Drury University's Interim President Todd Parnell

For Immediate Release: October 30

Contact:
Holly Guerreiro
Director, Media Relations
(417) 873-7390
E-mail: hguerreiro@drury.edu

SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Oct. 30, 2007 -- Drury University and Edward Jones, the St. Louis-based financial services firm, announced a new scholarship program for minority students at a news conference in Springfield today.

The Edward Jones Minority Scholarship Program at Drury University will provide annually renewable awards of $10,000 to minority candidates who are U.S. citizens. Scholarship winners are also eligible to receive an additional $7,500 annually in Drury merit-based aid, bringing the total award to $17,500 annually.

Interested candidates must be admissible to Drury University and will be selected through a competitive application process. Ten awards will be granted annually beginning in the fall of 2008.

Applications will be accepted from across the nation, but priority will be given to applicants from southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas.

"Drury University has a historic commitment to the education of all people, and this partnership with Edward Jones allows us to provide traditionally underserved students with an outstanding educational experience," said Drury Interim President Todd Parnell.

While enrolled at Drury, Edward Jones scholars will have opportunities to interact with business leaders at both the national and local level through Drury's Edward Jones Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. John and Crystal Beuerlein partnered with Edward Jones in donating $2 million to establish the center at Drury University in 2006. Scholars also will participate in activities with Edward Jones such as sales training, internships and interview opportunities with corporate senior staff upon completion of their degree programs.

"An entrepreneurial spirit is needed to be a successful financial advisor with Edward Jones. Therefore, we are committed to ensuring that minority students have the education and the training needed to pursue this type of career by creating the Edward Jones Minority Scholarship," said Emily Pitts, principal for inclusion and diversity at Edward Jones.

Interested candidates should contact Drury's Office of Admission at (417) 873-7205 or (800) 922-2274 or visit www.drury.edu. Application deadline for fall 2008 awards is Jan. 15.

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.

Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliates, in Canada and the United Kingdom. Every aspect of the firm's business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work. The firm's 10,000 financial advisors work directly with more than 7 million clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long term investment strategies that emphasizes a well-balanced portfolio. Edward Jones embraces the importance of building long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients, helping them to understand and make sense of the investment options available today. Edward Jones is headquartered in St. Louis. The firm's interactive Web site is
www.edwardjones.com.


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