The Environmental Studies and Sciences program at Rhodes College prepares students to understand and address complex environmental challenges through an interdisciplinary education grounded in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Students connect classroom learning with research, fieldwork, community engagement, and real-world problem-solving in Memphis and beyond.
Academic Excellence
Build a rigorous, interdisciplinary understanding of environmental systems by studying scientific processes alongside their social, political, economic, ethical, and cultural dimensions.
Career Readiness
Develop sought-after skills in research, data analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), communication, collaboration, and applied problem-solving.
Impact & Purpose
Turn your concern for the environment into meaningful action through hands-on research, experiential learning, and community-engaged projects.
Community & Support
Join a close-knit community of students and faculty who bring perspectives from across the college and share a commitment to environmental inquiry and positive change.
Careers, Experiences, and Alumni Pathways
An Environmental Studies or Environmental Science degree prepares graduates for careers and advanced study in fields such as:
- Environmental science, research, and monitoring
- Sustainability and corporate environmental responsibility
- Conservation, ecology, and natural-resource management
- Environmental policy, advocacy, and nonprofit leadership
- Geographic information systems and spatial analysis
- Urban planning, sustainable development, and community resilience
- Environmental education and communication
- Graduate programs in environmental science, public policy, law, planning, and related fields
Grow at Rhodes
Environmental challenges do not fit neatly within a single academic discipline - and neither does the education needed to solve them. At Rhodes, you can build a course of study that matches your interests while gaining the knowledge, experience, and practical skills to make a difference.
Memphis Is Our Living Laboratory
Rhodes' location in Memphis gives students access to a diverse and dynamic setting for environmental study. The Mississippi River, urban ecosystems, parks and natural areas, environmental justice initiatives, food and agricultural systems, and regional sustainability efforts provide opportunities to connect academic study with the environmental questions facing real communities.
Students apply what they learn through field experiences, internships, research, and partnerships with organizations in Memphis and the surrounding region. These experiences help students see how environmental issues intersect with public health, equity, economic development, policy, and quality of life.
Learn more about the unique qualities of the program for preparing students to be leaders in the 21st century, when environmental questions are increasingly pressing.
Learn about the awards Environmental Studies and Sciences gives to outstanding students each year.
Students are encouraged to perform internships and study abroad to enhance their academic studies and provide meaningful connections “beyond the gates.”
Environmental Studies News
Recent Rhodes College graduates Katherine Buikema, Monica Nedialkova, Maya Khalife-Hamdan, and Anna Rush have been selected to receive Fulbright U.S. Student Awards for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Annual awards were presented at the 176th Commencement Exercises of Rhodes College held May 17 on campus.
Six graduating seniors’ portraits are being added to Rhodes College’s Hall of Fame on the second floor of Southwestern Hall. They are Keith Adams, Shanteise Bonds, Anh Duy Hoàng, Dylan Morris, Anna Yates, and Sana Zein-Sabatto.
Faculty & Staff
Associate Professor of Chemistry, Chair of Environmental Studies and Sciences; James H. Daughdrill Professor in the Natural Sciences
Associate Professor of English, Spence L. Wilson Distinguished Professor in the Humanities
