by Desiree M. Cooper
Communication Services
"I enjoy the fresh perspective the students bring to their internships each semester." – Janice Baca-Lujan
Janice Baca-Lujan, who earned her master’s in communicative disorders from Eastern New Mexico University in 2004, is working as a speech-language pathologist in Albuquerque.
She was a first-generation student whose high school teacher took interest in her future education.
“She told me about the wonderful opportunities at ENMU and encouraged me to fill out an application,” said the Albuquerque-native, who offers practicums and internships to students and “enjoys the fresh perspective they bring each semester.”
During her time at ENMU, Mrs. Baca-Lujan was part of the College Success Program (CSP). She was initially a mentee and later became a mentor for the program.
“Being part of this program allowed me the opportunities to lay the foundation for a lifetime of interpersonal skills that have been invaluable,” explained the cooking fan.
“Having my master's degree has allowed me to work as a speech-language pathologist in the medical setting,” she continued. “It has allowed me a way to give back to my community with each patient and family I interact with.” She chose to remain in her home state because she “loves the people, climate, culture and beauty that it has to offer.”
Mrs. Baca-Lujan, who wants to get certified for the Modified Barium Swallow Study, enjoys “getting to work with so many different people from all walks of life. The patients I work with are faced with various challenges and are faced with a complete change in their life.
“I am fortunate to work with physicians, surgeons, nurses and other medical staff to help make a difference in the life of people we treat,” she explained. “It has brought a sense of gratitude for the smallest of things in life.”
The mother of a six-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son said earning her degree has given her time to focus on raising a family.
She enjoys learning about Ayurveda and Curanderismo.
According to the Chopra Center, Ayurveda is “a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. Although suppressed during years of foreign occupation, Ayurveda has been enjoying a major resurgence in both its native land and throughout the world.”
According to the American Cancer Society, Curanderismo is a “form of folk healing that includes various techniques such as prayer, herbal medicine, healing rituals, spiritualism, massage and psychic healing.”
Mrs. Baca-Lujan focuses on these subjects because she finds it “fascinating how much of our well-being can come from changing our thought patterns and how the latest neuroscience research is starting to catch up to some of these ancient models.”
