Drury University: A Legacy of Notable Alumni
Drury University, established in 1873 in Springfield, Missouri, has a rich history of fostering talent across diverse fields. Originally founded as Springfield College by Congregationalist missionaries, Drury has evolved into a prominent private university affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Over its 150-year history, Drury has seen an estimated 45,000 students graduate, many of whom have left indelible marks on their communities and the world. This article explores the lives and accomplishments of some of Drury University's most distinguished alumni.
Arts and Entertainment
Drury University boasts a remarkable array of alumni who have excelled in the arts and entertainment industries.
Bob Barker: Perhaps one of Drury's most recognizable alumni, Bob Barker, who enrolled in Drury University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics, was an American media personality and animal rights advocate. He is best known as the host of "The Price Is Right," the longest-running game show in North American television history, from 1972 to 2007. Barker also hosted “Truth or Consequences” from 1956 to 1975.
Dabbs Greer: Robert William "Dabbs" Greer was an American character actor in film and television for over 60 years. He appeared in nearly 100 film roles and in nearly 600 television episodes of various series. Greer's final film role was as the 108-year-old Paul Edgecomb, the character played by Tom Hanks in 1999's The Green Mile.
Robert Cummings: Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) and Princess O'Rourke (1943), and in dramatic films, especially two of Alfred Hitchcock's thrillers, Saboteur (1942) and Dial M for Murder (1954). He received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Single Performance in 1955.
Read also: Employment at Drury
William Garwood: William Davis Garwood, Jr. was an American stage and film actor and director of the early silent film era in the 1910s.
Tom Whitlock: Is best known for "Take My Breath Away" and "Danger Zone," which were in the film "Top Gun." He won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for best song.
Athletics
Drury University's athletic program has produced numerous accomplished athletes and coaches who have made significant contributions to the world of sports.
Lauren Holtkamp: Lauren Holtkamp is a former professional basketball referee who worked in the National Basketball Association (NBA), wearing number 7. Holtkamp became the third woman to be a full-time NBA referee. Holtkamp also played college basketball at Drury University from 2000 to 2004. Holtkamp graduated from Emory University with a Master of Divinity. She also graduated from Drury University with both a Master of Arts in Communication and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.
Bill Virdon: William Charles Virdon was an American professional baseball outfielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Virdon played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 through 1965 and in 1968. He served as a coach for the Pirates and Houston Astros, and managed the Pirates, Astros, New York Yankees, and Montreal Expos.
Read also: Drury University Baseball's Resilience
Trevor Richards: Trevor Michael Richards is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Minnesota Twins.
Sterling Sharp: Sterling Barksdale Sharp is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Lake Country DockHounds of the American Association of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins.
Business and Entrepreneurship
Drury University has fostered a spirit of innovation and leadership among its students, leading to success in the business world.
John Morris: John L. Morris is an American billionaire businessman, and the founder, majority owner, and CEO of Bass Pro Shops, a hunting and fishing retail chain in the US and Canada. As of August 2024, his net worth was estimated at US$9.9 billion. He's also owner of White River Marine Group, Top of the Rock, Big Cedar Lodge, and Cabela's.
Edwin "Cookie" Rice: Edwin “Cookie” Rice currently serves as CEO of the Board for Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper where he shares ownership with his daughters and nieces. He is also a member of the Dr. Pepper Bottler Marketing Committee; CCBA Board of Governors; and Manufacturing Advisory Council Supply Chain Committee.
Read also: University of Georgia Sorority Guide
Politics and Government
Drury University alumni have made significant contributions to the field of politics and government, serving at local, state, and national levels.
Bob Dixon: Bob Dixon is an American Republican politician currently serving as Presiding Commissioner of Greene County, Missouri. He formerly served in the Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri State Senate.
Susan Montee: Susan Montee is an American politician from the state of Missouri who served as the 35th State Auditor of Missouri. She won the election in 2006 Missouri State Auditor Election and was sworn into her position on January 4, 2007. In 2011 Montee was elected the Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party, which she stepped down from later that year to run for Lieutenant Governor.
Jay Wasson: Jay Wasson is an American politician and businessman who served as a member of the Missouri Senate for the 20th district from 2011 to 2019. Previously, Wasson served four terms in the Missouri House of Representatives (2002-2010).
Jeanie Riddle: Jeanie Riddle is an American politician from Missouri. A Republican, she served as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 49th District in Callaway County and as a member of the Missouri Senate from the 10th District which includes the counties of Audrain, Callaway, Lincoln, Monroe, Montgomery and Warren.
Timothy A. Garrison: Timothy Allen Garrison is an American lawyer who served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri from 2018 to 2021.
Dean Whipple: Harold Dean Whipple is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
George Howard Williams: George Howard Williams was an American politician and attorney from Missouri. Senator from Missouri from 1925 to 1926, completing the term of Selden P. Spencer following the latter's death.
Orland K. Armstrong: Orland Kay Armstrong was an American Republican politician and member of the United States House of Representatives, journalist and social activist.
Durward Gorham Hall: Durward Gorham Hall was a six-term US representative from Missouri's 7th congressional district.
Science and Academia
Drury University has a strong tradition of producing accomplished scientists and academics who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.
Aven Nelson: Aven Nelson was an American botanist who specialized in plants of the Rocky Mountains. He was one of the founding professors of the University of Wyoming, where he taught for 55 years as professor and served as president (1918-1922).
Michael Mallory: Michael Mallory is a writer on the subjects of animation and post-war pop culture, and the author of the books X-Men: The Characters and Their Universe, Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror The Science Fiction Universe and Beyond, and Essential Horror Movies.
Other Notable Alumni
- Si Siman: Si Siman was an American country music executive as a radio producer, talent agent, songwriter, record producer, television producer and music publisher who helped transform the sound of music in the Ozarks after World War II and into the 1980s.
Recent Distinguished Alumni Award Winners (2023)
Drury University continues to recognize and celebrate the achievements of its alumni through the Distinguished Alumni Awards. The 2023 honorees represent a diverse range of accomplishments and contributions to their communities and professions.
Dr. Mark Adams (’75): Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Lifetime Achievement, Dr. Adams is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. He served as team physician for University of Missouri Athletics for 32 years and for the United States Olympic team during the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney summer games.
Dr. Amanda Kilker Ombrello (’99): Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement, Dr. Ombrello is a clinical researcher in the Inflammatory Disease Section of the Medical Genetics Branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute. She is internationally recognized as a leader in the field of autoinflammation.
Hadeil Ali (’16): Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Young Alumni, Hadeil Ali is the Chief of Staff of the Global Development Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Dr. Tijuana Julian (’81): Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Faculty/Staff Appreciation, Dr. Julian is the Executive Vice-President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Drury University.
Susan Kirby (’70): Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for University Engagement, Susan Kirby has close to 30 years of experience as the Director of Alumni Relations and then as the Director of Alumni & Development-Stewardship on the Drury campus.
Virginia Darr M. Ed. (’74): Awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Community Engagement, Mrs. Darr received her M. Ed. from Drury’s School of Education and Child Development in 1974 and has put her education to its highest use by improving the lives of children and families inside the classroom and in the larger community.
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