Many of us, after leaving college, return to our alma mater to visit the faculty and staff who made profound differences in our lives. But, how many of us can say we’ve returned to our former schools to become one of those pivotal people for others? Damaris Roulette can. Here’s her story.
Damaris Roulette was born and raised in the outskirts of Eldoret, Kenya, on a farm with her parents and four siblings. They owned livestock, sheep, chickens, and tended bean, corn, wheat and vegetable crops.
Although farming took up lots of time and effort, doing well in school and eventually going off to college was never optional. It was an expectation that began with her father—and was wholeheartedly adopted as her own ambition. Because of the expectation, Roulette performed well.
“I was a good student,” says Roulette. “I studied hard—although, probably not hard enough,” she laughed, “and was accepted into Moi Girls’ High School, which was my first choice. The idea of college was ingrained in me since I was very little. I knew in third grade that I wanted to earn a PhD. The steps toward that were clear: good grades, hard work and discipline.”
Journey to greatness
In 2003, Damaris enrolled at Central Missouri State University. “Tuition was higher than my family could comfortably afford. It was a struggle,” said Roulette. “So, enter Donnelly College. Someone referred me to Donnelly and immediately, I loved it.”
In addition to more affordable tuition, Donnelly’s smaller classes also held appeal for Roulette, who came from an environment where auditorium-filled classes were a common occurrence. “I got one-on-one attention in classes I found particularly difficult—can someone say college algebra?—and never felt lost. I remember how Sister Grace Malaney would stay behind with me to explain a concept I couldn’t grasp. She was patient, supportive and would wait until she saw that light in my face that proved I got it.”
In 2006, after earning her Associates in Science degree at Donnelly, Roulette transferred to Penn Valley Community College to await acceptance into their Registered Nursing (RN) program. She also applied to the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program, just in case the RN program was full.
And, much like that third grader who set her sights on earning a Ph.D., Roulette wouldn’t stop until she got into the nursing program. Either one.
“I hadn’t heard from Penn Valley, but knew I met all the requirements for both programs. I showed up at orientation before I received an acceptance letter. I had more than they needed for prerequisites and I exceeded the GPA requirement. I was so adamant about it; it was the running joke among the rest of the students. The acceptance letter came for the LPN program and my journey to nursing really began. I bridged to the RN program at Penn Valley, and soon after earning my RN certificate, went to MidAmerica Nazarene University to work on my Bachelor’s degree.”
Roulette took a nursing job at Saint Luke’s South Hospital, and by working in the field, discovered what she already suspected: she genuinely enjoyed the nursing profession. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Roulette returned to MidAmerica Nazarene for a Master’s of Science in Nursing, with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration and Nursing Education.
Helping at “home”
Once Roulette completed her master’s program, Donnelly had an established Practical Nursing program in place—and came immediately to mind for Roulette, who was searching for a job. She inquired and was hired by Maureen Wiederholt, Associate Professor and Donnelly’s Director of Health Occupations, to teach Medical Surgical I and assist wherever needed. She also helped with new instructor training before relocating to Austin, Texas, where she recently accepted a position at Career Point College in Austin as a Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse instructor.
“It was always my dream to return to Donnelly in some capacity,” says Roulette. “It was like coming back home when Maureen hired me as an adjunct faculty for the Practical Nursing program. She was my LPN instructor at Penn Valley! She expressed her pride in me and values my input. And that’s how she treats every student. Above all, she cares for each and every one of them. They all matter to her.”
When reflecting on her Donnelly education, Roulette holds Wiederholt, as well as a few other teachers, in very high esteem. “Karen Judy was an exceptional teacher. She radiated joy and absolutely loved her role as teacher. Joe Multhauf made a mark in my life. His simple way of explaining concepts made me enjoy chemistry. My love for reading and writing was further increased by the style of teaching Sister Madonna used. And I can’t say I love math, but Sister Grace actually helped me understand quadratic equations. She was awesome!”
And, in Roulette’s case, the old adage is true: imitation is the biggest form of flattery.
