That reminds me. A couple years ago I curb picked a Nishiki mixte that had been crashed. The down and "top" tubes showed evidence of stress from impact, with paint damage. But the tubes are still solid; near-gaspipe bikes are hard to kill. I stripped it for parts. The frame still sits in the garage. I could build it up from the parts bin. With upright bars, just a RD or even SS, unlovely wheels and nutted axles, a rack plus cheap fenders. I could find a chain guard in the coop parts bin. It would be ugly but functional. Mixte frame would accommodate skirts, chain guard would protect pants. I could stickerize it for even more ugly.
If she likes it, that sounds like an ideal bike for a college woman. I'm still partial to the idea of a dynamo hub so she doesn't have to think about lights, but whether you go that way probably depends on how serious of a problem theft is in that area.
One other thought: with a step through frame she won't need to swing a leg over the back, so a milk crate zip-tied to the rack might make a great addition. They are very handy to have and excellent theft deterrents.