Alumni Spotlight
Pamela Almodovar, la dolce vita
It’s a long way from Maine to Italy. But that’s where SMCC alumna Pamela Almodovar is now earning her bachelor’s degree after earning two degrees at SMCC.
Pamela came to SMCC out of Bangor High School to study Culinary Arts. After earning her Culinary degree, she stuck around and earned a second degree in Business Administration.
Now she’s attending John Cabot University in Rome, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international business with a minor in marketing.
SMCC helped Pamela understand what a community truly is and how many opportunities ― work, college, career changes, to name a few ― there are to explore. After completing her business degree at SMCC, she chose to continue her education in Italy out of curiosity and in search of a challenge to push her limits in adapting to a new environment while also enriching herself.
Besides working toward her degree, she has traveled throughout Italy and to Spain. Her advice to SMCC students? Never quit, never let anything “bring down your dreams while evolving into a better you,” and always pursue uplifting dreams to enrich your life the way you want to live.
“I used to feel highly obsessed with goals, especially the ‘ultimate goal.’ Now, I want to live and enjoy a happy life wherever I am, to accept who I am and feel proud of how much I have accomplished to be where I am today. The ‘la dolce vita’ (the sweet life) is every American’s dream.”
Graduate Spotlight
Kim Jordan, classroom to ICU
Kim Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology before deciding that nursing was her true calling. This spring, she earned a nursing degree from SMCC and is now working in a cardiac intensive care unit at Maine Medical Center.
Kim graduated from the University of Maine in 2014, but the healthcare field appealed to her so she became an EMT. In the fall of 2017, she went a step further and enrolled in SMCC’s Midcoast Campus nursing program.
Kim, along with 11 other Midcoast Campus nursing students, received their degrees at commencement in May. All 12 have since passed the national nursing board exams and become registered nurses.
Kim was drawn to the nursing field because she likes to help people and make a difference in their lives. As a cardiac ICU nurse, she cares for people with acute or serious heart problems.
This fall, she will begin pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nursing online through the University of Maine at Fort Kent while working at Maine Medical Center. She says a bachelor’s degree should open up new opportunities in the future.
For now, she’s glad to be entering the workforce and launching her career.
“It’s been a pretty cool thing to transition from being a student to working hands-on with patients.”