She grew up speaking Shanghai dialect, Standard Chinese, and English at a young age.
[2] As a non-native English speaker, Lu did not intend on becoming a composition teacher after completing her PhD.
[3] After completing her TA position, Lu briefly lectured at Des Moines Area Community College.
She went on to teach at Drake University for over ten years (1989–2001) holding several positions including Endowed Professor of the Humanities.
[2] She has spent the majority of her teaching career at the University of Louisville, where she is currently serving as Professor Emerita since 2014.