Partners in Community

Interested in partnering with Vanderbilt? Discover opportunities to engage with students, faculty, and staff in support of Nashville’s communities.

Watkins Park dedication of HOPE basketball Court with painting of Perry Wallace.

Engaging Vanderbilt Beyond the Classroom

Vanderbilt is proud to foster community partnerships throughout the city of Nashville. These collaborations vary in scope and serve to connect the university's resources with the broader community.

Below are resources to help you get Vanderbilt students, faculty, and staff involved with your organization.


Volunteers

Vanderbilt students volunteering

Vanderbilt
Get Connected

From Campus to Community

If you're looking to involve Vanderbilt students, staff and faculty as volunteers, the Vanderbilt Get Connected platform is your go-to resource.

On the Vanderbilt Get Connected platform, community partners can create a profile and post volunteer opportunities for everyone on campus or select groups. These opportunities can be one-time events or ongoing projects. The Vanderbilt community can participate individually or as a group, depending on your organization's needs.

  • Getting started with Get Connected

    Please review the steps below to ensure your organization and upcoming volunteer needs are approved.

    Registering for Get Connected

    1. Register your agency profile on Vanderbilt Get Connected here: vu.edu/getconnected
    2. Review the follow-up email prompting you to complete upload Proof of Insurance via Vanderbilt’s InfoReady platform. Note: This will require a separate login creation.
    3. Once your agency is approved in Vanderbilt Get Connected, begin creating volunteer needs on the platform (e.g. single-instance and recurring needs).

    Additional Resources
    Should you wish to dig into Get Connected training resources further, visit the agency training resource page.

Vanderbilt service fair

Service Fair

Another way to connect with volunteers is to participate in Vanderbilt's annual Service Fair.

The Service Fair will be in spring 2026! Stay tuned for exact dates!

Learn More


More Ways to Connect and Collaborate

Vanderbilt is committed to partnering with the community in various ways. Below are some additional opportunities to connect with university resources and people.

Internships for Students

If you're looking for student interns, the Vanderbilt Career Center can help. Internships at Vanderbilt may be called different names like practicum, capstone, and more. You can post these opportunities on Handshake, our online platform.

Board Service for Faculty and Staff

Vanderbilt supports faculty and staff in joining community organization boards. This helps community groups network and build connections with the university.

Research and Consulting Opportunities

Vanderbilt students, graduate students, faculty and staff collaborate with the community on a variety of projects, bringing their expertise to meet shared goals and needs.