This is the accessibility version designed specifically for users needing extra accessibility features.
Feel free to check out the original experience here.
The experience descriptions and guides are currently being displayed in English.
Welcome to Vanderbilt University! My name is Brianna Moreno and I'm from Miami, Florida. I'm a public policy major in school of arts and science. Before we begin, here's how you can explore this virtual tour. To move along the tour route, click the forward-facing arrow. On the left of the screen, you'll find a complete list of tour stops.
Admissions and Financial Aid trail
Admissions and Financial Aid
Tour stop audio transcript
We're standing in the lobby of the old gym. It's one of two buildings housing the office of undergraduate admissions. The old gym was built in 1880 with funding from William henry Vanderbilt, the oldest son of university founder Cornelius. It was first used as
Alumni Lawn trail
Alumni Lawn
Tour stop audio transcript
We're now standing on Alumni Lawn _ a central landmark at Vanderbilt. Here students can play games, catch up with friends, and relax in the sun with a good book. Surrounding Alumni Lawn are upper-class residence halls, Sarratt Student Center, Rand Dining Hall, and Neely Auditorium. That's where great student theatre productions can be seen all year.
Each spring, just before finals, the popular
Vanderbilt Barnard Residential College trail
Vanderbilt Barnard Residential College
Tour stop audio transcript
You are now looking at artist renderings of the Vanderbilt Barnard Residential College. It's a 115-million dollar project scheduled to open in fall, 2018. Vanderbilt Barnard College will provide housing for 340 sophomores, juniors, and seniors. It will include apartments for a faculty director as well as a large dining space, kitchen, and additional rooms for academic and social events. This project continues Vanderbilt's commitment to enhancing student engagement and campus community through a learning experience that goes beyond the classroom.
Kirkland Hall trail
Kirkland Hall
Tour stop audio transcript
Chances are if you've ever seen a photo of Vanderbilt, you've seen iconic Kirkland Hall. Originally called Old Main, Kirkland Hall featured two towers until 1905. That's when a fire nearly devastated the structure. Resurrected by an Italian architect to resemble the town hall of Siena, the building took on new life and a new name in the early 20th century. Once featuring a library, classrooms, labs, and even a chapel, Kirkland Hall now houses offices for the chancellor, vice chancellors, provost, and academic deans.
Nearby are Vanderbilt Law School and Wilson Hall. These buildings lay along the edge of the campus facing the bustling streets of Midtown Nashville. Between the two buildings sits Curry Field, where Vanderbilt's football team played from 1892 to 1922.
College Halls trail
Warren and Moore Colleges
Tour stop audio transcript
We're now at Warren and Moore Residential Colleges, which opened in 2014. Each residential college houses a combination of sophomores, juniors, and seniors, along with a faculty director and graduate fellows. The colleges surround Kissam Center. It's an activity hub featuring gathering and social spaces, classrooms, and a 24/7 food emporium with indoor and outdoor seating.
Bishops Commons
Tour stop audio transcript
Hi, my name is Jad El-Harake and I'm from Beirut, Lebanon. I'm a biomedical engineering major in the School of Engineering. We're now at Bishop's Commons. It's named after Bishop Holland McTyeire who was instrumental to the founding of Vanderbilt. Along its winding paths sit Benson, Calhoun, Garland, and Furman Halls in addition to the Law School and Owen Graduate School of Management. Thanks to Nashville's amazing weather, you may also see classes taking place outside on these lawns.
Just beyond Bishop's Commons and the professional schools stretches 21st Avenue South. It's a busy street lined with local restaurants, stores, and coffee shops that feels like an extension of campus. And rightfully so, since many of these popular spots offer discounts to students though the
Benson Hall
Tour stop audio transcript
We are now standing at the foot of one of Vanderbilt's most storied buildings, Benson Hall. Benson is a composite of two structures that date back to the 19th century--Science Hall and Old Central. Now housing the English and History Departments, Benson has the distinction of being the only campus building to predate the university itself. It's joined by the Bicentennial Oak _ a tree within view of Benson that predates the Revolutionary War.
