Helping Students in Practical Ways

Loving words from a loving mom. Wanda Wolfkill remembers her daughter, Karen Wolfkill-Buffington, as always looking to help people in practical ways. 

“Karen heard about a family from church whose washing machine stopped working,” says Wanda with a smile. “She had a new one delivered to the family, anonymously—‘from the church’—very typical of Karen.”

For Wanda and her late husband, Ken, and their son John, establishing a scholarship at TCC in Karen’s memory was the perfect way to remember their daughter and sister. 

“We got to tell [Karen’s daughter] Mollie we had done this for her mom, and that ‘By doing this, your mom lives on. Every student she can help—that’s her way of living on in them. She’s still helping every little bit she can.’”

“To honor Karen, someone who loved to give so much, it made a lot of sense for Mom and Dad to give this gift to help other people,” says John. “The beauty of an endowed scholarship is that it keeps giving, serving as a big light in the community—just like Karen was.”

After earning her cosmetology license through Vo-Tech while attending Broken Arrow High School, Karen attended TCC before finishing her bachelor’s degree at Oklahoma State University, majoring in molecular cellular biology. 

Wanda and John credit Karen’s organic chemistry class at TCC with piquing her interest in her eventual major—and career. 

“It seemed like it was combination of the right time in her life and the right instructor,” says John. 

“Karen didn’t even like science, and she ended up excelling in her science career,” says Wanda. “She didn’t like needles, but taught doctors how to give Botox, how to use needleless IV pumps in the surgery theater, and spent a lot of time in surgery.”

Karen’s first experience with cancer came while she was studying for her master’s degree at the University of Kentucky. 

“When Karen came home at Thanksgiving, she had a little spot on the back of her leg,” says Wanda. “It was cancer. She had surgery in January.” 

It wouldn’t be the last time she was diagnosed with cancer, but her chosen career field fed her interest in finding new ways to help people through medical research.

Wanda recalls one of Karen’s passions was drug repurposing/repositioning, the process of finding a new medical indication for a drug. 

“She loved the new applications and teaching people how to use equipment.” 

Karen’s family believes TCC is an excellent place to invest in and support students, calling it a great starting point. 

“The kids can attend TCC in high school, get their study habits formed, and get serious,” says Wanda. “We knew putting dollars here would go further and have a greater impact. The value is in what students get here—it helps them go further.”

Wanda has met two recipients of Karen’s scholarship. 

“I met one young lady who is just getting started and is really interested and enthusiastic,” says Wanda. “And one young man with a molecular cellular biology degree studying to become a nurse practitioner. That’s the whole key—the gift keeps giving, and we can keep helping people. Through this scholarship, Karen is still living and doing what she loved to do.”