Gifts and grants from alumni and the community enable Drury University to strengthen areas that make the university stand out. We are grateful for ALL donors who support Drury in ANY amount!

Make Your Contribution

Below are a few of the many ways donors gave back this year:

Drury University was awarded a $4,000 grant from the Stanley & Elaine Ball Foundation, managed by Central Trust Company, a division of Central Trust Bank. This funding recognizes Drury’s ongoing commitment to enhancing educational opportunities and supporting disadvantaged children in Springfield, as this gift will fund books, materials, and light snacks for participating students involved in the Evening Reading Clinic, located in Lay Hall.

Diana Bugg and Jim Bertlesman ’69/-, inspired by the O’Reilly-Wooten Challenge, made a significant gift to the Student Success Fund. With the matching funds, the impact of their gift was doubled, providing support to students regardless of their financial situation.

Thomas and Michele Marrs Cannon -/’89 established four endowments supporting scholarships for students with financial need, general athletics, men’s and women’s basketball, and the area of greatest need. The Cannons have also established a planned gift to provide additional funding for their endowments.

Dr. Penny Clayton ’83 established the James “Stu” Dunlop Jr. Memorial Scholarship as a special tribute to her late husband. The endowment is intended to provide one or more scholarships annually to full-time undergraduate students majoring in accounting and will be utilized to recruit and retain top accounting majors to the Breech School of Business.

Drury University has received a $16,500 grant from the Missouri Solid Waste Management District O. The grant, which will take effect on May 1, will help Drury launch an Organic Waste Reduction & Education Initiative on campus.

John and Martha Fyan Foglesong ’67/’68 and their son Mark Foglesong ’02 established the Lucille J. Fyan and Robert W. Fyan Distinguished Musician Award endowed fund to recruit and retain top music students to Drury.

Drury University received a $30,000 grant from the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation, administered through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, to support nursing scholarships and advance healthcare education. Newly expanded offerings such as the Physician Assistant program and the Master of Health Administration degree program reflect Drury’s commitment to growing its healthcare education programs, building community partnerships, and preparing students for successful careers in healthcare fields.

The Stephen Smith Family Land Negotiations and Entrepreneurship Endowed Scholarship was established by Stephen and Joanie Smith ’74/- with a preference for students focusing on land negotiations or pursuing coursework in entrepreneurship.

Rev. A. Ronald Stewart III ’67 established the James F. Wieck ’67 Drury Mirror Fund to honor James F. Wieck, Drury Mirror Editor (1966-1967), and all Mirror staff members covering the 150 years of continuous publication. The fund will support the Drury Mirror in ways such as stipends and/or awards to students who work for the Mirror.

The Janet Rigg Wallace Endowed Scholarship was established by Janet Rigg Wallace ’73 to provide scholarship support to deserving students majoring in math, physics, and/or engineering, with preference for baseball players. The Wallace Scholarship will award one or more scholarships annually to full-time undergraduate students.

Jack Weimer made a significant gift from his IRA in support of the Women’s Basketball program and participated as a Coach for the Day in recognition of his support.

Drury University would like to thank the O’Reilly and Wooten families for their continued support by providing more than $1.8 million in matching funds to the Student Success Fund. The generosity of the O’Reilly and Wooten families truly changes the lives of our students and inspired many of the gifts listed here.

Interested to know how you can make an impact at Drury University?

Call (417) 873-7258 for more information or visit drury.edu/fortify