VINCENNES, Ind. - The Vincennes University Foundation has been named as a beneficiary of the C. James McCormick Revocable Trust. In accordance with the wishes of the late C. James (Jim) McCormick, $25,000 was donated to the VU Foundation for the James E. Nicholas Scholarship Fund.

This newly endowed scholarship will provide an annual grant for a student majoring in truck driver training at VU. Recipients are selected by a special committee and will be required to maintain a 2.0 GPA at all times.

James E. Nicholas, for whom the scholarship is named, served as president of the Indiana Motor Trucking Association in the 1960s. He was a lobbyist for the trucking industry and a valued friend of McCormick’s.

“Our family is proud of the legacy our father built,” states Jane Wissel, McCormick’s daughter. “Our dad was a very giving man who cared for and supported the University in various ways. It’s truly fitting that he would want to ensure an education for future VU students.”

ABOUT THE DONOR

Clarence James (Jim) McCormick, 92, passed away at his long-time family home on May 22, 2017. McCormick was a towering figure in the American trucking industry during the last half of the 20th century. Rising from the fertile farmland of southwest Indiana, McCormick ascended to prominence as a civic, political, and industry leader. He was also a devout supporter of higher education, having served for six years as chair of the VU Board of Trustees.

McCormick was instrumental in involving his children and grandchildren in the trucking business. In 1981 he acquired a small trucking company that became BESTWAY EXPRESS. His sons, Pat and Mac, obtained ownership positions and managed the business successfully. It has grown over the years and is today operated by Pat and three of Jim’s grandsons: Will, Ry, and Eli.

ABOUT THE VU FOUNDATION

In advancing the University’s missions of higher education and community service, the VU Foundation, through the generosity of its donors, administers endorsements and contributions established by corporate and individual gifts as designated. During the 2017-18 school year, the Foundation will award in excess of $1.6 million in scholarships. More information is available at vinu.edu/foundation or by calling 812-888-4510.

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