NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vanderbilt University today shared a vision and strategy that sets the stage for a new era of success and achievement for the Commodores – one that is rooted in delivering the preeminent student-athlete experience in college athletics.
“Our vision for athletics will allow us to grow forward as a community and focus on making the Vanderbilt Way come alive in all we do,” said Candice Storey Lee, Interim Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Interim Athletic Director. “We’ve charted a new course that embodies the university’s shared commitment to collaboration and excellence, reflecting input from our campus community and our dedicated Commodore Nation.”“
As a long-time Commodore, I know from experience that Vanderbilt is a special place for student-athletes,” Lee said. “I have made Vanderbilt my home for more than 20 years, and I can’t imagine a more exciting time for our athletics program. Today, we are taking the first of many essential steps toward a brighter future.”
Vanderbilt is developing a master facility plan to complement the strategic plan for athletics. It will outline improvements to athletics’ facilities in line with FutureVU, the university’s comprehensive land use planning effort to advance the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.
In addition, the university today announced that planning and fundraising has begun for a significant upgrade to the Commodores’ football locker room. Construction is expected to be completed in time for the upcoming football season.
“Our student-athletes and our athletics program help shape and improve our university,” Interim Chancellor and Provost Susan R. Wente said. “They are an integral part of the mosaic of diverse perspectives and experiences that help drive Vanderbilt’s holistic and collaborative approach to education and discovery.
”“Guided by the Vanderbilt Way, the Commodores bring us together, providing a shared touchstone for students, faculty and staff, our alumni and our supporters in the community,” Wente said. “The Strategic Plan for Athletics will drive and guide the future of our athletics program, serving as a blueprint for further success and collaboration.”
To achieve its vision for athletics, Vanderbilt’s Strategic Plan for Athletics has five areas of focus – academic and personal development, athletic excellence, stakeholder engagement, fan experience and financial performance. Each focus area has several strategic initiatives to drive execution.
Academic and Personal Development: Use our athletics platform as a model for the commitment to academic and personal development espoused by Vanderbilt University.
Athletic Excellence: Optimize the ability of our student-athletes to win and consistently compete for championships across our entire sports portfolio.
Stakeholder Engagement: Actively work with our partners across the university, alumni and the Nashville community through regular communication, outreach and engagement.
Fan Experience:Raise the prominence of the Vanderbilt Athletics brand and deepen our community impact by delivering an engaging fan experience.
Financial Performance: Increase self-generated funding by creating revenue streams and improving existing ones.
