It was one split-second moment, however, that would truly define who she would become as an adult, awakening within her a gift she had buried in childhood.

It is a story of courage that landed Voight, who has a bachelor’s degree in radio-TV-film from UW Oshkosh, where she is today … as an accomplished author of two international books, a popular guest on radio and television shows around the country and host of her own radio program.

But in one brief moment, it almost all went wrong. And it took everything she had to survive.

In 1987, Voight was on her way to Florida when her van was hit by a semi-trailer. Two of her dogs were killed in the crash. She jumped through the flames and was dragged away from the burning wreck. She found herself paralyzed, severely burned and fighting for her life at the age of 22. She was given a 3-percent chance to live. Even if she did survive, doctors told her she would be 98-percent disabled.

She struggled for every breath day in and day out, when finally, everything, including her heart, stopped. A near-death experience led her to a beautiful, peaceful place where she encountered her spirit guides. She suddenly realized she had more left to give, and they urged her to break open the barriers that were blocking her from the intuitive abilities she had as a child. With their help, she returned to her body to face the healing struggle ahead.

“I remember concentrating on each and every breath. In and out. In and out,” Voight said. “I would also visualize what it was like jumping rope when I was a child—how I had to find the perfect rhythmic opening within the rope’s swing in order to sync up with it. Lying in that hospital room, I learned to find the openings, the gaps between breaths, between words, and in that space, I decided that I would walk again.”

Defying all medical odds, she did. She walked out of the hospital three short weeks later.

Today, Voight is one of the world’s leading experts in animal communication and intuitive life coaching. During her 15-year professional career, she has worked with more than 60,000 animals and people worldwide. She has been connecting people with their animal companions and motivating them with her personal story of courage and triumph, while showing them how to awaken their own telepathic skills. She teaches a popular animal communication course and continues to offer in-person and at-a distance life readings and business strategy sessions with clients from all over the world.

Voight communicates with animals and spirit guides by receiving their thoughts, ideas, feelings and images directly, from their mind telepathically. Able to communicate with animals since childhood, Voight had “turned off” that ability as she got older.

“Without the deep connection I was used to feeling to animals and the universe as a whole, I began to really lose my sense of direction and purpose in life,” Voight said. “I believe this is how a lot of my clients feel when they come to me for assistance now. It’s why I can help them experience greater understanding and connection. Animal communication and intuitive life coaching are not only about healing people and animals, but also about healing the world.”

Voight’s amazing story will soon be featured in a new reality movie: Face2Face, directed by Katherine Brooks, (The Osbournes, Paris Hilton’s Simple Life). For this film, 50 Facebook friends were picked to share their stories of healing and transformation.

Voight also chronicles her courageous story in two recent books in which she has written chapters: Pearls of Wisdom: 30 Inspirational Ideas to Live your Best Life Now and Extraordinary You: The Art of Living a Lusciously Spirited, Vibrant Life.

For more about Voight, visit AsiaVoight.com or Asia Voight /Facebook.

Contributed by Amy Pikalek

One life, many tales of courage

Buddhists believe in reincarnation, the ebb and flow of life and death. For many, it takes more than a lifetime to truly exhibit one of the most commendable characteristics of all—courage. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh alumna Saran Batchuluun ’10, already has lived many lives of courage in her 40-something years.

Batchuluun was born to a nomadic family in Mongolia, where she learned to ride a horse at age 4 and herd cattle, sheep and goats. As a little girl, she dreamed of wearing a uniform to school.

In 1996, Batchuluun graduated from the Health Sciences University of Mongolia. She spent the next two years working as a family physician, but her salary couldn’t even pay for a good pair of winter boots.

In 2002, she and her husband at the time decided that she should move alone to the U.S., where she could make a better living and send money back to her family, including three daughters.

After working as a caretaker for the elderly, Batchuluun walked into Sue Clark’s office in 2007. Because it was the last day for admissions, Clark, the adviser for the Accelerated Online Bachelor’s to BSN Program, immediately helped Batchuluun get the process underway.

