Karin Ogden Roberts, Ph.D., is a native of Kansas City, Kan. with a long history of finding ways to support her community through health promotion and disease prevention. A graduate of Wyandotte High School, she was a member of the second graduating class of the KCKCC Nursing program in 1973.
“My family could not afford to send me to a four-year college,” she said. “I knew that I wanted a career - something I could do the rest of my life and make a
difference in society. So, with a $300 scholarship from KCKCC, I started down the path to becoming a Registered Nurse.”
As a first-generation college student, KCKCC became a launching pad for Roberts to pursue additional higher education. Using the money she made as a RN, she was able to complete a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Kansas. She later earned a master’s of science in nursing and a doctorate in education.
“I loved working as a nurse and thought it would be my forever career, but then another path presented itself,” she said. “A fellow student suggested I apply for a faculty position at Research College of Nursing (in Kansas City, Mo.). I was flattered but also very intimidated being a devout introvert. So, I bought a new outfit and presented myself with as much confidence as I could muster. A few days later the recruiter offered me a faculty position putting me on the path to becoming a nursing instructor.”
Roberts used past and present role models to help her become an educator. One nursing instructor at KCKCC, Judy Scheiber, really made an impact on her academic journey.
“She was everything an educator should be,” she said. “She had high expectations for her students but was supportive and gentle, the perfect blend of attributes for a nursing instructor.”
In 2006, she left RCN to work as a writer, product developer and educational consultant for Assessment Technologies Institute. After 10 years with the company, she returned to RCN before retiring in 2023.
Roberts was recognized for her work in 2009 with the ‘Reasons to Believe’ award from the Kansas City Kansas School Foundation for Excellence. That same year, she created a nursing scholarship at KCKCC to help future nurses establish a career path.
“I think community colleges are critical to our society. Not everyone can afford to go to a four-year college,” she said. “KCKCC is a great school and can be your first step to a lifelong career. I attribute my success to starting my career at KCKCC and taking paths as they presented themselves. KCKCC’s decision to rebuild a new campus downtown is going to create great, new opportunities for young and older students in the urban core. The campus from which I graduated was actually downtown. My father used to say, ‘anything is possible with hard work,’ so take that first step, work hard and watch for opportunities that can take you places you never imagined on your own.”