Honoring the Journey, Paving Our Future…Class of 2026
For Kim Wilson, the journey at PVCC has been a lot like her favorite subject: a puzzle worth solving.
Graduating this month with her Associate in Mathematics, Wilson discovered along the way that her path didn’t have to be linear. Originally set on engineering, her experience in the Student Public Policy Forum reshaped her direction, leading her toward a future in statistics, where she hopes to pair problem-solving with meaningful community impact.
And if there’s one thing Wilson knows how to do, it’s build something from the ground up.
In Fall 2022, she founded PVCC’s Dungeons & Dragons Club, turning her passion for the game into the most popular club on campus, with more than 90 students joining in its first semester. From running campaigns and organizing events to mentoring new players, Wilson helped create a space where students could connect, collaborate, and belong. Her leadership earned both the Dr. Paul Dale Student Life Spirit Award for the club and back-to-back Club Officer of the Year honors.
But her impact didn’t stop there. As a Peer Mentor in Pre-Calculus and Calculus, Wilson guided fellow students through the challenges of college life, offering support and encouragement in and out of the classroom. Through the Student Public Policy Forum, she took that same passion for connection to a national level, traveling to Washington, D.C., learning how policy is shaped, and advocating directly to representatives on issues like student access to healthcare.
For Wilson, being a Puma is about showing up – especially when the path feels uncertain. As a first-generation, neurodivergent, and non-traditional student, she found confidence, community, and her voice at PVCC.
Her advice for future students? Don’t wait for the “perfect moment… Dive in,” she said. “Take opportunities when they come, even if they feel intimidating. Those are the ones that end up shaping you the most.”
As she looks ahead to continuing her education and career, Wilson is proof that sometimes the most meaningful journeys aren’t about having all the answers, they’re about being willing to figure it out along the way.