spotlight
Dr. John Sloop Named Endowed Chair in the Humanities
Mar. 30, 2026—Dr. John Sloop was recently named the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at a ceremony led by Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Provost Cybele Raver. Dr. Sloop was just one of two recipients from the College of Arts and Science to receive this distinction. It is also the first time that a faculty...
CMST Event Focuses on Influencer Culture
Mar. 23, 2026—The Department of Communication Studies welcomed to Vanderbilt two renowned scholars to discuss the impact of influencers on contemporary American culture. Dr. Sarah Banet-Weiser, the Walter H. Annenberg Dean of the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Grant Bollmer, an Associate Research Professor of Communication at the University of Maryland,...
Professors Koch, Sandoz, and West Honored at NCA
Nov. 24, 2025—Professors Isaac West, John Koch, and ML Sandoz were honored with awards at the National Communication Association’s annual convention. Professor West was presented with the Randy Majors Award, which recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender scholarship in Communication Studies. The award is named for Randy Majors, who was one...
Dr. Max Dosser and Dr. Isaac West Facilitate Discussions about Fandom, True Crime
Nov. 24, 2025—Communication Studies faculty Max Dosser and Isaac West recently facilitated public discussions with two noteworthy artists. Professor Dosser interviewed actor Gavin Casalegno, who stars as Jeremiah Fisher in the television series The Summer I Turned Pretty. As reported by the Vanderbilt Hustler, Dosser asked Casalegno about everything from his career to his creative process. Professor...
Dr. Dustin Wood’s Class Tours The Hermitage
Apr. 9, 2025—“I hope to meet you all in heaven, both Black and White.” According to Hannah, one of the enslaved persons by Andrew Jackson’s bedside, these were the last words of the former president before he died in his bedroom at The Hermitage. This account ofJackson’s final moments is one of many stories that can be...