Kathryn Cua

This week our Campus Celeb is Kathryn (Kat) Cua! Cua, a sophomore, is a Tour Guide at Mizzou, as well as a member of ODK’s Top 14. Cua is from Chicago, IL, and is a Journalism and Art History double major. In between tours, you can find Cua napping in public spaces and using her meal passes to dine with freshmen in Sabai (can we blame her?!).

Her Campus Mizzou: Why did you decide to join Tour Team here at Mizzou? 

Kat Cua: I think a huge misconception about choosing a college to go to has to do with this idea of “you know when you know.” Or you know it’s the right one for you because you’ll feel it in your bones when you step onto campus. A good majority of people I met coming in as a freshman experienced that, but I didn’t. I was really nervous about coming to Mizzou because I didn’t think I was going to fit in or enjoy it, but as I continued on with my time here, the university started to grow on me to the point where I wanted to represent it. I wanted to share that with incoming students. 

HCM: What is your favorite memory from Tour Team? 

KC: Wow, that’s a difficult question. I really don’t have a single most favorite memory from Tour Team. What I’m forever grateful for, though, is that it’s given me sweet and remarkable friendships with some of the most driven, go-getting people I’ve ever met. 

HCM: What is the strangest/funniest question you’ve ever been asked on a tour? 

KC: I don’t really get any strange questions, but the funniest things happen when I give tours to young children. On a regular tour, we show what a residence hall looks like, and when I took them into Defoe-Graham, there was one girl who was absolutely floored by it. When she saw the show room, her jaw physically dropped, and she asked me if that’s where she gets to live when she comes to college. “This can’t be real,” she told me. “This is too good to be true.” She thought the show room was THE coolest thing in the world. Next to getting to share a room with someone else. 

HCM: What is ODK Top 14 and what do you do with that organization? 

KC: ODK Top 14 is an organization that recognizes 14 freshmen for their leadership ability. A lot of what we do with it has to do with personal and professional development where we learn how we lead and how to lead better. 

HCM: What other organizations are you a part of at Mizzou? 

KC: Aside from Tour Team and ODK Top 14, I’m also in a sorority. I’m really not that involved/exciting of a person.