Community Foundation scholarships mark 30 years of support for local students

Thirty years ago, Jane and Clem Werner helped write a new chapter in the Quad Cities Community Foundation’s history when they established its first scholarship fund. Today, the Jane and Clem Werner Scholarship has supported 139 students with nearly $690,000 in awards, the Community Foundation’s scholarship program is flourishing, and the family’s commitment to education continues through additional scholarships established by their children, Cal and Ann Werner.

“My mom and dad are smiling,” Werner says. “They believed deeply in the power of education and in the responsibility to use what they had to make a difference. They’d be thrilled to see what this has become.” 

Jane and Clem Werner

Jane Werner, who was raised in upstate New York, graduated from Smith College with a degree in economics and a minor in art. She passed away in 2012. Clem Werner, born and raised in Walcott, Iowa, graduated from Davenport High School (now Davenport Central) before attending Northwestern University and earning degrees in political science and law. He built a six-decade career in Davenport, including 25 years practicing alongside his son, Cal. Clem Werner passed away in 2005.

“For my parents, education was a pathway to a broader perspective, and greater opportunity,” says Werner. “Their own educational experiences gave them a foundation for building a secure life and raising their three children, and they wanted other young people to have the same opportunity.”

When the Werners established their scholarship in 1996, it was a first step in shaping the Community Foundation’s scholarship program, which has grown year over year. In 2025 alone, the program consisted of 76 scholarships and awarded more than $855,000 for local students.

Cal Werner and his sisters are part of that legacy. In 2022, Cal and his extended family established the Clem Werner Walcott Scholarship in memory of their father. The scholarship has since awarded $40,000 to five students, supporting graduates of Walcott Community School District pursuing education in fields including business, agriculture, and law.

“Dad had a real love for Walcott,” Werner says. “He was deeply involved in the town’s civic and business community. This scholarship honors his legacy and impact while helping the next generation pursue an education, just like he did.”

Werner says that in addition to the financial support, scholarships are a way to recognize young people whose potential can sometimes be obscured by the noise and negativity of the world. “I love reading the applications and seeing how much talent there is in our community,” he says. “Getting to recognize the good in the students and all the local donors is an important reminder of how bright our future can be.”

The Werner family’s story represents the power of one family’s vision to grow into a broader community tradition. “Jane and Clem saw an opportunity to turn their belief in education into something that would continue helping students long after their own lives,” says Anne Calder, vice president of philanthropy at the Community Foundation. “Thirty years later, their generosity is still opening doors, and Cal’s scholarship and Ann’s show how that legacy can inspire the next generation of giving.”

A scholarship fund is a powerful way to create a family legacy and invest in the community’s future. Donors interested in establishing a scholarship should contact Anne Calder at annecalder@QCCommunityFoundation.org or 563-326-2840 to begin the conversation.