Vanderbilt University and Medical Center has been named as one of America's top places to work by Fortune Magazine.

The institution landed at number 98 on the list of 100 companies. Vanderbilt was one of 15 companies that made the list for the first time. Other companies included Zappos.com, DreamWorks Animation SKG, salesforce.com, T-Mobile and Accenture.

It is the fist time an educational institution has appeared on the list. It is the only Nashville based company to appear on the list, and one of two Tennessee based companies - the other is FedEx, which is based in Memphis.

Vanderbilt is one of few Nashville employers who offers domestic partner benefits for gay and lesbian couples, and just this past year, implemented a new non-discrimination policy that covers the transgender community by adding gender identity to its nondiscrimination clause. Vanderbilt has some 21,041employees.

Additionally this past year it moved to hire a full time  new director for LGBT life and opened the KC Potter Center for its GLBT students. In 2005 Vanderbilt University Medical Center launched a series of print and television ads in an effort to reach out to Middle Tennessee's gay and lesbian community.

To complie the list Fortune polled more than 81,000 randomly selected employees at 353 companies, using a 57-question survey. Two-thirds of a company's score was based on survey results and the balance was based on studies about demographics, pay, benefits, communication and other factors, it said.

In ranking Vanderbilt the magazine said "Employees and their dependents get a 70% tuition subsidy at any college in the country. Hospital offers a WOW (Work on Weekends) shift for nurses and other workers who want to be at home during weekdays."

"This is the first time we've made the list, and importantly, it marks the first-ever inclusion of an academic institution," said Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos in an email to Vanderbilt's facutly and staff. "This is a milestone of which to be very proud - and I am!  I am proud of you - all 21,000 faculty and staff - for making Vanderbilt the special place we have long known it to be.  With our world-class faculty, dedicated staff and talented students, Vanderbilt is much more than a workplace; it is a community of diverse people and opinions with a great sense of collegiality and camaraderie."

More than 16,000 of Vanderbilt's employees work at Vanderbilt Medical Center (VMC), which was just this past year named as one of the Nation's top hospitals by U.S. News and World Report. VMC's leader said the ranking had been a long time goal and reflected the hard work done by employees.

“Being in the company of some of the nation’s greatest businesses is a remarkable achievement. This has long been a goal of ours and reflects the value of the work we do, our commitment to the people we serve but most importantly a commitment to and belief in each other,” said Dr. Harry R. Jacobson, vice chancellor for health affairs, “I am honored to work in this great university family and proud to be associated with the 16,000 people who work at the medical center, who come here every day and work wonders.”

To be eligible, companies must have more than 1,000 U.S. employees and be at least 7 years old. The rankings are based on levels of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie in the workforce.

Since 2002, FORTUNE has approved Vanderbilt’s nomination for the recognition each year, but the university had not advanced until this year. Members of the Quality of Work Life task force have made inclusion on the prestigious list a top priority over the years. The task force is co-chaired by Susie Lyons, manager of employee programs for the medical center, and Marilyn Holmes, manager of Health Plus, Vanderbilt’s wellness program.

“No matter what happens with the economy, the demand for talent will remain,” said Andy Serwer, managing editor of FORTUNE. “Great companies know that super-motivated, happy, world-class employees are an incredible competitive advantage.”

The full list will be published in FORTUNE’s Feb. 2 issue and will begin appearing on newsstands the week of Jan. 26. It can also be accessed along with additional information at the Great Place to Work Web site at www.greatplacetowork.com.                             

The complete list:

1. NetApp
2. Edward Jones
3. Boston Consulting Group
4. Google
5. Wegmans Food Markets
6. Cisco Food Systems
7. Genentech
8. Methodist Hospital System
9. Goldman Sachs & Co
10. Nugget Market
11. Adobe Systems
12. Recreational Equipment (REI)
13. Devon Energy
14. Robert W. Baird
15. W.L. Gore & Associates
16. Qualcomm
17. Principal Financial Group
18. Shared Technologies
19. OhioHealth
20. SAS
21. Arnold & Porter (D.C. law firm)
22. Whole Foods Market
23. Zappos.com
24. Starbucks
25. Johnson Financial Group
26. Aflac
27. QuikTrip
28. PCL Construction Enterprises
29. Quicken Loans
30. Bingham McCutchen
31. CarMax
32. Container Store
33. JM Family Enterprises
34. Umpqua Bank
35. Kimley-Horn & Associates
36. Alston & Bird
37. TDIndustries
38. Microsoft
39. Paychex
40. EOG Resources
41. Camden Property Trust
42. Plante & Moran
43. Rackspace Hosting
44. NuStar Energy
45. King's Daughters Medical Center
46. American Fidelity Assurance
47. DreamWorks Animation SKG
48. Mattel
49. Intuit
50. Burns & McDonnell
51. Ernst & Young
52. Booz Allen Hamilton
53. Stew Leonard's
54. Erickson Retirement Communities
55. Salesforce.com
56. KPMG
57. Novo Nordisk
58. PricewaterhouseCoopers
59. Scripps Health
60. Scottrade
61. Deloitte
62. Griffin Hospital
63. Mayo Clinic
64. Milliken
65. Texas Instruments
66. MITRE
67. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
68. Southern Ohio Medical Center
69. National Instruments
70. Stanley
71. Men's Wearhouse
72. Nordstrom
73. Chesapeake Energy
74. Alcon Laboratories
75. Atlantic Health System
76. Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network
77. Northwest Community Hospital
78. Marriott International
79. Baptist Health South Florida
80. Bright Horizons
81. S.C. Johnson & Son
82. Perkins Coie
83. eBay
84. Juniper Networks
85. Arkansas Children's Hospital
86. CH2M HILL
87. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe
88. Publix Super Markets
89. Herman Miller
90. FedEx
91. Gilbane
92. Four Seasons Hotels
93. Valero Energy
94. Build-A-Bear Workshop
95. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
96. T-Mobile
97. Accenture
98. Vanderbilt University
99. General Mills
100. SRA International