The Lengthy View: Far-reaching aspirations information Vanderbilt,

The 2020–21 tutorial yr in some ways was outlined by urgency and imminent priorities—from the fast implementation of COVID-19 security protocols and weekly testing to the procurement of know-how required for hybrid instructing and the herculean planning behind the 2 in-person Graduation ceremonies we hosted this spring, to call only a few. I stay impressed by the way in which our neighborhood responded to those challenges with such profound resilience and progressive problem-solving.

But I’m even prouder of the truth that, amid all of the day-to-day choices and fast pivots, we by no means overlooked our long-term aspirations as a college. These ambitions transcend our speedy duties and can proceed to information our subsequent chapter of excellence.

There are various such examples. In September 2020, as we navigated the logistics of many college students returning to campus and in-person studying, we additionally launched Vacation spot Vanderbilt, a $100 million initiative that defines our bold strategy to college recruitment. In January, we introduced the Vanderbilt Challenge on Unity and American Democracy, designed to raise evidence-based reasoning and discourse within the nationwide dialog. And in March, the launch of the $300 million Vandy United marketing campaign signaled our dedication to our student-athletes, athletics packages and Commodore followers. It’s the largest enterprise of its form in our college’s historical past.

Right this moment, as we start to emerge from the precise obstacles of the previous yr, these long-term priorities are more and more high of thoughts. We’re in a second of renewed ambition and chance—a important time to ask ourselves: How can we do extra? How can we construct upon our present targets? How can we leverage our confirmed resilience to set our aspirations even larger?

A number of items on this concern of Vanderbilt Journal start to reply these questions. Simply as our alumni featured within the cowl story, “Electrical Avenue,” are serving to to steer the auto business towards electrical autos, the college has doubled down on our personal sustainability targets, setting sturdy examples for our area and our friends. We lately launched a partnership with Local weather Vault, a nonprofit group that may assist Vanderbilt to realize carbon neutrality by the top of 2021—a long time sooner than the unique purpose we had set in 2019. By means of this partnership, we’re positioned to be the primary member of the Affiliation of American Universities to realize carbon neutrality.

We are also looking forward to the management of C. Cybele Raver, who formally began her function as Vanderbilt’s provost and vice chancellor for educational affairs on July 1. Along with her latest expertise as deputy provost at New York College, Provost Raver is a distinguished professor and psychologist whose work has obtained federal help from the Nationwide Institutes of Well being and the Nationwide Science Basis. Within the interview featured on this concern, she discusses her imaginative and prescient for Vanderbilt’s teachers, analysis, college recruitment and past.

Our welcoming and inclusive neighborhood, which I consider to be our biggest asset, will proceed to play a important function in every new pathbreaking initiative and purpose we set. This contains the very important, ongoing help of our alumni, a lot of whom I’ve loved attending to know throughout my first full yr as chancellor. It additionally extends to the brand new class of incoming Vanderbilt college students and their households, whom I loved assembly this summer season as a part of our “Commodore Launch” occasions throughout the nation, the place alumni assist welcome new college students and households to their Vanderbilt journey.

Eager about these latest members of the neighborhood, in tandem with the remainder of our exceptional college students, alumni, college, employees and pals, I’m enthusiastic about what the longer term holds. There’s a lot to realize on the horizon. Collectively, as One Vanderbilt, we’ll notice our full potential as an educational establishment, pursuing concepts and discoveries that profit society as an entire and advance our information.

—DANIEL DIERMEIER,
CHANCELLOR