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Key dates
August 1
First-year students begin receiving
housing assignments
August 18
Deadline to pay charges without
late payment fee
August 21
First-year student Move-in Day
September 6 (Labor Day)
Classes are in session
October 8–10
Family Weekend
October 14–15
Fall break
October 22–23
Homecoming/Reunion activities
November 20–28
Thanksgiving holiday
December 9
Classes end
December 10–18
Reading days and examinations
December 19–January 11
Winter break
January 12
Classes begin
Summer 2010
RE
FA M I L I E S
Move-in Day is one of the most exciting
days of the year at Vanderbilt but can
also be a bit stressful. To make move-in
as easy and quick as possible, students
are assigned specific move-in times
between 7 a.m. and noon. Times will be
included in the room assignment letters
mailed about August 1. The move-in date
of August 21 is non-negotiable, so please
make your travel plans accordingly.
August 19
Transfer student Move-in Day
August 25
Classes begin
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V A N D E R B I LT
AND
Move-in Day
is August 21 for
first-year students
August 1
Deadline to waive student health
insurance coverage
August 22
Residence halls open at 9 a.m.
for upperclass students
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Students and their families arriving on
campus to move in will be directed to a
staging area where students will receive
the keys to their rooms. Vanderbilt police will escort vehicles from the staging area
to a parking lot near the student’s assigned building. The Move Crew—student
volunteers identified by their distinctive T-shirts—will help unload the vehicles.
Once everything is unloaded, vehicles will immediately be directed to a designated
long-term parking area so that the next student can unload. Then, students, their
families and the Move Crew will move the belongings into student’s assigned room.
August in Nashville is typically hot and humid, and moving is hard work. Wear cool,
casual clothes and comfortable shoes. Plenty of cool water will be on hand.
Family Weekend set for October 8–10
Family Weekend is the perfect time for students, parents, grandparents and siblings
to reconnect. Many fun and exciting events are planned, including an SEC football
matchup between the ’Dores and Eastern Michigan. Attendees will also have the
opportunity to meet with Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos as well as various deans and
faculty. The weekend also allows for plenty of free time to get to know Vanderbilt’s
beautiful campus.
A tentative schedule is available on the Parents & Family Programs website at
www.vanderbilt.edu/familyweekend. It will be updated regularly. Football tickets
will be available through Family Weekend online registration in early August. A
comprehensive printed schedule will be mailed in early August. See you in October!
Inside
OverVU
International film series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Faculty and student spotlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Vandy-in-Hollywood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
New chairs of Parents campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
SUMMER 2010
PARENTS & FAMILY PROGRAMS
PARENTS & FAMILY PROGRAMS
Students encouraged
to provide missing
person information
Want to get involved?
The Office of the University Registrar welcomes all new students
to the university. We provide many
services to all Vanderbilt students,
faculty and staff.
• First-year mentoring committee
o Welcome and communicate with the parents of new students
in your region
• Regional parent receptions
o Help host and/or organize parent events in your region during
the school year
• Communications
o Develop ideas for more effective communication between the
university and families
• On-campus events
o Assist with on-campus events, such as Move-in Day and Family Weekend
• Alumni relations
o Help host and/or organize Summer
Send-off Parties for new students
and their parents or guardians. Invitations also include local alumni,
current students and parents.
All students are encouraged to fill
out the application by logging in
to Your Enrollment Services (YES)
and clicking on the envelope icon
to report the name, address and
up to three phone numbers of their
missing person contact as well
as an emergency contact. This
information can be critical if a
student is missing or is involved
in an emergency. Students may
provide this important information
as soon as they receive their
VUnet ID and password.
The advisers in the College of
Arts and Science Pre-major
Academic Advising Resource
Center (CASPAR) work with all
first-year and sophomore students
in the college to help them understand Vanderbilt’s academic rules
and regulations. “Our goal is to
help students make informed
decisions that will contribute
to their academic success at
Vanderbilt,” says CASPAR
Director Patricia Armstrong.
Parents of prospective studyabroad students have many
questions about the programs,
safety and security issues and
how to help their student have a
wonderful semester. Experienced
parents are a great resource to
answer these questions.
Advisers work with students to:
• select courses to meet requirements for AXLE, the college’s
core curriculum, and their major;
• seek out information about
preprofessional majors (such
as premedical or prelaw);
How to volunteer?
Go to the Parents & Family Programs
website at www.vanderbilt.edu/families,
click on “volunteer opportunities” on the
left side of screen and fill out the online
participation form.