“I was truly grateful to her from all my heart and spirit,” Batchuluun said. “I walked out of her office with big hope.”

Batchuluun worked hard to earn her nursing assistant certificate and her nursing degree and get a job at St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan.

“When nursing students graduate, they need to study for a national board exam, a very language-intensive exam,” Clark said. “She got that exam done. She got a job before many of her peers.”

But three weeks later, Batchuluun was involved in a horrific car accident that required extensive treatment.

To support her, UWO’s College of Nursing faculty collected a small amount of money to include in a greeting card. Brent MacWilliams ’95 and MSN ’03, Batchuluun’s first clinical instructor, even brought her a bike to encourage her recovery.

After six months of painful physical and emotional recovery, Batchuluun remarkably improved and returned to work. The day after Christmas 2010, Batchuluun joyously greeted two of her daughters at the airport.

“Nine years of my mission accomplished,” she said. “My kids are with me, and I can see a nice future for them, like a good ending to a movie.”

Read more of Batchuluun’s story in her own words.

“I was born in a nomadic family in Mongolia as the youngest child. I learned to ride a horse at 4 years old and used to bring cattle back in the evening. We used to take care of hundreds of sheep and goats. I wanted to go to school when I saw my brothers and sisters going to school. There was a broken Buddhist monastery where we lived. I believed there was a pretty suitcase in the broken monastery. There must be my school uniform, books and pencils in that suitcase. I should take it and go to school … I was a girl who liked to dream.

“When I was 5 years old, my father died of liver cancer. I remember my father got a big bump on his abdomen, and I touched it and felt a hard node. He was gone to rest in two months. Soon we all moved to the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. We moved to Ulaanbaatar by Russian truck, and we all were sitting on a back of the truck. It took three days and three nights to get to Ulaanbaatar. My mother got a job there, and she made heroic efforts to raise us and give us a decent and happy life.

“I graduated high school, then Health Science University of Mongolia. Until the third year of the University, my future was clear as a glass; working as a doctor and having good life. My future was promising. The next few years were a transitioning period for Mongolians from communism to democracy. They were very difficult years for regular people who used to live in one pattern of life. The government gave a food card to every family, and there was not enough to eat on our plates. Many talented students dropped out of school, and many professionals quit their jobs and became merchants and struggled to make a living.

“At times, I considered quitting my school and becoming a merchant seller to feed my family. I couldn’t quit, I couldn’t imagine ending my dream to become a doctor. I spent many years studying medicine. I was one of those hard-working students. I graduated from Health Science University in 1996. After graduation, the economy was still shaky. I earned a small salary working as a family physician for two years. I couldn’t even afford a good pair of winter boots.

“I saw no way to afford my residency training. Even if I worked as a specialist, I couldn’t make a better living. There was not much motivation left for me to pursue my career. My ex-husband is an artist; people didn’t have money to buy arts. We had three young kids to feed and wanted our kids to have a good life. We tried hard to make a living.

“We bought cheap clothes from people who brought them from a small border city in China and sold them outside the market. We cooked hot meals and sold them in the street, too. I helped my ex-husband craft souvenirs and sell them to tourists. We opened a small grocery store. That way, I made better money than working as a doctor. My lovely mother supported me wholeheartedly, and she took care of my children. She gave me a chance to study English in an evening class at a small private college for three years and learn computer.

“Democracy opened the gate to foreign countries for Mongolians, and many people went abroad to work to earn a better income. Thousands of mothers, fathers, daughters and sons were leaving their families behind and believing that someday they would come back with enough money to support their families.

“In talking to my ex-husband, we decided that I should go to the United States to make decent money to buy an apartment and make big money to help us start a new business. We never wanted to face financial difficulty again, and we wanted our kids to have a better life than we were going through. I thought, ‘I can do healthcare work in the U.S., if I learn English.’ I borrowed $3,000 from my nephew who worked in South Korea and came to the U.S. in spring of 2002. I realized that things are not that easy in America.

