From First-Generation Student to Lifelong Mentor

For nearly three decades, Loretta (Ostrander) Waldroupe has spent her days helping Cowley students solve equations, build confidence, and discover what they are capable of achieving. As a TRIO Math Specialist since 1998, she has dedicated her career to supporting students who may need extra encouragement, guidance, and someone who believes in them.

What makes Waldroupe’s story especially meaningful is that she once stood in many of those students' shoes herself. A 1986 Cowley College graduate, she earned her Associate of Arts degree before continuing her education at Southwestern College, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1988 and later returned to earn a Master of Education in 2014. As a first-generation, low-income college student, her path was not always clearly defined, but her determination to succeed never wavered.

"My parents had never been to college, so they didn't really know what the experience involved," Waldroupe said. "There was definitely a learning curve, but I was always very conscientious about my schoolwork and making sure I stayed on top of things."

That experience now helps her connect with the students she serves through TRIO. She understands the challenges they face because she has lived them herself. Although former teachers encouraged her to pursue a career in engineering because of her aptitude for mathematics, Waldroupe's heart was always in education.

"I told myself that if I didn't try teaching, I'd always wonder if I should have done it," she said. "Once I started, I loved it. I couldn't imagine doing anything other than helping students." That passion has never faded.

One of the most rewarding moments of her work comes when a struggling student finally understands a concept. "One light bulb moment can make up for twenty frustrating moments," she said.

Over the years, she has celebrated countless student successes, but one story stands out. A student-athlete hoping to transfer to a Division I basketball program was at risk of losing that opportunity because he had not completed the requirements for his algebra class. Rather than giving up on him, Waldroupe offered him a challenge. She arranged for him to spend his summer completing the work he had missed and held him accountable every step of the way.

"He had to come in every day and do the work. No excuses," she recalled. The student followed through, passed the class, transferred to a Division I school, and eventually went on to play professional basketball overseas. Looking back, she sees that moment as one of the most significant impacts she has made on a student's life. "It changed the course of his future," she said.

Since joining Cowley as an employee in 1998, Waldroupe has witnessed significant changes in higher education. While technology and curriculum have evolved, one of the biggest differences she sees is in student motivation and accountability.

"When I went to college, I wanted to be here," she said. "I wanted to be a teacher, and college was the path to get there." Today, she believes many students have more options available to them and, in some cases, arrive on campus less certain about why they are pursuing higher education. She also sees students struggling more with personal responsibility outside the classroom.

"I didn't used to have to fight students to do homework," she said. "A lot of students come from high school expecting more flexibility with deadlines, and college just doesn't work the same way."

Despite those challenges, Waldroupe remains committed to helping students develop the habits and confidence they need to succeed. She understands that every student arrives with a different story and a different set of obstacles to overcome. She has also seen major changes in mathematics instruction over the years. Developmental math courses that were once spread across multiple levels have largely been condensed into integrated support models designed to help students complete degree requirements more efficiently.

Through all of those changes, her focus has remained the same: helping students believe in themselves. Her approach is rooted in connection. Small class sizes allow her to provide individualized attention and build meaningful relationships with her students.

"I feel like I can make a bigger difference when I'm working with 12 students instead of 120," she said. That sense of connection is one reason Cowley has remained her professional home for nearly 30 years. "It's never really crossed my mind to go somewhere else," she said.

Part of that loyalty comes from the support she received when she first joined the college. Shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Cowley worked with her schedule to help balance family and career responsibilities. "Cowley has always felt like home," she said.

The college also holds a special place in her heart because of the mentors she met as a student. Those relationships helped shape her career and reinforced the value of the close-knit community Cowley provides.

As retirement begins to appear on the horizon, Waldroupe reflects less on awards and achievements and more on how she hopes students remember her. She points to one simple thing: "I hope students say I cared about them," she said. "Not just in math, but as people. As individuals."

While she is not quite ready to leave, she expects retirement is only a couple of years away. Even then, she has no intention of slowing down. After spending years helping students in the classroom, Waldroupe plans to continue serving others in new ways. Inspired by her family's experience with a grandson who spent time in the NICU, she hopes to volunteer at hospitals, comforting infants whose families cannot always be by their side.

She also hopes to spend time volunteering in local schools, listening to children read and supporting young learners. "I'm not the kind that's going to sit at home doing nothing," she said with a laugh. "There will always be something to do."

For generations of Cowley students, that commitment to helping others is exactly what they have come to expect from her.

From first-generation student to lifelong mentor, Loretta Waldroupe’s journey reflects the lasting impact that one caring educator can have on countless lives. Through every class she teaches, every student she encourages, and every opportunity she creates, she continues to embody the supportive spirit that has made Cowley feel like home to her for nearly four decades.

Kat Lunn | Alumni and Fundraising Coordinator

Cowley College 125 S. 2^nd St. Arkansas City, KS 67005 | Kat.lunn@cowley.edu