Welcome from Natalee Erb

Dear Vanderbilt families,

My name is Natalee Erb, and I serve as the director of the First-Year Experience for Residential Colleges. I coordinate and oversee initiatives across The Ingram Commons, including student leadership development, learning outcomes, first-year seminars and orientation programming for incoming undergraduates.

Dates, Deadlines and Reminders

Aug. 13: Students are encouraged to sign up for AlertVU before move-in

Aug. 17: First-year domestic students Move-In Day, CommonVU Orientation starts

Aug. 31: Deadline for payment of fall tuition and VANDY Plan enrollment

Written by Parent Ambassador Council Chairs Roseann and Jeff Gapusan

Welcome to academic year 24-25! Welcome to Vanderbilt! We are honored to once again be leading the Parent Ambassador Council. It is the dawn of the most transformative years of their lives.

As parents of two Commodores, we can say Vanderbilt is an exceptional place. The academic rigor, support from professors and staff, intentional programming and the dynamic student body combine to provide our students with the foundation to explore, take risks and grow into themselves. In a few short days, they will move in.

Volunteers needed for Family Weekend

Are you looking for a fun way to get more involved in the Vanderbilt community and meet other families? Consider serving as a Family Weekend volunteer! Volunteers help with check-in, greet guests and more. Complete our volunteer sign-up form below and we will reach out with more information.

Join other families at Move-In events

International Parents and Family Reception

Thursday, Aug. 15 | 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. | Student Life Center, Board of Trust (BOT) Room

Parents and families of new international students are invited to enjoy refreshments while being welcomed by university departments including Residential Colleges, Parents and Family Programs, International Student and Scholar Services, and more.

Multicultural Parents and Family Welcome

Saturday, Aug. 17 | 3–4 p.m. | Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center

The Student Center for Social Justice and Identity welcomes Latin American and Hispanic, Native, Indigenous and APIDA-identifying students and their families. All are welcome!

First-Generation Family Meet-N-Greet

Saturday, Aug. 17 | 4:30–5:15 p.m. | Eskind Biomedical Library

Join parent leaders and students from FirstVU to discuss resources to support your first-gen student.

Parents and Family Orientation and Reception

Saturday, Aug, 17 | 5:30–9 p.m. | Langford Auditorium

Participate in an orientation session that includes remarks from university leadership and a panel discussion on various topics. This session will be livestreamed and recorded. Shuttle service will be available rotating among The Ingram Commons, Langford Auditorium, and the Terrace Place Garage.

Finding Community

Vanderbilt’s student organizations and identity centers enable students with shared interests to find one another in a supportive, welcoming and inclusive environment. These organizations enhance the vibrant Vanderbilt community and create opportunities for students to empower and learn from one another.

Specific organizations range from Vanderbilt Student Government to special interest groups like the Geology Club, Running Club and Vanderbilt Piano Society, among many others, to official associations like the American Medical Student Association and the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

Anchor Link is a crucial tool for Vanderbilt’s 500-plus student organizations. It serves as the central calendar for student life and has groups for every registered student organization, residence hall, living-learning community and more.

Learn More

Experience Vanderbilt

Experience Vanderbilt is a student-led, university-supported initiative that provides undergraduate students who qualify with funding for extracurricular activities that have fees. These extracurricular activities include student organizations, club sports, arts and cultural experiences, service trips, outdoor recreation trips, Greek Life or any official Vanderbilt student organization that has fees associated with participation.

Learn More

Vanderbilt has partnered with Tide Cleaners to offer students a laundry service that can save them up to 80 hours over the academic year. Students bring dirty laundry to designated drop-off locations across campus. Tide Cleaners separates by color, then washes, dries and folds your clothes into a tidy package for return to campus two days later. Subscriptions start at $119 per month and run August–May.

Learn More

A note from Sandra Robinson, Director of Parents and Family Programs

This is the last of the special Commodore Connection series for incoming parents and guardians. We hope that these newsletters have been informative as you have been preparing to send your student to Vanderbilt. Starting in September, you will receive the same monthly Commodore Connection as all parents and families, which will continue until your student graduates. We are so glad to have you as part of our Vanderbilt community!

The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons

Parents and Family Programs
Academic Calendar

Housing and Residential Experience

Project Safe

Student Accounts

Student Health Center

Parents and Family Programs
PMB 401627 | 2301 Vanderbilt Place
Nashville, TN 7240-1627
Parent Information Line: (877) 887 2736 | parents@vanderbilt.edu

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