2016 Tommie Award nominee: Abueno Natacha Eguida

Abueno Natacha Eguida, biology major, chemistry minor, 3.52 GPA

Photo courtesy of Abueno Natacha Eguida.
Photo courtesy of Abueno Natacha Eguida.

Eguida was born in Togo, West Africa and has grown up in several different countries. She is involved on campus as the president of the African Nations’ Student Association, president of the Globally Minded Student Association, president of the Gospel Choir Club, international student representative in the Undergraduate Student Government and international student orientation leader and mentor.

She has also received several awards at St. Thomas, including the Outstanding Student Service Learning and Civic Engagement Award in 2013, the Global Citizenship Award in 2014 and the International Student Leadership Award in 2014.

Eguida said her greatest achievement at St. Thomas was organizing Culture Fest, the first collaboration between ten cultural clubs on campus. She felt that all of her work was worth it when she saw everyone embracing their differences and celebrating their commonalities.

Her favorite memory at St. Thomas was marching through the arches as a freshman and feeling welcomed by the whole community. Eguida hopes to feel the same sense of community this spring at graduation when she will march through the arches again.

In the future, Eguida will attend medical school. She hopes to one day be an OB-GYN and improve women’s health in underserved communities.

Claire Noack can be reached at noac8702@stthomas.edu.