Jennifer and Marc Lipschultz have committed a landmark collection of nearly 5,000 photographs, featuring work from hundreds of photographers including Bill Owens, Danny Lyon, Berenice Abbott, Lalla Essaydi and Dorothy Norman, to the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art. In addition to its unique emphasis on photojournalism—including iconic wire press photos from WWII, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement and beyond—the collection also spans urban street photography, portraits and other themes that are ideal for inspiring student immersion and a range of programming.
The donor’s most recent gift of 2,917 photographs, combined with the 1,878 photographs they pledged at the end of 2024, has a value of approximately $17 million and solidifies VUMA’s position as a regional leader in photography and works on paper. In addition, the collection will catalyze new opportunities for teaching, research and public engagement across the arts while also advancing the ongoing momentum of the university’s historic Dare to Grow campaign, which has exceeded $3.5 billion with nine months still remaining before the campaign’s close.
The Lipschultz family has also given funding to support the cataloging and digitization of their photographs, which feature artists from the 19th through the 21st centuries, to ensure that students, faculty and the community can access and engage with these important works.
“The Lipschultz collection expands how art can deepen our understanding of an ever-changing world,” said Vanderbilt Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver. “This transformational gift will ignite new scholarship and dialogue across our campus and strengthen Vanderbilt’s position as a national leader in arts education and engagement.”
The gift comes at a pivotal moment for VUMA, which was already home to the largest collection of art in the state of Tennessee and one of the most extensive collections of works on paper in the Southeast. With this gift, VUMA now has one of the largest collections of photographs in the region as well. In recent years, the museum has experienced significant growth in curatorial staff, student immersion opportunities and overall programming, including the current exhibition, Paper Backs: Hidden Stories of European Prints from VUMA’s Collection, which is on view until Dec. 7, 2025.
“This transformational gift will ignite new scholarship and dialogue across our campus and strengthen Vanderbilt’s position as a national leader in arts education and engagement.”
In addition to expanding the museum’s permanent collection, the Lipschultz photographs will enhance a variety of far-reaching educational initiatives—including art history courses at the College of Arts and Science, hands-on research opportunities for students in partnership with Special Collections and University Archives, as well as other campus collaborations.
The generosity of New York City–based donors Jennifer and Marc Lipschultz, who had no official ties to Vanderbilt prior to making this gift, also exemplifies the power of “unaffiliated” donors. Marc, who is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Blue Owl Capital, was inspired to give after meeting Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and hearing about his vision to make Vanderbilt the great university of the 21st century.
“We are impressed by how boldly Vanderbilt is thinking about the future of higher education and expanding the definition of what it can encompass,” Lipschultz said. “Jennifer and I are confident that our photographs are in good hands under Chancellor Diermeier and Provost Raver’s vision for the arts, innovation and discovery at large.”
As Vanderbilt’s global reputation and impact continues to soar, there are many opportunities for unaffiliated donors—as well as Vanderbilt alumni, parents and families—to take part in the Dare to Grow campaign, which continues to drive support that will advance the university in the near term and for many years to come. Both financial gifts and illiquid assets, such as collectibles or works of art, will significantly advance Vanderbilt’s educational mission—fueling radical collaboration across disciplines and enriching the student experience for generations to come.
Dare to Grow
The Lipschultz’s visionary investment in the arts fuels the momentum of Vanderbilt’s Dare to Grow campaign, which surpassed its initial goal in November 2024 and has already exceeded $3.5 billion. Support for the Dare to Grow campaign catalyzes some of the university’s most groundbreaking initiatives, including the Institute of National Security, Vandy United, Vanderbilt’s enhanced presences in New York City and West Palm Beach, signature programs like Opportunity Vanderbilt, Residential Colleges and many more.