O'Reilly, Wooten families make $1.5M pledge to Drury

Members of the O'Reilly and Wooten families have made a $1.5 million pledge to Drury University.

Drury alumni Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten, Anya and Larry O’Reilly, and Stacey and David O’Reilly are matching donations dollar for dollar up to the $1.5 million mark for the O’Reilly-Wooten Challenge that runs until May 31, according to a news release.

“The O’Reilly and Wooten families are happy to offer the O’Reilly-Wooten Challenge as a way to thank Drury for all it has done for us and to inspire other alumni and friends to join us in supporting students,” Rosalie O’Reilly Wooten said in the release. “We are pleased to offer others a chance to participate in the success of Drury and its students.”

The pledge is part of Drury's Match Madness fundraising drive to raise money for the school's Student Success Fund, with areas of focus including scholarships, academic programs and facilities.

The O'Reilly and Wooten families made a similar pledge to Drury last year.

"The O'Reilly-Wooten 150th Anniversary Challenge brought a record number of donors and dollars for Drury student support last year, and we are beyond excited that the family has decided to issue a match again this year to help kick off our largest fundraising drive for student success, Match Madness,” Drury President Jeff Frederick said in the release.

Drury additionally is nearing the $50 million goal for its Fortify the Future capital campaign ahead of its May 2027 scheduled conclusion, according to past reporting.