When it comes to Vanderbilt, I'm "all in"

I attended an event the other night at Vanderbilt (in the Board of Trust room, I might add) that turned out to be a focus group of young alumni sponsored by Development and Alumni Relations. First, it's very nice to be considered "young" because pushing 31, I don't always feel that way. Second, for a school that seems to lack a visible student interest in athletics (with basketball being the exception), it was interesting to hear how many times athletics entered the conversation--one that was about the Vanderbilt brand, specific memories we each had from our time in school, our affinity for Vanderbilt, etc.

Of the 15 alums present, there were two guys who each write comprehensive Vanderbilt sports blogs (ones that make this little blog seem laughable), myself, and several others who specifically mentioned that the combination of an academically rigorous institution and SEC athletics played a big role in their decision. When I mentioned one of my favorite VU moments being the Auburn football game of 08 and the fact that the student section was FULL before the game started, many agreed and several reflected on memories of that same game. When asked what our single most powerful Vanderbilt memory was, the guy next to me said the VU/Georgetown Sweet 16 game in East Rutherford in 07. Oddly enough, that would have been on my top 3 list, and it turns out that 4 of the 15 Nashville young alums (including me) traveled to New Jersey for the game.

It was a fun event, as having someone ask me to share what I love (and don't love) about Vanderbilt and why the place is special to me is never an opportunity I'll turn down! I hope the DAR folks came away with some good information about what recent (and not too recent, in my case) alums think of their school, but more importantly, I came away realizing that the interest in athletics IS there amongst students and young alums, I think much more so than when I was an undergrad. Now, if the folks in Kirkland would only ask for me for my opinion of what Vanderbilt can do to better promote that interest and get the students to the games!

A friend who graduated from another SEC school recently sent me a text about football recruiting that read, "If I knew I was going to play, I would have to say playing at X (SEC school) would be 10000X more exciting (than Vanderbilt), but if I was just going to be a scrub then it would be good to have a Vandy degree." Obviously, this didn't sit well with me, and it really got me thinking about what was discussed at the alumni event. This friend is right that our football gameday experience isn't great, and it can't be fun for the players to see the stands half full (if not more) of opposing fans. However, to the recruit who WILL play in the SEC, the scrub, or just the student considering VU, here is what I would say:

We're a top 20 university that accepted 15% of its freshman applicants for the Fall 2011 class, we have a wonderful financial aid program that allows students to earn a $200K+ education debt-free, we have a beautiful campus (several called it idyllic--I wouldn't argue) in the middle of a great city (and the largest SEC city by far), we have strong graduate programs on that campus, AND we currently have a top 5 baseball program, there's reason to finally have some hope for football, and we have a preaseason top 10 basketball program. What more do you need?

And I know Vanderbilt isn't perfect, and there things I didn't like as a student that bother me even more now. However, for once in my life as a Vanderbilt fan, I'm focusing only on the positive!

(I promise Vanderbilt didn't ask me to write this--I doubt they care--but I would accept another invitation to the Board of Trust room in return for the free publicity.)