An ISU international student has been declared a missing person. 

Tong Shao, junior in chemical engineering who goes by the first name of Shao, was last seen on Sept. 8 in Iowa City on her way to Minnesota. Tong, originally from China, has not been able to be reached by family or friends for 10 days.

Tong’s phone is also disconnected. Friends have tried to email and Facebook message her. 

Tong’s friends said she often goes on week-long trips, but they became concerned after they couldn’t reach her for more than a week. 

“They didn’t really think much of it at the time,” said Cmdr. Geoff Huff of the Ames Police Department said of Tong’s friends. “It’s really not out of character for her, but now that they still haven’t heard from her ten days later they started to get concerned.” 

Ming Wu, freshman in computer engineering and Tong’s neighbor at Fountain View Apartments, described Tong as very intelligent and independent, but impulsive.

“When we would go back to China, we would fly together,” Wu said of other international students. “She would fly back alone.”

Wu mentioned a time when Tong asked to catch a ride up to Minnesota with a group of students from a club at ISU. Wu said all members were shocked that Tong asked to join a group of students on a trip without knowing them. 

Wu said Tong’s roommate sent a message to Tong’s friends through the WeChat app on Thursday, the same day the missing persons report was filed. 

It is troubling that friends from Iowa State, Iowa City and Minnesota have not been able to contact Tong, Huff said. 

“I think she will be okay because she does everything well,” Wu said.

“That’s true, but I’m still pretty worried,” said friend Ruimin Xiao, freshman in computer engineering. 

Contact the Ames Police at 515-239-5133 with any information.