On September 26, 2022, Drury University celebrated a significant milestone. Drury GO, the University’s non-traditional education program, commemorated its 75th anniversary. The event was celebrated at the main campus in Springfield, Missouri, as well as other campuses throughout the region, which simultaneously cut birthday cakes with members of the Drury family and other members of the communities served by Drury GO.
The “Simulcake” event is just the beginning of a year-long celebration of the Drury GO focus on providing educational access to underserved and non-traditional students. This celebration will in turn lead into the 150th anniversary of the University as a whole, which will be on September 25, 2023.
Drury GO is the current brand for Drury’s College of Continuing Professional Studies (CCPS). Originally founded as the Adult Education Division, Drury GO provided degree completion opportunities and training for students taking classes in the evening on the main campus before opening its first branch campus at Fort Leonard Wood. The program subsequently opened campuses in a variety of Missouri communities, including Rolla, St. Robert, Lebanon, Ava, Cabool, West Plains, and Houston.
Drury GO has provided new educational opportunities for more diverse populations thanks to the Monett, Missouri campus, and the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Grant. The CAMP grant is designed to assist first-generation college students who have migrant or seasonal agriculture work in their family background. Many students served by Drury GO by way of the CAMP Grant are from Latinx descent with a growing number from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). CAMP provides scholarship dollars, as well as services to assist students in their first year of college.
Last year, Drury GO expanded its presence into Northwest Arkansas, where students can also be served through the CAMP Grant. Earlier this year, Drury GO expanded into Harrisonville, Missouri. Drury GO will also continue to serve students throughout the world with its online degree completion programs.
Drury University is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, and for many years has provided scholarship and leadership opportunities for students from those faith traditions in its traditional, residential day campus. Those denominational connections will now be celebrated in Drury GO as well.
New Drury GO students may be eligible for a $500 scholarship, and those students who are members of Disciples or UCC congregations will be able to double that for $1,000.
“This will make a huge difference for Drury GO students, many of whom will be able to combine this with other grants and scholarships to completely cover the cost of a Drury GO education,” said James Ackerman, Associate Vice President of Drury GO. “Our students in Drury GO may be coming to college for the first time, they may be transferring from another school, or they may be continuing their journey from decades earlier that they once thought they could not complete. We are honored and excited to help all of those students.”
According to Dr. Peter Browning, Drury University Chaplain, “Drury was founded as a college (now university) for students ‘of slender purse.’ DRURY GO keeps that commitment alive with programs for working adults trying to better their lives. As chaplain, I’m grateful for this effort which embodies the social justice commitment to serve all, so very appropriate to a church-related university.”
More information on the degree and certificate programs available through Drury GO is available at www.drury.edu/go, and advisors can be reached at (417) 873-7373.