By The pounding in her head was relentless, the kind of pain that blurred the edges of reality. Still, she pushed through, flipping open her nursing textbook, determined to keep up with her studies.
Later, on the dance floor, she felt a sharp, familiar tear in her shoulder, which was one she had hoped never to experience again. And then there were the nights when she lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying the phone call she couldn’t forget.
Each challenge carved a deeper resolve, strengthening her belief that she was meant to help others, no matter what it took.
Carroll College senior nursing major Lexi Hutchison has never been one to back down from a challenge. From an early age, she set herself apart, earning an associate degree in liberal arts the same week she graduated from high school in Rupert, Idaho.
Since then, her journey has been marked by resilience, determination, and an unwavering commitment to her goals.
Lexi’s passion for nursing was instilled at a young age by her grandmother, who was a nurse and kept Mayo Clinic journals in her home. Growing up, Hutchison would flip through the pages, inspired by the world of medicine and the possibility of helping others.
She arrived at Carroll College excited to take the first steps toward her career.
“I chose Carroll because of the small, tight-knit community that the nursing program offers,” she said.
But Lexi’s freshman year would test her in ways she never expected.
Hutchison was studying one evening when she received a devastating phone call from her mother; her close family friend, Mason Adams, had died in a fatal car accident.
The loss weighed heavily on her, shaking her world.
But that tragedy made her calling clear. She longed to be there for others in moments of crisis, to provide the kind of care she wished Mason had in his final moments.
“In that moment, I knew I wanted to be someone’s source of comfort when their whole world is falling apart,” Hutchison said.
By her sophomore year, Hutchison had set her sights on making a bit of academic history. She hoped to become the first Carroll College student to graduate with a major in nursing and a minor in chemistry.
However, her ambitions were blocked by yet another challenge.
Constant headaches that were relentless, leading Lexi to seek another challenge.
She would be diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). The condition caused increased pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding her brain and spinal cord, leading to persistent headaches and migraines.
Life kept dealing Lexi setbacks, but she came back with equal force.
Determined not to let the condition derail her dreams, she endured countless doctor visits, adjusted her lifestyle, and tried a multitude of prescriptions and medical treatments before finally seeing improvement. Despite the pain, she remained dedicated to her coursework, refusing to give in.
“There were days I didn’t know how I was going to keep going, but giving up was never an option,” Hutchison said.
Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, Hutchison could not complete her chemistry minor.
But by her junior year, she had finally been cleared of IIH, marking a major turning point in her journey.
Entering her senior year, Hutchison filled up the only remaining empty spots on her busy day planner by joining the Carroll College Dance Team.
“I was a competitive dancer my whole life, and dancing had always been my safe space,” Hutchison said. “I wanted to go back to that.”
Having danced before college, she was excited to return to the sport. But once again, adversity struck. Early in the season, she tore her labrum while practicing, She had previously torn it while playing softball in her senior year of high school, an injury that required surgery.
Determined to push through, she continued dancing for weeks until the pain became unbearable.
Though sidelined from performing, she remained dedicated to the team, assisting coach Faith Edmister in practices and supporting her teammates from the sidelines.
“The whole team still felt Lexi’s love and support, fulfilling her role as a teammate even though she couldn’t perform,” said Emma Boharski, a senior biology major from Spokane, Washington, who is also Hutchison’s roommate and teammate.
Through it all, Hutchison has balanced her nursing coursework with her commitments. Alongside her studies, she has been babysitting a set of twins since her sophomore year.
Now, after years of perseverance, she is set to graduate with a nursing degree, proving that resilience and dedication can overcome even the toughest obstacles, proving that life may be tough, but Lexi was tougher.
Her proud mother, Lauren Hutchison, admires her daughter’s strength.
“She overcame adversities with confidence that she could do it,” her mom said. “She was positive and did what was needed to get done to overcome adversities, without letting it get her down.”
Even with all the setbacks, she’s still smiling. No regrets.
“I’d consider it a rollercoaster,” she said. “I’ve faced a lot of challenges that tested my limits, but they taught me things about myself. Each obstacle I faced was a stepping stone, preparing me for the future. My experiences helped me feel ready for whatever the world throws at me next.”
