Social@Vanderbilt

Class of 2023: Read how special education major Nora Smith has found inspiration, friendship and connection within the disabled community at Vanderbilt. Read More

Class of 2023: Read how biomedical engineering major and head resident advisor Namrah Ajmal is creating unique spaces for community and belonging. Read More

A mental health battle with internet addiction and the ruinous effects of unfiltered social media nearly ravaged a talented entrepreneur while she was a student at Vanderbilt. But Larissa May, BA’16, has turned her healing journey into an influential, youth-based digital advocacy and empowerment platform, #HalfTheStory. May returned to Vanderbilt March 4 to speak as part of the Clinton Global Initiative University annual meeting. Read More

When Somto Dimobi Okoye, BE’19, was growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, her mother would open their home to people who needed help—instilling a philosophy of building strength and community through a tightly woven support system. Okoye continues that philosophy by creating ways to help colleagues and Vanderbilt students realize and exercise their full potential. Read More

A dynamic group of Vanderbilt scholars—all women—with expertise in engineering, earth sciences, sociology and storytelling took to a global stage at the 27th annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, better known as COP27. Read More

Byron Pitts, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, author and co-host of ABC’s Nightline, warned against the dangers of becoming indifferent to helping others and challenged members of the Vanderbilt community to see their potential to change the world through service when he delivered the university’s 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Series keynote address on Monday evening. Read More

A group of Vanderbilt students with diverse majors joined their creative forces for an immersive writing challenge: Take sophisticated science, technology, engineering and math topics and make them compelling for fourth graders. How did they do it? Through storytelling. Read More

When Syrian native Musbah Shaheen, BA’17, traveled to the U.S. for the first time to attend Vanderbilt, he had no idea how the university’s cornerstone philosophies of equity, diversity and belonging would stretch him personally or shape his professional future and Ph.D. research. Read More

Growing up, Anana Upton, BS’21, spent endless hours in hospitals as her younger brother underwent care. That experience spurred a passionate drive in her to elevate the quality of health care available to underserved communities while also educating them about their medical choices and affording them the dignity they deserve. Read More

Vanderbilt University is one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges and on the “green honor roll” according to a new ranking by The Princeton Review. Read More

A talent for cultivating fellowship and belonging helped earn Blake Christiansen this year’s Outstanding Senior Award, one of Vanderbilt’s highest undergraduate student honors. Read More

Karl Zelik, associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering and of physical medicine and rehabilitation, is using smart technology to tackle one of the most common and often debilitating problems for millions of people: back pain. His work includes a partnership with the U.S. military. Read More

Ten students from the Class of 2023 have been named as finalists for the Outstanding Senior award, one of the highest honors an undergraduate student can receive at Vanderbilt. Each of the nominees will be recognized, and the top Outstanding Senior will be announced, during halftime of the Commodores’ Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 8. Read More

Vanderbilt University’s Student Access Office, which provides a wide range of support services to students with disabilities, has moved to a state-of-the-art space in the heart of campus with new resources and an expanded academic staff. Read More

The Vanderbilt community welcomed more than 3,000 family members and friends to campus Sept. 9–11 to celebrate this year’s Family Weekend. Events included the Fall for the Arts festival, a question-and-answer session with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and other VU leaders, a football tailgate, grandparents’ social and more. Read More

Miti Joshi, BS’19, has been taking what she calls “leaps of faith” ever since she left Mumbai, India, to attend Vanderbilt University. These bold and sometimes scary moves have led her to experience life-changing opportunities at the School of Engineering and have helped her find her passion as a successful woman in tech. Read More

Vanderbilt's undergraduate houses and colleges are led by faculty who live in community with students. Meet the new faculty head of Sutherland House, Chezare A. Warren, associate professor of equity and inclusion in education policy. Read More

Vanderbilt's undergraduate houses and colleges are led by faculty who live in community with students. Meet the new faculty head of Murray House, Renã A.S. Robinson, professor of chemistry. Read More

Two highly respected faculty members known for their academic leadership and impactful research are taking on new roles to advance undergraduate education, scholarship and creative expression at the university. Tiffiny Tung will become vice provost for undergraduate education, and Tracy Denean Sharpley-Whiting will serve as vice provost for arts and libraries. Read More

Students who attend Vanderbilt belong to a special community, brought together for the purpose of making each other—and society as a whole—better. Meet members of the Class of 2022 who have cultivated belonging to strengthen, support and enrich their community. Read More