September 1, 2025 | Jennifer Cortez, Palm Springs Desert Sun

The simulation and nursing labs at College of the Desert are quiet for now. Mannequins lie in hospital beds, waiting for students who will soon return for the fall semester.

But even in the stillness, Mary Suarez can see the urgency of what’s ahead: a class of aspiring registered nurses, some of them adult learners balancing families, jobs and late-night study sessions — much like she once did.

“I tell them, don’t wait for the perfect time to go back to school,” she said. “Because life will always be busy. Just start now, and you’ll be amazed at what you’re capable of.”

Suarez knows this truth firsthand. While raising two children under the age of 3 and working two jobs, she returned to school for her master of science in nursing education. Today, she is a tenured nursing professor of simulation at COD, training students in labs that mimic real hospital scenarios — and helping to prepare the health care workforce the Coachella Valley so urgently needs.

A legacy of sacrifice and resilience

Her journey into nursing was inspired by her mother, who immigrated from the Philippines and held multiple jobs — from Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs to John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio — to support her six children. Her father, once an engineer in the Philippines, stayed home to care for the family so they could thrive in their new life.

As a first-generation immigrant herself, Suarez remembers the upheaval of arriving in the United States at age 7, barely speaking English and leaving behind her extended family and friends.

“That’s where I learned the value of sacrifice, the value of grit. That’s what fuels me today. (My mom) came here with a dream, and that dream was to better our family. She sacrificed everything for that brand-new start,” she said. “It was definitely a shock, and I didn’t understand at the time the reason for that, but now, I can’t thank her enough for the opportunities that she gave us.”

The lessons from that transition — resilience, adaptability and determination — stayed with her as she graduated from Palm Springs High School and pursued higher education.

“I never thought I would be a nurse, let alone teaching here (at COD) in this esteemed program,” Suarez said. “When I was a student here, I wanted to be a nurse, but I thought this program was very difficult, so I ventured out.”

She subsequently earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at California State University, San Bernardino in 2011, and began her nursing career at Redlands Community Hospital. Suarez quickly rose to the role of charge nurse and later preceptor for new graduate nurses.

It was there, while mentoring new nurses and training them on the floor, that she discovered her love for teaching.

Balancing motherhood, nursing and teaching

Encouraged by her nurse manager, she found her way back to COD in 2016 — this time as a clinical instructor. At the same time, she was pursuing a master’s degree in nursing through Western Governors University. Drawn to the flexibility of WGU’s online program, Suarez was able to balance life as a mom, nurse, student and nurse educator. But it wasn’t easy.

“I had two little kids at home, I was working shifts at the hospital and I was teaching,” she said. “There were nights I was writing papers at 2 a.m. after putting my kids to bed.”

Her perseverance left an impression. Her daughter, now a seventh grader, wants to become a doctor. Her 9-year-old son said he wants to work alongside his mom at COD one day. As for her youngest, now 4, it’s too soon to tell — though for now, she’s happily into “My Little Pony.”

“I thought I was doing it just for myself and my career,” Suarez said. “But I realize now my kids were watching. They saw my determination and it planted a seed in them, too.”

After completing her master’s degree, Suarez transitioned from clinical instruction at COD to teaching in a full-time capacity, where she began her career in simulation education. A time that she referred to as a “trial by fire,” the height of the COVID-19 pandemic deepened her understanding of the importance of what she was teaching.

“It showed me the magnitude of what we do here and how important it is because we’re also preparing (students) psychologically for the rigor of the career,” Suarez said.

Training nurses to meet a growing need in the Coachella Valley

She sees that same determination reflected in her students — many of them nontraditional learners beginning their journey in the nursing program.

“They’re career changers, parents, people who want a stable path forward,” Suarez said.

COD’s nursing program has become a workforce pipeline in the Coachella Valley, where hospitals continue to grapple with nursing shortages. With an aging population and increasing demand for mental health services, the need for well-trained nurses is only expected to grow.

To meet that challenge, Suarez said COD works hand-in-hand with local hospitals and clinics. Faculty regularly meet with health care providers to identify gaps in patient care — whether in technology, bedside manner or crisis response — and then build those skills into classroom instruction and simulation labs.

Photo Gallery: First day of school at CSUSB Palm Desert Campus and College of the Desert

And just last year, major health care employers committed $2.9 million through OneFuture’s Healthcare Workforce Leadership Roundup to expand COD’s registered nursing program, doubling its 2024-25 class with 70 additional students and funding a new skills lab to support the training Suarez provides.

“We listen and we adapt,” she said. “Our responsibility is to graduate students who are ready to serve the community on day one.”

The program recently applied for accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, hoping to “stand among the giants,” Suarez said. Fewer than 20 programs nationwide hold the designation, including nearby Riverside City College, the first community college to earn the accreditation.

“If we get this accreditation, we’re going to be the only one in the valley,” she said. “It’s just so cool to see where we’re headed and the future of simulation.”

As a simulation educator, Suarez helps students practice high-stakes scenarios in a safe, controlled environment. COD’s simulation labs use advanced mannequins that replicate vital signs and physical responses, as well as scenarios addressing mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder and manic episodes. Students learn not just the technical skills of nursing, but also the compassion and calm required in the field.

“I remind them, I was once in their shoes — scared, nervous, unprepared,” Suarez said. “The lab gives them a safety net. They can make mistakes here and learn from them, so they’ll be confident and safe when it’s real.”

Her philosophy as an educator is rooted in mentorship.

“I didn’t have that support in nursing school,” she said. “I want to rewrite that experience for my students. I set the bar high, but I also model compassion and encouragement. That’s how you build confident, capable nurses.”

A lifelong learner shaping community health

Even as she mentors the next generation of nurses, Suarez continues to be a student herself. She is pursuing a doctorate in nursing practice at Grand Canyon University to drive lasting improvements in health care and patient outcomes.

In her genomics class, she is working on a project with Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine, a nonprofit, to explore ways to improve diabetes self-management at a low cost in the Coachella Valley.

“I’m so excited to see what sort of changes that I can help with so that we can improve the overall health of the community here,” she said.

As COD prepares to open its doors for the 2025-26 academic year, Suarez is once again at the front of the lab, ready to welcome new faces — many of whom will resemble her at that point in her career: nervous, ambitious and unsure if they belong.

“If you were to ask me 15 to 20 years ago, when I was still taking classes at COD, whether I would be teaching here in the nursing program as a simulation instructor, I would have been floored,” she said. “I didn’t know that was even possible for me.”

Desert Sun intern Tallulah Rector contributed to this story.

Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.