Community Category
The Essence of The Commons
Apr. 27, 2017—Gabi Grys, ’18 Peabody College The word tradition means “the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.” My first year of college was marked by one tradition in particular: on Thursdays, I ate pancakes. Now this was not just a regular...
STEPPING OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE
Mar. 29, 2017—Ben Taylor, ’15, School of Engineering Looking at my journey through four years at Vanderbilt, the graduating senior who I am now would barely recognize the homeschooled high school senior who came here in fall 2011. While it may seem as though I now have it “all figured out,” I was quite the opposite when...
TO BOLDLY GO WHERE YOU HAVE NOT GONE BEFORE
Mar. 29, 2017—Nadiah Nordin, ’16, School of Engineering The first eighteen years of my life were spent in Malaysia, the land I was born in. Even then, I had always dreamed of going abroad for studies or on vacation. My parents, two high school teachers with four children to feed, could never have afforded it, although we...
FROM THE WEST SIDE TO WEST END
Mar. 29, 2017—Kevin Groll, ’16, School of Engineering I came to Vanderbilt from the West Side of Cincinnati, which is best described as a small town. Most residents are second, third, and fourth generation West Siders, and people grow up destined to stay forever. Being a West Sider always gave me a sense of belonging, an identity...
FROM SKEPTIC TO SERVANT
Mar. 29, 2017—Rebecca Riley, ’17, School of Engineering Anyone who knows me can attest that I am perennially running ten minutes late. It was no different when I rolled into the Crawford House “Meet the Candidates” meeting last August. I checked out the board with the names of the candidates and, to my total surprise, saw my...
DOING SERVICE AT VANDERBILT
Mar. 29, 2017—Clive Mentzel, Director of the Office of Active Citizenship and Service, Faculty VUceptor When we reflect on the values that constitute the social fabric of Vanderbilt, it’s clear that as a community, we care deeply. We give back, and in the two years that I have been director of OACS, many students have heard me...
THE COMMONS CONTINUED—PERSPECTIVE OF A HEAD RESIDENT
Mar. 29, 2017—Lucas Wesoloski, ’18, College of Arts and Science Let me be the first to say that my first-year experience on Commons did not go exactly as I had planned. I started off struggling with my academics and could not find an organization on campus that fit what I wanted to do. However, thanks to my RA,...