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With Commencement rapidly approaching, the university has announced that award-winning author and professor Arthur C. Brooks will receive Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal when he speaks at the university’s 2026 Commencement activities. Read More

Jason Merchant, a national leader in higher education and vice provost for academic affairs at the University of Chicago, will be the new Searcy Family Dean of the College of Arts and Science. An internationally renowned, award-winning professor in the field of linguistics, Merchant will also hold an endowed chair in philosophy at Vanderbilt. Read More

Among the artifacts librarian Mary McSparran selected from Vanderbilt’s Special Collections and University Archives for a pop-up exhibit last fall were a NASA space suit and a journal listing books about UFOs. Neither would seem a likely choice for a literary salon, where the exhibit was on display, but this was no ordinary discussion of writers and their works. The gathering was part of a growing collaboration between Special Collections staff and Vanderbilt faculty, in which the curators and archivists play an active role in teaching by offering students access to unique materials that bring their coursework to life. Read More

Joerg Rieger's work raises the question: What shared commitment might bind us all together, and can it be leveraged for the good of humanity? As a theologian, he looks to ancient religious traditions for solutions. Read More

Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center rank 24th nationally in the National Science Foundation’s 2024 Higher Education Research and Development Survey, with combined research and development expenditures of $1.33 billion. The ranking places Vanderbilt 10th among private research universities. Read More

Two staffers at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation have received Live Long and Prosper Tribute Awards from the Nimoy-Knight Foundation. Director of Communications Jessica Schonhut-Stasik, founder of The Neuroverse Initiative, works to create pathways for neurodivergent people in the space sciences. Project manager and author Dave Thompson champions the unique perspectives and talents of the neurodivergent community. The LLAP award recognizes people who embody the values of Star Trek: exploration, diversity and the pursuit of a better future for all. Read More

Vanderbilt is viewed as a launching point in many ways; it’s a place where careers take off, friendships flourish, talents and passions are discovered, new experiences are welcomed, and campus traditions create lasting memories. For Dani Klafter and Sam Blum, Vanderbilt is all of that and more: It’s where their paths crossed, setting the stage for happily ever after and an unintentionally historic proposal. Read More

Svalbard, Norway, a cluster of islands north of the Arctic Circle, is rich with paradox. A former international whaling base and subsequent site of extractive coal mining, Svalbard is now home to the Global Seed Vault, which stores more than one million seed duplicates to safeguard the world’s food supply. Described as a “geopolitical unicorn,” Svalbard is, at once, an open haven for artists and researchers seeking to generate new knowledge and climate interventions by learning from its landscapes, as well as a target for international meddling because of its prime access to satellite data from above and rare earth minerals below. Site of both extraction and regeneration, attracting both a spirit of collaborative inquiry and pursuits of global dominance, Svalbard’s paradoxical singularity inspired Vanderbilt faculty Jana Harper, Lutz Koepnick and Jonathan Rattner to embark on a three-week research trip in summer 2025 to witness its rapidly changing landscapes and experiment with artistic methods to address the effects of planetary overheating.   Read More

The Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University has launched a new dual-degree opportunity in collaboration with the Real Madrid Graduate School of Universidad Europea. This new partnership provides Master of Marketing students with the chance to earn a second master’s degree in Sports Management Strategy while gaining hands-on experience with one of the world’s most recognized sports organizations. Read More

In this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Provost Cybele Raver and Chancellor Daniel Diermeier take a deep dive into Vanderbilt’s future—across campuses, cities, and partnerships. From West Palm Beach and San Francisco to New York City, Chattanooga, and Nashville, hear how the power of place is shaping a bold, networked vision for Vanderbilt’s next era. Read More

Through immersive programming and strategic partnerships, the Vanderbilt Career Center continues to create opportunities that help students translate academic learning into real-world success, including the Vandy 2 Wall Street program, a comprehensive pathway designed to prepare undergraduates for competitive careers in finance. The Vanderbilt Career Center, in collaboration with the Owen Graduate School of Management and the Hoogland Undergraduate Business Program, partnered with Wall Street Prep, a leading financial training firm, to launch the second year of the V2WS program, offering students a structured, multiphase learning experience that bridges the gap between classroom knowledge and industry expectations. Read More

Vanderbilt University has announced its fall 2025 recipients of the Seeding Success, Scaling Success and Rapid-Advancement MicroGrant Program awards, providing internal funding to help faculty launch new research directions, strengthen proposals and compete for major external grants. Read More

Infinite Worlds: Science Fiction and the Future of Humanity is now on view in the fourth-floor lobby of Central Library. The exhibit, which features rare publications from Vanderbilt’s Special Collections and University Archives and Central Library collections, explores speculative fiction through themes such as advances in science and technology and their effect on the future of human society. Read More

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Vanderbilt invites the community to a new season of learning, connection and shared exploration with a wide-ranging lineup of spring courses for people age 50 and older. From science, history and literature to music, writing and wellness, this new term offers opportunities to engage with ideas, develop skills and enjoy thoughtful conversation. Read More

As a dangerous ice storm swept through Middle Tennessee in late January, Vanderbilt quickly mobilized to support students, faculty and staff amid widespread power outages and hazardous conditions. The university opened warming centers, adjusted academic schedules and provided frequent updates, while facilities, dining and public safety teams worked around the clock to keep campus safe and operational. Read More

The Talent Marketplace—a new, connected experience designed to help you better understand your skills, grow with intention and explore career opportunities across Vanderbilt—is now live. The Talent Marketplace brings together learning, skill development and career exploration in one place, making it easier to see where you are today and what’s possible next. Rather than focusing only on job titles or current roles, it centers on skills, growth and progress over time.  Read More

Navigating legal matters can be stressful and costly. As a Vanderbilt employee, you have access to a Legal Services plan through our new discount program, Commodore Employee Perks, designed to give you affordable, reliable legal support when you need it most. Enrollment opens Feb. 9 and closes Feb. 20, with coverage beginning March 1, 2026. Read More

As the nation’s highest-ranking military officer and principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of War, and National Security Council, General Caine brings unmatched perspective to this year’s Summit theme: The Shadow of War, The Illusion of Peace: National Security in the Age of Asymmetry. Read More

This year, Vanderbilt University’s MLK Day Commemorative Series brought powerful voices of the past, present and future together to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Through a blend of inspiration and action, the campus community celebrated not just King’s memory, but the ongoing work of building leadership and opportunity for all. Read More

Two seniors in the College of Arts and Science and one Peabody College senior have been named 2026-2027 recipients of the Wattles Fellowship. The fellowship offers three women graduates from Vanderbilt University a one-year, fully integrated position in the London corporate risk management and insurance market. Read More