Consistently ranked among the nation's leading four-year universities; 21st by U.S. News & World Reports.

Vanderbilt was named one of America's "hot and trendy" universities in a 2001 survey of high school uidance counselors, according to Kaplan/Newsweek College Catalog.

The campus - 330 acres - was designated a National Arboretum in 1988, and features seven Tennessee state champion tree species.

6,027 undergraduates representing every state and 48 countries.

The freshman class of 2001 (1,558) consists of the following: 514 captains of prep athletic teams 172 valedictorians and salutorians 123 class presidents 90 all-state musicians 57 student body presidents 27 cheerleading captains 16 drum majors 6 pilots 3 playwrights and 2 bagpipers

The 2001 class had an average high school GPA of 3.6.

The minority enrollment in the 2002 freshman class is the most in university history. The African- American enrollment also is at its highest level with the 2002 freshman class.

57% of the freshman class came from public schools.

Vanderbilt - A World Class Education

The U.S. News & World Report Findings: Vanderbilt ranked 21st among America’s best national universities in 2002. Vanderbilt Law School ranks 17th in the nation.

Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering has the 12th ranked undergraduate biomedical engineering program in the nation.

The Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University was ranked 17th in the nation by Business Week for its Executive MBA Program.

97% of Vanderbilt’s more than 1,700 full-time and 300 part-time faculty members hold Ph.D.s or other terminal degrees.

For eight consecutive years, Vanderbilt’s Peabody College has been ranked as the #1 school of education by Ruggs Recommendations on Colleges.

With a student-faculty ratio of 9:1, Vanderbilt University provides its students with a highly personalized and interactive learning atmosphere.

Vanderbilt’s Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center, dedicated in 1984, was named in honor of the first African-American student admitted to Vanderbilt in 1954.

Vanderbilt has 6,037 undergraduate students and 4,157 graduate and professional students – 49 percent men and 51 percent women.

Ninety-five percent of the School of Engineering graduates who sought employment had jobs within six months of graduation.

Academic Achievement

The Vanderbilt student-athlete is supported by the Stratton-Foster Academic Center in McGugin Center. The bi-level facility contains four tutorial rooms, a computer complex, reading zone and numerous private areas.

In 2001, the Vanderbilt football program was recognized by the College Football Association for its 100% graduation rate. Vanderbilt was one of two programs honored, sharing the award with Notre Dame. It was the second time in five years for Vanderbilt to receive the recognition.

Vanderbilt is the leader among SEC members in the following rates:
• Team graduation rates;
• Graduation rates of minority students on team - 83% of African American players on the Vanderbilt squad received their degrees, according to the most current statistics.

For the last 15 years, Vanderbilt’s football program has been recognized by the College Football Coaches Association for graduating at least 70% of its players.

98% of all Vanderbilt studentathletes who complete their playing eligibility earn an undergraduate degree.

In 2001, 30 members of the Vanderbilt football team were selected to the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll. The total established new SEC and Vanderbilt records.

Community Service

Vanderbilt players help contribute to a better community surrounding the Vanderbilt campus by getting involved in numerous Nashville-area projects and efforts.

The program, known as CHAMPS/Life Skills, brings players together with young kids in various settings, from tutoring elementary students at local schools to visiting ailing youngsters at Vanderbilt University Children’s Hospital.

CHAMPS/Life Skills

Even with their busy schedules, Commodore student-athletes are among the most actively involved Vanderbilt students when it comes to community service. Whether it’s reading stories at an elementary school, working with disabled children, speaking to groups, serving food at one of several public kitchens in the Nashville area or hosting a Christmas party for disadvantaged local children, Commodores are working to make Nashville a better place.

What the Players are Saying ...

Justin Giboney
Senior Safety from Englewood, Colorado

"Triumph, adversity, loss and education all come together to create my experience at Vanderbilt University. Vanderbilt has afforded me the opportunity to compete in the most competitive environment on and off the field. I have been the beneficiary of Nashville’s southern hospitality and gained a greater sense of self via the world of academia. Above all, I have forged relationships that have and will continue to shape my life. My journey at Vanderbilt is not quite finished, as there are still several goals that remain unattained, but the end nears and still no regrets have surfaced. The only hope I have is that during my time here I have been able to add something to this university because it has definitely enriched my life."

