Graduate Student Village construction started

2021

Vanderbilt began construction of a Graduate Student Village to provide housing to VU graduate and professional students.

Board of Trust identified ad hoc committee to support diversity

2020

The Vanderbilt Board of Trust identified members of an ad hoc committee to support the University's equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. The...

New "Inclusion at Vanderbilt" portal launched

2020

Vanderbilt launched an Inclusion web portal with information about its identity centers, offices devoted to equity and diversity, and resources...

First tenured Indigenous faculty member at School of Engineering

2020

Brett Byram was the first Indigenous faculty member to be tenured in Biomedical Engineering.

Diversity and Inclusion budget doubled

2020

The budget for the University-wide Office for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and the Office for Inclusive Excellence doubled. The budget increase...

New Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

2020

Dr. André L. Churchwell was appointed as Vanderbilt's new Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.

First Spanish-American Dean at Blair School of Music

2020

Dr. Lorenzo F. Candelaria became the new Dean of Blair School of Music in July 2020.

First Muslim Assistant Dean at Peabody

2020

Dr. Hasina Mohyuddin became the Assistant Dean of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Peabody, the first Muslim to fill the role.

Leadership met with faculty, staff, and students to discuss racial justice

2020

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Vanderbilt leadership met with students, faculty, and staff to listen to their concerns...

New Vice Provost for Academic Advancement and Executive Director of the...

2020

Interim Chancellor and Provost Susan R. Wente appointed William H. Robinson as Vanderbilt’s Vice Provost for Academic Advancement and Executive...

National Pan-Hellenic House opened

2019

National Pan-Hellenic House opened to serve historically African American fraternities and sororities.

Posse Scholars Program celebrated 30 years

2019

The Posse Scholars Program celebrated 30 years at Vanderbilt.

First woman interim chancellor

2019

Susan R. Wente served as the university's first woman interim chancellor from August 15, 2019, through June 30, 2020. Wente shepherded the university...

Career Center offered "Out in the Workplace"

2019

"Out in the Workplace" is a guide published by the Vanderbilt Career Center which includes tips for navigating the internship/job search.

Staff WAVE Committee formed

2019

The Staff Women Advancement and Equity Council (WAVE) was formed in 2019 with the mission to address issues facing women staff at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt University Diversity Council established

2019

The University Diversity Council was established in 2019.

Frist Center for Autism and Innovation opened

2018

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation opened with a focus on supporting and developing the talents of individuals with autism at Vanderbilt...

New Trailblazer portraits honoring diverse champions

2018

Vanderbilt unveiled four portraits of figures who broke barriers at the University and in society at large, including Perry Wallace, Rev. Walter R....

New Chief Diversity Officer

2018

James E. Page Jr. was recruited to be the new Chief Diversity Officer and Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.

Women's Initiative

2018

The Provost established a Women's Initiative to focus on the status of women students, faculty, and postdoctoral fellows.

Student Care Network launched

2018

The Student Care Network is a fully-integrated model of care that provides a holistic and inclusive system of health and wellness services and...

The Student Center for Social Justice and Identity opened

2017

The Student Center for Social Justice and Identity opened in 2017 with the following mission: to promote an environment of cultural competency,...

FirstVU launched for first-generation students

2017

Vanderbilt created FirstVU to provide support for students who are the first in their family to attend a four-year university.

First Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence named

2017

Vanderbilt appointed Melissa C. Thomas-Hunt as the first Vice Provost of the Office for Inclusive Excellence (OIE).

LGBT Policy Lab created

2017

Vanderbilt LGBT Policy Lab was created as part of the Vanderbilt Trans-Institutional Programs.

International Strategy Working Group formed

2016

Susan R. Wente, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, convened the International Strategy Working Group (ISWG) to brainstorm and...

Official opening of Center for Student Wellbeing

2016

Designed to be a hub for wellness and prevention resources, the center increases access to mental health and wellbeing services by focusing on helping...

Memorial Hall renamed

2016

Following the return of a 1933 donation from the Tennessee division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Memorial Hall was renamed.

Experience Vanderbilt launched

2016

The goal of Experience Vanderbilt's (EV) is to remove financial barriers for undergraduates to participate in Vanderbilt student organizations and...

Vanderbilt's highest percentage of diverse first-year students

2016

According to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, Vanderbilt posted its highest percentage of minority first-year students ever.

GO THERE Campaign for wellness launched

2016

In 2016, Vanderbilt launched the GO THERE Campaign, which is a campus-wide program to foster a culture of openness, honest reflection, and brave...

