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Drury G. Bagwell Omicron Delta Kappa Lecture Fund

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About Drury G. Bagwell

Dru

Dru is a graduate of the University of Tennessee (UT) where he obtained degrees in Accounting, College Student Personnel, and Law, after which he went to the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire as the Dean of Men. It was at Tennessee that he was initiated into Omicron Delta Kappa. In 1974, Vice President William Thomas, for whom he had worked with at UT, asked him to come to Maryland to resurrect the Greek System, and then in 1975, Dru established a new office of Campus Activities, which had been non-existent for over 3 years.

It was while he was Director of Campus Activities that Dru was first elected as the Faculty Secretary of ODK, a position he held until he retired in 2001. Historically, ODK had been the premier men's leadership honor society at Maryland, but membership and participation had declined steadily over the previous few years. As a result of Title IX, the national organization agreed to accept women, and Sigma Circle at Maryland, was one of the first to do so. The undergraduate leadership set out to build both the membership and the status of the organization, as well as establish a connection with the ODK alumni. Each President set his or her own "special project", which resulted in current programs such as the ODK Scholarship Fund (given to incoming former high school leaders), Top Ten Freshmen, Sophomore Leader of the Year, and in a desire to recognize the significant contributions to the campus by all former (and future) members of the Circle - the ODK Fountain.

Dru always hoped that the University of Maryland would have an elite speakers' program that would bring world famous leaders from each of its five areas of recognition (Academics, Campus Activities, Athletics, Journalism, and the Performing Arts) to the campus for the benefit of all students. As a result, the ODK Lecture Series was created, and upon his retirement, the existing lecture was named in honor of Dr. William L. Thomas, Jr., who, in addition to serving several years as the Faculty Advisor for ODK, was a strong supporter of all its programs.

In 2001, when Dru retired, the students and the supporters of ODK established a second lecture and named it for him. He still ranks this as one of the biggest honors of his life. He told us recently "I still am hoping that the lecture series endowment can continue to grow so that it can afford to bring leaders such as Joe Torre, Colin Powell, Angelina Jolie, and Barbara Walters to speak to the entire campus." Dru is also a "Steward of the Fountain", which consists of a group of people who strongly support the programs of ODK through their generous and significant donations to the organization.

 

About the Fund

Established by former Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and beloved ODK Faculty Secretary, Drury G. “Dru” Bagwell, gifts to this fund support an annual distinguished lecture. The ODK Speaker Series brings high caliber national and world leaders to the University for the benefit of the entire campus community. Through your support of the Bagwell Lecture Fund, we are able to bring speakers to campus who have achieved distinction in their field of expertise or who have rendered unusually significant service through their leadership in significant causes.

Omicron Delta Kappa – Sigma Circle is the University of Maryland’s chapter of the national leadership honor society for college students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni that recognizes and encourages scholarship, leadership, and exemplary character.

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