100 Notable alumni of
Vanderbilt University
Updated:
Vanderbilt University is 155th in the world, 70th in North America, and 67th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from Vanderbilt University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. 2 individuals affiliated with Vanderbilt University won Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine.
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Al Gore
- Occupations
- climate activistoratorfinancierwriterenvironmentalist
- Biography
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Albert Arnold Gore Jr. is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented Tennessee in both houses of the U.S. Congress, first as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1985, and then as a U.S. senator from 1985 to 1993. Gore was the Democratic nominee in the 2000 presidential election; he lost to George W. Bush despite winning the popular vote.
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Duncan Jones
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directordirectorfilm producer
- Biography
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Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones is a British film director, film producer and screenwriter. He directed the films Moon (2009), Source Code (2011), Warcraft (2016), and Mute (2018). For Moon, he won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. He is the son of English singer-songwriter David Bowie and Cypriot-born American model, actress, and journalist Angie Bowie.
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Greg Abbott
- Occupations
- lawyerjudgepolitician
- Biography
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Gregory Wayne Abbott is an American politician, attorney, and jurist who has served since 2015 as the 48th governor of Texas. A member of the Republican Party, he served from 2002 to 2015 as the 50th attorney general of Texas and from 1996 to 2001 as a justice of the Texas Supreme Court. As of 2025, Abbott is the longest-serving incumbent governor in the United States.
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Muhammad Yunus
- Occupations
- economistbankerentrepreneuruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi economist and social business entrepreneur who served as the chief adviser of Bangladesh from 2024 to 2026. Yunus pioneered the modern concept of microcredit and microfinance, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. He is the founder of Grameen Bank and the first Bangladeshi to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
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James Patterson
- Occupations
- actorwriterfilm producertelevision producerscreenwriter
- Biography
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James Brendan Patterson is an American author. Among his works are the Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Women's Murder Club, Maximum Ride, Daniel X, NYPD Red, Witch & Wizard, Private and Middle School series, as well as many stand-alone thrillers, non-fiction, and romance novels. Patterson's books have sold more than 425 million copies, and he was the first person to sell one million e-books. In 2016, Patterson topped Forbes's list of highest-paid authors for the third consecutive year, with an income of $95 million. His total income over a decade is estimated at $700 million.
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Kim Dickens
- Occupations
- film actoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Kim Dickens is an American actress. She is known for starring as Madison Clark in the AMC horror drama series Fear the Walking Dead, Joanie Stubbs in HBO's Deadwood (2004–2006; 2019), and Detective Rhonda Boney in Gone Girl (2014).
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Amy Grant
- Occupations
- voice actorsinger-songwritersingersongwriter
- Biography
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Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She began her music career in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the mid-1980s. Grant has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop". Grant was formerly married to fellow Christian musician Gary Chapman; after their divorce in 1999, she married country music singer Vince Gill in 2000.
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Bettie Page
- Occupations
- Playboy Playmateerotic photography modelmodel
- Biography
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Bettie Mae Page was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos and other services. She was often referred to as the "Queen of Pinups": her long jet-black hair, blue eyes, and trademark bangs have influenced artists for generations. After her death, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner called her "a remarkable lady, an iconic figure in pop culture who influenced sexuality, taste in fashion, someone who had a tremendous impact on our society".
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Dinah Shore
- Occupations
- golferfilm actortelevision actorsingerscreenwriter
- Biography
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Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, television personality, author, and talk show host. Born in Winchester, Tennessee and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, She rose to prominence as a recording artist during the Big Band era. She achieved even greater success a decade later in television, mainly as the host of a series of variety programs sponsored by Chevrolet. After failing singing auditions for the bands of Benny Goodman, and both Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Shore struck out on her own. She became the first singer of her era to achieve huge solo success. She had a string of eighty charted popular hits, spanning from 1940 to 1957, and after appearing in a handful of feature films, she went on to a four-decade career in American television. She starred in her own music and variety shows from 1951 through 1963 and hosted two talk shows in the 1970s. TV Guide ranked her at number 16 on their list of the top 50 television stars of all time. Stylistically, Shore was compared to two singers who followed her in the mid-to-late 1940s and early 1950s, Jo Stafford and Patti Page.
