Doing Her Part: In WWII and for IWU

The Rodgers-Shepard family legacy at Illinois Wesleyan University 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.

Myra graduated from Illinois Wesleyan 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.

The daughter of an IWU alum, and the proud mother and grandmother of IWU alumni, Myra and her family name will live on at IWU through these recently announced scholarships.

The Myra Rodgers Shepard Endowed Scholarship will benefit one student each year in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. The Myra Rodgers Shepard McLean County Scholarship is awarded to two McLean County students. Each of these scholarships was first awarded in the 2020–21 academic year.

Find out how your planned gift ensures your legacy lives on at IWU by contacting Steve Seibring '81 at 309-556-3135 or [email protected].