Which university was established first, Vanderbilt University or Bowdoin College?
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (also known informally as Vandy) is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the South. Vanderbilt hoped that his gift and the greater work of the university would help to heal the sectional wounds inflicted by the Civil War.
Vanderbilt University Graduate School The Graduate School manages many of the advanced degree programs of Vanderbilt University, a major research university located in Nashville, Tennessee. While the Graduate School exists as a standalone institution within Vanderbilt, it awards degrees in conjunction with Vanderbilt's other constituent colleges ("e.g.", the College of Arts and Science or the School of Engineering).