Record-breaking milestones make for an unforgettable Family Weekend 2025

More than 5,200 Vanderbilt parents and families gathered on campus to celebrate Family Weekend 2025. This year's festivities, held Sept. 19-21, broke records by achieving the highest attendance ever recorded for the event.

At the University Update event on Friday, families heard from Chancellor Daniel Diermeier followed by a conversation with Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Tiffiny Tung. The panel discussion covered a range of topics, including the Vanderbilt College of Connected Computing, the impact of artificial intelligence on job opportunities, and Vanderbilt's strategic vision for innovation, growth and societal impact.

In addition to the excitement of hosting parents and families on campus, some timely news shared by Chancellor Diermeier provided another reason to celebrate: "As of today, our Dare to Grow campaign has raised more than $3.5 billion-nearly nine months before our campaign closes next June," he announced during the University Update. "This extraordinary achievement reflects the remarkable generosity and shared vision of this university community."

As part of the Sesquicentennial celebration of the university's opening, Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt University Medical Center community members gathered in Langford Auditorium on Friday to hear from Harvard professor and "happiness expert" Arthur Brooks.

On Friday afternoon, the Rohr Chabad House at Vanderbilt honored Chancellor Diermeier with the Lamplighter Award to recognize his courageous and compassionate leadership.

The Fall for the Arts festival was held Friday evening on Peabody Lawn, ending the day with music, culture and fun for the whole family.

On Saturday, attendees gathered for food, photo ops and interactive games at the pregame tailgate before the football game against Georgia State. The Commodores had a dominant victory, defeating the Panthers 70-21. A remarkable showduring halftime added to the excitement during the pause in the football action.

It was also a winning weekend for other Dores: Vanderbilt volleyball earned a 3-1 win over UC Irvine on Friday and No. 17 Vanderbilt soccer earned their second top-25 victory of the season Sunday afternoon, blanking No. 24 Oklahoma 3-0.

The weekend concluded on Sunday with the Farewell Breakfast and Commodore Market held outdoors on Alumni Lawn. Parents and family members can learn more about getting involved at Vanderbilt at vanderbilt.edu/families/get-involved.