by Erin Raterman
Daily Lobo
A legally blind UNM senior double majoring in language and music has been named to the list of Who’s Who among American Universities and Colleges.
Jessica Bachicha can speak five languages: English, Italian, French, Spanish and German.
She takes between 18 and 20 credit hours each semester and has a GPA higher than 4.0.
“Jessica has such a full life and everything she does she does well,” said Shelly Anzara, coordinator of UNM Student Services. “You don’t even think of her being blind.”
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Anzara nominated Bachicha for the award.
Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities is a national organization that awards students based on scholarship ability, participation and leadership in academic and extracurricular activities, citizenship and service to school as well as potential for future achievements.
Bachicha said when she first came to UNM, she was torn between majoring in music, language or theology.
Bachicha, a classical singer, has been taking music lessons since she was 10. She said she also loves languages and last summer made the decision to major in music and language because she was unable to choose one over the other.
When she is not focusing on her studies, Bachicha said she spends her time helping other blind students. She is the vice president of the Student Division of the New Mexico Association of Blind Students, which is an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind. The organization advocates equal educational opportunities for blind students and advises educators of the blind.
Bachicha plans to attend graduate school after finishing at UNM. She said she would like to study in England and eventually become a professor.
“There’s so many classes and not enough time,” Bachicha said. “There is so much I don’t know yet.”
She is uncertain about whether she wants to teach music, language or theology, but added that she would ideally like to teach each of them.
“I like sharing and learning from people through teaching,” Bachicha said.
She said her grandmother helped influence her as a young girl to realize how important education is.
Bachicha considers her most fulfilling accomplishment to have sung “Ave Marie” for Pope John Paul II in 2001 while taking classes about Polish culture and language in Europe.
She said she did not know she was going to sing for the pope until only a few hours before performing.
Bachicha says that her determination to do well in school comes naturally to her and added that she gets a great deal of gratification from the results of her work.
She is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the Societe Honoraire de Francais, an organization dedicated to stimulating the study of the French language.
Bachicha is also the student representative of the UNM Department of Music.