Carmen Foley, mother of Wynter,
Arts and Science Class of 2011,
smiles with Parents & Family Programs Director Suzanne Thigpen
at the Memphis parent reception.
2
The new CASPAR center is a
friendly place for first-year and
sophomore students.
The Global Education Office (GEO)
is looking for parents of students who
have studied abroad with Vanderbilt
programs to be a part of our new
parent ambassador program.
Parents interested in the ambassador program should send an
email to [email protected] with
their name and email information
along with their student’s name and
study abroad location.
• Admissions
o Help Vanderbilt admissions counselors in your area at college fairs
and programs, pass out brochures
and materials, and assist prospective students and their families with
questions
Nancy and Eddie Foster, parents of Kate, Peabody Class of 2011, and
Amy Abernathy, mother of Emily, Peabody Class of 2011, mingle at the
Memphis parent reception.
Academic advising
center gets students
off to good start
Be a parent ambassador
for study abroad
Parents are invited to get involved in the following areas:
The reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act in 2008 required
Vanderbilt to establish a missing
student notification policy and
procedures for students living in
on-campus housing. One requirement of the act is to give students
the option to provide a confidential
contact to campus police to use if
the student is officially determined
to be missing. The registrar’s office has recently implemented a
“missing person and emergency
contact” application.
SUMMER 2010
International film series
provides insight, understanding
• learn more about majors and
minors in Arts and Science and
Vanderbilt’s other undergraduate
colleges; and
International Lens, a film series with a global perspective, uses film to promote
conversation among the Vanderbilt and Nashville communities. The series offers
free screenings two to three times a week of films that showcase a variety of
genres, topics and cultures.
• get academic help when needed.
First-year students are assigned
to an adviser before they register
for classes in June and stay paired
with that adviser until declaring
a major in the sophomore year.
Advisers typically meet with students up to three times in the fall
and spring and are available for
additional meetings.
A Vanderbilt faculty member introduces each film and then leads a post-screening
discussion. This extra dialogue and exchange about the film creates opportunities
for the audience to interact with faculty outside of the classroom. Several films
have been presented by the respective film’s director, providing a truly unique
opportunity for growth and understanding. This spring, the Grammy-winning
documentary Sam Cooke: Legend was presented by Vanderbilt Writer in Residence Peter Guralnick, who wrote the film and was recently inducted into the
Blues Hall of Fame. Also this spring, the Vanderbilt community had the privilege
to watch a first public screening of Velódromo. Alberto Fuguet, an acclaimed
Chilean author and visiting professor for the Center for Latin American Studies,
was able to share the process of producing his film with the audience.
Students and parents with
questions are encouraged to
contact Armstrong at patricia.
[email protected] or
(615) 343-0071.
International Lens, which began in spring 2008, was named Best Film Series
in 2009 by the Nashville Scene. The series is a partnership between the Office
of the Dean of Students and academic departments,
centers and programs. The Office of Arts and Creative
Engagement and International Student and Scholar
Services coordinate the program. The film schedule
is available at www.vanderbilt.edu/internationallens.
3
SUMMER 2010
PARENTS & FAMILY PROGRAMS
Student spotlight: Dallas Jessup
Vanderbilt sophomore Dallas Jessup already has a
resume that many would envy.
Her high school community service project has grown
into a worldwide nonprofit called Just Yell Fire with a
message to protect young women against sexual assault,
predators and human trafficking. “The Vanderbilt faculty
and administration encourage us to live high-impact
lives,” Jessup says.
Jessup, a communication studies and political science
double major, founded Just Yell Fire in 2006. The
organization teaches young women ages 11 to 19
Dallas Jessup
personal safety awareness and street-fighting skills to
help them avoid and get out of attack situations. Jessup, an expert martial artist,
has been named a CNN Hero.
Website helps
publicize Dean’s List
students at home
A new Vanderbilt website makes
it simpler to publicize the accomplishments of students who make
the Dean’s List each semester.
This spring, she testified about her project during Congressional hearings on
human rights. Helping her prepare were M.L. Sandoz, a senior lecturer in communications studies; Mark Dalhouse, director of the Office of Active Citizenship
and Service; and Christina West, assistant vice chancellor for federal relations.
Parents or family members can
visit www.vanderbilt.edu/deanslist
and fill out the online form.
Instructions are included on the
website. The form generates an
email press release to the chosen
newspaper or reporter.
“If you make self defense, personal rights awareness and danger avoidance a
mandatory part of health class and PE every year for every teen girl—within
a few years you will have the most powerful generation of young women in
history,” Jessup said during the hearings.
