Vincennes University announced Ro and Charles “Shorty” Whittington of Columbus, Indiana, have made a first-of-its-kind and groundbreaking gift to VU. The landmark gift will create a faculty endowment fund made possible by the tremendous generosity of the couple.
The Whittington Endowed Faculty Fund represents VU’s first-ever faculty fund endowment, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to academic excellence and advancement. The fund will bolster faculty support and foster agricultural innovation.
Ro and Shorty Whittington are long-time philanthropists and have supported 4-H youth through scholarships for several decades.
The transformative gift from the Whittingtons’ Landmark Farm Foundation, Inc. is one of the largest individual donor gifts in recent years.
The faculty fund will address critical challenges in talent recruitment and retention within highly competitive fields of study, particularly agriculture. With an initial focus on supporting faculty positions in the College of Technology and College of Business and Public Service, the fund will allocate stipends to five positions, enabling VU to attract and retain top-tier talent in these crucial areas.
In addition to providing immediate support for faculty positions, a significant portion of the gift will be allocated towards establishing a named endowed fund, ensuring sustained support for faculty in perpetuity.