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Rosanne Cash
- Occupations
- singerrecording artistsinger-songwriter
- Biography
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Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of country musician Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Cash.
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Nikki Cox
- Occupations
- television actordanceractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Nikki Cox is an American actress, known for her roles on the television series Unhappily Ever After, Las Vegas, The Norm Show, and Nikki.
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John N. Kennedy
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1973 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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John Neely Kennedy is an American politician and attorney who has served as the junior United States senator from Louisiana since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the Louisiana State Treasurer from 2000 to 2017, as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue from 1996 to 1999, and as special counsel and then cabinet member to Governor Buddy Roemer from 1988 to 1992.
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Andy Beshear
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 2000 graduated with Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and political science
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Andrew Graham Beshear is an American politician and attorney serving since 2019 as the 63rd governor of Kentucky. A member of the Democratic Party, he served from 2016 to 2019 as the 50th attorney general of Kentucky. He is the son of former Kentucky governor Steve Beshear, who served from 2007 to 2015.
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Fred Thompson
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1967 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- voice actortelevision actoractorcolumnistfilm actor
- Biography
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Freddie Dalton Thompson was an American politician, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, actor, and radio personality. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States senator from Tennessee from 1994 to 2003. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the Republican Party presidential primaries for the 2008 United States presidential election.
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Skip Bayless
- Occupations
- authortelevision personalitycelebrity
- Biography
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Skip Bayless is an American sports columnist, commentator, and television personality. He is well-known for his work as a commentator on the ESPN2 show First Take with Stephen A. Smith, a show which he left in June 2016. Bayless debuted his show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed with Shannon Sharpe on Fox Sports 1 in September 2016, which he led for eight years until he left in August 2024.
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Shawn Johnson East
- Occupations
- gymnastartistic gymnast
- Biography
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Shawn Johnson East is an American former artistic gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medalist and team, all-around and floor exercise silver medalist. Johnson is also the 2007 all-around World Champion, and a five-time Pan American Games gold medalist, winning the team titles in 2007 and 2011, as well as titles in the all-around, uneven bars, and balance beam in 2007.
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Molly Sims
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied in 1991-1993
- Occupations
- television presentermodeltelevision actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Molly Sims is an American fashion model and actress. She was featured in campaigns for Jimmy Choo, Escada, Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, and Chanel, among others. She frequently modeled for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in the early 2000s and walked the runway for the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2001.
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Vince Foster
- Occupations
- juristlawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Vincent Walker Foster Jr. was an American attorney who served as deputy White House counsel during the first six months of the Clinton administration.
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Scotty Pippen Jr
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Scotty Maurice Pippen Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores, where he earned Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman Team recognition in 2020 and First-team All-conference recognition in 2021 and 2022.
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Dierks Bentley
- Occupations
- singersongwritersinger-songwritercomposerguitarist
- Biography
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Frederick Dierks Bentley is an American country singer and songwriter. Bentley moved to Nashville in the late 90s to pursue a career in music, leading up to his releasing the self-funded and independent album Don't Leave Me in Love in 2001. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified Platinum in the United States, and his third album, 2006's Long Trip Alone, is certified Gold. It was followed in mid-2008 by a greatest hits package. His fourth album, Feel That Fire, was released in February 2009, and a bluegrass album, Up on the Ridge, was released on June 8, 2010. His sixth album, Home, followed in February 2012, as did a seventh one, Riser, in 2014. Bentley's eighth album, titled Black, was released in May 2016, and his ninth, The Mountain, was released in June 2018. His tenth studio album, Gravel & Gold, was released in February 2023.
