Game Changing Generosity

1953. Front row from left: Jerry Fridrich, Noble Patton, Bob White, Tom MacKenzie. Middle row from left: Al Weiss, Dave Kardokus, Gene Southwood, Head Coach Bob Polk, Bob Dudley Smith, Jack Heldman. Back row from left: Team Manager John Horner, George Nordhaus, Bucky Herring, Bill Feix, Dan Finch, Paul Rumbach, Assistant Coach Dave Scobey.

Gerald D. “Jerry” Fridrich, BA’55, and Barbara White Fridrich, BS’55, established the Jerry and Barbara Fridrich and Family Men’s Basketball Scholarship in 2006 to honor Vanderbilt’s profound impact on their lives and celebrate their family’s strong ties to Vanderbilt athletics.

At Vanderbilt, Jerry and Barbara found love, building a life in Nashville and raising four children, two of whom became Vanderbilt alumni. “My Dad liked to joke to us kids, ‘If it wasn’t for Vanderbilt, you wouldn’t exist,’ ” said Chip Fridrich, BS’90. “He hoped that by establishing this scholarship, a future player might meet his wife, start a family and settle down in Nashville, like he did.”

Jerry grew up in southern Indiana and attended Vanderbilt on a basketball scholarship, playing in the inaugural game at Memorial Gymnasium against the University of Virginia in 1952. He also played baseball. He co-founded Donnelly & Fridrich Insurance Agency, now Fridrich, Pinson & Associates Insurance Agency, and Fridrich & Clark Realty, serving as chairman of both.

Barbara, a Nashville native, was an active member of the Cathedral of the Incarnation and Saint Henry Catholic Churches, a longtime volunteer for the Ladies of Charity, member of the Nashville area Pi-Beta-Phi Alumni Chapter and was a co-founder of Christmas Village, an annual event supporting Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Bill Wilkerson Center.

The Fridrichs’ philanthropic spirit and love for Vanderbilt athletics, combined with Jerry’s desire to pay forward the scholarship aid he received, fueled their decision to document a planned gift to support student-athletes in perpetuity. As a result, five students have received scholarships since 2015.

Supporting the Commodores continues to be a family tradition. Chip and his brother Steve, BA’79, have made a generous commitment to the baseball facilities through Vandy United and are proud football, baseball and basketball season ticket holders. “I have three teenage children, and they always want to know who ‘our guy’ is each year,” Chip said. “We take pride in following along with our scholarship recipient’s season and cheering them on from the front row in Memorial Gym when they have a great game.”