Chippewa Valley Technical College Nursing-Associate Degree graduate Leah Sorenson recalls a six-week period during her clinical rotation when she had to drive 100 miles one-way to reach the facility where she was assigned. Due to COVID19, few healthcare facilities were accepting students.

But Sorenson realized she had it easy compared to many of her fellow students who were honored at a virtual graduation celebration on CVTC’s Facebook page and websitre Tuesday, Dec. 15.

“I knew students who worked 40-hour weeks in addition to their classes or would come straight to class after a 12-hour shift with no rest in between,” Sorenson said in her remarks as the student speaker for the celebration. And she is aware that the Nursing program is not unique to such struggles. Getting through college can be challenging.

That’s part of what makes graduation worth celebrating. CVTC honored 330 graduates at the virtual event. The largest program was Nursing-Associate Degree with 104 graduates, followed by Business Management and Truck Driving with 19 each. Human Resources had 18 graduates honored. In addition, 13 students who completed their High School Equivalency Diploma were recognized.

Each one recognized has their own story to share. Sorenson’s started in her hometown of Prescott, where she graduated from high school in 2012. She attended Dakota County Technical College in Minnesota for a degree as a medical assistant, which led to jobs at family practice clinics in Prescott and Hastings, Minn., where she and her husband, Tom now live. She wanted to advance in the medical field, and becoming a registered nurse was the next step.

Sorenson, 26, attended CVTC’s River Falls campus for her program and her first year went smoothly. Then came the infamous events of 2020.

“As if things couldn’t get any more difficult, we had to deal with the changing circumstances and uncertainty that accompanied a global pandemic,” she said during her speech. “CVTC moved many classes online and made every effort to ensure the safety of the staff and students.”

She praised her fellow graduates for how they handled the situation. “Instead of choosing to be afraid, we chose to become inspired, to work harder and adapt to different ways of doing things.”

The next step for Sorenson is to start a position at United Hospital in St. Paul working overnight in the critical care pool. But she must pass her board exams first, and COVID has limited opportunities for that. She expects to start in March.

Every speaker at the virtual event talked about the pandemic that has dominated life for most of the year and how it made the students’ challenges more difficult, but the speakers were encouraging as well.

“While there is still a lot of uncertainty in these remarkable times, and challenges lie ahead, you have already overcome obstacles with courage and determination,” said featured speaker Mark Stoering, president of Xcel Energy Wisconsin and Michigan. “The current environment has tested you, and you will be better for it.”

“Amid the challenges, we all learned to adapt,” faculty speaker Welding Instructor Chrystal Reidt said. “We had to think outside the box and work outside the box. From what I can tell, you have already done the hard part. You have taken on challenges that most people will never have to take on.”

“The pandemic made it harder, but you have proven you have the knowledge and the skills,” said CVTC President Bruce Barker. “And most importantly you have proven you have the inner strength you need to succeed.”