Commencement Test - Peabody College of Education and Human Development Peabody College of Education and Human Development

Peabody Class of 2024 Commencement Events

All graduates and guests are invited to participate in Vanderbilt’s Graduates Day celebration at 11:00 a.m. CDT on Thursday, May 9, with columnist for The New York Times, David Brooks. Find more information here. The Peabody Commencement Awards Ceremonies take place on Thursday, May 9, by invitation only.On Friday, May 10, Undergraduate Commencement will take place at 9:30 a.m. at Geodis Park. Information about that ceremony and Commencement celebrations across the university is available on the Vanderbilt Commencement website.Peabody will honor its M.Ed., M.P.P., and Ed.D. graduates during two ceremonies held on the Peabody Esplanade. The programs for the two ceremonies are the same.PEABODY PROFESSIONAL CEREMONIES Peabody College Master’s Degree Ceremony Time: 11:00 a.m. Location: Peabody EsplanadePeabody College Doctor of Education Degree Ceremony Time: 3:00 p.m. Location: Peabody EsplanadeTickets are not required for the Peabody ceremonies.Graduates must check in upon arrival on the Peabody Esplanade. Master’s students should check in by 10:30 a.m., and Ed.D. students should check in by 2:30 p.m.Note: Graduate students (Ph.D.) should attend the Graduate School’s Commencement ceremony at 11:00 a.m. on Alumni Lawn. Undergraduates should attend the undergraduate ceremony at Geodis Park. Share the joy of Commencement weekend at #Peabody2024 and @vupeabody.

Ceremony Livestreams

Can’t make it in-person? Join our livestreams of the commencement ceremonies:Peabody College Master’s Degree Ceremony, 11:00 a.m. CST: http://vu.edu/peabodycollegemastersdegreeceremony2024Peabody College Doctoral Degree Ceremony, 3:00 p.m. CST: http://vu.edu/peabodycollegedoctoraldegreeceremony2024

Peabody Professional Ceremonies Program

PLATFORM PARTYCamilla P. Benbow Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human DevelopmentAndrew J. Finch Professor of the Practice, Department of Human and Organizational Development Kimberly Bess Associate Professor of the Practice, Department of Human and Organizational DevelopmentCatherine Gavin Loss Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professional EducationSharon L. Shields Senior Associate Dean of Community and Special ProjectsKristen McMaster, BS’95, MEd’98, PhD’02 2024 Peabody College Distinguished AlumnaMEMBERS OF THE PEABODY FACULTYDEGREES BEING AWARDED Master of Education (11 a.m.) Master of Public Policy (11 a.m.) Doctor of Education (3 p.m.)ORDER OF THE CEREMONYWelcoming Remarks, Dean Camilla P. BenbowRecognition of Peabody Medalists and Banner BearersRecognition of Peabody Distinguished AlumnaAddress by Kristen McMasterRecognition of Graduates and Hooding of Doctoral Candidates (hooding only during Ed.D. ceremony)Concluding RemarksAdjournment

Commencement Programs

Peabody Medalists

The Peabody Medal is the highest honor Peabody College can bestow on a graduating student. It is awarded to the graduate who best personifies academic distinction, professional accomplishment, and contributions to Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, and the larger community. Peabody College awards two medals annually at commencement: one to a Master of Education student and one to a Doctor of Education student.

Master of Education Recipient: Hannah Michelle Baughn (Cumming, GA)

Peabody Medal recipient Lauren Baughn Hannah Baughn is graduating from the Master of Education Program in Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies in Peabody’s Department of Teaching and Learning. Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Vanderbilt University in 2019 with a triple major in Elementary Education, Russian, and Second Language Studies. Hannah has taught in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools for the past four years, and she currently serves as a middle-school teacher for Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE). Leveraging her Vanderbilt undergraduate education in language acquisition and master’s-level work in learning and diversity in urban settings, Hannah supports immigrant and refugee students and families as they transition to the U.S. education system.

Doctor of Education Recipient: Ryan Sheldon Etheridge (Shelby, NC)

Peabody Medal recipient Ryan Etheridge Ryan Etheridge is graduating from the Doctor of Education Program in Educational Leadership and Policy in Peabody’s Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations. Ryan is the director of federal programs and systemic improvement for Cleveland County Schools in Shelby, North Carolina, where he consults with districts, state agencies, and advocacy organizations on the strategic use of data to advance educational equity and organizational improvement. Ryan received the 2023 Dogwood Award from the attorney general of North Carolina in recognition of his “remarkable commitment, excellence, and innovative approaches to tackling critical issues that have significantly impacted North Carolina’s communities.” Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a master’s degree from Appalachian State University. His doctoral capstone project examines the effects of school setting on fifth-grade student outcomes in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.

Peabody Banner Bearers

The Peabody Banner Bearer is an honor bestowed on a graduating student in recognition of academic distinction and contributions to the Peabody community. The recipient is judged by the faculty to have excelled in all aspects of the program of study and is considered an outstanding example of a Peabody professional student.

Master of Education Banner Bearer: Jordan Kathleen Moreno (Raleigh, NC)

Peabody Banner Bearer Jordan Mareno Jordan Moreno is graduating from the Master of Education Program in Higher Education Administration in Peabody’s Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations. After graduating from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2019, Jordan moved to Atlanta to start her career in management consulting, and over the past five years has accumulated experience in nonprofit work, international development, and public policy. During her time at Peabody, Jordan has served as a graduate assistant in the Office of the Provost, as a Peabody Career Mentor, and as a Policy Fellow at The Education Trust. In June, Jordan will join Education Strategy Group’s Postsecondary Transitions team as an associate, where she will support government agencies and institutional leadership in designing more accessible routes in the postsecondary education pipeline.

