Bestselling author, professor Arthur C. Brooks to give 2026 Graduates Day address |
With Commencement rapidly approaching, the university has announced that award-winning author and professor Arthur C. Brooks will receive Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal when he speaks at the university’s 2026 Commencement activities.
More information on all things Commencement is available online.
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Help Needed: Vanderbilt Parents' Choice Awards |
We need your help to make incoming Vanderbilt parents Nashville experts! Please take a minute to complete the survey below to tell us about your favorite Nashville restaurants, shops, entertainment spots, and more. The answers from this survey will be compiled to create a 'Vanderbilt Parents' Choice Awards' brochure at events this summer and Move-In. The results will also be available on our website for easy sharing. Thank you in advance for sharing your Nashville experience with future Dores.
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Vanderbilt College of Arts and Science names Jason Merchant dean |
Jason Merchant, a national leader in higher education and vice provost for academic affairs at the University of Chicago, will be the new Searcy Family Dean of the College of Arts and Science. An internationally renowned, award-winning professor in the field of linguistics, Merchant will also hold an endowed chair in philosophy at Vanderbilt.
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Dialogue and Free Expression at Vanderbilt: Inside and Outside the Classroom
This webinar offers parents a window into how Vanderbilt University is preparing students to engage thoughtfully with complex ideas, disagreement and difference—skills essential for leadership, citizenship and life beyond college.
Francesca Schuler, executive director of Dialogue Vanderbilt, and Mario Rewers, assistant dean in the College of Arts and Science and senior lecturer in Public Policy Studies and in Culture, Advocacy and Leadership, will share what’s happening through Dialogue Vanderbilt and the Free Expression and Dangerous Ideas course. They will highlight how students learn to consider multiple perspectives, practice respectful, rigorous dialogue, and navigate disagreement with curiosity, rigor and respect. You’ll hear examples of classroom discussions, campus programs and student experiences that bring free expression to life—not as an abstract principle, but as a practiced skill.
Parents will leave with a clearer understanding of how Vanderbilt University supports open inquiry while helping students develop confidence, judgment and intellectual resilience.
The webinar will be recorded. Browse the list of all past webinars in the Webinar Archive.
Thursday, March 26
11–11:45 a.m. CT
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Share the Vanderbilt experience: Recommend Programs for Talented Youth’s Precollege Summer Opportunities |
This summer, middle and high school students from around the world can get a real feel for Vanderbilt through Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth precollege programs. PTY offers hands-on, challenging classes taught by Vanderbilt experts.
Vanderbilt Summer Academy | View Courses & Apply!
Opportunities for rising 7th–12th grade students. A one-week residential program where you’ll explore new ideas in a choice-based course, dive into advanced material and join a community of high-achieving students from around the globe.
Vanderbilt Summer Institutes | View Institutes & Apply!
Opportunities for rising 11th–12th grade students. A two-week residential program for rising high school juniors and seniors where you’ll tackle complex courses led by Vanderbilt faculty and experience what university-level learning really feels like.
Vanderbilt Mentor Immersion | View Mentorships & Apply!
Opportunities for rising 11th–12th grade students. Work closely with an expert mentor in a field you’re passionate about—no matter where you live. Collaborate with a small group of driven peers, deepen your understanding of a discipline and complete a capstone project.
Encourage the student in your life to take the next step and learn more about the application process by visiting the PTY How to Apply page.
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Upcoming Vanderbilt Events |
Chapter Events
Parents and families are invited to attend Vanderbilt Chapter and regional events. Come out and meet fellow Vanderbilt families, alumni and friends in your area.
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Eagles “The Long Goodbye, Act III |
The Eagles are bringing “The Long Goodbye, Act III” to FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University on Saturday, May 9, and we would love to see Vanderbilt parents there! Tickets are on sale now, and limited seats remain.
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Over a 50+-year career, the Eagles have sold more than 150 million albums and been one of the most iconic bands in music history. They’ll be joined in Nashville by GRAMMY Award-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band.
Join us for an unforgettable evening of music under the stars in FirstBank Stadium!
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