LSCO's Suzanne Baker Brings 21 Years of Nursing Experience to Simulation-Based Learning
July 23, 2025
Suzanne Baker has worked at Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) for upwards of 21 years and currently serves as the Nursing Simulation Director. With experience as both an instructor and director, Baker derives inspiration from seeing her students thrive in courses and beyond.
Baker was born and raised in Orange County, where she graduated from Bridge City High School. She has family and friends still residing in the county who she values remaining in close proximity with, and she has enjoyed raising her own kids in the area she herself grew up in. Her tight knit community and deep family roots keep her in her beloved hometown.
Her collegiate career began at Lamar State College Port Arthur, back when it was Lamar University Port Arthur. There, she received a Vocational Nursing Certificate and an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Nursing. She decided to go back to school online during the COVID-19 pandemic, so she attended the University of Texas at Tyler where she earned both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing Education.
Baker started her career as a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) at a pediatrician's office within the Christus Corporation. She then became a registered nurse (RN) and worked with a pediatrician at the Christus Saint Mary’s Hospital for approximately 10-12 years. She then started with a different pediatrician, where she performed Texas Health Step checkups. There, she came across an LSCO instructor who inspired her to begin a career as an instructor herself. She went on to work as an adjunct instructor in the vocational nursing department for seven years before moving into the simulation sector as a clinical instructor. She now teaches in the RN transition program and works as the simulation director for all of nursing.
As an instructor, Baker prefers to use a hands-on approach to help her students grasp course material. She enjoys conducting simulation labs to allow students the opportunity to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios. Seeing her lessons come to life in an applicable way gives her the chance to provide even further instruction to students.
While Baker is passionate about many aspects of her job, she most enjoys getting to connect with her students and watching them grow into their nursing roles. Seeing them get excited about their newfound knowledge and fully grasp lessons motivates her to perform to her highest potential as an instructor. She has had many moments to proudly see her students succeed in and outside of the classroom throughout her career.
“Seeing lecture material finally click for students is my favorite part of my job,” Baker said. “Having them come back to me later and tell me how much our lectures and labs help them in their careers makes me proud every time.”
Baker considers walking students through doubts about their abilities the most difficult aspect of her job. She has had many experiences throughout her career of working with students through intense frustrations and uncertainty of their own ability to get through school. Some of her most cherished moments of teaching have been seeing those students go on to have successful careers in the nursing field.
In her free time, Baker enjoys spending time with her niece’s children. She loves any time she gets with them, especially when they get to take part in outdoor activities like going to the beach and playing baseball or soccer. When she’s not with her family, she loves to read in her downtime.