Benson is surrounded by Furman, Calhoun, and Garland halls. Together they house many classes taken in the college of arts and science. The school's faculty keep office hours in these buildings, as well as in Buttrick Hall, making it easy for students to schedule appointments for advising or keep the conversation going outside the classroom.
Central Library
Tour stop audio transcript
We are now standing on Library Lawn in front of Central Library. It's one of ten buildings in the Jean and Alexander Heard Library System - named after Vanderbilt's fifth chancellor Alexander Heard. Together the libraries are home to more than 8-million items and special collections. This includes the world's most extensive archive of television news coverage from 1968 to today as well as the global music archive. Here, students have access to meeting spaces as well as a full-service caf_ with coffee, juice, and healthy food options.
Just outside Central Library resides beautiful Benton Chapel and the Vanderbilt Divinity School. The school is one of only five in the country without a denominational affiliation. A short walk across the lawn is Buttrick Hall, with classrooms, a movie theatre, and the interdisciplinary program office.
Magnolia Lawn
Tour stop audio transcript
One of the first sights you'll see after crossing the 21st Avenue walking bridge is Magnolia Lawn. Events of all types are held here, and students often sit under these trees to study or relax. Magnolia Lawn also serves as the primary entrance to the Peabody College of Education and Human Development. Nearby buildings include Peabody Library, the Kennedy Center, the John Seigenthaler Center, and the Susan Gray School. Resources and research at these centers contribute to the rich academic environment on campus.
In a similar spirit, the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt _ located less than a block away _ is a leader in the national movement to make creativity and expressive life central to the undergraduate experience.
Wyatt Center
Tour stop audio transcript
Hi, my name is Katelyn Harris. I'm a human and organizational development major from Saint Louis, Missouri. We are now standing on the Peabody Esplanade in front of Wyatt Center. This is where students take classes in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development. Inside Wyatt, undergrads work with some of the most esteemed faculty in the field. These professors use innovative, interactive styles of teaching-- encouraging hands-on experiences and research opportunities.
The Peabody Lawn is our largest open green space. Along the sides of the lawn rest some of campus's most historic buildings, including the Jesup Psychological Laboratory.
The Commons Center
Tour stop audio transcript
Aside from the residential houses on The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons, which you'll see next, first-year students spend a lot of time in The Commons Center _ where we are now. It's one of seven leed-certified buildings on The Ingram Commons. That means it has passed numerous
The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons
Tour stop audio transcript
One distinctive element of the Vanderbilt experience is The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons. Here, first-year students transition from high school into a world of living and learning that's defined by so much more than what takes place in the classroom. From move-in day on, new Commodores find themselves building relationships that will impact the rest of their social, intellectual, and academic lives. All first-year students live in one of ten houses _ each guided by a faculty head of house who lives among and mentors the students. The Dean of The Ingram Commons and family also live here. This affirms Vanderbilt's commitment to a truly supportive and interactive experience for students.
Blair School of Music trail
Blair School of Music
Tour stop audio transcript
Hi, my name is Zach Kleiman and I'm a piano performance and political science double major from Cranberry, New Jersey. I spend a lot of my time here in the Blair School of Music. Established in 1964 as a division of Peabody College, the Blair School of Music officially merged with Vanderbilt in 1981. The school has long stood as an icon of excellence across the musical spectrum _ whether in performance, learning, or research. Blair's 200 students _ who have close contact with professors thanks to a 4 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio _ are all undergrads who benefit from a conservatory-style education with a liberal arts core. This dynamic ensures a well-rounded student body, and explains why Blair graduates have pursued careers as diverse as symphonic performance to business, law, and medicine.
