Maj. Cathy Ryan was named interim police chief at Vanderbilt University, replacing departing Chief Marlon Lynch while a national search is launched for his successor.
Lynch is leaving Vanderbilt to become associate vice president for safety and security at the University of Chicago.
A search for a permanent police chief will be launched, led by Jerry Fife, associate vice chancellor for Business Services and Research Finance.
Ryan has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of Texas-Arlington and a master's from the University of Virginia.
She is a graduate of the FBI's National Academy and the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy.
The Vanderbilt Police Department is one of Tennessee’s larger law enforcement agencies. The Vanderbilt campus spans more than 300 acres.