A Legacy That Continues to Teach: The Marcia K. Regan Catholic Educator Legacy Scholarship

Some educators teach lessons that last a semester. Others leave a lasting impression that will shape lives for years to come.

Marcia K. Regan was one of those extraordinary teachers.

Throughout her nearly three decades in Catholic education, Marcia believed every child deserved to be seen, encouraged and challenged to become the person God created them to be. Whether teaching music, art, English, literature or junior high students, she approached each day with unwavering faith, compassion and a deep commitment to helping young people discover the gifts God placed within them. Her dedication extended far beyond the classroom. She coached speech teams, directed student performances, sponsored academic and faith-based competitions and served in leadership roles that strengthened Catholic education throughout the archdiocese.

Her husband, Michael, often shared that Marcia had a remarkable gift for seeing beyond a student’s circumstances or struggles. She accepted every child for who they were while encouraging them to become who they could be. Former students remember a teacher who believed in them. As one former student shared in Marcia’s 2005 Archbishop’s Dinner Award biography,

“If you just needed someone to be there, Mrs. Regan was always there for me and the rest of her students.”

The reflection captures the care, encouragement and presence that defined her ministry as an educator. Colleagues remember an educator who quietly lived her Catholic faith each day, not through words alone, but through the way she loved, served and advocated for her students.

Marcia’s commitment to Catholic education was recognized through numerous honors, including the Maginn Family Foundation Educator of the Year Award for Service to Inner City and Underserved schools in 2005 at the Archbishop’s Dinner for Education. The award reflected what those who knew her already understood: she believed every child deserved the opportunity to learn, grow and encounter Christ, regardless of background or circumstance.

When Marcia passed away in 2016 following a courageous battle with ovarian cancer, the Catholic education community lost an exceptional teacher. Yet the lessons she taught, the faith she modeled and the lives she touched continue to bear fruit through the students, families and fellow educators she inspired.

Today, that legacy lives on through the Marcia K. Regan Catholic Educator Legacy Scholarship.

Established through the Catholic Future Foundation, the scholarship provides tuition assistance to underserved and inner city students, honoring Marcia’s lifelong commitment to expanding educational opportunities for the young people she served throughout her career.

More than financial assistance, the scholarship is a living testament to Marcia’s belief that every child deserves the opportunity to experience the transformative power of Catholic education. It honors a woman who understood that teaching is more than a profession; it is a ministry rooted in service to Christ and His children.

By supporting the Marcia K. Regan Catholic Educator Legacy Scholarship Fund, donors honor Marcia’s lifelong dedication to Catholic education while helping underserved and inner-city students access the opportunities it provides. Marcia’s ministry as an educator touched the lives of students from these communities, and this scholarship ensures that her legacy of faith, compassion and service will continue to make a difference for generations to come.