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Logan Browning
- Occupations
- television actordanceractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Logan Laurice Browning is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Samantha White in the 2017 Netflix satirical-drama series Dear White People. She is also known for playing Sasha in the 2007 film Bratz: The Movie, Brianna Brown in Meet the Browns, Jelena Howard on the VH1 series Hit the Floor, and Zora in the PlayStation Network series Powers.
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Dansby Swanson
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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James Dansby Swanson is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected him first overall in the 2015 MLB draft.
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David Price
- Occupations
- baseball playerscreenwriter
- Biography
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David Taylor Price is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Price was selected first overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in September 2008. He also played for the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Andrew East
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in civil engineering
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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Andrew Dean East is an American former professional football player who was a long snapper in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Vanderbilt Commodores, and had multiple stints with various NFL teams, including the Washington Redskins.
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John Nance Garner
- Occupations
- lawyerjudgepolitician
- Biography
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John Nance Garner III, known among his contemporaries as "Cactus Jack", was the 32nd vice president of the United States, serving from 1933 to 1941 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. A member of the Democratic Party, Garner served as the 39th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1931 to 1933, having been a U.S. representative from Texas from 1903 to 1933. Garner and Schuyler Colfax are the only politicians to have served as presiding officers of both chambers of the U.S. Congress as speaker of the House and vice president of the United States. He was the longest-lived vice president in U.S. history, dying at the age of 98.
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Willie Geist
- Occupations
- television presenterpresenter
- Biography
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William Russell Geist is an American television personality and journalist. He is co-anchor of MS NOW's Morning Joe and anchor of Sunday Today with Willie Geist. Geist also frequently serves as a fill-in anchor on both the 7-9 a.m. and 10 a.m. hours of Today. Geist is a correspondent for NBC News and NBC Sports, hosting and contributing to NBC's Olympic coverage. Geist has hosted the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks and Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting on NBC.
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Darius Garland
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Darius Kinnard Garland is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Born in Gary, Indiana, Garland is the son of former professional basketball player Winston Garland. Garland attended Brentwood Academy in high school, joining the varsity basketball team in eighth grade and leaving as a four-time state champion and three-time Tennessee Mr. Basketball winner. He was a five-star recruit, ranked among the best point guards in the 2018 class, and a McDonald's All-American. He is a two-time NBA All-Star.
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Walker Buehler
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Walker Anthony Buehler is an American professional baseball pitcher in the San Diego Padres organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.
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Lamar Alexander
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1962 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- academic administratorlawyerlobbyistpolitician
- Biography
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Andrew Lamar Alexander Jr. is an American politician, academic administrator, and attorney who served as a U.S. senator from Tennessee from 2003 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he was previously the 45th governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987 and the 5th United States Secretary of Education under President George H. W. Bush, serving from 1991 to 1993. During his tenure at the Department of Education, he supported the implementation of the "America 2000" education reform initiative.
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Clay Travis
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- 2001-2004 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- talk show hostradio personalitywritersports journalisttelevision producer
- Biography
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Richard Clay Travis is an American writer, lawyer, radio host and television analyst, and founder of OutKick.
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Festus Ezeli
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Ifeanyi Festus Ezeli-Ndulue Listen is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player who played five seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores before being selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors, where he won an NBA Championship in 2015. Ezeli last appeared in the 2016 NBA Finals and did not play basketball due to knee surgery in the 2017 season, then coming back in 2021.
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Richard Quest
- Occupations
- television presenterdiscussion moderatorjournalist
- Biography
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Richard Austin Quest is a British journalist and non-practising barrister working as a news anchor for CNN International. He is also an editor-at-large of CNN Business.
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Luke Kornet
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Luke Francis Kornet is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Vanderbilt and is the all-time leader for blocked shots in the school's history and the NCAA all-time leader for three-pointers made by any player seven feet tall or taller. Kornet became an NBA champion upon winning the 2024 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics. He is known to some Celtics fans by the nickname "The Green Kornet".
