VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Board of Trustees welcomed a new trustee Dec. 4. Knox County businessman and resident Don Villwock was sworn in during a board meeting at the Indiana Center for Applied Technology.

Vincennes University President Chuck Johnson and Board Chair John Stachura expressed their pleasure in Villwock joining the board. Villwock, owner and manager of Villwock Farms, was commended for his wealth of knowledge and his extensive national, state, and local leadership experience. Villwock, who resides in Edwardsport, Indiana, is a past president of Indiana Farm Bureau and Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Companies.

Director of Assessment Chad Bebee updated the Board on assessment of learning outcomes for curricular and co-curricular programs.

“VU has worked diligently to create a culture of assessment, and through it we articulate what we want students to know, value, and be able to do when they graduate from one of our programs,” Bebee said. “Assessing learning outcomes helps us articulate the value of a VU education to parents and employers and assure them that our graduates are well prepared."

Director of Admissions Heidi Whitehead reported to the Board that spring enrollment numbers are at the same level as previous years. Also, numbers for Fall Semester 2020 are trending up year to date early in the recruitment period. She also said the enrollment of transfer students from Illinois is up and it’s an area where VU is poised for growth.

“We’re focused on trying new initiatives based on the strategic plan to help our admission numbers reach our targets,” Whitehead said. “The changes we have made speak directly to the recruitment initiatives that we have within the strategic plan. We are positive the numbers will remain steady over last year.”

In other business:

• President Johnson said Vice President of Workforce Development/Community Services David Tucker was unable to attend the meeting because he is visiting Lunghwa University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. VU expects to sign an agreement with Lunghwa and two industry partners to develop programs in open source robotics and Internet of Things.
• The Board elected Mike Sievers as First Vice Chair; Reggie Henderson, Second Vice Chair; and J.R. Gaylor, Secretary.

VINCENNES UNIVERSITY - Indiana’s First College

VU is state-supported with campuses in Vincennes and Jasper, the Aviation Technology Center and American Sign Language program in Indianapolis, Early College Career and Technical Education Centers, and additional sites such as the Gene Haas Training and Education Center in Lebanon, the Logistics Training and Education Center in Plainfield, and the Gibson County Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics in Fort Branch. A leader in developing Early Colleges statewide, VU also offers instruction at military sites throughout the nation.

In addition to offering a wide range of associate degree and certificate programs, VU also offers bachelor’s degree programs in technology, homeland security, nursing, secondary education programs in mathematics and science, and special education/elementary education.

VU enrolls students from throughout Indiana, 36 other states, and 21 other countries. Tuition and fees are the lowest among Indiana campuses with residence halls. VU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Founded in 1801, VU is Indiana’s first college and is the only college in the nation founded by an individual who would later become President of the United States. William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. President, founded VU while serving as governor of the Indiana Territory. More information is available at www.vinu.edu.

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Vincennes University Newsroom

MARCIA MARTINEZ, University Life Reporter & Sports Information Director
   812-888-4164 office, 314-599-1519 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, mmartinez@vinu.edu
VINCENNES UNIVERSITY, Department of University Relations, www.vinu.edu/newsroom