“During the first three years, I worked as a housekeeper in a hotel and in stores. I worked every day with no weekends off for three years. Then, I took care of elderly people. I worked hard to earn money to feed my family.

“I never lost hope to find some way to get a degree and work in healthcare in the states. I looked for a chance to practice as a physician. I found that I had to give up sending money to my family. I spent every penny I made to study medicine all over again in the U.S. It took a long time, and I wasn’t sure where I would end up. I wanted to have a stable and good-paying job to be able to provide for my children.

“I decided to be a nurse. It took a shorter time. I made many phone calls, emails and meetings to find the nursing program that I needed. Many nursing colleges denied my MD from Mongolia and wanted me to start with a Certified Nursing Assistant class. I took the CNA class and got certified as a nursing assistant.

“In 2007, I went to UW Oshkosh to find out if there was any chance to study in the nursing program. I met Sue Clark, Accelerated Online Baccalaureate to BSN Program adviser, a tall woman with blue eyes. I told her I was a doctor in Mongolia and had come to the U.S. five years ago to find a better life for me and my family. I wanted to become a nurse. She took her time to explain the program and said it was the last day of admission and I might be late.

“Then, she walked with me to the Admissions Office and got me admitted! I was truly grateful to her from all my heart and spirit. That day she gave me hope to pursue my dream to become a registered nurse in the U.S. She advised me to take two more classes, take the TOEFL and gain experience working in the hospital environment. I walked out of her office with big hope.

“I applied for a job at every hospital I saw. Finally, I got a job in St. Vincent Hospital. Big step! I was excited to be around patients, doctors and nurses for the first time in 10 years. I was back in a place I was supposed to be and wanted to be. I would be a professional nurse soon!

“I took public speaking and development psychology classes at a local college. I failed my first attempt at the TOEFL. I tried again and made it.

“UW Oshkosh called me for a phone interview. I failed it. Then I worked on my interview skills as much as I could and applied again. I was thinking, ‘I will apply over and over until I get myself in the program since I’m that close.’ The second time, I made it. One bigger step!

“The day I received good news from UW Oshkosh, my brother called and said my mother was diagnosed with liver cancer and did not have much time to live. I rushed back to Mongolia to see my mother and my kids after six years. I spent two weeks with my mother and my kids and then went back to the states. The day I left, my mother she said, “Be strong my daughter. I wanted to see you before I die. I saw you and know you are doing well. I have no attachment to this life now, since you are OK. Go and finish your school, come back and take your kids as soon as you can.” It was one of the hardest times in my life. My mother went to rest in peace a month later.

“After 12 months of intensive studying, I graduated from the online BSN program. I took my time to prepare for NCLEX. I read the Kaplan NCLEX textbook three times until I thought I was ready and did many practice tests. I got 75 questions on NCLEX and passed it. Officially, I’m an RN BSN.

“I got a job at St. Nicholas Hospital in the Medical/Surgical Unit on Feb. 1, 2010. I was very relieved after graduating from an intensive nursing program and finding a job. I was ready to bring my children to the U.S.

“After three weeks of my orientation, I had a terrible car accident that put me in extensive treatment and recovery. I had a physically and emotionally painful, long recovery.  I remember how desperately I was praying after the accident. “Please God, let me see my kids!”  I was begging death to leave me alone, too. I was praying hard.

“I hadn’t seen my oldest daughter for eight years. I had met my two other daughters two years earlier for only two weeks. I was so close to bringing my kids to the U.S. I had a job at a nice hospital, and I became able to feed my kids when they arrive. Just three weeks after I started my job, all my plans fell apart.

“During my recovery, UW Oshkosh College of Nursing faculty members helped me a lot. I have a special bond with them and my heart fills with love when I hear anything about my school. When I was in ICU, I heard Sue Clark’s deeply concerned voice. I was delighted to see her. She was the person who helped me pursue my dream.

