As a Newman Jet, 2026 graduate Lawton Simons spent four years preparing for a career in nursing. Now, he’s ready for a future that could eventually take him thousands of feet into the air.
The Wichita native recently moved to Kansas City to begin his nursing career at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, a nationally recognized pediatric hospital where he hopes to one day achieve his ultimate goal: becoming a flight nurse.
“That’s what I want to do,” he said. “I want to work in the ICU for a couple years and then move into flight nursing.”
It’s a dream sparked by stories he heard as a child.
“I grew up going over to my best friend’s house all the time,” Simons said. “His mom is a nurse practitioner, and her stories about the sick kids she was treating stuck with me all these years.”
A dream job already secured
While many graduates spend months searching for their first professional opportunity, Simons secured his dream job long before crossing the commencement stage on May 16.
“I accepted my offer in December, so I’ve had it lined up for a while now,” he said.
Simons’ reaction was “straight excitement,” he said.
“I was so ready to start the journey. And to get the job at my dream hospital in a city that I want to be in was so special.”
Lawton officially begins work July 13.
The position marks the first step toward flight nursing, a highly specialized role that combines critical care with medical transport.
“Children’s Mercy has a fleet of helicopters and jets,” Simons explained. “You fly out to anywhere from Asia to Australia — literally any of the continents. You can go to them, pick up the kiddo, take care of them on the plane and get them back to your hospital.”
Simons’ biggest goal is to make a difference, and he sees the opportunity to “treat the sickest of sick kids” as the best avenue to achieve it.
Finding community through Newman nursing
Simons arrived at Newman after graduating from Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. He bowled during his first two years as a student before devoting nearly all of his time to Newman’s rigorous nursing program.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “It was definitely stressful. A lot of hard exams. But there’s a big community in the nursing program.”
That support network proved invaluable throughout countless hours of studying, clinical experiences and demanding coursework.
“The professors are great,” Simons said. “If you ever need help after an exam, you can always go to them. I feel like the experience was very positive, and it set me up for the future very well.”
He credits Newman with helping him develop the discipline and study habits necessary to succeed.
“In high school, I was never the person that really studied for exams,” Simons said. “But once I got into the nursing program, it was definitely just countless hours of studying and developing those study plans.”
He described Newman’s nursing professors as “personable,” with a commitment to growing students’ confidence before they ever step foot in a hospital.
“The way they cover the material and the clinical experiences you get set you up for success. Getting to see all different patient populations and soak it all in has made me feel prepared for Children’s Mercy.”
Family, faith and supporters
Among the people who helped shape Simons’ Newman experience was his cousin, Brooklyn Lane.
Lane, a member of the Newman volleyball team, was diagnosed in the spring with synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive soft-tissue cancer. Her diagnosis inspired an outpouring of support from the Newman community, including a student-organized Spike Out Cancer volleyball fundraiser.
“Having her at Newman was a huge thing for me because I grew up with her as like a little sister,” Simons said. “Having that person to fall back on when I needed somebody to talk to after an exam … I’m just praying for her and hoping that everything goes well with her diagnosis.”
As Simons begins a new chapter in Kansas City, he hopes to carry that same spirit of compassion into his career.
“The impact I hope to make is to put a smile on everyone’s face,” he said. “My personality is all about making people laugh and making them feel seen and heard.”
Making an impact in the field
For Simons, nursing is about more than medicine.
“If I can walk in a room and make a kid smile and make that kid feel comfortable talking to me, then I did my job,” he said. “I love nursing because I get to show my patients my teddy bear and caring personality.”
Looking ahead, he’s eager not only for a rewarding career but also for the opportunity to build a life in a new city.
“The biggest thing I am looking forward to in moving to Kansas City is working for a great hospital, meeting people and hopefully meeting my future wife and starting a family,” Simons said. “I want to be a dad so bad. I want to care for kids all day and then come home and care for my own.”
For now, the newest Newman nursing graduate is focused on the next career milestone: helping children reach the care they need, one flight at a time.
Earn a degree in nursing from Newman University
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Newman University provides a unique educational experience, highlighting challenges students will face in their careers as healthcare professionals, to equip them to transform society.
