Just days after the two-year anniversary of Vanderbilt Athletics’ announcement of Vandy United, trustee Jennifer R. Frist (BS’93) and William R. Frist have contributed an unprecedented philanthropic gift to fuel the momentum of the campaign.
The gift will be honored by the establishment of the Frist Athletics Village, which will encompass FirstBank Stadium, Memorial Gymnasium, Hawkins Field, the Lummis Family Tennis Center, the McGugin Center and Ingram Center for Student-Athlete Success.
The Frists are longtime supporters of the university and are currently Vanderbilt parents.
“I can still picture myself as a young boy sitting in the rain when Vanderbilt beat Tennessee in 1982 — and the joy and excitement I felt surrounded by people cheering for our team,” William Frist said.
Jennifer Frist earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science from Vanderbilt in 1993. In 2021, she was inducted into the 2021 class of the School of Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni and was named to the Vanderbilt Board of Trust.
“I think that when you have collaboration, it gives you a competitive edge, and it helps you bring some really meaningful and powerful outcomes,” Jennifer Frist said.
The donation came on National Student-Athlete Day.
“As we mark National Student-Athlete Day, delivering on our commitment to creating the best student-athlete and fan experience in college athletics requires transformational acts built on the foundation of trust,” Athletic Director Candice Lee said. “I’m grateful to Billy and Jennifer Frist for their trust.”
The gift has catalyzed the construction process for the university.
“This is just a wonderful gift that has tremendous importance,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “It accelerates our transition from drawing board to actually breaking ground. It’s a bold statement of support for Vandy United.”
The Frist couple also played critical roles in the creation of the William R. Frist Family Gate at FirstBank Stadium and the founding of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt.