“The CON faculty sent me a brand new bike. One of my professors, Brent McWilliam, brought me the bike. He spent an entire afternoon with us and assembled the bike for me. Now I can bike! Since that day, I started pedaling my bike every day. Dr. Brent occupies a big place in my heart — he is one of the people who enlightened my life.

“He was my first clinical instructor. During my first clinical, I said, “My English is bad; I don’t understand what some patients say and I don’t feel comfortable around people.”

“Dr. Brent was very understanding. He said, “You have to believe in yourself; you know what you are doing. Don’t think about your weakness first.”

“If a patient asked about the Green Bay Packers, I had no answer and felt so self-conscious. I’m not used to being around American football. If they talked about a show or some famous people, I had no answer. I don’t know them. I have never seen those shows.

“It was also hard to learn to speak in hospital talk, because I did online studying and still needed to learn about the hospital environment. During shift report, I sat there blank at the beginning of my clinical. I didn’t understand what the nurses were saying like d5, 45, Kei Ci El, 20, 100. It just didn’t stick in my ears. I know if I see it on paper.

“One nurse said, “I’m pooped.” I thought she was talking about the patient’s BM. It was embarrassing sometimes.

“Dr. Brent’s words pulled my spirit up that day. Dr. Brent, I needed those words that day. You said it in the right time. I have stopped being too hard on myself since then.

“After five months of recovery, I started feeling really depressed. My whole world seemed meaningless. All my hard work to give my kids a good life was ending. I got my degree, I got a nice job and I was ready to buy a house. I was dreaming to prepare my home for my kids. I was close to hugging my kids.

“Now, I didn’t know when I would get back to my normal life. I didn’t even know how to pay my medical bills or how to make a living. I’m foolish. I spent eight valuable years for nothing but to suffer. I even stopped praying and had no dream, no plan … I was disappearing.

“I decided to stop my pain medication and start dealing with my pain with warm baths and trying to keep myself busy. Five months after my accident, I was walking with a cane and able to live without pain medication.

“I did all my best to recover completely and walk normally again. After six months, I was able to walk without crutches or a cane. In August, I went back to work after six months of remarkable recovery. The day after Christmas 2010, I was hugging my kids at the airport.

“My daughters became beautiful girls, tall and pretty. They grew into very independent, mature and responsible girls. The first thing my two younger daughters wanted to do was to go to McDonalds. They were screaming and hopping around when they saw their new bedroom, bathroom and mirrors. I couldn’t get enough of watching my kids, studying each one of them.

“My oldest daughter, Enkuush, 21, went back to Japan to study two weeks later. She studies aeronautical engineering at the Japan Aviation College. She got a full scholarship. She will graduate in 2013. Enkima, 16, studies at South High School in Sheboygan. She studies hard and became a cheerleader. She has decided to be a doctor. Uka, 12, studies at Farnsworth Middle School in Sheboygan. She is a good student and very artistic. She likes to read and handcraft little things. They both volunteer at many different events in the community and are models.

“I’m working part time at St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan and loving my job. I also take care of an elderly client in the home.

“Nine years of mission accomplished! My kids are with me, and I can see a nice future for them. I like good endings of movies, stories and books.

“I know there are people who care for others. I would like to thank the person who saw me hit by a car and called 911, the paramedic and helicopter team that rushed to save my life, all my doctors, nurses, RT, OT, PT, case managers, social workers of Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Manitowoc, St. Vincent, St. Nicholas Hospital, UW Oshkosh nursing faculty, Accelerated Online RN BSN – October 2007 cohort, my family and friends.”

Read a profile about Saran.

Shawn Monroe ’08, feels he has always had a connection to the armed forces; his family ties to the military go all the way back to the Civil War.

