Vanderbilt University: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 11, 2026

News •

Shea Ralph has taken Vanderbilt from surprise team to true contender • Oct. 16, 2026, 9:00 PM ET (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

Also Known As	Central University
Date	1873 - present
Notable Alumni	Muhammad Yunus • Robert Penn Warren • Greg Abbott • Mildred T. Stahlman • James Patterson • Perry Wallace • Al Gore • John M. Jumper • Lamar Alexander • David Brinkley • Fred Thompson • Allen Tate • John Crowe Ransom • Robert Ryman • John Kennedy • Dinah Shore • Norman E. Shumway • Cleanth Brooks • Edward Emerson Barnard • Stanford Moore
Related People	Cornelius Vanderbilt

See All Images →

Topics