<p>I guess we aren't likely to hear anything for at least another 10 days (after spring break), but the news seems slow this year compared to when S graduated in 2006. We had our Almost Alumni books that detailed commencement related activities long before the end of February and we knew the band for The Party (Kool & The Gang). We also were starting to hear rumors by this time that the Senior Day speaker would be someone with a Secret Service detail (it was Laura Bush and she was excellent).</p>
<p>I was thinking earlier today that Al Gore might be a likely class day speaker this year. Although it is the tradition to donate to a related charity in "honor" of the speaker's well identified cause, I think this is funded by a couple with strong Vanderbilt ties. In light of the economic crisis, the campus wide hiring freeze, etc., if they had Al Gore, they wouldn't have to pay to house him since he lives locally (ha)! Also, he attended both the Divinity School and the Law School, so he certainly has strong ties to Vanderbilt. Okay, that's my wild thought. Anyone else have a prediction?</p>
<p>No prediction from me - I’ll take yours any day! My d would be thrilled, and her grandmother, who’ll also be attending, is a big Gore fan. I hope you’re right.</p>
<p>George Clooney would be fun too, of course.</p>
<p>I like your prediction better than mine! For George Clooney I would skip The Party on Wed. night and camp out overnight for a good seat on Alumni Lawn!!!</p>
<p>??? Which of them is the insane liberal? Are they both out of your comfort zone? As the OP points out, Gore studied extensively at Vanderbilt. He’s from the south too, you know.</p>
<p>Not to get started on politics myself, but Vanderbilt is not a “one political persuasion fits all” kind of university. If you wanted “southern culture,” you could easily have found more conservative institutions. </p>
<p>Peace, though. My kid will have graduated by the time you arrive.</p>
<p>vandyclassof2013,
I would be interested in hearing from you in 4 years. Both kids started their voting lives as Republicans and though they are still registered that way, they lean very blue at the national level these days. Some of D’s change of heart is directly attributable to the influence of her poli sci profs - a department known on campus for being fairly liberal. If you are expecting a staunchly conservative campus, you may be somewhat disappointed.</p>
<p>Well, at Vandy you will meet kids of all persuasions…and since that reflects the real world more than some institution of higher learning, I try to look on the bright side. Go to college, and meet the kind of people you will have to do business with, even if they think Global Warming is a vast left wing conspiracy. :)<br>
Debate them in class and in Vandy publications.</p>
<p>I think that the Vandy student body is capable of being receptive/polite to Laura Bush but that turn about is fair play. Al Gore is a neighbor and a leader and he was at Vandy when we were there. He and Tipper have done a lot of fund-raising for major causes over the years. </p>
<p>Didn’t the student body go for Obama this time in mock elections? They were kind of split but went for Kerry I believe four years earlier. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt has newspapers written by students on campus for both the left and the right…I truly do think that this is a big plus for college years.</p>
<p>I really hope Vanderbilt is filled with open-minded people who are willing to listen to inspiring people speak, regardless of that person’s political opinions.</p>
<p>Impact is one of the best kept secrets at Vanderbilt, IMO. While D was still a junior in hs, we drove down to visit S and to see Tucker Carlson and Paul Bergala. I have also driven down to see Harold Ford, Jr. (who has served as an adjunct in the political science department) and I have a ticket to see Madeline Albright on St. Patrick’s Day. S saw James Carville and Mary Matalin his first year and both kids saw John Edwards a few years back (they said he really didn’t address the year’s theme, but instead gave his stump speech. Did you know he was the son of a mill worker?) When you look in the program and see the spectrum of speakers who have appeared since the inception of this program it is very impressive!</p>
<p>I would not pin my hopes on Al Gore speaking at Vanderbilt. He has kept a pretty low profile here. I never see him mentioned in the local paper and they do not appear in the local society magazines at all. Perhaps they attend some of these galas, but they stay out of the limelight if they do.
With these tough economic times I hope they will bring in someone who has a sense of humor regardless of their political ties!</p>
<p>While a light hearted address would be an enjoyable diversion, I don’t think we’ll see that unless the person happens to have a “cause.” Senior class day began with the class of 2004 (S’s sophomore year) with Condoleeza Rice as the initial speaker. The next year the speaker was the Iranian woman who later spent so much time in prison before being released last year. Starting with Mrs. Bush, the speaker now “receives” a grant for their cause as an honorarium for their speech. For Mrs. Bush, the money went to volunteer recovery efforts for Hurricane Katrina if I remember correctly. The next year the speaker was Muhammad Yunnus and last year it was Bob Geldof. I actually think frazzled1’s suggestion of George Clooney would fit right in with the typical profile for the speaker with a cause.</p>
<p>If I were Al Gore, I’d keep a low profile around Vanderbilt too. Al flunked out of the VU Divinity School after receiving F’s in 5 out of 8 courses. He was smoking a lot of dope in those days. However, I wouldn’t put it past the intelligentsia at Vanderbilt to resurrect ol’
pot smokin’ school flunkin’ Al and put him on the commencement speakers podium. He is totally revered there and his books and movie make it into almost every class in A&S in some fashion. I suppose the Nobel Peace Prize virtually eliminates any inquiry into his less than stellar high school through grad school performance.</p>
<p>haha 2VU0609… funny typo… these days, a bank named Earth Wind & Fire is very appropriate! LOVE THEM though, I see they are playing in NYC w/ Chicago on June 17th and I was going to get tickets but we haven’t had my S’s graduation date set in stone yet and w/ my luck it would be on that day. ENJOY the band.</p>