Barbara and Roger Calam, Ph.D. have generously gifted Oakland University’s School of Nursing with two endowed scholarships — one for students interested in oncology nursing and one for students interested in pediatric nursing.
The Calams intend for the scholarships to “shine a spotlight” on fields of nursing that are personally important to them.
Barbara was an oncology nurse for 20 years at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Clinton Township (now Henry Ford Macomb). In 2007, Roger surprised Barbara by creating the Barbara A. Calam Oncology Nursing Endowment Scholarship in her honor. Roger, retired director of the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory at St. John Hospital & Medical Center, learned about Oakland University School of Nursing from a colleague.
“I explored OU and I was very impressed with what I saw and heard,” Roger says of the decision. “The prestige of the university is significant and we are very proud to be associated with the OU School of Nursing, in our opinion, a center of excellence.”
In 2019, the Calams created the Calam-Malek Endowed Pediatric Nursing Scholarship, inspired by their love for their grandchildren. For one granddaughter, born very prematurely, the nursing care was exceptional. Barbara actually began her career as a pediatric nurse and was impressed while witnessing the changes that had taken place since her days of taking care of patients, particularly changes as they pertain to preemies.
“The nurses allowed us to hold the little one even when she was being tube fed,” Barbara explains. “These nurses were amazingly caring and compassionate.”
Although the Calams do not select the scholarship recipients, they do read the winning essays and attend the award presentations to meet as many recipients as possible. The Calams describe the essays as impressive and the recipients as gracious and thankful.
Barbara and Roger were thrilled to host two tables of recipients at the last awards presentation. Barbara hopes the scholarships help alleviate “the pressure to work when the students should be studying.”
Roger adds, “We are delighted to see these fresh faces that want to be nurses. Nurses are in demand like never before. Obviously, we would like to encourage nursing students to consider the special areas of oncology and pediatrics”
Both Calams believe that when you can help someone, you should. They hope that the scholarship recipients extend the kindness they received to others, creating a “trickle-down” effect.
Michael Westfall, vice president of University Advancement, reflects on the impact of the Calam’s thoughtful philanthropy, "We express our heartfelt gratitude to Roger and Barbara Calam for their remarkable generosity in establishing endowments dedicated to supporting pediatric and oncology nursing scholarships. Their unwavering commitment to advancing healthcare education will empower future generations of nurses to provide exceptional care and make a profound difference in the lives of patients and families."
The Calam’s commitment is a testament to the impact of healthcare professionals on the lives of those in their care. Recognizing the value of the nursing profession, advances in healthcare and the role of nurses in their lives was the catalyst for their philanthropy, creating opportunities for OU nursing students for years to come.
Learn more about opportunities to support the Oakland University School of Nursing.
December 4, 2024
By Laura Cassar
