmans, and plenty of others. But one name that they might not be as familiar with is Brian Foshee P’16, the longtime Director of Physical Plant who spent the better part of four decades making Rhodes look its pristine and welcoming self each day. But ying under the radar, and letting the 123-acre campus’ Collegiate Gothic architecture do the talking, is just how Foshee prefers it.

“I was at Rhodes 37 years,” says Foshee, “and I’ve been blessed to do what I love in life.” Foshee rst made his mark on Memphis away from Rhodes, working on a number of recognizable institutions as a project manager for the City of Memphis. One of his favorites was the Ramesses II exhibition as part of Wonders: e Memphis International Culture Series at the old Cook Convention Center. e major Orpheum eatre renovation in 1982 is another notable example.

As Rhodes’ Director of Physical Plant, Foshee’s responsibilities included planning, design, construction, and building maintenance. “Campus has expanded a lot,” he says. “So it became about curating this larger space while keeping the quality at the same level. We

made some positive changes: We added some great new buildings, and we turned Rhodes into a core pedestrian campus by moving parking to the perimeter.”

Foshee’s rst exposure to Rhodes came long before his professional career. Growing up in Memphis, he ran track during his high school years, and one annual meet saw him lace up on what is now the Winston Wolfe Track at Crain Field. Were the seeds planted then for a long and fruitful Lynx career? e campus certainly piqued his interest. “At that time I was really only familiar with Mallory Gym, but just kind of walking through I thought it was one of the most beautiful campuses I’d seen.”

So when the call came to take a position at Rhodes College in 1987, the choice was simple. A few years earlier, the Board of Trustees had adopted a resolution that the college would not deviate from its Collegiate Gothic design, and he relished the idea of building new creations that could seamlessly t in on campus. “Most of our visitors, especially prospective students, the rst thing they talk about is the beauty of the buildings,” says Foshee. “If someone said ‘Let’s change the style, and not have that beautiful sandstone slate, or get rid of the stained glass,’ it would be a very di erent place.”

President William E. Troutt and Brian Foshee tour Paul Barret, Jr. Library construction.

While Rhodes already boasted a picturesque aesthetic when Foshee arrived, many of the structures that students enjoy today are thanks to Foshee’s guiding hand. He recalls his first big assignment in 1989: the renovation of Stewart Hall. “Stewart was originally a boarding hall back in the ’40s,” says Foshee. “The college acquired it and converted it to residential. And in 1989, we basically rebuilt the restrooms and stairwells of that building and then did an internal facelift. Fast forward a decade, and we completely gutted Stewart and rebuilt it! We saved the stairwells, but we completely rebuilt that building with new interiors, new windows, new doors, painted the exterior, put the fence and columns around the perimeter, painted it so that it had more of an earth tone. Even across the street on University, it really meshes with the rest of campus and makes it feel connected.”

Stewart Hall let Foshee cut his teeth on Rhodes’ Gothic designs. But every artist has a magnum opus, and for Foshee it came in the form of the campus’ central crown jewel: the Paul Barret, Jr. Library. At 140,000 square feet, the library became his largest project at Rhodes. Alongside the architectural firm and longtime Rhodes collaborator Hanbury, Foshee navigated the process from conception to construction in a quick five-year period. “For most projects on a university campus, a building of this size will take 10 years to complete,” he says. “But we had funding from the Paul Barret, Jr. Trust during the 1999-2000 school year, and we had a need for this space.”

With a team of expert planners and designers, plus consultation from then-

library director Lynne Blair, Barret’s current director Darlene Brooks, and associate director of library services Bill Short ’71, Foshee worked quickly and efficiently to have the library open in 2005. “Lynne, Darlene, and Bill knew exactly what they wanted,” says Foshee. “If you look at the building now and ask them if they’d change anything, I bet they’d say they wouldn’t change a thing.”

When the library opened its doors, Foshee, as is his character, stepped back from the spotlight to let the work shine. He clearly recalls a moment of recollection on opening day, as he watched Lewis Donelson ’38, a prominent attorney and a Rhodes trustee, meet former U.S. Senator Howard Baker, Jr. in the lobby. “They were standing maybe 20 feet from me, and as soon as they walked in the door, their mouths fell open and they said, ‘Wow.’ Lewis said it exceeded his expectations, and I’m just sitting over here jumping for joy, because we got the end result we wanted. There were a lot of great memories in that project, and it’s a place where students can continue to create memories, and that’s really what we’re proud of.”

If the quick turnaround time on projects seems surprising from the outside, that’s not the case for Foshee. “It’s all about assembling a good team, and we’ve accumulated a lot of institutional knowledge on how to approach these,” he says. For Foshee, interrupting the quiet serenity of a calm spring morning with the sound of hammers and drills is a non-starter. During his tenure, most renovations came during a 12-week period during the summer, when

campus traffic is at its lowest. “We want to have as little impact on the day-to-day as possible,” he says. “So we became adept at doing projects quickly during the summer break. Then students could come back and be greeted by improved buildings.”

Paul Barret, Jr. Library

West Village

Even within the last decade, there are plenty of examples of Foshee’s work enriching campus: e West Village residence hall, a renovated Catherine Burrow Refectory, and Robertson Hall, to name a few. “I was excited about Robertson,” says Foshee. “It was an opportunity to create a 21st-century science building that incorporated modern ourishes within our Gothic design.” He and Hanbury moved forward with an idea he calls monumental glazing. Robertson’s sweeping two-story windows allow for plenty of natural light, and are mirrored by large limestone panels. Inside, large windows allow for views into classrooms from the hallway, o ering students a chance to peek at what their peers are working on in a class or lab.

During his tenure, Foshee has kept a rm focus on maintaining the integrity of the campus design. But he has also made sure that students have had a platform to contribute to that design. If a student has a good idea to improve campus, he says, then he’s all for making it happen. e student-led National Pan-Hellenic Council Plaza [pro led on page 26], just outside the Bryan Campus Life Center, was unveiled to much fanfare earlier this spring. Another big project that came to fruition last semester was the creation of a new walking trail around the campus perimeter. “I was in a meeting with President Collins and Rhodes Student Government president Claire Kiernan ’24, and she came to us with this idea for a trail. We both thought it was a great concept, so she developed a plan and we got to work.”

Kiernan and Foshee took a golf cart around campus to chart a path. “As soon as I brought up the idea, Brian immediately went, ‘Let’s gure it out,’” says Kiernan. “As a student, it can be terrifying to pitch an idea. But both Brian and President Collins were very supportive, and it’s really gratifying to see that kind of support for a student project.” e walking trail has 10 cedar posts set up around the campus perimeter (planted courtesy of the Rhodes football team), each marked with a QR code that links to a page with nuggets of college trivia.

“ ere really are so many beautiful hidden parts of campus around the perimeter that go undiscovered,” adds Kiernan. “Brian was really helpful during the process, and even during other projects, such as getting new outdoor furniture around campus. He was a really big advocate of the trail. He saw just how much I wanted to make it happen, and how much it could help the school and bene t students, faculty, sta , and alumni. He became just as passionate about the project as I was, which was really nice to see from someone who’s been at the school so long and really knows what he’s talking about.”

Foshee himself is no stranger to walks around campus. Most days, his familiar route would lead him to his favorite spot on campus at the intersection of Upper Phillips Lane and omas Lane. And for years, students might spy Foshee sitting on the bench dedicated to Bill Michaelcheck ’69, looking out over Fisher Garden at 8:00 a.m. “When the leaves start to turn in the spring, or even if they’re starting to fall later in the year,” muses Foshee, “it’s absolutely beautiful on a sunny day or sunny morning when that light lters through.”

at beauty is a credit to Foshee and Physical Plant. e work that goes into maintenance, in terms of both aesthetics and infrastructure, often goes unnoticed. e campus has had to weather many storms during his time at Rhodes, including Hurricane Elvis in the early 2000s and recent ice storms that a ected the power supply and campus operations. But the buildings—many of which were constructed almost 100 years ago—remain in excellent condition. ey, and the college’s consistent certi cation as a Class IV Arboretum, continue to showcase Rhodes’ unique Gothic appeal.

Foshee o cially called time on his Rhodes career in March. He is succeeded by Je McClain, himself a 22-year veteran of Physical Plant. Adventure beckons for Foshee and his wife, who may set o on a visit to national parks or to baseball stadiums around the country. But Memphis is home, and he plans to continue supporting Rhodes. His early morning spot on the bench by Fisher Garden beckons, after all.

“I remember when I reached the end of my rst week here at Rhodes, I went home and told my wife, ‘ is is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I’ll retire from here,’” says Foshee.

“It was just an o -the-cu remark for me and I remember it to this day, 37 years later. It’s just been a wonderful journey to not only do what I love, but to build these magni cent monuments and have the opportunity to work on such a beautiful campus?”

Robertson Hall

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

RHODES TAKES THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

In February, the Washington, D.C. Alumni Chapter gathered at one of the District’s most iconic landmarks—the Washington National Cathedral. Led by Nat Wyeth ’05, the Cathedral’s director of development, and Marilyn Meyers ’64, a Cathedral docent, and hosted by Nancy Wassell Work ’64, the group was treated to an in-depth, behind-the-scenes (and up-onthe-roof) tour of the Cathedral.

Originally conceived as a “great church for national purposes” by Pierre L’Enfant, construction began in 1907 as President eodore Roosevelt helped lay a foundation stone and ended in 1990 as President George H.W. Bush observed the nal tower stone being lowered into place.

From the gargoyles around the exterior to the carillon and the top of the central bell tower—Wyeth and Meyers expertly guided the tour, including their own personal experiences as well as showcasing the depth and breadth of their shared knowledge of the building’s history,

design, and construction and the ongoing renovations following an earthquake in August 2011. Wyeth connected Memphis to the Cathedral in a particularly meaningful way, noting that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his nal Sunday sermon from its Canterbury Pulpit on March 31, 1968, just days before he was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.

Lynx from the Classes of 1958 through 2023 made up the group that convened on a cold, windy morning. While taking in the various stained-glass windows, including the newest “Now and Forever” racial-justice-themed windows, one thing became crystal clear—the Gothic architecture is not the only shared element between Rhodes and the Cathedral. Encompassing art, music, science, religion, history, philosophy, and literature, among other things, the Cathedral itself re ects the wide-ranging characteristics of the liberal arts approach to education.

– Meredith Hicks ’12

JASMINE CROCKETT ’03 LEADS A NEW CLASS

During her time at Rhodes, Jasmine Crockett ’03 honed her legalese in the college’s Mock Trial program, earning All-American recognition for her work as a Witness in the National Mock Trial Championship. Now, she puts those skills into practice to serve her constituents as a member of Congress.

After graduating from Rhodes, Crockett received her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. She remained in Texas

as a civil rights attorney, working as a public defender in Bowie County before opening her own firm.

In November 2020, Crockett won her general election for the Texas House of Representatives’ 100th District and assumed office in January 2021. In 2022, she won election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas’ 30th District and was selected as the Democratic Freshman Leadership Representative for the 118th Congress.

MEMPHIS MUSIC WITH DAVID LESS ’74

In a city rich in music history and culture, it takes dedication and passion to become a recognized part of Memphis’ music legacy. David Less’ career in music demonstrates nothing short of this. He has experience producing and performing, has launched radio programs and organized music festivals, and is a music journalist who has also done research for the Smithsonian Institute. In October 2023, Less was awarded a Brass Note on Beale Street, a historic distinction he shares with legends like Al Green, Sam Phillips, and Johnny Cash.

Less began his music career as a young working drummer. He was a selfproclaimed “quiet one, hiding behind [his] cymbals.” As a student at Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes), he was a charter disc jockey for WLYX radio, Rhodes’ student-run radio station designed to help students express their creativity and personal tastes in music. All music was welcome, from all types of people. That encapsulates his attitude towards music and the arts, an outlook focused more on appreciation and creativity than accolades. According to Less, “I never had a goal like that. A Brass Note is a high honor.”

Regarding his time at Rhodes, Less remembers classes with John Quincy Wolf, a renowned professor of folklore who researched and shared different types of indigenous music, and who Less credits with broadening his appreciation for the art form. And rather than focus on his own accomplishments, Less would much rather

talk about the state of music. Nowadays, he appreciates artists like Taylor Swift, praising her musical and career autonomy, especially her ability to control her own projects and music. As he says, “You can’t stop creativity.”

For Less, it was always clear music was his path. “It’s all I’ve done, all I know how to do, all I want to do.” Even as his name is commemorated by a Brass Note that will be a part of Beale Street for years to come, he thinks back to where it all began: a love for creation, expression, and beauty in music. “A life in music is something you can’t avoid if you have it in you. You may as well follow that path.”

– Jacob Sanders ’25

Frank Zappa with David Less at WLYX

THE DIVINE NINE

“We all understood that this is history—it will be here long after we’re gone. If our children come to Rhodes, they will see it: a legacy that has been built, and will continue to be built upon.”

— Zach Everett ’26

JHONORING THE DIVINE NINE

A new plaza pays tribute to traditionally Black fraternities and sororities on campus.

ohnny B. Moore, Jr. ’88 gazes out at the crowd that has gathered just outside the Bryan Campus Life Center on March 23rd. ere are plenty of chairs set up, but more people continue to lter in, extending the group until it reaches almost to the Bill and Carole Troutt Quad. Despite the cold and windy morning, students, faculty, sta , alumni, and community members have all gathered to commemorate the unveiling of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Plaza, which pays tribute to the legacy of the nine historically African-American fraternities and sororities on campus. Chapter members, from both Rhodes and far beyond, cannot wait for the proverbial ribbon to be cut.

“ is is a great thing for Rhodes College,” says Moore, regional president for the Tennessee Region at Truist, a Rhodes trustee, and member of the plaza’s Alumni Steering Committee. “My wife, Mary Moore, and I, wanted to help create a lasting legacy of grace and being a di erence maker. When we learned of this opportunity to create a monument to recognize the Divine Nine at Rhodes, we got excited about making another positive impact.”

e NPHC is an umbrella organization comprising nine historically African-American fraternities and sororities, and is frequently referred to as the Divine Nine. e organization was founded in the 1930s as a resource for Black students who faced discrimination at predominantly white institutions. eir impact and history on the Rhodes Campus will be immortalized with the new plaza, which features nine plaques portraying each organization’s founding date, coat of arms, motto, and colors.

Unlike the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council groups on campus, the NPHC organizations did not have designated physical spaces on the Rhodes Campus. Starting in 2022, several students, including Ammon Turner ’22 and David Caddle ’23, planted the seed for the idea that would turn into the NPHC Plaza. Under the leadership of both student-led and alumni-led steering committees and numerous donors, the project gained steam until the plaza was o cially unveiled in March earlier this year.

For Zach Everett ’26, president-elect of the Black Student Association, a leader of the NPHC Steering Committee, and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, unveiling the plaza was a seminal moment. “I was sitting next to Ammon, and we were

Johnny B. Moore, Jr. ’88 addresses the crowd at the NPHC Plaza dedication on March 23.

just in awe that we were there as a part of history,” says Everett. “There are a lot of projects where you’re really operating in the moment and might not fully grasp the magnitude of what’s happening. But we all understood that this is history—it will be here long after we’re gone. If our children come to Rhodes, they will see it: a legacy that has been built, and will continue to be built upon.”

Asya Bray ’24, a legacy member of Zeta Phi Beta, sees the plaza as a way to simultaneously commemorate her experience at Rhodes and pay tribute to her family. “I’m a three-time legacy member of Zeta Phi Beta,” says Bray. “When I toured colleges, my aunt, who is also a member, came with me and we ran into Zetas everywhere. So standing here, and leaving this physical marker on campus for her to see, for my mom to see, and for many other Zetas to see, is amazing.”

During some of the early steering committee meetings, Bray created a few preliminary designs for what the potential plaza might look like on her iPad. With

others interested in her ideas, Bray found herself named as the committee’s planning and design chair. As the students tuned up their designs, they frequently ran their ideas by director of physical plant Brian Foshee, who would create professional mock-ups for them to examine. The whole process, according to Bray, was student-led until the fall of 2023, when Rhodes faculty and staff helped to take the project a step further. The Alumni Steering Committee also entered the picture, helping to engage NPHC alumni from around the country and secure the necessary funding for the project.

“When we were formulating the design, we really wanted to stress the unity of the NPHC,” says Bray. “So we thought we’d make it into a circle, with our plaques on the pillars outside and with our letters in the middle that represented all of us. And no matter which angle you look at it from, you can see all of the organizations there.”

But Bray wanted it to extend a welcoming hand to the rest of the Rhodes community, as well. “It’s a space for everyone,” she says. “We have benches so people can sit and

relax, and we have the plaques so people can learn about our organizations.”

As a rising junior, Everett looks forward to continuing his participation in Alpha Phi Alpha. “I grew up in a single-mother household, so there weren’t a lot of male figures in my life,” he says. “In Alpha Phi Alpha, I really found that brotherhood, and it’s allowed me to really flourish at Rhodes. For me, and others, the NPHC organizations bring new students together and really push them to be the best people they can possibly be.”

Bray and Everett hope that the NPHC Plaza can be a springboard for their chapter not just on campus, but for Memphis as a whole. Several of Rhodes’ NPHC organizations have joint chapters with Christian Brothers University, helping to build connections with other students.

And the plaza, according to Everett, is the only NPHC-dedicated space of its kind in Memphis. “There isn’t anything like this at U of M, CBU, LeMoyne-Owen,” he says.

“So I think this can be a gathering space for students from all of these schools.”

The plaza immediately proved a unifying space upon its unveiling, bringing in chapter members from all the Memphis colleges and universities. Everett says he even met several members from out-of-town schools like Lane College.

The plaza’s purpose won’t just be historic. Everett says he’s seen increased interest in NPHC organizations at Rhodes since he arrived. “Our numbers have grown so significantly over the past two years,” he says. “And I think even from last year,

they’ve tripled. So we truly needed a space like this on campus, and hopefully we can create more and attract more interest. And that’s on the students that are still here, to tell incoming students what we’re all about, and the history behind the NPHC.”

For many alumni, the plaza unveiling gave them an opportunity to reflect on their times at Rhodes. But the most lasting impression was the opportunity to think about the future. “I had a great time on campus and playing with the football

Black Students and Alumni Family Reunion

The weekend of March 22, students, alumni, and their families gathered on campus for the Black Students and Alumni Family Reunion. The three days of festivities, running concurrently with SpringFest, recognized and celebrated the many contributions of Black students and alumni to Rhodes College.

team, but I’d always felt like I was missing something as a student,” recalls Moore.

“I had friends at HBCUs who would talk about the activities, the parties, the connections they had through NPHC, but we didn’t have those charters on campus at the time. But the students worked hard to bring the Divine Nine to Rhodes, to create an environment of belonging where they had no limitations . . . and that’s the legacy they leave now.”

Kicking off the festivities on Friday was the Curb Block Party at the Frazier Jelke Amphitheater, featuring plenty of food and live music. BSA historian Ayzia Alexander ’25 later moderated the panel discussion “Past to Present: The Evolution of Black Students at Rhodes and Creating a Culture of Belonging.”

Panelists discussed the evolution of campus life for Black students at Rhodes, traced the origins of organizations such as the Black Student Association and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and charted a way forward for students on campus. Panelists included Julian Bolton ’71, Dr. Cassandra Morgan Hawkins ’92, P’27, Joseph McKinney ’05, Dr. Derek King ’10, and Helen Udeochu ’25.

On Saturday saw students and alumni gathered outside the Bryan Campus Life Center for the NPHC Plaza dedication, followed by a celebratory luncheon at the Catherine Burrow Refectory. That evening, Rhodes Alumni Association Executive Board Secretary Melanie Elliott Hillard ’92 gave the keynote address during the cocktail reception and banquet in McCallum Ballroom.

Guests then joined other alumni, faculty, and staff at the 13th Annual Alumni Easter Egg Hunt, complete with an Easter parade, cookie decorating, and face painting. Sunday brunch allowed reunion attendees one final chance to congregate before parting ways.

Dolgoy and Peterson Presented Clarence Day Awards for Outstanding Teaching and Research

Dr. Erin Dolgoy and Dr. Larryn Peterson were presented with Rhodes College’s highest honors conferred on faculty at the annual Awards Convocation, held April 26 on campus.

