DRE HILL IS MOVED BY ART.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>And as an animation major, he\u2019s learning how to make his art move. \"I knew from a young age that I wanted to do animation \u2013 I was really into comic books and superheroes. I\u2019m a Marvel guy, all the way. I want to tell stories and bring characters to life through animation. One day, I want to produce an animated series from the ground up \u2013 my characters, my voice, my vision.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI\u2019m a kinetic learner \u2013 I learn by doing. In my classes, I get the hands-on experience I need for my career. In my animation class right now, I\u2019m learning walking and running and conveying attitude and emotion.\u201d

<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

When Dre\u2019s not in class, he\u2019s also on the move, as a member of Drury\u2019s track team. \u201cI ran in high school, but wasn\u2019t sure about continuing in college. When I got here freshman year, though, Coach Moreno gave me an opportunity and I walked on to the team. It\u2019s an important part of my life here.\u201d And, Dre will develop his craft far beyond campus. \u201cMy professor, Steven Carpenter, wants to organize an animation study trip to Japan, the birthplace of anime. I\u2019m in.\u201d<\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/1-9.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Verna Tawfik","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Verna Tawfik","major":"Exercise Physiology + Leadership","bio":"

\u201cDRURY HAS PUSHED ME TO EXPECT MORE OF MYSELF, TO HAVE HIGHER STANDARDS BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY.<\/span> <\/strong>First-year me was shy and quiet. Now, I seize opportunities. I\u2019m a vice president of the Student Union Board and the International Student Association, and I\u2019m an Admissions tour guide. I\u2019m growing as a leader every day. No one who knew me in high school would believe that I\u2019d ever get up on a stage in front of hundreds of people as a co-host of an event.<\/span><\/strong> But I did.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do a clinical internship for my major, but I\u2019ve already gotten hands-on experience as a volunteer at Jordan Valley Community Health Center in Springfield \u2013 it\u2019s given me the opportunity to get a feel for a hospital community and to interact with patients, physicians, and nurses.\u201d\u00a0(pictured right)\u00a0<\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/2-14.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Tim Anzalone","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Tim Anzalone","major":"Architecture + Communications","bio":"

TIM ANZALONE IS A MAKER, A BUILDER.<\/span><\/strong> From leading teams to planning events to designing buildings, he brings all the pieces together and creates something that didn\u2019t exist before.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cAs a kid, I was always really into creating things, from model buildings to art. For me, architecture is the perfect blend of logic, critical thinking, creativity and expression. In my studio classes, I\u2019ve designed everything from a hypothetical pavilion for a natural arch park to a chocolate factory to a community center for a development of homes for people who\u2019d been homeless.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had so many leadership opportunities here. I\u2019ve done things I never even thought about in high school. I got to take part in the Elevate Leadership program and really build my strengths. Now, I\u2019m president of AIAS \u2013 the American Institute of Architecture Students.<\/span><\/strong> I\u2019ve gotten to travel to Texas, Washington, DC, and Seattle in my role. And I\u2019m captain of the ultimate Frisbee team. I\u2019m passionate about it.\u201d \u201cNext fall, I\u2019ll study abroad in Greece. I\u2019m really excited \u2013 I\u2019ve never been out of the country before.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI LOVE TO DANCE. I\u2019m on the Student Union board and last year I helped plan the May Ball formal. It\u2019s one of the most fun events of the year and seeing it all come together was fantastic.\u201d<\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/3-9.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Emily Collier","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Emily Collier","major":"Biology + Political Science","bio":"

LAST SUMMER, EMILY COLLIER HATCHED 400 MASKED BOBWHITE QUAIL CHICKS.<\/span> <\/strong>\u201cThey\u2019re one of the most endangered birds in North America. I interned at the George Sutton Avian Research Center in Oklahoma and I got to work on a project with them. We hatched hundreds of chicks and then went to Arizona to help release them. It was an incredible experience.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n