PARENTS & FAMILY PROGRAMS
SUMMER 2010
Recovery program
helps students
succeed
Students are the stars
in Vandy-in-Hollywood
The beginning of the school year
confronts students with a barrage
of questions, which range from how
hard will my classes be and how
will I find my way around campus to
how can I fit in and still be myself?
Students with chronic health issues
have more questions—what if the
symptoms flare up again or I have
a relapse? Will I be the only one on
campus with my condition?
Chad Gervich, BA’96, knew from an early age that he wanted
to work in television and film. Now he’s helping Vanderbilt
students pursue similar dreams. Gervich, who is currently working on
The Wanda Sykes Show, created Vandy-in-Hollywood, a summer internship
program that helps students gain real world experience in Hollywood.
Rich Hull, BA’92, a 16-year veteran of the film and television business, was one
of the first people Gervich turned to for help in launching Vandy-in-Hollywood.
“Chad called me and said he wanted two things,” Hull says. “He wanted my help
in getting the program started, and he wanted my company to host an intern. I
agreed to both.”
The same holds true for students
in recovery from alcohol and other
drug addictions.
“We’re looking for people who can be incredibly specific about their professional
goals and what they want to do,” Gervich says. “The interns who are chosen
are the ones who come in and can say, ‘I want to be a television writer on a
half-hour comedy like The Simpsons’ or ‘My goal is to be a studio executive
developing small, character-driven movies like Precious.’”
To provide support and a safe
place for students in recovery,
the Dean of Students sponsors
Vanderbilt Recovery Support (VRS).
A relatively new addition to campus services, VRS offers a weekly
student-led support group and a
designated alcohol- and drug-free
place on campus where VRS members can gather. VRS participants
have the opportunity to be involved
in a variety of recovery-safe
programs, activities and events.
Gervich and Hull work to find an intern’s dream job, but there are no guarantees.
What is assured, though, is that the students will work long hours for no compensation and must pay all their own expenses. The payoff comes in receiving
class credit and having a beefed-up resume with bona-fide work experience
plus sterling references from some of Hollywood’s biggest names.
Interested students should contact Tiffany Franklin at the Vanderbilt Career
Center, (615) 322-2750.
Most reporters have indicated they
prefer to get Dean’s List releases
via email, and this website is the
fastest and most efficient way to
disseminate the information to
them. Vanderbilt University cannot
guarantee that the information will
be published.
Faculty spotlight: Winger-Bearskin and
the art of performance
Seeing art in unexpected places and in unexpected
ways is a specialty of Amelia Winger-Bearskin, assistant professor of studio art. She teaches time-based
art—art which cannot be captured as a still image.
For more information, please
contact Parents & Family
Programs at (877) 887-2736
or [email protected].
In one recent class, students used portable media
such as laptops and cell phones to create attentiongetting events in the virtual world and on campus.
The project culminated with a dance competition
Amelia Winger-Bearskin
between two students dressed as superheroes that
was broadcast via laptop from Vanderbilt to 15 cities around the world.
Winger-Bearskin sees this type of art as a way of broadening the perspectives of
her students.
“I’m interested in bringing a broader audience into the art world,” she says. “The
great thing about the Internet and video is that you can reach people who would
never think about going into a museum.”
She also hopes that no matter what careers her students pursue, that they will
take a little of what they learned in her class with them.
“Whether they work in art or business or medicine, I hope I’ve given them the
tools to always ask questions about why things are done in a certain way and
why they do things in a certain way. I want them to be active participants in their
world,” she says.
4
Board of Trust chooses
new chairman-elect, members
Students and parents can get more
information about VRS or other
alcohol- and drug-related services
on campus in several ways:
The Vanderbilt University Board of Trust in April unanimously elected New York
businessman Mark F. Dalton, JD’75, as its chairman-elect, to succeed Martha R.
Ingram, who will step down in June 2011.
• [email protected]
(confidential email)
Ingram, who has partnered with three chancellors for more than a decade to
spearhead and support some of Vanderbilt’s most ambitious initiatives, will
become an emerita member of the board beginning in the summer of 2011.
• Alcohol and drug abuse prevention: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/
alcohol
Ingram explained she decided to give a year’s notice to allow an orderly transition to new leadership. “Mark and I will work together in the next year to ensure
that Vanderbilt loses none of its momentum going forward,” she said.
