Kacie Simpson was recently named one of nine Leon A. Gorman Scholars in the Maine Community College System, receiving a full year’s tuition for her last year at Central Maine Community College this fall.

She’s studying nursing, working with COVID-19 patients as a hospital intern and she

knows just how she’d spend 10 empty, textbook-free days.

Name: Kacie Simpson

Age: 28

Lives: Auburn

Did you have any early inspirations in wanting to be a nurse? I didn’t grow up dreaming about becoming a nurse. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that the thought even crossed my mind. My mother got sick when I was 24 and we spent a lot of time on the oncology unit at St. Mary’s. I loved watching the nurses interact with the patients and I was so blown away by how much positivity and happiness they were bringing to my family’s and other patient’s lives. That planted the nursing seed for me. After she passed, I began working in health care starting in the dietary department and later moving up to sterile processing and I always felt so unsatisfied not working in direct patient care. Next thing I knew, I was signing up for classes to begin my journey into nursing school.

What led you to CMCC? I actually did not do any research into schools before applying to CMCC. I was driving by the campus one day and saw a sign for an open house that morning, so I pulled in and by the end of that morning I had talked to the director of the nursing program, applied to CMCC and took my Accuplacer. I will be entering my senior year of nursing school this fall and graduating in spring of 2021. CMCC has been my home away from home for the last three years. The administrators and faculty are out of this world and my experience in the nursing program has been nothing short of amazing. I am truly blessed to be trained by some of the best nurses in the field.

What type of nursing are you hoping to do after graduation? I had originally planned to go into hospice care or oncology, but after my last semester I really fell in love with labor and delivery. I love the autonomy of being a L&D nurse and the advanced critical thinking skills needed to work in that environment. At this point, however, it’s hard for me to tell what I’ll end up doing after graduation. After getting some experience in the field, my goal is to eventually go on to be a nursing instructor.

Has the pandemic changed your plans at all? I have been working as a certified nurse’s assistant since before the pandemic began. I recently started a student nurse internship with MaineGeneral allowing me to work on the frontlines with positive COVID-19 patients. As much as I can’t wait for this pandemic to be over, I believe that I am lucky to be able to be on the frontlines during this time, as this is something that not even nursing school could prepare you for.

Part of being a Gorman Scholar is a commitment to community service — what have you been involved with? My commitment to serving others is achieved through CMCC’s TRIO program. I have been a part of the TRIO program since I started with CMCC in 2017. TRIO is a program that is designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. While I have taken full advantage of the wonderful services TRIO provides, I have also given back to other TRIO students by being a science tutor and mentor in the program. I also had the privilege of being a facilitator in TRIO’s World Climate Simulation, in which the program brought attention to global warming.

It’s summer. It’s Maine. You’re suddenly on a textbook-free beach, alone, with 10 empty days stretching out in front of you. What three things are you bringing/doing/watching? Bottomless margaritas, a comfy chair and music. The real question is, how do I sign up for this??