International Student Spotlights: Zoey Abigail and Milka Li

In honor of International Week, a time to celebrate cultural diversity at HSU, we highlight two student leaders who have created a home at Hardin-Simmons for themselves as well as others. Zoey Abigail and Milka Li serve as examples of the impact and beauty HSU’s international community has on the campus. 

Zoey Abigail 

Zoey is also a student worker for the Media Services Department.

Zoey Abigail ’22 is an art major with a minor in business administration. She currently serves as President of the International Student Fellowship (ISF), a student organization focused on community. Zoey’s journey to Hardin-Simmons began long before she ever heard of Abilene, Texas. Originally from Surabaya, Indonesia, Zoey felt an undeniable calling to study in the U.S. Her parents struggled with the idea of sending their only daughter so far away but prayed to receive three signs of assurance that America was where Zoey needed to be. When those signs quickly fell into place, Zoey’s parents were confident in the life-changing decision to send her. Four years later, Zoey is preparing to walk the stage in May thanks to the timing that can only be connected to God in those signs. 

Indonesian culture has an important emphasis on community rather than individuality. During her transition into American culture, which tends to focus on the individual, Zoey experienced a bit of a gap. Thankfully, the Global Engagement team and ISF helped her establish a community. She quickly felt others were invested in her journey and success. Zoey spoke about the importance of ISF saying, “When God told me that I was going to pursue my undergraduate degree at HSU, He said that I had a reason to be here; that reason was ISF.”  

As her time at Hardin-Simmons nears its end, Zoey encourages new international students with the advice she would give her younger self. “My suggestion will always be to keep getting involved. This is a new world we are living in. There is so much to see and learn here.” Zoey is thankful for the growth she has experienced and looks forward to the impact HSU’s ISF will have on future generations. 

Milka Li 

Milka Li

Milka Li ’23 came to Hardin-Simmons after being encouraged by her parents to pursue an education in the U.S. Milka is pursuing a degree in accounting with a minor in honors. She currently serves as Vice President of ISF. Upon moving to Abilene from inner Mongolia, China, Milka found comfort in the help that Global Engagement provided for her transition.  

“Global Engagement people are outstanding in the sense that they intentionally learn about other cultures and acknowledge the difficulties international students go through when they first come to the U.S.,” Milka shared. “They know and respect the differences and bridge the gap between cultures.” 

Milka’s favorite things about life at Hardin-Simmons are the Julius Olsen Honor’s Program and ISF. She described her time in the honor’s program as a life-changing and impactful part of her growth as an individual. ISF has facilitated a lot of growth for Milka as a leader as she has been surrounded by a diverse group of cultures. 

In describing her growth through ISF Milka stated, “I learned and am still learning how to work with people with different cultural backgrounds. People often have very different opinions and that does not mean they are wrong. Everyone comes from a unique point of view that might have something to do with their cultural background. This is fascinating to me.” 

Milka accredits the investment of professors as a catalyst for her growth. “Professors here care about you. I guarantee you will miss out if you do not talk to your professors and make friends with them. My professors helped me not only academically but also mentally and spiritually. I would not have grown to the confident person I am today without those conversations with my professors.” 

Milka will serve as the president of ISF throughout the 2022-2023 academic year and continue to foster the family and community she has found within the club.