Alumni

Krista Donaldson, BS’95, who directs Innovation to Impact at Stanford University’s Byers Center for Biodesign where her work focuses on ensuring design tools and processes are broadly applicable across global markets, will deliver the School of Engineering’s 2023 Chambers Family Entrepreneurial Lecture on Tuesday, April 4, at 4:15 p.m. at the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center, in the Engineering and Science Building. Read More

A mental health battle with internet addiction and the ruinous effects of unfiltered social media nearly ravaged a talented entrepreneur while she was a student at Vanderbilt. But Larissa May, BA’16, has turned her healing journey into an influential, youth-based digital advocacy and empowerment platform, #HalfTheStory. May returned to Vanderbilt March 4 to speak as part of the Clinton Global Initiative University annual meeting. Read More

Before Edwin Keeble, BA 1924, cemented his legacy as one of Nashville’s foremost architects, he found himself at a crossroads: Stay within the comfortable confines of the city he’d grown up in or venture to other parts of the globe and widen his worldview. His decision ultimately would have far-reaching consequences—not just for his career and its impact on Nashville, but for something perhaps even more profound in the eyes of every Commodore basketball fan: the curious origins of Memorial Magic. Read More

When Somto Dimobi Okoye, BE’19, was growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, her mother would open their home to people who needed help—instilling a philosophy of building strength and community through a tightly woven support system. Okoye continues that philosophy by creating ways to help colleagues and Vanderbilt students realize and exercise their full potential. Read More

On Feb. 3, 2023, President Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint Vanderbilt Board of Trust member Corey Thomas, BE'98, as one of 14 new members of the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee. Here Thomas shares his thoughts on leadership, success and workplace culture. Read More

W.G. “Tres” Scheibe and his son, Nate, own Scheibe Design, a high-end furniture studio based in Franklin, Tennessee, where they make handcrafted pieces showcasing modernist design and gorgeous woods.  Read More

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

A poem by Cleve Latham, BA’73, EdD’98 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