VINCENNES, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Vincennes University is the recipient of a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. The grant comes from its initiative, Indiana Youth Programs on Campus.
The funding will allow VU to expand multi-day summer curriculum such as the Summer STEM Academy, Techmester, and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) programs, as well as short-term camps throughout the year for students in 7th-12th grades, hosted on VU campuses throughout the state.
A press release says “students will have access to explore a variety of career fields, including STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), automation, information technology, aviation, music, and agriculture. Partnering with VU Early Colleges and Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers, JAG, and middle and high schools, VU’s Pre-College Programs will provide students with opportunities to discover their passions, experience advanced instructional labs, interact with faculty, and learn about college life by immersing themselves in all the VU campuses offer.”
VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson believes this initiative comes at an opportune time for the University.
According to Johnson, “Vincennes University is proud to be a part of this Lilly Endowment initiative in Indiana to increase the number of high school students pursuing post-secondary education. VU will use this generous support from the Lilly Endowment over the next three years to bring more K-12 students to our campuses than any other time in VU history. Through these efforts, students will engage our outstanding faculty and staff and will learn about the many career paths that exist in Indiana and the education and training required to pursue them at VU and among our sister institutions.”
