Program Directors Conference

October 18-20, 2026 at Rhodes College

Welcome! This webpage houses information related to the Program Directors’ Conference from Sunday, October 18 to Tuesday, October 20, hosted by Rhodes College in Memphis, TN.

Thank you to the Memphis Listening Lab for hosting Monday night’s dinner. The lab is a curated collection of music and music history, and is one of Rhodes’ community partners.

Before the Conference

Thank you for making the time to join us in Memphis! Before we gather in-person, Natalie Person from Rhodes and the Project Pericles team want to share a warm welcome.

To arrive prepared, please read:

Our Project Pericles Community and Conference Goals from our team: what we hope to accomplish together, how the days will unfold, and how to prepare for the conference.
A Welcome to Memphis and Rhodes College from Natalie: a preview of Rhodes’ approach to community-engaged civic learning and the places and partnerships we’ll experience in Memphis.
Please browse the Periclean Conference and Consortium Directory and this brief tutorial video searching within it. We encourage you to discover two people you haven’t met yet whose work sparks your interest and connect with them in Memphis. If your profile isn’t displayed, please submit through this form .

Hotel and Transportation

Our conference hotel, The Memphian, is a beautiful historic Memphis hotel within walking distance of Rhodes College through Overton Park which includes several trails through preserved land, the newly opened Memphis Metal Museum, and a Zoo.

Conference Shuttle: While folks are welcome to walk to Rhodes, a shuttle will be provided taking folks to and from the conference hotel in the morning and at the end of the day.
A shuttle will also take people to/from the hotel and off-site conference locations like the National Civil Rights Museum, Sunday Dinner, and the Memphis Listening Lab.

If you are driving: Please e-mail your license plate number to harry@projectpericles.org if you haven’t already, so we can ensure Campus Safety. You can view the Parking Map here.

Airport transportation: The hotel and campus are a 10 minute car ride away. Locals recommend using rideshares like Uber and Lyft as they are very reliable. Note that public transportation “isn’t really a thing” in Memphis.

Conference Communication

We’ll have an active WhatsApp Conference Group Chat launching Friday, 10/16 for sharing updates, facilitating social Memphis excursions, and for dropping in questions that arise. We’ll be adding everyone who provided their cell phone numbers. You can ensure your cell phone is added by e-mailing harry@projectpericles.org.

For time sensitive inquiries while we are at the conference, please call Harry Hou, our Program Manager. If you are in the chat, his number is available.

Other Logistics

You will receive a welcome package upon checking into the Memphian. This will include your name tag and the agenda. Please bring this nametag with you to the conference.
Packing for the Conference and Memphis: People typically dress business casual for the conference. Please prioritize what makes you feel relaxed, comfortable, and confident so you can be fully present for our conversations. If you plan to walk through Overton Park We anticipate moving between tables and buildings, and also
Regarding weather, It’s no surprise that the most weddings are booked in Memphis in the month of October due to historically pleasant conditions: Highs in the 70’s, lows in the 50’s. Our fingers are crossed for favorable weather.

About Our Hosts at Rhodes College

The Lynne & Henry Turley Memphis Center for Community Engagement at Rhodes College empowers people to create social change in Memphis. In the spirit of the liberal arts at Rhodes College, their mission is to “connect and support students, faculty, staff, and community partners in Memphis and beyond who are engaged in academic study, research, service, advocacy, and solutions in the pursuit of just and informed outcomes.” The Turley Center is a hub that supports several high impact initiatives including: the Bonner Center for Service, Institute for Race and Social Transformation, Liberal Arts in Prison Program, Rhodes into Memphis, and Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies.

For more information about the Turley Center and community-engaged civic learning at Rhodes:

Rhodes’ Carnegie Re-Classification for Community Engagement Application: Natalie has kindly shared a copy of their Carnegie application that outlines in great detail all that Rhodes is accomplishing in this vein, and to support any other campuses amidst or interested in applying.
200 Years Together: An Anthology by Karen B. Golightly
TMC (Turley Memphis Center) Minute – Monthly Newsletter
Rhodes Into Memphis
Rhodes Magazine article which features TMC

For more about Memphis, the Rhodes team recommends checking out:

Special thank you to the the Turley Center team for hosting what will be an extraordinary experience:

Natalie Person, Dean of Community Engagement & Professor of Psychology, Jessica Cowan, Associate Director, Memphis Center for Community Engagement, Marisol Palomo, Assistant Director of Student Engagement & Director, Bonner Center, Arthur Jenkins, Bonner Coordinator, and Gabriela Medrano, Administrative Assistant.
As well as other Rhodes College leadership who have supported this conference: Jennifer Collins, President and Tim Huebner, Provost.

What is the Program Directors' Conference?

This annual conference brings together our community of Program Directors for knowledge-sharing and relationship-building. It offers a unique space and opportunity to fortify a valuable community of practice that extends far beyond our three days together.

Each Periclean campus sends one or two representatives. Program Directors routinely report the conference as one of the most rewarding they attend:

“This conference and the Periclean community is truly special. Being able to work through challenges and share best practices with other civically minded colleagues has created invaluable relationships.”

Thank you to our Program Directors Council who provided key guidance for our organization and the Program Director conference:

Darby Ray (Bates College), Sinda Nichols (Carleton College), Mecca Madyun (Drew University), Lindsay Johnson (Goucher College), Celestina Castillo (Occidental College), Eric Morser (Skidmore College), Lauren Shermer (Widener University).