Non-majors are able to take classes and music lessons at the school, and audition for ensembles such as the Vanderbilt orchestra and opera theatre. Blair graduates have been admitted to some of the world's top graduate programs, including: Julliard, Peabody, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and Yale.
Just north of the Blair School lies the Mayfield, Chaffin, Lewis, and Morgan upperclass housing options. Nearby are the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Both host innovative programs for students across an array of specialties and give undergrads opportunities to interact with medical professionals and researchers.
Student Rec Center trail
Student Recreation Center
Tour stop audio transcript
Thanks to a major renovation in 2014, the Student Recreation Center offers undergrads access to an even broader selection of state-of-the-art facilities. These include a 35-meter swimming pool, strength and aerobic rooms, basketball courts, climbing wall, 4-lane bowling alley, racquetball and squash courts, and a student lounge. The new fieldhouse features a 120-yard turf field and 300 meter track. Over 30 club sports and more than 40 intramural teams are also based here, as well as a number of fitness classes, personal training services, and health clinics. The outdoor rec center offers classes and gear rental for camping, biking, kayaking, spelunking, and whitewater rafting. Outdoor facilities include track and field space, soccer and lacrosse fields, and a sand volleyball court.
Science and Engineering Building trail
Science and Engineering Building
Featheringill-Jacobs trail
Featheringill-Jacobs Engineering Complex
Tour stop audio transcript
Closer to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, you'll find Featheringill Hall and Jacobs Hall. They meet to form a grand complex central to the experience of all engineering students. Here, students from around the world break new ground with the field's top minds in more than 50 labs filled with sophisticated technology.
Engineering students choose from eight disciplines and take liberal arts classes in the College of Arts and Science. The goal -- to develop well-rounded leaders in the field. Students also obtain an impressive amount of hands-on experience as undergrads-- solving design problems in real-world settings and participating in internships and study-abroad programs. This prepares engineering students for great careers and scholarly work after graduation. School of engineering alumni work at top firms such as Amazon, Microsoft, Exxon Mobil, Facebook, and Google, and regularly consult on government and other projects.
Just a short walk away is the McTyeire residence hall. It promotes the use of foreign languages and the awareness of different cultures between all undergrads.
Vanderbilt Stadium and Hawkins Field trail
Vanderbilt Stadium and Hawkins Field
Tour stop audio transcript
We are now standing outside Vanderbilt's football and baseball stadiums. This is where commodores come to cheer on our teams in s-e-c action. Completed in 1922, Dudley Field was the first field in the south to be built exclusively for college football.
As a matter of tradition, football players begin each home game at the McGugin Center by making the
Memorial Gym trail
Tour stop audio transcript
We are now in Memorial Gym-- home to Vanderbilt's men's and women's basketball teams. It's often cited as one of the loudest, most exciting places to watch college basketball. Memorial Gym is also noted for its unusual design. The gym floor is raised above the ground, and the benches sit underneath each basket, instead of along the sidelines _ a perfect setup for our famed
Tour stop audio transcript
We are now in Memorial Gym-- home to Vanderbilt's men's and women's basketball teams. It's often cited as one of the loudest, most exciting places to watch college basketball. Memorial Gym is also noted for its unusual design. The gym floor is raised above the ground, and the benches sit underneath each basket, instead of along the sidelines _ a perfect setup for our famed
Athletics
Tour stop audio transcript
We are now in Memorial Gym-- home to Vanderbilt's men's and women's basketball teams. It's often cited as one of the loudest, most exciting places to watch college basketball. Memorial Gym is also noted for its unusual design. The gym floor is raised above the ground, and the benches sit underneath each basket, instead of along the sidelines _ a perfect setup for our famed
Barnes and Noble at Vanderbilt trail
Barnes & Noble at Vanderbilt
Tour stop audio transcript
Hi, I'm Matan Lowie, from Las Vegas Nevada. I'm majoring in human and organizational development and minoring in economics, political science and communications. Vanderbilt's main bookstore is located at the corner of 25th and West End Avenues. Located in a shopping complex next to several restaurants, boutiques, and cafes, the bookstore stocks just about everything a student could need. Whether it's a textbook, a pair of headphones, a latte, or even a vu shirt, the bookstore has it all.