Her most interesting class so far? \u201cDefinitely herpetology. I learned so much about amphibians and reptiles. We took local trips to catch specimens and spent spring break with Dr. Jansen and Dr. Presley in the Ouachita Mountains testing our knowledge on snakes and salamanders.\"<\/span><\/strong> Her biggest animal passion, though? The sea cucumber. \u201cThey\u2019re really cool animals. I started learning about them in high school debate. I want to get my master\u2019s in aquatic or marine biology and do research on sea cucumbers. And then I\u2019ll get my Ph.D.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI STARTED DEBATING AS AN EIGHTH GRADER IN A HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE CLASS.<\/span> <\/strong>I was terrified. And I hated it. But then, I started going to tournaments, getting good. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d debate in college. But then I met Dr. Debarry, the debate coach. International Public Debate Association style is much more extemporaneous. Topics are timely and relevant. They may be serious or lighthearted. I love my team \u2013 it\u2019s so awesome to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/4-9.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Emily Schulze","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Emily Schulze","major":"Chemistry + Biology + Psychology","bio":"

Drury junior Emily Schulze, a Blue Springs, Missouri native, was accepted into the prestigious Mount Vernon Leadership Fellows Program, a highly selective leadership experience designed for top-achieving college students across the country this past summer. Schulze spent six weeks at the historic home of George Washington where she honed her leadership skills and learned to harness her passions for the betterment of her community and nation.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cMy time at Mount Vernon was one I will cherish forever,\u201d she says. \u201cNot only did I meet some very influential people in a historical place to our country, I made friends and networks that will last through my lifetime.\u201d

<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Drury\u2019s emphasis on hands-on curriculum and real-world experience prepares students for research experiences like this as undergraduates, which in turn opens doors to graduate schools and other more advanced hands-on opportunities down the road.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe fellowship experience from Mount Vernon Leadership solidified my career calling to work in the mental health sector at the confluence of medicine and politics,\u201d Schulze says.

<\/p>\r\n

After graduating from Drury, Emily plans to either attend medical school to pursue psychiatry or to study at a Ph.D. program with an emphasis in neuroscience and public health.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Read More<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/emily.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Lexie Gutierrez","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Lexie Gutierrez","major":"Music Therapy + Psychology ","bio":"

Lexie Gutierrez uses her voice to make things better - for her fellow students, for music therapy clients or for a grieving community.<\/span><\/strong>

<\/p>\r\n

As president of both the Student Government Association and the Matthew 25 Project, Lexie serves and leads her fellow students and the larger Springfield community. As a music therapy major, she connects with clients through song. \u201cMy field studies classes have allowed me to learn exactly what it\u2019s like to be a music therapist, by being part of a weekly session and gaining real-life experience. I am able to lead interventions with clients and also learn from the board-certified music therapist who serves as my supervisor.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n

It\u2019s a concert tour of the UK with the Drury Choirs that\u2019s left an indelible tune in her heart, though. \u201cThe summer after my freshman year, the Drury choirs travelled to 10 different towns in the UK in 10 days. One of our concerts fell just two days after the attack in Manchester at the Ariana Grande concert and suddenly the music we had prepared took on a deeper and more powerful meaning for us and the townspeople. It was a unique opportunity to share music in a time of such great need.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/6-5.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Kyle Johnson","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Kyle Johnson","major":"Accounting","bio":"

Johnson is a native of Eureka, Illinois. In addition to studying accounting and business, he is a student-athlete on the cross country and track teams.\u00a0After graduation he hopes to pursue a career in forensic accounting. His older brother Colten also attends Drury.<\/span><\/strong>

<\/p>\r\n

He recently won The New Yorker's weekly caption contest. Johnson wrote the caption as part of a regular exercise in Dr. Jeff VanDenBerg\u2019s political satire class, which is one of several course topics students can choose from for their first-year experience in the Your Drury Fusion curriculum. \u201cWhen I found I was one of three finalists, I read the email and jumped out of my chair and called my mom,\u201d Johnson says. \u201cShe was probably more excited than I was.\u201d<\/span><\/strong>

<\/p>\r\n

Read more about Fusion and view his caption.<\/a><\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/kyle-johnson.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Velona Tawfik","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Velona Tawfik","major":"Exercise Physiology + Leadership","bio":"

\u201cI HAVEN\u2019T JUST STEPPED OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE \u2013 I\u2019VE JUMPED OUT.<\/span> <\/strong>I used to be too shy to ask questions. At Drury, I\u2019ve learned how to speak up, ask questions, seek knowledge, and ask for help. And I\u2019ve learned to keep fighting, working, and pushing harder to achieve my goal.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cIn Junior Seminar, I had to give a teaching lecture. I was very nervous about public speaking, but we got to choose any medical topic that we liked. I chose the behavioral genetics of twins. As a twin, it was so interesting to research the medical science behind how twins function, and to teach it to others.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\u201cI\u2019m passionate about people. It\u2019s why I want to be a physical therapist. And it\u2019s why I love planning campus events and teaching others about my Egyptian culture.\u201d<\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/8-5.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Ann Njoki","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Ann Njoki","major":"Political Science + Women & Gender Studies","bio":"

Attending school 8,000 miles from home has been a great experience for Ann Njoki. She hails from the African country of Kenya.\u00a0\u201cI never get homesick because I have a lot of friends and people who care about me. Drury is like a family to me.\u201d<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>Each year, Drury welcomes international students from more than 50 countries around the world.

