Karen and Dave Magers Scholarship

The Karen and David Magers Scholarship Fund was established in 2009 by Karen Magers, a 1979 graduate of Mennonite School of Nursing and her husband, David Magers, a 1977 graduate of the accounting program and 1986 MBA graduate. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide financial support for traditional undergraduate students at the Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University.

Karen Magers began work in the eye unit at BroMenn Hospital. Later in her career she began working for the Bloomington Eye Institute as an eye surgical nurse. She was appointed director of the facility, in charge of all staffing operations. She was key to the development of the Watson Gailey Eye Bank, providing corneal tissue for transplants throughout Central Illinois, as well as shipping research tissue to South America. She wrote a manual for eye banks, and this manual is used by many eye banks across the country. Karen provides guidance and support as a role model for young nurses and nursing students through her employment and through involvement in the Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing.

She provides leadership for the Bloomington Eye Institute as well as several community volunteer roles. Karen participates with the Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross where she has chaired the annual Evening of Stars event and continues to help with other Red Cross events. She also serves on the alumni board of the Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing and the advisory board at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois.

David Magers is currently the executive vice president and chief financial officer of COUNTRY Financial located in Bloomington, Illinois. As CFO, Magers is responsible for financial reporting and controls, investments, internal auditing, planning risk management and administration at COUNTRY and its four alliance companies. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Illinois Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He serves on various committees of the Property Casualty Insurers of America and the American Council of Life Insurers.

He is very active in the community serving in leadership roles with the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Heartland American Red Cross, McLean County Chamber of Commerce, Children’s Hospital of Illinois, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Community Cancer Center, Community Development Corporation, and Economic Development Council of McLean County. He chairs the advisory board of the Illinois State University Katie School of Insurance.