Alumni

Melanie Hall Morris, BSN’83, MSN’86, found her calling in providing care for others. Obstetrics and women’s health have been her passion ever since she was an undergraduate student at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. Now, as an assistant professor at the school, she researches innovative ways of facilitating the health… Read More

My sons’ socks, matched and wound tightly like their two faces, sat heavy and hard in the hamper while the day of their going inched its way into our house. My sons’ voices, deep and dry, urgent without message on the line, lent… Read More

To continue the legacy in education to which Bess Parks owes her own career, she wants to give back to those who need help paying for higher education. Through the establishment of two charitable remainder unitrusts and a retirement plan beneficiary designation, she’s found a way to do that and honor the memory of her mother, also a teacher. Read More

Rabbi Jonathan Brumberg-Kraus, a professor of religion at Wheaton College, has written extensively on food rituals and Jewish food for more than 20 years. His book "Gastronomic Judaism as Culinary Midrash" was published in 2018 (Rowman & Littlefield). He defines midrash as “a way of interpreting traditional stories and practices in new ways,” food being one of them. Now, he's turning his attention to Thanksgiving food myths and rituals. Read More

Vanderbilt Athletics has announced that its men’s golf head coaching position has been endowed through a generous gift from Dr. Thomas Roush, BA’97, a former Vanderbilt student-athlete and captain of the men’s golf team. Current head coach Scott Limbaugh will be the first to hold the title of Thomas F. Roush, M.D. and Family Men’s Golf Head Coach. Read More

When Jennifer Janes arrived at Vanderbilt Blair School of Music in 1998, she had two career paths in mind—veterinary medicine and teaching piano at the college level. Her abiding interest in horses and veterinary medicine eventually won out. Today, Dr. Janes is an associate professor of veterinary anatomic pathology at the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Read More

Development and Alumni Relations recently promoted three longtime fundraising professionals into leadership roles in anticipation of the public phase of the university’s ongoing philanthropic campaign. Scotty Mann, Jonathan Petty and Taylor Wood have been named assistant vice chancellors of development; each will have oversight of specific fundraising responsibilities.  Read More

Anighya Crocker, BMus’21, came to Vanderbilt as a multiracial, first-generation college student with big dreams to serve the community through public office and music. His Vanderbilt experience as a double major in Law, History and Society and music performance has helped him to hone both of those dreams. Read More

On a weekend blessed by perfect fall weather, nearly 6,000 alumni and their guests returned to Vanderbilt Oct. 6–9 for Reunion, the first since 2019. Read More

Alexis Garcia, BA'99, is executive vice president for the film group at Fifth Season, formerly Endeavor Content, the production company behind movies such as Cha Cha Real Smooth, Ambulance, The Peanut Butter Falcon and the Academy Award-recognized The Lost Daughter. Read More

Vanderbilt-related authors will have a strong presence at the 2022 Southern Festival of Books: A Celebration of the Written Word, which takes place at War Memorial Plaza and Nashville Public Library Oct. 14–16. Read More

Lauren Obersteadt, BA’98, has been named assistant vice chancellor for alumni engagement and annual giving at Vanderbilt University. A longtime leader of Vanderbilt’s Alumni Relations team, Obersteadt recently added the Annual Giving team to her portfolio. Read More

The Quality Education for Minorities Network, in partnership with Vanderbilt University and other universities, has been awarded funding for a conference on supporting underrepresented minorities in STEM. Read More

Tommy Oswalt, BA’20, did not come to Vanderbilt with a mapped-out plan for his major. That initially made him nervous, but the first-generation college student jumped in with an open mind and a passion for building community—paving the way for a successful career. Read More

Barney S. Graham, PhD'91, chief architect for the first experimental COVID-19 vaccine, will give the School of Medicine Basic Sciences Dean’s Lecture on Oct. 17 and be presented with the 2021 Distinguished Alumnus Award by Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. Read More

An award-winning television producer, a journalist-turned-scholar of media innovation, a co-founder of Vandy-in-Hollywood, an opinion editor at The New York Times, and an award-winning entertainment correspondent are the latest inductees in the Vanderbilt Student Media Hall of Fame. Read More

Stephanie Oberhausen, BMus’04, has been named associate vice chancellor and chief development officer for Vanderbilt University, effective Oct. 3. Oberhausen will continue to direct leadership philanthropy efforts and provide strategic oversight of school, college, unit, athletics and planned giving development as well as campaign management. Read More

San Francisco-based venture capital firm Bee Partners now boasts two Vanderbilt graduates among its leadership: Founder Michael Berolzheimer, BS'00, and Kira Noodleman, BA'08, who recently was promoted to partner and now leads the Denver office.    Read More

A $5 million gift from Robert M. Levy, BA’72, and his wife, Diane vS. Levy, to Vanderbilt University will provide internship stipends for deserving undergraduate students and seek additional giving through a challenge match. Read More