And because Monroe, a member of the Wisconsin National Guard pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, didn’t ever want to miss the opportunity to serve his country, he courageously volunteered to head to Iraq in 2004.

“Every military person wants to serve their country. I never want to do it again, but I wouldn’t change anything,” Monroe said.

Upon returning from Iraq in 2005, Monroe knew his situation: He hadn’t yet finished college, and he was struggling with the after effects of fighting a war.

Being military-minded, Monroe thought about the challenges and obstacles in his life as missions. For him, completing his undergraduate degree was just one of them.

“You take on the mindset that your next mission in life will be school; I wanted to learn,” he said.

In 2008, Monroe finished the year of college he had left and earned degrees in geography and international studies with an emphasis on global and national security.

Now, he wants to help others learn and have successful college experiences, too.

Last fall, Monroe started a new position at UW Oshkosh as the Veterans Resource Center coordinator, where his job is to help fellow veterans find their way in what can be a complex educational journey.

“If someone chooses this path as their mission, I want to be here to help them,” Monroe said.

He assists students by helping them connect to services and navigate finances. He also helps coordinate veteran benefit counseling and puts students in touch with other much-needed resources on and off campus.

“Without knowing every resource available, it makes it harder to navigate school. And it shouldn’t be,” Monroe said. “I think our vets have earned the right to have someone help them through the process, and I’m here to ease the transition from duty to campus life.”

Jean C. (Goodwin) Nelson ’49, former UW Oshkosh alumni director, passed away on April 19, at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh.

Jean led the UW Oshkosh Alumni Relations Office from 1968 until 1991, overseeing the move to Pollock Alumni House in 1971. She worked alongside Alumni Association board members to personally paint, wallpaper and refurbish the house for campus and alumni use.

During her tenure, Jean expanded alumni services and added programs, including a University Day for Women. She was known for being well-read and having a quick mind, knowing the names and graduation years of alumni by heart.

Jean’s contributions to the University and community were immeasurable.

In addition, I personally had the privilege to learn and grow in my own service as UW Oshkosh alumni director through my friendship with Jean. She was genuinely interested in people and their lives and was masterful at creating and sustaining relationships. I’ve strived to learn from her example.

I feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity to sit down with Jean, prior to her passing, to interview her about her own life and her vast knowledge of UW Oshkosh history.

In her own words, Jean explained her UW Oshkosh connections: “Because I was a townie … my mother went to the Normal School, I went to a lot of things up on the campus as a youngster. And then I went to school here, and I was on many committees. Then, I became the alumni director in 1968, probably because I had been so involved.”

From Jean, I learned the importance of honoring our institutional history as well as our own personal histories.

She said, “We really appreciate the past, and we realize that we are standing on the shoulders of those who went before us. I hope the present generation doesn’t forget that.”

I, for one, will never forget Jean’s message.

Check out excerpts from Chris Gantner’s interview with Jean Nelson.

Jean Nelson: Our Start as a Normal School

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jean Nelson: Famous Alumni

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Jean Nelson: Top Teachers

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Jean Nelson: Nurturing Students

Click here to view the embedded video.

Rebecca DuFour believes teaching literacy to middle school students brings out a lot of creativity and imagination.

That alone makes DuFour, a June University of Wisconsin Oshkosh graduate with a degree in elementary education and a minor in language arts, excited for her future as a teacher. She hopes to teach at the middle school level.

DuFour didn’t start her educational journey thinking she’d be a teacher, however. Instead, she wanted to be a nurse.

“I always had the urge to improve people’s lives,” she said.

Unsure of where her career path pointed, she transferred to UW Oshkosh as a sophomore and began to pursue teaching. In June, she finished her second stint as a student teacher.

DuFour, who spent a semester teaching at two different schools — Carl Traeger Elementary and Perry Tipler Middle — within the Oshkosh Area School District, said connecting with students was her favorite part of the student-teaching experience. It was one more tool to prep for her future.

