Commons Reading
Commons Reading announced for 2020-21 academic year
Apr. 6, 2020—The Commons Reading for the 2020-21 academic year will be "The Person You Mean to Be" by award-winning author Dolly Chugh. The book will be distributed to all incoming first-year undergraduate students as well as incoming transfer students.
VU community discussion of 2019 Commons Reading set for July 23
Jun. 25, 2019—The Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center and the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries will host a discussion of the 2019 Commons Reading, "The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity" by Kwame Anthony Appiah, on Tuesday, July 23. All in the Vanderbilt community are invited to read the book and join in the discussion.
Commons Reading announced for 2019-20
Mar. 11, 2019—The Commons Reading for the 2019-20 academic year will be "The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity" by Kwame Anthony Appiah.
Commons Reading announced for 2018-19
Mar. 26, 2018—The Commons Reading for the 2018-19 academic year will be "The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom" by Jonathan Haidt. Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan R. Wente and Vanessa Beasley, dean of The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons, announced the selection March 26.
Writer-in-residence Andrew Maraniss shares the story of Perry Wallace on ‘The Zeppos Report’
Nov. 27, 2017—On the latest episode of "The Zeppos Report," Vanderbilt writer-in-residence Andrew Maraniss tells Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos about his personal journey to Vanderbilt and how it led him to write Perry Wallace's biography.
First-year students explore resilience through Commons programming
Oct. 19, 2017—Resilience—the ability to adjust to change, recover from setbacks or overcome life’s challenges—is a key theme being explored by first-year students on The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons during 2017-18.
Time Machine: Old technology finds new life in first-year student programming
May. 1, 2017—When first-year students arrived last August at Stambaugh House, a residence hall on The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons, no doubt much of what they encountered was brand new. But a relic from the past awaited them in the Stambaugh lobby.
Commons Reading announced for 2017-18
Feb. 23, 2017—"Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South" will serve as the Commons Reading for a second year in 2017-18, with members of the incoming first-year class exploring additional themes of the book and participating in new and expanded programming.
Register now for Osher 2017 winter classes at Vanderbilt
Nov. 21, 2016—The diverse classes offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Vanderbilt for winter 2017 include a look behind the scenes of 'Romeo and Juliet,' Perry Wallace's inspiring story, and steel drum band.
First-year students learn lessons on race and inclusion at 10th annual Lawson Lecture
Sep. 29, 2016—A reunion 50 years in the making made a significant impact on first-year students at the 10th annual Lawson Lecture Sept. 27, when Vanderbilt alumni Perry Wallace and Godfrey Dillard shared their stories of being young African American basketball recruits and students on campus in the late-1960s.
Fine Arts Gallery exhibition examines era when ‘Vandy woke up’
Sep. 9, 2016—The Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery presents “Race, Sports and Vanderbilt: 1966–1970,” which will showcase photographs, front pages from "The Tennessean," and related artifacts from this time period, beginning Friday, Sept. 23.
Reading, interactive technology gives students insight to African American athletics pioneer
Aug. 24, 2016—Faculty and staff at The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons are kicking off the newly revised Vanderbilt Visions curriculum for first-year students with an interactive activity that will give students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus an opportunity to learn more about African American athletics pioneer and Vanderbilt alumnus Perry Wallace.