She's Got a Lifelong Passion for Learning
Nurse to Receive Award for Being Outstanding Older Graduate
A 30-year career nurse, Rochelle Buttram-Holman wanted to learn Spanish to communicate with patients and those she served in missionary work for her church. She enrolled at Cal State Fullerton in 1999 as a Spanish major.
Rochelle Buttram-Holman
Although she continues to take Spanish classes and will earn a minor is Spanish, the diversity of Cal State Fullerton's student body prompted her to pursue another path.
"I found that there are all these ethnicities and different beliefs, so I decided to change my major to religious studies," Buttram-Holman says. "I wanted to understand other religions."
The 68-year-old bachelor's degree candidate in religious studies will receive the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Award as part of Cal State Fullerton's commencement weekend activities. The award honors an outstanding older graduate who personifies the importance of continuing learning and will be presented to her tonight during the university's Honors Convocation in Meng Hall.
For the last 10 years, Buttram-Holman, of Fullerton, has worked freelance as a registered nurse in the critical care unit at UCI Medical Center. She previously worked in emergency rooms and critical care units at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Los Angeles County Hospital and Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.
In addition, she is a licensed evangelist missionary in her church and heads the Orange County-based chapter of the Cancer Control Society of Los Angeles, advocating for individuals diagnosed with cancer.
Originally from Cleveland, Buttram-Holman came to California when she joined the Navy and later worked at McDonald Douglas' Santa Monica Missile and Space Division. After a sustained courtship with Don Holman, from Tulsa, Okla. - who was training at McDonald Douglas' Long Beach Aircraft facility - she relocated to Oklahoma to begin a new life.
When the couple's first daughter, Dawn, was born, Buttram-Holman was displeased with her hospital care. This reawakened her passion for nursing, first ignited as a 10-year-old, when her aunt - a nurse from Harlem - visited the family. She decided to follow this dream and eventually earned her associate's degree in nursing from Tulsa Community College.
As an advocate for those diagnosed with cancer. Buttram-Holman works with anywhere from 10 to 12 clients, accompanying them to their doctors appointments, alerting them about treatment alternatives, providing literature and referrals to doctors, and advising them on diet changes.
"It's very rewarding to help people understand what's going on in their life and the medical choices that are available," she says.
Buttram-Holman embodies the lifelong learner profile of OLLI. Ever interested and curious about the people and world around her, she says "the sky's the limit" when talking about her future educational plans.
Her immediate plans include taking classes in forensic nursing this summer. "It interests me, because it's new, uncharted territory that is now available to nurses. I'd like to know and learn more about this and assist in finding the cause of suspicious deaths."
Come fall, she hopes to continue her schooling, though with no immediate plans to pursue a graduate degree in religious studies. "I want to learn something else," Buttram-Holman says. "I may go into psychology; I've always liked psychology."
As for being an older student, she says, "I enjoy my classes. School helps me stay in touch with the world, with my daughters, Ella and Dawn, as well as my godchildren. I believe my going to school has encouraged them to stay in school and get the best education possible. I've also inspired some old folks to go back to school."
Her commencement exercise will be held in Little Theatre of the university's Performing Arts Center at approximately 9:45 a.m., following the 8 a.m. university ceremony on the athletics fields north of Titan Gym.
Photo: Available online at www.fullerton.edu/newsphotos
Media Contacts:
OLLI, 657-278-2446
Gail Matsunaga, Public Affairs, 657-278-4851 or gmatsunaga@fullerton.edu
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