Paying It Forward: The Shekletons’ Lifelong Commitment to Service and Student Success

Bernadette and Dr. Mike ’68 Shekleton beamed when they heard the news: students from The Welsh Academy had volunteered for the St. Vincent DePaul Society, unloading hundreds of blankets gathered for distribution through Saint Ignatius’ Saint Benedict Joseph Labre for the Homeless Ministry. This act of service resonated with the couple, who have long supported St. Vincent DePaul and firmly believe that the best way for young people to begin paying it forward is through hands-on service.

Married for almost five decades, the Shekletons are proud parents to four children and eleven grandchildren. Mike is a gastroenterologist, and Bernadette is a nurse. Once their children were older, they found themselves in a position to give back. They chose to support The Welsh Academy because of their commitment to encouraging students who may have fewer resources. In their view, supporting The Welsh Academy proved to be the most impactful way to meet real needs, a conviction that brought them both purpose and satisfaction.

Mike’s path to Saint Ignatius began at St. Louis Grade School in Cleveland Heights, where the Shekletons had all studied. Mike’s older brother Jerry ’65 attended Saint Ignatius, and their parents believed it offered the finest education available. For the Shekletons, the decision was a no-brainer, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Mike recalls a rigorous education at Saint Ignatius, where the Jesuit emphasis on discipline shaped his days. He was part of the scientific honors program, a cohort of peers from across the city—independently discovering one another through shared hard work. It was demanding, but he valued the learning, sensing that it prepared him well for what lay ahead.

Extracurricular activities didn’t occupy much of Mike’s time, partly because his afternoons were devoted to a Cleveland Press paper route. Still, he thrived on the challenge and the sense that he was receiving a solid, transformative education.

Over the years, Mike and Bernadette have visited The Welsh Academy on their trips to Cleveland, and they’ve come away impressed by the students. “We have been encouraged by what we’ve seen,” Mike notes. “We believe that when the students succeed, it will benefit Saint Ignatius and the surrounding neighborhoods.”

The Shekletons are steadfast believers in the power of education and dream of expanding opportunities with more science classes—or even a Pre-Med affinity—within the curriculum, modeling the Pre-Med Society in existence at the high school. “There are a lot of alumni from Saint Ignatius who could contribute,” Mike suggests, envisioning a future where physicians and other professionals lend their expertise to nurture young scholars.

In their quiet, unassuming way, the Shekletons remind us that education is more than grades and diplomas; it is a collective promise to mentor, to give, and to open doors. Their faith in The Welsh Academy—and in the students who volunteer, learn, and grow—embodies the very spirit of paying it forward: one act of service, one shared effort, and one bright future at a time.

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of the Saint Ignatius magazine. Read the full issue here.