“I want to be like all these teachers who were such great influences in my life and give back to others,” she said. “What better way than to be a teacher myself in the profession I love?”
Damaris Roulette was born and raised in the outskirts of Eldoret, Kenya, on a farm with her parents and four siblings. They owned livestock, sheep, chickens, and tended bean, corn, wheat and vegetable crops.
Although farming took up lots of time and effort, doing well in school and eventually going off to college was never optional. It was an expectation that began with her father—and was wholeheartedly adopted as her own ambition. Because of the expectation, Roulette performed well.
“I was a good student,” says Roulette. “I studied hard—although, probably not hard enough,” she laughed, “and was accepted into Moi Girls’ High School, which was my first choice. The idea of college was ingrained in me since I was very little. I knew in third grade that I wanted to earn a PhD. The steps toward that were clear: good grades, hard work and discipline.”
Journey to greatness
In 2003, Damaris enrolled at Central Missouri State University. “Tuition was higher than my family could comfortably afford. It was a struggle,” said Roulette. “So, enter Donnelly College. Someone referred me to Donnelly and immediately, I loved it.”
In addition to more affordable tuition, Donnelly’s smaller classes also held appeal for Roulette, who came from an environment where auditorium-filled classes were a common occurrence. “I got one-on-one attention in classes I found particularly difficult—can someone say college algebra?—and never felt lost. I remember how Sister Grace Malaney would stay behind with me to explain a concept I couldn’t grasp. She was patient, supportive and would wait until she saw that light in my face that proved I got it.”
In 2006, after earning her Associates in Science degree at Donnelly, Roulette transferred to Penn Valley Community College to await acceptance into their Registered Nursing (RN) program. She also applied to the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program, just in case the RN program was full.
And, much like that third grader who set her sights on earning a Ph.D., Roulette wouldn’t stop until she got into the nursing program. Either one.
“I hadn’t heard from Penn Valley, but knew I met all the requirements for both programs. I showed up at orientation before I received an acceptance letter. I had more than they needed for prerequisites and I exceeded the GPA requirement. I was so adamant about it; it was the running joke among the rest of the students. The acceptance letter came for the LPN program and my journey to nursing really began. I bridged to the RN program at Penn Valley, and soon after earning my RN certificate, went to MidAmerica Nazarene University to work on my Bachelor’s degree.”
Roulette took a nursing job at Saint Luke’s South Hospital, and by working in the field, discovered what she already suspected: she genuinely enjoyed the nursing profession. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Roulette returned to MidAmerica Nazarene for a Master’s of Science in Nursing, with an emphasis in Healthcare Administration and Nursing Education.
Helping at “home”
Once Roulette completed her master’s program, Donnelly had an established Practical Nursing program in place—and came immediately to mind for Roulette, who was searching for a job. She inquired and was hired by Maureen Wiederholt, Associate Professor and Donnelly’s Director of Health Occupations, to teach Medical Surgical I and assist wherever needed. She also helped with new instructor training before relocating to Austin, Texas, where she recently accepted a position at Career Point College in Austin as a Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse instructor.
“It was always my dream to return to Donnelly in some capacity,” says Roulette. “It was like coming back home when Maureen hired me as an adjunct faculty for the Practical Nursing program. She was my LPN instructor at Penn Valley! She expressed her pride in me and values my input. And that’s how she treats every student. Above all, she cares for each and every one of them. They all matter to her.”
When reflecting on her Donnelly education, Roulette holds Wiederholt, as well as a few other teachers, in very high esteem. “Karen Judy was an exceptional teacher. She radiated joy and absolutely loved her role as teacher. Joe Multhauf made a mark in my life. His simple way of explaining concepts made me enjoy chemistry. My love for reading and writing was further increased by the style of teaching Sister Madonna used. And I can’t say I love math, but Sister Grace actually helped me understand quadratic equations. She was awesome!”
And, in Roulette’s case, the old adage is true: imitation is the biggest form of flattery.
“I want to be like all these teachers who were such great influences in my life and give back to others,” she said. “What better way than to be a teacher myself in the profession I love?”