Dolgoy, associate professor and chair of politics and law, received the Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Teaching, which is a recognition of pedagogical excellence and creativity. Peterson, associate professor of chemistry and chair of biochemistry and molecular biology, received the Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity, which is a recognition of major scholarly or creative contributions to one’s discipline.

The awards, first given in 1981, were established by businessman and Rhodes alumnus Clarence Day and are provided by the Day Foundation.

Dr. Dolgoy began her career at Rhodes in 2013 as a political philosopher and earned tenure in 2023. She has served as department chair since the fall of 2023 and teaches in multiple areas, including politics and law, philosophy, Search, and the Liberal Arts in Prison program.

“Her colleagues offer extraordinary praise for her teaching, appreciating how she strives to develop independent learners and critical thinkers in her classroom,” says Dr. Timothy Huebner, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Nominators commented on how Dolgoy has created environments where thinkers can question each other’s premises, reevaluate their positions considering new evidence, and consequently reach differing conclusions.

“What these remarks also emphasize is that Erin isn’t merely interested in teaching our students what to learn about political philosophy, but how to learn,” says Huebner. “She provides them with a model for combining curiosity and intellectual humility. Especially in our highly charged and often divisive national climate, Erin does an extraordinary job of teaching our students how to engage with each other openly and respectfully.”

In nomination letters, students repeatedly applauded Dolgoy’s care for their personal well-being. A former student writes, “I was deeply homesick during my first year—and especially my first semester—at Rhodes. I had grown up on a farm in a rural community, and despite loving my classes, friends, professors, and Memphis, I often felt displaced and lost. During one of our many visits during office hours, Dr. Dolgoy encouraged me to explore my agricultural background and rural roots through writing. She helped me find my voice.”

Dr. Peterson has been a member of the Rhodes faculty since 2011 and earned tenure in 2018. She has served as chair of the interdisciplinary program in biochemistry and molecular biology since 2019.

“Larryn has established an extremely active, student-centered research program,” says Huebner. “During the past 13 years, she has involved 57 Rhodes undergraduates and four high school students in her research. In addition, she has received two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants and published numerous peer-reviewed articles.”

Peterson’s scholarship focuses on synthesizing novel organic compounds and their usefulness for medicinal purposes, such as in the case of Parkinson’s disease. She also has been

Dr. Erin Dolgoy and Dr. Larryn Peterson

working on the production and testing of compounds that could serve as next-generation antibiotics to treat multi-drug resistant pathogens.

“Students are the driving force in Professor Peterson’s research laboratory and are directly responsible for high-impact results that lead to publications and conference presentations,” note her colleagues. In the last three years, she and her students have made 27 presentations at major international science conferences.

Students also benefit from the grants Peterson has received, including a $400,000 NSF grant that enabled the Department of

Stoddard Becomes Member of Prestigious Interdisciplinary Scientific Honor Society

Dr. Shana Stoddard, associate professor of chemistry at Rhodes, was nominated and has accepted membership into the interdisciplinary scientific honor society Sigma Xi. Membership is extended to scientists who have demonstrated excellence in scholarship and have shown noteworthy achievements evidenced through scientific publications.   Induction into Sigma Xi, which was founded in 1886, has been a milestone in countless distinguished research science and engineering careers. Albert Einstein was a member, and more than 200 Sigma Xi members have received the Nobel Prize.

Since joining Rhodes in 2017 as a tenure track assistant professor of chemistry, Stoddard has earned early tenure and won five awards from national organizations. Stoddard has maintained an active research program, in which she has mentored a total of 104 students (96 undergraduates). Her research focuses on understanding the structure of proteins and how they bind to their targets and using that information to improve patient outcomes with autoimmune disorders, cancers, neurological disorders, and coronaviruses. She has published with 57 students, including 50 undergraduates and two high school co-authors.

Through her research program, Stoddard has predicted the structure of kidney proteins, leading to corrections in protein structure in international databases; designed drugs for diseases of cancer and coronaviruses; and developed an imaging protocol to detect osteosarcoma in pediatric patients.

Stoddard also is the founder of the STEM Cohort Mentoring Program at Rhodes, which was designed to support the needs of Black/African-American students pursuing majors or careers in STEM.

Chemistry to purchase a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer and an American Chemical Society grant that has created research opportunities for local high school students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Rhodes students commented on how Peterson motivates them to accomplish far more than they could imagine on their own and to “learn from failed experiments to approach each new day in lab with excitement and ideas of things to try next.” One nominator wrote, “With her guidance and willingness to listen and support all my crazy ideas, I was able to complete my honors thesis in organic chemistry and present at many conferences.”

“I hope this achievement will both inspire others to pursue excellence in research and encourage everyone that individuals who are from diverse backgrounds, have disabilities, or are underrepresented belong in STEM too,” says Stoddard.

Yu Selected for Project on Asian American and Pacific Islander Community-based Digital Storytelling

The project aims to:

Dr. Shaolu Yu, associate professor of urban studies and chair of Asian studies at Rhodes, has been selected as one of the faculty associates to work on the project Documenting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Voices and Stories: Community-based Digital Story Telling in St. Louis. The three-year project was initiated by ASIANetwork and is supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

• strengthen community-academic partnerships that are significant for the community

• train and support ASIANetwork member institutions’ faculty and students to undertake community-led AAPI engagement initiatives

• digitally archive, distribute, and publish stories of the lived experiences of AAPI communities

• produce and disseminate educational materials that can be integrated in college curricula across our network

Each year, ASIANetwork will select two sites for a seven-week project to collect Voices and Stories, which could include oral histories, poetic traditions, religious and ritual practices, recipes and culinary practices, songs, dances, discussions around objects, and museum exhibits. Each site team includes students, a site liaison, and a faculty associate. Yu will serve as faculty associate for the team in St. Louis.

Dr. Shaolu Yu

Dr. Shana Stoddard

head and heart

Professors utilize techniques inside and outside the classroom to boost both creative and civic-minded students.

Aliberal arts education at Rhodes College inspires students to cultivate their interests and make an impact on Memphis. While every approach is different, members of the Rhodes faculty find ways to create engaging curriculums every semester that feed into that ethos, whether it’s the arts, science, or business. For a peek behind the classroom curtain this past semester, read on for three examples of how professors are educating both the head and the heart.

Songwriting in Memphis

The Mike Curb Institute for Music has opened doors to many different careers in the music industry. Frequently earning Rhodes recognition as a “Top Music Business School” by Billboard, the Curb Institute has provided students the opportunity to learn everything from sound editing to performing to marketing and community engagement. But John Bass, director of the Curb Institute, had noticed a growing interest in courses on

songwriting, and felt the time was right to add that to the curriculum.

“We’ve done classes around production and songwriting in the past, but nothing that was fully dedicated to the practice of songwriting,” says Bass. “So, I took an idea for a course to Carole Blankenship, the chair of the Department of Music, and she was a big advocate for it.”

Songwriting in Memphis first hit the course catalogue in the spring of 2024. Over the course of a semester, students work on sharpening their creative process and building a constructive community with their classmates.

“We have people from diverse backgrounds with different tastes in music,” says Bass. “As they go through this process together, they end up trusting each other and collaborating on their work. At a place like Rhodes, courses like this are about empowering people and giving them the skills to push forward with their ideas.”

Music major Zach Everett ’26 grew up singing church and gospel music, and in high school put out an album with his group Next Generation KC. In Songwriting in Memphis, he found he was able to hone in on his interest in soulful R&B. “That’s the genre I’ve always been interested in doing, and I really wanted to practice that here,” says Everett. “In the songwriting class, I’ve really been able to center my style and approach with the feedback I get from other students, and learn from their approaches, too.”

“The music community in our city is really strong, and part of this class, and the Curb Institute, is to shape this group into its own confident community that can go out into Memphis and share their craft.” — John Bass

A big component of Curb Institute work is learning from professionals how they develop their craft, and Songwriting in Memphis is no exception. This semester, four-time Grammy Award-winning artist Jason Isbell came to campus as part of the 2024 Springfield Music Lecture Series, and also spoke to the Songwriting in Memphis class. Students engaged directly with Isbell as he talked about his approach to writing songs—such as “Cast Iron Skillet,” which garnered him American music’s most coveted accolade— and about maintaining an authentic identity around the process.

While putting together his curriculum for Songwriting in Memphis, Bass was able to focus on his own songwriting approach. Earlier this year, he released his first album, the multifaceted Nowhere in Between. The collaboration that he teaches about is on full display in the album, with tracks featuring plenty of local musicians, including Rhodes alumna Louise Page ’16.

“I remember one of the things Jason said is that being a songwriter is tough,” says Bass. “But if you want to be one, just go do it; go write a song. And that’s what we all did, building this cohort of trust and elevating all of our own skills together. The music community in our city is really strong, and part of this class, and the Curb Institute, is to shape this group into its own confident community that can go out into Memphis and share their craft.”

Jason Isbell speaks with Dr. Charles L. Hughes as part of Rhodes’ 2024 Springfield Music Lecture Series.

John Bass, director of the Mike Curb Institute for Music

Solar Search

News of a near-total solar eclipse over Memphis had Rhodes buzzing, and various groups around campus worked to set up a viewing party on April 8 for faculty, sta , and the entire student body. But for members of the Rhodes Astronomy Club, the chance to see the full total eclipse was an opportunity they couldn’t wait for in the classroom.

Time was of the essence; this was their only chance to observe a total solar eclipse as students, since the next one visible in the United States won’t happen until August 23, 2044. Led by the chair of the Department of Physics, Ann Viano, the club booked three sites in Arkansas, Texas, and Indiana to ensure they had exibility in case of cloud coverage or stormy weather. Eventually, the group settled on Morristown, IN.

“We made our nal decision two days before based on predictions of clear skies,” says Viano. “Our viewing was the RC plane eld Blue River Air Park, home of the Indianapolis R/C Modelers. is eld was just 1.6 miles from the exact center of the path of totality, and allowed us to have four full minutes of totality.”

Viano notes the importance of students traveling outside the classroom for experiences like this. Eclipses have many e ects

on the environment, and students had the opportunity to run unique tests. “Even viewing a partial eclipse is a great event that gives you a perspective on our small place in the universe,” says Viano. “Traveling to experience totality, however, allows you to see the sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere. is plasma is normally outshined by light from the sun’s visible surface, so the surface

Ann Viano

e Rhodes Astronomy Club took in the eclipse and ran tests at the Blue River Air Park in Morristown, IN.

needs to be blocked in a total eclipse to see it. We also viewed sunset in every direction simultaneously during totality.

“ e physics department has a long history of studying the shape and extent of the sun’s corona during total eclipses,” she adds.

“During this most recent trip, several students captured photos or videos of the event and are busy processing their data.”

Club members also analyzed how animal behavior di ers during an eclipse, with many critters beginning their nightly routines as early as 1:30 in the afternoon. “Many eclipse viewers discuss the behavior of animals during totality; animals tend to begin their nocturnal activities once the eclipse begins. At our viewing site,

Taxation and the Working Poor

we heard crickets and tree frogs during totality like you would hear just after dusk.”

Back at campus, student volunteers hosted a viewing party above the Frazier Jelke Science Center by the Lynx statue, the whole area packed with undergraduates, faculty, and sta excited to see something di erent. Eclipse glasses were provided for safe viewing, while physics students set up telescopes and guided others through what they were seeing. And since this was a solar eclipse, boxes of moon pies were available for light snacking. For the physics department, this was a once-in-a-school-lifetime occurrence. Students from other disciplines also learned something new, and had a little fun while they were at it.

During tax season, low-income families run the risk of falling afoul of predatory tax preparers who take a huge chunk of their tax returns. For those living paycheck to paycheck, that can be devastating. Rhodes’ Taxation and the Working Poor class, taught for the last four years by Department of Business instructor Maggie Lovell, aims to x that issue.

“ is is a big issue in Memphis,” says Lovell. “So, our students train to become certi ed through the IRS’s VITA program, which is Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. As part of the class, they go into the community to prepare income-tax returns for low-income families and individuals. While part of the business department, it’s open to non-majors and we see a lot of interest from students who simply want to make an impact in the community.”

spend time preparing tax returns. “Working as a volunteer with our Free Tax Prep program gives students valuable hands-on experience while aligning with Rhodes’ service-oriented culture,” says Hein. “Our program works with thousands of low-income individuals, providing a completely free community resource in the sensitive and often complex area of taxes.”

Outside of academic coursework, which explores di erent readings every week on issues related to the poverty cycle, students are required to complete 35 hours of service work over the course of the semester. is year, Rhodes partnered with nonpro t United Way of the Mid-South’s Free Tax Prep program. Run by program manager Matthew Hein ’15, the Free Tax Prep program has sites all over the city where volunteers and students

Lovell stresses how much the students gain from participating in the class. Beyond the coursework and useful services, the program provides an opportunity for students to get out of their circles and meet people from di erent backgrounds. “Our students sit down and actually get to know individuals in the community that they otherwise may not interact with,” she says. “ ey learn how to handle delicate situations when asking clients for sensitive information related to nances.”

While they may not realize it in the moment, those enrolled in Taxation and the Working Poor are helping to give large sums of money directly back to the community through their work. “Our program ensures that 100 percent of families’ refunds go directly into their pockets,” adds Hein. “ is year we served over 9,600 families and returned over $11 million in refunds to the community. We truly made an impact on people who need assistance the most, as our average client had an income of under $30,000. Overall, clients saved over an estimated $2 million in preparation fees.”

Maggie Lovell

Commencement 2024 saw Rhodes confer honorary Doctorates of Humanities upon two distinguished members of the Memphis community: Bill Rhodes, former president and CEO of AutoZone; and Deanie Parker, a publicist at Stax Records and the rst president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation.

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

of the

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIFTH SESSION of Rhodes College

Following a week of gray skies and rain, the sun emerged to shine on campus as President Jennifer Collins welcomed students, families, and faculty to the 175th Commencement at Rhodes College. As per tradition, graduating seniors took their first steps over the Rhodes seal in Southwestern Hall as they made their way to Fisher Garden to receive their diplomas.

Blair Kinsey received the Peyton Nalle Rhodes Phi Beta Kappa Prize, the college’s highest academic honor. e 2024 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards were presented to Oliver Hurst, Mia-Miracle Craig, and retiring Professor of Music William Skoog

Front row, from left to right: Heidi Hayslett Carroll ’82, Payton Carroll ’24, Mary Frances Buxton Cotham ’61, John Cotham LeMaster ’24, Blair Gilmer Meeks ’63, Douglas Meeks ’63, Ann R. Sargent ’90, and Oliver Hurst ’24.

Second row, from left to right: Ashley Ellis Tierney ’92, Brian Tierney ’93, Addison Tierney ’24, Perri Carroll ’15, Piper Carroll ’13, Caleb Lindow ’24, Tracy Ballard Lindow ’91, Nancy Cotham Black ’94, Liz Cotham Furman ’92, Ella Meeks ’24, Ayat Hassan ’23, Mohamed Hassan ’24, Ian Ogilvie ’24, Clark Ogilvie ’91, Deb Chan ’91, and Alexandra Ogilvie ’27. Third row, from left to right: Thomas LeMaster ’24, Aidan McLay ’24, Shelley Roberts McLay ’97, Mike Whitaker ’67, Whit Overstreet ’24, and Aubrey Whitaker Overstreet ’95.

Gehrki ’02, vice president of philanthropy for Walmart and the Walmart Foundation, delivers the Baccalaureate message “To Be Fully Human” to members of the Class of 2024 and their friends and family.

the

Julie

LEGACY PHOTO

The college bestowed

Distinguished Service Medal to Brian Foshee P’16, who retired in March as Director of Physical Plant at Rhodes.

Three generations of the Cotham Family gathered to celebrate the graduation of their youngest Rhodes alumni. From left to right: Liz Cotham Furman ’92, Thomas LeMaster ’24, John Cotham LeMaster ’24, Mary Francis Buxton Cotham ’61, and Nancy Cotham Black ’94. Not pictured Cathy Cotham Harris ’84.

2024 SENIOR CLASS TOAST

You can view all photos from Commencement Weekend at rhodes.edu/2024graduation

Heidi Hayslett Carroll ’82 with her three Rhodes grads, Payton ’24, Perri ’15, and Piper ’13

Faculty, staff, members of the Alumni Association Executive Board, and alumni family members of the soon-to-be-graduates served champagne and sparkling juice to members of the Class of 2024 at the traditional Senior Class Toast in Fisher Garden. Rhodes Alumni Association President Michael Thompson ’00 officially welcomed the group into the Rhodes College International Alumni Association.

Rhodes Bonner Scholars traditionally wear red high tops at Commencement to illustrate the motto “Walk Loudly” in everything they do.

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, Senior Director of Alumni Relations, Rhodes College, 2000 N. Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112 or e-mail her at pattersont@rhodes.edu.

1957

Reporter: Mary Frances Files Silitch silitch@gmail.com

1958

Reporter: John Quinn jhquinnjr@gmail.com

NEW CLASS REPORTER TEAM: Long-time 1958 Class Reporter Lorraine Abernathy’s sudden death last year left a vacancy that no single one of us stepped up to ll. So, a team of reporters has agreed to solicit, collect, and report the news from and about our class members: Mike Cody, Betty Peyton, John Quinn, Beth Simpson, and Robert Neil Templeton. Staying connected with each other, particularly at the stage of life we have reached, is important, so everyone is encouraged to keep the rest of us informed of current or past comings and goings, career accomplishments, and lessons learned along life’s path since graduating from college 66 years ago.

Milton Knowlton (901-746-6305) reports that he has been blessed with a wonderful personal, family, professional, and business life. He married Mary Joy Prichard ’61, they have two sons and ve grandchildren. He has been working for 64 years in nancial services with the Capital Financial Group of Mass Mutual. He owns an employee bene t consulting company, and his sons work with him in the business. He attended Southwestern for two years (1954-1956) and transferred to Ole Miss, graduating with a BA in Political Science. After graduation he served in the U. S. Army Active Reserves with the 330th General Hospital Unit until 1964. A lifelong member of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, serving in many capacities, he is also an active member of the Rotary Club, played tennis for 40 years at the University Club of Memphis, and continues to enjoy a heathy life for his age.

H. R. (Dick) Jones, Jr. (619-987-4343) reports that after graduation he attended Navy OCS in Newport, RI, and was commissioned as an Ensign in May 1959. He served on destroyers and frigates primarily for his sea tours. While his second ship was in Boston Navy Shipyard, he met his wife-to-be (nurse Joan Brown); they were married in October 1962. ey have

two children (a daughter was born in 1964, and a son was born in 1966). His navy assignments were up and down the east coast; Bangkok, ailand; and nally San Diego. He served as Commanding O cer of a frigate, a destroyer squadron, and Fleet Tactical Deception Group in Coronado, CA. His second career has been as a residential real estate appraiser in San Diego. In 1990, he formed his own business, California Paci c Appraisal. Currently he is semi-retired but still does VA appraisals. He and his wife have four grandchildren and one great-grandson. ey travel frequently, 22 cruises so far with two more already booked. ey stay active in their local Episcopal church. ey, too, continue to be age-normal healthy.

Lewis Murray (Chevy Chase, 301-9518491, Rome +39-339-468-4463) and his wife, Giorgina, live in Chevy Chase, MD, about six months each year and the other six months in Rome, where their daughter, her husband, and two grandchildren live close by. Two great grandchildren are nishing high school this coming year. (Liam is a part-time movie/tv actor, now going into the third series in a Net ix show called Diaries, and Serean already has a soccer scholarship at college in New York.) e oldest grandchild, Giulia, is a journalist in

NYC after Columbia graduate school in journalism; the two younger ones (both girls) are still in college, Marisa at the University of Utah, and Luce at St. Andrews in Scotland….so they rejoice at having such a happy and successful bunch of progeny, once removed. Their other daughter, Liliana, is married to the LA Times Latin America bureau chief in Mexico City, and son Juan Carlos is director of a private (pre-school to 12th grade) school in Salt Lake City. In terms of health, both Giorgina and Lewis continue to enjoy good age-normal health.  Martha Guthrie is alive and well in New Orleans.

