OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (March 6, 2025) — Thanks to a generous gift from the Whitten family, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) students will have the opportunity to travel to Uganda this summer as part of a special service learning program.
Twelve OCCC students will be selected to the inaugural class of OCCC Whitten Fellows. The program’s highlight will be a trip to Uganda, where students will spend time with Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, humanitarian and subject of the book “Sewing Hope.” A Catholic nun of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sister Rosemary has received a CNN Hero award and the United Nations Impact Award and was honored as one of “Time” magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2014.
“OCCC is proud to announce the establishment of the Whitten Fellows Program. As a Whitten Fellow, OCCC students will have the opportunity to expand their global horizons and help others while learning about international humanitarian efforts,” said Dr. Mautra Staley Jones, president of OCCC. “We are incredibly grateful to the Whitten family for their generous support that has inspired this incredible program.”
The Whitten-Newman Family Foundation has been supporting Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe in Uganda for nearly a decade. Sister Rosemary runs Saint Monica’s Girls Tailoring Center in Gulu, Uganda, a home and school for women and girls whose lives have been shattered by violence, rape and sexual exploitation. Since 2002, she has enrolled more than 5,000 girls who had been abducted and abandoned by their families, giving them ways to support themselves through job training in tailoring, catering and other practical skills to restore dignity, independence and hope.
“The Whitten Family is thrilled about the Whitten Fellows Program at OCCC,” said Hannah Whitten. “We are deeply grateful to Dr. Jones and OCCC for their commitment to supporting the women and children of Gulu, Uganda, and for championing Sister Rosemary’s mission.”
Sister Rosemary visited OCCC in September 2023 and returned to campus as one of OCCC’s 2024 commencement speakers on May 18. Later that month, 11 students from OCCC traveled to Uganda to visit with Sister Rosemary in Gulu.
The Whitten Fellows group will meet several times before the trip to prepare for and supplement the overall experience. International travel costs, such as airfare, lodging, meals and other transportation, will be covered for program participants.
About Oklahoma City Community College
Since its inception in 1972, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) has been the heartbeat of the Metro, dedicated to empowering learners and strengthening communities. Serving more than 18,000 students in credit-seeking courses and more than 5,000 students in non-credit-seeking programs, we are committed to producing leaders. “Student Success, Community Enrichment” is our mission, and we offer 87 degree and certificate programs plus more than 50 micro-credentials that provide a foundation for further education or immediate career readiness. We remain dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, high-quality education that equips students to achieve personal and professional goals. OCCC is more than an institution; we are a community catalyst, fostering growth and success in our city, our workforce, and the lives of our students. Discover your potential at OCCC, where your future is our purpose.
Media Contact:
Sarah Barrow
Executive Director of Communication
405-834-5406
sarah.barrow@occc.edu
