Kay Werner will receive Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Distinguished Service Award at its May 2015 SIUE commencement. The SIU Board of Trustees approved the presentation during its December meeting on the Edwardsville campus.
Werner retired as the manager of Information Technology at the SIUE East St. Louis Center. She is the wife of David Werner, chancellor emeritus and fellow community leader.
“Kay Werner has left an indelible mark on SIUE and its community serving as a teacher and a community leader for more than 30 years,” SIUE Chancellor Julie Furst-Bowe said. “As First Lady of SIUE, she was significantly involved in important conversations, events and planning regarding the University. She truly deserves this honor.”
Werner is an alumna of the University, earning a specialist degree from the SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior. She also holds degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Werner’s professional achievements include:
- Teacher of history and political science at McCluer High School in St. Louis County
- Coordinator of staff development for the Ferguson-Florissant School District in St. Louis County
- Manager of the Faculty Technology Center at the University’s Edwardsville campus
- Manager of Information Technology at the SIUE East St. Louis Center
Throughout her term as SIUE’s First Lady beginning in 1997, Werner served on many boards in the community, including:
- Anderson Hospital
- River Bluffs Council of the Girl Scouts
- The Board of Trustees of the Children’s Museum
- The Meridian Society
Werner also served as the chair for “A Book in Every Home,” from 1997-2004, a campaign that annually placed books in the homes of more than 4,000 children in Madison and St. Clair Counties, and as the president of Dress for Success in Southern Illinois from 1999-2003. Today, she continues her service with a number of not-for-profit organizations.