Robert Neil Templeton (757-777-2350,  robertntempleton@gmail.com) joined the Navy to avoid the draft.The next 10 years were spent at sea (troop transport, diesel submarines, fleet ballistic submarines, and a refrigeration supply ship). First marriage (Carmella) 1966, second (Karen) 2000. His son, Robert N. Templeton II, was born in 1972. The combined family consists of five children, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Fortunately, most of them live close to each other in Virginia Beach, VA. Robert and his wife host family dinners every Sunday with between nine and 14 in attendance. He has lived mostly on the East Coast except for a tour as Commanding Officer of a small base on Bahrain Island in the Persian Gulf. He enjoys travelling, reading, family, and working out at the YMCA. He takes at least two naps daily! He retired from the Navy in 1985 and worked as CEO of a supply and copier company until 2015. He, too, reports age-normal good health (two artificial knees and a pig valve as his aortic valve). Future plans are to keep on keeping on and to see you at our 70th reunion!

Henry (Dick) Crais, after graduation, attended Navy Officer Candidate School and subsequently trained as a Radar Intercept Officer, flying off aircraft carriers as long-range surveillance and control of air defense of carrier task forces in Western Pacific. After four years of active duty with the Navy he moved to Atlanta, met and married his wife Nancy, a graduate of Agnes Scott College, and returned to school for a degree in Accounting and an MBA. He worked in the health care field as CFO of various hospitals and nursing

home companies. In the late 1970s, he was part of a group that started a new company managing and leasing small hospitals in Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas. Three children were born in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1966, he purchased a summer home in Monteagle, TN, in the same area where his family has summered since 1927.

In 1983, he and his wife bought a hundred-year-old, nine-bedroom house in Monteagle, and after complete renovation, opened it as a bed and breakfast. After 17 years as innkeepers, they closed the inn and fully retired in 2001, but they continued to live in the house until 2016. They traveled extensively abroad at least two times a year, mostly to Europe, but also Africa, China, Tibet, Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, and most states in the US. In 2016, they moved into a retirement facility in Nashville, and subsequently to the Village at Germantown in Memphis to be closer to their daughter, Margaret, in Senatobia, MS, and son, Stewart ’94 in St. Louis, MO. Oldest son, David, lives in Boise, ID. They still maintain a share of a summer home in Monteagle and return every summer. Nancy and Dick have been married for 61 years and still hope for more.

John Dunlap wrote: “After graduating from Southwestern, I earned my law degree from Vanderbilt and joined a law firm in Orlando, FL. Later I was given the opportunity to join Holiday Inn legal staff in Memphis. Thereafter, I joined a firm that subsequently became Lawler, Humphreys, Dunlap and Wellford. One of my legal highlights was becoming the first in this region to try bankruptcy reorganization for businesses.

“The practice of law and appearing in court was enjoyable to me. These last twelve years I’ve been council at Apperson Crump law firm and have recently officially retired.

“With respect to military service, I joined the Marines in 1960 and spent the summer in training in Northern Virginia. After training I was in Ready Reserve, assigned to Military Intelligence.

“Marcia and I have been married 66 years and had four sons. Unfortunately, two of our sons have passed away. I have had a rewarding relationship with our son David practicing law with me. Marcia and I have

enjoyed traveling and participating in community activities. Our devotion to our faith and church continues to be important to us.

“In 2015 I was blinded. Despite the life changing event I have had the ability to continue practicing law and enjoying lifelong friends.”

John Quinn joined classmates Mike Cody and Richard Dortch at the University of Virginia School of Law for three years of law school immediately after graduation. Upon graduation from law school in 1961, his first job, starting the day after graduation, was as a law clerk to U.S. Court of Appeals (4th Circuit) Judge Herbert S. Boreman, who was from Parkersburg, WV, where John also lived for the 14 months he worked as a law clerk. Although planning to return to Memphis to practice law, in October 1962 he accepted the job offer from a firm in Washington, DC, where he has continued to practice law since then (with the exception of 1965-1966, when he worked as the executive director of the first community action organization to receive a grant under the LBJ War on Poverty). He and his wife, Joan, were married in 1972 and celebrated their 51st anniversary in 2023. He has been active at The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church for the 61 years he has been a member there and has also been active in bar associations and National Capital Presbytery. He served on the Board of Trustees at Union Presbyterian Seminary in the early 2000s. He and Joan have one daughter, an artist and barn worker, who is married to an aeronautical engineer; they live in nearby Falls Church, VA. He and Joan also enjoy age-normal good health. He is a bladder cancer survivor and continues to be blessed with all his original body parts. He and Joan have traveled a lot, domestically and internationally, and enjoy reading; she is a gardener too.

Beth Simpson reports: “It is hard to believe that it has been almost 15 years since David died. It makes me so sad that he has not been here to watch our grands grow up. We have two granddaughters getting married this summer, both at our beloved Idlewild Presbyterian Church. I am blessed beyond belief to have all three of my children in Memphis, so that our grandchildren

have grown up nearby and I have had the joy of having them in my life. I walk a couple of miles every morning without fail. My real struggle is keeping my friend Betty Peyton in line. We frequent a little neighborhood pub most Saturday nights, keeping senior hours and just waiting until our children tell us we cannot drive at night anymore. So grateful for every day and for treasured memories of our days together at Southwestern.”

1959 65th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Dan Logan danlogan318@gmail.com

1960

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’60 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

1961

Reporter: Harvey Jenkins whjenkinsjr@gmail.com

1962

Reporter: Diane McCullough Clark granddiva@charter.net

Dick Diamond writes: “We closed out another wonderful year together celebrating our 60th wedding anniversary, though we have cut back on travel a bit after a road trip to Tallahassee to visit with our daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandson who just turned two. Can’t believe we are now that old. The good news is that we are in excellent health and continue our regular routine of ballroom dancing at least twice a week at The Elks dance studios and the American Legion. Next on our bucket list is a trip to Venice, which we hope to do in late

spring. Just hearing all the good news from my classmates is such a wonderful thing, and I truly appreciate our class reporter’s hard work. Thank you so much.”

From Marilyn Stewart Daniel we hear: “On January 23, 2024, John ’60 and I welcomed our first great-grandchild, Jordan Daniel Syed. Jordan was born in Boulder, CO, to our granddaughter, Lynn Daniel Syed, and her husband, Tanner Syed. He and his parents seem to be on that steep learning curve when the first baby in the family actually arrives. But they are doing well. Seeing that fourth generation begin to arrive is a bit amazing for us!”

Dave McAdoo writes: “Lynn and I are still doing our farm and ranch thing—albeit much more slowly than in the past. We have nine cattle, eight calves, three horses, 20 registered miniature dairy show goats, two miniature donkeys, five chickens, eight dogs, and four cats. Whew! Of particular note is the patriarch of our small cattle herd. His name is Bully. At approximately 2500 pounds, he is a formidable looking

animal who saunters up for a back scratch when he sees me. He can throw a 1000-pound hay roll around like a toy, but responds with a wince when I fuss at him about that. He is also a doting parent who babysits his offspring while their mothers graze. But his most endearing quality is the fact that he will stand watch for a cow with a sick baby and stay with her as she grieves if the baby dies. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that animals don’t have feelings. We witness their emotions frequently here at DavLyn Farm.”

Keeping it short, Catherine Liddell Skapura writes: “Had a physical a couple of weeks ago. AOK. Expecting my first grandchild this fall.”

Bill Mankin and his wife Mary Beth hit the road for many miles last year—three trips to San Antonio to visit their daughter Emily and family, including their two youngest grandchildren (5 and 3 years), with a side excursion to Austin to see Harry Swinney ’61. One of the trips was via Roswell, NM, to view the October annular solar eclipse. Summer took them to upstate New York for a family reunion and later for a longpostponed trip to Glacier National Park to see a glacier before they are all gone. The year’s final trip was less joyous, attending the unexpected funeral for Bill’s niece’s husband in Oklahoma, but good to renew acquaintances on that branch of the family tree.

Diane McCullough Clark will sing in the Grand Traverse Chorale performances of John Rutter’s Magnificat with the Northwestern Michigan College Concert Band on March 2 and Handel’s Messiah with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra on April 14. She is very busy this semester with her voice students—10 at the community college and six in her home studio. She is looking forward to attending a songwriting retreat at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Joe Ajello reports: “I just got a $1,000,000 grant from NSF Geophysics program to continue my Planetary and Atomic Physics research at University of Colorado, so I have to work full time till I am 87 at least!”

We hear from Joe Thweatt: “My wife, Marilyn, and I continue to have good health and mobility. We stay busy with our church, volunteer work, and travel. Last June we made a trip down memory lane when we stayed at Pecan Grove Cottages and visited the UT Martin campus and other places of interest that were part of Marilyn’s life when she taught Spanish there. Then in September we flew to Chicago as stand-by passengers. We left Memphis at 2 p.m., ate dinner at the Midway airport, and arrived back in Memphis at 11:15 p.m.. This was a trial run for us to experience flying as non-revenue passengers. (This is a perk we enjoy as the parents of a Southwest pilot.)

Dave McAdoo ’62 and Bully

Dick Diamond ’62

Then we made three trips to Nashville, including one in October to attend the surprise 90th birthday celebration of Tom Allison, my brother-in-law. In November we took an overnight bus tour from Little Rock to Branson to see Queen Esther. This was followed in early December by an eight-day Purpose Driven Tour by bus to Georgia and North Carolina. In late December we flew to visit our only child, his wife, and their four children in Colorado Springs. We’re looking forward now to another Purpose Driven Tour, Cowboys, Cajun, and Creole, to Louisiana in April.”

Ran Pickell writes that the most enjoyable thing he has done recently is to read The Elephant Whisperer, certainly a wonderful real-life story.

John Portwood writes: “Sandy and I are still maintaining our five-days-a-week workouts at the athletic club, but along with many of our gym companions, we are spending more time getting therapy treatment. Thankfully, we can still move about reasonably well, and we are gearing up for the National World War II Museum trip to Europe this summer in celebration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. When you are 83 years old and selected daily excursions are 8-9 hours long, it’s game-face on. We have been on many of these trips, and all of them have been exceptional. This one may be the last. We’ll see how it goes.”

Jocelyn Dan Wurzburg writes: “Dealing way too much with health annoyances —nothing life threatening, just going to annoy me to death! Still working, but only mediating; quit lawyering decades ago. Hate to admit I’m addicted to the news and am really concerned about the direction our country is headed. Scared for my grandchildren. The rise of anti-Semitism and overt racism is so disconcerting and hurtful. We all need to be paying attention. Would love another Zoom meeting.”

Musing on days gone by, Bill Davidson comments that it is nice to recall how we are indebted to our mentors.

Warren Nance writes: “It has been a day or two since I roamed the grounds of what was then Southwestern at Memphis. I am now an honorably retired ordained and teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church USA, but

I still lead worship services regularly at what many would consider out of the way places for the worship of God. My wife Candy, a retired Women’s Health nurse, and I have been married for 40 years and reside in NC. We have four children (three sons and a daughter), four grandchildren (three girls and a boy), and two great-grandchildren (both boys). My oldest son is a finance manager at a car dealership. My younger sons are twins, both engineers, and recently started their own residential construction company. All three sons, the grandchildren, and great-grandchildren live close by. My daughter is a Professor of Chemical Engineering and the primary investigator overseeing a medical research lab focusing on pediatric and neonatal brain disease at the University of Washington in Seattle. Life has been challenging at times, but definitely interesting and fun since I last roamed the grounds of what is now Rhodes College.”

Chris Mays reports that he is still playing the organ at his church in California, and this spring he will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first time he ever played the organ in church (in Memphis).

1963

Reporter: Dan Gilchrist dangil4@bellsouth.net

1964 60th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Mary Lou Quinn McMillan maryloumc1@comcast.net

Spring is beginning to show its lovely colors here in Virginia, and I cut my first bouquet of daffodils this afternoon. . . all of which will be a distant memory when we sit down to read these notes in the midst of summer. But whether the “news” is old or new. . . I think the best part of these notes is just the opportunity to “keep in touch” with one another.

My brother John H. Quinn, Jr. ’58 and his wife Joan took advantage of the Washington National Cathedral tour in Februrary. The tour was led by Nat Wyeth ’05, the Cathedral’s Director of Development, and Marilyn Meyers, a Cathedral Docent, and hosted by Nancy Wassell Work. Everyone had nothing but the highest praise for

Nancy, Marilyn, and Nat and for all they learned and observed throughout the morning.

Margaret Rowe Fancher writes that she and Doug recently moved from their large home in downtown Oxford to a smaller home . . . all on one floor! Their new address is: 108 Morgan Lane, Oxford, MS 38655. Margaret also commented, “My replaced hip continues to recover, but unpacking boxes has not helped the process and some days it’s really sore, requiring rest. Being 81 is not working in my favor in this instance! We have a 10-month-old kitten, a tuxedo cat named Tuxedo, nicknamed Tux, born in mid-March on my foot, so I must live at least 20 more years to give him a long and happy life. We’ll see how that works out.”

From Jim Bullock we hear, “Ervin ’66 and I have had a trying time in the last two months. We came to the conclusion we had to move off the beach at St. Augustine. The hurricanes will not stop, and they get bigger and closer each time. So, we put our house up for sale and moved to Vista Cove Condos about six miles west inland, still in St. Augustine. We have traded the ocean for a pond. It enables us to pay our mortgage and our new residence, and give money gifts to our seven kids and six grandkids. We were sad to leave the beach, but happy to be in a safer place to live. We both continue in our retirement call, and that gives us energy to meet the challenges of our age group.”

Boyd Ellison sent this update: “Mary Wain and I have left Georgia after 50 years and moved back to Charlotte. We’re in a continuing care retirement community within walking distance of our daughter’s house. It’s a little like living on a cruise ship, and we’ve planned the move for years. We’re still into river cruising and by the time this is printed we will have taken our third Danube cruise with our daughter and son-in-law. Budapest is starting to feel like home. I sold my Grumman Tiger last year after flying it for 33 years. I wasn’t flying enough to justify owning it and Delta does almost as good a job as the Tiger. I’m still going to Sitka every August to reduce the salmon and halibut populations. If I don’t make it to the reunion this year, ‘hello’ to all!”

Dossett Foster chimed in with the news that he and Linda are expecting another great-granddaughter in April; and if Linda is able, they plan to be with us in November at Reunion Time.

Somewhat tongue in cheek (perhaps? or not!) Howard Romaine posed the following questions: 1) Can you assure us that Trump will be in jail by November? 2) Will a good grade of pot or choice gummies (now available cheap near universities where I live at 911 N Blount St, Apt 225, Raleigh, NC 27604) be available if he is not in prison or out on bail? Then added, “I see Bob and Rosemary Hoye Wells when I get to Atlanta. They run a B&B and free flophouse for itinerant, feckless, homeless lawyers and down ’n out Presbyterians.”

From Charley Killinger, “Here is a bit of an update: I’m writing the second edition of my History of Italy and my great Rhodes friends Chip Hatzenbuehler ’67 and Harvey Caughey ’65 are proofreading it for me. What a gift!”

Tommy Lappage writes, “Life is slowly returning to normal as Thuy rehabs following cardiac bypass surgery. If all goes well, we plan a river cruise to Holland and Belgium in May and another river cruise to Portugal in July. We hope to be at the reunion in November.”

Bob Hasselle’s sister, Wendlandt Hasselle ’74, sent several pictures taken at the wake for Lewis Guess. The wake was hosted by Calvin and Louise Turley, Saj Crone, and Alonzo Guess and attended by many old friends of Lewis. Great remembrances of his life were shared. Lewis was greatly loved by everyone who knew him!

Wendlandt reported that Bob and his wife,

Caroline, have both retired and travel a fair amount. “We may see them at Easter in Oxford, MS. They still enjoy living in Rock Hill, SC, with Charlotte, NC, and the airport only 12 miles away.”

Mary Lou McMillin reports, “In April my son Sid and I joined a small group from our church to walk the last 150 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain! My Lenten discipline was walking, walking, walking to try and prepare myself for the challenge. I guess if you don’t see my obituary in this edition of Rhodes, you’ll know I survived! In February, I was privileged to join my daughter, Lisa, at her home church in Nashville, Westminster Presbyterian, for a women’s retreat with Kate Bowler. Fun to find several other Rhodes alums there as well: Judi Adams Larson ’68 and her daughter Jennifer Larson ’96 and Nancy Patton Langdon ’68.”

Let’s “strut our stuff” and 1) Have LOTS of “Oldies but Goodies” (that is US!) at our reunion – November 1-3 . . . you are guaranteed a Great Time! And 2) Out GIVE every other class for the Annual fund . . . whether you give $6 or $6,000 it can make a difference! It is a chance to say, “Thanks” for the solid foundation you received at Southwestern/Rhodes 60+ years ago. I hope to see many of you there!”

Hayden Kaden: “Bonnie and I are in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and are starting to prepare for our annual homeward migration to Alaska, hoping to avoid being splattered with the poop of our feathered friends which are making the same migration. Hopefully, this will be the last migration northward. We have decided at this ripe old age that ‘Life in the Arctic is no (longer a) picnic.’ We are looking at selling our little Alaska wilderness paradise and moving full time to Mexico, where we can continue what’s left of the good life. So, if any of you know of anyone who would love to walk into a perfect nine-acre semiwilderness lifestyle in the middle of Glacier Bay National Park, complete with home, guest cabins, sauna, 1000-square-foot heated shop, ocean-going heavy duty aluminum boat and motors, four-wheel drive pickup, Nissan electric vehicle, John Deere lawn tractor, and so much more, let me know. haydenkaden@gmail.com. Turnkey, we walk

away and you walk in. This is our fantasy. If you know someone, like your wayward child/children, have them contact me.”

1965

Reporter: Harvey Caughey hcaughey@hotmail.com

Teri Tidwell Hornberger has moved to Mill Creek, WA, where she connected with longtime Seattle resident Vivienne Guest Strickler, for a tour of the renowned and comprehensive Seattle Art Museum, whose newest exhibit features the diverse artistry of the iconic Andrew Calder. Teri says “After filling our eyes with art on every floor, we dined at the museum’s upscale restaurant.”

They also delighted in perusing a multitude of unique handcrafted items for sale at Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market (and watching men toss large fish to one another), joining a long line of touristcustomers at the original Starbucks location, and seeing the “Bubble Gum Wall.” Now bonded as Rhodes graduates, they expect to enjoy future vacations together.

Suzanne Burns enjoyed a cruise on the Danube River last April. She especially recalls Budapest, “a lovely city still recovering from its days under Communism,” the Lipizzaner horses in their stalls at the Hapsburg Palace, and the Slovakian teenagers who mooned the passengers as her ship sailed by. Also, Suzanne advises that the Danube is not blue, no matter what Strauss says.

From left to right: Ebet Roberts, James T. Crosthwait, Wendlandt Hasselle ’74, Prudie Howe, and sculptor John McIntyre celebrate the life of Lewis Guess.

Teri Tidwell Hornberger with Vivienne Guest Strickler

Peggy Frye Kemp has relocated from Anastasia Island in St. Augustine, FL, to a retirement community near Jacksonville.

“The day we moved in, the clubhouse, dining room, and other facilities shut down for a couple years due to COVID, but we are finally getting to know new faces and reconnect with others who moved here from our old neighborhood.

“Our new house is much smaller, but with a garden and sunroom to watch the bluebirds who join us for lunch, and without much of the baggage we collected over the years. Our children and grandchildren enjoy life in Austin and Atlanta.” Peggy hopes we all enjoy new activities as we transition to a new phase of life!

1966

Reporter: Sammy Ann Primm Marshall sammyannmarshall@gmail.com

It is always good to hear from Lee Pevsner about his travels and life in California. He and his wife, May, went to Italy for two weeks in September. As rains were hitting California in February it reminded him: “About a year ago, heavy rain fell over much of California. About one third of Merced experienced some degree of flooding. There was, in fact, a photo on the front page of the New York Times showing a mobile home park in Merced partially submerged in water.”

Lee heard from many friends who were concerned about him and the heavy rains. He said, “It is again raining in Merced, and there are morbid predictions about La Niña and other unnamed weather phenomena. To save people the effort, I want to tell you that we are fine.”

On Saturday night, the 11th, we got all dressed up, Mina wrapping me up in a sari, and we went to a Diwali (Festival of Lights) party! The costumes were great, the food was great, the music was great—all-in-all a great time.”

She moved in February from New Hampshire to California to be near her daughter and family. She arrived just in time to depart for a trip to Cuba with Road Scholar.

