Caroline King
The saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and for Caroline King, that statement can be taken literally. The title Colleges That Change Lives may sound a little dramatic, but for King, the contents of the book certainly didn’t let her down. After all, reading the book was how she first learned about Rhodes. As a 2006 Rhodes graduate, the Columbus, Ohio, native experienced first-hand the wealth that the college has to offer. Now King holds a different role at Rhodes: admissions counselor for Texas (Austin and San Antonio), Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kansas.
As a history major and music minor, King interned under history professor Gail Murray and was heavily involved in campus vocal organizations, including the Rhodes Singers. “At one point or another, I was involved in every choir on campus—just not all at once,” King says with a grin. “I was also involved in Greek life and held lots of leadership positions in my sorority, and I was marginally involved in College Democrats.” Her junior and senior years, she interned in admissions and gave campus tours. Additionally, she sang with the Opera Memphis chorus.
During her time at Rhodes, King took a painting class, and four of her paintings were displayed in two Rhodes art shows. Today, she still enjoys “anything artistic or crafty. I like making abstract art, but I’ve also done some pretty straightforward art, like portraits.” Other “arty” hobbies are cooking, baking, knitting and sewing.
King has read “just about every John Grisham book ever written” and, from the books, thought Memphis sounded interesting before she was even a student. “I think my favorite part about Memphis is that it’s a city with a lot of history,” she says. “I could go to the National Civil Rights Museum every day and not get tired of it. There are so many amazing musicians whose careers began here, and not just Elvis.”
At first thought, working as an admissions counselor may not seem fitting for a history major, but for King, the puzzle of what to do after graduation has come together perfectly. “I know it sounds corny, but I want to help people choose what to do with their lives,” she says. Then, they can enjoy the present.
