09/09/2026
Roots & Wings
Stories of the Blue Jay
Featuring: Jessica Carey-Huett - Class of 1999
Jessica Huett knew early in life that she wanted to become a nurse. With that goal in mind, she took summer classes at the college in Hope and graduated a year early.
Jessica remained close to home for college, earning her nursing degree through the University of Arkansas program in Hope.
Scholarships covered the cost of her education, allowing her to begin her career without student debt. While attending school, she worked as a monitor technician in the ICU at the local hospital. It was there that she discovered her passion for caring for critically ill patients.
After graduation, Jessica worked nights as a registered nurse in the ICU before challenging herself with a position in the Coronary Care Unit at Baptist Health in Little Rock. One day, she noticed another nurse completing an application and asked what he was doing. He told her he was applying to nurse anesthesia school—a career Jessica had never heard of before.
That simple conversation changed the direction of her life.
Jessica went home, researched the profession and immediately knew it was what she wanted to pursue. After a challenging application and interview process, she was accepted into a 28-month program. In 2008, she earned her master’s degree in nurse anesthesia.
Since then, Jessica has worked in a variety of healthcare settings in Texarkana. As a nurse anesthetist, she plays a critical role in surgical procedures. One of her favorite parts of the job is visiting with patients before surgery, easing their fears and reassuring them that they are in good hands. Although the work can be stressful, she finds it incredibly rewarding.
Jessica also shared that nurse anesthetists are in high demand and have opportunities to travel, work in large cities or remain close to home and serve their own communities.
Her advice to today’s students is to dream big and never assume that coming from a small town limits their opportunities.
“Don’t let the idea of ‘that’s too many years of school’ stop you. It may seem like a long time right now, but it goes by faster than you think—and it’s worth it if you’re working toward something you care about.”
Jessica reminded students that college is not the only path to a successful future. What matters is finding work they enjoy, work that allows them to serve others and work that can support the future they hope to build. They do not have to have everything figured out today—they simply need to take the next step, remain open to new possibilities and be willing to work hard.
Sometimes, an opportunity begins with something as small as asking a question. Jessica’s journey is a wonderful example of where curiosity, determination and a willingness to follow a new path can lead.
We are proud of the strong roots Jessica formed at Nevada and the caring, capable wings that have carried her into a career devoted to serving others.
We have more ~ Stories of the Blue Jay ~ on the way. We'd love to share yours, too. E-mail your story, photo, and/or video to [email protected].