1967

Reporter: Eleanor Jackson Howe eleanorhowe@icloud.com

Tom and Judy Simono Durff ’66 are doing well since returning to Southern California in early 2023 after 17 years in the Bay Area. “We now reside in a Presbyterian retirement community in Pasadena (Monte Vista Grove) just a few miles east of our home for 29 years in La Canada Flintridge. We are an hour away from our daughter and her family in Manhattan Beach and only two hours from our son and his husband in Palm Springs.”

Bob Sessum informs us of his retirement from a “fruitful and rewarding career in the Episcopal ministry, serving both local parishes and the national church.” Despite health issues, he and Donna savor living close to their son and family in the Raleigh, NC, area.

Harvey Caughey and Sheila moved from Austin to Huntsville, AL, last summer, to downsize and live only minutes from close family. “We enjoy our new surroundings and eagerly anticipate welcoming our beloved Texas Longhorns into the SEC this fall.”

Finally, from Reba Wright comes the sad news that “my husband William Wingo ’67 has been diagnosed with multiple brain and spinal fluid cancers. We are only two weeks into this journey. Keep us in your thoughts.” Reba and William, on behalf of the Class of ’65, we will all certainly do so.

Joyce Wilding writes that she is still blessed with good health and energy and among other things she remains active in the Nashville UN Chapter. She says, “I believe our world needs dynamic UN work, as conflict exists in so many countries currently!”

Carole Montgomery writes that she and Barbara Bevis Luton are planning to visit with Gay Knight Gentry for a few days in March. She added that she is “still in Milwaukee, loving being near the granddaughters, summer gardening, and volunteer work.” She said that this winter there are “gloomy or sunny warmish days with six inches of snow so far compared to 100 inches in my first year here, ’05 -’06.”

James Roberts thinks that being retired is great. Hearing from him reminds me that one of the best benefits of attending Rhodes is the lifelong friends we made during those years. He said that he had a recent visit with Mike Utley’s widow, Jenn. Mike passed away in 2017, but James still remembers him fondly and their time at Rhodes. He said, “We lived together for four years. Best years of my life. I’d never have made it if it were not for Mike.”

Isabel Van Merlin stays very busy and writes: “On November 10, I flew out to SFO to visit my daughter Sia and family.

Many thanks to everyone who responded to the “call for submissions.” It’s been a treat hearing from so many people, sharing memories of our years at Southwestern, and catching up on where we are now in our lives. A nice surprise was finding that so many classmates live right here in North Carolina, and that Dell Bailey Ford and I are practically neighbors. She and Bob live in Fearrington Village, less than 15 miles from Chapel Hill, where Dan and I live. “We moved here from South Carolina in 2018 to be near my son Zack Kinlaw ’01 and his family. We have been converted to Tar Heels and are enjoying life in this vibrant and fast-growing area.” Dell and I recently got together for a long lunch, tough to schedule because on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays she’s usually playing tennis; on Tuesday, she’s in a tennis clinic. She started playing in her 60s and insists she “only plays at tennis,” but I don’t believe it. Bill and Noni Harvin Buchanan ’68 are also newcomers to NC, having moved to Davidson in June 2021. Bill reports that they “are really enjoying it;” he especially likes the proximity to Davidson College. Ray and Jennifer Bird Henley have lived in western North Carolina over 25 years, in Brevard, renowned for its summer music festival, 250-plus nearby waterfalls, and white squirrels.

From Alabama, Bill Heiter writes that he and Judy “are passing 55 years now, and she still puts up with me, knock on wood. We hope to visit NE Georgia again this year. A friend rents us his home on a ‘private trout river’ where we fish and, outside of family, we seldom see another human for two

weeks (we like ‘you;’ we just don’t want to see ‘you’ for two weeks). One granddaughter teaches English and history in Mobile. The other is helping establish Georgia’s Safari Conservation Park. I’ve written about six books now, three available on Amazon and one more in progress. I don’t provide footnotes or expensive proofreading, but they are highly recommended for insomnia. I write fast; my retina doc cautions, ‘macular degeneration ain’t for sissies.’ The photo of me and our hiking guide in the Austrian Alps brings great memories; these days, I don’t walk well, much less hike. Best wishes to my old roommate, Ray Henley, and his sweet bride, Jennifer.”

From west Tennessee, Mike Whitaker reports that his daughter, Aubrey Whitaker Overstreet ’95, graduated from Rhodes and his grandson, Michael Whitaker (Whit) Overstreet ’24, graduated from Rhodes this spring. Jim Durham has been in Collierville since 2010. “My pretty wife, Jane, and I have been married for 39 years this July and we have five kids, 17 grandkids, and seven great-grandkids (the oldest turned 10 this year!). I’m still consulting for the Pentagon from Memphis. I have nearly 40 years of experience in the Dept. of Defense, with nearly 20 years working directly for the Secretary of Defense. Also close by are Danna and Jody Walker. Three separate garden clubs recently toured their renowned Japanese maple garden in Ripley. One group, a busload of 43 “Garden Rock Gallivants” from East Tennessee, learned about the Walkers’ garden from a Volunteer Gardener/Tennessee Crossroads episode

on Nashville Public Television, https:// volunteergardener.org/japanese-maplecollection/. The tour of over a hundred cultivars of Japanese maples on the Walkers’ property included a map and list of tree names, a presentation by Jody and Danna about developing the garden, and time to relax in one of the garden’s Japanese-style viewing platforms (Azumaya). The Walkers’ spectacular garden was also featured last year in Memphis Magazine, https:// memphismagazine.com/habitats/the-secretgarden/.

Susan and Doug Post have retired to a condominium in Falls Church, VA, very near their former home in McLean, VA. “Downsizing was a monumental task, but we successfully persuaded our two children to take the antique furniture we had inherited from our family,” he reports. “Falls Church is a small town that was a Union enclave in northern Virginia

during the Civil War. It has good public transportation to the museums, concerts, and other cultural assets of the DC area. We can easily walk to the local library and other amenities. Although they are spread between the East Coast and West Coast, we manage to spend time with our children, Alison, a professor at UC Berkeley, and Alan, a software engineer at Google in Boston, and our four grandchildren (ages 6-11).” Doug and Susan celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary recently with their entire family at a summer camp in Sequoia National Park and have taken several trips in the last few years: Zegrahm cruises to Antarctica and Patagonia, Lindblad tours of Alaska and British Columbia, a Road Scholar canal cruise in the Strasbourg area of France, and a Smithsonian bus tour of the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.

Jim McKnight filed this report: “As I type this in mid-February, it is raining and 50

Bill Heiter ’67, right, with his hiking guide in the Alps, 2012.

Jody ’67 and Danna Walker in their extensive garden of Japanese maples.

Susan and Doug Post ’67 at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in western Pennsylvania, 2018.

degrees in Saratoga Springs, NY. This is not winter. No snow, no sub-zero temperatures. Christine, who agreed to marry me some 52 years ago, and I are heading to Fort Moore, formerly Fort Benning, GA, to visit our son, an Army Reserve Colonel, our daughter-in-law, and our five grandchildren (ages 6 -13). As you read this, Christine and I will be back home, her working on lowering her golf handicap to the low teens, and me driving up mountaintop radio sites to upgrade and maintain amateur radio equipment, plus playing golf twice a week with my friends. Please don’t ask my handicap. I will tell you that my handicap is more than twice Christine’s and higher than my regular Saturday golf partner, who is 86. Our goal is to get home safely after visiting our grandchildren. What are your goals? For the last few years Christine has never changed her long-term goal: to attend every grandchild’s college graduation. When I graduated from Rhodes and got my first job, I never thought about having the goal of retiring. When I retired at age 62, I never had a goal of still being active at 78. I guess it’s time to have a long-term goal. Christine’s is a good one.”

leaf-covered dirt road on his way up hill to a radio location in Saratoga County, NY, October 2023.

In February, when I wrote classmates asking for updates on their current lives, a photo that day in the Washington Post prompted me also to ask for memories of our freshman

year. The photo, of the Beatles arriving in the US, transported me to the night of Feb. 9, 1964, when dozens of us students crowded into the lobby of Townsend Hall to watch the Fab Four in their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Jeanne Hope Jacobs Buckner responded, “Even more than watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, I remember how big a part the TV played in our lives our freshman year, with Kennedy’s assassination. And now as I observe my grandchildren’s efforts to gain acceptance to good schools with scholarship aid, I marvel that Southwestern was there for me. We were all so fortunate!”

“I remember walking onto Fargason Field in the summer of 1963,” Bob Mehrle wrote, describing himself as “a slow, skinny boy hoping to make the Lynx cat football squad, hoping to find out what a Lynx cat was, who was that big lineman? Such were my thoughts—lost in the fog of uncertainty, the singularity of my new existence, the doubt imposed by wondering how to reckon with those 225-pound seniors who would not forego an opportunity to mash someone such as me to mush. Fortunately, life on campus got better and my thoughts were redirected. Might I say: I met Mimi Anderson. She walked out of class in Palmer Hall every day at noon—as did I. The Sigma Nu formal was on the horizon. I must have a date! Right in the middle of Palmer Hall, I tapped her on the back, and she said “yes.” That was the beginning. We hope to live the rest of our days together on the farm in Mississippi. We made it through three children, two droughts, and rising waters between the Mississippi River and the song-inspiring Tallahatchie. Although our three children, spouses, and 11 grands are split between Jackson, MS, and Bartlesville, OK, somehow the long trips are forgotten in the wonder and excitement of watching youth grow in games and finding their places and expectations in this world. We are grateful! And that is neither singular nor uncertain! In May, we are traveling with Mary Ann Rambo McDow and her husband, Clarkson, joining other Rhodes grads and profs in Greece. Keep the faith!” Rose Gladney recalls “being at once amazed and overwhelmed by some of the Man [in the Light of History and Religion] course lectures. Once I literally ran to my dorm

room after the lecture, threw myself on the bed and wept. Not sadness, but a kind of ‘blowing my mind’—how to take in historical perspective so much greater than any I had ever heard.” Aaron Foster says he will never forget that summer of ’64. “I started my first organist job substituting at Eastside Cumberland Presbyterian Church for Frances Griswold Doyle ’66. Then that fall of ’64 I became Organist and Choir Director at the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church following Minna Gwen Yancy ’64, who had graduated that spring. Professor James R. McQuiston had offered me the job after reading my account of my very scary first organ lesson with Rhodes professor and nationally known organist Dr. Adolph Steuterman. That essay was part of my final exam in Prof. McQuiston’s English 101 class. Well, here I am, 60 years later and still playing the organ at church. From the pitiful little electronic organs at long-ago churches to now playing the largest pipe organ in the Memphis area at First Baptist Church, the journey has been one of much joy and satisfaction. Other remembrances: the trips to IHOP or Cotton Bowl for a late-night meal with roommate Gale Buckley ’67, friends Don Steele and Tim Gastineau, both ’68, and others. Also, I worked for John Turpin ’55 in the Registrar’s Office. He was a wonderful boss, and while posting grades I learned the names of every student. Other activities—such as Southwestern Singers, Christmas caroling with the Madrigal Singers at faculty homes, in the women’s quad, and for many off-campus organizations, as well as great discussions with friends about any topic—filled many happy hours.”

Writing from Oxford, OH, where she’s lived for 46 years not far from her son and “two adorable granddaughters, ages 10 and 8,” Beth Pevsner Polanka reports that “after being single for 16 years, I remarried in November 2023. Who knew one could fall in love at 75 and remarry at 78? It certainly was not part of my life plan. I guess if the right person walks into your life at the right time, things can work.” When she retired in 2021, after 50 years in the private practice of psychotherapy, “it was still the pandemic, and I had no idea what was next, when an old friend, named Jim

Retired Associated Press photographer Jim McKnight ’67 captured a

Reid, now also widowed, walked back into my life. Both of us are travelers and have traveled internationally quite a bit. Now we are focusing on the US. We purchased a small camper van and are traveling about, letting adventure find us. We drove the entire Blue Ridge Parkway in September, fell in love with the North Carolina mountains, and are planning a fly-fishing excursion back there, to Brevard and the Davidson River, in April. Do I know how to fly fish? No! However, I intend to learn. At 78, I say to myself, when is the last time you did something for the first time? So, I say ‘yes’ to experiences that I can still do. I am very aware that so many have passed on and that I am lucky to be here, and there is only now.

It helps me with my worries and grief over the national and the world situation. And I am grateful for my general good health, knowing that turns on a dime at this life stage.”

Four years ago, Dan and class reporter Eleanor joined Carol Woods, a continuing care retirement community in Chapel Hill (we still live at home but are assured a place “on campus” when we want or need to move). To my surprise, Ted Atkinson and Roger Hart ’65, as well as Kevin Cadigan, who taught history at Rhodes in 1966, were also Carol Woods residents. I was able to visit Ted and Roger before their deaths, and reconnecting with them, even briefly, brought back so many memories of our shared time on campus. I’m grateful to

all who posted notes and photos for this issue and look forward to continuing our conversation in the next issue.

1968

Reporter: Drue Thom White drueboo@aol.com

From Priscilla Hinkle Ennis: “Beginning in 2014, seven women from the class of ’68 have gotten together annually on trips to various places including Florida, Mississippi, Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and a New England cruise. This past August, one in our group, Peggy Crull, died suddenly, and we are still mourning her passing.

“After college graduation, Peggy had continued her education, attaining a Ph.D. She lived in NYC, where she was involved in various social issues, both as a job as well as her passion.

“We plan to continue our annual trips, but will miss her presence with us.”

Suzanne Donaldson (left) reported: “I have some news! Our local college, ETSU, has various contests during time-outs to entertain the crowd. On January

27, I participated in the Johnson City Honda Putt for Dough contest. I made a 94-foot putt into a hole at the bottom of a car silhouette the size of a regular golf hole. I won $5,000!”

1969 55th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: LouAnne Crawford Cooper louanne@me.com

Hello, Class of 1969. Great job checking in—you guys are truly the best! We should be extra ready and motivated to figure out who’s who at our 55th Reunion. Hoping to see LOTS of you at Homecoming/Reunion!

Starting with a happy note from Susan Gladden Atkins, we hear: “Jerry and I are happily settled in Dahlonega, GA, where we enjoy local restaurants, beautiful mountains and streams, and quality time together and with friends. Over the years we have traveled to all but six of the continental states in our RV. . . what a beautiful and diverse country we enjoy! Our sweet miniature Schnauzer, Elsa, died in late 2023; she was 15 years old and we loved her. Now we have a new baby miniature Schnauzer whose name is Greta and a new kitten whose name is Misty. Raising two newborn animals is taking some time and some patience, but we love them both already. As we age, we are discovering that we must anticipate slowing down,

Newlyweds Beth Pevsner Polanka ’67 and Jim Reid

Class of ‘68. Left to right: Peggy Crull, Noni Harvin Buchanan, Priscilla Hinkle Ennis, Janelle Hood Haseman, Laura Crawford Kinkle, Drue Thom White, and Susan “Lukie” Lucas

asking for help when we need it, taking more breaks, and sleeping more and eating less! Not a bad reward for 76+ years, so far. I cherish my/our Rhodes connections and look forward to reunions of few or many of us classmates when those occur. Let’s do stay in touch! Sending happy thoughts and all good wishes to each of you.”

Margaret Cogswell-Kolb found time between her art, exhibits, and travels to share: “I am very excited to feel like I’m back in the saddle again this year after the challenges that COVID lockdowns and more imposed on all of us over the past 2-3 years! For me that meant most of my solo installation exhibitions had to be reconsidered—either postponed or cancelled though I was able to continue exhibiting works-on-paper in group shows.

“Mid-March (2024), my husband, Terry Kolb, and I will be going to Japan (where I grew up) to do site research for a solo exhibition I will have opening in August 2024 at an alternative art space called mhPROJECTS at Nokogiri. It is in Ichinomiya in an old textile manufacturing factory near Nagoya—one of several places I lived over the 13 years of living in Japan (10 years as a child and 3 years teaching there in the 1970s and 1990s). In July/ August 2024 I will be returning to Japan to install my work and be there for parallel events including the Obon Matsuri—which, translated, is the Festival of Lanterns. This is a time when candles are lit and floated down streams/rivers to guide the spirits of the dead back for a visit. There are traditional community dances that take place during that time as well. I chose this time to install and open my exhibition there because my installation is about memories and “returning.” The title of my work is taken from a traditional Japanese children’s song I learned as a child. That’s about it for now! Will keep you posted. You can follow my work and this adventure on Instagram: @mcogswellfugues. Or go to my website: www.margaretcogswell.net”

Hi class—it’s LouAnne. This seems like a good place to remind all that with Rhodes Magazine lead time, obviously some things shared as future will be past. Also wanted to say that when our classmates share a website, that is always going be a timelier source of

information for their events - in this case exhibits.

Also Margaret shares in some detail how she creates her works.

More joy from Ken Cushing (the grandchild kind—a big favorite for all of us!) who writes: “Things are going well for Ken and Rachel Cushing in Trussville, AL. Our oldest daughter, Erin, lives in Madison, AL, with her husband and three girls, ages 11, 9 and 7. We get to visit with them on a fairly regular basis as well as FaceTime. Our other daughter, Dr. Jennifer Bares, completed her residency in dermatology

at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York last June, and she and her husband moved back to Alabama and bought a house here in Trussville. They recently had our first grandson, Christian Mayhew Bares. Here is a picture of him at one month. He was born on January 19. We expect to be doing a good bit of babysitting in the future when Jenn goes back to work. I hope to see many of my Rhodes friends at our 55th Reunion.”

George Elder tells us: “One of my favorite things to do is call my friends from high school and college. I don’t call too often, but love catching up. I do the same with friends in other classes as well, a very few professors and colleagues, and many of my former students from MUS, after they held

an amazing reunion for my kids from 22 theater productions I directed from ’69 -’77. That was a very special time in my life, but I couldn’t believe they wanted to see the old “Coach” again after 50 years! I never dreamt of such a crazy thing, but they did. Over 100, 65-70-year-old senior citizens from all across the country with Tony awards, theater careers, and lives well lived under

arm last April! Still flying high. I’ve talked to Joe Clift, David Lewers, and others this month. My wife Suzanne and I share our time between Monteagle, TN, and High Point, NC, one block from son Wil and family and 45 minutes from son Mark’s place. Blessings to all.”

Bill and Kathy Daniel Ellis ’71 share: “We’re eight years happily retired, settled as long-term Oregonians in Hillsboro, on the Western (Intel) side of Portland. We look forward to our 37th wedding anniversary August 1, but with 57 years of friendship that began at Rhodes! Membership in our local Unitarian Universalist Church has occupied much of our time in the last 10 years—too much some weeks! Both Bill and Kathy have served in many roles, Bill currently as President of the Board of Trustees and Kathy on Pastoral Care and Music Support teams, among many activities, including as dedicated progressive activists. We love the beautiful country and friendly people of the Pacific Northwest —vacations to many favorite spots on the coast, hiking and enjoying nature locally and around Oregon. Bill still occasionally plays golf and Kathy continues her lifelong dedication to the American Red Cross—13 gallons as a donor(!) and as a 50-year

“and so below” by Margaret Cogswell ’69

Ken Cushing’s grandson, Christian Bares

Wil, Gemma, George ’69, Suzanne and Mark Elder

volunteer coordinator at blood drives. Anyone who comes our way—contact us! We hope to come see our Memphis family and visit Rhodes this fall.”

When we heard from Hank Fonde last time around, we also got a few great pictures that didn’t make it in the January issue. This shot of Hank and his family is so fun.

with unbelievable beauty. Even while here, Whitney has helped St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by getting cancer patients out of Ukraine and to get care, Laura has kept Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Memphis humming, Josh has done his work with school improvement going, and Charley has kept his work with Thompson Dunavant Financial in Memphis in super shape. All while clamming and shark-tooth hunting going for the grandboys in one of the U.S. National Seashore’s best places. We are so blessed with family, health, and joy to be together! We see our wonderful friends, Ken and Barbara Stanley and Claudia Kennedy, who provide so much for us to enjoy in this phenomenal area, so it’s a spring visit that we relish and treasure all the time we can do it. These folks in our class do so much to make this time most special. Y’all enjoy life beyond 50 years out of Rhodes (Southwestern!). Be well, stay healthy and stay in touch!”

