Collective Memory
Vanderbilt alumnus’ persistence helped propel 19th Amendment ratification
Aug. 26, 2020—At a time when Americans are voicing their opinions at the ballot box and in other ways, Vanderbilt University is joining people across Tennessee and the nation in commemorating the centennial of the long-fought battle to secure a woman’s constitutional right to vote.
‘Brave in the Attempt’: The early history of Tennessee Special Olympics is closely tied to Peabody and Vanderbilt
Jul. 29, 2020—Under Jack Elder, EdS’73, the Tennessee Special Olympics program became recognized as one of the strongest and best managed. For athletes then and now, after five decades, Special Olympics is a chance to prove what they can do when given the opportunity.
Cheap Eats: How alumni created an iconic Vanderbilt destination known by five letters—SATCO
Feb. 17, 2020—Just as KFC superseded its original moniker, the San Antonio Taco Company south of campus has, for 35 years, been elevated to an acronym for Texas-style fajitas and buckets of beer.
A Blaze of History: A prominent black university that endured two fires once was located on the Peabody campus
Nov. 7, 2019—Looking across the long stretch of the Peabody mall with its historic buildings and the iconic dome of the Wyatt Center, one might think Peabody College was the only academic institution to have been built on this location. However, before Peabody, the land was home to one of the most prominent black universities in the South, Roger Williams University.
Life in Towers: A final look at Carmichael Towers before their demolition
Aug. 20, 2019—After 53 years, Carmichael Towers, Vanderbilt’s monument to 1960s Brutalist design, are coming down, soon to be replaced by the next phase of the university’s residential colleges along West End Avenue.
Heart of Gold: Remarkable life of David Williams II celebrated
May. 23, 2019—David Williams II was remembered as a courageous vice chancellor, outstanding athletics director, brilliant law professor, and devoted husband and father during a celebration of life service Feb. 15.
A Center of Their Own: The Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center marks 40 years of interaction and change
Feb. 19, 2019—Tthe Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018, is taking a look at its origins through an oral history project and a documentary exhibit.
From Conspiracy to Conservation: Television News Archive marks 50th anniversary
Nov. 19, 2018—Although legal and copyright issues continue to hinder access, the Vanderbilt Television News Archive—a repository of television news recordings from the past 50 years—is a national archival treasure.
The Bank That Built the Owen School: A small but mighty Nashville investment bank played a vital role in founding Vanderbilt’s business school
Sep. 6, 2018—Equitable Securities Corp., a municipal bonds dealer founded in Nashville during the Great Depression, helped launch what eventually became Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management.
Farm to Table: Peabody’s Knapp Farm was an early experiment in sustainability
Jun. 8, 2018—Sustainability has become a buzzword in recent years, used to describe everything from economics to transportation. But at its root, the concept has to do with stewarding natural resources responsibly. When George Peabody College for Teachers first moved to its current location in 1914, across from Vanderbilt, no one talked about sustainability. Yet the idea became...
Fortunate Son: Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill was the life of the party
Feb. 26, 2018—Lord Charles Spencer-Churchill, who died in late 2016, was the last direct link between Vanderbilt University and its founder.
Hoops Skirts: Stella Vaughn occupies a special place in Vanderbilt’s history—both on and off the court
Nov. 21, 2017—Few people in the university’s history have been as loyal to Vanderbilt as long and as selflessly as Stella Scott Vaughn. She grew up on campus and was one of Vanderbilt’s earliest woman graduates. She served as the university’s first female physical-education instructor and coach, working her first nine years without pay. She also took on the unofficial role as dean of women students.