Alumni

Aneesh Sohoni Aneesh Sohoni, MPP’13, will become chief executive officer of Teach for America beginning April 15. Sohoni has held several education leadership positions of increasing responsibility since earning his master of public policy in education policy at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development. Read More

Vanderbilt alumni Jake Aronskind, BA’19, and Andrew Roth, BS’21, were named to the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 for creating and scaling successful businesses. Aronskind is CEO and co-founder of Pepper, a recipe sharing app. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics from the College of Arts and Science. Roth is the CEO and founder of dcdx, a global marketing research and strategy firm. He earned his bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development from Peabody College of education and human development. Read More

John M. Jumper, BS’07, is one of three scientists awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Oct. 9. Jumper currently 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. He is the third Vanderbilt alumnus to win a Nobel Prize. Read More

Through Vanderbilt’s remarkable progress in its ongoing historic Dare to Grow campaign, we are charting a collective course that connects great minds with opportunities to offer solutions to the world’s biggest challenges. We are stronger together, and that strength continues through your alumni journey as Vanderbilt for Life. Read More

Vanderbilt's commitment to freedom of expression and civil discourse is inseparable from its collaborative spirit. It is at the heart of the Vanderbilt community. None of the transformative learning and discovery that we cherish as an institution of higher education can happen without it. At Vanderbilt, “unexpected collaborations” will always lead to great things. It is a function of who we are; it is, quintessentially, this community. Read More

In January 2020, Bernard Nomberg, BA'90, launched the 'Conversations with Commodores' podcast, along with a Facebook group specifically for Vanderbilt football alumni and others close to the program—coaches, trainers, cheerleaders, etc. Today, the community has grown to around 500 members. For all who played, the stories that emerge on the podcast are their shared history. Read More

How well do you know VU? Try your hand at Vanderbilt trivia with our Dare to Grow crossword puzzle. Read More

In today’s world, collaboration is essential in solving problems, bridging the gaps between science, engineering, medicine and the humanities. By prioritizing cross-disciplinary collaborations, Vanderbilt walks the walk—not only across departments—but across schools and cultures. Read More

New York City, Miami, Houston and Atlanta all share one common denominator. These cities are home to a Vanderbilt regional hub. The hubs are key to one of Vanderbilt’s signature initiatives: to grow the school’s footprint beyond the Nashville campus. Read More

With his deep understanding of nonviolent protest, the Rev. James M. Lawson (1928–2024) showed us the way forward for fighting injustice and left a legacy of courage and compassion. Read More

An aerial view of FirstBank Stadium in the Frist Athletics Village highlights the Vandy United campaign’s ongoing commitment to reimagining the footprint of Vanderbilt Athletics. Launched in 2021, Vandy United is an ambitious investment in the university’s student-athletes and athletics programs through major facility and operational enhancements. Read More

With Portland, Oregon, as his base, second-generation Vanderbilt alum Jacob Grier, BA'04, consults in the spirits industry and writes books on topics from tobacco policy to mixology. His latest book on cocktails is 'Raising the Bar: A Bottle-by-Bottle Guide to Mixing Up Masterful Cocktails at Home' (Chronicle Books, 2022) cowritten with Brett Adams, bartender and curator of the selection at the Multnomah Whiskey Library. Read More

Elizabeth “Betsy” Sanner Ayala, BA’99, is the executive in charge behind many popular TV shows across the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio of networks. After joining HGTV in 2016 and advancing her career to head Food Network in 2022, she now oversees the creation, production and release of all Food Network programming and operations. Read More

Whether on a Zoom call with adults regaining their ability to enjoy music through assistive technology like cochlear implants, or working with preschoolers with no music experience at the Neighborhood Music School in Los Angeles, community music facilitator Chrysa Kovach, BMus'13, helps make music accessible for all. Read More

Two-time Olympian and Vanderbilt cross country and track and field alumna Lily Williams and Team USA took home a gold medal in the women’s track cycling team pursuit final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Read More

James R. Sasser, BA’58, JD’61, was a three-term U.S. senator from Tennessee and ambassador to China. (Ann Rayner/Vanderbilt) James R. Sasser, BA’58, JD’61, a former three-term U.S. senator from Tennessee and ambassador to China, died Sept. 10 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He was a statesman who loved Tennessee… Read More

Nearly 4,200 parents, grandparents, siblings and friends convened on the Vanderbilt campus to celebrate Family Weekend 2024. This year’s event, Sept. 6–8, was one of the most successfully attended in recent memory, recording the highest attendance number in five years. Throughout the weekend, guests were invited to share coffee… Read More

K.C. Potter, JD’64, dean emeritus of residential and judicial affairs, died Aug. 26. Potter had an indelible impact on the life of the university and its students over more than three decades of service; he was 85 years old. Read More

What connects Vanderbilt to a crisp craft ale from one of Nashville’s premiere breweries? The vibrant vision and collaborative spirit of Vanderbilt alumna Bailey Spaulding. Read More

Nobel laureate and economist Muhammad Yunus, PhD’71, was recently chosen by President Mohammed Shahabuddin to lead an interim government in Bangladesh. Yunus returned to his native country on Thursday, Aug. 8, after weeks of student-led protests. Read More