“I think the connection she makes with students is key,” said Amber Tritt, a literacy teacher at Perry Tipler Middle School, who DuFour spent nine weeks teaching with. “That and her drive, plus the fact that she’s prepared, will make her successful.”

In the future, DuFour said she hopes to inspire students to read and write.

“My mother always read to us as kids. I got such enjoyment from that,” she said. “I want to end up somewhere there is a need, and want, to improve literacy.”

In July 1998, I sat quietly in the surgical recovery room of the University of Tennessee Hospital, waiting to hear if my son, Erik, would make it. A few hours earlier, my family had been notified that Erik had been catastrophically injured in a car accident.

During those hours, I became more acutely aware that what we do in life is about those we love, and that is what makes life worth living.

My son had suffered multiple injuries, but a permanent brain and brain stem injury was the most emotional and serious. He was only 16 at the time. But the injury was to all of us. Everyone who loved him was injured.

As traumatic as the event was, it also became the catalyst for my passion to develop medical devices. As head of product development at Albahealth in Rockwood, Tenn., I have been involved with developing many medical textile products and devices commonly used in healthcare settings today.

Albahealth is a leading healthcare manufacturer of medical products and devices focused on patient safety and comfort. I have coordinated efforts at Albahealth that have led to two patents and seven patent-pending products.

My path to this point has not been easy. I have experienced five corporate takeovers, acquisitions and divestitures. The days of giving a company 40 years for a gold watch are rare. Yet, each experience helped prepare me for my role today.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in journalism from UWO in 1974. I was a member of Sigma Delta Chi, and I served on the staff of the newspaper and the yearbook as a writer and “sometimes” photographer.

The academics at UWO prepared me very well. My involvement in activities built many friendships. I learned from my professors that, as a student and a person: I was valuable, I had potential, I had talent; and I had their support and encouragement.

After graduation, I spent 11 years with Sand Knit in Berlin, learning the fundamentals of textiles. The company made knit fabrics and custom athletic uniforms for professional teams and major colleges.

During that time, I returned to UWO and earned an MBA in 1984. My graduate school path included four years of night school, taking foundation courses to gain acceptance into the MBA program, and then completing the coursework — a true marathon experience!

When Sand Knit was sold and a new management regime was installed, I joined Bike Athletic in Knoxville, Tenn., which sold textile products but also marketed sports medicine products. In the early 1990s, Bike was divested in segments, and I began to seek out career changes as the company redefined itself.

Times were hard. I had experienced the sadness of a marriage ending, an employer being sold off in parts, and limited financial resources. I took what jobs I could find to get by.

Ultimately, I made a conscious choice to pursue healthcare as a new opportunity. I wanted to learn as much about the business as possible, so I enrolled in the graduate school of Public Health at the University of Tennessee, earning a master’s degree in 1998.

During that time, I worked evenings in an in-patient psychiatric hospital near Knoxville. Balancing academic studies in healthcare administration with real-world exposure to the delivery of healthcare service proved valuable. I was most affected by working with patients suffering closed head injuries.

Even though times were hard at that point, little did I realize that I was being prepared for bigger events, bigger opportunities in life. God always puts you where He needs you, not necessarily where you want to be.

Soon, the hospital system supporting the psychiatric hospital was sold, and I was given the opportunity to move into a director’s role with the new organization, where I was able to apply my newly formed skill set.

However, after two years Tennessee’s Medicare waiver, known as TennCare, dramatically cut funding to hospitals and my position was eliminated. Shortly after that, my son suffered his injuries.

My wife, Debbie, and I had just married and had pooled our limited monies together and bought a house. Within the first year of our marriage, we ran through a host of unexpected events, but in looking back, it made our marriage … our commitment to each other… stronger.

In time, I received a call from a professional recruiter who was looking for a product development manager with a textile background. The recruiter asked if I knew anyone with such credentials. My answer was simple and direct, “Me!”

