David A. Vise, a 1990 Pulitzer Prize recipient, former Washington Post reporter, and distinguished author, has been elected to the Cumberland University Board of Trust. 

His education experience includes being the founding Executive Director of Modern States “Freshman Year for Free,” the largest free college for credit program in the country, benefiting over 400,000 students.

Cumberland President Dr. Paul Stumb said Vise’s election to the university’s board “holds a special significance in Cumberland’s history, as it marks the continuation of a long-standing relationship between the Vise family and the university.”

Vise’s father, the late Harry Vise, was a longtime member of the Cumberland board and was instrumental along with other trustees in leading the school through its transition back to a four year university in 1982. Stumb noted that Mr. Vise, a Holocaust survivor, would only commit to serving on the board in the 1960s if he could be assured that African-American students would be accepted by the school.

In 1988, a generous donation by Mr. Vise and his wife, the late Doris Vise, led to the construction of the Doris and Harry Vise Library, with the vision of the donors to create a “house of learning for everyone.”

Mr. Vise founded Texas Boot Company in 1952 in Lebanon and subsequently opened four manufacturing facilities in Middle Tennessee.

“We’re so very pleased that David Vise has joined the Cumberland University Board of Trust and will continue the legacy established by his father and mother, the late Harry and Doris Vise. Electing David to our board at this time when there are so many exciting happenings at Cumberland and so many plans on the horizon is so important for the university,” said Sam Hatcher, Cumberland Board of Trust Chairman.

“Vise, who grew up in Nashville and lives in Washington D.C., brings a wealth of experience and expertise in his role as a trustee,” Stumb said.

He currently serves as Senior Advisor to an investment firm and to Modern States “Freshman Year for Free,” where he serves on the board. He has also been involved with organizations such as Save a Child’s Heart, Children’s Hospital of Washington, Martha’s Table Shelter, and a literacy program in The District of Columbia’s Public Schools. Additionally, he has served as an advisor to the Head of Sidwell Friends School and as president of one of the nation’s largest Jewish congregations, with a focus on interfaith relations.

Vise’s accomplishments extend beyond his community involvement. Having started as a copy boy at The Tennessean, his more than two decades as a reporter at The Washington Post were honored with a Pulitzer Prize. He is also a renowned author, with four books to his name, including two bestsellers: “The Google Story” and “The Bureau and The Mole,” a captivating spy thriller. Vise’s new book on Google and the advent of AI will be published by Penguin Random house.

Expressing his enthusiasm for his new role, Vise stated, “It is an honor to carry on my family’s long history of involvement with Cumberland University. In addition to serving as a Trustee, I am hoping to teach at Cumberland. Under the strong leadership of President Paul Stumb, the school’s future is bright.”

Vise, a distinguished alumnus of The Wharton School, where he earned his undergraduate and MBA degrees, was named one of its 125 most influential graduates. He received The Wharton Lifetime Achievement Award and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Literary Letters from Cumberland University.