vanderbilt graduation rate - Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1873. Beginning in March 2023, Vanderbilt is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding—its Sesquicentennial. The university is named after the shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. He provided the initial $1 million endowment for the university. Vanderbilt is known for its strong undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences and its highly ranked graduate and professional schools, including the School of Medicine, Law School, and Owen Graduate School of Management.