Summer 2010

“I used to be a little defensive about studying such weird-looking animals,” says Ken Catania, pictured holding a juvenile Nile crocodile. “But then I realized that what makes these animals so strange is their extreme specialization and, for that very reason, there is a great deal we can learn from… Read More

A few years ago, ohana—for me—basically meant my mom, my dad and my brother. Since losing my mother to a rare form of cancer, ohana has come to mean much more. As a child I was constantly afraid that one day I would wake up and my mom would be… Read More

Flood stories are community stories. They bring us connection with our neighbors (broadly speaking); we share those stories with one another in hallways, on sidewalks, in checkout lines, through Facebook and email, or over a nice dinner. They link us to the people around us through a sense of shared experience,… Read More

Feb. 19, 1932, was the worst day in Vanderbilt history. Wesley Hall, the largest and most versatile building on campus, burned. It had housed the divinity school, the divinity library, a cafeteria, and rooms and apartments for graduate students and faculty. The fire occurred just as the economy moved into… Read More

My Vanderbilt University education has been such a blessing to me for four decades that I’ve never really been able to put it into words. But I had lots of opportunities to reflect about it last October when my wife, Carla, and I attended my 40-year reunion. It was a… Read More

In the little fishing village of Bayou La Batre, Ala., maybe 10 miles from where I now live, the old-timers like to tell stories about the storms. These are mostly unembellished tales, some of them handed down for generations, about hurricanes roaring in from the Gulf. Nancy McCall, a veteran… Read More

Out of the shadows of the Vanderbilt constellation has emerged a glittering star. During the past decade Peabody College of education and human development has been quietly elevating its national reputation as one of the most—if not the most—respected schools of education in the country. For the past two years, U.S. News… Read More

Last year more than 700 Vanderbilt students received part of their education outside the United States, choosing from more than 100 Vanderbilt study abroad programs. During the past decade Vanderbilt has significantly increased resources to make international study accessible to more students. From nearly 300 entries submitted to the Global… Read More

Vanderbilt students pitch in to excavate a water-damaged home after floodwaters ravaged parts of Middle Tennessee May 1–2. The homes of about 70 Vanderbilt employees were completely destroyed, about 300 reported their homes were uninhabitable but salvageable, and more than 500 others reported damage exceeding $5,000. Many employees and… Read More

Vigilante Justice May Be a Matter of Trust Vigilante justice is growing in many countries in Latin America, and a new study by Vanderbilt’s Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) helps explain why. As criminal violence has become all too common, ordinary citizens have increasingly taken matters into… Read More

One hundred million dollars in gifts for scholarships. That’s the ambitious goal of Opportunity Vanderbilt, the university’s commitment to replace need-based undergraduate student loans with grants and scholarships. The good news: To date, Vanderbilt has raised $81 million in gifts for scholarship endowment. The not-so-good news: Vanderbilt’s… Read More

When college students move out of their residence halls, they can generate a lot of waste. In addition to typical things like linens, futons, small chairs, bedding, small drawer sets, mini-fridges, microwaves, lamps, books and clothing, unusual items are sometimes discarded as well. “Last year one suite donated an antique… Read More

Coveted Fellowship Goes to Divinity Student Rising second-year master of divinity candidate Anthony Sandusky will receive a $10,000 stipend, half to be used for educational expenses, the other half to assist in a self-designed ministry project. Sandusky, 23, is one of 20 fellows recently selected by The Fund for… Read More

For a university that claims just one national championship to its name, Vanderbilt certainly has a national stage when it comes to alumni sports writers. ESPN, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, The Washington Post, and the sports website FanHouse all feature writers who honed their craft at Vanderbilt. Read More

http://vandygoestowar.library.vanderbilt.edu Memories of historic battles, hide-outs from the Nazis, and campus war relief projects are preserved through the Vandy Goes to War oral history project, which can be heard on the Jean and Alexander Heard Library’s website. The length of interviews varies from… Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing is pioneering the use of smart phones as teaching tools. The school is one of the first in the nation to use a new application that transforms wireless devices, such as phones, iPod Touch and laptops, into classroom response devices for enhanced learning. “Students in… Read More

Gallo Two Vanderbilt undergraduates had the rare opportunity in April to present their research findings about the influence of patronage on presidential appointments and government performance at the 2010 Midwest Political Science Association Conference. Nick Gallo, a political science major who graduated in May, and Gabe Horton, a rising senior… Read More

Cross-country biker Bob Ostrowe has resumed cycling after a 2006 crash. “Hope I die before I get old,” rocker Pete Townsend wrote in “My Generation,” a song that became an anthem for baby boomers. Now that most boomers are getting old, emergency room staffers are faced with a new phenomenon: Senior… Read More

The U.S. health-care community is steadily moving into the digital age, shifting medical records from paper to electronic information systems. This movement raises serious concerns about security and privacy of patients’ medical information. In an attempt to put these concerns to rest, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services… Read More

Just six years have passed since Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital opened its doors at Vanderbilt, but already the facility has outgrown its space. Hospital officials in June announced plans for a multiphase, multiyear expansion project with an estimated total cost of $250 million. The Phase 1 expansion, with a price tag… Read More