Day School Speaker: May 2007

Bob Barker, perhaps the most recognized personality in television today and a Drury alumnus, has accepted the university's invitation to receive an honorary degree recognizing his life achievements and to speak at its May 12, 2007 commencement exercises. It will be the first honorary degree Barker has received in his lifetime.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Mr. Barker has accepted our invitation to address our newest alumni. He is the most famous graduate of Drury, and we look forward to welcoming him back to his college home and introducing him to students and faculty,” said President John Sellars.

After growing up on an Indian reservation in South Dakota and graduating from Springfield's Central High School in 1941, Barker attended Drury on a basketball scholarship, graduating summa cum laude in 1947 after interrupting his education to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After a brief radio career in Springfield and California, he moved to television, hosting Truth or Consequences from 1956–75. He debuted as host of what was then called The New Price is Right on September 4, 1972. In 1994 The Price is Right became the longest-running game show in history and is now in its 35th season. Barker has now been a continuous daily presence on television for 50 years, a record unmatched by anyone.

Barker's awards and accolades include 17 Emmy Awards, with 13 for outstanding game show host. In 2004 he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. In 1997, he became the oldest winner of an MTV Movie Award when he and Adam Sandler won the best fight award for their fisticuffs in Happy Gilmore.

Barker and his late wife Dorothy Jo have been leaders in the area of animal welfare. In addition to making appeals at the end of his broadcasts for pet owners to spay and neuter their pets, he founded the DJ&T Foundation, which funds animal clinics and addresses animal overpopulation issues.

“Mr. Barker's commitment in action and word to a cause he is passionate about resonates with the Drury community, where our students are learning to recognize their own passions and how to convert them into actions that make a lasting impact on the world. That is what leadership means at Drury and Mr. Barker is exemplary,” said Sellars.

Barker will be the keynote speaker at the commencement for Drury's traditional Day College, from which he graduated. That ceremony is set for Saturday, May 12 at 2:30 p.m. in Weiser Gymnasium. Tickets will be allocated to each graduate for that ceremony in the spring.

Drury University has taken the lead among private universities in the Midwest in truly integrating a liberal arts education with comprehensive professional programs. At Drury, the power of intensive faculty and staff mentoring in small-class settings creates an atmosphere of high academic expectation grounded in a supportive learning community, an ideal combination which produces leaders ready to serve in a global community. For more information, visit www.drury.edu.

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