• Substance abuse counseling:
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/
student_health/mental-healthservices/alcohol-and-drugcounseling-services
“Under Martha’s leadership as board chairman, Vanderbilt has made extraordinary
strides in nearly every area,” Dalton said. “I will spend this next year working
with and learning from her as we move toward this leadership transition.”
• Student health and wellness:
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/
healthydores
“Martha’s footprint on Vanderbilt is wide, deep and lasting,” said Chancellor
Nicholas S. Zeppos. “Vanderbilt is fortunate to have such an accomplished leader
in Mark Dalton as chairman-elect.”
• Psychological & Counseling
Center: http://www.vanderbilt.
edu/pcc
The Board of Trust also elected Nancy P. Mulford and Jackson W. Moore as vice
chairmen-elect and Joanne F. Hayes as secretary-elect. Five new trustees were
named: John D. Arnold, Courtney Clark Pastrick, H. Ross Perot Jr., Billy Ray
Caldwell and Wyatt Smith.
5
SUMMER 2010
PARENTS & FAMILY PROGRAMS
A message from
John and Cammie Rice,
2009–10 Parents Campaign chairs
Cammie and I have taken our
responsibility for chairing this
year’s Parents Campaign very
seriously. This fiscal year has not
been without its challenges and
successes, and we would like to
acknowledge the role every parent
plays in the Parents Campaign for
Vanderbilt. Parents are a generous
constituency, helping to cover the
disparity between tuition and the
cost of a Vanderbilt education.
Parents have given nearly $5.2
million in gifts and more than $7.5
million in new pledges this year.
As of May 31, parents have given
more than $18.1 million to the
Shape the Future campaign.
Parent donors are unique because
they help ensure a world-class
education for every Vanderbilt
student, not just their own. By
helping to enrich the Vanderbilt
community, parents are sculpting
our future leaders and scholars.
PARENTS & FAMILY PROGRAMS
Kravitz family rewards public service
Scholarship provides gift of an education
Spencer Kravitz and his wife,
Rhonda Greenstein-Kravitz,
of Manhasset Hills, N.Y., have
always taught their children
the importance of public
service. From an early age,
Evan, BA’09, and Ariel, BA’10,
were attending civic meetings
with their mother.
Carly Prentice, Class of 2012, is the first recipient of the Margretta H. Wikert and Cody M.
Wikert Scholarship, which was established by a $2.4 million gift from Jim and Alinda Wikert
in honor of their twins.
By Carly Prentice
My story is not unique. I have met other students with stories about the generosity of Vanderbilt parents, grandparents, alumni and friends. My father, a chaplain
in the U.S. Army, has served two tours in Afghanistan. With two sisters, I knew
I would need to pay for most of my college. I was stunned to learn that I had
received a scholarship to Vanderbilt.
“I would take them in their
little Ninja Turtle sleeping
bags and they’d go play
and fall asleep in the corner,”
Rhonda says. “Today they
know it’s their obligation
and responsibility to be
civic-minded.”
My freshman year was love at first sight. The challenging academic atmosphere
was balanced with the diverse social atmosphere. In 2009 I met the donors of my
scholarship. They told me it was for students who have lost a parent in military
service or with a parent who has served in the military. My father’s service to his
country had helped make my education possible.
“I have a lot of friends who pursued their passion to work in public service,”
Rhonda says. “Now they’re faced with the challenge of sending their kids to
school because their remuneration pales in comparison with the private sector.
You get other rewards in public service—great rewards—but you don’t get
financial rewards.”
With both children at Vanderbilt, the couple took every opportunity to be
involved, including membership in both the Parents and Family Association and
the Parents Leadership Committee.
We look forward to turning over
the campaign to Mark and Patti
Mays, and we know they will
continue to work towards a
successful Parents Campaign.
We have truly enjoyed our year
as Parents Campaign chairs. It
has been exciting and a meaningful way to be involved with an
institution that means so much
to our son Tanner. Thank you for
your support.
“Vanderbilt wasn’t just an education for our children, it was an education for us,”
Rhonda says. “We met and spoke with people from all over and really became a
family.”
The idea of creating a scholarship was one that the couple thought about for
several years. One factor in their decision was Vanderbilt’s expanded financial
aid program that eliminates need-based undergraduate student loans.
“I was very impressed by that,” says Spencer, who manages a small hedge fund.
“Not having to worry about student loans may keep a great student at Vanderbilt
instead of settling for another institution. It gives them the freedom to choose.”
6
“This isn’t a decision that we came to lightly,” Rhonda says. “We’re of more
modest means than the typical philanthropist who endows scholarships, but
we’re both very lucky and were able to complete our education without any
student loans. My father was a concentration camp survivor and came here
with nothing, but he and my mom made sure that I had that freedom of
education. What greater gift can you give somebody?”