Patricia Gray continues to make music and reports: “My chamber music society Luna Nova Music (www.lunanova.org) is going into its 17th year in Memphis. We have

Brad Foster, Homecoming volunteer extraordinaire, sends this: “Susan (Hoefer), our wonderful offspring, Charley and Laura Foster Gettys ’98, and spouses, Whitney and Josh, plus our grandboys, Joseph and Foster, are at Cumberland Island enjoying an incredible week together on an island

produced the Belvedere Chamber Music Festival (www.belvederefestival.org) each June at Grace-St Luke’s Episcopal Church as well as presenting multiple concerts through the year. Still serving as president of the Beethoven Club of Memphis (www. beethovenclubmemphis.org). In addition

to celebrating the club’s 135th anniversary in Memphis recently, we focus on hosting concerts, masterclasses, and competitions for young classical musicians as they begin their careers. My husband Robert Patterson is a member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and an active composer.”

Ann Marie Hudson Hanlon spends her time volunteering. “I am active in the Presbyterian Women at Peachtree Church, I lead a Bible study in my neighborhood, participate in multiple book clubs, am active with the Tri Delta Atlanta alumni group, and volunteer as a docent at the ‘Absence of Humanity’ exhibit at the Breman museum in Atlanta. I see Kathie Maddux Larkin quite often, as she also volunteers at the Breman. Tommy and I are looking forward to our annual family vacation in Hilton Head in June! Unfortunately, now that most of the grandchildren are grown, we won’t have everyone this year. The eldest will be working in Dallas, TX, and our granddaughter will be in France with a school trip! I hope to see lots of you at the 55th Reunion this fall!”

Patsy Jackson sends this update: “Hello to everyone. Lots of changes since I retired from teaching. My husband passed away in 2017, and two years later I began the process of selling the “family home” in Clinton, LA. I have moved to Houston, where my three daughters, grandkids, a sister, and a brother live. My son lives in Mexico City, where we love to visit. Since returning to Houston, I am once again a part of the PCUSA church where I had been a member for 20 years. My oldest daughter and I are both in the Bells Choir, and my

Kathy and Bill Ellis ’69

Hank Fonde ’69 family gathering

Patricia Gray ’69

son-in-law and I will both be re-joining Session in March. Feels like I’m home. My sister Sara Jean Jackson ’59 and I built a small house in Montreat, NC. This has been a joy for the entire family. Nancy Jackson Williamson ’66 lives in Louisville. She and her family enjoy Montreat with us.”

Got the following from Lee James: “OK, I’ll go. I’m inspired by all the folks from Class of ’69 who have contributed. I seem to be a part of my class that has not sent in much to the alumni magazine. We were a small group who had more of a voice and presence outside the university rather than within. We were active in civil rights and in protesting The War. Today, for me, that has translated into helping Native Americans in the area feel welcome and comfortable in our town. It’s illustrative that for 35 years, we have been the only non-native host of the annual native dug-out canoe racing on Puget Sound, WA.

Hello to my former Lynx Cross-Country Harriers. Cross-country racing was rather unusual in the 60s. I was once asked, ‘what do you think about, anyway, while you’re out there running around?’ Today, I’ve traded in my trail-pounding legs for pedal-turning ones. My biking route is over farmland along Admiralty Inlet and then up one big hill on—you guessed it —Hill Road. Our core freshman course at Southwestern, Man in the Light of History and Religion, must have inspired me to focus on our local history in my retirement. Little ole Coupeville is our nearby town on Whidbey Island—and convenient to my interests—is in the heart of Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve. While I majored in psychology, I now do history, trying to figure out how in the heck the Hudson’s Bay English, Native Americans, Spanish, and Russian-Americans got along without having to resort to war in the region. My wife and I just completed the interior renovation of our 1870s house. Come visit! Hi to Marcia Roberts Cecil, who I believe has been living in Seattle!”

Rebecca Sumlin Welton tells us: “I am still in Naples, FL, at the retirement home where I moved a year ago! Can’t believe it has been a year!! Hope to hear from some classmates in the area of Naples. Sharing a picture of me with my late husband, Jack, taken a

few months before his death. A precious memory!”

From Jack Lassiter we hear: “My wife Pattye and I are four years into retirement. We moved to our cabin in rural AR, with a trout stream in our backyard. We summer in Steamboat Springs, CO, away from the southern heat. We fly fish and camp. Our youngest daughter, April Lassiter ’15, has lived there since graduation.”

Billy ’68 and Susan Dillard Hendrickson at their annual Hospice of Wichita Falls, Texas, golf tournament.

And Stephanie Norowski Harris had shared such a lovely picture of herself and her garden she loves.

David Owen shared a photo taken Sept. 23, 2022, on a trip to Lake Como and a Rhine River Cruise on Viking. He reports: “Come this November I’ll have more to share after a cruise and land trip that

visits some interesting spots, among them Rome, Florence, Monte Carlo, Marseilles, Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, and the Rock of Gibraltar.”

In the pictures we missed last time around, Courtland Mobley Lewis had shared this on of she and her husband, Rich, with

Wayne Rickoll sends news via Mary Maclaurin Arnold: “Rather than seeing a therapist to conquer his aerophobia, an extreme fear of flying, he decided to fly over 4,000 miles to France in December. While fear during the flight was reduced pharmacologically, he succeeded in traveling to Vouvant, France, to assist a former classmate, Mary MacLaurin, recovering from shoulder surgery. His main

Jack and Rebecca Sumlin Welton ’69

Rich and Courtland Lewis ’69, Susie and Billy Hendrickson ’68

Stephanie Norowski Harris ’69

David ’69 and Carlene Owen

responsibilities included acting as chauffeur, keeping the wood stoves burning, hoisting 30-pound bags of pellets into the pellet boiler, and serving as Mary’s valet. Wayne did succeed in surviving a smooth flight back to the US, and Mary now plans to return the favor by visiting him in New Orleans this March. (And maybe Mary and her husband Michael will come to Homecoming/Reunion—from France!)

Ken Stanley writes as he returns from Iceland: “Barbara and I are enjoying our retirement at the beach. We sold our Valdosta house and moved full time to Fernandina Beach, FL, in early 2020. We enjoy our boys (we have three) and our grandkids (we have seven) and expect to be great grandparents next month (March 2024). We have been traveling a good bit. In 2023, we took a river cruise on the Elbe River from Prague to Berlin, a three-week driving trip in the Pacific Northwest visiting four national parks, and trips to visit each of our boys and their families. We left the day after Christmas for a 55th anniversary cruise to Hawaii, then tacked on a trip to Death Valley. As I write this, we are returning from a trip to Iceland where, among other things, we saw the Northern Lights. Our spring and summer will be occupied traveling to weddings, graduations, attending the premier of a symphony composed by one of our nephews, and family visits to “our beach.” In early March we will see and visit with Brad and Susan Hoefer Foster on their annual visit to Cumberland Island with their family. We hope that if you find yourself in Northeast Florida or close to Fernandina Beach/Amelia Island you will reach out. Peace and all good things!!!

Tom Teasley, another Homecoming committee extraordinaire member, says: “Well, William and I do not have much to report except that we are enjoying a slow Virginia life, with outings to Washington, DC, and Norfolk to go to museums, as well as looking forward to Virginia Gardens Week coming up soon. The only real message is that plans are afoot for our 55th reunion on campus in November, so I want to encourage everyone to put it on their calendar and plan on visiting Rhodes, if possible, this year. Best wishes.”

Johnny Walters is another of us enjoying

grands—granddaughters in his case. He shares: “Yen and I spent four weeks in Saigon and Tuy Hoa seeing family. Our first granddaughter was just two on our last visit and she is now eight. We had not met our second granddaughter until now since she was born shortly after our last visit. I got to do lots of swimming again in the South China Sea at daybreak each morning, too. Our nephew just married so we met his wife. The flight allowed us to spend one day in Tokyo on the return as well.”

From Linda Emigh Warren: “Nothing new to report. Still enjoying our two grandsons a couple of afternoons a week. We love our PCUSA church family, too! I wish my fellow former classmates well, and look forward to seeing their adventures on Facebook!”

We heard from Doug Williams: “Greetings from hot and sunny Florida. Nancy and I have lived on a farm near Tallahassee for 33 years, managing for timber and wildlife. I went on to Mississippi State after finishing Rhodes and got a degree in Wildlife Ecology. Eventually worked at St. Marks Wildlife Refuge as a manager, where we prescribe burn a lot of refuge lands along with public use. In 1968, I took a Field Biology class to Florida for seven weeks studying the flora and fauna of Florida and North Carolina. It was the first National Science Foundation field trip. The class

was led by Dr. Darlington and Dr. Smith. We visited St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Wakulla Springs along the way. Lots of bugs while we camped out every night. l eventually started a land management business 23 years ago focused on conservation and forestry. We prescribe burn timber lands and work wildfires as part of our land management practices. We have worked in 25 states thus far on wildfire control. We recently had our fire personnel

Nhung, Oahn, and Johnny ’69 and Yen Walters

Jessie Frey, Doug Williams ’69, and James Blaske

and equipment in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, California, North Carolina, and Virginia. Long days and hard work!”

Peggy Fritsch Woolley and Courtland Mobley Lewis enjoyed a mini reunion, visiting Shakertown for the day, and later the Speed Museum and the Louisville Waterfront.

You are doing a fantastic job living and sharing life! Demonstrating the true awesomeness of the Class of ’69! Thank you!

(Mark your calendars for November 1-2!)

1970

Reporter: Ron Eades reades@juno.com

1971

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

1972

Reporter: Robin McCain robin@slmr.com

1973

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

After retiring from the hectic IT world and surviving the worst of the pandemic, Cheryl Anderson and her spouse finally completed a very long downsizing project, then relocated from the crazy Atlanta metro area to the much saner North Carolina Triad,

where they have been busy learning about and enjoying their new surroundings. We have been informed that Thom and Debbie Brooks Keller have retired and just moved to Amelia Island on the Florida coast. Congrats to both. We look forward to visiting your new digs.

Amy Bailey Evans and husband John ’71 continue to reside in Breckenridge, CO. She has recently retired from serving on the town’s Public Art Commission after 12 years of service. She is serving a second term as Co-President of Women Artists of the West (WAOW), the oldest national juried women’s art organization in the US. Amy continues to paint, jury shows, and teach art workshops. She currently has a painting in the WAOW National Juried Show at the Phippen Museum of Western Art, Prescott, AZ.

Ken Ellison sends greetings from Arlington, VA, “just over the Potomac from the World Capital of Chaos.” He also expresses regrets for having missed the 50th reunion. “My wife (Becky) and I were returning from three weeks in the Greek islands celebrating her early retirement. (She’s 10 years younger than us, but that’s still old enough to retire!)

“I’ve been in the DC area since my escape from Harvard Law School in ’76, followed by stints in government (HUD and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund at Treasury), private practice with a large firm and on my own (including lots of work in Memphis, primarily for Belz and Turley on Peabody Place and Uptown) and the final 11 pre2016 retirement years with SOME (So Others Might Eat, a multi-service, faith based DC non-profit), helping it develop 1,000 permanent supportive housing units for the homeless.

“I also took breaks for a teaching fellowship at the University of Chicago Law School and a mid-career Master of Divinity at Wesley Seminary in DC (no ordination ever planned, just significant involvement at First Baptist Washington, where Becky grew up).

“We’ve been in the same house for 26 years, with a son and daughter in their early thirties and now a daughter-in-law and two little granddaughters (so far). I often see neighbor Hershel Lipow ’72 acrossthe-river and we stay in touch with retired

Professor Mike Kirby, our faculty advisor and friend. We both miss our frequent contacts with fellow roomie Clay Farrar ’72.

“I still have my Southwestern at Memphis diploma (not the Rhodes duplicate) and the Pike group photo on my home office wall. After many years of regular business and personal trips to Memphis, I haven’t been back since my mother died over 10 years ago. The time will come. My current mantra: Life finally feels complete, but it ain’t over yet! A hug to all.”

David and Virginia Shettlesworth Garrett are in their eighth and ninth year of retirement, respectively. They hike weekly, mostly in the Smokies where they live, and managed to get 436 miles on the trails in 2023. They also enjoy dance opportunities after an awful hiatus during COVID Currently they are working at adding bachata to the list of dances that they feel comfortable doing in the public eye. They also love spending time with their three grandchildren (ages 9, 8, and 6). David has just opened a small kiosk in a local artists’ co-op, trying to sell just enough photography to offset the cost of the photos and the space. In the summer of 2023, the Garretts were able to travel overseas again for the first time since COVID hit. They spent a week in Alsace and in a friend’s village home in northeastern France, then met their French and American daughters and their spouses and children for two weeks in rural Catalonia, learning how Spanish it isn’t.

Joy Giddens Lumb sends greetings from Skye, whence she reports “the usual hoolie blowing up outside! The wild wind and rain increase as March approaches.” However, she and Martin “find beauty in the colors of the Loch and the sky during storms,” describing them as “always dramatic.” She notes that “after 14 years we are still amazed at how much we love living here. The settling-in period did last for a few years, but now Scottish Hygge suits us.” Taking up gardening during the pandemic, “I am still trying to fill it up with flowers. Gardening has become my hobby and blueberries are the favored plant. They don’t mind the cold and rain.” She is also trying to grow okra, sent from a cousin in Tennessee, “but the okra will

Peggy Woolley ’69 and Courtland Lewis ’69

have to shelter in the greenhouse!! ey can’t stand the rain! No one here has ever heard of okra!” Martin is an avid birder and occasionally guides tourists around to nd golden eagles, owls, lapwing, ptarmigan, guillemots, skuas, and a host of others.

“Our children have grown up, married, and are doing well; one is in Albuquerque and the other in Yangon. Visiting back and forth has been enjoyable, even though air travel has become more challenging, to say the least. We travelled to Nashville recently to see my family (mother passed away) and found it just keeps expanding! I am a bit intimidated by the expressways and worry I might forget to stay on the right! Nashville’s population growth, the increase of huge mansions, and the expense all make for a very di erent scene than we have in Uig, our village, in rural Highlands.

“In moving here, our initial plan was to travel to Spain and visit our wee casita in Andalusia, frequently. We didn’t count on it taking an entire day to get o the island! We miss the days when the drive to our local airport was only 20 minutes! However, we have memorized the route to Glasgow and are always amazed at the rough beauty of Rannoch Moor and swooping mountains of Glensheil. To prevent the crustiness of age, we plan to travel to Nemrud this year. at should shake o the winter blues!”

Joy also reports liking haggis.

Retirement years have allowed Minor ’71 and Natalie Honan Vernon to spend more time in the mountains of western North Carolina. ey invite classmates in the Cashiers/Highlands area to get in touch.

Nancy Howell still lives in Nashville and has managed to stay retired from classroom teaching for ve years. She keeps her hand in it by tutoring Latin both virtually and in person. She enjoys the virtual part more because she can tutor in her pajamas. However, she does put on pants and venture out every so often for cribbage, tai chi, and lunch with friends.

Jane Howze is still working and managing the Alexander Group, an executive search rm that she founded in 1983, celebrating its fortieth anniversary last April. With o ces in New York, Houston, San Diego, San Francisco, Park City, and Washington DC, the rm conducts searches for CEOs, boards of directors, and other executives. Jane spends one week a year as a lm critic for Houston publication PaperCity, for which she covers the Sundance Film Festival. Jane and her husband, John Mann, are inveterate travelers and die-hard concert goers. On tap in that regard is Taylor Swift in Singapore and the tulips in Amsterdam, though perhaps not in that order.

Maria Jones Prather attended Southwestern her freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Mississippi State. She married a farmer from Leland, MS, with whom she farmed in Belzoni for 20 years,

while she also owned and managed a gift and interior design shop. ey migrated to Pine Blu , AR, for three years, where Bryan worked for Monsanto and Maria assisted sister Kit Jones McDonald ’69 at Kit’s wholesale stationery company. e Prathers then moved to Batesville, MS, where Maria opened another gift and interiors shop. She and her son also had a restaurant in Batesville. When Maria’s dad died in 2007, the Prathers moved back to the house where Maria had grown up in Starkville. Her brother, Shelton ’71, also lives in Starkville and Kit and husband moved there last January. e Prathers have three children— two in Indianola and one in Starkville. All are married and have produced among them “six grandchildren!!!” Of note is that Dean of the College Jameson Jones was an uncle to Maria, Kit, and Shelton.

Patricia Spears Jones gave the rst reading from her new collection of poems, e Beloved Community (Copper Canyon Press, 2023), for a Rhodes Homecoming/Reunion audience that included a number of fellow Golden Lynx celebrating their 50th.

From her home in Brooklyn, Patricia is currently serving a two-year appointment as New York State Poet with the accompanying Walt Whitman Citation of Merit. She has been appointed to e Poetry Project board of directors, and in May, received e Porter Fund Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. She will hold the inaugural Lucille Clifton Poetry

Class of ’73 50th Reunion at Homecoming/Reunion Weekend 2023

Chair in Summer 2024, for the Community of Writers Poetry Program.

Vicki Kanawalsky Gore reports from her home in Memphis that she is enjoying postdouble-hip-replacement life at home and spending time with her dog and three-yearold grandson, as well as occasional hangouts with friends from the past.

After 17 years in Boston following 25 years in Mexico, Candace Keirns returned to Memphis, “the home of my heart. My step was lighter, and I knew I was in the place I belonged. I sort of kept myself in shape, but mostly made friends at the YMCA recently opened in the old Sears building on Cleveland/N. Watkins. A go-getter from there introduced me to the Mariposa Collective, and I made numerous visits to the bus station to greet and lend assistance to Latin Americans in transit from the southern border. I began working for a language service out of Searcy, AR, as an on-call medical interpreter. The work was interrupted by a four-month stint as a PRN interpreter at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, after which I returned to freelancing.

“During the first year of the COVID pandemic I joined the Shelby County Health Department as a bilingual contact tracer and worked for them until the pandemic was declared resolved (i.e., funding terminated) in June of 2022. I returned to free-lance medical interpreting.

“In my free time I continue to correct manuscripts for colleagues in Mexico to improve the likelihood of publication. After many years of separation I rejoined the Episcopal church, choosing the one with a great Lenten Preaching Series and very dedicated outreach. In other words, no complaints.”

After 33 years of writing and editing at Herman Miller, Inc., one son and one daughter-in-law, and a couple of degrees from the University of Michigan, Clark Malcolm lives happily retired with his wife, Judy, in Ann Arbor.

Alfred K. (Al) Nippert delineates a longterm, wide range of interests, including history, cartography, geography, language (“I can get slapped in French and out of trouble in German”), and medicine. “These interests have been applied in various ways: History,

to a love of rail transportation. I have been president of a RR repair shop and have operated a passenger car leasing company. I teach railroad inspection and repair and continue to consult in the industry.

“Cartography and geography: to railroads again but also to understanding movements of populations, commodities, and goods in peacetime and troops in war. Language: to geography and to our familial interest in genealogy.

“My wife Kathye and I live in Tennessee, having moved here from Cincinnati in the last few years.

“I have a JD from the University of Cincinnati and Kathye earned her doctorate in health care six years ago at The Medical School of South Carolina in Charleston. I continue to be licensed to practice law in Ohio and Tennessee. (Nippert & Nippert is over 125 years old, founded in 1897.)

“Kathye teaches health care administration and has her own consulting business.

“Additionally, I am a licensed Auctioneer. Non-professionally, I am a St. Stephen’s Minister. We have both served on boards of charitable institutions in the past and continue to do so. We enjoy family, travel, food, learning, and our faith.”

Bryant and Margaret Olsen McCrary ’74 were married in ’74, the month after his graduation. “Yes, 50 years of wedded bliss! It’s awesome knowing we are one of several couples still going strong after our Lynxcat years,” says Margaret. “We have lived in Gulfport, MS, since 1981, where Bryant continues to practice pediatrics part-time. I worked for the Department of Rehabilitation Services in Arkansas while Bryant was in med school, but quit fulltime work when we moved to Gulfport, to take care of our four kids. I have worked many part-time jobs since, including for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Community Mental Health Clinic. I’ve also served on several boards, including the March of Dimes, Mental Health Association, our local children’s museum, and our local tennis club. I was also active in, and served as president of, our Junior Auxiliary. I served on the vestry of our Episcopal church several times. One term was during Hurricane Katrina,

when our church building on the coast was completely washed away. So, after much mourning, then planning, and with more help from volunteers than imaginable, our new church was built.

