Commencement Class Of 2022 Profiles
WATCH Class of 2022: Students find belonging and enrich community
Students who attend Vanderbilt belong to a special community, brought together for the purpose of making each other—and society as a whole—better. Meet members of the Class of 2022 who have cultivated belonging to strengthen, support and enrich their community. Read More
WATCH Class of 2022: Inspiration, intellect, and shared purpose forge life-changing collaborations
At Vanderbilt, a mindset of collaboration is infused in every aspect of university life. Meet members of the Class of 2022 whose collaborations within the VU and Nashville communities have led to profound outcomes. Read More
WATCH Class of 2022: Student-athletes thrive on and off the field
For student-athletes, balancing rigorous academics and the highest level of collegiate sports competition means taking collaboration and drive to the highest level. Meet some Class of 2022 students who are thriving on and off the field. Read More
Class of 2022: Tita González Peña builds community through free medical clinic
Compassion and community have been touchstones for graduate student Tita González Peña as she has taken on multiple challenges to bring empathetic and equitable health care to the socially disadvantaged. Read More
WATCH Class of 2022: Strong vision and enterprising spirit propel students to forge new paths
Vanderbilt is a community where innovative students with a strong vision and drive are championed and encouraged to pursue their passions and forge their own paths. Meet some members of the Class of 2022 whose strong vision and enterprising spirit propelled them to learn, explore and thrive. Read More
Class of 2022: Megan Jordan works at the intersection of art and social justice
Art, research, social justice, and community are the cornerstones that support the life and work of sociology Ph.D. candidate Megan Jordan, MA’19. Read More
Class of 2022: Military nurse and master’s student Stacey Rokas turns to Vanderbilt while on front lines of COVID pandemic
In the midst of working toward her master's of science in nursing, military nurse and mother of 10 Stacy Rokas was deployed to the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s when her nursing school instructors became her lifeline in battling the new and evolving disease. Read More
Class of 2022: Dom Keegan finds family and challenge with VandyBoys
For Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt was an opportunity to follow his baseball dream to a university that is synonymous with excellence on the diamond...Keegan has found a special level of support on campus and at home, and his baseball dream has prospered. Read More
Class of 2022: Quentin Millora-Brown willing to play his role in engineering climate change solutions
Quentin Millora-Brown, a senior forward on the men’s basketball team, had his best individual season this year. A starter in 30 games, he led Vanderbilt in blocked shots and was second in rebounding. Perhaps even more importantly, he helped create the culture of succes. Off the court, Millora-Brown knows that camaraderie alone won’t solve society’s most pressing issues, such as the climate crisis—a problem he is passionate about. But he believes the same team approach in pursuit of a larger goal will make a difference. Read More
Class of 2022: Lucy Britto broadens access to biomedical science community through mentoring
When digging into a scientific challenge, biomedical engineering major Lucy Britto aims to do more than solve a problem. She also wants to open doors to the scientific community by helping others understand the solution and broadening access for traditionally underrepresented groups. Read More
Rock-climbing student duo pursues scientific, business and Olympic dreams
Vanderbilt Climbing Club teammates Michael Finn-Henry and Olivia Busk are taking collaboration and innovation to new heights with a breakthrough medical device—and a possible trip to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Read More
Class of 2022: Jordyn Cambridge emerges from adversity as a servant-leader
On the basketball court, Jordyn Cambridge excels at making those around her better. A point guard who played the most minutes for a team that reached the third round of this season’s Women’s National Invitation Tournament, she finished third in assists in the mighty SEC. Little wonder that the Nashville native gravitated toward human and organizational development at Vanderbilt. For as long as she has played basketball, she has studied the subtleties of human interaction. Read More
Class of 2022: Brianne Gross is an unlikely lacrosse star and a born engineer
Growing up in California, where lacrosse had yet to take hold to the same extent as on the East Coast, Bri Gross discovered her athletic passion almost by accident. But the first time she picked up a lacrosse stick was far from the first time she was intrigued by how something worked. Never far from her dad’s side in his garage workshop, she was and remains an inveterate tinkerer. Read More
Class of 2022: Madison Woods builds community and culture one tour at a time
Vanderbilt tour guide Madison Woods strives to be authentic, optimistic and inviting when meeting prospective students and families for the first time. From her perspective, creating a sense of belonging starts on day one. Read More
Class of 2022: Liza Moskowitz believes business success starts with cultivating community
When Liza Moskowitz walked into the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, she had a vision for her future as a business leader. Part of that included building and empowering a supportive and success-driven community.
“Everything that I do I think through the lens of, ‘Does this action build or break community?’ Read More
Class of 2022: Double ’Dore Emily Burgess uses law school experience to expand advocacy work
Class of 2022: Whether giving legal support to survivors of sexual assault, immigrants or inmates on Tennessee’s death row, Emily Burgess is on a mission to be an advocate for those in need. Read More
Class of 2022: Harry Choi uses global experiences to create belonging on campus
Harry Choi has lived in four countries on three continents, learned five languages and made lasting connections with people from around the globe. At Vanderbilt he is using his international experiences to help people feel a greater sense of belonging on campus. Read More
Class of 2022: Dillon Pruett draws on personal experience in genetic research of stuttering
Class of 2022: Growing up, Dillon Pruett didn’t know anyone who stuttered like he did, but he was well aware of how widely misunderstood the disorder was, both among children and adults. As he learned more about the science behind it, he became determined to dispel those misconceptions. Today the Basic Sciences Ph.D. candidate is conducting novel genetic research to provide a better understanding of stuttering and ultimately develop new therapies to treat it. Read More
Class of 2022: Hao Zhen finds joy in imaginative approach to music composition
It’s not unusual to see Hao Zhen literally bouncing with enthusiasm into the classrooms and rehearsal halls at Vanderbilt Blair School of Music. Her excitement about making music can be traced to a pivotal moment in her childhood. Read More
Class of 2022: Adrian White strives to embody an inclusive and welcoming version of Christianity
Class of 2022: Becoming an ordained Presbyterian minister was not initially part of Adrian White’s future plans, but that path became clear during their time at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Read More