Memphis native Mathew Jehl ‘13 was initially hesitant to stay in his hometown for college but by the end of his four years, Jehl was confident that staying in Memphis was the right decision for him. “I couldn’t have asked for a better place to have done my undergraduate work,” says Jehl.
As a Political Science and History bridge major, Jehl was able to take courses from his favorite professors who helped curate his passion for law. Jehl highly regards Professor Tim Huebner and recalls his experience working with Huebner to research and edit sections of a civil war textbook. Jehl was also invited by Emeritus Professor Marcus Pohlmann to conduct research on the Shelby County School system in comparison to other regional districts. He identifies Professor Robert Saxe and Professor Charles McKinney as his greatest influences while attending Rhodes because “they changed the way [he] looks at the world and made [him] a better and more whole person.” In addition to taking all their history classes, Jehl was Professor McKinney’s advisee in the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies program. McKinney urged Jehl to submit his resulting paper to a graduate conference, where Jehl had the opportunity to present his research.
Developing his research and writing skills to deeply explore a topic and learn how to accurately relay information was hefty advantage when he joined Mock Trial team and finished his senior year with an All-American Attorney title in hand. While on the team, Jehl met his fiancée Kelsey McClain ’19, a fellow Rhodes mock trial attorney who won All-American in 2018. His support for Mock Trial continued well after graduation when he became a coach and mentor for the team. He is particularly excited about Rhodes hosting the national championship this year!
Currently an attorney at the Memphis-based firm Burch, Porter, and Johnson, Jehl recently celebrated his two-year anniversary of practicing law. We love to see how our students' passions that begin at 51 find their way into their careers once they become alumni.