Author: Jim Patterson
Poetry to Expand the World: M.F.A. candidate Joshua Moore hosts an innovative storytelling podcast
Nov. 19, 2018—When listeners tune in to Nashville Public Radio’s Versify podcast, they’re greeted by the voice of host Joshua Moore, a second-year master of fine arts candidate in Vanderbilt’s creative writing program. Versify—which can be found at vu.edu/versify-npr—grew out of Poetry on Demand, or POD, a community outreach program of The Porch, Nashville’s nonprofit writing center....
Rediscovered: Concert Celebrates the Music of Florence Price
Nov. 19, 2018—Florence Price was the first African American woman to have her music performed by a major symphony orchestra—in 1933. Bringing together the European classical tradition in which she was trained and the haunting melodies of African American spirituals and folk tunes, Price’s music has experienced a recent resurgence in the concert hall. In celebration of...
Ronald Hoffman, BA’64, American History as Sacred Trust
Nov. 19, 2018—Ronald Hoffman, former director of the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and professor of history at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., died Sept. 4. He was 77. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1969 and joined the history department at the University of Maryland, College Park, where...
Vandy Fans Descend in Force on Notre Dame
Nov. 19, 2018—More than 5,000 Vanderbilt alumni and friends traveled from destinations around the country for an unforgettable weekend centered on the Vanderbilt vs. Notre Dame football game Sept. 15 in South Bend, Indiana. The festivities began when 400 fans took in a Friday afternoon Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field, and continued Saturday with a spirited...
Virginia George, BSN’47, MS’72, Champion of the Nurse Practitioner
Nov. 19, 2018—Virginia Maxwell George, professor of nursing, emerita, and an early champion of nurse practitioners, died of natural causes July 26 in Nashville. She was 94. George was founding director of Vanderbilt’s Family Nurse Practitioner program, one of the first in the Southeast. A 1947 VUSN graduate, she taught at Vanderbilt for 28 years, earning teaching...
Colleen Conway-Welch, Nursing Legend
Nov. 19, 2018—Colleen Conway-Welch, who during her 29 years as dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing transformed nursing education at Vanderbilt and nationally, died Oct. 12 following a battle with cancer. Linda D. Norman, current dean of the School of Nursing, knew Conway-Welch for more than three decades and was recruited by her to join...
Reunion Brings Reconnection and Celebration
Nov. 19, 2018—Reunion 2018 is in the books! More than 5,000 alumni and guests gathered on campus Oct. 11–13 to celebrate with lifelong friends, relive cherished memories, and reconnect with their alma mater. Friday, Oct. 12, was a picture-perfect fall day on campus as the lingering summer heat finally gave way to crisp, cool weather. Undergraduate alumni...
Your Success Promotes Vanderbilt
Nov. 19, 2018—There’s a tremendous pride in learning that our classmates have found success in their fields. These moments are common for Vanderbilt graduates because our fellow alumni work at the forefront of industry and innovation, and cultivate positive change. They remind the world that Vanderbilt prepares students for success in any arena. When others see the...
Garrett Spiegel, BE’10, Systems-Level Thinker
Nov. 19, 2018—Garrett Spiegel long intended to make the design of custom-fabricated orthotics and prosthetics easier and quicker, especially in parts of the world with limited medical resources and high need. His company, Standard Cyborg, which he co-founded in 2015 with Jeffrey Huber, now has a growing customer base for its orthotics and prosthetics software, currently used...
Jack Wei-chieh Lin, BA’89, Asia Pacific Asset Manager
Nov. 19, 2018—Jack Wei-chieh Lin is making an impact on global investors. In May he was appointed managing director and head of Asia Pacific client coverage for MSCI Inc., a leading provider of indexes and portfolio construction as well as risk-management tools and services for global investors. MSCI’s clients rely on its offerings for deeper insights into...
Jo Ann Eddy Somers, BE’67, Singular Engineer
Nov. 19, 2018—The only female member of the School of Engineering’s 1967 graduating class, Jo Ann Eddy Somers of Huntsville, Alabama, died July 11, 2018. She was struck by lightning while inspecting a seawall under construction in Huntsville’s Hampton Cove neighborhood and died two weeks later. Somers, 73, was a civil engineering major at Vanderbilt and a...
James Sandlin, MDiv’69, Heart of the Arts
Nov. 19, 2018—James Sandlin, a former Sarratt Student Center director who worked tirelessly to expand cultural offerings on campus and to improve the quality of life in Middle Tennessee, died Sept. 19. Sandlin, 77, passed away at his home in Unionville, Tenn., after a brief illness. Sandlin, who earned a bachelor of arts from Athens College, received...