Friends and Family of Jane Repko

Jane Repko (July 13, 1939-August 28, 2014) was a science faculty member and departmental administrator at Lansing Community College (LCC) for more than 44 years, and reflected her love of science to her college colleagues and the multitude of students whose lives she touched. Throughout her career, Jane taught and tutored countless students in mathematics, chemistry, microbiology, and physics. She was an active member of the Michigan Education Association, the state’s largest public teacher’s union, working for family sustaining wages and health care for her membership and served as a union representative on behalf of LCC instructors for nearly 20 years.

Not wanting to walk away from LCC in the face of illness, Jane taught and worked every day through her two and a half years of cancer treatment. Many people did not know the extent of her illness, but she thought her vocation, and the lives of the students and faculty with whom she worked were deeply important and deserving of her selfless energy.

Jane also understood the challenges of pursing an education while raising a family. With small children at home, she both attended graduate school and taught at LCC. She was the first person to understand that students who are also parents are pulled in multiple directions as they are trying to finish their education, and deeply respected their commitment and sacrifice in order to be in the classroom. In establishing this scholarship, her family and friends acknowledge her strong belief that sometimes other types of financial help, such as in the area of educational technology and materials, child care, parking and other non-tuition expenses, may make all the difference to students who are seeking to pursue their education and find that endeavor to be difficult.