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Spotlight: Mary Beth Luna

Mary Beth Luna always knew she wanted to work in the medical field.

"I find the human body fascinating!" Luna said. "I started as a medical assistant, but quickly decided that I wanted a more fulfilling career with more responsibility."

Luna definitely found that at Joliet Junior College, where she now is the chair of the Nursing and Allied Health Department.

"What I like most about the college are the students here. I get energized when teaching them and helping them," she said. "I also like the people I work with. The faculty and staff of the Department of Nursing and Allied Health are caring, conscientious, professional individuals who embody the core values of JJC."

Luna has been at the college since August 2000. She became department chair in the fall of 2007 and currently teaches Nursing 170 (LPN to ADN Transition), Nursing 100 (Introduction to Nursing) and Nursing 163 (Pharmacology and the Nursing Process).

Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Luna attended the Evangelical School of Nursing, located on the campus of Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. She received her diploma in nursing in 1982 but soon returned to school, earning her bachelor's degree in nursing in 1991 and master's degree in nursing in 1997 at Governors State University.

In between gardening, cooking and kayaking at her summer cottage in Michigan, Luna loves to play with her two dogs, one of which she adopted from the JJC Veterinary Medical Technology Program.

The Nursing and Allied Health Department at JJC educates and trains future health care professionals through the nearly 20 allied health programs it offers. Students who wish to become registered nurses (RNs) or licensed practical nurses (LPNs) gain educational experiences through the program's three components, classroom, lab and hospital. JJC is the only college in the state to offer a full-time evening program for those seeking an associate's degree in nursing.