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
“Ongoing fundraising efforts by the Illinois Wesleyan Associates for the McLean County Scholarship demonstrate how much our local alumni and friends understand and value the education that Illinois Wesleyan provides. It is fitting that our community leaders of today are helping make it possible for the leaders of tomorrow to attend and flourish at Illinois Wesleyan.”
President Georgia Nugent
McLEAN COUNTY STUDENT ENROLLMENT THE IMPACT
2020
2019
2018
2017
Applications
227 58
198 37
135 37
110 27
ASSOCIATES BOARD OF DIRECTORS
New Students Enrolled
Willie Brown, President David Efaw Ron Greene Russ Hagen ’71 Ben Hart Scott Peterson ’96 J. Phillips Tom Restivo Beth Robb ’78 Nancy Steele-Brokaw ’71 Kimberly Sterling ’92 Dick Wilson Lucy Wisdom ’95
Photos Above: Associates Tailgate 2019
$1,228,000 pledged
$2 MILLION scholarship goal
To learn more about the IWU Associates and supporting the McLean County Scholarship visit www.iwu.edu/giving.
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Photos Left and Above: During Move-In Day 2020
McLEAN COUNTY TITAN SPOTLIGHTS Jakob Harrison ’24
Elizabeth Mudiandambo ’24
“Being a recipient of the Mclean County scholarship has enabled me to attend such a prestigious university in the community I've always been happy to call home. I'm flourishing as a first-year biology major here at Illinois Wesleyan; I have made many close friends across my academics and athletics, and because I go to school in town, I have the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my family as well.”
“The McLean County Scholarship really helped make going to Illinois Wesleyan a reality. At first I was apprehensive to apply because I didn’t know how feasible it was financially. But with this scholarship, it made the decision to attend much easier.”
Hometown: Bloomington, Illinois High School: University High School IWU Major: Biology
Hometown: Normal, Illinois High School: Normal Community High School IWU Major: Nursing
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