I soon became a key part of the management team at Albahealth. In 2004, the company was sold to Encompass Group, a large medical products company, and my role continued to expand as more and more products were launched. However, I am never far from events that keep me grounded and passionate about my work.

I have several heroes in my family. My son is a hero for all he has experienced. My sister is a 12-year survivor of breast cancer. She has been the inspiration behind some products that we have developed. In addition, we lost an aunt to breast cancer and now my sister-in-law is dealing with breast cancer. I have family members dealing with cancer, with diabetes and many other conditions.

I have been in many, many hospital settings. As I look at a patient in a bed, I see pumps, tubes, monitors and the like.  But I also see hands holding hands. Those are connections of love that can surpass science.

I’d like to think that when we develop a product, we use the best materials, the best techniques, and we always knit in one thread of hope. We owe our patients that.

Year: Junior
Hometown: Fond du Lac
Major: Biology healthcare sciences

When Jaime Castillo first arrived on the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh campus, he kept to himself. But it wasn’t long before he stepped out of his comfort zone.

And he never looked back.

“I went from eating lunch by myself everyday to becoming the president of the Student Organization of Latinos,” said Castillo, a junior biology healthcare sciences major from Fond du Lac.

Castillo came to UW Oshkosh determined to make a difference. While preparing for a career in bacteria research, he takes Spanish classes to expand his vocabulary in hopes of someday working with those less fortunate in Mexico.

Moreover, he serves as a mentor through the University’s Multicultural Education Center and Admissions Office, visiting high schools, serving on student panels and organizing events throughout the year.

“Those events help me work on my communication skills while being a role model for other low-income and multicultural students, especially the Latino community,” he said.

A member of the Omega Delta Phi fraternity, Castillo also volunteers for the Red Cross and the Boys & Girls Club.

“I fought so hard to make it to where I am today, and I know I am making a difference,” Castillo said. “I am surrounded by so many positive influences and nurturing faculty that I can’t help but be optimistic.”

In fact, Castillo doesn’t believe in regrets — a philosophy that extends to six piercings and an increasing number of tattoos, too.

“Regrets are simply mistakes that you have not learned a lesson from,” he said.

Thomas Oleson

When University of Wisconsin Oshkosh alumnus Thomas Oleson ’63, of Dunedin, Fla., started Para Los Niños 16 years ago, he had just $100 and a desire to help impoverished children.

Since then, Oleson has led the nonprofit organization on 50 mission trips to Central and South America to provide clothes, toys, and medical and school supplies to hundreds of children in orphanages, schools, communities and public hospitals.

Para Los Niños also establishes libraries in each school visited and has built three elementary schools in Honduras to serve the Chorti Indian population.

The organization attracts many donations as well as volunteers willing to give of their time. “There are a lot of like-minded people who have hearts that want to give,” Oleson said. “People just seem to come forward to help.”

One volunteer, Karen Ragsdale of Trinity, Fla., has taken part in seven Para Los Niños trips, including the most recent to Honduras in March.

“Almost 20 years ago, Tom’s simple act of giving a poor street child a little money and a few toys grew in his heart a desire to help as many children in underdeveloped areas as he possibly could,” Ragsdale said.

Oleson, a UWO art education graduate, earned a master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation from UW–Stout in 1971.

Following a 29-year career in vocational rehabilitation, he retired from the Lighthouse for the Blind in 2009. He continues to serve as director of Para Los Niños, which received the Humanitarian of the Year Award in 1999 from the 23rd International New Thought Alliance.

“My feeling is that we are put on this earth for a reason. It just took me about 50 years to discover my life’s work,” he said.

In October, Oleson was among the nine UW Oshkosh alumni honored as part of Homecoming 2010. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award for his professional and civic achievements.

Eric Salzwedel

One day in Madison, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh student Eric Salzwedel volunteered his time to help a homeless man whom he had never met before.