Rushen Jones
Senior Cornerback from Memphis, Tennessee

"You have the best of both worlds at Vanderbilt. I chose Vanderbilt because of the opportunity to get a great education and play in the best conference in America. I also choose to attend Vanderbilt because of the reputation of producing great defensive players. They have always put defensive players in the NFL and I wanted to be a part of that because it has been a dream of mine to play at the next level. I feel extremely blessed with my time at Vanderbilt and plan to complete my degree this December. "

Dan Stricker
Senior Wide Receiver from Cincinnati, Ohio

“It was the challenge that lead me to Vanderbilt. I wanted a school that would challenge me the most. I could have gone to many Top 25 football programs, but I did not want a 8-3 season to be disappointment. I wanted a place where I had to earn my success and be part of a group that did something special. Accompanied with the university’s strong academic hold and the variety of activities in and around Nashville, Vanderbilt’s football program provided me with an opportunity I could not pass up. I wanted to lead the Commodores to a success they could have only dreamed of."

Hunter Hillenmeyer
Senior Linebacker from Nashville, Tennessee

“Growing up in the shadow of Vanderbilt’s stadium, I have always been a fan of the Dores and came to all the games as a kid. When the time came to choose a college, I was torn between the desire to get a great education and the potential of playing big-time football. Vanderbilt was one of the few schools that offered me this unique combination. Having always been a fan, there was nothing left to my decision. While it has been a tremendous challenge lining up against some of the best students in the country Monday through Friday, and against the best football players in the country on Saturday, I wouldn’t trade a moment of it for anything. Every week offers a new challenge in one of the best college football environments around, and through it all, I am earning my degree from one the top-tiered schools in the country. “

Ronald Hatcher
Junior Running Back from Birmingham,Alabama

“When it was time to finally make a decision about where I would play college ball and further my education, it basically all came down to two main things I wanted. One, I chose Vanderbilt over the other schools that I was considering because I wanted the best blend of athletics and academics available. Overall, Vandy just presented the best mix of what I was looking for. And with Nashville being only about two hours away from my hometown, Vandy was a perfect fit for the other thing that was important to me. I didn’t want to go too far away from home so that my parents and grandparents would be able to come to all of my games.”

Tom Simone
Senior Tight End, Pittsburgh, Penn.

“When I chose Vanderbilt, I knew it was going to be the place where I would, for the first time, grow and mature away from family and friends. Initially, the deep academic traditions and the allure of proving myself amidst the formidable athleticism of the SEC drew me to Vanderbilt. With each passing year, however, I increasingly appreciated the privilege of competing, learning, and living in the city of Nashville as well as making friends with people from across the country.”

Path to the Pros

LineBackers

“At Vanderbilt, you get the best of both worlds - a great academic institution and the opportunity to compete at the highest levels of college football.”
- Jamie Duncan

Currently, six former Commodore linebackers are on active NFL rosters -
Jamie Duncan - St. Louis Rams
Jamie Winborn - San Francisco 49ers
Shelton Quarles - Tampa Bay Bucs
Matt Stewart - Atlanta Falcons
Antuian Bradford - Tennessee Titans
Nate Morrow - Tennessee Titans

Defensive Backs

“It was a great character builder, on and off the field. I definitely was more prepared for the next level after my time at Vanderbilt.”
- Corey Chavous

In 2001, five former Commodore DBs were on active NFL rosters :
Corey Chavous - Minnesota Vikings
Corey Harris - Detroit Lions
Ainsley Battles - Jacksonville Jaguars
Jimmy Williams - San Francisco 49ers
Fred Vinson - Carolina Panthers

Vanderbilt and the...

For 21 straight seasons, the SEC has led the nation in total attendance with 5.1 million fans attending SEC games in 2001
Eight SEC schools were ranked in the Top 16 in total attendance in 2001
The SEC was the first conference to have a championship game
The SEC was the first conference to have seven postseason bowl tie-ins
The SEC Championship game in 2001 was the highest rated television game of the regular season in college football
The 12 teams of the SEC have appeared in 317 postseason bowl games, the most of any conference in the nation
In 2001, the SEC had 206 players on NFL rosters, which was tops among college football conferences
In 2001, five SEC players were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. In 2002, six SEC players were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
The SEC led the nation in players drafted in 2002 with 47.
Since 1998, 34 SEC players have been chosen in the first round of NFL Draft.
In the last five seasons, the SEC has had more teams ranked in the final Associated Press poll than any other conference in the nation.
CBS Sports provides exclusive national network broadcasts of SEC football home games throughout the 2008 season.
The SEC distributed about $95.7 million to the league’s 12 institutions in the revenue sharing plans for the 2001-2002 fiscal year. This is the highest total ever distributed in SEC history and was a 22 percent increase from the 2000-2001 fiscal year. The average amount distributed to each school was $7.9 million.
SEC vs. SEC games are the most competitve in the nation. In 49 SEC vs. SEC games last season, the average scoring margin was just 14.51 points per game.

