Hometown: Napoleonville, LA
Major: History
Minor: Religious Studies
Extracurricular Activities: Honor Council President, Vice President- Operations for Kappa Delta Sorority, Assistant Archivist at Temple Israel, Catholic Student Association, Volunteer at the Blues Foundation, Volunteer in the Archives at the Memphis Public Library, Supervisor for Archaeology Maymester, Theta Alpha Kappa Honor Society
Senior Regan Adolph knew even before her first year at Rhodes that she wanted to get involved in the Honor Council. Hailing from a small sugar cane farm in Napoleonville, Louisiana, Regan had served as the president of the National Honor Society and as a student council senator in high school, and was looking for similar leadership opportunities in college.
In the fall of her first year, Regan ran for the Honor Council to serve as a first-year representative, but lost—after three runoffs. Undeterred, she ran in the spring for a sophomore position and won, and continued to serve through her junior year. Now, she holds the role of president. “I’m so proud to be on the council and work with the incredible members who devote their time to the organization,” Regan says.
The Honor Code is deeply ingrained within the Rhodes community. For Regan, the code allows for the fullest opportunity for freedom at Rhodes, but requires much responsibility. Despite the fact that there are some violations, Regan holds faith in the code. “It doesn’t lessen the code,” she explains. “In fact, it makes it even stronger when our peers hold themselves to such high standards.” She adds that the council focuses primarily on educating students, and she believes that those who come before the council may even learn to value the code more.
“The Honor Code is the strongest tradition at Rhodes. It’s the glue that holds us together. It’s the culmination of freedom and trust that doesn’t change from year to year, and that’s something that makes Rhodes so special.”
The close-knit community made possible by the Honor Code has allowed students like Regan to thrive. “During my time at Rhodes, I’ve found my niche within the community,” she says. “I’ve been especially fortunate to find many opportunities though the history department.”
Regan’s interest in history and preservation first caught the eye of Professor Timothy Huebner, chair of the Department of History, who urged her to apply for the summer Archival Studies Fellowship at the Memphis Public Library following her first year. There, she found her true passion for public history. Explains Regan, “Getting the chance to learn about archiving in a city setting made me realize that was what I really wanted to do.”
In the fall of her junior year, Regan pursued her love of history through the European Studies program. Back at Rhodes, she then signed up for Public History with Professor Huebner, which requires an internship in a local museum, archive, or preservation organization. Regan was paired with the Blues Foundation, which was in the process of building a brand new museum from the ground up. She helped with the museum database and had the unique opportunity to write policies for the museum. She also had the chance to attend the International Blues Challenge and the Blues Music Awards. Says Regan, “Thanks to my internship, I fell in love with blues music, which is loved worldwide. I had the chance to see blues performers from all over the world.”
Regan hopes to spend time living abroad after graduating from Rhodes, before coming back to the United States to pursue a master’s degree in public history. Eventually, she hopes to work in a museum or archive, pursing her greatest passion. “I want to make sure the public is aware of the past,” Regan says. “To me, it’s all about challenging the narrative. History should be looked at critically in order to learn from the past and educate the public.”
By Ali Swee ’16
