This year, Rhodes College celebrates a milestone — 100 years in Memphis.
The college, originally founded in Clarksville as Southwestern, moved to Memphis in 1925 with just over 400 students. Backed by the Memphis Chamber of Commerce, the relocation positioned Rhodes to thrive in a growing city that had no liberal arts college at the time.
Since then, Rhodes has become deeply woven into the fabric of Memphis. Its graduates have gone on to lead some of the city’s most impactful institutions, from the National Civil Rights Museum and Shelby Farms Park Conservancy to Le Bonheur Children’s Research Hospital, MIFA, and beyond. Alumni have also left their mark nationally, including two who went on to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
While the college has evolved over the decades, one thing has remained constant: its connection to Memphis. Faculty, staff, and students continue to engage with the city through research, internships, volunteer programs, and partnerships that bridge the campus and community.
“Rhodes is distinctive because of where it is,” said one longtime faculty member. “The college and the city need each other to succeed — and together, they’ve shaped countless stories of growth and impact.”
From a small liberal arts college searching for survival to a nationally recognized institution rooted in civic life, Rhodes’ story is also a story of Memphis itself — resilience, reinvention, and community.
Here’s to the next 100 years.
