Vincennes University faculty and staff play an important role in helping the University achieve its mission, goals, and vision. The Peer Recognition Award celebrates VU staff and faculty for their distinguished work and outstanding contributions to the University.

Vincennes University Jasper PreVU Day is an excellent way for prospective students and their families to experience all VUJ offers. Future Trailblazers are invited to Jasper PreVU on Thursday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (ET).

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has awarded Vincennes University an additional $540,000 to train Certified Clinical Medical Assistants (CCMA) throughout Indiana with the University’s Business & Industry Training program.

Vincennes University will showcase its industrial maintenance and logistics training facilities with an open house and program showcase. Reporters, photographers, and camera crews are welcome to explore VU’s Logistics Training and Education Center (VULTEC), located within MADE@Plainfield. The centers further the University’s initiatives to provide training and education that support the next generation of logistics and maintenance technology to develop a skilled talent pipeline for industry partners.

Monday made for a busy day on campus for the Vincennes University Board of Trustees. The Board held its annual meeting in Updike Hall - Center for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics in the morning. In the afternoon, the Trustees attended the Technology Open House in the Technology Center.

Vincennes University is known for preparing students to enter the workforce from the moment they graduate and are ready to go into their chosen field of work. Before they ever set foot outside the classroom, VU students in Conservation Law Enforcement, Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security classes are learning how to safely and effectively operate an emergency vehicle with the help of a state-of-the-art simulator. They are gaining real-world experience while behind the virtual wheel of a new $142,000 law enforcement driving simulator. The students get training and experience what it is like to drive an emergency vehicle without actually driving a vehicle. 

VINCENNES UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES ANNUAL MEETING Monday, October 3, 2022 Updike Center for Science, Engineering and Mathematics Room #213

Monarchs are beautiful butterflies with brilliant colors and vibrant wing patterns. The majestic insects were center stage in Knox County on Saturday. Vincennes University annually sponsors a popular event that tags Monarch butterflies as they make their way to Mexico during the cold seasons. Community members of all ages participated in Monarch Madness at Fox Ridge Nature Park on September 24 during a warm fall day.

Vincennes University will celebrate the grand opening of three new state-of-the-art labs in the Technology Center with an Open House.

Media are invited to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Washington Junior High School Design and Innovation Studio. Vincennes University has provided funding for the Washington Junior High Design and Innovation Studio.

PreVU Day is the perfect event to start learning more about Vincennes University and experience a day in the life of a Trailblazer. VU will host three PreVU Days during the Fall 2022 semester. The open house events for prospective students and their families are Saturday, Sept. 17; Friday, Oct. 14; and Saturday, Nov. 12, on the Vincennes Campus in Jefferson Student Union, 1401 N. Chestnut St.

President Dr. Chuck Johnson welcomed a delegation of 19 agriculture officials and experts representing Hungary to Vincennes University on Thursday, Sept. 1. Parliament member Győrffy Balázs who serves in the National Assembly of Hungary, is president of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, and is vice president of the Committee on Agriculture was among the delegates who visited the Vincennes Campus. The delegation’s first stop was at the 45,000-square foot state-of-the-art VU Agricultural Center on Highway 41. The stunning and modern facility opened in 2019 and is home to the University’s John Deere Tech, Agribusiness, Horticulture, and Agriculture programs, in addition to the Purdue Extension Food Safety Training Hub. 

The end of the summer is the last time to enjoy eating ice cream on a hot summer day or to take a dip in a pool for a refreshing swim. For FRIENDS, a club for adults 18 and older from Knox County who have developmental disabilities and exceptionalities, they celebrated with an End of Summer Dance hosted by the Vincennes University Education Club on Monday, August 29, at Green Activities Center.

Celebrate College Colors Day by wearing blue and gold to share your love for Vincennes University and show your Trailblazer spirit on Friday, Sept. 2. VU is joining universities and colleges throughout the country to celebrate College Colors Day, which takes place every Friday before Labor Day.

Vincennes University has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, Indiana Youth Programs on Campus. The grant will help VU broaden its series of Pre-College Programs for K-12 students. The Lilly Endowment initiative is designed to help Indiana colleges and universities to engage youth, ages 5 to 18, in high-quality on-campus enrichment programs that encourage young people to explore their interests and envision a future for themselves in college.

