About a year ago...
I wrote about my three goals for the upcoming year:
- Strengthen the relationship between the Alumni Council and the regional alumni groups to improve alumni engagement.
- Continue the development of opportunities for alumni to interact with and mentor current students.
- Encourage alumni to promote Drury within their communities and identity and recommend future students.
I’m pleased to report significant progress was accomplished in all three areas this past year. The mentoring program continues its success as every student that requests a mentor has been assigned one. The Alumni Council’s communications team utilized Facebook Live to broadcast the fireworks at the start of the semester and worked throughout the year to provide new ways to bring campus activities and updates to alumni. Below are updates from the committee chairs for key areas that helped us accomplish our goals for the year.
It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the Alumni Council this year. This is an exciting time in the life of Drury, and I thank you for your continued support of our alma mater.
Go Panthers!
William Cologna ’99
Stay Connected!
You can stay connected to Drury and your classmates, no matter where you live, by getting involved with the Regional Alumni chapter in your area. All you need to do is attend alumni events and connect with the Office of University Advancement and your regional representatives. Events and meetings are offered throughout the year in your region, with a variety of programs and opportunities to continue to pique your interest.
You can even volunteer and serve as a regional alumni leader for Drury and coordinate activities, communication and leadership for alumni in your region.
Contact the Office of University Advancement at alumni@drury.edu or (417) 873-7217.
Engagement Committee
Lori Johnson Murawski MBA ’13
The Engagement Committee of the Alumni Council has been working on projects to invite graduating students to “plug in” to Drury as alumni and stay connected despite leaving the campus setting. Additionally, the committee interviewed comparable and aspirational universities about their best alumni practices to learn how to provide the best representation and support for Drury alumni. Ultimately, we will sift through what we already do well, areas where we can grow and learn new information to determine what makes sense as we seek to best engage with our alumni at each step in their post-Drury life and career.
Programs Committee
Brandon Adamick ’09, MBA ’11
The Programs Committee tries to create opportunities for Drury alumni to come together and connect socially and professionally. We host two to three events per year, with one of them being a young alumni event. On April 5, we had 50-60 people at Wine Dive in downtown Springfield. We are planning our next event for July. Opening night fireworks at the Martin Alumni Center in August is always a fun night. We’re looking forward to meeting new people at our future events.
Regional Council
Regional Representative Liason James Owen ’00
Over the past year, the Drury Alumni Council has worked to reach out to its regional leaders in other parts of the country (and even some corners of the world) to help them with developing and strengthening their local alumni group. The Alumni Council has invited Regional Council representatives to appear at quarterly meetings through teleconferencing and updated them on major developments on campus through email. I worked one-on-one with many alumni leaders and even hosted a dinner with the Washington, D.C. group in September. As these groups grow and others spring up, it’s important to solicit successful ideas and helpful tips to make Drury alumni feel more at home no matter where they are.
Welcome From Our Alumni Council President
Originally from Vancouver, I am often asked, “How did you end up in Springfield?” Most important, I could say it was God’s way of connecting me with my wife and best friend, Linda (Scheer) Moore ’93. However, not being privy to that larger plan, my “other” reason was to follow the lasting impression Drury University made on a fellow alum. Upon hearing my interest in a small, liberal arts college experience, my father, Larry Moore ’64, suggested I consider Drury.
I find great interest in discussing how Drury has changed through the years to meet the challenge of providing a relevant, “best-value” education in a personalized setting. These changes have included new majors, international programs and new curriculum programs, to name a few. It is equally impressive (and perhaps even more exciting) to see the big vision Drury leadership has presented in its campus master plan, which provides a visual explanation of how the university will remain competitive and relevant well into the future.
However, I firmly believe most alumni would not state their fondest memories or biggest benefit of their time at Drury involved the buildings, majors or other tangible things. I believe it is the intangible Drury experience, as measured through relationships between students, professors, coaches and alumni, that creates lasting impressions and legacies. In fact, it is this legacy that not only brought me and many others to Drury, but also led to my participation on the Alumni Council.
