Springfield, MO., May 7, 2024 – Drury University is delighted to announce the inaugural recipients of the Drury Community Partnership Grants created by Interim President John Beuerlein. “One of the keys to Drury’s success in the future is going to be the extent to which we can get students off the campus and into the community to try and make Springfield a better place,” Beuerlein said. “Not only is it a key for the future of Springfield, but it’s a key to our students’ future as well, for it gives them a lot of opportunity to pursue a passion they might have on any aspect of life.”

Drury Community Partnership Grants are designed to connect Drury to the local community by engaging students and their faculty mentors with non-profit organizations to advance recognized community priorities. Community Impact Grants award up to $7,500 for projects that make a measurable impact on recognized challenges in the Springfield Metropolitan Area. Community Focus Grants are short-term grants for up to $1,000 to support student-initiated projects that impact community priorities through a partnership with a nonprofit partner.

Recipients of Community Impact Grants

The following students have been awarded for their project proposals:

Liz Cardoza ’24, Dr. Justin Leinaweaver, and Discovery Center of Springfield: “Avoidable Accidents: Camera Installations Enhance Child Pedestrian Safety.”
Christin Gilchrist ’25, Dr. John Kiernicki, and Ozark Technical Community College: “Quality Undergraduate Academic Networking Through Undergraduate Mentorship.”
Ava Henry ’26, Dr. Rachael Day, and City of Springfield Environmental Services: “Mitigating Health and Environmental Impacts of Microplastics in Springfield.”

Recipients of Community Focus Grants

The following students have been awarded for their community projects:

Tori Carter ’26, Dr. Bethany Sump, and International Institute of Southwest Missouri: “Conversation Tables for Refugees”
Emily Hiebert ’24, Dr. Jennie Silva Brown, and Crosslines Resource Center: “Development of an Intake Form for Crosslines Resource Center”
Tayte Kozlowski ’24, Dr. Jennie Silva Brown, and Crosslines Resource Center: “Development of an Intake Form for Crosslines”
Riley Naeger ’24, Dr. Jennie Silva Brown, and Crosslines Resource Center: “Development of an Intake Form for Crosslines”

Applicants must be full-time undergraduate or graduate Drury University students at the time of application and during the duration of the grant-funded project. They must provide a signed statement from each nonprofit partner organization stating alignment with the proposed project, level of support for the proposed project, and agreed-upon expectations for the deliverables. All student project applicants must complete a Community Partnership Grant Workshop before grant submission.

To learn more about these Community Partnership Grants, visit drury.edu/admission/drury-fusion/community-partnership-grants/.

###

Media Contact: Kevin Kropf, Ed.D., Executive Vice President of Enrollment Management, Marketing & Communication, Office: (417) 873-7390, Email: kkropf@drury.edu

Drury University awards Community Partnership Grants to seven students