Described by some of her colleagues as “dynamite” and a “tower of energy,” but most of all, “a professional,” Michelle Kay spent 40 years as a writer, journalist and public relations official before coming to St. Edward’s. During her three years as a professor, Kay helped create the journalism minor and served as the faculty adviser to Hilltop Views.

Kay was first diagnosed with brain cancer in March 2009. She underwent two operations and treatment before complications following a third surgery set in in November. She has been home, in the care of her family and Hospice Austin.

Kay was born in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec. 2, 1944. On her 12th birthday, after a year under house arrest, the family was expelled from Egypt. They were flown to England, stayed there for a year, and then went to Hong Kong. Kay, a native French speaker, became fluent in English.

When she left high school, Kay began working at a newspaper, The Hong Kong Standard, where she soon became a hard news journalist. That role was unheard of for women, who were often limited to covering “soft” subjects, such as fashion and weddings.

Kay later worked for the South China Morning Post, the largest English-language newspaper in Hong Kong.

In 1965, Kay moved to the United States. She became a speech writer for the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations during the Indo-Pakistan War. Kay also copy edited for several pharmaceutical journals during that time.

In 1967, Kay returned to Asia. She did public relations work for Pan-American World Airways and organized rest and recreation trips for U.S. servicemen in Vietnam.

Kay returned to Hong Kong in 1970. She freelanced for regional publications before founding a business magazine for the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. She worked as the magazine’s editor for four years before moving to Paris to serve in the same role for the American Chamber of Commerce business magazine there. Kay also wrote two books, “The Hong Kong Shopper” and “Doing Business in Hong Kong.”

Kay moved back to the United States in 1981 to work as an editor and columnist for the Dallas/Fort Worth Business Journal, and, in 1984, became a senior editor of Texas Business Magazine. In 1988, she moved to Austin to join the staff of the Austin American-Statesman, where she worked as a reporter and editor for several sections.

In a 2006 interview with Hilltop Views, Kay said she began to consider retirement in the late 1990s. However, she reconsidered and said she didn’t want to, “retire and not do anything.” So, Kay went to college for the first time and earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Edward’s New College program in 2002.

But Kay wasn’t done. She wanted to teach college, and she couldn’t without a graduate degree. So she got one – Master of Liberal Arts, also from St. Edward’s.

And then she taught.

St. Edward’s needed a professor–not a Ph.D., but someone with experience –to teach journalism and to take the reins of Hilltop Views. Kay fit the bill. She agreed to take the job for three years.

When Kay arrived on campus, Hilltop Views was a student organization under the supervision of Student Life, and professors said the paper lacked professionalism and quality.

“It wasn’t really journalism,” said English Writing Area Coordinator Mary Rist. “It was just a newsletter where Student Life talked about the things going on around campus.”

Kay thought so too. She made her case, vocally but privately, to Dean of Humanities Lou Brusatti that things needed to change. When she stopped the pizza parties on production days, some students quit.

Soon, Kay had a group of committed students. Eventually, she won approval to have a paid staff. The staff also began to produce a newspaper every week rather than every other week.

“She was great in that position,” Professor Catherine Rainwater said. “She turned that paper into something better and so much more competitive.”

While she expected professionalism when working on the newspaper, she hosted staff dinners at her home, where students saw a different side of their professor.

“Her strong newsroom attitude was complemented by a genuine interest in her students,” said Bryce Bencivengo, who was a student of Kay’s and a former Hilltop Views editor-in-chief.

James Armstrong, a 2009 graduate who became editor-in-chief of Hilltop Views the year after Kay retired, affectionately remembered  her energy and competitive drive.

“I just loved the hustle and bustle of working with Michele Kay,” Armstrong said. “You did not want to wait until the last minute to get something done around her.”

Kay also helped create the journalism minor with other professors on campus.

“She was kind of a reporter instinctively. She was always asking questions, so it was very hard not to tell Michele things,” Rist said.

Sr. Donna Jurick, executive vice president and provost at St. Edward’s, got to know Kay personally and professionally.

“I have nothing but the utmost respect for Michele Kay, and the utmost appreciation,” Jurick said. “And I valued her friendship, as well as her professional contribution.”

Kay retired in 2008 with plans to travel with her husband, Robert Schultz, who survives her, and to spend time with her grandchildren.

Kay is also survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Chuck Gilbert, her son and daughter-in-law, Warren and Laura Kay, and five grandchildren, Annabel, Keith, Brennan, Austin and Nate.