Wednesday, February 4, 2026
CVTC alumna overcomes setbacks to realize her dreams
Jessica Simon graduated from the nursing program at Chippewa Valley Technical College in River Falls in December 2023, after finding the path that was right for her.
When Jessica Simon graduated from high school in 2007, she wasn’t sure where her path would lead.
Growing up in a small town in upstate New York, she took the expected next step and enrolled at a university alongside her twin brother. But what looked right on paper didn’t feel right in practice. Academic pressure, mental health challenges, and financial strain made it difficult to pursue that path, she said.
After switching majors, Simon discovered an unexpected love for research and data analysis. She graduated and worked in health research alongside nursing researchers – an experience that opened her eyes to the impact of nursing.
Soon after, she married and spent the next decade as a stay-at-home mom, a role she treasured.
In 2022, while living in Osceola, Simon decided to pursue the dream that had been waiting to be realized. Despite earning a 4.0 GPA, she was wait-listed for another college’s nursing program. Instead, she enrolled at Chippewa Valley Technical College in River Falls. What initially felt devastating became, in her words, “one of the greatest blessings of my life.”
“I went into nursing school hoping for a good education,” Simon said. “What I found at CVTC was a community that cared about me as a whole person.”
From the beginning, Simon felt supported and seen as an individual. CVTC’s affordability, digital textbooks, and included iPad removed major financial barriers. Just as important, faculty and staff took the time to answer questions, offer reassurance, and connect her with resources before she ever stepped into a classroom.
That support proved critical as life threw unexpected challenges her way. Her husband lost his job as she began the program, a close family member suffered a traumatic brain injury, and Simon recovered from a serious accident that required a total hip replacement. Through it all, she said CVTC stood by her when giving up would have been easier.
“The instructors weren’t just educators, they were mentors,” Simon said. “They believed in me when I was struggling to believe in myself.”
Simon graduated from CVTC’s Nursing program in December 2023. Today, she works in the Critical Care float pool at United Hospital in St. Paul, rotating through ICUs, the emergency department, and intermediate care units.
“There’s no perfect time to start something hard,” Simon said. “But with the right support, success isn’t just possible, it’s within reach.”