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Damian Jones
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Damian William Jones is an American professional basketball player for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores and was selected in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors with the 30th overall pick. Jones is a two-time NBA champion, having won both with Golden State in 2017 and 2018.
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Sonny Gray
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Sonny Douglas Gray is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, and St. Louis Cardinals.
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DeMarre Carroll
- Occupations
- basketball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
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DeMarre LaEdrick Carroll is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected as the 27th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA draft. Carroll played in the NBA for 11 seasons with the Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and San Antonio Spurs. He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores and Missouri Tigers.
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Jack Thompson
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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John Bruce Thompson is an American activist and disbarred attorney. As an attorney, Thompson focused his legal efforts against what he perceives as obscenity in modern culture. Thompson gained recognition as an anti-video game activist, criticizing the content of video games and their alleged effects on children. He also targeted rap music and radio personality Howard Stern.
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R. Scott Bakker
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1997 studied philosophy
- Occupations
- writernovelist
- Biography
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Richard Scott Bakker is a Canadian fantasy author. He grew up on a tobacco farm in the Simcoe area.
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Kumar Rocker
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Kumar Rocker is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Rocker played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores. He was selected with the 10th pick in the 2021 MLB draft by the New York Mets but was not signed. After one year with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the Frontier League, he was selected by the Rangers with the third overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft. He signed with the Rangers and made his MLB debut in 2024.
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Zac Stacy
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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Zachary Latrell Stacy is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Vanderbilt Commodores and was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was also a member of the New York Jets, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and Memphis Express.
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Mark Prior
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Mark William Prior is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. A onetime top prospect of the Chicago Cubs, he pitched for the team from 2002 to 2006 in a career that was marred by injuries. In his prime, his repertoire of pitches included a mid-90s mph fastball, a curveball, and a changeup. He is the pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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John Irving Bloom
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- 1971-1975 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- film critictelevision actorwriterjournalistactor
- Biography
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John Irving Bloom, known by the stage name Joe Bob Briggs, is an American syndicated film critic, writer, actor, comic performer, and horror host. He is known for having hosted Joe Bob's Drive-in Theater on The Movie Channel from 1986 to 1996, the TNT series MonsterVision from 1996 to 2000, and The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs on Shudder beginning in 2018. In 2019, he was named the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards' Monster Kid of the Year, and in 2023 was inducted into the Rondo Hatton Awards' Monster Kid Hall of Fame.
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John Amaechi
- Occupations
- bloggerbasketball playerpolitician
- Biography
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John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi //, OBE is an English psychologist, consultant and former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores and Penn State Nittany Lions, and professional basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Amaechi played in France, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. Since retiring from basketball, Amaechi has worked as a psychologist and consultant, establishing his company Amaechi Performance Systems.
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Amanda Sudano
- Occupations
- modelsinger-songwritersingersongwriter
- Biography
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Amanda Grace Sudano Ramirez is an American singer-songwriter and model. She is a member of the musical duo Johnnyswim.
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Robert Penn Warren
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1925 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- poetliterary criticwriterchildren's writernovelist
- Biography
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Robert Penn Warren was an American poet, novelist, literary critic and professor at Yale University. He was one of the founders of New Criticism. He was also a charter member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. He founded the literary journal The Southern Review with Cleanth Brooks in 1935. He received the 1947 Pulitzer Prize for the Novel for All the King's Men (1946) and the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1958 and 1979. He is the only person to have won Pulitzer Prizes for both fiction and poetry. Yale awarded Warren an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in 1973.
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Aaron Nesmith
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Aaron Joshua Nesmith is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores before being drafted 14th overall in the 2020 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He was part of the roster that reached the 2022 NBA Finals before he was traded to the Pacers in a package surrounding Malcolm Brogdon.
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Bill Hagerty
- Occupations
- diplomatbusinesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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William Francis Hagerty IV is an American politician, businessman, and diplomat serving as the junior United States senator from Tennessee since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 30th United States ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2019 under President Donald Trump.
