International students bring enormous talent and distinctive perspectives to our campus and are warmly welcomed. The Rhodes curriculum and faculty provide an ideal experience for students seeking a broad understanding of cultures, languages, the arts, science, and social issues. Rhodes is ranked in the top 50 Best Value Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States for International Students. Our location in Memphis further enriches the experience of international students who often benefit from our partnerships with FedEx, St. Jude Children′s Research Hospital, International Paper, and numerous other government, healthcare, financial, legal, and nonprofit agencies and firms.
Mariam Khayata '22, International Studies and Political Science
Originally from Aleppo, Syria, Mariam Khayata was one of 32 individuals chosen from the United States in 2023 as a Rhodes Scholar and will pursue a Master of Philosophy in Modern Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford in England beginning October 2024. She is the eighth Rhodes Scholar from Rhodes College. "My four years at Rhodes College had a profound impact on me. My international and Middle East studies classes inspired me, challenged me, and equipped me with hope that it is possible to make meaningful change for our world."
Jay Chatterjee '23, Economics and International Studies
Jay Chatterjee enrolled at Rhodes from Kolkata, India, and enjoyed serving the campus community through leadership positions in campus organizations. Through Rhodes, he served as a Policy Research Intern at the University of Macedonia, Greece, and also interned at Afghanaid in London, England. “The Rhodes Edge is real. That’s helped with my internships and networking. To me, it’s all about bridging the gaps. It is about learning in a smaller, liberal arts environment and then applying what we are learning in a broader, global context.”
Fikemi Aiyepeku '23, Business and French
Lagos, Nigeria, native Fikemi Aiyepeku credits her Rhodes liberal arts education, faculty mentors, and peer support as the driving factors behind her placement as an associate consultant at one of the nation's three largest management consulting firms after graduation. "Having this kind of education really helped me think creatively within a business context and to balance multiple complexities in case studies."
Mehn Tala Norm '24, International Studies
Hailing from Myanmar, Norm found the flexibility to customize his coursework to suit his academic vision at Rhodes. Not only is he minoring in both Chinese and economics, he has also worked with faculty across departments to make his international studies major more interdisciplinary and studied abroad to get hands-on experience in the field. He plans to attend graduate school in international studies and hopes to one day implement his expertise in Southeast Asia. “I want to get to a point where I can actually translate what I’ve learned into something that could be put into practice in terms of policies or change at the community level.”
Current secondary school students can register in advance for a virtual visit that includes a tour given by a Rhodes student and an information session led by an admission counselor.
Our location in the heart of Memphis, an economic, political, and cultural center, makes Rhodes one of a handful of prominent liberal arts colleges located in a major metropolitan area.