Divinity School

Recognizing the significant suicidality, post-traumatic stress, depression and moral injury endured by active military and veteran populations, Vanderbilt Divinity School has partnered with Integrative Mental Health, a national program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, to prepare chaplains for contemporary care challenges. Read More

Maha Elgenaidi, founder and executive director of the Islamic Networks Group, will visit Vanderbilt’s Rothschild Black Box Theater next month for a conversation with Divinity School Dean Yolanda Pierce. The discussion is expected to explore Elgenaidi’s perspective on the Israel-Hamas conflict and the theological context and historical backdrop shaping it, along with her advice on effective communication practices around deeply personal and polarizing topics. Read More

WATCH: Find out how former Commodore football player Cam Robinson is combining a passion for healing, a love of people, and his Divinity School education to change lives. Read More

Four Vanderbilt alumni who devoted their lives to ministry, scholarship and social justice issues have been recognized as the 2023 Vanderbilt Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion Distinguished Alumni/ae. Read More

The Divinity School’s storied history and reputation for theological education—including advocacy for racial and social justice—were key to Yolanda Pierce’s move to Vanderbilt for the deanship. Read More

The combined fine art project and feature-length documentary together strike at the root of anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes by exploring the challenges and aspirations of LGBTQ+ Catholics. The screening, which is free and open to the public, will be on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m., followed by a Q&A and community talk back.  Read More

Since its founding in 1873, Vanderbilt has stayed true to its roots by breaking new ground in various ways, whether in its capacity to be a more welcoming and inclusive community, or in its pursuit of discoveries that help answer humanity’s most pressing questions. Here we present an illustrated guide to just a few of the many pioneering figures who have helped Vanderbilt dare to grow throughout its history. Read More

The spirit of “daring to grow” is inherent to our Vanderbilt way of life, and it extends to every member of our community. It is behind every groundbreaking discovery made by our faculty members, whether in the laboratory, clinic or conference room or within a single line of music or stroke of paint. It lives among our coaches and student-athletes as they continually raise the bar for their own accomplishments. It is exemplified by our staff members, whose dedication to our collaborative culture of excellence helps to create the environment in which we all thrive. And it is especially present among our alumni as they help one another to strive for, and achieve, new ambitions. At Vanderbilt, we learn for life. Read More

Vanderbilt’s partnership with the recently opened National Museum of African American Music promises the potential of community-building discussions involving music, race, history and storytelling. Read More

This fall Vanderbilt welcomed its newest faculty members to campus, and their impact is already being felt, both in the classroom and through their wide-ranging research. Read More

Every single member of our diverse community, from the oldest alumni to the newest admitted students, contributes a vital part to our core mission. We are united by a distinct set of values. That’s why we are a university, not a poly-versity. We stand together. We are one Vanderbilt. Read More

Dale P. Andrews, a teacher, minister, social justice activist, and renowned scholar on the art of preaching, died June 23 in Nashville of cancer. He was 55. Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School received a $1 million grant from the Henry Luce Foundation last December to establish the Public Theology and Racial Justice Collaborative. Dean Emilie M. Townes is serving as the project’s director. Read More

As part of Black History Month, Vanderbilt’s basketball teams suited up in specially made jerseys for their winning games on Feb. 18 and 19. The back of each uniform featured the name of an individual who played an influential role in the civil rights movement. Read More

Five generations of Lillian Harpole Hazelton’s family have attended Vanderbilt—and higher education has played a particularly important role for the women in her family. Read More

Peggy Ann Brainerd Way (VANDERBILT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS) Peggy Ann Brainerd Way, a scholar in pastoral care and the first woman appointed to a full-time position on the Vanderbilt Divinity School faculty, died July 9 in Nashville after a brief battle with cancer. She was 84. Way accepted a position… Read More

To describe James Alexander Jr. as a self-motivated achiever doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of this remarkable young man who is enrolled in the dual-degree program offered by Vanderbilt Law School and Vanderbilt Divinity School. Read More

For Vanderbilt Divinity School alumni who run Nashville nonprofits, the need to serve the city’s underserved remains as great and as varied as ever. Read More

To date, Rosevelt Noble has completed roughly 150 various interviews relating to his project and has taken more than 175,000 photos documenting the experience of African Americans on campus. Read More

Our Amy Grant story is one of several in this issue with a Nashville flavor. Ann Marie Deer Owens’ cover story, “Beloved Community,” showcases Vanderbilt Divinity School graduates who’ve played a significant role in developing and leading local nonprofit organizations that have an impact on the quality of life for all Nashvillians. Read More