At Drury, we are passionate about student success and steadfast in the belief that a Drury education should always be accessible to deserving students. Last year, most Drury students received scholarships or financial aid and 30% of those were first generation students. That was made possible through the generosity and dedication of university donors.
Within this campaign, the university seeks to grow The Annual Drury Experience Fund for scholarships and financial aid and provide support for academic programming. Your support of The Annual Drury Experience Fund enables Drury to reach beyond our limits – it provides more aid to the students who dream of a Drury education.
With your support, we also plan to grow Your Drury Fusion. This unique curriculum is defining and universal for every Drury student. It positions Drury’s academic experience in a crowded market and is responsive to students’ needs and demands.
In order to further reinforce Drury’s academic offerings, we must support our faculty. Drury plans to create endowed professorships that provide faculty with stipends to deepen their expertise and create enriching student experiences. Additionally, we will create a professor-in-residence program to recruit lecturers and provide students with unique learning opportunities.
For 150 years, Drury University has stood as a beacon of strength and perseverance through pandemics, wars, and depressions. This would not have been possible without our endowment. The endowment is one of the most important investments in the future of Drury University and by growing it, we ensure long-term financial stability that allows us to respond quickly to emerging needs, adapt to changing circumstances, and continue delivering an exceptional educational experience, even in the face of uncertainty.
Beyond its importance in challenging times, the endowment also plays a crucial role in periods of opportunity. It empowers Drury to pursue institutional growth and stand out in higher education. Strengthening the endowment opens avenues for expansion and innovation, positioning us at the forefront of academic excellence.
A key aspect of this growth is the ability to enhance our faculty and staff. With a robust endowment, we attract exceptional educators who enrich the learning experience, providing students with diverse expertise and mentorship in a dynamic environment. A strengthened endowment allows us to augment our academic programming. Through investments in innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge resources, we can introduce new learning opportunities that ensure our academic offerings remain relevant and equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving professional landscape.
By contributing to the endowment, you will play a vital role to Fortify the Future of Drury and provide a foundation for long-term success. Your generosity enables us to pursue institutional growth, enrich academic programming, and enhance the overall student experience.
Drury University is a place of rich history, and the buildings across campus hold stories that span generations. Our heritage buildings are not only cherished landmarks but are important elements of the Drury story. Students attend classes in the celebrated spaces and many of them live in some of campus’s most historic structures. Drury’s heritage buildings are spaces where students develop into worldly and analytical thinkers; in these halls, leaders are born.
Caring for our heritage buildings is an integral part of our commitment to providing students with safe and well-maintained accommodations. With your support, we can address the much-needed attention required by these buildings. Your investment will allow for safety upgrades and improved sustainability through enhanced energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness and enable students to have the best possible educational experience, equipped with the latest technology and modern equipment.
Updating Drury’s heritage buildings is crucial to our mission of attracting and retaining students and increasing the longevity of these beloved spaces. By investing in their upkeep, we preserve the unique character and historical significance that make the Drury campus exceptional. Together, we can Fortify the Future and safeguard these cherished buildings, ensuring they continue to play a vital role in shaping the Drury experience.
Investing in University Advancement is a proven formula to increase higher education fundraising results, and with the launch of the Fortify the Future campaign, support is vital. The Catalyst Fund will provide the groundwork needed to ensure the campaign reaches its full capacity and maximize its impact on students.
With the allocated funds, Drury University will be able to hire two Regional Major Gift Fundraisers. This strategic decision aligns with best practices in higher education fundraising, as having regionally located fundraisers provides an improved and expanded talent pool while reducing travel costs.
Furthermore, the Catalyst Fund will support the addition of a new Leadership Annual Giving Officer. This role will be responsible for increasing gifts ranging from $250 to $4,999, as well as fostering increased annual giving from local corporations. The Leadership Annual Giving Officer will also play a pivotal role in recruiting and training alumni volunteers to act as ambassadors for the annual giving campaign. Their efforts will effectively engage their peers and establish donor pipelines for future major gift requests.
As the Fortify the Future campaign is launched, the Catalyst Fund will provide funding to outsource assistance for campaign volunteer management, stewardship materials, and other crucial elements. Through these efforts, we will expand our reach, build close relationships with alumni, and engage the next generation of major gift donors.
By strategically utilizing the Catalyst Fund, Drury University can optimize its fundraising efforts, enhance regional presence through the Regional Major Gift Fundraisers, cultivate a culture of giving through the Leadership Annual Giving Officer, and ensure effective campaign management. Together, we can achieve the ambitious goals of the Fortify the Future campaign and make a lasting impact on the future of Drury University.