First row (l-r) Assistant Director of Special Projects at VU Jasper Austin Welp, Strassenfest Committee Member Kim Lottes, VU Jasper Interim Dean Stephanie Stemle and VU Jasper Foundation President Dan Fritch. Second row (l-r) Strassenfest Committee Member Gary Schnell, Strassenfest Committee Member Paul Grammer, Strassenfest Committee Member Laura Grammer and VU Jasper Director of Student Services Mary Champion.

October 17, 2024

JASPER, Ind. - The Vincennes University Jasper Foundation Scholastic Excellence Award is part of VUJ’s ongoing commitment to making quality higher education accessible to high school graduates.

The award is a one-year, full-tuition scholarship that supports Indiana high school graduates in Dubois, Crawford, Orange, Perry, Harrison, Martin and Spencer counties who attend VU Jasper. In addition to covering full tuition, the award includes a $500 stipend per semester for books and a new laptop computer, providing students with the resources they need to succeed academically.

Scholarships like this play a vital role in helping students thrive. The VU Jasper Foundation recently received a generous donation of nearly $31,000 from the Jasper Strassenfest Half Pot proceeds to support the Scholastic Excellence Award.

Assistant Director of Special Projects at VU Jasper Austin Welp said, “The University and the VU Jasper Foundation are deeply grateful for the community’s generosity. We are also incredibly thankful for all of our volunteers and their dedication to ensure the success of local students.”

The Jasper Strassenfest Committee’s donation of $30,706.56 will directly fund the Scholastic Excellence Award, helping ensure that students will continue to benefit from this program’s financial support.

This substantial donation will enable the Foundation to offer this award to almost 10 local students.

The Scholastic Excellence Award helps the University empower students to pursue their academic goals and prepare for successful careers by providing significant financial support. It also allows students to focus on their studies and maximize their college experience.

To learn more about the Scholastic Excellence Award, visit

https://www.vinu.edu/jasper-campus/scholastic-excellence-award.html.

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