Wednesday’s Vincennes University Board of Trustees meeting was the first for the 2022-23 academic year. It was also the final meeting for longtime outgoing Trustee and 1966 VU alumnus George Ridgway. The Board honored Ridgway for his service, leadership, and dedication to VU. On behalf of the Board, VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson presented Ridgway with a framed resolution of appreciation. Ridgway has served as a VU Trustee since October 2013. He will end his term on Oct. 2. The Board met on Wednesday, Aug. 24, in the Center for Innovation, Technology, and Innovation at the VU Jasper Campus. The August meeting took the Trustees on a deep dive into VU’s innovative initiatives and efforts that support industry partners and students at all education levels. 

It was great to see so many new and familiar faces as we welcomed students back to campus for the 2022-23 academic year. Welcome Week was packed with fun and unique events. We look back at a splendid l first week.

The Vincennes University Alumni Association is thrilled to announce its lineup for the 2022-2023 Alumni Community Series season. Celebrating its 70th anniversary, the series offers a lineup of talented artists to appeal to fans of a variety of genres of music at the breathtaking Red Skelton Performing Arts Center on the Vincennes University campus. VU alumni, students, and community friends are invited to enjoy these entertaining performances throughout the six-show season.

VINCENNES UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Wednesday, August 24, 2022 Vincennes University Jasper Campus Center for Technology, Innovation and Manufacturing 850 College Avenue Jasper, Indiana 47546

The University of Notre Dame and Rudy Ruettiger, whose true life story was immortalized in one of the best sports movies of all time, “Rudy”, are synonymous with each other. Before Ruettiger walked on to the Notre Dame football team and became a famous sports hero and motivational speaker, he studied at Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Indiana. At the time, Holy Cross was a two-year school. His Holly Cross education launched him on a trajectory that forever changed his life. Ruettiger was the featured speaker of Vincennes University Student Activities’ Welcome Week. Ruettiger kept VU students, faculty, and staff on the edge of their seats at the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Aug. 16.

Returning and new VU students are moving into residence halls and university apartments on the Vincennes Campus in preparation for the 2022-23 academic year. It is a picture-perfect day for Move-In.

​ Kimmell Park is a place many people know and have visited as a go-to spot for fishing, picnicking, walking, playing, and other recreational fun within a stone’s throw of Vincennes University. The park is named for Joseph W. Kimmell, the former mayor of Vincennes. Vincennes University and the family of the historic park’s namesake are paying homage to the outstanding luminary in a remarkable fashion. A special historical marker is being erected this week near the park's limestone shelter house in recognition of Joseph Kimmell and his contributions toward the construction of the popular park that attracts families from southwest Indiana and neighboring Illinois. In coordination with the installation, the Kimmell family has made an extraordinary announcement. The family has established an endowed scholarship in honor of their grandfather, who served as Vincennes mayor from 1929-1938.

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) Associate Degree Board of Commissioners has reaffirmed the accreditation of the Information Technology programs at Vincennes University, validating the high quality of the programs and faculty. "Vincennes University has shown its commitment to teaching excellence and to the process of quality improvement by participating in the accreditation process," ACBSP Chief Accreditation Officer Dr. Steve Parscale said. "This reaffirmation of accreditation is evidence that they are committed to maintaining the highest quality business education for their students for the next 10 years, just as they have done since 2011."

The pace of change in higher education is accelerating. Vincennes University President Dr. Chuck Johnson and several other University leaders offered updates on the VU strategic plan, “Going Further, Faster” and detailed the University's progress during its annual Opening Meeting. Faculty and staff from across VU sites and locations attended virtually plus filled the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center on Monday, Aug. 8, for the first in-person Opening Meeting since prior to the global pandemic in 2019.

The Project ASPIREE (Achieving Success through Participation In Reaching Educational Excellence) program sponsored by Vincennes University has secured a renewal grant that will provide $328,413 this year to underrepresented students who have the potential to succeed in higher education. Project ASPIREE identifies and assists individuals from income-eligible backgrounds or potential first-generation students. It is a federally funded TRIO Talent Search Program supported by the Department of Education. VU’s program is funded for a five-year cycle.