Elmhurst University has received a gift of $265,000 that will benefit the university’s jazz festival and two scholarship programs for students who participate in the Elmhurst University jazz band.

Jazz band alumni and longtime supporters of the annual festival, who wish to remain anonymous, recently made the gift commitment to establish the Elmhurst University Jazz Festival Endowed Fund. Proceeds can be used to support any aspect of the festival, which is one of the country’s oldest collegiate jazz festivals and just celebrated its 59th year.

The gift also supports the Jim Cunningham Jazz Scholarship, named for the founder of the Elmhurst University Jazz Festival, and the Doug Beach Jazz Scholarship Fund, which honors the jazz band’s longtime director and his significant contributions to the university and his profession. Proceeds from both scholarships benefit students who participate in the jazz band.

The donors, who performed at the Elmhurst University Jazz Festival when they were students in the jazz band, made the gift to honor the value of their experience and to ensure that it would be available to other students for years to come.

The Elmhurst University Jazz Band has performed all over the world and in festivals across the United States, including at the Chicago Jazz Festival, where the band performed with legendary vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater.

The Elmhurst University Jazz Festival welcomes top college and university bands from around the country to participate in performances, master classes and more with some of the greatest names in professional jazz.