Meet the Admission Team

After graduating from Rust College located in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Baylee was driven to teach High School students the value of a liberal arts education. She served her own alma matter as an Admissions Counselor for over a year. The one thing she missed as a student and employee at Rust was city life. 

She first encountered Rhodes during an internship at a non-profit called “Just City” located in downtown Memphis. The organization was created by alumnus, and although she wasn’t on campus, she could tell that Rhodes was a special place. Passionate about creating a more equitable world, Baylee had her sights set on joining the Rhodes community. 

Baylee has an immense love for music. “Memphis has rightfully earned its name as the birthplace of Rock N’ Roll and the city of Blues. Music is a part of the Memphis Soul,” she says. She often finds herself enjoying performances at the FedEx Forum, the Orpheum theatre, Growlers, Beale Street, and many more places.

After relocating to Memphis from Germany, Brooke quickly fell in love with Rhodes’ gorgeous architecture and close-knit community. “Everyone has been so kind and genuinely welcoming since the moment I stepped foot on campus.” She has become equally enamored by the city of Memphis.  “I have never encountered a city with so much pride; it’s truly contagious,” she says of her new home. When she’s not working, Brooke enjoys traveling, exploring the city, baking, reading, and yoga.

Gil is recognized for his service in national organizations and committees. He served as a board member as well as president and chair of The Common Application. For the College Board, he served on the Guidance and Admission Assembly Council, was past chair and secretary for the Southern Regional Council, and was a member of Task Force on Admissions in the 21st Century. Gil served as faculty advisor for the Leadership in Enrollment Management Certificate program at the University of Southern California’s Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice. For the National Association of Secondary School Principals, he served on the Higher Education Advisory Committee and the National Honor Society Scholarship Selection Committee. Gil also represented American Higher Education for the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools.

Gil and his wife Carolyn provide parenting services to a college graduate, a junior in college, a spoiled Shih Tzu, and an entitled Pug.

When Hazel began her college search, she thought she wanted a big school in a big city that could provide her with some anonymity after having been born and raised in Topeka, Kansas, a city that she describes as a “very small world.” However, she had grown up visiting family in Memphis and despite her big school ideas, she felt a pull to apply to Rhodes. 

Now, after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology, Hazel describes her choice to attend Rhodes as “the best decision,” mentioning her favorite things about her alma mater being the tight knit community, which she greatly enjoys continuing to be a part of.

"I was attracted to Rhodes after retiring from a career in Disaster mitigation and management with the American Red Cross," says Jo. "After retirement, I came home to Memphis to be close to my three children and two grandchildren. I was looking for the perfect fit in a position and found it at Rhodes. I have a great work group, loving community, and satisfying work. Since then, my daughter has attended and graduated from Rhodes, but I like it so much, I am still here! My favorite part of working with Rhodes is the supportive environment that we all have, regardless of our status as student, faculty, or staff. I also love to make the visit as fun as possible! 

Jose graduated with undergraduate degrees in Physical Education and Sport Psychology and has a master’s degree in Secondary Education. He was a college football and track athlete along with being very involved in Latin X clubs and organizations. He coached college football and track and field for 13 years. Then, one day, he wanted to do more for underserved students and decided to change careers. This led to him working in underserved student recruitment along with also being a liaison for athletics. 

Jose became a Lynx on August 1, 2022. He serves as the Associate Director of Admission for Diversity and Access, along with being the Athletics Liaison. Jose came to Rhodes College from the University of Richmond where he was a Senior Assistant Director of Admission for Diversity Outreach and Partnerships, along with being an Athletics Liaison. His focus while working in admission has also included working and developing relationships with Community Based Organizations along with working with on-campus partners. 

Enter Rhodes. Once Lauren visited campus and Memphis, she knew she had found the perfect blend of a small school in a big city. In her time at Rhodes, she chose an Interdisciplinary Major of International Studies and Political Science and studied abroad several times. She graduated in 2003 and immediately began her professional life in the Rhodes Admission office, where she has worked ever since. In that time she has served as a past President of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL).

Living in Memphis became a welcome change for Lauren from her New Jersey roots. “Memphis is much more relaxed and affordable than living in the Northeast,” she says, adding, “Southern hospitality really does exist.”

As she has spent more time at Rhodes, she has noticed some positive changes to her alma mater, most notably one of diversity. “The Rhodes community has become a much stronger part of the city of Memphis and has also become a much more diverse environment than when I was a student,” she says. “We recognize our responsibility and place in the city, and there’s a mindset of working towards an ever more inclusive and welcoming community on campus.”

Lauren enjoys traveling extensively and exploring downtown Memphis with her husband and young son when she’s not recruiting students to Rhodes from all over the world.

Through their work study in undergrad, Lily was exposed to some of the inner workings of college admissions and began to develop a passion for working with students from a variety of backgrounds. “I want to make sure students know of every opportunity that is available to them,“ they said. “The application process is stressful enough as it is, and I am happy to be a part of helping families through it.”  They found their way home to Rhodes by joining the admissions staff soon after graduating. They are so excited to work in such a beautiful tight-knit community, and cannot wait to introduce their city to others. 

Outside of work Lily enjoys supporting the local community and spends their free time crocheting or cross-stitching. You can catch them on Friday nights cheering on their brother at his local high school football games. Go Lynx!

While he enjoyed his time at school and received a first-rate education, he did begin looking longingly back at Memphis, finally able to see the incredible growth that the city had undergone beginning shortly before his departure.

