ɐ ɹᵻsˈɪpiənt əvən ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl ɹˈoʊɾɚɹi fˈɛloʊʃˌɪp, sˈɪmənz kəntˈɪnjuːd hɜː lˈiːɡəl stˈʌdiz æt dˈʌɹəm jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪn ˈɪŋɡlənd, fˈoʊkəsɪŋ ɔnðɪ ɪmˈɜːdʒɪŋ jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən ˌiːkənˈɑːmɪk kəmjˈuːnᵻɾi, pɹˈaɪɚ tə sˈɛɾəlɪŋ ɪn sˌæn æntˈoʊnɪˌoʊ.
A recipient of an International Rotary Fellowship, Simmons continued her legal studies at Durham University in England, focusing on the emerging European Economic Community, prior to settling in San Antonio.