“Our kids went to public schools, where I spent a lot of time volunteering. (I was ‘volunteer of the year’ one year). The highlight for me (don’t know about my kids!) was involvement with the fledgling robotics program at Gulfport High. Our team won our regional competition and went on to compete on a national level at Epcot Center. Best chaperoning job ever!

“As for the present—we lost our oldest child, who was severely brain-damaged since birth, in 2000 when she was 20. Our oldest son, a GI doctor in Jackson, MS, has three girls. The second son, a lawyer in Denver, has a daughter and a son. Our third son lives here in Gulfport. I still play team tennis three to four times a week and try to play ‘at’ golf once a week (primarily so I can keep up with Bryant when we are on vacation). We have a cabin in Cashiers, NC, (see Natalie Honan, page 54), and with several other families, a condo in Destin which we’ve had since 1995. We are most fortunate to have no shortage of recreational opportunities! We are both avid birders and have a trip to southern Arizona planned for late April. We both hold our memories and appreciation of Rhodes (always “SWaM” to us) very near and dear to our hearts.”

Clifford Pugh and husband John are both retired, spending summers in Greece and enjoying being inveterate travelers.

Jim Shumard has retired from eight years of commuting between Wyoming and Georgia to return to Georgia where he has a “half-time gig as [Episcopal] priest in charge” up in the mountains of North Georgia. He spends half a month there and half a month in Savannah with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He reports having a great time in both places. He has a cabin in the woods in the mountains and appreciates Savannah’s being on the ocean. Class of ’73 writers Frannie Taylor and Nancy Williard met up in the River Arts District of Asheville, NC, last February to “camp it up” with “Gator Girl,” an original sculpture, grab lunch at White Duck Tacos, and take in the art house film The Taste

of Things at Grail Moviehouse. Nancy lives in Hendersonville, NC, and Frannie was visiting another writer-friend who lives near Asheville. Frannie abides and resides in Memphis.

In January, a music promoter told Bob Tigert that Bob had “failed retirement” because Bob was doing so many performances both around the country and internationally. Bob explains, “Listen y’all, nobody actually plans on being a ukulele headliner (at least, I didn’t), but as long as I don’t have to play too many Hawaiian songs or Tiptoe Thru the Tulips, and I get paid well enough to be considered a ‘working pro,’ then ‘failing retirement’ can be kind of gratifying.”

Bob has recently adapted a poem by classmate Patricia Spears Jones and the resulting song will appear on the third Webb/Tigert album, Love Ya Love Ya Love Ya, to be released in the summer of 2024.

F Clark Williams reveals that after 34 years of conning Vanderbilt University into paying him a salary for (at various times) residence hall management, parking management, technical writing, IT support management, teaching writing to engineers, more writing and editing, website management, film programming, and sitting on more committees than is healthy, he retired at the end of June 2018. In March of 2020, his two-month excursion to Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand was cut in half by the now-infamous worldwide pandemic. With the rest of the world, he hunkered down to read, do silly things on social media, and try to stay well and sane. He managed the former; whether he managed the latter remains inconclusive.

F Clark acquired certification as a Taijiquan (tai chi) instructor in September of 2020 and began teaching out of doors until he and participant Theresa Cloys Carl ’76 arranged for the class to become part of the Joy in Learning program at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Among class participants are several Southwestern alums, notably Nancy Howell ’73.

He still “runs” five miles, four days a week, and plays online poker with friends several evenings a week. He played in the 2021 World Series of Poker senior and super-senior events, coming home with

empty pockets. More recently, he finished third in the 2024 Nashville Charity Poker Challenge, earning a contribution to The Belcourt Theatre. F Clark was able to complete his “down under” trip in the fall of 2022, visiting New Zealand and Tasmania. Now, given that over the past several years 75% of his immediate family have migrated from Texas to Sedona, AZ, he travels there with some degree of regularity, as well as to wherever they decide to vacation (most recently Telluride and Kauai).

F Clark recently rolled off the board of the nonprofit Belcourt Theatre Film Center in Nashville (buy tickets, send money!), with which he has been engaged from its inception in 1999, after its predecessor commercial theater went dark. He also served a term on the board of his alma mater The Presbyterian Pan American School in Kingsville, TX (send lots of money!). He has been active in his neighborhood association and is a founding member of the Richland Creek Run committee, which raises funds to support Nashville’s greenways. The event is in its 18th year.

He is planning to travel to Portugal in May.

1974 50th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend November 1-2, 2024 Reporter: Wendlandt Hasselle jahlove2222@yahoo.com

Larry Anderson wrote that he was heading to Baton Rouge for his 24th Mardi Gras parade there while staying at the home of Guy ’76 and Kitty Lawrence Rose ’75. He had hoped to send photos of attendees Dale MacCardy, his wife Mary Alexander McCardy ’75, and Conie Lowrey Abernathy, but those three were unable to come at the last minute. Larry looks forward to Mia Taylor Valdez ’73 visiting him the end of March and, possibly, Katherine Ramage ’73 will come from California! He’ll have more news for the next magazine issue.

Wendlandt Hasselle and travel buddy, AKA De, took a magical trip for Day of the Dead festivities in various Mexican towns. Beginning with an admonishment to beware of the cartel and kidnappers prior to boarding, Wendlandt’s seatmates, a charming older and fun Mexican couple

just returning from vacation in Spain, insisted that “we spend our first night at their house. Throwing caution to the wind, we accepted, and what a great decision! We even got to go to their gorgeous 1700s hacienda in the desert for yet another night and stayed again at their beautiful home before flying back. The festivals were big and full of Mexican tourists with no other foreigners in sight. Speaking Spanish is a necessity. Buses and hotels were full. The highlight was visiting with families and their dead in the cemetery and being treated to tamales, mariachis, beers, etc. We also spent two nights with Wendlandt’s old housekeeper in her family compound, and they drove us around to see waterfalls, big rivers, and old churches. Stayed at a hot spring and even took a temazcal (healing herbal adobe Aztec steam bath). It’s like coming home again with such friendly and helpful people (guardian angels) abounding. Sadly, prices have increased just like everywhere.” After a year of PT from shoulder replacement (ugh), Wendlandt is now recuperating from cataract surgery.

David Hesi has recently retired as a trial attorney in the St. Louis area. He reports that his new trial is “babysitting five grandkids!”

Joey Riso retired in 2022 and is spending time working on his home near Palm Springs, CA. He joined SCORE and has just completed his certification as a SCORE mentor. He is looking forward to helping owners launch and grow their small businesses. He is affiliated with the Coachella Valley chapter, but is taking

Wendlandt Hasselle ’74 with friends

clients from other areas as well. Joey began at Southwestern with our class, but due to a hiatus his junior year he graduated in ’75. Since most of his friends finished in ’74, he asked to be included with us. However, he won’t be at our reunion. His contact information is as follows:

Robert J. Riso

30212 Muirfield Way Cathedral City, CA 92234 760-898-2978

Anna Olswanger ’75 just learned that her well-known musician father Berl Olswanger will be honored with his Blues Note on Beale St., and that the official ceremony will be held December 4 at 4:00 pm at Trezevant Manor.

Classmate and cousin Prudence Owens has been undergoing surgeries and treatments for brain tumors in Jackson, MS, is feeling good, and is looking forward to our reunion. She would appreciate any prayers for her recovery.

If you are interested in helping out with our 50th reunion, please contact Frank Broyles

Anyone who’s interested in helping Brett Robbs ’68 and Richie Trenthem ’92 sort through and identify various old tapes of old blues artists and other Memphis musicians made by students of Dr. Wolf over the years, please contact Richie at trenthem@ rhodes.edu. They need all the help they can get, as there are a lot of tapes. For listening, these can be forwarded to you by email. I took note that the Univ. of Memphis was also working on this same task last year, according to an article in Memphis Magazine.

Tom Cornell sent this note: “On 30 June 2023, I retired from the College of Liberal Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). When I arrived in 1982, I was still in the early stages of writing my dissertation for the History of Science Department at Johns Hopkins. My topic was the early career of Merle A. Tuve, an American physicist who developed Van de Graaff generators prior to World War II, for use in a pioneering program of experimental nuclear physics.

“But after five years as a grad student in Baltimore (and, before that, a year and a half as a grad student in physics at Georgia

Tech), I was eager to start teaching—which was the main expectation for the RIT position. Nevertheless, I was able to defend my dissertation in 1985, and I received my Ph.D. the following year.

“After that, I managed to keep up a modest level of research writing—resulting in my 2004 book, Establishing Research Corporation, and a promotion to full professor. My focus was the organization’s emergence during the first three decades of the 20th century. It’s worth noting that after World War II, Research Corporation (which still exists as a foundation) provided significant support to Rhodes for science education and research.

“Along the way, I served just over six years as chair of the Science, Technology,

“Face of the Land,” an upper-level field-trip based course that I had begun teaching in 2008.

“At the outset, I viewed my RIT position as a transition from grad school—and hadn’t planned to stay. But teaching undergraduate elective courses that featured the history of science and technology was definitely a good “fit” for my interests. Plus, I enjoyed living in Rochester—which has many of the advantages of a major city, without being a massive metropolitan area.”

1975

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

and Society (STS) Department, followed by a six-year stint as one of the college’s representatives at Academic Senate. So I maintained a balanced portfolio of teaching, research, and faculty service.

“During my last three years, I took advantage of a formal Retirement Transition—with a reduced teaching load. As a result, during Fall Semester 2022, I taught my last section of ‘Science, Technology, and Values’—an introductory STS course that I had been teaching since my arrival (and was, by far, the course I taught most often). During Spring Semester 2023, I taught my very last course—namely,

1976

Reporters: Julie Allen Berger jab0539@gmail.com

Georgia Atkins atkins.georgia@gmail.com

1977

Reporters: Jill Fuzy Helmer jillhelmer25@gmail.com

Bonnie Moore McNeely bonniemcneely2@gmail.com

Forever the athlete, Coach Mike Clary writes that he along with his son Brian Clary ’01, daughter Julie Clary ’04, sister Cindy Kramer, and friend Jenny Dill ’04

At the finish line for the 2023 St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon are Jenny Dill ’04, Brian Clary ’01, Mike Clary ’77, Julie Clary ’04, and Cindy Kramer.

all finished the St. Jude Memphis HalfMarathon last December for the ninth consecutive year.

Steve Collins and wife Brenda were in Memphis celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary this past February. Aside from having several wonderful gastronomic experiences at Memphis eateries, they took in several tours. Top of the list was a tour of Rhodes, which of course has changed dramatically over the decades. So many great renovations, along with new and impressive buildings, but absent was the amount of open space from the

Southwestern days. “Our visit brought back good memories and I hope to be back for our 50th reunion.” From Rhodes it was on to the Metal Museum, where they met two Rhodes students, both art majors, working at the museum through an internship.

Proud grandfather Grover Cox writes from Louisville, KY, that he is still practicing law with his younger son and partner, Channing, in the firm of Cox & Cox Law Office PLLC. He and his wife Cynthia have remained in the same home these many years and take great joy with their six grandchildren. Channing has two sons and a daughter, and Grover’s older son, Peyton, resides in the Richmond, VA, area and is father to three little girls. Grover has fond memories of his days at Southwestern and is grateful for the long-lasting friendships formed while there. “I was so saddened to lose my friend and classmate Robert

Kilbury last fall. For those of you who knew Robert, you should watch the video of him at Staab Funeral Home’s web page in the Sherman, IL, obituaries. I missed our 45th reunion, but am looking forward to our 50th.”

Will Yandell ’77 shared a photograph (above) taken at the 70th birthday celebration for Jim O’Donnell ’74. The Dallas, TX, event brought fraternity brothers Hardy Butler ’75, John Coats ’75, Ted Palles ’80, and Steve Wade ’77 together for a weekend of storytelling—some factual, some not.

Curtis Hopper writes, “My wife Mary Ellen and I are living quite comfortably in our farmhouse on 11 acres in Lascassas, TN, with horse Joe and two Australian Shepherds, Oz and Cassie. I retired in 2015 after 30 years with the TN Department of Environment and Conservation. We are in our eighth year on the Cedarosa, a limestone glade, with a selection of hardwoods, and a forest of juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar). We are currently thinning the cedars to add pasture, because Joe eats a lot. We are occasionally visited by Woods Falls and ‘Buck’ Henry Thompson to pick the blues (thank you Jim Pagan for teaching me the blues). When Buck visits, it’s “Buckfest.”

“Well now it’s time to say goodbye to me and all my kin. And we would like to thank you folks for kindly listenin’. You’re all invited anytime to this locality, To have

a heapin’ helpin’ of our hospitality. 7626 Rhodes Lane that is. (coincidental address?) Y’all come by now! Hope to see you in 2027.”

This past February, Michael Pearigen, along with Tom Baker, John Edmundson ’78 and David Green ’76 attended the inaugural social event of the newlychartered Pi Kappa Alpha Nashville-Area Alumni Association. The event was held to mark Pike’s Founders Day and was attended by approximately 50 Nashville area Pike

alumni representing 22 schools. Held at the new whisky bar Barrel Proof, in Nashville’s Germantown neighborhood, Michael was proud to report the Rhodes contingent was one of the larger groups present. The association plans on hosting a monthly activity going forward.

Cheers to the class of ’77 from classmates and fraternity brothers Bobbo Jetmundsen and Will Yandell on their way to Baltimore for the week.

Bobbo Jetmundsen ’77 and Will Yandell ’77

Steve Collins ’77 and wife Brenda returned to Memphis to celebrate their 37th anniversary.

Hardy Butler ’75, John Coats ’75, Ted Palles ’80, and Steve Wade ’77

Steve Wade is ready to hit the road! With Steve’s 42-year banking career in his rearview mirror and wife Ginger’s 21-year teaching career packed away, these two are ready to spend more time with their children and grandchildren. Their daughter and her husband are parents to “the two grandchildren”—a little girl and boy. Steve’s son headed east to a New York ad agency and is involved in his community in Queens. Persuading his parents to volunteer for their annual fall fundraiser was the reason for Steve’s absence at our 45th! He promises to be at our 50th. Between Fort Worth and New York, the Wades will either be burning rubber down I-30 between Little Rock and Fort Worth or taking to the skies towards New York.

1978

Reporter: Sandy Schaeffer sandeford.schaeffer@gmail.com

Steve Masters ’78 and wife, Wendy

Steve Masters, MD, and Wendy, his wife of 41 years, have been a part of Hope Resource Center in Knoxville for many years. Wendy began volunteering 20 years ago as a counselor for young women in crisis pregnancy before being trained to perform ultrasounds. Steve is on the Medical Board for Hope as a primary care physician and, with the ever-changing landscape for the Pro-Life movement, many positive developments have occurred which have led to more challenges in saving the lives of babies yet to be born. They also welcomed their 7th grandchild last fall and with their three children and their offspring living within a stone’s throw, the Masters are always busy with the grandkiddos!

Eva Guggenheim has been active in the world of theater. She had a lead role in fall 2022 in a play called The Oldest Profession in which she played an aging prostitute. (She doesn’t THINK it was a typecast.) In addition, in 2023 she had her first Shakespearean role as Launcelot in the all-female production of Syracuse Shakespeare in the Park’s The Merchant of Venice.

Chuck Cobb shares this story: “We drove former Kinney Volunteer coordinator Julia Wellford Allen ’47 for her 98th birthday on a tour of the Rhodes Campus. She was amazed and impressed by the new buildings, especially the Barret Library.”

1979

45th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Mary Palmer mpalmerc@comcast.net

1980

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

1981

Reporter: Sherri Godi Madden rhodesalum81@gmail.com

1982

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

1983

Reporter: Ted de Villafranca edevillafranca@gmail.com

On January 31, 2023, Andy Falls ’79, P’08, P’12 had the pleasure of introducing fellow alum Scott Rye ’83, P’16 as the guest speaker during a meeting of Rotary Club of Mobile-Sunrise. Scott, who retired with the rank of captain in 2020 after 30 years of service from the U.S. Navy Reserve, presented his program “Humanitarian Relief from Mobile to the Middle East.” During his tour of duty, Scott served extensively throughout the Middle East and Africa, held four command tours, and served as Chief of Staff to the Navy’s Vice Chief of Information, Rear Admiral Kent Davis, who now serves as Commissioner of the Alabama State Department of Veterans Affairs.

Scott is chair of Mosaic Middle East, a UK based charitable organization that provides humanitarian assistance to displaced persons or refugees, works to develop sustainable businesses, and supports St, George’s Church and Clinic in Baghdad, providing health care to people of all faiths. Mosaic recently expanded to provide meals and health care in Gaza.

Scott is also the founding director of Black Flag Communications, which specializes in crisis communications, government relations, and public relations. He and Ruth Metcalf Rye ’84 live in Daphne, AL. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Rhodes, Scott is currently pursuing a master’s degree in history and politics at Rutgers. Last April, Scott was appointed a Member of the Order of St. John by His Majesty King Charles III.

Eva Guggenheim ’78

Scott Rye ’83 and Andy Falls ’79

1984 40th Reunion Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 -2, 2024

Reporter: Linda Odom linda.odom@klgates.com

1985

Reporter: Ann Webb Betty 11webby@gmail.com

1986

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

Jerry Lee Lovelace, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., has been named medical director for the Nebraska Department of Correctional

Services (NDCS). Dr. Lovelace will oversee the Health Services division, which includes medical, dental, psychiatry and behavioral health. His appointment began October 30, 2023. Dr. Lovelace brings extensive experience to this role, with a background in pathology and internal medicine, as well as 24 years in primary care practice. Most recently, he served as the statewide medical director for Centurion Health in Missouri for seven years, where he ensured comprehensive health care for more than 23,000 individuals in 22 corrections facilities throughout the state. He has more than 10 years of experience providing medical care and services at corrections facilities in Alabama, Missouri, and Tennessee. He has also been a biochemistry

professor at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lovelace earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry, with research focused on opioid peptides in the human brain, and an M.D. from the University of Tennessee at Memphis. He also holds a certificate of advanced study in bioethics from Cleveland State University. He received a B.S. in Chemistry from Rhodes College.

1987

Reporter: Mimi Swords Fondren mimifondren@outlook.com

Ron Kuhn ’87, M.D. has joined CARTI Urology in North Little Rock. Dr. Kuhn

brings nearly 30 years of urologic experience to CARTI, specializing in minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgeries. He received his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), where he also completed his residency in urology. He is a graduate of Rhodes College and certified by the American Board of Urology.

From Lydia Henegar Spencer ’87, P’25, P’27: “Both my daughters are students at Rhodes now! Lily ’25 is a junior, majoring in music and minoring in dance. Annie ’27 is a first-year thinking about majoring in ancient Mediterranean studies. Greg and I could not be prouder of them. Life is good.”  Regina Murphy ’87 and Andrew Houchins traded in the “Emerald City” for the

Emerald Coast, leaving Kansas behind for the Florida Gulf Coast. Regina is in administration at the University of West Florida, while Andrew works on several music commissions. Between paddleboards, pickleball, and perfect white sands, life is better than good.

Nathan Tipton ’87: “I’m living full time in Baton Rouge with three dogs, a huge house, and a ridiculously absurd amount of Mardi Gras decor. Paul is still living in Hernando but, as many of you may have seen on social media, his dad passed away recently at the age of 92, so Paul is slowly but surely preparing to put our Hernando house up for sale so he and the remaining seven (yes, seven) dogs will move down here.

“I’m still working in the Baton Rouge office of a national transportation and engineering firm as its senior technical writer and editor and can truthfully say that I still love my job. I’m learning new things every single day and it’s just a great place to work (plus we have an office in downtown New Orleans, so I am more than happy to use the office’s FREE PARKING when I’m down there which, needless to say, is a LOT).

“On the home front, Paul is still dealing with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy but is currently undergoing some chiropractic treatment which seems to be helping. We’re taking things day by day and hopefully when he gets down here, things will become a little easier, though only time will tell.

“As for me, I’ve settled comfortably into being a homebody, at least during the week or in non-Mardi Gras months. I’m still very involved with the Krewe of Tucks and got tapped to be a co-captain for our float group, the Mother Tuckers. Basically, this means that I get to create

Regina Murphy ’87

Jerry Lee Lovelace Jr. ’86

Ron Kuhn ’87

and coordinate group events for about 100 people, corral and dispense information for and to first-time riders, alert regular riders of any changes, new rules, new City Council regulations, and basically make sure everybody behaves themselves and doesn’t get us into hot water with the mayor.

