In late January, Vice Chancellor Darren Reisberg shared a message thanking the Division of Administration for its extraordinary response during the winter storm. He noted that many staff members worked long hours, stayed on campus or nearby, and spent time away from their families to ensure our students, faculty, staff, and visitors were safe and supported.

“What I’ve seen over the last few days is what makes this community special: people looking out for one another, stepping up when it matters most, and putting service at the center of what we do," said Reisberg. "I am deeply proud of how our Division of Administration has responded and grateful to work alongside each of you.”

📈 Benefits news: Vanderbilt increased the retirement match. Read more here. 

📲 Stay connected with AlertVU: Enroll in emergency text alerts! Staff emails are automatically enrolled. Edit phone preferences for texts and calls on Oracle. 

🚌 VU rides WeGo for free: Register for QuickTicket to ride the bus, train, or paratransit for free. 

🗣️ Dialogue Vanderbilt launched 250 Conversations on America: Explore upcoming opportunities to participate and model civil discourse in action. 

When recent ice conditions impacted Nashville, teams across the Division of Administration mobilized quickly to ensure students, faculty, and staff were safe and supported. From front-line service to behind-the-scenes coordination, the ice storm response reflected the very best of our division–collaboration, preparation, and an unwavering commitment.

Thank you to every team member who stepped up! We've outlined the front-line DofA areas below. 

Campus Dining staff LaShawn Smith and James Knight during the ice storm 

Throughout the ice storm and the days following, Campus Dining teams worked extended hours under challenging conditions to ensure the campus community had consistent access to meals. On average, 120 Campus Dining employees and 25 Dining leaders were on campus working. From Saturday, January 23, to Monday, January 26, the team served over 25,000 meals, including feeding community members without meal plans to ensure no one went without.

VUPS maintained a constant presence across campus, monitoring conditions, responding to calls, and assisting community members throughout the storm. The Emergency Operations Center remained active throughout all hours of the night, coordinating closely with Campus Dining, Student Affairs, school leadership, and other campus partners to facilitate critical information flow and ensure a unified response.

When power outages impacted residence halls, Brian Wilson from Transportation worked behind the scenes to assist students who needed to relocate so they could stay warm, safe, and connected. 

Help us celebrate the outstanding individuals who make the Division of Administration stronger every day. Nominations for the Spring 2026 Staff Awards close next week.

The Division of Administration is filled with colleagues who exemplify excellence, leadership, service, and collaboration–qualities we saw across the division during the recent ice storm and throughout last year. Four Campus Dining staff members were honored with two prestigious awards at the 2025 Fall Staff Assembly for their innovation, leadership, and impact on our campus community.

Left to right: Chancellor Diermeier, Chef Kriska Nagle, Emily Svennevik, Chef Doug Best, Vice Chancellor Sydney Savion

Left to right: Chancellor Diermeier, James Knight, Vice Chancellor Sydney Savion

Please consider taking a moment to recognize someone whose work truly makes a difference. If you need help crafting a nomination, for a colleague or yourself, please contact Lacie Blankenship, Strategic Communications Manager. 

Join us in recognizing DofA employees celebrating milestone anniversaries with Vanderbilt (Vandy-versaries) in February and March. Thank you for your dedication and service!

40 Years

Jackie Johnson (Mail Services)

15 Years

Mark Brown (Card Services) 

10 Years

Justin Kessinger (VUPS)

Clarence Mitchell (VUPS) 

Earl Brack (VUPS) 

Dana Harper (VUPS) 

Mark Strickland (VUPS) 

5 Years

Amira Youngblood (Campus Dining) 

The Division of Administration has officially launched a LinkedIn page. Follow us to stay connected with division news, employee highlights, campus impact stories, and more. 

Sam and Dani, both engineering graduates, became engaged after Sam proposed on Vanderbilt’s Chelsea campus in November 2025. In a moment that was intentionally symbolic and accidentally momentous, the two made Vanderbilt history as the first couple to get engaged on the Vanderbilt University–New York City campus.

Mike Puckett, Director of Vanderbilt Printing Services, has been named to the Board of Directors for the Association of College and University Printers (ACUP+), a national organization supporting in-plant print and mail operations in higher education. Under his leadership, Printing Services has grown the team, expanded service offerings, and strengthened its role as a strategic campus partner.

Mike Puckett

Tony Crawford

Lise Lang

Sara Sloane

Public Safety has welcomed three new senior leaders as part of its continued commitment to strengthening safety, preparedness, and organizational excellence across campus. Elijah “Tony” Crawford joins as Director of Operations, Lise Lang as Director of Enterprise Threat Assessment, and Sara Sloane as Human Resources Director. Together, they bring extensive expertise in public safety operations, threat assessment and prevention, and people-centered leadership — advancing key priorities outlined by Chief of Police Tommye Sutton in his recent state of the department address.

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