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Ross Perot, Jr
- Occupations
- businesspersonmilitary officer
- Biography
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Henry Ross Perot Jr. is an American real estate developer and businessman best known for his development of Alliance, Texas, an inland port near Fort Worth, and for making the first circumnavigation of the world in a helicopter, at age 23.
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Diego Pavia
- Born in
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United States - Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied in 2024
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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Diego Pavia is an American college football quarterback for the Vanderbilt Commodores. He previously played for the New Mexico Military Institute Broncos and New Mexico State Aggies.
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Wade Baldwin
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Wade Manson Baldwin IV is an American professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe Beko of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroLeague. He primarily plays as combo guard, but he can also play as small forward due to his 6 ft 11 in wingspan.
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David Brinkley
- Occupations
- writernews presenterjournalisttelevision presenter
- Biography
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David McClure Brinkley was an American newscaster for NBC and ABC in a career lasting from 1943 to 1997.
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James Dickey
- Occupations
- writerpoetnovelistscreenwriter
- Biography
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James Lafayette Dickey was an American poet, novelist, critic, and lecturer. He was appointed the 18th United States Poet Laureate in 1966. His other accolades included the National Book Award for Poetry and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
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Charlie Soong
- Occupations
- missionarybusinesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Charles Jones Soong, also known by his courtesy name Soong Yao-ju (Chinese: 宋耀如; pinyin: Sòng Yàorú; Wade–Giles: Sung Yao-ju), was a Chinese businessman who first achieved prominence as a publisher in Shanghai. His children became some of the most prominent politicians of the Kuomintang-ruled Nationalist China.
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Cal Cunningham
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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James Calvin Cunningham III is an American lawyer, politician, and retired military officer. A member of the Democratic Party and a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve, he served one term as a North Carolina state senator from 2001 to 2003. Having previously run for United States Senate in a 2010 primary, Cunningham was the Democratic nominee for the 2020 U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, narrowly losing to incumbent Republican Thom Tillis.
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James Eastland
- Occupations
- plantation ownerlawyerfarmerpolitician
- Biography
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James Oliver Eastland was an American attorney, plantation owner, and politician from Mississippi. A Democrat, he served in the United States Senate in 1941 and again from 1943 until his resignation in late 1978. Eastland was a segregationist who led the Southern resistance against racial integration during the civil rights movement, often speaking of African Americans as "an inferior race". Eastland has been called the "Voice of the White South" and the "Godfather of Mississippi Politics".
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Michelle Alexander
- Occupations
- authorhuman rights defenderlawyeruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Michelle Alexander is an American writer, attorney, and civil rights activist. She is best known for her 2010 book The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. Since 2018, she has been an opinion columnist for the New York Times.
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Casey Hayward
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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Casey Hayward Jr. is an American former professional football cornerback. He played college football for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Hayward was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft and has played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Packers, San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.
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Brandt Snedeker
- Occupations
- golfer
- Biography
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Brandt Newell Snedeker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He won the 2012 FedEx Cup with a victory in the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. Following this victory, he moved into the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career. In February 2013, after winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, he moved to a career high of number four in the world. On August 16, 2018, he shot the tenth sub-60 round in the history of the PGA Tour, firing an opening round 59 at the Wyndham Championship.
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John W. Rose
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John Williams Rose is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Tennessee's 6th congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 33rd agriculture commissioner of Tennessee from 2002 to 2003.
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Ben Quayle
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 2002 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- business executivelawyerentrepreneurpolitician
- Biography
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Benjamin Eugene Quayle is an American lawyer and politician who is a former U.S. representative for Arizona's 3rd congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, he is the son of the 44th vice president of the United States, Dan Quayle.