“I would dearly love to invite everyone to come visit (I recently had a chance to meet up with Tim Davis and his lovely wife, Lisa, and had a marvelous time catching up).

Right now, our house is still in a state of quasi-moved in, so I hesitate to offer room and board, but meeting up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner is always on the table! Also, if any of y’all are thinking about Mardi Gras (which I hope you will), I can absolutely get you the hook-up on good throws not only from Tucks, but also from other parades. Oh, and if you need a place to stay and don’t mind sharing accommodations with a whole bunch of sequins and glitter, you are welcome to stay with me at our hotel in New Orleans.

“That’s all the news for now, but can’t wait to hear news about everyone and hopefully to see y’all in person soon.”

From Marianne Blackwell: “Greg Benjamin and I got married on October 29 in the waters of the Mediterranean between Santorini and Malta. Greg and I dated during graduate school and here we are 35 years later! We were incredibly honored to have longtime Rhodes friends, Nancy DiPaolo and Cynthia Strong Thompson ’88 join us for such a special time! As I was fond of saying, it was an amazing trip through five countries, with a side of wedding. LOL.”

1988

Reporter: Brooke Glover Emery brookegemery@gmail.com

1989 35th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Julianne Johnson Paunescu jpaunescu@yahoo.com

The class of 1989 is looking forward to its 35th (gulp!) reunion in November, but doesn’t just limit its get-togethers to that occasion.

Robin Meredith Kelly took advantage of the fact that her older daughter, Claire, a food and beverage photographer, recently relocated to Austin to reconnect with classmates Ellis and Lucy Cooper Oglesby Robin reports that Lucy “knows everything” about Austin, which made her an “amazing resource throughout Claire’s move.”

Other gatherings were less planned. . .

Leslie Rea Quirin and D’Ann Glenn happened to both be traveling back from the Bahamas at the same time. However, it was not until they landed in Charlotte that

D’Ann realized that they knew each other and tracked Leslie down in the airport to say hello!

D’Ann was in the Bahamas to give a presentation at Baha Mar, a five-year-old, $4.2 billion integrated resort, casino, water park and residential development perched on Nassau’s storied Cable Beach. In her role as Casino Partnership Executive, she is responsible for cultivating strategic partnerships and relationships with outside businesses and casinos that will create brand loyalty and drive incremental revenue for all parties. D’Ann and her husband Ted live outside of Philadelphia in South Jersey with their twin boys, Damon and Daniel, who were adopted from Kazakhstan 15 years ago. When D’Ann is not working or running the boys to golf or baseball tournaments, she focuses her efforts on her role as a member of the Board of Trustees of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children of Atlantic, Cape May and Camden Counties. This amazing organization trains CASAs to speak on behalf of the abused and neglected children living in the foster care system and is dedicated to ensuring that these children are placed in a safe and permanent home as quickly as possible.

Leslie was in the Bahamas on vacation after a busy few years. Like D’Ann, she has a distinguished record of helping young people in her community and recently saw a passion project come to fruition. In 2015, she started volunteering with the Queen Ann County (Maryland) YMCA to start a teen leader’s club that included her oldest son. In 2020, Leslie was asked to serve on the Leadership Council and to help raise funds for a new Y building. When no one else stepped up, she served as the chair for

Nathon Tipton ’87 at Tucks Coronation Ball

Marianne Blackwell ‘87 and husband, Greg

Leslie Rea Quirin ’89 and D’Ann Glenn ’89

Robin Meredith Kelly (center) with daughter Claire (left) and Lucy Cooper Oglesby (right)

three years. The new YMCA opened debt free in the fall of 2023 to rave reviews. This 70,000-square-foot “front porch of our community” fulfilled the mandate of a multi-generational approach to improving the public’s well-being and health. Leslie was clearly following the example of her beloved father with whom she worked on this project. He gave her his 30-year Y ring on the Christmas before he passed away and she wore it to every subsequent Y meeting. Leslie and her whole family now enjoy the programs offered by the Y on a regular basis!

Finally, Lee Boyd writes that he is “still living in China and still trying to be a rock star.” Lee, you’ve always been a rock star to us!

1990

Reporter: Trish Puryear Crist nashvilletrish@gmail.com

John Hicks: “In February, I attended my dear friend’s 60th birthday celebration

in Germany. Thomas and I met in 1988, when I participated in the Rhodes exchange program in Tübingen, and have remained close ever since. Just like Rhodies in Memphis were doing, as neighbors in Waldhäuser Ost (a student dorm), we formed a strong bond that has endured 36 years, with regular German and U.S. visits. I was the best man at his wedding, and his kids consider me their “American uncle.” Watching his five children grow up and become wonderful people, like their parents, has been a real joy. Celebrating his milestone birthday has been the highlight of 2024 for me so far.”

Gabriel Shirley: “With the kiddos launched and out of the house, I figured there’s no better time to take up the next stages of lifelong learning. I’m learning to “speak chicken” to better understand the girls outside who manufacture breakfast at our farm, and I jumped off the big corporate bandwagon to join a late-stage startup (Housecall Pro) that’s making life a little easier for people in the trades (super fun). Most importantly, I’m learning to navigate and enjoy this stage of life with my beautiful wife, Marybeth.

“The song that makes me think of Rhodes is All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix. Takes me back to Thorne Anderson’s iteration during “tent city” in the quad and one of my favorite moments, when Bill Nourse, head of security, wandered over one night with his guitar to join the fun. Anyone remember the ’50s etiquette films that were projected onto the F-J satellite dish?”

Michael James: “My husband Ken and I finally made our longtime dream of being snowbirds come true this year. We escaped the Chicago winter (including all of February) for six weeks in St. Petersburg, FL. While there, we had the good fortune of spending an evening with Eric Cardenas and his wife, Andrea, who live nearby in Tampa. On the work front, I continue to be a self-employed marketing consultant working primarily with large law firm clients. The flexibility of owning my own

business was a big factor in bringing our snowbird vision to life.

“Music was such a HUGE part of my undergraduate years, so there are countless songs that will forever make me think of Rhodes. R.E.M.’s Driver 8 and Don’t Go Back to Rockville are both near the top of the list.”

Joe Tamborello: “In recent events, my youngest daughter, Carly, stage managed her high school’s production of Tartuffe at the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), which was held in Memphis in March 2022. When not performing, we had a nice time

John Hicks ’90 (left) and Thomas Berlenbach

Gabriel Shirley ’90

Michael James ’90, in blue stripped shirt, and Eric Cardenas ’90 in pink plaid shirt, with their spouses

Brad ’90 and Miki Shelton with Joe’90 and Monica Tamborello

on Beale Street. On the day we left SETC, my eldest daughter, Julia, was just arriving in Memphis with her Florida State mock trial team for a competition sponsored by the American Mock Trial Association. The competition was held in Memphis’ D’Army Bailey Courthouse, and the opening round tournament was hosted by Rhodes. So, a busy week in Memphis for our family!

“By fall of ’22, Carly had been accepted into the Theatre program at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, where I was able to visit for family weekend (sporting my favorite Rhodes fleece). Carly is already nearing the end of her sophomore year at CMU, while my eldest daughter, Julia, is currently enjoying her first year of law school at George Washington University in DC.

“Part of our family tradition is celebrating the holidays with fellow Rhodie Stacy DeZutter. Stacy was just promoted to Full Professor at Millsaps College!

“And my wife Monica and I had the pleasure of visiting Brad and Miki Shelton in Los Angeles just this past October!”

Laura Blankenship: “Here’s a picture of me and my dad, David ’67, on his 79th birthday. This summer I moved back to Tennessee to be near my dad. We live on a lake and are enjoying slowing down a little, though we are both still working. I am working as an educational consultant, currently doing some work for the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools. Previously, I was the Founding Head of School at San Francisco Girls’ School. Unfortunately, the school had to close last year. I’m in Memphis regularly to see my mom and I’m looking forward to our next

reunion. I cheated and went to the class of ’89’s reunion in 2019.

“The song that makes me think of Rhodes— probably either REM’s I am Superman or U2’s Trip through your Wires.”

Kristen Murray: “After more than a decade living in rather tumultuous Hong Kong, my family and I are still discovering new angles to the city. I’m lecturing at the University of Hong Kong in English Literature and Drama and directing student Shakespeare productions. I’m also still consulting on government policies. My husband Nick and

I are going gray with two teenage boys (ages 17 and 13) but they’re beautiful bears. (The younger one was born on the weekend of our 20th Rhodes reunion, so I had a slightly better excuse for missing it than most folks?!) I still love hiking, the performing arts, and engaging in the community.

“I count my Rhodes ’90 crew as the dearest

and most gifted of friends. I remain indebted to wonderful, influential Rhodes professors, especially Marsha Walton, Cookie Ewing, and the late, great Cynthia Marshall and Tony Lee Garner ’65. I plan to be at our 2025 reunion, despite the distance!”

Bill Barksdale serves as the Pastor of St. Paul’s UMC and Covenant UMC in Helena, MT. He is enjoying his 32nd year as an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. He enjoys the wonderful Montana outdoors, is taking up piano (again), and is happy being a constant life learner. “Anytime an REM song comes on, I remember Rites of Spring, the Kappa Sig house, and walks along Oak Alley. My

Laura Blankenship ’90 and David Blankenship ’67

Kristen Murray Mulcay ’90 with family

Bill Barksdale ’90

Left to right: Stacy Boldrick ’90, Steve ’89 and Mimi Conn, and Jody Stephens of Big Star

favorite night-time dream is that I have enrolled at Rhodes again and have a chance to do all four years again.”

F. Grant Whittle: “Jimmy and I just took a break from our bakery after a short but frantic king cake season this year to go to London. Here we are at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, where we paid our respects to the prime meridian. Interestingly, Memphis is a quarter turn of the globe from there, where the 90° meridian is primarily running along McLean Blvd.

“The song Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel, which Billy Parks and I used to listen to before college bowl meets, always makes me think of Rhodes.”

insurance. The song that makes me think of Rhodes is Don’t Worry Be Happy. I look forward to seeing everyone next year!”

Diane Schratz Rogers: “I work at the Arkansas Court of Appeals, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with Anne Hughes Solomon ’03. You never know when you’ll cross paths with a fellow Rhodes alum, and our friendship has been one of the best parts of my job change.

“My husband, Jonathan, and I were in Memphis last December to cheer his daughter on during the half marathon. So much has changed, and yet much remains the same.

“So many songs make me think of Rhodes! The obvious answer is Fast Car, because of the Grammy spotlight. I loved seeing how beautifully Tracy Chapman has aged and hearing her voice still resonate. But, also, anything Violent Femmes, REM, and 10,000 Maniacs. I made a Rhodes song list for my daughter Kat when she did the summer scholars program in 2018, and it made me appreciate the role music played in my time at Rhodes. I can think of nothing else that can take me right back to North Parkway in Memphis.”

I travel both for work and pleasure a good bit, taking my husband, Kevin, along when I can. Last year I went to Tanzania with my church to support a girls’ secondary school (also raising money for that organization) and for work traveled to Cancun twice, Chicago, Palm Springs, Marco Island, and Boston. So my life consists of traveling and asking people for money and meetings!”

Trish Puryear Crist is about to celebrate five years on staff at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville. She doodles nightly, increasing her cartoon archive sold on greeting cards and swag, loves the gym, the greenway, her dear fella, and the work-life balance this wonderful job allows. This past November

Gay Daughdrill Boyd: “I am working at Diversified Trust in Memphis as office manager. I have two sons. Hal is in the Navy, working on a submarine. Battle is in Memphis, working in property and casualty

Laura Harper Chappell: “I still get together with my roomies (all four years!!), Carla Carr Stec and Melissa Coggins Carter. Professionally, I’m going on 20 years at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort in Birmingham, as the Assistant Director of Sales, booking company meetings and conventions (let me know if your company needs to book a meeting!). Personally, I’m involved with the Sidewalk Film Festival and Cinema, as an avid movie-goer and board member, raising money for our independent theater (send me donations!).

she gathered with precious friends Leigh Ashford, Kevin Collier, and John Hicks in Cape Cod where hilarity ensued and every song was sung.

Stacy Boldrick: “After many years working in art galleries, I now teach art curating in the School of Museum Studies at the

F. Grant Whittle ’90 and husband, Jimmy Hoxie

Gay Daughdrill ’90 and sons

Diane Schratz Rogers ’90 and husband, Jonathan

’90s classmates Laura Harper Chappell, Melissa Coggins Carter, and Carla Carr Stec

’90s classmates Trish Puryear Crist, John Hicks, Leigh Ashford, and Kevin Collier

University of Leicester, and conduct research into medieval and contemporary iconoclasm (the deliberate damage or destruction of art). Last year (2023) was eventful: my daughter, Abby, graduated from Clare College (University of Cambridge), and her brother Alex has just started there. I also enjoyed going to gigs (Those Pretty Wrongs) with my friends Steve ’89 and Mimi Conn when they visited the U.K.

“One song that still makes me think of Rhodes is What Goes On by the Velvet Underground (others include Neighborhood Texture Jam’s Borax Factory, My Bloody Valentine’s Only Shallow, and Talking Heads’ Psychokiller).”

1991

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’91 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

1992

Reporter: Sara Hawks Marecki saramarecki@sbcglobal.net

Emily Newsom Cook ’92 made her television debut on the PBS Tennessee Crossroads show (season 22, episode 3) talking about Side Porch Steakhouse in Bartlett. Emily co-owns Side Porch with her husband David Cook ’91 and two other couples.

1993

Reporter: Wendy Mullins

wendy.mullins@yahoo.com

1994 30th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Judy Brown judyporterbrown@gmail.com

St. Andrews Episcopal School in Austin, TX, presented Ann-Tyler Chote Konradi ’94 the Outstanding Alumni Award in November 2023 for her work assisting refugees fleeing Ukraine following the

Russian invasion. Along with her husband, Brian Konradi ’94, and other family members, Ann-Tyler raised more than $85,000 for World Central Kitchen.

1995

Reporter: Sarah Hall Stump sarahhallstump@icloud.com

1996

Reporter: Jennifer Larson larson_jennifer@yahoo.com

1997

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’97 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu

1998

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

1999 25th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Kathryn DeRossitt kathrynderossitt@yahoo.com

Nicole Albers is officially signed up for the 2024 MS150, the largest fundraising cycling series in the world, to raise money in support of those affected by multiple sclerosis. She’s been busy organizing donations for her team’s—Team Tacodeli —upcoming silent auction. Her donation page is searchable online through her name.

Congratulations to Adele Hines Bailey who, enviably, is back on our campus! Adele joined Rhodes as the Director of Accounting Information Systems, a role she accepted in October 2023.

Diane Faires Beadle and her husband Michael were thrilled to welcome baby Maya Danielle into their family by adoption last October. After a short stay in the NICU, Maya is doing great and bringing her family lots of joy.

Matt Marcotte is on the 25th Reunion Committee and passes on that, while full plans are being finalized for Homecoming/ Reunion Weekend November 1-2, 2024, an event for our class will be held on campus on November 2 and your presence is requested—so that we can all get together—and party like it’s 1999!

Ann-Tyler Chote Konradi ’94

’90 classmates had a great girls’ trip to Cancun recently! Left to right: Lisa Lawrence, Paula Claverie Sappington, Beth Fraser Cabrera, Nancy Brown King, Kirsten Witt Webb ’91, Debbie Keeran Haverstick, Margaret Cain, and Janine Lissard Coe

2000

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

Shayla White Purifoy received the 2023 President’s Award from both the Memphis Bar Association and the Ben F. Jones Chapter of the National Bar Association this past November and December. The BFJ President’s Award recipients are chosen by the Chapter’s President (LaTanyia Walker) and given to a member of our local legal community who has shown dedication to the Chapter, made a positive impact in the community or state, helped further the mission of the Chapter, excelled in legal work/field, or has volunteered with the Chapter. The President’s Award recipient is an attorney/judge who inspires and sets an example for all members of the organization. The MBA President’s Award was given by the MBA President Jennifer Sink for exceptional service to the Memphis Bar Association.

2004 20th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporters: C. Kyle Russ ckyleruss@yahoo.com

2005

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

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

Katherine Carter Files wrote in from Basalt, CO, where she lives with her husband and three kids. Katherine is a med-surg nurse, and her husband, Preston, runs a nonprofit. If anyone has advice on pre-teen parenting, she would be grateful for your wisdom.

Georgianna Bowersox Lissauer has been enjoying life in Greenwich, CT, with husband, Marc ’04, and daughter, Briar. She’s celebrating her 13th year working in financial compliance at the private equity firm First Reserve, which occasionally sends her down to Houston and Dallas, where she’s met up with other Rhodes alums. Life has been busy, including home improvement DIY projects, trips to National Parks, and keeping up with her soon-to-be high schooler.

Logan and Molly Chapman Wheeler have moved with their family from Bogota, Colombia, to Falls Church, VA. Logan continues his work with the State Department, and Molly is an Assistant Professor of Education with St. Catherine University. Logan has also published a collection of his Sou’Wester newspaper comic, This Weekend, available at https:// cloganwheeler.artspan.com

After a decade in biotech post-PhD, Katherine Jameson launched her own consulting firm, specializing in oncology drug development, clinical strategy, and scientific communication. Meanwhile, at home, her kiddos are thriving, with Calloway (7) and Teagan (5) already deep into Spanish, Chinese, ballet, and chess, along with the Paw Patrol enthusiast, Rhys (2).

In 2022, Nicole Lobdell became an Assistant Professor of English at Northwestern State University of Louisiana.

Her first book, X-RAY, will be published in June 2024 by Bloomsbury. Lastly, several alumni friends traveled from across the Southeast to celebrate Katharine Etchen’s 40th birthday at her beach house in Cape San Blas, FL, where she works as Creative Director at Forgotten Coast Hospitality, a company she co-founded with her brother that employs nearly 300 locals in the Florida panhandle.

2006

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

2007

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

2008

Reporter: Madoline Markham Koonce madolinemarkham@gmail.com

Whitney Barham has been finishing her long but joyous education journey in Rochester, MN. She graduated from Mayo Clinic with her M.D. and Ph.D. in May and started residency at Vanderbilt in July 2023. Despite developing a love for cheese curds and snow tubing while in the Midwest, Whitney is thrilled to be back in her natural, southern habitat. Rhodes alums in the area, hit her up for any activities that do not involve a minus 70 degree wind chill. After receiving her Ph.D. in Political Science from Vanderbilt University, Laura Sellers

Katherine Etchen ’05 40th birthday celebration. Former classmates included Laura Wright, Katharine Etchen, Cynthia Pfol Erenson, Ginnie Arnold Meredith, Nicole Lazo Tugg, and Dani-Ray Barton.

Holly Edwards Manship ’11 wedding. Front row left to right: Kalli Glenn Harrell ’10, Audrey Zoeller Crosby ’10, Madeline Jeansonne Gibson ’12, Virginia Rhomberg Bell ’12, Marie Kyle Cannon ’12, Laura Collins Stroup ’12, Mary Claire Melton ’12, Ellie Connick Wills ’11, Becca Diamond Stewart ’12, Holly Edwards Manship ’11 and Aaron Manship (Bride and Groom), Elizabeth Morrison Warren ’12, Gerri Diamond Beuerle ’09, and Traci Allen Edwards ’05; second row left to right: Bill Bell ’11, Ned Smith ’12, Madeline Patterson Smith ’12, Mike Edwards ’79 (Father of the Bride), Katie Stansberry ’19, Russell Powers ’11, Chris Eberle ’10, Stephanie Parazak Eberle ’11, Elizabeth Summitt Gordon ’11, Michaela Lynch Meier ’11, Anna Blair Solomon Williams ’12, and Katharyn Smith Woods ’11. Not pictured: Joe Evangelisti ’79, Matt Frank ’11, Taylor Babich ’11, Clark Ruppert ’10, Jo Edwards ’75, Claudia Evangelisti Wills ’81, Mike Clary ’76, Julie Clary ’04, Phil Mischke ’79, Lisa Mischke ’80, Andy Meier ’11, Robbie Summitt ’79, Olivia Summitt ’17, Mary Claire Evangelisti ’27, Caroline James Person ’11, Earle Harding ’79, Mallory Raffensberger Podesta ’09, Webster Cannon ’06, Sarah Coward ’06, Ken Coward ’06, Steve Melton ’77, and Tracey Lunt Dunham ’83.

and her black cat, Wesley, moved back home to Kansas City, MO. After an extended job search, Laura is now the director of operations for Madam President Camp, a nonprofit that runs several week-long day camps for girls ages 11 to 13 where they can learn and practice leadership skills. Laura is thrilled to be home and has joined the local chapter of the Junior League, serves on the alumnae association for her high school, and has started a six-month strategic leadership program for professionals at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Still no sightings of either Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce, but if there are, she will post them to her social media accounts.

