Fred Rhodes, Ed.D.

With a distinguished career spanning more than five decades in higher education, student affairs, and professional service, Dr. Fred Rhodes has been a visionary leader, mentor, and advocate for student success and leadership development across the American South and beyond. 

Dr. Rhodes began his SACSA journey in 1975 as a first-time member and conference attendee in Richmond, Virginia. His dedication to the organization quickly flourished through progressively impactful roles. He served as SACSA Conference Chair in Winston-Salem in 1984, Secretary in 1987, and was elected President in 1989. During his presidency, Dr. Rhodes established the SACSA Foundation (1990) and launched the SACSA Scholars program (1991), chairing it for two years. His passion for professional development also led to the co-creation of the Mid-Managers Institute (MMI) in collaboration with NASPA Region III, and he served as a foundational faculty member of the first New Professionals Institute (NPI) at the University of Louisville in 1987. He continued to shape generations of student affairs professionals through his leadership as Institute Director and faculty member for both MMI and NPI. 

Dr. Rhodes’ exceptional service and scholarship have been recognized through numerous SACSA honors, including the H. Howard Davis Award (1991), the Melvene Draheim Hardee Award (2001), and the SACSA Superstar Award (2016). He was invited twice to deliver the SACSA Conference Keynote Address and was named an Honorary Lifetime Member in 2015. 

Beyond SACSA, Dr. Rhodes has been deeply involved with NASPA and other professional organizations. He was named a NASPA Pillar of the Profession in 2007 and served as NASPA Region III Conference Chair. He received the NASPA Region III John Jones Award for Outstanding Performance as a Dean of Students in 1996 and represented the association as a delegate to international conferences in France and the UAE. His professional reach also included a Fulbright to Germany in 2007, and he has been a sought-after presenter and panelist at NASPA, SACSA, and state association conferences. 

His leadership extended to state and regional associations, serving as president of both the Arkansas College Personnel Association (ACPA) and the College Personnel Association of Kentucky (CPAK). CPAK honored his legacy by naming their annual leadership and service award the “Fred Rhodes Leadership and Service Award” and inducted him into their Hall of Fame. 

Dr. Rhodes served for 23 years as Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Bellarmine University, later assuming the role of Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. In 2014, he created and taught in the Ph.D. program in Leadership in Higher Education and Social Justice. His legacy at Bellarmine is marked by the Monsignor Horrigan Award for Leadership and Service (2019), the establishment of international service-learning programs across five countries, and five endowed scholarships under the “Dr. Fred Rhodes Service Leadership” name. Bellarmine’s School of Education also presents an annual “Fred Rhodes Collegiality Award” to faculty and graduate students. 

Earlier in his career, Dr. Rhodes held significant roles at the University of Louisville, where he helped establish the doctoral program in College Student Personnel with Dr. Don Gehring; at the University of Central Arkansas as Dean of Students; at Mississippi State University as a doctoral assistant and residence hall director; and student affairs roles at the University of South Florida and the University of Tennessee. 

He earned his Ed.D. in Higher Education and Counseling from Mississippi State University, an M.S. from the University of Tennessee, and a B.A. with honors in History from Maryville College. He completed postdoctoral study at Harvard University. 

Dr. Rhodes has also demonstrated deep civic commitment, serving as Chair of the Hospice Board of Directors and the WLKY Bell Awards Board in Louisville, Chair of the Assumption High School Board of Directors, and volunteer and youth mentor through St. John’s Homeless Shelter, YMCA camps, and the Louisville Rotary Club. 

A dedicated servant-leader, innovator, and mentor, Dr. Fred Rhodes has indelibly shaped the landscape of student affairs and higher education leadership. His legacy continues to inspire those who follow in his footsteps.