And just a short walk across West End is the city's premier urban green space, Centennial Park. Here, 132 acres is put to use for everything from live music to theatre to simply enjoying the day outside. It's not uncommon to find students spending an entire Saturday on the lawns of Centennial Park.
Bronson Ingram Studio Arts trail
Bronson Ingram Studio Arts
Tour stop audio transcript
The E. Bronson Ingram Studio Arts Center is home to the Art Department and a center for creativity on campus. The facility offers studios for painting, drawing, design, printmaking, multimedia, computer design, photography, sculpture, and ceramics. In addition, an experimental gallery called Space 204 hosts student shows and serves as a workshop for artists in residence. Step inside the first floor to visit an open, informal space for student works, run by students themselves. These exhibition spaces are complemented by numerous other galleries on campus, including the Fine Arts gallery in Cohen Memorial Hall. All are a part of the diverse, creative community of arts on campus and in the city of Nashville.
Student Life Center
Tour stop audio transcript
We're now at the Student Life Center. It offers more than 18-thousand square feet of space for student events, speakers, and more. It also houses a variety of important departments at Vanderbilt, including the Office of Honor Scholarships, the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Office, the Center for Student Professional Development, Vanderbilt International Office, Global Education Office, and International Student and Scholar Services. A great aspect of attending Vanderbilt is the opportunity to meet people from around the world.
Behind Student Life sits Branscomb Quad. Here, four residential houses for upperclassmen are named after outstanding women in Vanderbilt's history: Kate Lupton Wilkinson, Anne Scales Benedict, Ada Bell Stapleton, and Stella Scott Vaughn.
To the north is the Schulman Center for Jewish Life, home to Vanderbilt's Hillel chapter and the focal point for Jewish cultural activities on campus.
Greek Row
Tour stop audio transcript
As we head toward the western edge of campus, you'll see rows of houses belonging to Vanderbilt's fraternities and sororities. With more than 530-registered student organizations on campus, undergrads participate in all kinds of social and service-related activities outside the classroom -- and Greek life is certainly one of them. In fact, campus historians trace its presence all the way back to the university's founding in 1873.
Approximately 44-percent of undergrads are involved in 33 Greek chapters these groups donate hundreds of hours of volunteer time and raise funds for loads of philanthropic causes each year.
Nearby is Saint Augustine's Chapel, which has served the Vanderbilt community since the 1950's. It's a vibrant place of worship for Vanderbilt students and Nashville residents alike. Further south, two brick cottages dating back to the late-19th century house the Margaret Cunninggim Women's Center and K.C. Potter Center -- which hosts the office of LGBTQI life. This area also includes Carmichael Towers, where many upperclass students live.
Sarratt Rand
Tour stop audio transcript
We are now standing in perhaps the most lively building on campus, Sarratt Rand. It rests at the southern tip of Alumni Lawn and combines two distinct spaces: Sarratt Student Center and Rand Dining Hall. At Sarratt, students study in various creative spaces, chat over coffee, or watch movies in the cinema. In rand, you'll find an open seating area, where you can eat fresh, healthy meals representing tastes from around the world. There's a reason Vanderbilt was ranked a "Top Six University for Food Lovers." Rand also houses the campus post office and one of the school's three markets, a great place to grab a snack or basic supplies.
Outside, students gather by "The Wall." There you can always find students promoting events and holding fundraisers. Just a short walk away is the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities and the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center. It was named for the university's first African-American student and offers excellent educational and cultural programming on the African American experience.
We hope you enjoyed the tour! Please visit admissions.vanderbilt.edu for more information on the distinct balance of academic and social life that's at the heart of the Vanderbilt experience.
