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Braxton wins prestigious faculty award

Posted 10/14/2009

Peabody professor John M. Braxton was surprised in his Payne Hall classroom by Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos, who presented him with the 2009 Chancellor’s Cup.

"I have worked with John for many years. He has been a leader in shaping the student experience at Vanderbilt for over a decade," Zeppos said on Oct. 14. "The names on the Chancellor's Cup are a who's who of great professors that make Vanderbilt a special place, and John's name will be etched there now."

The Chancellor’s Cup is given annually for "the greatest contribution outside the classroom to undergraduate student-faculty relationships in the recent past." The faculty member's contribution "shall be one of educational importance, relevant to the central purpose of the University."

"I am very honored by all of this and quite surprised," Braxton said.

Established by the club in 1963, the award is presented each year during Homecoming week. It consists of a cash prize of $2,500 contributed by the club, an engraved pewter cup as a permanent trophy, and one year's custody of a silver Tiffany bowl bearing the names of all recipients.  Selection is made by the chancellor based on  recommendations submitted by Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa, deans of the undergraduate schools and administrators in the Office of the Dean of Students. Nashville Vanderbilt Club President Thomas Conner presented Braxton with the cash prize and Tiffany bowl.

Braxton joined the Peabody faculty in 1992 and is professor of education in the department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations. His research centers on the college student experience, the sociology of the academic profession and academic course-level processes. He is currently involved in developing programming for Vanderbilt students after they leave The Commons and become upperclassmen. He has published over 80 publications in the form of articles in referred journals, books and book chapters. He currently serves as a consulting editor for the Journal of Higher Education and Research in Higher Education and is a member of the editorial board of The Journal of College Student Retention. He also currently serves as the immediate-past president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education.

Braxton earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gettysburg College in 1967, his master’s degree in student personnel administration in higher education from Colgate University in 1968, and his doctorate in higher education from Pennsylvania State University in 1980.

Contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu

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