About the Fund

The Nichols Humanitarian Fund is a companion scholarship fund to the Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal. These programs seek to make Vanderbilt students better members of their communities and society in general by supporting their humanitarian activities and bringing speakers to Vanderbilt who embody the best of humanity.

The Nichols Humanitarian Fund was established in 2006 by the E.C. and Lucile Hamby Nichols Trust and by Edward C. Nichols, Jr. (JD ’70) and his wife, Janice Nichols. The Fund encourages Vanderbilt students to become better citizens of the world and to broaden their thinking by volunteering for humanitarian efforts. It enables students to volunteer for local, domestic, or international humanitarian service opportunities by making support available for educational, travel, and living expenses during their time of service. The Fund distributes awards based on merit and need to Vanderbilt students to pay the expenses of their humanitarian activities.

It was established by Edward and Janice Nichols in honor of Laura Bush’s speech on Senior Class Day in 2006. The $100,000 cash prize that accompanied the Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal that Mrs. Bush accepted was given to Vanderbilt to start the Fund. The Fund also receives substantial contributions each year from the Edward and Janice Nichols Endowment Fund. The first awards were granted in 2007.

Students are encouraged to develop their own service opportunities where they can work to address areas of need of particular interest to them. Funding can also be used to participate in established service opportunities at Vanderbilt and throughout the world. The most recent reflection reports provide good examples of projects conducted by students.

For more about the Nichols Humanitarian Fund go to Application Information and Fast Facts and Archives or contact the Office of Experiential Learning and Immersion Vanderbilt.