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Linda Ellerbee
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied in 1962-1963
- Occupations
- actorscreenwriternews presenterwriterchildren's writer
- Biography
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Linda Ellerbee is an American journalist, anchor, producer, reporter, author, speaker and commentator, noted as longtime Washington correspondent for NBC News and host of NBC News Overnight. She is widely known as the twenty-five year host of Nick News, Nickelodeon's highly rated and recognized news program for older school-aged children and teens that addressed substantive issues, including wars, disease and disasters, without condescension.
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Susanna Kwan
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Susanna Kwan Kuk-ying is a Hongkonger singer and actress.
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Justin Jones
- Occupations
- politicianactivist
- Biography
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Justin Jones is an American activist and politician from the state of Tennessee. A member of the Democratic Party, he serves in the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 52, representing parts of Nashville. As of 2025, Jones is the second youngest member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and the youngest Democratic lawmaker. He was expelled in April 2023 for violating decorum rules by leading a gun control protest on the House floor after the 2023 Covenant school shooting. The Nashville Metro Council voted unanimously to reinstate Jones as an interim representative pending a special election to fill the seat. He later won a special election in August 2023 to continue serving as a full member, and again in November 2024 to serve his second term.
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Mike MacIntyre
- Occupations
- head coachAmerican football player
- Biography
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George Michael MacIntyre is an American football coach who serves as a defensive coordinator for Oregon State. He previously served as the head football coach at FIU.
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Jeffery Taylor
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied in 2008-2012
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Jeffery Matthew Taylor is a Swedish-American professional basketball player for U-BT Cluj-Napoca of the Romanian Liga Națională and the EuroCup. He played college basketball for Vanderbilt University, before being drafted 31st overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2012 NBA draft.
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Doug Parker
- Years
- 1962-.. (age 64)
- Occupations
- entrepreneurchief executive officer
- Biography
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William Douglas Parker is an American businessman. He spent more than 20 years as an airline executive, including as the CEO and chairman of American Airlines Group, as well as executive positions with America West Airlines and US Airways. He is a current board member of Qantas, and also the founder of the nonprofit organization Breaking Down Barriers.
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Alev Alatlı
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Graduated with Master of Arts in development economics and econometrics
- Occupations
- columnistjournalistphilosophertranslatoreconomist
- Biography
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Alev Alatlı was a Turkish columnist, bestselling novelist, academic and economist.
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Tyler Beede
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Tyler Joseph Beede is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cleveland Guardians, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants.
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Anthony Kemp
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Anthony Allen Kemp is an American former professional baseball second baseman and left fielder. Between 2016 and 2024, he played nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and Baltimore Orioles.
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Steve Cohen
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1971 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Stephen Ira Cohen is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative from Tennessee's 9th congressional district since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is majority-minority and includes the western three-fourths of Memphis. Cohen is Tennessee's first Jewish congressman. Since 2023, Cohen has been the only Democrat in Tennessee's congressional delegation.
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Jerry Parr
- Occupations
- special agentU.S. Secret Service agent
- Biography
-
Jerry S. Parr was a United States Secret Service agent who is best known for defending President Ronald Reagan during the attempt on the president's life on March 30, 1981, in Washington, D.C. Parr pushed Reagan into the presidential limousine and made the critical decision to divert the presidential motorcade to George Washington University Hospital instead of returning to the White House. He was honored for his actions that day with U.S. Congress commendations, and is widely credited with helping to save the president's life.
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Adena Friedman
- Occupations
- executive
- Biography
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Adena T. Friedman is an American businesswoman. She currently serves as the President and CEO of Nasdaq, Inc. She was formerly a managing director and CFO of The Carlyle Group. Initially joining Nasdaq in 1993, she returned to Nasdaq from Carlyle in May 2014 as President of Global Corporate and information technology solutions. She was named the CEO of Nasdaq in January 2017, the first woman to lead a global exchange.
