Margaret (Peg) Thomas Van Meter ’65 and her husband Roy made a million-dollar estate gift to the College of Education, the gift that put the Illinois State University campaign Redefining “normal” over its $88 million goal. Nothing could be more fitting for the first campaign than to have its final major gift come from a teacher who embraced her education at the University and brought her knowledge and nurturance to students over a 35-year teaching career!
In Peg’s own words: “While reviewing our trusts, we made the decision to leave the major portion of our estate to Illinois State University because it is the school where I received such superb preparation for a career in teaching. School districts were very interested in interviewing education majors from Illinois State University because of its reputation in teacher training, a reputation that has only grown stronger over the years. It is our sincere desire that this planned gift to the College of Education will help students who wish to devote their careers to working with young people.”
Peg’s story is all about education, as is the commitment that she and Roy made. She graduated from Illinois State in 1965. She received her Master of Education degree from DePaul University in Chicago in 1983, and subsequently has done a considerable amount of postgraduate work at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Peg taught grades K–5 for 35 years, retiring in 2000. All of her teaching was done in Community Unit District 300, based in Carpentersville. She taught grades K–3 for 14 years in Dundee and grades four and five for 21 years in Hampshire.
Roy Van Meter retired in January of this year, having worked for SKF/CR Industries in Elgin for 44 years. He has been involved with the manufacture of oil seals for the automobile and space industries, and has also served with the United States Army in Germany. He is as excited as Peg to be making this gift to Illinois State University.
When interviewed on campus regarding their gift, Peg stated: “My dad taught me—if you possibly can—to help those people who helped you along the way.” All of us at the College of Education and Illinois State University thank you, Peg and Roy Van Meter, for planning to help many students who will be teachers to benefit from your generosity!
