Vanderbilt Magazine

A college education at a residential campus means more than a degree earned through successful completion of coursework and class projects. Student life beyond the classroom also provides a formative experience, and that is especially true for Sherry Chen, BA’15, who has served as president of the local Vanderbilt Chapter in Phoenix since 2018, connecting the community of Commodore alumni and parents. Read More

Because of a provision in a gift agreement to the Brooklyn Museum of Art made by philanthropist collectors George H. Sullivan and his mother, Mary Mildred Sullivan, in the early 20th century, nearly 3,400 prints are being added to Vanderbilt’s art collection after Brooklyn removed them from their collection in 2007. As they are researched and cataloged, these new works are initiating creative teaching, learning and exhibits with departments and colleges on campus and across Nashville. Read More

Patti White, BA'76, and her husband, George, recently funded the Black Box Theater in Rothschild College to honor their children, Frances White, BA'11, and George A. White, BA'19. Read More

To honor the legacy of Mary Churchwell and Robert Churchwell Sr., their son Kevin Churchwell, MD’87, and his wife, Gloria Respress-Churchwell, established the Robert Sr. and Mary Churchwell Undergraduate Scholarship, a fund that will provide generations of students with the gift his parents valued most of all: a Vanderbilt education. Read More

A panel of jurists selected Niu’s I Would Define the Sun, a collection of poems about resisting scarcity through language. The inaugural prize drew more than 300 submissions and honors Vanderbilt University’s strong connection to the arts. Read More

Dr. Stahlman, professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, is credited with establishing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) the nation’s first newborn intensive care unit to use monitored respiratory therapy in babies born with damaged lungs. Read More

Mitchell A. Seligson, Centennial Professor of Political Science, professor of sociology, emeritus, and founder of the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) Lab died June 1, 2024, in New York City. He was 78. Read More

The Nashville Innovation Alliance seeks to bring together public, private, civic and education institutions to collaborate on improving the region’s ecosystem for innovation and to research, develop and deploy technology and analytically based solutions to challenges facing Nashville and Davidson County. Read More

The 160,000-square-foot Oliver C. Carmichael College will join E. Bronson Ingram, Nicholas S. Zeppos and Rothschild as the final residential college in the West End Neighborhood, concluding 12 years of construction. The transformation of the West End Neighborhood is part of FutureVU, a framework for campus planning that embodies the university’s core values and holistic approach to its mission of teaching, research and service, while prioritizing inclusivity and sustainability. Read More

The Rev. James Morris Lawson Jr., a leader of the Civil Rights Movement who trained scores of activists during his time in Nashville—many of whom went on to prominence—and whose expulsion from Vanderbilt in 1960 led to national headlines and prompted some faculty members to resign in protest, died Sunday, June 9, in Los Angeles. He was 95. Read More

At a moment when universities across the country face severe leadership challenges, the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust has extended the contract of Vanderbilt’s chief executive, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, through 2035, the board announced today. Read More

Auer, senior lecturer of Asian studies, emeritus, died May 16, 2024 at age 82, as a result of complications from Parkinson’s disease. Read More

See some of the bold and collaborative actions Vanderbilt University accomplished this year an innovator and leader in solving the world’s most pressing challenges. Read More

The semiannual, statewide Vanderbilt Poll showed in its most recent survey that slightly more than half of the state’s voters support a woman’s right to an abortion, that there is significant bipartisan support of IVF procedures as well as modest gun control legislation, and that views about many state and national issues differ significantly by gender.  Read More

John Jumper, BS’07, is a senior staff research scientist for DeepMind, a London-based company that made a huge leap forward in solving the protein folding problem using artificial intelligence. Jumper's work is so significant that he was awarded the 2023 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research. Read More

In keeping with the Sesquicentennial spirit, we celebrate our past, present and future—from our important and long-standing function in the city of Nashville, to the holistic education and opportunities to innovate that our students receive from Immersion Vanderbilt, to our mastery of the cutting-edge technologies that will define our shared future. Read More

From arts to athletics to education and innovation, Vanderbilt has been a driving force in helping shape an ever-evolving Nashville into a dynamic, world-influencing city. Read More

WATCH: Acclaimed journalist and best-selling author David Brooks gives advice to the Class of 2024 and students and families celebrate at an all new party during Graduates Day celebration. Read More

In a time-honored tradition, Vanderbilt celebrated its Founder’s Medalists for the Class of 2024 at the Graduates Day event on May 9. Since 1877, the university has awarded a gold medal to the student graduating with top honors from each of the university’s 10 schools and colleges. The award… Read More

Vanderbilt University is proud to announce the launch of the Institute of National Security. The founding director and leader of the institute will be retired General Paul M. Nakasone, who has served as commander of U.S. Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency, and chief of the Central Security Service. Read More