History of the SEC: a Timeline

1932
The 13 members of the Southern Conference west and south of the Appalachian Mountains reorganize to form the Southeastern Conference. In 1940, Martin S. Conner, former Mississippi Governor, is named first SEC commissioner.

1933
The first SEC champions were crowned in four sports (baseball, men’s basketball, football and men’s outdoor track). The league’s inaugural championship was a basketball tournament.

1948
Bernie Moore becomes the SEC’s second full-time commissioner and moves the league offices to Birmingham, Alabama.

1966
A.M. “Tonto” Coleman becomes the SEC’s third commissioner. Under Coleman, the SEC admits its first black athlete, Kentucky football player Nat Northington.

1972
As the SEC’s fourth commissioner, Dr. H. Boyd McWhorter makes a formal agreement to send its football champion to the Sugar Bowl. Also, under his leadership, the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament is reborn in 1979 after being discontinued in 1952.

1979
The Southeastern Conference sponsors its first women’s championships in basketball, tennis and volleyball.

1986
Dr. Harvey Schiller, as the league’s fifth commissioner, establishes the SEC as a leader in the areas of athletic scholarship and marketing.

1990
Under the league’s sixth and current commissioner, Roy Kramer, the SEC welcomes the University of Arkansas and the University of South Carolina as its newest members.

2000
The SEC reaches multi-year extensions with its television partners - CBS Sports, ESPN and Jefferson-Pilot - to televise SEC sports through the 2008-2009 academic year.

Vanderbilt and the Media

Service- Education- Commitment
The SEC honors two student-athletes each year with a $5,000 scholarship for outstanding community service.

The SEC selects a Good Works Team in football, men’s and women’s basketball, and a men’s and women’s at-large team. The teams are composed of student-athletes from each school who have shown a commitment to community service.

The 12-member institutions provide nearly $45 million in scholarships for more than 4,000 student-athletes each year.

The SEC was the first conference in the nation to assemble a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Two representatives from each SEC school are selected to serve on the committee, which meets twice a year to discuss issues of concern to the student-athlete.

The SEC enjoys a partnership with nine Special Olympics state organizations in the SEC region. The partnership gives SEC student-athletes additional rewarding opportunities to help others in their communities.

Nashville is a Sportstown!

“The 18th Best Sports City in America”
- The Sporting News

The Nashville Predators, one of the National Hockey League’s most exciting and innovative franchises, calls Gaylord Entertainment Center home. The 19,000-seat venue is 2.5 miles from the Vanderbilt campus.

Nashville hosts NCAA and SEC basketball tournaments at Gaylord Entertainment Center and the Music City Bowl.

More than just Music City

Largest and most diverse city that serves as home to a Southeastern Conference member.
State capital, entertainment and financial hub of Tennessee.

Vanderbilt campus is located just five minutes from downtown Nashville, where the historic riverfront district boasts a lively nightlife, with restaurants, coffee houses and nightclubs.
Home to nine colleges and universities.
“Hot Jobs, Cool Communities” recipient by Next Generation Consulting.
According to 2001 Nielsen Media Research, Nashville is “30th largest metro market in America” and fourth largest in states housing SEC schools.”

What others are saying about Nashville...

“Nashville is the friendliest city in the United States”
- NBC's Dateline based on Fresno State study

“One of the 25 Cities Likely to have highest job growth”
- Fortune Magazine

“One of the 30 Best Cities for Young People”
- Reality Times.com

Nashville Choices

From the dance clubs and free Dancing in the District concerts downtown to performances in small locations next to the Vanderbilt campus, Nashville has an unmatched array of entertainment choices for a city of its size.

Music City is much more than the Grand Ole Opry. Venues ranging from spacious, such as AmSouth Amphitheater and Gaylord Entertainment Center, to quaint spots like Exit Inn and Belcourt Theatre near the campus, boast a collection of blues, jazz, alternative, rock and bluegrass unrivaled by a city of its size in America.

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