A life of service inspires
The Karen Sanders Nursing Scholarship honors a beloved nurse and supports UC Blue Ash students
Karen Sanders’ daughters describe her as a magnet, making her way through the world, collecting “the people who needed her.”
“She was the first person that everybody called when there was an emergency,” says daughter Kara Sanders, UCBA ‘03, A&S ‘05. “Aunts, cousins, neighbors, friends of neighbors, everyone called her all hours of the day or night for support.”
Kara and her sister, Kristin Moser, A&S ‘95, CECH ‘98, MBA ‘01, remember that people needing a place to land during the holidays filled their home from Thanksgiving to Easter. Their mom supported people in myriad ways, baking their favorite dessert, finding housing for the homeless, caring for the sick and helping those in need.
Karen grew up in a modest household, wearing a dress she made in home economics class every day of her junior year. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school and was determined to become a nurse. As a single mother, she attended nursing school while holding several jobs, including driving a school bus, selling Avon cosmetics and babysitting.
Dedicated to her profession
Karen Sanders during her time at at the UC Health Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care.
Kara and Kristin spent many hours at the UC Health Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care where Karen was a nurse for 30 years. She taught them the spirit of service and compassion through example and by getting them involved.
“We volunteered for decades,” says Kara. “As the children of a single mom, we were always at the hospital and volunteering with patients. It was a huge part of our lives.”
Even when Karen wasn’t working, she spent extra time with patients and the many young people she mentored, including Tira Williams, a former nursing assistant at Drake.
“She was a mother figure at work,” says Williams, PhD, director of Health Disparities at TriHealth. “Her tutoring me helped me get through nursing school and I sit here today with a doctorate in nursing.”
Honoring their mother
Well aware that their mom’s sacrifices allowed them to excel and attend the University of Cincinnati, the sisters decided to honor her by creating the Karen Sanders Scholarship Fund for nursing students at UC Blue Ash.
I think her commitment to helping people along the way in whatever way they needed it, made creating a scholarship perfect sense. I can’t think of anything that encompasses her better.
Kristin Moser A&S ‘95, CECH ‘96, MEd ’98, MBA ‘01
Kara has a close connection with UC Blue Ash, having earned a degree from the college and as an active alumnus. In 2013, she received the prestigious UC Blue Ash College Distinguished Alumni Award for her work at Messer Construction Co. in learning and workforce development.
“I think her commitment to helping people along the way in whatever way they needed it, made creating a scholarship perfect sense,” says Kristin. “I can’t think of anything that encompasses her better.”
Full circle
Stephanie Neff, Nur ‘24, is a nurse at the neuroscience ICU at UC Medical Center. Her journey to becoming a nurse began in the building where she now works. In 2018, her husband, Eric, spent two weeks in the Neuro-ICU after a car accident.
“The staff took me through one of the worst moments of my life and they were so supportive,” she says. “The nurses, doctors and staff were so fantastic and made such an impact, helping me and my family.”
Tragically, Eric died, leaving Stephanie and their five-month-old son. So moved by Eric’s UC Health caregivers, she was inspired to pursue nursing.
“I enrolled at UC Blue Ash,”’ she says. “I loved every one of the staff members and teachers in the nursing program. It was phenomenal.”
The scholarship reminded me of why I was doing this and it really helped me.
Stephanie Neff Nur '24
Working and going to school as a new mom was far from easy. After hearing her story, one of Stephanie’s professors encouraged her to apply for a scholarship, telling her she was inspirational.
Stephanie found herself the recipient of the Karen Sanders Nursing Scholarship.
“The scholarship reminded me of why I was doing this and it really helped me,” she says.
The best coincidence on the hardest day
Kara Sanders, Stephanie Neff, Kristin Moser.
Karen was a patient at UC Medical Center in the fall of 2024. The day before she died, a nurse entered her room wearing a UC shirt. Her family asked the nurse about her connection to UC.
The nurse was Stephanie. She told them she had attended UC Blue Ash.
Because Karen’s first name was Delores, which was on her hospital chart, it took them a few minutes to figure out that Stephanie had received the Karen Sanders Nursing Scholarship.
“They said, ‘this is Ms. Karen Sanders that you’re taking care of,’” Stephanie says. “I told them my name and they remembered reading my application.”
Everyone in the room began crying.
Sadly, Karen died the next day.
“Having that experience with Stephanie was so comforting,” says Kristin.” Truly, we were in the first day of adulting on our own without our mom.”
“During what was to become one of the hardest days of our family’s life, we were blessed to have the gift of Stephanie caring for our dying mother,” adds Kara. “We saw Mom’s legacy in action and for that we are eternally grateful.”
Stephanie told them taking care of Karen was an honor.
“She was such a great nurse and set such an example,” she says. “And then I get to take care of the family, it was amazing.”
A loving legacy
Karen Sanders with her grandchildren, Laura, Brady and Molly Moser. Laura and Molly are UC students and Brady is a high school senior.
After Karen’s death, Kara and Kristin received many messages from her former patients, their families, coworkers and friends about her impact.
“Knowing Karen’s heart and how she ensured her patients got the best care, it does my heart good that this scholarship is named after her, carrying on her legacy,” says Williams, who spoke at her celebration of life.
“It is so nice that others will continue to be blessed by my mom’s work and humility,” adds Kara. “You didn't have to know her to be blessed by her, I think is the crux of the scholarship for me.”
Featured image at top: Kristin Moser, Karen Sanders and Kara Sanders. Photo/Provided.
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