SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 17, 2025 – Six remarkable individuals have been chosen to be honored by Drury University for the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards, which will be presented in a ceremony as part of graduation weekend at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 10 in O’Reilly Enterprise Center in the Judy Thompson Executive Conference Center.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards were founded in 1951 to recognize individuals who have achieved professional and personal successes, shown their loyalty to Drury and demonstrated exemplary service to their community. Nominations are taken from the Drury community and the Alumni Council selects the honorees.
“We are immensely proud of our alumni — all of whom are committed to lifelong learning and to leaving their communities and professions better than when they first encountered them,” Drury Director of Alumni Relations and Professor of Communication Dr. Charles Taylor said. “These alumni, in particular, represent Drury at our very best and we are honored to have them back on campus — where it all began — to celebrate their accomplishments.”
To register for the ceremony, please click here.
The 2025 honorees are:
Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Mark Adams ‘75
Dr. Mark Adams graduated from Drury College in 1975. A soccer student-athlete in his undergraduate days, he has gone on to a lifetime of extraordinary personal and professional success. Following his undergraduate days at Drury, Adams graduated with honors from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and completed a general surgery internship and orthopedic surgery residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. He subsequently completed a sports medicine fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard University in Boston in 1987.
An orthopedic surgeon with an emphasis in sports medicine, Dr. Adams has nearly 40 years of experience on the sidelines – and in the operating room. He joined the Columbia Orthopaedic Group in 1990, and served for 32 years as team physician for University of Missouri Athletics. He served as team physician for the United States Olympic team during the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney summer games. He worked as team physician for the United States Women’s National Soccer team from 1995-2002, including the 1999 World Cup. He has also worked with the New England Patriots and Boston Bruins.
Dr. Adams is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a member of the American Orthopaedic Association, a national honorary leadership group. Among his myriad professional honors, the Arthritis Foundation named him Humanitarian of the Year in 2000 and he was “tapped” into the QEBH Honor Society at the University of Missouri. As a testament to his profound professional success, he was inducted into both the Missouri Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Career Achievement Award – Dr. Amanda Kilker Ombrello ‘99
A member of the final Drury College graduating class in 1999, Dr. Amanda Kilker Ombrello is a clinical researcher in the Inflammatory Disease Section of the Medical Genetics Branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute. After graduating from Drury, she received her medical degree from Saint Louis University in 2003 and completed an internal medicine and pediatrics residency and a sub specialization in both adult and pediatric rheumatology from Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center and Saint Louis University. In 2010, she moved to Bethesda, Md., in pursuit of research experience.
Collaborating with Dr. Dan Kastner at the National Institutes of Health, she has focused her research in the field of autoinflammation. As an associate research physician, she leads the Inflammatory Disease Section’s clinical team overseeing the care of more than 2,000 patients with novel and established autoinflammatory diseases.
Dr. Ombrello has played a significant role in the discovery and characterization of six new autoinflammatory diseases as well as pursuing effective therapeutic options for such patients. She spear-headed the organization of a multi-specialty juggernaut that is fighting to decipher the complex and potentially devastating disease, deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2. She has also worked in conjunction with the CD22 CAR-T cell team characterizing the HLH-like manifestations that can present as a separate entity to the established cytokine release syndrome. Dr. Ombrello has become internationally recognized as a leader in the field of autoinflammation and has presented her work at national and international meetings. In her free time, she balances the busy schedules of her 3 kids (15, 12, and 10) with her husband, Michael.
Young Alumni Award – Hadeil Ali ‘16
A 2016 summa cum laude graduate of Drury University and decorated Drury tennis student-athlete, Hadeil Ali is the Chief of Staff of the Global Development Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a premiere foreign policy think-tank based in Washington, D.C. The newly established department brings together seven CSIS programs to provide cross-cutting research on global development and human security policies and their critical role in U.S. national security. In her professional role, Hadeil oversees the overall management of the department including the strategy, budget, and operations.
After graduating from Drury, she received a MA with highest honors from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Prior to CSIS, she worked at World Learning, a non-profit focused on education development and Georgetown’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
Fluent in English, French, and Arabic, Hadeil has published numerous pieces with CSIS, Inkstick Media, Business Insider, and Medium. She has participated in dozens of panels, lectures, and conferences throughout the United States.
Hadeil is a 2024 CNAS next generation fellow, a 2024 German Marshall Fund transatlantic inclusion leader, a 2023 Penn Kemble fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy, and a 2022 fellow with the International Career Advancement Program. She was included on the 2022 CSIS National Security and Foreign Affairs Top 50 Leadership List and is a Middle East Policy Council 40 Under 40 honoree. She hosts a popular and insightful podcast series entitled Driving Impact, grappling with topics as diverse as championing gender equality and charting paths to resilience in the climate-conflict nexus.
Faculty/Staff Appreciation Award – Dr. Tijuana Julian ‘81
A 1981 graduate of Drury College, Dr. Tijuana Julian has had a remarkable journey from faculty member and academic leader to her long tenure as Vice President for Student Services/Dean of Students. This wide-ranging experience, coupled with her ongoing commitment to musical excellence, exemplifies the outstanding impact our alumni can have on their alma mater and the broader community.
