Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

This prestigious university is part of Nashville's history

by Elissa Pugh | March 02, 2010

Step on the campus of Vanderbilt University, and you will be among classic brick buildings, walkways, and beautiful trees. Prospective students, current students and tourists alike enjoy a leisurely stroll through this collegiate paradise. In 1873, Methodist Bishop Holland N. McTyeire of Nashville aimed to build a university in the South that would "contribute to strengthening the ties which should exist between all sections of our common country." Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, the husband of Coterie’s cousin, gave a $1 million endowment to help found the college. McTyeire chose the campus site and supervised building construction. He even planted trees that help make Vanderbilt University a National Arboretum today.

Until 1914, Vanderbilt functioned under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1905 a fire destroyed the main campus building. When it was rebuilt, it was named Kirkland Hall after the chancellor at that time. Originally, the campus was 75 acres, but today the campus consists of over 300 acres. In the fall of 1875, there were 307 students. Today, there are about 6,500 undergraduates and 5,300 graduate and professional students. As was common in the day, when Vanderbilt was founded, it was assumed that it would be a male, single-sex institution. There were never rules put in place to prohibit women from attending though, and at least one woman attended classes at the university every year from 1875 to the present.

Vanderbilt is comprised of 10 schools (including education, law, and business among others), a medical center (with one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals), a public policy center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Consistently ranked in the top 20 of the nation’s universities with several programs and disciplines in the top 10, Vanderbilt has become one of the most selective and prestigious educational institutions in the United States.

Interested in visiting Vanderbilt? Contact the Office of Admissions to set up a tour. Vanderbilt students are friendly: While you are on campus, feel free to ask one any question you might have.