Unconscious bias training initiated

2016

Vanderbilt University provided unconscious bias training.

First African American tenured at School of Engineering

2016

William H. Robinson (hired in 2010) became the first African American in the School of Engineering’s history to earn promotion with tenure.

Chancellor called diversity and inclusion "most important issues"

2015

During the Fall Faculty Assembly, Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos called diversity and inclusion Vanderbilt's "most important issues" in the coming years.

Board of Trust formed Diversity, Inclusion and Community committee

2015

The Board of Trust created the Diversity, Inclusion, and Community committee. The committee submitted a report in 2016.

FutureVU launched to change campus

2015

FutureVU is a land-use plan that will guide the development of Vanderbilt's campus for the next 20 to 30 years.

First Chief Diversity Officer

2015

George Hill was hired as Vanderbilt's first Chief Diversity Officer and Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.

Office of Inclusion Initiatives and Cultural Competence opened

2015

Vanderbilt opened the Office of Inclusion Initiatives and Cultural Competence (IICC) to stimulate constructive conversations about differences and to...

Students demand more diversity at Vanderbilt

2014

Students formed a campus group known as "Hidden Dores" to bring awareness to issues of racial discrimination, microaggressions, and other negative...

Center for Teaching offered workshops on difference and power in pedagogy

2014

The Center for Teaching (CFT) annually organizes a learning community dedicated to exploring dimensions of difference and power in pedagogy and...

First woman Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

2014

In 2014, Dr. Susan Wente became the first woman to serve as Vanderbilt's Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

First African American woman dean of the Divinity School

2013 - 2021

Rev. Dr. Emilie Maureen Townes is a distinguished scholar and ethicist who was appointed as Dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School in 2013.

Six students enrolled in inaugural Next Steps class

2010

Six students with intellectual and developmental disabilities enrolled in inaugural program at Vanderbilt.

Opportunity Vanderbilt launched

2009

Opportunity Vanderbilt is a need-blind admissions process that provides 100% of a family's demonstrated financial need without loans in order for...

K.C. Potter Center dedicated

2008

The K.C. Potter Center, home of the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Life, was dedicated on October 24, 2008.

Discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression prohibited

2008

Gender identity and gender expression were included in Vanderbilt University's Non-Discrimination Policy.

First openly gay faculty member at the Law School

2006

Terry A. Maroney was the first openly gay woman faculty member at the Law School.

Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-Ph. D. Program admitted its first students

2004

In 2002, discussions began between Vanderbilt and Fisk faculty about how to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in science, technology,...

Ben Schulman Center for Jewish Life opened

2002

In 2002, the Ben Schulman Center for Jewish Life opened on campus.

First tenured Asian American male faculty member at the Law School

2001

Richard Nagareda, J.D., joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2001. He eventually became the first tenured Asian American male faculty member at...

First person to earn a MBA and Master of Divinity

2001

Cindy Kent was the first person to earn a Master of Business Administration (1999) and Master of Divinity degree (2001) from Vanderbilt University.

Project Safe program established

2000

Project Safe was founded as a program within the Women's Center. It was established as a separate entity in 2014 entitled the Project Safe Center for...

First African American Vice Chancellor

2000

David Williams II became the first African American Vice Chancellor and the first African American general counsel when he was appointed Vice...

First woman chair of Board of Trust

1999

Martha R. Ingram became the first woman to serve as chair of the Board of Trust (1999-2011).

First woman dean of Peabody

1998

Dr. Camilla Benbow became the first woman Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development at Peabody College.

Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender and Sexuality established

1995

The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender and Sexuality was founded at Vanderbilt Divinity School in 1995 with a $2.5 million grant from the E. Rhodes...

First disabled faculty member joined Peabody

1992

In 1992, Dr. Anne Corn became the first disabled faculty member to join Peabody.

All Faith Chapel created

1992

The Divinity School created the All Faith Chapel, in addition to the Benton Chapel, as a way of creating a dedicated space appropriate for worship...

Discrimination based on sexual orientation prohibited

1991

Vanderbilt added a sexual orientation clause to its Non-Discrimination Policy.

First African American president of the Alumni Association

1991

Wilton "Larry" Wallace became the first African American president of the Alumni Association.

Student groups ordered to integrate

1987

The Board of Trust ordered racial integration of all student groups.

First woman professor at Blair

1986

Enid Katahn was the first woman professor (piano) at Blair School of Music.

