Vanderbilt University has appointed Kevin Galloway as the next faculty director of the Ingram Scholars Program, effective July 1.听
Galloway, the Evans Family Executive Director of the听Wond鈥檙y听and a research associate professor of mechanical engineering, will succeed Kelly Goldsmith, who has served as faculty director since January 2024. Goldsmith will step down from the role at the conclusion of the academic year听to听expand her听new role听as associate provost for strategic initiatives听in undergraduate education.听
鈥淜elly鈥檚 leadership over the past 2 1/2 years has strengthened the Ingram Scholars Program in meaningful ways, from enhancing the student experience to expanding alumni engagement,鈥� Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Tiffiny Tung said. 鈥淪he leaves the program in听a very strong听position to continue听providing tremendous opportunities for Ingram Scholars. Kevin will build on that momentum through his deep commitment to innovation,听mentorship听and experiential learning, which aligns closely with the program鈥檚 mission.鈥�听
During her time as faculty director, Goldsmith undertook a comprehensive listening effort, meeting with all current scholars and more than 150 alumni to better understand the program鈥檚 strengths and opportunities. She introduced clearer expectations for service participation, enhanced mentorship听structures听and expanded the scope of programming to foster deeper engagement with the Nashville community and alumni. Interest in the program has grown significantly during this time. In collaboration with Douglas L. Christiansen, vice provost for university enrollment affairs, applications increased from about 1,200 in 2024 to听nearly 3,000听in the most recent cycle. Strategic changes Goldsmith implemented in recruitment also increased yield year over year, rising 40 percent overall during her time in the role.听听
Goldsmith is the E. Bronson Ingram Chair and听professor听of听marketing听at the Owen Graduate School of Management and serves as faculty director of the Hoogland Undergraduate Business Program. Her research focuses on consumer behavior and decision-making, and she teaches the popular graduate听course听Cases in Chaos: Fame, Shame, and Make-or-Break Marketing.听
Galloway brings extensive leadership experience in innovation and entrepreneurship to the role. As executive director of the听Wond鈥檙y, he has built cross-campus initiatives that have equipped thousands of Vanderbilt students to translate ideas into prototypes,听ventures听and real-world applications. He also serves on the faculty advisory committee for Vanderbilt鈥檚 new San Francisco campus, reflecting his leadership in integrating innovation and entrepreneurship across the university.听He serves as founding faculty adviser to Tikkun Olam Makers at听Vanderbilt,听a student organization focused on developing open-source solutions for people with disabilities. Through this work, he advances a model of social innovation that combines design,听engineering听and community partnership to address unmet needs.听
His scholarly work focuses on use-inspired, applied research, with an emphasis on moving ideas from concept to implementation. An award-winning educator and director of the new Innovation and Design Strategy minor, he created the courses IDS/ME 2273: How to Make (Almost) Anything and IDS/ME 2373: Make It Real and Make It Matter, where students hone their prototyping skills and work with external clients to develop solutions to real-world challenges. He is also an accomplished inventor, holding 17 patents across medical, robotics,听manufacturing听and defense technologies, with research supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense.听He has led projects with Fort Campbell to design new equipment for the Army that are now in prototype development, work developed and advanced alongside Vanderbilt students. His innovation work with the 101st Airborne Division earned him recognition as an honorary member of the 187th Infantry Regiment.听
鈥淚鈥檓 honored to serve as faculty director of the Ingram Scholars Program,鈥� Galloway said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 incredible energy in this community, and I鈥檓 excited to work alongside students who are ready to build, lead and create meaningful impact in the world.鈥澨�
About the Ingram Scholars Program听
Founded in 1994 by E. Bronson Ingram, former听chairman听of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust, the Ingram Scholars Program supports students who seek to combine a successful professional career with a lifelong commitment to service and addressing critical societal challenges.听听
Ingram Scholars are selected for their leadership, entrepreneurial听spirit听and dedication to civic-minded service. The program integrates academic study with hands-on service experiences,听mentorship听and leadership development, preparing students to make meaningful contributions in their communities and beyond.听听
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