On Monday, March 17, Vanderbilt University Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos, Vanderbilt's Deans and descendants of Bishop McTyeire gathered to celebrate the 135th anniversary of our founding.

After a brief ceremony and wreath presentation at the statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt, located at the entrance of the Kirkland Hall esplanade off of West End Avenue, wreaths were also placed at the the campus gravesite of Bishop McTyeire and his wife, Amelia. The ceremony concluded with cake and coffee served in Kirkland Hall.

Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt was 79 years old when he gave $1 million to build Vanderbilt University in 1873. The money that he gave to endow and build the university was the Commodore's only major philanthropy.

“Vanderbilt did not set out to become a philanthropist,” says historian Michael McGerr. “He was obsessed with his name. He thought his name would live through the New York Central Railroad, which no longer exists.” Vanderbilt would be shocked that his name survives not through industry, but through a university,” McGerr said.

Contact: Lyle Lankford, (615)343-1579
lyle.lankford@Vanderbilt.Edu