Alivia Lor has always been encouraged to follow her own path, especially by her parents. Both of them were Hmong refugees, and they also both received advanced degrees from the U of M Twin Cities. Lor’s dad is a pharmacist with a Ph.D. in Pharmacy, and her mom, a trained therapist, is currently the CEO of Canvas Health.
Lor is motivated to help students feel connected and supported. “Duluth has a different culture than Minneapolis.” Nature and art are a draw. “I’ve been able to be more involved and find fulfillment here,” says Lor.
Her current path takes her in many directions. Lor is a sophomore double majoring in psychology and cultural entrepreneurship with a minor in business administration. She’s also in the UMD figure skating club, and part of a leadership group working with the Duluth community. A path she spends a lot of time on is working as a resident assistant (RA) in the campus apartments, where she helps involve students with events on campus.
Lor’s passion for psychology grew from her mother’s work as a therapist. “I look up to my mom,” Lor says. “I’ve always been curious about why people make their decisions. My mom has so much knowledge about people. It’s an inspiration, really.” Having grown up hearing her mom discuss her work and the different kinds of trauma she sees has helped Lor in her psychology classes.
She is working on her major in cultural entrepreneurship and sometimes that connects her to two more of her interests: understanding and creating art. “'This helps me learn more about various cultures through art,” says Lor.
Lor takes on challenges. She’s exploring psychology, art, and at the same time, she’s helping students feel connected.