For three sisters — Cindy Milam, Kay Wetmore, and Robin McMurry — health care education is more than just a career; it’s a family calling. Since joining Oklahoma City Community College’s (OCCC) Health Professions division, the sisters have worked side by side, teaching and mentoring thousands of students who now serve in essential roles in patient care across Oklahoma and beyond.

Last spring, their efforts culminated in graduating the largest nursing class in the college’s history. Now, with Milam preparing to retire in the coming months, the sisters reflect on their family’s journey at OCCC.

Where it all began

The sisters’ story begins with their parents, Judy and Jim Archer, who instilled a strong sense of service, hard work and family values in their children. Growing up, they all worked together in their family’s office supply store, learning the ins and outs of business.

Their mother, Judy, was the first in the family to attend college at OCCC, earning her business degree and inspiring a path for her daughters to follow.

Today, three of the four daughters — Dr. Robin McMurry, Professor Kay Wetmore, and Assistant Dean and Director Cindy Milam— are nursing faculty members at OCCC. The fourth, Chris Eskew, is a librarian at a Yukon elementary school.

From students to teachers

Each of the sisters began studies at OCCC, with McMurry graduating from the nursing program in 1997, Wetmore in 1998, and Milam completing her prerequisite courses before transferring to a four-year institution.

Wetmore, who began her teaching career at OCCC in 2005, specializes in obstetrics, operating room and general medical-surgical nursing.

In 2006, McMurry returned to OCCC as a nursing professor to give back to the college that helped her succeed.

“I decided to work here because I graduated from the program, wanted to give back to students, and the schedule was a great fit for me,” she said.

McMurry later encouraged her older sister, Milam, to join the college as well. Milam came aboard in 2011 and now serves as the assistant dean of the Health Professions division and the nursing program director.

With the state of Oklahoma facing a critical shortage of nurses and other health care professionals, the sisters stepped up to meet the challenge by training the future workforce.

“There’s a critical shortage of nurses and respiratory therapists,” McMurry said. “The pandemic highlighted just how serious the need is, and we’re working hard to help Oklahoma improve its position.”

A lasting legacy

Together, the Archer family has made a difference in Oklahoma’s health care industry, teaching hundreds of future nurses and passing on the family’s passion for helping others.

“I love seeing the students after they graduate in the hospitals where they work,” McMurry said.

In 2018, OCCC established the Jim & Judy Archer and Ed & Eva Pope Nursing Scholarship in honor of the late Jim and Judy Archer.

“We just wanted to do something to pay tribute to the life that he lived, which was continually in the service of others, and we felt like it was a good way to honor him and my mom,” McMurry said.

What started as a single student award soon grew into a network of students and faculty. Starting in January 2025, 15 OCCC nursing students will be awarded $1,000 toward their tuition.

“Seeing students make a difference in the community is what I love most about working with them,” Wetmore said.

Passing on the torch

After more than a decade of service, Milam is set to retire from OCCC in Spring 2025. Her leadership and dedication to her students have played a key role in shaping the careers of countless health care professionals. In 2021, Milam received an OCCC Employee of the Year award, recognizing her commitment to excellence in education.

Wetmore’s daughter, Madalyn Wetmore, also works at OCCC and shares her mother’s passion for helping those in need. She serves as the project coordinator for the Office of Student Affairs, managing the Higher Education Prevention Services (HEPS) program. In this role, she advocates for substance abuse prevention and recovery services as a vital community resource.

“Our family legacy lives on in the students we produce,” McMurry said.

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Learn more about OCCC Health Professions:
https://www.occc.edu/admissions/health/

To learn more about the Jim & Judy Archer and Ed & Eva Pope Nursing Scholarship, or other ways to give to the OCCC Foundation, visit https://www.occc.edu/foundation/ or call 405-682-7591.