First Native American dean of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program

1986

Dr. Linda Sealy joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 1986 and conducted research on the function of the three isoforrms of the C/EBPbeta transcription...

Vanderbilt professor in space

1985

In 1985, the nation's first Chinese American astronaut and future Vanderbilt professor was in space aboard STS-51B Challenger.

First African American dean of the Graduate School

1984

Russell G. Hamilton became the first African American Dean of any Vanderbilt college or school when he was appointed as Dean of Graduate Studies and...

Association of Vanderbilt Black Alumni established

1984

The Association of Vanderbilt Black Alumni was formed during a Homecoming weekend meeting of alumni in Sarratt Cinema. Eugene Watkins was elected the...

Black Cultural Center named in honor of Bishop Joseph Johnson

1984

In 1984, the space formerly known as the "Afro-House" was renamed in honor of Bishop Joseph Johnson, who was the first African American graduate of...

First woman to gain tenure at the Law School

1983

Allaire Urban Karzon became the first tenured woman professor at Vanderbilt Law School.

First tenured African American professor at the Law School

1982

After seven years at Vanderbilt, Robert Belton became the first African American professor to earn tenure at the Law School in 1982.

First African American chair of major department at the School of Medicine

1981

Dr. Arnold Malcolm became the first African American to chair a major department (Radiation Oncology Clinical Program) at Vanderbilt School of...

WEAV (Women's Equity at Vanderbilt) created

1981

The group arose to help raise awareness about women’s status at VU and also to support the case of Elizabeth Langland, who was denied tenure in the...

First woman tenured at Vanderbilt University

1980

Professor Charlotte Fischer became the first woman tenured in Vanderbilt School of Engineering in 1980.

First African American woman graduate of the Divinity School

1980

Lillian Wynn was the first African American woman to graduate from Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Vanderbilt University merged with Peabody College

1979

Women's Center established

1978

The Women’s Center was established at Vanderbilt in 1978.

First woman president of the Student Government Association

1978

Kim L. Shafer became the first woman elected president of the Vanderbilt Student Government Association.

Students protest Vanderbilt's decision to host Davis Cup

1978

Thousands of students from Vanderbilt University and other colleges around Nashville protested Vanderbilt's decision to host the Davis Cup due to...

First African American women graduates of the School of Medicine

1978

Darlene Dailey (now Eason) and Janice Jones became the first African American women graduates of Vanderbilt School of Medicine.

Holocaust Lecture Series established

1977 - 2021

The Holocaust Lecture Series was established by University Chaplain Beverly Asbury in 1977.

First African American woman athlete

1977

Teresa Lawrence-Phillips (BA '80) became Vanderbilt’s first African American woman athlete when she joined the women’s basketball team in the...

First woman full-time professor at the Divinity School

1977

Peggy Ann Brainerd Way became the first woman to be appointed to a full-time position at the Divinity School.

First woman awarded an endowed chair

1976

Ingeborg Mauksch became the first woman awarded an endowed chair at Vanderbilt when she was appointed as the Valere Potter Distinguished Professor of...

First African American M.D. to earn a doctorate

1976

Robert Taylor became the first African American medical doctor to earn a doctorate at Vanderbilt.

First woman dean of the Divinity School

1975

Dr. Sallie McFague (1933-2019) became the first woman Dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School and first woman dean of an American theological school.

First African American woman to earn an MBA

1975

In 1975, Millicent Gray Lownes-Jackson became the first African American woman to earn a Master of Business Administration degree from Vanderbilt.

First Hispanic recipient of the Founder's Medal

1975

Luis Joaquin Batista (BE '75) was the first Hispanic person to be awarded the Founder's Medal (Engineering).

First woman to chair the Faculty Senate

1974

Dr. Mildred Stahlman became the first woman to chair the Vanderbilt Faculty Senate.

First African American woman to earn a doctorate

1974

Eve Lee (PhD '74) became the first African American woman to earn a doctorate (German) from Vanderbilt.

First woman associate dean at the College of Arts & Science

1973

In 1973, Dr. Ruth Grace Zibart became the first woman associate Dean of the College of Arts & Science.

Women's Studies Program offered its first courses

1973

Women’s Studies program (now called the Gender and Sexuality Studies Department) began offering classes with Professor Susan Ford Wiltshire as one of...

First woman faculty member at the Law School

1972

Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey became the first woman faculty member at Vanderbilt Law School.

Commission on the Status of Women

1972

Chancellor Heard convened a Commission on the Status of Women in 1972.

First African American president of the Student Government Association

1971

Wilton “Larry” Wallace became the first African American student to be elected as president of the Student Government Association.