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Bryan Reynolds
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Bryan Patrick Reynolds is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). Reynolds played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores, and the San Francisco Giants selected him with the 59th pick in the 2016 MLB draft. The Giants traded him to the Pirates in 2018. He made his MLB debut in 2019 and has been selected as an All-Star in 2021 and 2024.
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Bill Bain
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied bachelor's degree
- Occupations
- consultant
- Biography
-
William Worthington Bain Jr. was an American management consultant, known for his role as one of the founders of the management consultancy that bears his name, Bain & Company. Prior to founding Bain & Company, he was a vice-president at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
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R. Stevie Moore
- Occupations
- singer-songwriterguitaristsingermusician
- Biography
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Robert Steven Moore is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter who pioneered lo-fi (or "DIY") music. Often called the "godfather of home recording", he is one of the most recognized artists of the cassette underground, and his influence is particularly felt in the bedroom and hypnagogic pop artists of the post-millennium. Since 1968, he has self-released approximately 400 albums, while about three dozen official albums (largely compilations) have been issued on various labels.
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Yun Ch'iho
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied in 1888-1891
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomatautobiographerphilosophermissionary
- Biography
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Yun Ch'iho was a Korean politician. His name is sometimes spelled Yun Tchi-Ho, his art name was Chwaong (좌옹), and his courtesy name was Sŏnghŭm (성흠).
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Pedro Álvarez
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Pedro Manuel Álvarez Jr., nicknamed "El Toro" (Spanish for "The Bull"), is a Dominican-American former professional baseball designated hitter and infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles.
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John Michael Jumper
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- computational biologistartificial intelligence researcher
- Biography
-
John Michael Jumper is an American chemist and computer scientist. Jumper and Demis Hassabis were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for protein structure prediction.
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James Clark McReynolds
- Occupations
- lawyerjudgeuniversity teacherpolitician
- Biography
-
James Clark McReynolds was an American lawyer and judge from Tennessee who served as United States Attorney General under President Woodrow Wilson and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He served on the Court from 1914 to his retirement in 1941. McReynolds is best known today for his sustained opposition to the domestic programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his personality, which was widely viewed negatively and included documented elements of overt antisemitism and racism.
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Greg Fischer
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Gregory Edward Fischer is an American businessman and entrepreneur who served as the second mayor of the consolidated city-county of "Louisville Metro" in Kentucky, from 2011 to 2023. In 2019, he was elected vice president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and in 2020, he served as its president.
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Grantland Rice
- Occupations
- journalistsports journalist
- Biography
-
Henry Grantland Rice was an American sportswriter, columnist, and poet from Tennessee known as the "Dean of American Sports Writers". He published three books of poetry, and coined the famous phrase that it was not important whether you “won or lost, but how you played the game.”
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Saben Lee
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Saben Anthonia Lee is an American professional basketball player for Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores.
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Chris Mann
- Occupations
- composeropera singersinger-songwriter
- Biography
-
Christopher Michael Mann is an American singer and actor from Wichita, Kansas. He came in fourth on the second season of NBC's television singing competition The Voice in 2012. Mann came in first on Team Christina Aguilera and represented her in the final round. His album, Constellation, was released on May 6, 2016.
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Stanley Cohen
- Awards
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986
- Born in
- United States
- Years
- 1922-2020 (aged 98)
- Occupations
- endocrinologistphysiologistbiochemistuniversity teacher
- Biography
-
Stanley Cohen was an American biochemist who, along with Rita Levi-Montalcini, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986 for the isolation of nerve growth factor and the discovery of epidermal growth factor.
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French Hill
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1979 graduated with Bachelor of Science
- Occupations
- congressional staffbankerbusinesspersonpolitician
- Biography
-
James French Hill is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party.
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John Cooper
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
-
John Cooper is an American businessman who was the mayor of Nashville, Tennessee from 2019 to 2023. He served as a councilman at-large on the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County from 2015 until 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the brother of former U.S. representative Jim Cooper, who represented Tennessee's 5th congressional district, which was also based in Nashville. He is also the son of former governor and U.S. Ambassador to Peru Prentice Cooper. Cooper refused to seek reelection in 2023.
