The St. Jude Memphis Marathon is Saturday, Dec. 5, and new this year, the route goes through the Rhodes College campus. Runners will enter at the Charles Place Gate and travel along East Village Drive (by the sorority houses and East Village). They will exit the campus through the North Parkway gate, proceeding directly across the street into Overton Park where the15-mile mark is located.
The marathon begins at Second Street south of Monroe at 8 a.m., and the last wave of runners should clear the campus around noon. Phillips Lane gate will remain open for access on and off campus.
Funds raised from the marathon benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Over the years, Rhodes faculty, staff, and students have participated in the event raising funds, running in the marathon and other races, and staffing water and aid stations. They will do the same this year, and the Rhodes community is encouraged to come out and cheer on the runners on Dec. 5.
In addition, selected Rhodes students conduct research with St. Jude faculty mentors through the St. Jude Summer Plus Program. Many of the participants go on to pursue advanced degrees in medicine, pharmacy, veterinary science, neuroscience, genetics, biomedical engineering and other related areas.