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Concord native returns home to earn nursing degree
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Published: January 2, 2009
Thomas Wolfe, the great American novelist, famously quipped that "you can't go home again." Jean Simpson Watson, 54, a Concord native who moved to the North Carolina mountains 34 years ago, would beg to differ.
Watson, a 1972 graduate of Concord High School, left her hometown soon after finishing high school and moved to the Boone and Beech Mountain area where she has lived with her husband, Billy A. Watson, and raised four children.
Although she has had great satisfaction raising her family, Watson longed to be able to contribute to society through her work in a more nurturing and humanitarian way. She considered applying to nursing school after high school, but instead pursued retail-oriented jobs. With her children now grown, she has had the opportunity to pursue her dream. She was accepted to the associate degree nursing program at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in 2006, opening the door for a return home.
Ironically, as a young girl, Watson rode her bicycle many times on much of the land that is now part of the sprawling medical center campus that is home to Cabarrus College.
Watson's parents still live in Concord, and spending weekdays here while attending Cabarrus College has given her the opportunity to be available for them as a caregiver on a daily basis. She appreciates being able to apply what she has learned in nursing school to help her family.
"I find it inspiring to learn more about health and to use that knowledge to improve not only my health, but my family's," Watson said.
Returning to school for the first time in more than 30 years presents many unique challenges.
Living in Concord during the week, she would drive back to Boone each weekend to see her husband.
To use the time in the car more effectively, Watson recorded lectures she attended and listened to them again during her drives back to the mountains. Critical to her success, Watson believes, is the mentoring and support so many of the nursing faculty provided. "The school has given me more than I could have ever imagined. The faculty were so supportive and encouraged me to continually improve and not lose focus on my goal. They worked with me individually and understood my needs as an adult returning to college."
On December 22 Watson graduated with an associate degree in nursing from Cabarrus College. "This has been one of the most valuable things I have ever done. I should have attempted it earlier," Watson said.
Returning to Concord where she first considered becoming a nurse as a teenager three decades earlier has given Watson new opportunities in life. She discovered that, yes, you can return home again.
Perhaps more importantly, she also learned that you should never give up on pursuing your dreams.
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