Miriam B. Taylor Scantlebury

Miriam B. Taylor Scantlebury was born in Panama, Republic of Panama. She graduated from the University of the West Indies, Jamaican in 1961 as a Registered Nurse.

She immigrated to the US in 1962 and married fellow Panamanian Frank Scantlebury in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Champaign. Together, they raised three children: Marie, Marcia and Michael.

Mrs. Scantlebury worked in the McKinley Health Center Administration Office as a Quality Assessor for the Patient Service Coordinator.

Her past experiences have included: ER Night Shift Supervisor and Labor and Delivery Night Shift Charge Nurse at Burnham City Hospital from 1962-1970, Night Shift Intensive Care Unit Charge Nurse at the U of I Medical Center in Chicago in 1970, Night Shift Intensive Care Unit Charge Nurse in the Cardiology, Neurology, and Surgical Departments at Carle Foundation Hospital from 1970-1983, and Emergency Room Night Shift Nurse, Expanded Role Nurse, and Medical Clinic II Charge Nurse at the U of I Urbana-Champaign McKinley Health Center since 1983. 

Miriam held the following membership and associations: the American Nurses Association/Illinois Nurses Association from 1964-l972, Champaign-Urbana League of Women Voters from l970-75, Alpha Omega Honorary Scholastic Society (Parkland College) in 1974, Charter member of NCNW (Champaign County Section) where she served as Parliamentarian, Financial Secretary, and Treasurer in 1981, Alumni Association Life Member of UIUC, Robert Waller Scholar, Black Alumni Association since 1986, Charter member of the Champaign Exchangette from 1986-1990, Treasurer of the Epsilon Epsilon Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority since her induction in 1990, American College Health Association since 1991, and member of the Sigma Theta Tau’s Theta Pi Chapter International Honor Society for Nurses since 1992.

Prior to the creation of the Minority International Health Program at McKinley Health Center, she assisted Dr. Jerry Ogbudimpkpa, Ph.D in data collection, planning, implementation, and evaluation of pilot students and the subsequent comprehensive health needs assessments from 1980-1984.

Miriam Scantlebury passed away in March, 2006.