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About Me

I am a student journalist, editor, photographer and writer based in Springfield, Missouri. I am currently a junior English-creative writing major and a journalism minor at Missouri State University.

Since May of 2022 I have served as editor-in-chief of The Standard, and currently work as center support staff for the Springfield Discovery Center.

For the 2021-2022 school year I served as the politics, social and pop culture editor at the Standard, as well as the social media coordinator for Girls on the Run of Southwest Missouri, a nonprofit social-emotional learning program for young girls in Greene and Christian county.

I love to explore all forms of art, including photography, painting, and design. However, my passion lies in writing.

Featured Articles

The Standard •

Kentwood Hall: MSU building houses city's historic past and present

While most students spend their days on campus south of Elm Street, those who journey a few blocks further north will find a Missouri State University building with a unique history: Kentwood Hall.

According to a Historical Postcards of Springfield article from the Greene County Library, the Kentwood Arms Hotel, now Kentwood Hall, was built in 1926 by local developer John T. Woodruff. The Kentwood Arms was a five-story hotel featuring the Crystal Dining Room, which was commonly rented for dance
The Standard •

MSU announces new college merging arts and humanities colleges

Beginning July 1, 2023, the College of Humanities and Public Affairs and the Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts and Letters will be combined into the Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts and Humanities at Missouri State University.

According to a news release from MSU Strategic Communications, this decision will make the Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts and Humanities the third largest college at the university.

“The changes will create a more agile organization, which can effic
The Standard •

A lasting legacy: Former MSU professor returns to campus 32 years after retirement

Dr. Howard Petefish, 95, former Missouri State University professor and alum began working at the university, then Southwest Missouri State College, in 1952. Before teaching at the university, Petefish attended MSU as an undergraduate student. After two years, he transferred to Northwestern University to complete his bachelor’s degree.

While it has been seven decades since he was first hired, he worked at the university alongside people whose names current students will likely still recognize.
The Standard •

Durr: Book bans wage war against English educators as legislation tightens

Missouri Senate Bill 775 went into law Aug. 28, 2022. The complete law addresses many topics, primarily the rights of sexual assault survivors. However, contained in the bill is also an idea that has English educators on edge: book bans.

Bans on literature written by or depicting marginalized communities is an issue currently impacting several states.

According to a Pen America 100 report published in September, book bans in the United States “lists bans in 138 school districts in 32 states. T
The Standard •

From literature to Googey the live-in-cat, BookMarx has it all

Nestled into one of the many storefronts on Walnut Street is an independent bookstore: BookMarx. Next door to Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe and MudLounge, the small sign might be easy to miss. Step inside however, and you’ll find numerous shelves lined with hundreds of books.

According to the BookMarx Facebook page, “BookMarx is a used bookstore specializing in classic literature, contemporary and postmodern fiction, science fiction, children’s books and more…We pride ourselves and our store on the
The Standard •

Durr: My mother taught me my body is my own; the world taught me it isn’t

As an anxious child who was never fond of physical displays of affection from people outside my direct household, my mother taught me one very important lesson: You are in control of your own body; if you don’t want somebody to touch you, that is your choice to make.

While in the context I was taught this, it applied to family members hugging me and children on the playground tugging at my hair, it became a lesson with a much different connotation the older I got. A childhood lesson became the foundation on which I built my understanding of bodily autonomy.

My mother taught me on that day, and in the fifteen or more years since, that I have control over myself in all forms, including my body and what I decide to do with it. In the span of 98 pages, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito sought to teach me the exact opposite.
The Standard •

Durr: “Don’t Say Gay” bill calls attention to the rising tide of LGBTQIA+ repression in education

Instagram feeds and TV screens have recently been filled with talk of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. From statements released by Marvel Studios and Disney to a cynically humorous Saturday Night Live segment featuring Kate McKinnon, the controversy and tension surrounding the new Florida bill has been at the forefront of both pop culture and politics.

At the end of the day however, the impact of this bill lies somewhere far away: schools.

The “Don’t Say Gay” bill, more formally known as Parental Rig
The Standard •

The quest for the best: What’s the best Springfield-style cashew chicken in town?

There are few parts of Springfield cuisine as iconic as Springfield-style cashew chicken.

According to past coverage from The Standard, the dish was first introduced to Springfield by creator David Leong, who at the time was working at the Lotus Garden. Leong would later go on to open his own restaurant, Leong’s Tea House, from 1963 until 1997. David and his children then opened Leong’s Asian Diner in 2010; the diner is now owned by head chef — and Leong’s son — Wing Yee, following Leong’s deat
The Standard •

“Kinky Boots” closes, kicking off SLT’s season without a hitch

Springfield Little Theatre kicked off its season at the Landers Theatre with a production of “Kinky Boots,” having shown from Sept. 10-26.

With the book written by Harvey Fierstein and music by Cindy Lauper, “Kinky Boots” tells the story of Charlie Price, the son of a shoemaker who is suddenly tasked with taking over his father’s factory after his death.

According to the show’s director Chuck Rogers, who has been directing shows at Springfield Little Theatre for 37 years, SLT has been preparin
The Standard •

Bridging the Divide: MSU introduces new public affairs theme

While the university’s public affairs mission remains constant, each school year the university adopts a new public affairs theme. For the 2021-2022 school year the theme is “Bridging the Divide.”

The university’s public affairs mission is characterized by the three pillars of ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement, which guide the university’s educational practices and structures the annual public affairs conference.

Page Design

A selection of print issues on which I worked as a page designer and editor.

Featured Photography

Social Media Design

Girls on The Run of Southwest Missouri: Managed Instagram and Facebook from September 2021 - August 2022

16 Weeks: Assisted Instagram and Facebook from March 2021 - May 2021

Audio Production

Co-host, editor and researcher for "At the MSUvies" Season 1 and 2

Contact Me

My inbox is always open, you can contact me with the contact form here or with the details below:

Email: lilliandurr752@gmail.com

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