For your convenience, Vanderbilt
provides a number of ways for
parents, grandparents, alumni
and friends to make gifts.
More detailed information
is available online at
http://giving.vanderbilt.edu/.
• Gifts, pledges and pledge
payments may be mailed
to Vanderbilt Parents and
Grandparents Campaign, Gift
Processing Office, PMB 407727,
2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville,
TN 37240-7727.
Mays to chair
Parents Leadership Committee
When Mark Mays, BA’85, and his future
wife, Patti, BS’86, met at Vanderbilt,
they had no idea what a large role the
school would play their futures. Today
their son, Ryan, Class of 2013, is studying engineering, and the couple will
serve as co-chairs of the 2010-2011
Parents Leadership Committee (PLC).
PAUL OVERSTREET / OVERSTREET STUDIOS-SAN ANTONIO,TEXAS
Rhonda, an assistant attorney general in New York, has always worked in the
public sector.
Ways to give
I am grateful to Vanderbilt for teaching me about academics, being a global citizen
and about generosity and opportunity. Someone once said: “He who influences
the thoughts of his times, influences all the times that follow. He has made his
impress on eternity.” This is exactly what parent donors like the Wikerts are
doing. Generous parent contributions help make Vanderbilt the school that it is.
To remind their children
of their good fortune, the
Kravitz family established
the Ariel Morgan Kravitz
and Evan Jared Kravitz
Evan Kravitz, BA’09, (left), Rhonda Greenstein-Kravitz, Arts and
Scholarship which will
Science Dean Carolyn Dever, Ariel Kravitz, BA’10, and Spencer
be awarded to a College
Kravitz celebrate their family’s newly created scholarship.
of Arts and Science student
whose parents work in public service.
We want to recognize the Parents
Leadership Committee (PLC), a
critical group of committed and
dynamic parent donors. We had
hoped to reach 200 members
this year and are thrilled to have
surpassed that goal with a recordbreaking 206 members. PLC
members gave nearly $5.1 million
this year, and we are grateful for
their support and involvement.
SUMMER 2010
• Credit card gifts may be made
on our secure website at
www.vanderbilt.edu/giveonline.
• For specific instructions on
making a gift of stock to Vanderbilt, call (615) 322-4987 or email
[email protected].
The Mays agree that a campus made
up of students from all backgrounds
will make the university stronger. Their
goal is to increase membership in the
PLC. The committee meets on campus
twice a year and works to educate
fellow Vanderbilt parents about the
importance of supporting the university.
• To make an anonymous gift,
contact the Parents and
Grandparents Campaign Office
at (615) 343-3120.
Mark and Patti Mays and their children
“Vanderbilt has always been very important to our family,” Patti says. “We want
to encourage other parents to join the committee. Together we can help make sure
that talented students have the same Vanderbilt experience we did.”
The San Antonio couple is impressed with the changes they see at Vanderbilt.
“Because of The Commons experience, there’s a much stronger connection among
the students, administration and faculty now,” Patti says. “Plus, Chancellor Zeppos
is very visible and really interacts and connects with the students.”
“We cherish our memories of Vanderbilt and the friends we made here,” Mark says.
“I hope that Ryan feels the same way 20 years from now.”
7
Key links
Parents & Family Programs
www.vanderbilt.edu/families
Parents and Grandparents
Campaign
www.vanderbilt.edu/pagcampaign
Vanderbilt University
Parents & Family Programs
PMB 401627
2301 Vanderbilt Place
Nashville, TN 37240-1627
Non-Profit Mail
U.S. Postage
Paid
Nashville, TN
Permit No. 4452
Dean of Students
www.vanderbilt.edu/deanofstudents
Commencement
www.vanderbilt.edu/commencement
Housing and Residential Life
www.vanderbilt.edu/ResEd
Student Health Center
www.vanderbilt.edu/student_health
Athletics
www.vucommodores.com
First-year orientation
http://commonplace.vanderbilt.edu
Greek life
www.vanderbilt.edu/greek_life
Bookstore
www.vanderbiltbookstore.com
VSG shuttle service
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsg
University calendar
http://calendar.vanderbilt.edu
For more
information,
please contact:
Parent Helpline
(877) 887-2736
Email
[email protected]
Parent website
www.vanderbilt.edu/families
Become a fan
of the Vanderbilt
Parents & Family
Association on
Facebook
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Summer 2010