The brassy timbre of trumpets rolled through the tents on Vanderbilt鈥檚 Alumni Lawn, ushering in the Sesquicentennial Ceremony and Celebration of the university opening its doors on Oct. 3鈥�4, 1875. It was a moment of both reverential reflection and a hopeful vision for the future, as Chancellor Daniel Diermeier remarked: 鈥淭he 鈥楪reat University of the South鈥� is now one of the great universities of America.鈥�
An audience made up of the Board of Trust, Vanderbilt leadership, deans, faculty, staff and students gathered on the afternoon of Oct. 3, as Vice Chancellor for People, Culture and Belonging Sydney Savion opened the ceremony, welcoming Sen. Lamar Alexander, BA鈥�62, to the podium.
Alexander took the audience back to his time at Vanderbilt, recounting the tumultuous battle over desegregation at the university that included a young Rev. James Lawson and then-Chancellor Bennett Harvie Branscomb. After faculty resignations and a heated campus debate, the Vanderbilt Board of Trust voted to admit all qualified students without regard to race or creed in the spring of 1962.
It was an example, he said, of Vanderbilt鈥檚 wisdom during trying moments. 鈥淚n today鈥檚 turbulent times, worried friends ask me, 鈥楥an we survive this?鈥� I remind them that Americans have asked this question ever since our country鈥檚 founding in times tougher than today鈥檚鈥攖hrough wars, economic panics and social upheaval,鈥� Alexander said. 鈥淎nd I tell them that Vanderbilt still seems to know what to do in times of turmoil 鈥� expose students to ideas鈥攅ven controversial ones鈥攈elp them learn how to examine and discuss those ideas, with the hope that students will have ideas of their own that will help them know what to do to build and strengthen the American republic.鈥�
Following Alexander鈥檚 remarks, Nashville Mayor Freddie O鈥機onnell took the stage and reflected on the city鈥檚 enduring relationship with the university, working together to accomplish major projects. 鈥淥ne hundred and fifty years in, I鈥檓 excited to join you on this campus鈥攁n arboretum within itself鈥攖hat bridges ivory towers to city halls and links the city through cross-sector collaboration,鈥� O鈥機onnell said.
Among those projects: a 10-year relationship to provide technology and planning solutions for our transit challenges, most recently through the 鈥淐hoose How You Move鈥� initiative. O鈥機onnell also noted the university鈥檚 involvement in the city鈥檚 housing fund and its role on the steering committee of the Nashville Innovation Alliance, from which a collaboration with the city and state鈥檚 office of economic and community development resulted in a Vanderbilt-incubated company getting foreign direct investment for a center of excellence on campus.
Chancellor Diermeier concluded the ceremony with a few words on the symbolic nature of the university鈥檚 founding as an institution that would strengthen ties across the country on the very land that a Union army line of fortification had cut through during the Civil War. In the 150 years since opening, Vanderbilt is living up to that promise, he said, expanding the university鈥檚 reach to bring its mission of transformative education and pathbreaking research to cities around the U.S. and the world.
鈥淣ow, as then, our university is a source of hope and possibility in tumultuous times, with its greatest triumphs ahead,鈥� Diermeier said. 鈥淪o today we recommit: To honoring our founders鈥� vision. To living by our enduring values. And to rising to meet our own moment in history, whatever it asks of us.鈥�
The chancellor鈥檚 address was followed by a performance of the Alma Mater by Riley Eddins, BMus鈥�25, and the celebratory rain of black and gold streamers from cannons to the sounds of the Spirit of Gold marching band. Guests in attendance enjoyed a complimentary lunch from various food trucks gathered at the event.
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