Salzwedel took the man to a nearby Taco Bell and assisted him with filling out a job application. Not only did he help him with the application but Salzwedel also provided the man with his contact information in case he needed future assistance.

“It’s so easy to judge people who are different or less fortunate than you,” Salzwedel said. “But if you were in someone’s position or situation, wouldn’t you like someone to help you?”

This one altruistic act of unselfish concern and devotion to the welfare of another is one of many that Salzwedel has performed over his lifetime.

A history of altruism

Salzwedel ’11, began his volunteer efforts through Jump Rope for Heart while attending grade school. Volunteering didn’t mean the same to Salzwedel back then as  it does today.

“I was more concerned about raising enough money to get the most prizes,” Salzwedel said. “I knew it was for a good cause, but I didn’t realize how it would affect people.”

Salzwedel has volunteered at various organizations since his participation in Jump Rope for Heart, but by attending a week-long summer camp for children with Muscular Dystrophy (MD), Salzwedel really became inspired and passionate about giving to others.

“I didn’t know what to expect at the camp, and when I first arrived, I was thrown off a little bit because most of the kids were in wheel chairs,” Salzwedel said. “So I did my best to make their week by participating in sports and arts and crafts.”

It wasn’t until the last day of camp that Salzwedel realized what an impression he made on the children. Another camp counselor came up to him and told him that a camper wanted to see him.

“I had no idea what the camper wanted to see me about, because I maybe said seven words to her the entire week,” Salzwedel said. “When I went over by her, she gave me a hug goodbye, and that’s when I realized what I had done had a huge impact.”

From that point on, his perspective on life changed. “I realized that during this one week out of the year, the children were able to switch out the word ‘disability’ and replace it with ‘ability,’” Salzwedel said. “If you could provide that joy for them year round, that would be an amazing accomplishment.”

After attending the camp for several years and participating in human service courses at UW Oshkosh, Salzwedel decided to lead a fundraising effort for MD through a bowl-a-thon in 2008. The first year, roughly 20 people participated and raised about $1,000.

Salzwedel continues to grow the MD bowl-a-thon in the Fox Valley, increasing the number of participants and raising more funds than previous years. The majority of the participants and volunteers are UW Oshkosh students from recognized organizations.

“It’s awesome to be able to raise money from college students who really don’t have much to donate,” Salzwedel said. “I really think people come back or volunteer for the bowl-a-thon because of how much fun it is and know it’s for a good cause.”

Salzwedel is currently planning the next MD bowl-a-thon for Saturday, April 30, at Oshkosh Lanes, located at 275 N. Washburn in Oshkosh. His goal is to make 2011’s bowl-a-thon the largest fundraising bowl-a-thon in northeastern Wisconsin.

“I have the opportunity to spend more time on planning the event and increase awareness due to my graduation in December,” Salzwedel said. “And although the bowl-a-thon is months away, I’m very excited to dedicate more time to the event.”

Inspiring and motivating others

Salzwedel and a friend also started an organization called Project Volunteers. The organization’s mission is to inspire and motivate youth and adults to volunteer within their community.

“Through Project Volunteers, I want to inspire and teach others how to start fundraisers too,” Salzwedel said. “People can gain amazing experiences through volunteering and donating, and they can add those experiences to their resumes.”

The new Project Volunteers organization hosted a holiday season food drive, collecting more than 1,000 nonperishable food items, and providing inspirational and motivational speeches to schools, including Globe University in Appleton.

“It’s important that people understand there are several ways to give, and it doesn’t always have to be money,” Salzwedel said. “Giving can include an hour or more of your time or providing your talents and skills to benefit others.”

Salzwedel strongly believes his altruistic behavior has been instilled in him through family, friends and past experiences. He’s determined to become a volunteer or event coordinator for a nonprofit organization and even start a nonprofit himself.

“I have such a passion for helping people,” Salzwedel said. “I guess my whole philosophy of doing so much for others is that if you were in their position or situation; wouldn’t you want someone to help you?”