Students move in, march in Founders Walk

More than 1,800 first-year and transfer students moved into their residence halls Aug. 22 and marched through the university's main gate Aug. 23 during Founders Walk, a tradition that formally welcomes new students to the Vanderbilt community. Full Story »

Vanderbilt ranked No. 17 by U.S. News

Vanderbilt has received its best-ever overall ranking in U.S. News & World Report—finishing No. 17 in the list of best national universities, tied with Emory and Rice. Full Story »

Top administrators envision Vanderbilt’s future

In a joint interview Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Richard McCarty, and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine Jeffrey Balser discuss how community, synergy and enduring tradition will define Vanderbilt’s future. Full Story »

Students welcomed at traditional Summer Send-offs across the country

At dozens of Summer Send-off parties, alumni welcomed new and returning students to Vanderbilt. It's a decades-old Vanderbilt tradition, with events hosted by volunteer alumni and parents in cities across the country. In all, more than 4,000 alumni, incoming and current students, and their families attended 41 parties. See Photos »

Football success leads to record applications

Nashville City Paper—Vanderbilt got into one bowl game, and suddenly more students than ever wanted to get into Vanderbilt. That's the way Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos sees it. "We had a record year in applications," Zeppos said as he watched a recent football practice. Full Story »

Vanderbilt to develop new cancer therapies

Vanderbilt has been selected as home to one of 10 centers in the nation participating in the Chemical Biology Consortium, a major new initiative to facilitate the discovery and development of new agents to treat cancer. Full Story »

News from
Alumni Relations

Reunion/Homecoming 2009

Reconnect with friends and classmates Oct. 16–17 and enjoy exciting activities, including class-sponsored educational events, Reunion class parties, and the Homecoming tailgate and game. Registration is now available online. Visit your class Web site to view a complete listing of events and hotels, to make a gift or to find football tickets. Contact the Reunion Weekend Office at (615) 322-6034 with questions. Also remember to use VUconnect, Vanderbilt's new online community, to find fellow alumni.

Not in a Reunion year?

The Nashville Vanderbilt Chapter invites all alumni to the Homecoming tailgate before the Vanderbilt-Georgia football game on Saturday, Oct. 17. For details contact Alumni Relations at (615) 322-2929.

Find Vanderbilt events at a chapter near you

Connect with fellow Vanderbilt alumni and friends at chapter events in your area. Cities with upcoming chapter events include:

View the current calendar of events planned in your area, and check back frequently.

Nominate a Distinguished Alumnus/a

The Alumni Association seeks nominations by Sept. 15 for the next Distinguished Alumni Award, bestowed upon someone whose global contributions have had a beneficial impact on mankind. Check out previous recipients and award criteria, or nominate an alumnus or alumna from any Vanderbilt school.

Help recruit future Commodores

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is looking for alumni to represent Vanderbilt at college fairs and to interview applicants in the United States and abroad. International Commodore Recruitment Programs (CoRPs) volunteers interviewed almost 100 students outside the country last winter, and alumni will be needed again to represent Vanderbilt in London, Paris and Kaiserslautern, Germany. To volunteer in the U.S. or abroad, enroll today or contact the CoRPs team at (615) 343-8286.

Join the Commodore Tailgate Tour

The Vanderbilt Alumni Association and National Commodore Club are sponsoring tailgates at three away football games this fall: Saturday, Sept. 26, at Rice; Saturday, Oct. 10, at Army; and Saturday, Nov. 7, at Florida. Visit the Tailgate Tour Web site for more information or to reserve your spot.

Cheer on the Commodores wherever you are

Many Vanderbilt chapters across the country gather to cheer on the Commodores when football and basketball games are televised in their area. Check your local chapter's Web page for upcoming viewing parties, and keep your e-mail address updated at VUconnect to receive announcements.

Cruise the Canary Islands, Morocco, Seville and Gibraltar April 8–16

Sail with Vanderbilt Professor of History Jane Landers from the sun-washed Canary Islands to the coasts of Morocco and Spain and the fortresslike bastion of Gibraltar, exploring ancient ports and sea routes once plied by the Phoenicians and Romans. Contact the Vanderbilt Travel Program at (615) 322-2929 with questions.

