On Friday, May 8, the academic careers of several thousand Vanderbilt University students will culminate in Commencement. The university will grant about 3,400 degrees this year: 1,580 to undergraduates and 1,820 to graduate and professional students. About 2,700 graduates are expected to attend the ceremony.
While each student has a unique and personal history, some of them are truly extraordinary. Here is a selection.
The 40-year-plan: Taylor Stokes graduates
Taylor Stokes, the first African American scholarship athlete to suit up for the Vanderbilt football team, will finally receive his degree 40 years after beginning his undergraduate career. He came to the university in 1969, a time of intense racial tension. He achieved success as a kicker for the team – his record of seven field goals in one game against Ole Miss, stood for more than two decades. But eventually, racially-motivated slights began to affect his schoolwork, and he was benched from kicking with no explanation. When his father became seriously ill, he withdrew. He returned in 2007 and was finally able to bury the bitterness of the past thanks to the love and generosity he found this time. “How often do you get to return to the scene of your greatest tragedy and it becomes your greatest triumph?” said Stokes.
A perfect match creates a happy ending for Kelly Finan
Kelly Finan wants to translate her love of children’s literature into a teaching career when she graduates from Vanderbilt May 8. But it is hard to imagine any book she could teach that could ever rival her own story. After suffering two strokes requiring brain surgery early in her undergraduate career at Vanderbilt due to a rare kidney disease, Finan’s kidneys failed. Despite more than 15 family members and friends volunteering to donate a kidney, none matched. And then the call came – a matching donor. The transplant took place Feb. 7, 2005. Finan met her donor shortly thereafter. Dan Romano had lost his three-year-old daughter exactly 20 years earlier, on Feb. 7, while she waited for a kidney. His daughter’s name? Kelly.
Henry Manice created a nonprofit to help empower the people of Uganda
Determined to do something about the crisis in Uganda, graduating senior Henry Manice and his partner Wil Keenan (Class of ’08) decided to empower artisans to become entrepreneurs and break the cycle of poverty. They created a nonprofit company, Enjuba, which sold Ugandan-made items online to U.S. customers. After two years of successfully balancing being business owners with school and trips to Uganda, Manice had an epiphany about the business. “We realized that Enjuba needs to be run by Ugandans – not only for logistical reasons, but for staying true to our original intention of moving people to create opportunities for themselves,” said Manice. While continuing as consultants, they turned Enjuba ownership over to the artisans in 2008.
Books as important as basketball for Christina Wirth
It would be an understatement to say Vanderbilt basketball star Christina Wirth is an enthusiastic reader. Wirth, who will receive a degree in human and organizational development from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College, has always kept stacks of books handy – novels and biographies mostly – to read for fun in her spare time. The SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in women’s basketball says the book Redeeming Love, recommended by some of her teammates, has had a profound effect on her spiritual beliefs. Following graduation, Wirth has the opportunity to play professional ball with the Indiana Fever. She plans to return to Vanderbilt at some point to earn a master’s degree in nursing.
Rob Whiting creates gift that keeps giving for Nashville area schools
Vanderbilt Ingram Scholar and cross country runner Rob Whiting has made a difference for Nashville area high school students – and his organization will keep doing so after he graduates. Whiting founded Vanderbilt Students for Students his sophomore year, a nonprofit organization that that strives to build connections between Vanderbilt and under-resourced high schools in Middle Tennessee. VSS has awarded two college scholarships to students from Pearl-Cohn High School. Most of the fundraising for the scholarships is done through the Vandy Mile Bonanza. Held in early April, the Mile Bonanza is a Nashville-wide running event with prizes, awards, food, music and good times. After graduating, Whiting plans to study poverty on the university’s Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship.
Student’s advocacy for gays on campus to continue as VU medical student
Klint Peebles has watched Vanderbilt make huge strides in its support for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community during his four years as an undergraduate. He is especially proud of the new office housed in the K.C. Potter Center that is geared to making the campus more welcoming for these students. As president of the campus Lambda chapter, Peebles has worked on special programming at The Commons. Peebles, who is a steering committee member for the Nashville Human Rights Campaign, is thrilled to continue his advocacy work as a first-year medical student.
Myrick Shinall is first student to earn dual medical and divinity degrees
Myrick Clements Shinall, Jr. distinguishes himself as the first student in the history of Vanderbilt University to earn, concurrently, the master of divinity degree and the doctor of medicine degree. For the past six academic years, Myrick has explored the intersection between the disciplines of theology and medicine. “The issues you discuss in the divinity program are very important for medicine – compassion, suffering, death, purpose, calling,” said Shinall. “Part of the ministry and a big part of being a doctor is being with people in the hardest times of their life.” Upon being graduated with his dual degrees, Myrick begins his residency in general surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center while continuing to serve the United Methodist Church as a certified candidate for ordination.
Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 6,500 undergraduates and 5,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt, ranked as one of the nation’s top universities, offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education and human development, and a full range of graduate and professional degrees.
Further information about Commencement activities is available at www.vanderbilt.edu/commencement.
Media contact: Missy Pankake, (615) 322-NEWS
missy.pankake@vanderbilt.edu
Or Ann Marie Owens, (615) 322-NEWS
Annmarie.owens@vanderbilt.edu