Ernst Family's $300,000 gift anchors Vincennes University's 2026 Blazers Give Day

On Blazers Give Day, the Vincennes University Foundation announced a $300,000 transformative gift from Chris and Tom Ernst to establish The Legacy Fund. The VU Community also raised just over $60,000 to support future leaders during the sixth annual 24-hour giving celebration on Thursday, April 2.

Launched in honor of VU’s historic 225th anniversary, The Legacy Fund is an unrestricted endowment that serves as a powerful engine for the University’s mission, providing the VU Foundation with the flexibility to meet VU’s most pressing needs and most ambitious dreams.

To kick off the fund, Chris and Tom Ernst put up a $20,000 match on Blazers Give Day.

Executive Director of the VU Foundation and Senior Director of Institutional Advancement Kristi Deetz said, "We are incredibly moved by the Ernst family and their visionary $300,000 commitment to the future of Vincennes University. This unrestricted endowment, established through both a lifetime gift and an estate gift, provides VU with the vital flexibility to grow and innovate for years to come. By kicking off our annual Blazers Give Day with a generous $20,000 match, they set a powerful tone for our entire VU Community. I want to share my deepest thanks to our alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and students who stepped up to participate and show their support. Your collective generosity proves that the Trailblazer spirit is stronger than ever."

For more than two centuries, VU has served as a foundational institution for innovation and public service.

Blazers Give Day was filled with excitement, including a Health Sciences Alumni Reunion at the new $33.9 million Center for Health Sciences and Learning Innovation, the President’s Spring Fling at Jefferson Student Union, fun challenges, exclusive prizes, and Give Back/Dine to Donate Nights throughout the week.

To learn more or to give, visit vinu.edu/give