From the Campus

First Student Media Hall of Fame class to be inducted

Five Vanderbilt alumni who made significant contributions as student media staff members and have since distinguished themselves through a variety of careers will be inducted into the inaugural class of the Student Media Hall of Fame Oct. 16. Full Story »

Project Lift Off prepares pre-K grads

Project Lift Off, a new program at Peabody College, aims to ensure that students retain the skills they learned in pre-kindergarten. Full Story »

Worth the effort? Not if you're depressed

New research led by Vanderbilt psychologists Michael Treadway and David Zald indicates that decreased cravings for pleasure may be at the root of a core symptom of major depressive disorder. Full Story »

Alumni affairs leader promoted at School of Medicine

Dr. Ann Price, BA'71, MD'78, has been promoted to associate dean for alumni affairs at the School of Medicine. Price, who has served as executive director for alumni affairs since 2003, remains responsible for fostering mutually beneficial relationships between Vanderbilt and its medical alumni. Full Story »

Schools of Medicine and Nursing welcome largest classes ever

The incoming classes of the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing boast 111 and 426 students, respectively. Both are the largest in school history.

Students meet Nobel laureates

Vanderbilt graduate students Chris Brosey and Bryan Ringstrand were part of a select group of American science students invited to a recent weeklong meeting in Switzerland, where they met and interacted with Nobel laureates. Full Story »

Faculty News

H. Eugene McBrayer Chair established by engineering alumnus gift

Recognized for his work in the field of fuel cell membranes and electrochemical engineering, Professor Peter N. Pintauro is the first holder of the H. Eugene McBrayer Chair in Chemical Engineering in the School of Engineering, established by a gift from McBrayer, BE'54. Full Story »

Dykens named director of Vanderbilt Kennedy Center

Professor of Psychology Elisabeth Dykens has been named director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. She previously served as interim director, helping guide the center through its NIH renewal earlier this year. Full Story »

Political scientist Dragnich dies

Alex N. Dragnich, an expert on Yugoslavia and Serbia and a prolific author who taught for more than a quarter-century at Vanderbilt, died Aug. 10 in Bowie, Md. He was 97. Full Story »

Geer named fellow at Harvard's Shorenstein Center

Distinguished Professor of Political Science John Geer will spend fall 2009 at Harvard University as a fellow at the prestigious Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. Full Story »

vanderbilt.media

VUCast: Rare look at a Vanderbilt giant

Vanderbilt-Fisk partnership aims for more minority doctorates

VUCast: From big bucks to bankruptcy

Dr. William Schaffner interviewed about H1N1 virus

(also interviewed by ABC)

Sports News

Show your black and gold Sept. 5

Be sure to wear your Commodore colors at the football home opener against Western Carolina on Sept. 5. Fans in the western half (sections A–K) of Vanderbilt Stadium are asked to wear black, and those in the eastern half (L–V) should wear gold. Full Story »

Linebacker to attend School of Medicine

The Tennessean—Linebacker Jeff Stokes recently padded his reputation as one of the brainiest Commodores by being one of eight undergraduate students to be accepted into the Vanderbilt School of Medicine before junior year. Full Story »

Big lineman was once a quarterback

The Tennessean—Thomas Welch has told his Vanderbilt teammates that he was once a lean quarterback at nearby Brentwood High, but not everyone believes the 6-foot-7-inch, 310-pound offensive lineman. Full Story »

Passmore named to athletics development post

Vanderbilt Vice Chancellors David Williams and Susie Stalcup have jointly named veteran senior development officer Christy Passmore as executive director of athletics development and the National Commodore Club. Full Story »

SEC launches academic network

Vanderbilt has partnered with ESPN and the 11 other members of the Southeastern Conference to launch the SEC Academic Network, a Web site designed to promote academic endeavors at SEC universities. Full Story »

Football season tickets on sale

Order your tickets early to ensure the best possible seats. Full Story »

VU + iTunes = iTunes U

Download coursework, lectures, news, music, sports, special events and more. Play on your iPod, Mac or PC, or burn a CD. Explore a world of knowledge at Vanderbilt. » Full Story

Pave the way with
your own brick

Vanderbilt fans can now purchase personalized bricks to be installed in two beautiful walkways leading to the newly renovated east and west gates at Vanderbilt Stadium. » Build your brick

Every day, every year, Vanderbilt reaches new levels of success thanks to gifts from alumni, parents and friends. Please consider making your online gift now.

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phone: 615/322-2601 · fax: 615/343-8547 · Editors: Lew Harris, BA'68, and Seth Robertson