A $50 million capital campaign is underway at Drury University as the private school in Springfield celebrates its sesquicentennial.
The Fortify the Future Campaign focuses on four areas: Student Success, which includes scholarships and program support; Endowment, which encompasses scholarships, professorships, program support, coaching positions and more; Heritage Buildings for updated living and learning spaces; and Catalyst Fund for campaign seed funding.
Marie Muhvic, executive vice-president of University Advancement at Drury, said they’ve made a concerted effort to identify the university’s greatest needs.
"We've done many listening sessions. We've done many surveys. We've done feasibility studies," she said, "and, so, really what it comes down to right now is, you know, student success, meaning access — so, scholarships, which is something Drury's always provided, so we want to continue to allow deserving students to come."
The launch of the campaign comes after the quiet phase of the effort, which began in July, 2022. Since then, Drury has raised almost $24 million toward its $50 million goal.
"Almost 100 percent of our students are on some form of scholarships, so that has been allocated already as it's come in," she said. "We have had tremendous luck and really supportive folks, who we will announce soon, who have really wanted to invest in our heritage buildings."
People who give at certain levels will be recognized on what Drury is calling "an iconic landmark" on its campus.
"We've proposed a couple different spots — both very prominent, very public and campus spacing," said Muhvic. "And, one of the thoughts is a large obelisk with benches and a plaza, and the names are prominently displayed."
Drury University will celebrate its 150th anniversary this fall. Find out about anniversary celebrations at drury.edu/150. Campaign details are at drury.edu/fortify.