Doctor of Education Banner Bearer: Prince NaShun Taylor (Woodbridge, VA)

Peabody Banner Bearer Prince Nashun-Taylor Prince Taylor is graduating from the Doctor of Education Program in Leadership and Learning in Organizations in Peabody’s Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations. Prince currently serves as the deputy director for operations at the Virginia Center for Development and Civic Engagement. He is a Navy veteran and a Senior Fellow of the Partnership for Public Service’s Excellence in Government program. In response to the pandemic, Prince used his skills and expertise to design, implement, and promote a new program, Compassionate Contact Corps, which pairs trained volunteers with veterans who are socially isolated or experiencing chronic loneliness. He serves on an interagency workgroup led by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General that addresses isolation and loneliness among veterans. Prince earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree from Southern Illinois University. His doctoral capstone project investigates how qualitative data can better inform decisions in K-12 professional learning.

Peabody Distinguished Alumna

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Kristen L. McMaster, BS’95, MEd’98, PhD’02 is the 2024 Peabody College Distinguished Alumna

Kristen L. McMaster, BS’95, MEd’98, PhD’02, is Guy Bond Chair of Reading and professor of special education in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota. Her three Vanderbilt degrees make McMaster a Triple ‘Dore. She was a high school life skills teacher and elementary resource teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools before pursuing her doctoral degree. McMaster’s research focuses on developing literacy-related assessments and interventions and supporting teachers’ use of data to individualize instruction. She has authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, has co-authored and co-edited several books, and has been PI or co-PI on research grants funded by the U.S. Department of Education totaling more than $22 million. She has extensive experience providing professional development to practitioners and consulting with researchers and policymakers in Minnesota as well as nationally and internationally. McMaster enjoys reading, swimming, hiking, and traveling and exploring caves with her husband, Eric.Read our news release.

Previous Honorees

Years
2023 – Joel S. Pizzuti 2022 – Candice McQueen 2021 – Candice S. Lee 2020 – Candice S. Lee 2019 – Shaiza Rizavi 2018 – Laura Chauvin 2017 – Mel Chin 2016 – Lenora Peters Grant 2015 – Shirley M Collado 2014 – Jerry S. Parr 2013 – Robert H. Bruininks 2012 – Donald J. Stedman 2010 – Tommie Morton-Young 2009 – William E. Troutt 2008 – Terry B. Grier 2007 – Melvyn I. Semmel 2006 – Christopher Jeffrey Barbic 2005 – Arthur Jerry Benson 2004 – O.L. Davis 2003 – Harold Dean Propst 2002 – Chong Moon Lee 2001 – Rune Simeonsson 2000 – Imogene Forte – Logan Wright 1999 – Charles Allen 1998 – Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola 1997 – Tipper Gore 1996 – Hal Ramer 1995 – Diane Becker 1994 – Howard Warf 1993 – Charles Smith 1992 – Jack Allen 1991 – Walter Washington 1990 – Young Shik Kim 1989 – Alfred Baumeister 1988 – Natalie Barraga 1987 – E. Bruce Heilman 1986 – Phillip Bacon 1985 – William M. Alexander 1984 – Susan Gray 1983 – Christine Coe 1982 – Edward Boling

Selected Class of 2024 Profiles

Class of 2024 Vanderbilt honoree Cambri Driskell

Cambri DriskellCambri Driskell came to Vanderbilt with a drive to perform at a high level and be an entrepreneur. She honed business skills and Spanish fluency while starting her own digital outfit focused on inclusivity and positivity.Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday an inspirational text message appears on hundreds of phones across Vanderbilt and beyond. These messages of encouragement, dubbed “Little Love Letters,” are part of a mission of empathetic empowerment and support created by entrepreneur Cambri Driskell.”My digital platform called Embody³ is designed to empower young women like me-meeting them in their season of life and encouraging their hearts into whatever they hope their life looks like,” Driskell said. “Little Love Letters is part of that. It’s a vessel to get to love people that are maybe not in my exact sphere of influence. And to me, that’s a huge honor.”Learn More about Cambri’s Story

Rachel HanebuttVanderbilt doctoral candidate Rachel Hanebutt is using research and partnerships to turn social media uncertainty into social flourishing. The key to her work is collaborating with the very teenagers she wants to help.”My ultimate goal is to improve the relationships that teens have with technology by co-designing solutions with them that work in their everyday lives,” said Hanebutt, who is earning her Ph.D. through the Community Research and Action Program at Peabody College.Hanebutt leads the research arm of the youth-based digital advocacy and empowerment platform #HalfTheStory, which was was created by Larissa “Larz” May, BA’16, when May was an undergraduate at Vanderbilt. Using her expertise in teen-centered methods, Hanebutt leads a teen advisory board with young people around the country making sure that #HalftheStory’s work is evidence-based and empowers the next generation of digital citizens.

Learn More About Rachel’s Story

Parking Information

Guest and graduate parking will be available at the following locations on Friday, May 10:

Wesley Place Garage. You may park and walk to Peabody’s campus, or there will be a shuttle that will run from this garage to Peabody’s campus.
The Sony Garage. You may park and walk. No shuttle runs from this location.
Lot 77 (off of 18th Ave). You may park and walk. No shuttle runs from this location.

There will be 10 handicap parking spots available in Lot 90 (behind the Wyatt Center) and another 10 spots in Lot 95 (behind the Peabody Admin Building). These spots are first come, first served.If need be, guests and graduates can be dropped off at the Peabody Admin Building roundabout, and then the driver can leave and go park in one of the above mentioned locations.