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Delbert Mann
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied in 1937
- Occupations
- film directordirectorfilm producertrade unionist
- Biography
-
Delbert Martin Mann Jr. was an American television and film director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film Marty (1955), adapted from a 1953 teleplay which he had also directed. From 1967 to 1971, he was president of the Directors Guild of America. In 2002, he received the DGA's honorary life member award. Mann was credited to have "helped bring TV techniques to the film world."
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Luke List
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- Studied in 2007
- Occupations
- golfer
- Biography
-
Luke Ryan List is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.
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Thomas F. Frist, Jr
- Occupations
- businesspersonsurgeon
- Biography
-
Thomas Fearn Frist Jr. is an American billionaire physician and businessman. He is a co-founder of HCA Healthcare, and is the wealthiest person in Tennessee.
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Drew VerHagen
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Drew Edward VerHagen is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
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Faisal Basri
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1988 graduated with Master of Arts
- Occupations
- politicianeconomist
- Biography
-
Faisal Basri was an Indonesian economist and politician. He was a faculty member at University of Indonesia, specializing in political economics, and a member of KPPU, Indonesian competition regulator. Basri was the grandnephew of Indonesia's third Vice President, Adam Malik.
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John Jenkins
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
John Logan Jenkins III is an American professional basketball player for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the Vanderbilt Commodores before being selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 23rd pick in the 2012 NBA draft. He played in the NBA for the Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards and New York Knicks from 2012 to 2019. Jenkins has also played professionally in Spain, China, Israel, France, Puerto Rico, Russia and Romania.
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Kyle Wright
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Kyle Hardy Wright is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves. He played college baseball at Vanderbilt University. He was selected by the Braves with the fifth overall selection of the 2017 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2018.
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Paul Thurmond
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Paul Reynolds Thurmond is an American politician from the state of South Carolina. A member of the Republican Party, Thurmond is a former member of the South Carolina Senate. He is the youngest child (and one of three surviving children) of Strom Thurmond, who served in the United States Senate for 48 years.
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Mike Minor
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Michael David Minor is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds. Minor played college baseball at Vanderbilt University and was selected by the Braves with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft.
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Leonard Lance
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1977 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- law clerklawyerpolitician
- Biography
-
Leonard John Lance is an American politician and attorney who served as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 7th congressional district, from 2009 to 2019. He ran for re-election in 2018, but was defeated by Democrat Tom Malinowski. He is a member of the Republican Party who previously served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2009 and the New Jersey General Assembly from 1991 to 2002.
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John Seigenthaler
- Occupations
- editornon-fiction writerjournalist
- Biography
-
John Lawrence Seigenthaler was an American journalist, writer, and political figure. He was known as a prominent defender of First Amendment rights.
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Randall Jarrell
- Occupations
- children's writeruniversity teacherjournalistpoetliterary critic
- Biography
-
Randall Jarrell /dʒəˈrɛl/ jə-REL was an American poet, literary critic, children's author, essayist, and novelist. He was the 11th Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—a position that now bears the title Poet Laureate of the United States.
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Ryan Flaherty
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Ryan Edward Flaherty is an American professional baseball coach and former infielder. He is the current bench coach for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, and the Cleveland Indians. Flaherty was a utility player, having played every position except for center field and catcher. Flaherty was the bench coach for the San Diego Padres from 2020 to 2023.
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Paul S. Atkins
- Born in
- United States
- Enrolled in Vanderbilt University
- In 1983 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- civil servantlawyer
- Biography
-
Paul Stewart Atkins is an American businessman who has served as chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission since April 2025. Atkins also previously served as a commissioner at the SEC from 2002 to 2008. Known for advocating reduced regulatory burdens and promoting financial innovation, Atkins has been a vocal supporter of free-market principles in regulatory policy.