It is along these lines of lasting relationships and connections that I look forward to promoting the alumni engagement objectives in the coming year:
- With other alumni through participation in local and regional events
- With current students thorough mentorship, internship and community involvement opportunities, and
- With campus leadership, to promote opportunities in student recruitment and rollout of the campus master plan.
I look forward to serving and meeting many of you during my term as Alumni Council President.
Mickey Moore ’95, MBA ’03
Join Drury's New Alumni Welcome Team
Each year, Drury grads become alumni and often move to a new city to start the new chapter of their life. And while they’re excited for their new adventures, many could really use advice from someone who has lived in the area and knows the insider scoop.
We think you could help Drury grads by being a connection in an unfamiliar place by joining the Alumni Welcome Team. It’s an easy opportunity to share your knowledge and help the newest members of our Drury family. The Alumni Welcome Team can provide meaningful contact and even make a new friend.
All we ask is that you:
- Help them connect to their new community (think about what you wish you’d known when you first arrived).
- Share your hometown tips with them by suggesting best restaurants and grocery shopping, neighborhoods that you’d recommend, great K-12 schools, traffic details or anything that would be helpful to them.
- Consider meeting them for coffee or lunch. It’s always nice to have a friendly face and a connection when you move to a new area. You can be that person for them.
To sign up for the Alumni Welcome Team, simply complete our online form.
Thank you for helping us make a difference!
Alumni Survey Results
Last year, Alumni Council and the Drury Advancement Office collected your thoughts about Drury and improvements we could make in a confidential survey. We’ve been working in collaboration to accomplish many of these key items you listed as priorities. We’re proud to share these successes with you.
You Asked Us
To hold more regional events outside of the Springfield area. We partnered with our alumni regional representatives and held 20 events in 2017. We’re working with alumni regional reps and planning to hold more this year and in the future.
To provide more career opportunities. We completed our first year of the alumni mentoring program, allowing students to partner with an alum who can offer career guidance and mentorship. We are now at the end of our second year and continue to see growth and interest as we begin planning the third year of this important program.
For fewer Phonathon calls. Alumni Council worked with the advancement office to research alumni who enjoy and look forward to Phonathon calls and connecting with students through the phone. We’re happy to report that the student callers and alumni who have been called seem to enjoy the changes and the continued chance to connect.
To celebrate evening/online students and graduate studies accomplishments. We hosted a graduation celebration as part of May 2017 commencement for all graduating evening, online and graduate students. We are looking forward to hosting this important event again this year.
To involve you more as volunteers. We’ve developed opportunities for Regional Representatives, Alumni Mentors, Class Agents and Alumni Welcome Team, and continue to notice increased alumni communication, events and engagement because of these volunteers opportunities and programs.
To be more involved with pre-college recruitment. We are working with admissions to celebrate your kids’/grandkids’ life achievements and involve you more to recommend future Drury Panthers to your alma mater.
To see more alumni features, especially newer grads, evening/online and graduate studies grads. You might have noticed an increase in profiles shared on social media, our website and in our monthly newsletters. Thank you for sharing alumni to feature — keep sending us names!
To provide more campus updates. We continue to add more communication avenues, including Facebook Live, improved social media engagement, refreshed newsletters and more relevant updates for events and news. Keep looking for more great news from us – we want you to be involved and informed as Drury develops plans for the future.
To connect you back to activities that are already happening on the Springfield campus. We are beginning to work with deans, department chairs and directors to share campus activities with you – we always love to have alumni attend!
To engage your alumni classmates to keep you more connected. We’ve expanded our reunion celebrations and continue to engage alumni from celebratory class years. We’re encouraging more classmate-to-classmate connection and love to reminisce with you as you connect with your Drury family.
To connect Drury families. We’ve been working with student a airs to develop a Parent’s Council, which connects Drury parents and families in programming and university support.
