Founded in 1848, Rhodes is a private, coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Often noted for its Collegiate Gothic architecture, it occupies a 100-acre wooded campus in midtown Memphis, Tenn. Classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters of the academic year.
The current president is Dr. William E. Troutt who joined the college as the 19th president in 1999. Formerly Southwestern at Memphis, the college’s name was changed to Rhodes College in 1984 to honor former college president Peyton Nalle Rhodes.
The college’s 1,699 students choose among 32 majors leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Popular majors include biology, business administration, English and political science. The college also awards a Master of Science degree in accounting. The average class size is 13 students, and a total of 193 members comprised the 2008-2009 faculty.
Also for 2008-2009, Rhodes enrolled students from 38 states and 6 foreign countries. About 74 percent are from outside of Tennessee; 74 percent live on campus; 21 percent are students of color; and 83 percent participated in community service through schools, hospitals, multicultural programs, environmental programs and religious institutions.
The college’s curriculum includes a requirement that students participate in activities that take classroom experiences beyond the campus. Students are engaged through research, internships, international study, community service and a wide range of independent study options. Rhodes students and faculty have been awarded Watson, Rhodes, Goldwater, Truman, Fulbright, and National Science Foundation scholarships/fellowships.
Rhodes Vision Statement:
“Rhodes College aspires to graduate students with a lifelong passion for learning, a compassion for others, and the ability to translate academic study and personal concern into effective leadership and action in their communities and the world.”