MyVU News

To Dudley Brown White, BS’53, Vanderbilt was far more than an alma mater—it was woven into her family’s generational history. While her legacy is defined by four decades of quiet generosity, leadership and distinguished service, her bond with the university began long before she set foot on campus as a student. She died on Oct. 16, 2026, and Vanderbilt recognizes her extraordinary lifetime of devotion and the rich family history she carried forward.   Read More

John Kuriyan has been reappointed as dean of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences for a second five-year term. Kuriyan, the Mary Geddes Stahlman Chair and University Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Cell and Developmental Biology, will begin his new term Jan. 1, 2028, after his current appointment ends Dec. 31, 2027. Read More

Vanderbilt University welcomed alumni, families and friends to campus Oct. 15–18 for a record-breaking Reunion and Homecoming 2026. With more than 5,950 attendees, the event set a new all-time high, surpassing the previous turnout record set in 2025. Read More

With Fall Break right around the corner, now is a good time to check your meal swipe balance and plan how you’ll use your remaining meals through the end of the semester. If you’re wondering whether you’re using swipes too quickly or saving too many, Vanderbilt Campus Dining has some benchmarks to help you evaluate your pace, plan ahead and make the most of your meal plan. Read More

Peter “Pete” Reed, a longtime member of the Department of Pharmacology faculty who served as Associate Dean and Acting Dean of the Vanderbilt Graduate School, passed away on September 19, 2026, at the age of 87. Read More

Open enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to choose the benefits that best meet your needs. All benefits-eligible employees must complete open enrollment for calendar year 2027 benefits coverage. Enrollment ends at 11:59 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. The elections you make are effective Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2027, and cannot be changed after the enrollment period ends, unless you have a qualifying life event.   Read More

Alumnus and longtime philanthropic supporter Thomas R. Walters, BE’76, has committed $10 million to establish the Walters Family Defense Tech Innovation Accelerator Fund at the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. Read More

Vanderbilt University generates $7 billion in economic activity across Tennessee and supports more than 43,000 jobs annually, according to a new statewide study of Tennessee’s private colleges and universities commissioned by the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association. The study examines the economic contributions of Tennessee’s private colleges and universities. Read More

Dialogue Vanderbilt and Pine Crest School hosted more than 100 school leaders, educators and students from across the country at the second annual Open Dialogue Collaborative Summit. Representing 15 independent schools, participants gathered Sept. 27–28, 2026, at Vanderbilt University to exchange ideas, share promising practices and explore how to make… Read More

For 38 years, the Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word has brought readers and writers together to celebrate the power of storytelling. A program of Humanities Tennessee, now presented by Vanderbilt University, the free public festival is one of the nation’s longest-running literary gatherings. It draws more than 25,000 attendees to Nashville each fall. Read More

Beginning January 2027, Vanderbilt’s mental health and well-being provider will transition from Lyra Health to Spring Health. While the provider is changing, our commitment to making high-quality mental health care accessible to you and your family is staying the same. Read More

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, The Wond’ry adds “Vanderbilt’s Center for Innovation and Design” to its name and offers targeted programming to help students, faculty, staff, professionals, and organizations move from idea to real-world impact. Read More

Vanderbilt’s Center for Student Wellbeing was established in 2016 to create a culture that supports personal development and academic success. Over the past decade, the CSW has expanded its programs and resources to provide students with more opportunities to build healthy practices, navigate challenges and work toward their academic and personal goals. Read More

Vanderbilt is inviting all undergraduate, graduate and professional students to participate in the Healthy Minds Study, a confidential survey about student mental health and well-being, health behaviors, and use of campus health services. What we learn will help us better understand how students are doing and improve how we work to strengthen the student experience. Read More

Brooke Ackerly, professor of political science, has received a Volkswagen Foundation Transatlantic Bridge Professorship at the University of Hamburg for the next three years. She is the first Vanderbilt faculty member to receive this award. Read More

The long-standing relationship between Vanderbilt and the National Museum of African American Music is entering its next chapter with a new three-year partnership agreement. The renewed partnership continues Vanderbilt’s financial support of the museum and builds on the academic and community collaboration that began before the museum opened its doors in 2021. Read More

Friends and supporters of the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries gathered Sept. 30 to mark the tenure of Jon Shaw as dean of libraries and letters and to celebrate the legacy of Connie Vinita Dowell, M.L.S.’79, the Vanderbilt Libraries’ first dean. Read More

All Vanderbilt staff are invited to attend the annual Fall Staff Assembly, either at Vanderbilt’s Langford Auditorium or virtually, on Monday, Nov. 2. The event will celebrate university staff and their many contributions to the university’s mission. Read More

Vanderbilt alumni are coming home for Reunion 2026, October 15–18, and we need Vanderbilt staff to help give them a warm Commodore welcome! Sign up to be a Reunion Staff Volunteer Ambassador and help alumni navigate campus, connect with fellow Commodores, and make the most of their Reunion experience. Opportunities include greeting alumni, assisting with registration, scanning nametags, and more. Read More

Rafael Arrojo e Drigo, an assistant professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, has won a prestigious 2027 Laureate Award from the international Endocrine Society for innovative research that “has transformed our understanding of thyroid hormone biology, diabetes, and the biology of aging.” Read More