Releases

The Vanderbilt Board of Trust has reappointed Provost C. Cybele Raver to continue leading Vanderbilt’s academic mission through 2031, ensuring long-term continuity and strategic execution through the next decade. Together with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, whose contract was recently extended through 2035, Raver’s leadership will be pivotal in shaping Vanderbilt’s future. Read More

It’s not every day you see a zebra trotting down your street. Even more surprising is being a key part of helping that zebra get back where it belongs. But this is exactly what happened to Corey Ortiz. On the day when Ed, the now-famous zebra, escaped from his home… Read More

By Jenna Somers Richard Welsh Suspended FuturesTransforming Racial Inequities in School Disciplineby Richard O. Welsh   Racial disparities in school discipline can arise based on how educators perceive and respond to student behaviors, according to research by Richard Welsh, associate professor of education and public policy at… Read More

In May, the Peabody Journal of Education released a special themed issue on seven studies conducted by the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA), a research-practice partnership between Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development and the Tennessee Department of Education. TERA houses Tennessee’s K-12 public school… Read More

The Vanderbilt University Board of Trust elected a slate of new trustees during its annual spring meeting in early May. William H. “Hal” Hess, JD’90, Keith Hoogland, BA’82, and John Ingram, MBA’86, will serve five-year terms beginning July 1. Allison “Allie” Hall Eagles, BA’16, will serve a two-year term as the young alumni trustee. Read More

In commemoration of Chancellor Emeritus Nicholas S. Zeppos' legacy at Vanderbilt, the Board of Trust commissioned an official portrait of Zeppos that was unveiled on May 7. The portrait has been installed at the front entrance of Zeppos College. Read More

Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier has appointed global hospitality leader Markus Schreyer as CEO of the newly created Vanderbilt Enterprises, a strategic initiative designed to advance mission-aligned ventures that generate sustainable new revenue streams and support strategic priorities. Schreyer will begin his role on June 1, 2025. An initial focus will be on enhancing Vanderbilt Athletics resources, support for student-athletes and the fan experience. Read More

Vanderbilt-New York City's first foray into public programming invited New York City residents to engage with the university in a three-event series titled “Vanderbilt in the City: Conversations on America.” The series, held between March and May, convened faculty and thought leaders for conversations that explored what it means to be an American today as our role in the world is shifting. Each event drew several hundred attendees, filling the venue to capacity—a strong signal of the enthusiasm for Vanderbilt’s debut programming. Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich Marissa Tessier, Melanie Hundley and Elizabeth Seeker. Photo: Krystal Schmidt Convincing tweens and teens to read books can be an uphill battle. But a collaboration between two Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development students, their professor, and best-selling Disney Books author Jen Calonita is… Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich Only a third of American students read proficiently, according to the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress. Scores continue to lag behind those from 2019 and 2022, and there has been little overall improvement since the NAEP began tracking reading in 1992. Educators and policymakers have… Read More

by Jenna Somers Jessika Boles After consulting with the palliative care team, Jessika Boles, MEd’08, found herself speaking with a mother about honoring her daughter’s legacy. “One of the ways we can do that is through handprint art, since handprints and fingerprints are unique to each person. Would you… Read More

The Class of 2025 brought laughs, hugs, tears and lots of smiles to Vanderbilt's social media pages. Take a look at a few of our favorite posts from Graduates Day and Commencement. Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich When top special education researchers, a cutting-edge dyslexia academy and research center, and influential school leaders converge at Vanderbilt University, big ideas are bound to emerge. That is exactly what happened at the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools Neurodivergence-Informed Schools conference, hosted by the Roberts Academy… Read More

Jeremy Payne, principal senior lecturer in the Department of Human and Organizational Development, has been awarded the 2024-2025 Chancellor’s Cup by Chancellor Daniel Diermeier for his steadfast mentorship and teaching of undergraduate students. For more than six years, Payne has mentored and advised undergraduate, professional, and graduate students, and has shown he is committed to developing personal connections with each of them. Read More

Lynn Fuchs Lynn Fuchs, Dunn Family Professor of Psychoeducational Assessment, Emerita, passed away on May 7, 2025. She was 75 years old. Throughout her career, Fuchs was recognized as one of the top scholars in special education and psychological sciences as well as a leading scholar in mathematical and… Read More

Sarah Brown-Schmidt Sean Corcorcan Brian Heuser Amy Palmeri Kelly Slay (Vanderbilt University) Anita Wager Sarah Brown-Schmidt received the Peabody… Read More

Camilla P. Benbow A rigorous research institution, a top-ranked education college, an innovative learning community—for all the phrases you could use to describe Peabody College, perhaps the one that encompasses all of them, that rings truest, is that Peabody is, and has always been, an essential home for human… Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich The Roberts Academy at Vanderbilt University welcomed its inaugural class of third and fourth graders in August 2024. Since then, the school has celebrated many more firsts, from a groundbreaking ceremony to festivities and innovative collaborations. Established in 2023 with an unprecedented gift from Hal and… Read More

By Jenna Somers Where can professionals from K-12 and higher education institutions, non-profits, private industry, and federal and local governments collaborate to learn from and with one another on how to strengthen their leadership within their respective organizations? The answer to that question may be found in the dynamic learning… Read More