Marjorie Hass to Be the First Woman President of Rhodes College in Memphis

Marjorie Hass has been chosen as the 20th president of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. When she takes office on July 1, Dr. Hass will be the first women president in the college’s 168-year history.

Rhodes College enrolls slightly more than 2,000 students. Women make up 57 percent of the student body.

Since 2009, Dr. Hass has been serving as president of Austin College in Sherman, Texas. She also serves as chair of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Before assuming the presidency at Austin College, Dr. Hass was provost and professor of philosophy at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

In accepting the appointment as the next president of Rhodes College, Dr. Hass stated that “Rhodes College’s ambition to serve as a national model for liberal arts and civic engagement is deeply compelling. And its commitment to student-centered learning and preparing students for meaningful lives resonates with my own values. I am excited to immerse myself in this diverse and welcoming community and to work with all those who love Rhodes as we build on its successes and shape a vision for our shared future.”

President Hass holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Illinois.