CHS Announces Fall 25 Commencement Honor Roles: Andrea Baca, Graduate Student Marshal

Andrea Baca, a candidate for the Master of Public Health degree, made an early life decision to commit herself to the field. Growing up in the border city of Juarez, Mexico, she developed a passion for sports and an understanding for the need to help others maintain good health. After completing her medical degree in Mexico, Andrea spent a year of service in underserved communities, and it was then that she discovered a desire to broaden her perspective and learn how public health systems work in other countries. Despite her fears of beginning a new academic journey in a foreign country with different systems and a different language, Andrea took a leap of faith and moved to El Paso to begin her degree.

During her time at UTEP, Andrea balanced a busy schedule of coursework with extracurricular activities. As a member of the Bioergonomics Lab, she became familiar with diverse projects that address important health topics. Her interaction with her peers, including undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students, supported her thesis development and brought to light the commitment each lab member has to improve the health and well-being of their community. She also participated as a guest speaker and simulated patient for the School of Pharmacy, sharing her experiences during the time she practiced medicine in Mexico. She says that these opportunities to interact with Pharmacy students not only strengthened her communication skills, but also filled her with pride, knowing that she was making a difference in the lives of future health professionals.

Despite Andrea’s busy schedule and becoming a first-time mother earlier this year, she is on track to complete her degree with a perfect 4.0 GPA.