After two years of teeth grinding, writing, editing, and planning, Casey Roman’s book Looking Up was released in November 2023 and the audiobook in January 2024. “The memoir/travelogue covers the sudden end to my dream job in TV news and the subsequent 12,000-mile adventure living out of a cargo van throughout small town America,” she writes. The book is available for purchase on Amazon.

2009 15th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Kelsey Griffith kelsey.dean.griffith@gmail.com

Crystal Moore started a new job with Freedom Prep Academy in Memphis as an ESL Teacher. She says it’s an enjoyable difference from being a general education teacher!

Kelsey Griffith is now the Assistant Director of Occupational Safety at the University of Texas at Dallas. She’s excited to work with a new institution to help keep faculty, staff, and students safe from occupational hazards! She and her family, including her husband, Patton, and boys, Thompson and Ashton, live in the DFW metroplex.

Dan Wilkinson says, “Well, I’m finally graduating and getting a real job. I am finishing my cardiothoracic surgery

Wilkinson ’09 and family

fellowship at Albany Medical Center this June and have accepted a job offer to do adult cardiac and minimally invasive lung surgery with Intermountain Health in St George, UT. Everyone’s invited to come visit and check out Zion National Park!” In other news for the Wilkinson family, Dan and his wife, Mary, had their second baby girl on June 11, 2023, named Ellianna Grace.

Cody Behles received his doctorate in Autonomous Cyberphysical Systems Testing in 2020. In December 2023, he was appointed Executive Director of Research and Innovation Development at the University of Memphis. As part of his work, Dr. Behles is currently leading a program with the uUniversity that is working with rural communities in the Delta to build wealth and break cycles of poverty by enabling grant development and funding pursuit.

2010

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

2011

Reporter: Grace Weil gracem.weil@gmail.com

Holly Edwards Manship ’11 married Aaron Manship on October 28, 2023 at

Dan

Saint Louis Catholic Church in Memphis, TN. They were surrounded by lots of Lynxcats, many of whom were having such a good time at the reception that they missed the Rhodes picture. The couple lives in Indianapolis, IN, but comes back to visit Memphis quite often!

Sandy Henin Phillips ’11 and husband Nate Phillips, assistant professor of Computer Science at Rhodes, welcomed their first child. Jasmine Phillips made her entrance into the world on March 19 at 3:07 pm, weighing in at 7lbs, 15oz and measuring 20.5 inches. The whole family is doing great!

2012

Reporter: Kelly Parry kparry1211@gmail.com

Marie Brandon

Jaime Hopkins Brandon ’12 and her husband Joseph Brandon (Ole Miss ’09) welcomed their first child, Bette Marie Brandon, on March 30, 2023.

Sarika Mirchandani Dholakia wed Parth Dholakia on November 20, 2021, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA.

They reside in Dallas, TX, where they own a wedding and event planning company, Events by Genesis, and a technology consulting firm, Forum Consulting Services. Their daughter, Natasha Dholakia, was born on February 19, 2024.

2013

Reporter: David Dorris

david@vepartnersllc.com

William Mischke and his family currently reside in East Memphis, and he works for Greystone Servicing Corporation with many

other Rhodes alumni! Prior to Greystone, William worked at Fouts & Morgan.

2014 10th Reunion

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend

November 1 – 2, 2024

Reporter: Matt Washnock washnockm@gmail.com

Danielle Rassoul-Alexander ’14 and John Alexander ’12 welcomed a baby boy in February 2024. Professionally, Danielle also had a milestone year—winning two federal jury trials and arguing a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  Ellen Alpaugh ’14 married Dr. Evan Noble in New Orleans, LA, in February 2024. The marriage was celebrated by an abundance of Rhodes graduates, including Ellen’s brother and groomsman Saunders Alpaugh ’16, her grandmother Ellen White Harrell ’57, and bridesmaids Laird McIver ’14 and Whitney Baskin Touchstone ’14.

Bette

Annie Herman Lux ’14 married Philip Lux in October 2023 in St. Louis, Missouri, surrounded by members of her Rhodes College family.

Roberta Moore ’14 married Lindsey Isaf on November 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA.

Sarika Mirchandani ’12 and family.

William Mischke and his wife Annaleigh pictured with their 5-year-old daughter, Lily, at a family beach vacation.

Matthew Washnock ’14 and Megan Barnes ’16 got engaged in December 2023 in Big Bend National Park.

2015

Reporter: Caroline Ponseti caroline.ponseti@gmail.com

2016

Reporter: Tina Tran tinatran.tm@gmail.com

On June 7, 2024, Paul Brandt married Amanda Stark in Chicago, IL, surrounded by family and friends, including Sarah Baumann and Sydney Sepúlveda. Paul and Amanda are excited to embark on a honeymoon tour of Italy later this summer.

Alex Dileo and her partner, Kyla, are happily enjoying married life after a joyous wedding at Atlanta’s Historic Oakland Cemetery in October 2023. Yes, a cemetery wedding! If you know, you know ;)

Annie Hohlt is a second-year medical student at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, TX. We wish her all the best as she pursues her studies!

In beautiful, vibrant New Orleans, LA, Carly Jonakin married Jack McCleskey on October 28, 2023. We congratulate them and wish them all the best!

Kendall McNeil shares: “In January, I embarked on a new journey as a Data Scientist at City Leadership here in Memphis. Transitioning from coding as a hobby to a full-time role, I am excited to apply my expertise in data cleaning, modeling, analysis, and visualization to an organization I’ve admired since its inception in 2010. Fellow data geeks, feel free to reach out! Since completing my master’s in psychology at Harvard in 2022, I am particularly fascinated by the intersection of data science and I/O Psychology (psychology of the workplace) and love chatting about these topics with likeminded individuals.”

Gene Lamanilao graduated from medical school at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in May 2023. He is currently doing his internship year at Baptist Memorial Hospital, where he participated in the Rhodes program for Baptist Summer

Scholars in 2015 (full circle moment!). Gene will be moving to California in June to start his residency in Radiation Oncology at UC San Diego.

Elizabeth Meinel graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a master’s in data analytics and policy in December 2023 and walked in the beautiful campus ceremony in May. Congratulations!

Sydney Sepúlveda moved back to Houston, TX, last October and started a new job at TEI Planning + Design, a Houstonbased transportation consulting firm that focuses on making streets safer for all users, including those biking, walking, taking transit, and driving. In her free time, she runs her Instagram account, @girlswhobicycle, to encourage women to commute by bike!

2017

Reporter: Mason Brown

marymason.brown910@gmail.com

Carolyn Parks Holley ’17 married Joe Holley in Memphis on September 4, 2022. They are currently living in Orlando, FL, with two black cats, Jack and Misty. Carolyn is an Event Services Assistant for conventions at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and for the creative minds at Disney Event Group, providing administrative support for convention groups of 10 to 3,000 people at Central Florida’s largest convention center. Following the move to Orlando from New York City after graduation, she received her master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management as well as certificates in event management and hospitality/tourism technologies from the

Piyush Kumar ’17 and Becca Cook ’17 wedding. From left to right: Aashray Singareddy ’16, Madhuri Prasad ’16, Eric Wong ’16, Samantha Ouyang Wong ’16, Bryton Herlong ’16, Brian Lenny ’16, Tina Tran ’16, Kelsey Wolf ’16, Emily Neale ’17, Piyush Kumar ’17, Becca Cook ’17, Zoe Scott ’21, Roz KennyBirch ’17, Mac Trammell (staff), Sydney Jones ’21, Megan Starling ’02, Natalie Shinault (staff), and Ally Rafferty ’19.

Carolyn Parks Holley ’17 wedding. From left to right: Dr. Gene Scobey, Jr. ’80, Julianne Scobey Parks ’89, Bill Parks ’90, Linda Holshouser ’90, Carolyn Parks Holley ‘17, Marina Lagrange ’17, Ryan Cooper ’16, Joshua Moore ’18, Zoe Gresham Moore ’19, and Adrienne Lamb ’17.

Amanda Lane ’19 and Lucas Bradford ’19 wedding. From left to right: Merit Pinker ’19, Giulia Russell ’19, Robert Stodola ’19, Stephanie Royer ’19, Michael Bardos ’19, Ryan Rosenkrantz ’19, JB Hayes ’19, Amanda Lane ’19, Caryn Hawkins ’18, Hannah McCarty ’19, Gus Gottlieb ’20, Lucas Bradford ’19, Junior Walters ’19, Caroline Cole ’19, Jane Eskildsen Walters ’19, Mary omas ’21, JM Stodola ’19, Jonathan Clarke ’19, Andy Nix ’91, Nicki Soulé ’93, and Tanner Martinez ’19.

University of Central Florida. She has been with the Walt Disney Company for almost seven years in a range of di erent roles.

2018

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’18 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

2019

Reporter: Junior Walters je reywalters2@gmail.com

Amanda Lane and Lucas Bradford were married on October 21, 2023, in Charleston, WV, surrounded by Rhodes classmates, friends, and family members. Amanda now works as an Underwriting Analyst at Al Neyer, a real estate development company, and Lucas works as an Account Manager at an Insurance Technology company called Kinetic.  e couple moved to Cincinnati immediately following their wedding and have loved hosting many of their Rhodes friends for weekend trips!

2020

Reporter: Ben Gri th bengri th3@yahoo.com

Tony Eskridge received the Rising Star award at the Congressional Hunger Center’s Hunger Leadership Awards.

Eskridge ’20

Jerit ’20

Meg Jerit published her rst book e Moonies: Journey to the Total Solar Eclipse. is is an educational and fun familyfriendly book that is sure to get readers excited for the 2024 solar eclipse. You can order it and check out Meg’s other writings at http://www.megjerit.com.

Harlan Hutton was named to Tri Delta’s list of 33 under 33.

Daryl Perry and her Babson College Field Hockey coaching colleagues were named as the National Field Hockey Association’s Region 1 Coaching Sta of the Year.

Harley Chapman graduated from the University of Memphis’ Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and is now working as a licensed attorney for Futhey Law Firm, PLC.

’20

Ally Nawrocki graduated from Belmont University’s College of Law, passed the Uniform Bar Examination, and began working as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Frank G. Clement, Jr. on the Tennessee Court of Appeals.

Alex Schramkowski graduated from Belmont University’s College of Law, passed the Uniform Bar Examination, and began working as a Judicial Law Clerk for the

Ally Nawrocki

Meg

Tony

Honorable Je rey Usman on the Tennessee Court of Appeals. He also published an article on SCOTUS’ decision in Mallory v. Norfolk in the Vermont Law Review.

Jeena Piriano graduated from e University of Texas School of Law and began working as a Practicing Litigation Associate for McGinnis Lochridge.

Kaelee Over eld graduated from Stetson University College of Law and passed the Florida Bar Exam.

Caitlin Rech completed her MBA in Finance at the University of Memphis’ Fogelman College of Business and Economics.

Matthew Diana attained his MPhil from George Washington University and began working as a Research Scientist for Activate Research in Washington, D.C.

Ellie Leahey started medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine.

Nada Lelovic matched in Urology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Ashley Foret matched in Urology at the Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville).

Luke Mans eld started a new position as a Software Engineer with e Access Group.

Julia Vick started a new position as the Team Lead of Business Development at Spring Health.

Cal Masterson started a new position as an Associate with Alder View Capital.

Jack Nichols started a new position as a Senior Associate in Equity Research at KeyBanc Capital Markets.

Brian Burgess started a new position as an Audit Senior for Frazier & Deter, LLC.

Brynly Marsh started a new position as an Account Executive on Salesforce’s Financial Services Growth Business team.

Ashley Carpenter Napier started a new position as an Events Coordinator for American University.

Jordana Terrell was promoted to a fulltime position as a Production Operations Specialist for Macy’s.

Cleo Nikodem became a certi ed ight instructor.

Kynnedy Tuggle joined e Education Trust (Tennessee) as a P-12 Policy Fellow.

2021

Reporter: If you are interested in serving as the Class of ’21 reporter, please contact alumni@rhodes.edu.

2022

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

2023

Reporter: Ko Whitehead ko .whitehead12@gmail.com

Nimo Ismail accepted the o er of admission to the Master of Arts in Statistics and Data Science, Bridge to a Doctorate Program, at e Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.

Cleo Nikodem ’20

Harry Dewitt ’20 married Erin Dempsey ’20 with a huge crowd of Rhodes alumni cheering them on at the Lichterman Nature Center in Memphis!

Kaelee Over eld ‘20

IN MEMORIAM

’40 Priscilla Shumaker Heard of Belton, TX, Oct. 1, 2023. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, Mortar Board Honors Society, and Student Publications Staff.

’49 Lois Philpot Sandusky of Germantown, TN, Dec. 4, 2023. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’51 Norma Maddox Bell of Nashville, TN, Oct. 3, 2023.

’51 Sarah Austin Loaring-Clark Flowers of Memphis, TN, March 17, 2020. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’51 Harold N. Simpson of Greenville, SC, Dec. 20, 2018.

’51 David O. Thomas of Sparta, TN, Jan. 12, 2024. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Society, and the Men’s Basketball team.

’53 George W. Wilson III of Lexington, KY, Dec. 23, 2023. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He is survived by his son, Ward T. Wilson ’79, and granddaughter, Macon Wilson Miller ’15.

’54 Rebecca “Bede” Beasley Burr of Memphis, TN, Nov. 30, 2023. She was president of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’54 Virginia Bramlett Lowrance of Memphis, TN, Nov. 21, 2023. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’55 Mary Rogers Watkins of Franklin, TN, Feb. 8, 2024. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta Fraternity. She is survived by her son Dr. James Morgan Watkins ’88.

’56 Dr. Suzanne Carter Bjick of Apalachin, NY, Oct. 30, 2023. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and graduated Cum Laude. She is survived by her sister Nancy Carter Burdidge ’58.

’56 James A. Dees, Sr. of Pensacola, FL, Jan. 6, 2024. He was a member of the Men’s Golf team.

’56 Martha Morrison “Marty” Moore of Fort Myers, FL, March 5, 2023. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta Fraternity.

’57 Charles William Riegle, Sr. of Sarasota, FL, Jan. 17, 2021. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

’58 Dr. Matthew D. Curland of Somerville, TN, Dec. 30, 2023.

’58 Frances DeRossitt Edens of Amory, MS, Oct. 25, 2023.

’58 Ellen Reagan Richardson of Memphis, TN, Dec. 10, 2023. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta Fraternity. She is survived by her husband Thomas E. Richardson, Sr. ’56 and grandson Richard Gray ’27

’58 Mary Jane Smalley Roberts of Charleston, SC, Jan. 16, 2024. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received the Fulbright Foundation Fellowship for language study at the University of Paris and the University of Bordeaux. She is survived by her brother Bryan Smalley ’56 and niece Harriet Smalley Monnig ’87.

’58 Jeanne Thompson Varnell of Germantown, TN, Feb. 26, 2021. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity and Southwestern Singers.

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

’59 Mary Belle Miller Cunningham of Bartlett, TN, Feb. 23, 2024.

’59 Marilyn McIntosh Draughn Gardner of Nashville, TN, Dec. 23, 2023. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’59 Carolyn Anne Underwood Johnson of Augusta, GA, Dec. 3, 2023. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority.

’59 Lara Rickey Parker of Topanga, CA, Oct. 12, 2023. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity.

’60 Dallas M. Covington of Atlanta, GA, Oct. 8, 2023.

’60 Dr. John “Jack” L. Streete of Memphis, TN, Oct. 6, 2023. He taught physics at Rhodes from 1966 until his retirement in 2003. He is survived by his wife Professor Emerita Gail Streete and daughter Elizabeth M. Streete ’84

’60 Sarah Longino Thornton of Memphis, TN, Dec. 1, 2023.

’61 David F. Gillison, Jr. of Little Rock, AR, Oct. 1, 2023. He was a member of Sigma Alpha EpsilonFraternity.

’61 Dorothy “Dot” Sieplein McWeeny of Little Rock, AR, Feb. 16, 2024. She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity.

’61 Rev. Robert R. Strickland of Collierville, TN, Sept. 27, 2023, He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

’63 Elizabeth “Betsy” Breytspraak Awsumb of Rome, GA, Dec. 24, 2023. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity, Mortar Board Honors Society, and the Student Publications Staff. She is survived by her brother William Augustus Breytspraak ’67 and daughter Elizabeth Van Court Awsumb ’92.

’63 Stephen Albert McMillan of Foley, AL, April 28, 2022. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He is survived by his brother John M. McMillan, Jr. ’63.

’63 William K.B. “Bill” Potts, III of Denver, CO, Sept. 24, 2023. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, the Rhodes Track team, and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society. He was elected to the Hall of Fame and received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.

’64 Dorritte Evans Early of Memphis, TN, Nov. 20, 2023. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta Fraternity.

’65 Samuel R. Crouch, Jr. of Dawsonville, GA, Nov. 14, 2023.

’66 Annasue Sanders Davis of Williamsburg, KY, June 30, 2021.

’66 Vern E. McCarty of Atlanta, GA, Sept. 29, 2023. He was a member of the Men’s Football and Track teams.

’67 Shirley Newton Bliley of Faber, VA, Dec. 15, 2021.

’67 John T. Carssow of Pisgah Forest, NC, Dec.12, 2020. He was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

’68 Jane Mando Meeks of Asheville, NC, Oct. 13, 2023. She was actively involved in student government, served as a volunteer in the Kinney Program, and was elected to the Student Hall of Fame.

’69 Col. John W. Gorski USAF (Ret.) of Seattle, WA, Jan. 18, 2024.

’69 Dr. Richard “Rich” Raspet of Oxford, MS, Nov. 2, 2023. He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

’71 David H. Clippert of Little Rock, AR, Jan. 1, 2024. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

’72 Dr. Daniel C. Kenner, Jr. of Forestville, CA, March 1, 2024.

’75 Van P. Taylor of Como, MS, Nov. 1, 2023.

’77 Robert F. Kilbury of Sherman, IL, Oct. 18, 2023. He is survived by his brother David Kilbury ’77.

’80 Clay Robertson of Ocala, FL, Oct. 16, 2023. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.

’82 Jane Dewey Deaton of Memphis, TN, Oct.10, 2023. She was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity. She is survived by her brother Tucker Dewey ’84.

’83 Richard F. Oljey, Jr. of Hudson, NH, Feb. 25, 2024.

’90 Bianca Chien Brindley of Huntsville, AL, Dec. 22, 2023. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta Fraternity.

’93 Eric P. Cifreo of Austin, TX, Nov. 10, 2023. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

’07 Dimitri Douklias of Memphis, TN, Nov. 16, 2023. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.

’08 Walker B. Senseman of Birmingham, AL, Dec. 14, 2023. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

’10 Erik Davis of Gibson Island, MD, Oct. 22, 2023. He was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society.

STAFF

T. Neal Cordell of Memphis, TN, Nov. 24, 2023. He was a personal trainer and Head Softball Coach at Rhodes. He is survived by daughter Kim Cordell Cherry ’84.

Diane Dillard Dice of Memphis, TN, Oct. 31, 2023. She was a periodicals librarian at Rhodes.

JoAnn Haley of Memphis, TN, Nov. 30, 2023. She served on staff at Rhodes for 25 years and managed the accounting department.

Herb A. Hilgeman of Cordova, TN, Jan. 8, 2024. He spent 34 years as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Rhodes College. He is the leader in career basketball victories in Rhodes history and the SCAC Conference and was inducted into Rhodes College Athletic Hall of Fame. In September 2023, the basketball court at Rhodes College was formally named the Herb Hilgeman Court.

TRUSTEES/DONORS

Richard A. Trippeer, Jr. of Memphis, TN, Decc 2, 2023. He served on the Rhodes College Board of Trustees from 1981 – 1984.

Adrienne McMillan Burns ’88 Memorial Labyrinth