After graduating from Drury, she received her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Kansas, the first KU trumpet player ever to do so, and taught at Truman State University before returning to her alma mater as Assistant Professor of Music. She built a vibrant jazz program that still resonates with alumni today. Her leadership as Department Chair was instrumental in securing the prestigious National Association of Schools of Music accreditation, a milestone that elevated Drury’s music program’s national standing. Furthermore, her vision and dedication led to the founding of Drury’s highly successful Music Therapy program, which continues to prepare students for meaningful careers in this vital field.
In her current role as Executive Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, she demonstrates an unwavering commitment to student welfare. Her tireless efforts ensure our campus remains a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for all students. As a Title IX Deputy Coordinator, she handles sensitive situations with exceptional care and empathy, supporting both students and faculty through challenging circumstances with professionalism and compassion. What sets Tijuana apart is her ability to maintain active engagement in her musical pursuits while excelling in administrative leadership. She continues to share her expertise through trumpet lessons and leading the brass quintet while also serving as principal trumpet with the Springfield Symphony. This dedication to her art inspires students and demonstrates the importance of lifelong artistic growth. Perhaps most importantly, Tijuana embodies the core values that make Drury special. Her student-first approach and daily dedication to student success have created a lasting impact on countless lives. She serves as an inspiration to faculty, staff, and alumni alike, showing how academic leadership can be combined with artistic passion and genuine care for student well-being. Tijuana’s contributions to Drury – as an educator, administrator, musician, mentor, and colleague – make her an exemplary candidate for this award. Her legacy continues to shape Drury and influence the next generation of leaders.
University Engagement Award – Susan Kirby ‘70
A 1970 graduate of Drury College, Susan Kirby is, by any measure, one of the most iconic figures in Drury staff history. Indeed, Drury is encoded in her DNA, as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, and even her parents have attended Drury. Her father, in fact, once served as the President of the Alumni Association. In her professional life, Susan had close to 30 years of experience as the Director of Alumni Relations and then as the Director of Alumni & Development-Stewardship on the Drury campus. Some would argue that she continues this very role today because of vast connections to our alumni. To this day she continues to stay in contact with alums all over the world.
Susan has such a deep love for Drury. Her position at Drury was much more than a job; she put her heart and soul into her work. She was – and remains – a font of wisdom on all things Drury. If Drury staff/faculty members had a question about an alum or friend of the college they knew to contact Susan, and they knew she would have (or find) the answers. Susan was especially helpful for the myriad alumni volunteers who served Drury with her guidance.
Susan was, as many have said, a “student magnet.” In short, they loved her and she loved them. Coordinating the Ambassador Program was one of the very best parts of her job for decades. The Ambassador program connected our students with our alumni, creating such a unique and special opportunity. Alumni were always interested in knowing what our students were involved with on campus. Our students were tasked with working alumni events; therefore, they would be showcased to our alumni throughout the region. This program was the conduit between our students and alumni. As Director of Alumni Relations, Susan oversaw and worked closely with the Alumni Council. She worked to create an alumni golf event for reunion weekends, which has evolved into the current Kappa Alpha Alumni Golf and Luncheon event, now in its 33rd year.
Community Engagement Award – Virginia Darr M. Ed. ‘74
Mrs. Darr received her M. Ed. from Drury’s School of Education and Child Development in 1974 and has put her education to its highest use by improving the lives of children and families inside the classroom and in the larger community. From her early career as a first-grade teacher at Mark Twain Elementary here in Springfield to a dedicated volunteer and philanthropist later in life, there is no doubt about the impact Mrs. Darr has had on Springfield and the Ozarks.
She has, in so many ways, made our community better than she first encountered it. Mrs. Darr has been an active member of Schweitzer Church and has also worked behind the scenes with various organizations such as the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, Lost and Found, and the Council of Churches Ambassadors for Children. She never seeks the spotlight, but always demonstrates compassion and care for the children and families in the Ozarks. It is impossible to overstate Mrs. Darr’s role in strengthening our community.
Perhaps her highest profile philanthropy work is through The Darr Family Foundation, founded along with her husband and partner, Bill. With an official vision of “realized potential and community vitality,’ The Darr Family Foundation provides humble leadership while fostering collaborative partnerships that will provide meaningful change in the communities they serve. Since 2002, The Darr Family Foundation has distributed more than $10 million to improve lives for children and families in the Springfield area. They have sponsored the Springfield Public Schools Ag Academy, established the Darr Agricultural Center, and funded the Every Child Promise initiative in Springfield to support early childhood education and literacy. The program improved kindergarten readiness for more than 2,000 preschool children in our community. An exhaustive list of her contributions would take many pages to detail. Her commitment to serving others in meaningful ways represents Drury at its very best.
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Media Contact: Cris Belvin, Director of University Communications & Media Relations | (417) 873-7392 | gbelvin@drury.edu