Running Commodore?

Vanderbilt alum Fred Thompson is just a few steps away from formally tossing his black and gold hat into the 2008 presidential ring, news media outlets excitedly reported yesterday. Thompson, former Tennessee senator and star of screens large and small, earned his legal degree at Vanderbilt in 1971. Vandy political science guru John Geer says Thompson’s entry into the race will transform it. Read Geer’s thoughts on VUCast and fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a loooong and fascinating election season.

Commodores earn No. 1 seed

The Commodore baseball team had a memorable Memorial Day this year – learning that they earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will be regional hosts for the first time in school history June 1-4. Get all kinds of baseball news, videos and photos at vucommodores.com.

CHAMPIONS!

Being regular-season champions wasn’t good enough for our Commodores, who won the SEC baseball tournament championship last night with a 7-4 victory over Arkansas. They’re the first team to win both the regular season and the tournament since Alabama did it in 1996. We love this team!! Get extensive coverage of the win at vucommodores.com.

Scouting out Vanderbilt Research

The Internet Scout Project, a University of Wisconsin endeavor to find the most interesting and innovative stuff on the web, has just recognized Vanderbilt’s very own Exploration science research magazine. Exploration also received accolades from the Webby awards earlier this year. Congratulations Exploration!!! Click here to visit the Exploration website.

His and Hers High School Tests?

If you’ve ever wondered why some students perform better under time constraints, researchers at Vanderbilt’s Kennedy Center have some new answers. It turns out that during teen and preteen years, females have distinctly faster processing abilities. While girls and boys have similar overall intelligence levels, girls consistantly outperform boys boys in timed activities. Researchers say this study shows that educators need to focus on teaching each individual student, rather than teaching one large classroom. Click here to watch a video on this study.

Can you please make a video that doesn’t make me cry?

Call me a sap, but every video produced by the Vanderbilt News Service’s ridiculously talented video team Pat Slattery and Emily Pearce has made me cry, for one reason or another. Whether it was the full out sobs elicited by the Freedom Ride video or the welling of tears caused by Commencement, it’s safe to say the mascara will be running after watching one of these pieces. For crying out loud (pun intended), their latest piece even had me teared up over Doctor Seuss. See for yourself.

It’s all about Game Two

Okay, so it happened. Even with that amazing rally in the ninth inning. It still happened. Why dwell on it? Let’s just listen to Coach Corbin and focus on Game Two, 1 p.m. Thursday, May 24, when the SEC regular season champs take on Mississippi State. Go Dores!!!

Movin’ and shakin’ at Owen

Most schools add one endowed chair at a time. Then, later, hire a new professor. Not the Owen Graduate School of Management. Those Type A folks this week announced five new endowed chairs and six new professors, ON THE SAME DAY. Looks like Owen is going to continue its upward trajectory. Is it all thanks to those world-famous Owen bloggers? Get the scoop(s).

Mentoring pays off

Take a look at this heartwarming story by WKRN’s Melissa Penry about the power of mentoring. The story features recent Vanderbilt grad Megan Welsh, Professor Carolyn Hughes, and Maplewood High graduate Travonte Davis. Watch it.

Vanderbilt leader Pat Wilson dies

David K. “Pat” Wilson, former chairman of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust, passed away Sunday, May 20. It is very safe to say that Vanderbilt would not be the university it is today without Wilson’s vision, leadership and generosity. Read more about this remarkable man.