Celebrating the Impact of Kay Reeves Meginnis

Kay Reeves earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1958 and completed her master's degree in 1961. She went on to devote more than 30 years to teaching special needs students and helping children understand that learning is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences in life. She often used strategies that helped celebrate successes, no matter how large or small. Her husband and scholarship donor, Paul Meginnis, remembers Kay telling him that pursing a doctoral degree was out of the question for her because she wouldn't be in the classroom with the children which she loved. 

Following her untimely death in 1995, Paul received a request from Kay's principal asking that they move her weekday memorial service from a morning time to early afternoon. He knew that Kay's school staff and community would want to attend her service to honor her, so the principal closed school at noon that Tuesday.

The day of her funeral, Paul recalls the family meeting in the Guild Hall; they were called to go to the sanctuary five minutes prior to the service. It was then that Paul saw the corridor was packed for 20 yards, from the entry to the sanctuary, which also was overflowing. There were more than 500 congregates, around 300 of which were Kay's school community members. Teachers, parents, and current and former students were among the many who were in attendance to honor her.

“Kay had a natural gift of getting each of her students to perform to his/her highest potential, no matter what obstacles they might face,” said Stan Voss, then principal of the Saydel (Iowa) School District near Des Moines. “She made such an impression on her students that they continued to come back to see her as they grew up. When children were students in her classroom, they would proudly announce, 'Mrs. Meginnis was my teacher!' For Kay, that was the ultimate reward.”

In addition to her successful career as an educator, Kay found great joy in her family. She and Paul, a University of Illinois accounting graduate, raised a son, Colin. To carry forward her legacy, Paul and Colin created the Kay Reeves Meginnis Special Education Scholarship, honoring her deep love for and commitment to teaching students with special needs.

Paul still relishes the opportunity to share Kay's story, especially with the recipients of the scholarship named in her honor. “She made a difference in their little lives," said Paul. "She made their lives better.”

Shweta Sharma is a master's degree student and recipient of the Kay Reeves Meginnis scholarship. She says, "This scholarship profoundly impacts my academic career by allowing me to delve deeper into advanced coursework and research in special education, expanding my knowledge and skills to better serve students with diverse abilities."

If you want to support the Kay Reeves Meginnis Special Education Scholarship or create similar opportunities for students, faculty, research, and programs, please email the College's  Office of Advancement or visit our  Giving page.