THE McLEAN COUNTY SCHOLARSHIP LEADERSHIP GIFT
News from the Illinois Wesleyan University Associates Board • 2020 Impact Report
The Rodgers-Shepard family legacy at Illinois Wesleyan has spanned four generations. Because the late Myra Shepard chose to leave provisions in her estate for students at Illinois Wesleyan, this legacy will continue on by way of two named scholarships in memory of Myra Rodgers Shepard '42. The Myra Rodgers Shepard McLean County Scholarship is awarded to two McLean County students annually, as well as the Myra Rodgers Shepard Endowed Scholarship that benefits one student in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Each of these scholarships was first awarded in the 2020–21 academic year. Myra graduated from IWU with a degree in economics. Shortly after graduation, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), where she encoded and decoded top-secret messages to locate and conceal movements involving German submarines in the Atlantic during World War II. "Like many of her generation, she was so humble. In describing her time in Washington, D.C., all I ever heard was that everyone she knew was involved in the war, and she was just doing her part," said her son, Tracy Morgan Shepard '79. Above: Myra Rodgers Shepard '42
The daughter of an IWU alum, and the proud mother and grandmother of IWU alumni, Myra and her family name will live on at Illinois Wesleyan through scholarships.
MESSAGE FROM ASSOCIATES PRESIDENT Dear Friends, As we journeyed through a very challenging 2020, we all rose to meet unique challenges…and learned how to use the Zoom platform a little more than we liked. Supporters like you are the heart of the Illinois Wesleyan community and the Associates Board of Directors thanks you so very much. Through it all, you continue to see the value and potential of a great liberal arts education from IWU.
Thank you for helping area high school students attend college locally. The Illinois Wesleyan McLean County Scholarship initiative has seen an incredible increase of 115% in McLean County student enrollment since the launch of the scholarship. Simply stated, none of this would have been possible without your partnership, belief, and generosity. I hope we will be able to gather soon to celebrate this monumental success for our community. All the best,
Willie Brown President, Illinois Wesleyan Associates