<\/p>\r\n

While deciding on a school to attend, Ann wanted a place where she could grow and thrive. \u201cMy mentality when I was coming to college was that no one was going to push me, but my professors have really high expectations of me and they really do care about me,\" Ann says. \"They would drop everything to help me out. You can\u2019t get that everywhere.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n

Ann describes being shy in high school. However, after coming to Drury, she opened up and is fearless to asking questions and being proactive. \u201cDrury has been transformative for me and I\u2019m really grateful for that.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/9-5.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Caytee Wright","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Caytee Wright","major":"Management + Biology","bio":"

AS A MEMBER OF THE PANTHERS SWIM TEAM, CAYTEE WRIGHT UNDERSTANDABLY SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN THE WATER.<\/span><\/strong> And it\u2019s not out of the ordinary for a biology major to literally get her feet wet out in the field for an ecology class. But a business major?<\/p>\r\n

\u201cFor a project, we had to come up with an idea for a product and create advertising for it. My group came up with a pill that would let humans grow gills. So, we spent a lot of time in the pool filming our commercial!\u201d<\/p>\r\n

The double-major has her eye on the dental field. \u201cI loved going to the dentist when I was little! And I still enjoy it. I\u2019ve always known that I wanted to work in healthcare;<\/span><\/strong> now I want to use my business degree, too.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI\u2019m studying abroad next summer. And I\u2019ll travel afterwards, to visit my roommate, who\u2019s from Sweden, and one of my teammates, who\u2019s from Cypress. I can\u2019t wait. Then, once I get back home, I\u2019m going to intern with both my pediatric dentist and my current dentist.\u201d<\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/10-5.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Anne Marie Schudy","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Anne Marie Schudy","major":" Computer Science + Web Communication and Design","bio":"

Anne Marie recently finished an internship with Marvel Studios Entertainment in New York City.<\/strong> <\/span>Working with the global creative services team and creative directors, Schudy found an interesting shift from classroom work. \u201cI think that so much in the classroom, we design for ourselves, where when you have an internship you start designing for the company and their audience,\u201d she said.

<\/p>\r\n

Schudy attributes her drive to gain real-world experience to how Drury pushes students to find engaged learning opportunities outside of the classroom. \u201cWhen we have such a well rounded education in the liberal arts, we really understand the world\u2026 I think that\u2019s what sets us apart from perhaps other students.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n

In addition, she sees the \u201cDrury Difference\u201d as having professors that help with the momentum of growing as a student.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cWhat really sets it apart is the teachers because if you don\u2019t ever get to talk to them one-on-one, you\u2019re just not as involved in your education,\u201d Schudy said.<\/span><\/strong> \u201cIt\u2019s so encouraged at Drury to have all these relationships and because it\u2019s small, you can do that.\u201d<\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/11.jpg"},{"__internal-title":"Forest Swisher","__internal-subtitle":"","name":"Forest Swisher","major":"Writing & Political Science","bio":"

Forest Swisher\u2019s college experience has been defined by personal interactions with caring Drury professors. An hour-long conversation with one Drury professor during his senior year of high school helped him decide to major in Political Science and Writing,<\/span><\/strong> two fields he knows will serve him well in his future plans. After graduation, he hopes to take the foundation he builds at Drury to law school, then to diplomatic endeavors, and someday even a state office. Along with his professors he has found a tight-knit group of friends who support, motivate, and inspire each other to achieve things they never would otherwise.

<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI am fortunate enough to have several classes that meet multiple credit requirements, and advisors who recognize the busy nature of college in general. My advisors have really helped me sketch out my four-year plan and beyond. I can tell they really know me and want me to succeed.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>","image":"\/\/www.earldufour.com\/files\/pages\/12-2.jpg"}]">