Dec. 15, 2025
Story by Ryan Gauthier, rjgauthier@health.missouri.edu
Before Joanne Lim came to Mizzou, she engaged in a Border War of her own.
Growing up in Kansas City, Lim began her college journey with thoughts of attending a school close to her friends and family. Among her top choices were the University of Kansas — influenced by her father’s work at the University of Kansas Medical Center — as well as the University of Missouri.
A fateful visit to Columbia shifted her perspective eastward.
“When I toured Mizzou, everyone was so welcoming,” Lim said. “It was great to be able to see the campus community and the city itself — I just felt really at peace here.”
That sense of peace launched an academic adventure that culminates Friday, Dec. 19, when Lim will serve as the student speaker for the College of Health Sciences winter commencement ceremony in Jesse Auditorium. She will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in health science with a pre-professional emphasis.
Although her arrival at Mizzou felt right, the transition wasn’t seamless. Lim admits her early days were defined by difficult adjustments.
“The first semester was a little rocky, because I was homesick, and that was the first time I was away from home,” she said. “But once the spring semester hit, I started really liking it a lot.”
Finding her footing meant finding her people. Lim immersed herself in activities at Mizzou, including as the external philanthropy chair and advisor for the Sigma Eta Rho co-ed professional fraternity in addition to joining the Pre-PA club. She also worked as a chemistry tutor and as a peer learning assistant for biochemistry.
Connections in health care
Lim was drawn to the College of Health Sciences because of the holistic nature of the curriculum. She said she appreciates learning about all aspects of the health care field and how they influence one another.
“I like that it’s not solely the science side of things,” she said. “We’re learning about ethics and leadership along the way, because health care is more than just diagnosing and treating.”
Although she pivoted from medical school toward pursuing a career as a physician assistant, she said the flexibility of her degree program in the Department of Health Sciences made the process relatively simple.
“I didn’t even have to switch my major,” she said. “I was still taking the same classes, but my overall path and future look a little different.”
After graduation, Lim plans to apply to physician assistant programs in and around Missouri to begin the next stage of her studies in early 2027. In the meantime, she’ll continue shadowing and volunteering to prepare for the next chapter. Her advice for current students?
“Enjoy every moment and take any opportunities you have,” she said. “I started doing really well in my classes when I formed a relationship with all of my professors and going to office hours.”
Lim’s commencement speech will touch on themes of perseverance and growth, blending lessons from the classroom with the challenges of young adulthood. For a student who once worried about making friends and finding her way on campus, standing at the podium in Jesse Auditorium feels like a fitting conclusion to a successful undergraduate experience.
“I would love to have a good close to the chapter and be able to tell everyone my small journey and what I took away from this,” she said.