Boya Hu
Freshman, biology/pre-med major
Xi’an, China

Boya’s mother encouraged her to come to the United States. She enjoys drawing, singing, reading, and playing the piano. She aspires to return to China to be close to her family. Both of her parents practice medicine, so Boya’s dream is to work in a small hospital as a surgeon with her parents and compose music on the side. The Saint Teresa Institute has offered Boya “an opportunity to make new friends, learn about American culture (and others), become a better communicator, and work with women who also value community and serving others.”

Abigail Lofte
Senior, theology & human services major
Ossian, Iowa

“I love hanging out with the Teresans and SMU alumni!” Abby proclaims as she balances reading and writing for 17 credits this semester with socializing, writing two theses, representing the Institute, leading continuous theological debates, and discerning religious life.

Abby has been a student leader on the Franciscan Heritage Project, conducting several of the Rochester Franciscan sisters’ interviews. She lives with Wegners Granulomatosis, a daily struggle that challenges her health and wellbeing. After graduation, Abby plans to pursue doctoral studies in theology.

Georgette McCauley
Sophomore, biology/premed major, chemistry minor
Liberia, Africa

Georgette enjoys talking on the phone, hanging out with friends, cooking, and writing poetry. A refugee who came to the U.S. with her family in 2001, she loves to learn and gain new experiences. Georgette is a board member for our area Habitat for Humanity. This past summer she participated in the Minnesota’s Future Doctors inaugural session, the first of three summers for promising and under-represented students in medicine. Georgette hopes to study abroad in Africa and work on alleviating poverty. The Institute has offered her a positive, supportive environment, a “surrounding of sisterhood.”

Danielle Zauhar
Junior, history and social science major
Floodwood, Minnesota

Gearing up to study in Florence, Italy, next spring, Danielle enjoys volunteering, hanging out with family and friends, and playing sports. She loves to help others and plans to be a teacher. Next year she will apply for the masters in instruction program at SMU. In five years she hopes to be in a secondary school teaching history and social science, possibly overseas.

Finding a sense of belonging, Danielle says the Institute “filled this space in my life,” giving her so many opportunities to serve, branch out, and try new things. “I like the women’s focused community.”