Her Thoughtful Planning Will Help So Many

Kay Shever dedicated her life to sparking the imagination of the thousands of students she taught over a decades-long career as an elementary school teacher. Before passing late last year, Kay worked with the DMACC Foundation to ensure she could support students in perpetuity.

A native of Cushing, Iowa, Kay left a $1.3 million gift to the DMACC Foundation to establish the Kay L. Shever Scholarship. Her generosity was enabled by her thoughtful estate planning, which distributed proceeds from her IRAs, life insurance, and the sale of her property to the causes she loved the most.

Those who worked with Kay to establish the scholarship say it is a fitting legacy for a woman who did so much for so many. "Because of Kay's planning, we were able to ensure her love of education carries on for generations to come," says Tara K. Connolly, Executive Director of the DMACC Foundation. "It was a pleasure working with her and learning about her passion for teaching and education."

Kay's gift established an endowment in which the interest earned from the $1.3 million gift will be used to fund scholarships each year. The Kay L. Shever Scholarship will be awarded to female students pursuing a degree or certification at DMACC with a minimum grade point average of 2.5. "Kay wanted to ensure that others would have the opportunity to pursue higher education at DMACC and through her estate plan, we accomplished her goal," says Tara.

"It is important for donors to talk to their family members and the nonprofits they are passionate about now to ensure their plans are known and, most importantly, documented. It provides comfort to the donor knowing they completed their estate plan and consoles the family members who are able to fulfill their loved one's final wishes during their time of grief."

In addition to her gift to DMACC, Kay left significant gifts to three other organizations, impacting more lives throughout Iowa.

To learn more about leaving a legacy through your estate plan, contact the DMACC Foundation at 515-964-6229 or foundation@dmacc.edu.