2006 Nobel Laureate received his doctorate in economics

1971

Dr. Muhammad Yunus earned his doctorate in economics from Vanderbilt University in 1971.

African American received the first degree from the School of Management

1971

Edward Alston Jr., an African American veteran who earned a Bronze Star, received the first degree awarded by the Vanderbilt Graduate School of...

First African American Coach in the SEC

1970

Harold Hunter became the first African American member of a SEC coaching staff when he was hired as Assistant Basketball Coach in 1970.

First African American graduate of the School of Medicine

1970

Dr. Levi M. Watkins Jr. became the first African American graduate of Vanderbilt School of Medicine.

First African American graduate of the School of Nursing

1970

Bobbi Perdue became the first African American woman to graduate from the Vanderbilt School of Nursing.

First African American football player

1969

Taylor Stokes became Vanderbilt’s first African American football player.

First Black Studies course offered

1969

Vanderbilt's first Black Studies course was entitled "Government Policy Toward Racial Minorities" and was offered in 1969.

African American elected VP of Student Government Association

1969

Walter Murray Jr. was elected Vice President of the Student Government Association.

African American Assistant Dean at the Divinity School

1969

Rev. Kelly Miller Smith (1920-1984) was a clergyman and civil rights activist in Nashville who was hired at Vanderbilt in 1969.

First African American to earn tenure hired at School of Management

1969

Flournoy A. Coles Jr., the first African American faculty member to gain tenure, was hired at the School of Management. Owen annually awards a prize...

First Nigerian student

1968

Maurice Chamba Ngwu from Biafra, Nigeria became the first Nigerian student at Vanderbilt.

First African American woman to earn a graduate degree

1968

Portia Poindexter became the first African American woman to earn a graduate degree (Master of Arts in History) from Vanderbilt.

Exchange program with Alabama A&M University

1967

Founded in 1875, Alabama A&M University is a Historically Black University located in Normal, AL.

First African American athletes

1966

Perry Wallace and Godfrey J. Dillard were the first African American athletes at Vanderbilt and in the SEC.

First African American resident physician

1966

Harold Jordan was the first African American resident physician at the School of Medicine.

Pioneering early education research done at Peabody

1966

Dr. Susan Gray founded and became the first Director of the Peabody Demonstration and Research Center for Early Education.

First African American woman to earn a Bachelor's degree

1966 - 1967

Dr. Dorothy Wingfield Phillips became the first African American woman to receive an undergraduate degree (chemistry) from Vanderbilt University.

Vanderbilt's first African American faculty

1965

Dr. James Puckette Carter and Malinda H. Gregory became the first African American faculty at any Vanderbilt teaching school.

First woman appointed to the Board of Trust

1964

In 1964, Mary Jane Werthan became the first woman appointed to the Vanderbilt Board of Trust.

First woman academic department chair at the College of Arts & Science

1964

Dr. Elsie Quarterman became the first woman academic department (General Biology) chair.

The entire University integrated

1964

Trustees voted to racially integrate the entire university in May, 1962, with the first group of African American undergraduate students entering in...

First African American woman graduate from the Law School

1964

In 1964, Janie Greenwood Harris became the first African American woman to graduate from the Law School.

First IMPACT Symposium

1964

The first IMPACT Symposium was held in 1964 when a group of Vanderbilt students saw the need to increase the campus’s exposure to current issues by...

Student calls for racial integration of entire University

1962

John Sergent (BA '63, MD '66), student senator, called on Board of Trust to integrate all undergraduate schools at VU.

Expulsion of James M. Lawson, "The Lawson Affair"

1960

The executive committee of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust voted to expel James M. Lawson Jr. from the Divinity School for his role in the civil rights...

First African American students to attend the Law School

1956 - 1959

Frederick Taylor Work and Edward Melvin Porter became the first two African American students at Vanderbilt Law School, making it the first law school...

First woman to receive a Founder's Medal in Engineering

1956

Mia Hardcastle became the first woman to receive the Founder's Medal in Engineering. In 1982, she also was the first woman president of the...

First African American graduate of Peabody College

1955

Tommie Morton-Young received her Master of Arts in library science degree in 1955, becoming the first African American to graduate from George Peabody...

Peabody admitted principals of African American schools

1954

Peabody admitted 14 principals from African American schools on Southern Education Foundation (SEF) scholarships.

