News Story Category
Department of Religious Studies Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Feb. 10, 2020—Fifty years ago, the College of Arts and Science established its own department to study religion, independent of the Divinity School. Under the theme “The First 50 Years, the Next 50 Years,” Religious Studies is marking the milestone anniversary with activities such as an online exhibition of student work, a guest speaker series, and special...
Executive Directors of Nation’s Largest Humanities Associations Visit College of Arts and Science
Feb. 6, 2020—In a corner room of the Jean and Alexander Heard Library, with centuries of history and literature filling the floors above and below them, a packed room of students and faculty sat listening as the executive directors of the nation’s two largest humanities organizations shared their perspectives on “Humanities for the Next Generation.” Paula Krebs...
African American and Diaspora Studies Marks 50 Years at Vanderbilt
Dec. 13, 2019—In 1969, according to librarian Jason Schultz, African American studies was a field “on the margins” at Vanderbilt. Just nine years before, the university had expelled divinity student James Lawson for helping to organize lunch counter sit-ins in downtown Nashville. But landmark events, such as the 1961 Freedom Rides and 1965 Selma march, brought the...
Arts and Science Faculty and Graduate Students Recognized for Excellence in Teaching
Dec. 10, 2019—On December 3, the College of Arts and Science recognized 13 outstanding faculty members and graduate students for excellence in teaching, advising, and mentoring. These awards are an important part of the Arts and Science tradition, and past recipients include some of the most distinguished and beloved professors, instructors, and mentors in the history of...
“Don’t Go” Gives Students a Chance to Leave Their Mark With Experimental Theatre Workshop
Dec. 6, 2019—On November 20, in a dimly lit Neely Auditorium, the Greek heroine Antigone stood center stage. She was in anguish and held a white balloon against her body. She popped the balloon, projecting red confetti into the air, and fell to the floor. Her fiancé, Haemon, entered the scene and did the same. In the...
Nobel Winner Esther Duflo Challenges Economic Myths at Steine Lecture
Nov. 25, 2019—A standing-room-only crowd packed the Flynn Auditorium on November 14 to hear Nobel Laureate Esther Duflo deliver the David Steine Lecture in Economics, sponsored by the College of Arts and Science Department of Economics. Duflo, who is the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, shared...
Arts and Science Students Share Humanitarian Experiences with Donors, Fellow Students
Nov. 12, 2019—At an October 29 reception, College of Arts and Science students spoke about projects supported by the Nichols Humanitarian Fund and expressed their gratitude to donors Edward and Janice Nichols. Established in 2006, the fund supports undergraduate and graduate students in completing humanitarian endeavors in the U.S. and overseas. Twenty of the 27 award recipients...
East House Closes LGBTQI History Month with Dinner Focused on LGBTQI Scholarship, Advocacy
Nov. 4, 2019—Once or twice a month, the faculty residence at East House—one of ten houses where first-year students live on the Ingram Commons—is filled with the smell of a delicious catered dinner. Faculty Head of House Elizabeth Meadows cautiously opens her front door: her dog Luna loves to dash out and greet the visitors arriving for...
Humanities 20/20 Conference Generates Vision for Future of Humanities at Vanderbilt
Oct. 18, 2019—What is the future of the humanities at Vanderbilt? That question was top of mind for Holly Tucker, Mellon Foundation Chair in the Humanities and Professor of French, as she planned this year’s Humanities 20/20 mini-conference. Hosted by the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities, which Tucker directs, the event brought together 80 faculty...
Arts and Science welcomes 37 new full-time faculty
Oct. 15, 2019—The College of Arts and Science was pleased to welcome 37 new, full-time faculty members this year. These scholars hail from top universities around the world and represent some of the most innovative thinking and cutting-edge research in their respective fields. Their work ranges from Matthew Congdon’s study of moral psychology and metaethics to...