He moved back and found a job working with youth and also doing Communications work at a local church before applying for his current position at Rhodes.

“Because I came from a liberal arts background and have a deep love for the city of Memphis,” he said, “I felt like Rhodes was a great fit for me and feel lucky to have been granted a chance to work here.”

Since joining the Rhodes admission staff, the architectural beauty of campus has continually struck him as one of his favorite aspects of the school. “It is a great privilege,” he said “to be able to look up every day and be engaged on an emotional level just by the sight of campus.”

Mac enjoys playing pickup basketball, whether with the regulars at Rhodes after work or with his buddies at his high school on the weekend. He also exhibits an avid fandom for the NBA and especially the hometown Memphis Grizzlies.

She credits the students who hosted her on overnight visits as an important factor in her decision to attend Rhodes. “They represented the true warmth, authenticity, and intelligence that I still know to be true of our students today,” she says. Once she chose Rhodes, she declared a major in Psychology and graduated in 2002, and subsequently received a Masters of Science in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University.

Megan found her way back, after spending some time abroad in Thailand, to her alma mater’s admission office, where she has had a hand cultivating and reinforcing for the last 15 years the same sense of community she felt when she visited as a high school student. Her dedication to the student body of Rhodes can be seen most directly in her relationships and interactions with current students, many of whom she recruited herself.

Megan has enjoyed making a home out of the city of Memphis, which she says has an unapologetic authenticity. “It has long embraced its faults and challenges,” she says, “but is finally starting to celebrate its strengths and opportunities.” When she gets time away from the many duties of being Director, she likes to run the trails in nearby Overton Park and also loves bringing her young son and toddler twins to campus with her husband.

“I knew I would be attending an institution where I could feel accepted,” he says, “and was confident that Rhodes would be an environment where my beliefs would be respected.”

He graduated from Rhodes in 2017 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry and headed to medical school, where he earned a Masters in Biomedical Sciences from Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. However, after his first year of medical school, Piyush re-evaluated his career priorities by focusing on his true passion of working with students. He concluded that he needed to make a change, and so took a leap of faith to give back to the school he felt had given him so much.

“Rhodes did a lot for me when I was here as a student,” he says, “so being able to help prospective students--especially those interested in Pre-Health--find Rhodes is fulfilling work.”

Piyush likes to try new restaurants around Memphis and support local sports teams like the Grizzlies and 901 FC. We would also be remiss if we didn’t mention that he bakes great cheesecakes.

“The overnight experience allowed me to see how close Black students were with each other on campus,” she says, “which was pertinent to my decision. I had a great time going out to campus events with them and knew that in addition to living in the center of a city, I could see myself making friends on this campus.”

After graduating with a major in Political Science and minor in International Studies, Sydney joined the admission office at her alma mater. She aspires to expand Rhodes’ reach by “informing students, like myself, who would not have heard about the institution intentionally.”

Outside of the office, Sydney enjoys interacting with the natural world. Hiking, swimming, and camping are a few of the ways she finds peace in nature.

Enter Rhodes. Once Lauren visited campus and Memphis, she knew she had found the perfect blend of a small school in a big city. In her time at Rhodes, she chose an Interdisciplinary Major of International Studies and Political Science and studied abroad several times. She graduated in 2003 and immediately began her professional life in the Rhodes Admission office, where she has worked ever since. In that time she has served as a past President of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL).

Living in Memphis became a welcome change for Lauren from her New Jersey roots. “Memphis is much more relaxed and affordable than living in the Northeast,” she says, adding, “Southern hospitality really does exist.”

As she has spent more time at Rhodes, she has noticed some positive changes to her alma mater, most notably one of diversity. “The Rhodes community has become a much stronger part of the city of Memphis and has also become a much more diverse environment than when I was a student,” she says. “We recognize our responsibility and place in the city, and there’s a mindset of working towards an ever more inclusive and welcoming community on campus.”

Lauren enjoys traveling extensively and exploring downtown Memphis with her husband and young son when she’s not recruiting students to Rhodes from all over the world.

Tie visited Memphis twice in the winter break during his senior college year road trip from Bloomington, Illinois, to New Orleans. “I was deeply impressed by the pyramid-looking building when driving through Hernando De Soto Bridge,” recalling the first-time encounter with Memphis he said, “and the large statue of Elvis Presley in the hotel lobby made me realize that Graceland is right here.” However, at that time, he hadn’t realized that one of the prettiest campuses in the US was just a few miles away. 

His third time in Memphis was purely for Rhodes College, and he has been heartfully committed to Rhodes College after getting to know its campus, academics, and people. “The Star Room in the library is no doubt my most favorite place at Rhodes College because it easily brings me peace of mind and courage to explore,” he said, adding “I’d never know my encounter with Rhodes and Memphis would unconsciously begin and continue. In my culture, we call it fate.” As an international admission staff at Rhodes, he has been ready to serve prospective students from the world.

After graduating in 2013 as a high school student at Xi’an Middle School, Tie started the journey of studying abroad to the US as an international student. He enjoyed freshman and sophomore years at Michigan State University, and the charm of a liberal arts education, including intimate relationships with professors, dense personal attention in classroom, and accessible opportunities in internship and research to undergraduates, led him to Illinois Wesleyan University and he graduated in 2017. He joined Rhodes College in 2023 after travelling almost 6 years for his alma mater’s admission.

Tie encourages all international students at Rhodes College to try Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken in Downtown Memphis. He loves to play the guitar and meditate in free time.