First African American student to attend Vanderbilt University

1953 - 1958

Bishop Joseph A. Johnson became the first African American student and doctoral graduate at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt changed its admissions policy on race

1953 - 1955

In 1953, the Board of Trust voted to admit an African American student, Joseph Johnson, to Vanderbilt Divinity School.

First woman graduate from the School of Engineering

1945

The first woman to graduate from the School of Engineering was Vera Jane Jones Mackey, BA'44, BE'45.

First woman editor of The Hustler

1942

Betty Freeman became the first woman editor of The Hustler.

First women graduates of the School of Medicine

1929

Dr. Louise Allen Beard and Dr. Thelma Byrd Bowie became the first women graduates of Vanderbilt School of Medicine.

First woman member of the Basic Sciences faculty with a doctoral degree

1926

Ann Minot was the first woman member of the Basic Sciences faculty with a doctoral degree.

First Dean of Women appointed

1925

Ada Belle Stapleton became the first official Dean of Women and the first woman appointed as professor of English at Vanderbilt.

First woman faculty member at the School of Medicine

1922

Dr. Anna Mary Bowie (1890-1980) became the first woman faculty member at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine.

First El Salvadoran graduate from the School of Medicine

1921

Roberto Moran from El Salvador graduated with a degree (M.D.) from the Vanderbilt School of Medicine.

First woman graduated from the Law School

1919

Clara Marie Weber Allen became the first woman to receive the L.L.B. degree from Vanderbilt Law School. She also received the Founder's Medal upon...

Peabody's first woman doctorate recipient

1919

Marie Hackl Means became the first woman to earn a doctorate from Peabody College.

First Jewish trustee

1918

Lee Loventhal became the first Jewish trustee elected to Vanderbilt's Board of Trust.

First Jewish student organization

1915

The first Jewish student organization, Vanderbilt Menorah Society, was established at Vanderbilt.

Indian student to attended the School of Medicine

1909 - 1910

Ram Darbari of India attended the Vanderbilt School of Medicine from 1909 to 1910.

First woman student to attend the Law School

1908

Vanderbilt Law School accepted its first woman student, Nadine Helm. She did not enroll. Lucy L. Jones matriculated for one year from 1915 to 1916...

First Mexican faculty member

1906 - 1915

Andres Osuna of Mexico was the first Mexican Instructor (Assistant Professor of Spanish) and served in this capacity from 1906 to 1915.

First woman alumna elected to Phi Beta Kappa

1902

Anna Brown became the first woman Vanderbilt alumna elected to Phi Beta Kappa, a prestigious academic honor society.

First African American to lead class on anatomical dissection

1898

August William Gunter became the first African American to lead a class on anatomical dissection.

Women's basketball team formed

1897

The Vanderbilt women's basketball team was formed with Stella Vaughn, daughter of Vanderbilt Professor William J. Vaughn, as the coach.

First Mexican student to attend the School of Engineering

1894

Leopoldo Castro of Mexico attended the Vanderbilt School of Engineering.

Women students accepted into all academic courses

1892

The Vanderbilt Registrar noted that "young women, who are not less than sixteen years of age and thoroughly prepared, will be admitted by courtesy to...

First Asian graduate of the School of Medicine

1890

Genrio Hashimoto from Japan graduated with an M.D. from the School of Medicine.

First Asian student to attend the Law School

1889

Reikichi Sugayama of Japan attended Vanderbilt Law School for two years.

First Indigenous graduates from the Law School

1889

William Wirt Hastings and William P. Thompson, both members of the Cherokee Nation, graduated from Vanderbilt Law School in 1889.

First Asian graduate of Vanderbilt University

1885

Song Jiashu, also known as "Charles Jones Soong," a student from China, received a theology certificate from the Biblical Department.

First Mexican students to attend Vanderbilt

1877 - 1879

Juan Pardo and Juan Sierra Valencia, both from Mexico, attended Vanderbilt Divinity School which was then referred to as the Biblical Department.

First woman student to earn a degree

1875 - 1879

Kate Lupton began to sit in on classes in 1875. She was the first woman to earn a degree from Vanderbilt University in 1879.

Peabody's first women faculty

1875

Professors Emma Cutter and Julia Sears were the first women faculty at Peabody College. Sears taught at Peabody until her retirement in 1907.

Cornelius Vanderbilt donated $1 million to endow a University

1873

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a shipping and passenger transportation magnate who amassed a fortune of $100 million. In 1873, he made a $1 million gift to...

Peabody College established

1785

Peabody College started in a one-room schoolhouse in Nashville when Davidson College was chartered by the state of North Carolina (which then included...