diversity
In Charge: Blake-Anthony Johnson takes lessons learned at Blair to the boardroom in Chicago
Nov. 3, 2020—Overcoming daunting challenges is routine for Blake-Anthony Johnson, BMus’12, who in May became CEO of the Chicago Sinfonietta, a pioneering organization in the orchestral world committed to diversity and parity for all.
OIE and Identity Centers, Center for Student Wellbeing, UCC partner for election week programming Nov. 2–9
Nov. 2, 2020—The Office for Inclusive Excellence and Identity Centers are partnering with the University Counseling Center and Center for Student Wellbeing to provide the time and space for students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and staff to be in community with one another Nov. 2–9.
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month
Nov. 1, 2020—November is Native American Heritage Month. The Student Center for Social Justice and Identity is hosting a series of events under the theme #LandBack, meant to focus on the importance of land and sovereignty for native and indigenous communities.
‘The 400-Meter Heat’: A poem by Destiny O. Birdsong
Oct. 29, 2020—Destiny O. Birdsong, MA’07, MFA’09, PhD’12, is a Louisiana-born poet, fiction writer and essayist who lives and works in Nashville.
Vanderbilt announces University Diversity Council members for 2020–21
Oct. 28, 2020—Vanderbilt University has announced the University Diversity Council members for 2020-21. Formed last year, the council advocates for equity, diversity and inclusion across all areas of Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt University Special Collections acquires new Lawson photographs
Oct. 27, 2020—Rare photographs of the Rev. James M. Lawson Jr., a pivotal figure in the history of the civil rights movement and Vanderbilt University, have been acquired by the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries.
Residential colleges present ’Citizen: An American Lyric’ Nov. 1
Oct. 27, 2020—Vanderbilt’s residential colleges will present a live reading of "Citizen: An American Lyric" by Claudia Rankine on Sunday, Nov. 1. The reading will feature six Vanderbilt undergraduate students and is part of the faculty-led series, Stories of Race and Identity.
New Interfaith Fellowships program engages diversity at Vanderbilt
Oct. 26, 2020—Vanderbilt University’s inaugural cohort of Interfaith Fellows is gaining a new understanding about the diverse religious beliefs of their fellow students during a two-semester leadership program.
Diermeier thanks staff for Vanderbilt’s strong position during unprecedented year
Oct. 23, 2020—During the inaugural Fall Staff Assembly, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier thanked the staff for their hard work, perseverance and expertise to launch the Return to Campus plan. More than 1,250 staff attended the virtual event.
Lawson, Young and others join symposium honoring legacy of Kelly Miller Smith
Oct. 23, 2020—A virtual symposium with noted speakers and artists will reflect on the civil rights legacy of Kelly Miller Smith Sr., Vanderbilt’s first African American administrator, and its meaning today. The symposium is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Vanderbilt University to mark MLK Day as staff holiday starting in 2021
Oct. 23, 2020—Starting in 2021, Vanderbilt University will recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid staff holiday. The move aligns with efforts to strengthen equity, diversity and inclusion on campus.
School of Nursing receives $3.2 million HRSA grant to increase diversity in health care
Oct. 21, 2020—Vanderbilt University School of Nursing will use a $3.2 million federal grant for a scholarship program for economically disadvantaged students from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. The program aims to increase diversity in primary health care providers, particularly in medically underserved areas.