Located on the lower campus of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and in proximity to the University MTR, Chung Chi Staff Quarters Block E is both a familiar landmark and a common thoroughfare for members of the CUHK community. Its adjacent pathway is the main route leading to Chung Chi College and other academic and administrative premises. The site on which Block E sits will be redeveloped into the Chung Chi Innovation Building (tentative), of which the fundraising project is led by Mr. Cheng Man Shan (Ricky), Member of Chung Chi College’s Board of Trustees (BOT); Senior College Tutor; and Convener of the Fundraising Subcommittee, Development Committee of BOT. Whenever he passes by Block E, the days of his being the Director of the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) at CUHK and his two-decade-long affiliation with Chung Chi College would always come to his mind.

Two-Decade Chung Chi Companionship

Ricky’s story with Chung Chi began with the College’s Toastmasters Club. In 2001, he learned from Dr. Yung Kung Hing, Chung Chi Senior College Tutor, that the College was setting up a toastmasters club. He approached Dr. Yung and volunteered his service. He began as the tutor to a toastmasters workshop which met once a week for seven weeks. The students’ response was overwhelming. The Chung Chi International Toastmasters Club was established soon afterwards. Since then, for over 20 years Ricky has taken different roles such as tutor, evaluator, and sponsor. What has not changed is his unceasing care and support of the club. In 2003, Ricky became the founding Director of OIA at CUHK. Having heard of his new appointment, Professor Lee Pui Leung Rance, then Head of College, invited Ricky to join Chung Chi. Since then, Ricky has been a member of Chung Chi inside and out.

A Life-guiding Seed Sown in His Heart

Ricky was an accountant by profession and helped to run a family business before he joined CUHK. He had his first taste of fundraising 27 years ago when he was involved in a fundraising campaign. His target was to raise funds to help build schools in the mainland. As a novice, he tried to apply the strategies used in managing the family business to fundraising, and was surprised to have raised a total of five million dollars. Through this he had gained a good understanding of the fundraising process and found it both meaningful and challenging. He admitted that running a business and raising funds for a university differ greatly in concept and the decision-making process. The former can all be managed by himself, whereas the latter entails consultations from various departments and stakeholders. “Being successful in the first fundraising attempt has planted a seed in my heart, which guides me towards my life’s goal and enables me to make important decisions at critical phases.”

After working at OIA for seven years, Ricky left CUHK and joined the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (United Board). Established in 1922, the United Board is a non-government organisation which in its early years supported 13 Christian colleges and universities in China and later expanded its services to higher education institutions in other Asian countries and regions. With its headquarters in New York, the United Board supported the establishment of Chung Chi in the 1950s. A Hong Kong Office was opened in 2005 at the Chung Chi College Administration Building. Ricky found himself still working on CUHK campus, and his relationship with Chung Chi deepened. He accepted the invitation of Mrs. Kwok Tam Kit Ying Angela, then College Secretary, to be Senior College Tutor, and joined Chung Chi BOT as a representative from the United Board.

Chung Chi Spirit Never Ceases as We Serve and Learn

“From my 12 years of experience as a member of the Chung Chi BOT, I have recognised the importance of serving and learning,” Ricky said. BOT members hailed from different sectors such as banking, media, and religious organisations. With their professional background and work experience, the BOT members have made tremendous contributions to the College’s development. Apart from learning a lot from them, Ricky has also gained insights from other Trustees’ approaches to tackling issues and their way of thinking. From former chairpersons of BOT to the present one, he has learned how to encourage others, adopt a flexible approach to leading and unifying the Board, and achieve the goals with concerted efforts. His talents enable him to make various contributions to BOT affairs. Today, as the Convener of the Fundraising Subcommittee, Development Committee of Chung Chi BOT, Ricky can serve and learn from a brand-new perspective.

Ricky has joined the path of Chung Chi College for over two decades. He has seen numerous examples of selfless devotion of Chung Chi members and their strong affiliation with the College. “Chung Chi is focused on providing their students with opportunities for an all-round development. A lot of resources and ingenuity have been poured into pursuing the College missions and delivering results,” he said. “They are very passionate about their work, and always go an extra mile. Be it the hostels, the canteens, or the fauns and fauna on campus, they would miss not one detail. Despite their heavy workload, they would always return emails to colleagues and students even if it is deep into the night or on weekends. I am truly impressed by the strong bond forged among Chung Chi members, who carry out their duties tirelessly for the benefit of students, enabling them to enjoy their study life in a good learning environment,” he smiled.

From Tangible to Intangible Values

In his 21st year with Chung Chi College, the seed in Ricky’s heart has sprouted and flourished to enable him to take yet another big step forward in the education sector. As the Convener of the Fundraising Subcommittee, Development Committee of Chung Chi BOT, he is ready to take on another new challenge – the Fundraising Project of the Redevelopment of Chung Chi Staff Quarters Block E.

Being a veteran fundraiser, Ricky believes that the key to attracting potential donors is not promoting how advanced or comprehensive the facilities are, but the intangible values behind the hardware. How can the new building foster the College’s long-term development in education? What contributions can it make to education in Hong Kong and the rest of the world? “Since Dr. Norman Chan assumed office as Chairman of Chung Chi Board of Trustees last year, he has established three new directions for cultivating Chung Chi students: to be virtuous, to be talented ‘master of pen and sword’, and to be with a strong mind and spirit. Driven by these directions, the Chung Chi Innovation Building will focus on nurturing more talent for the betterment of society. Given the rapid development of the digital world, students should recognise that the more advanced the technology, the more respect should be paid to morals and ethics, so that they will understand what moral values they should adhere to in the digital era,” Ricky said. Over the years, his multinational exposure at the United Board has revealed to him the strengths and weaknesses of education systems in different countries, and trained his eye on emerging and future trends of development. He is well aware that education has to keep up with the times. The new building should fully address the needs of the latest development of the era for cultivating students’ moral integrity. “The Innovation Building built on the present site of Block E is in close proximity to the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park. It has student hostels and staff quarters, multi-purpose rooms, conference halls, and exhibition halls, where digital culture and art exhibitions can be held. These new facilities can fully equip Chung Chi students with the skills for staying at the forefront of the times and provide them with a comprehensive training ground for cross-border career development in the digital industry.” Ricky said the Innovation Building also cultivates Hong Kong and overseas students’ moral and ethical values in the tech-driven social, political and economic environment, so that they can be well prepared for future challenges in the digital world.

Ricky added that the Block E Redevelopment Project has so far been Chung Chi’s biggest fundraising initiative. Despite the lofty target, Ricky believes that, given the vast personal network of the College and Trustees, it would receive support from generous benefactors if the value of the new building is articulated. “After all, fundraising can hardly be accomplished by just a few people. It entails a concerted effort by Chung Chi College as a collective entity.” Ricky thinks that it is important to take the first step. Fundraising is never easy. But he has great confidence in reaching the goal. At the turn of the year, the new year wish of Ricky and the Fundraising Subcommittee of the Development Committee is that the fundraising project of Chung Chi Innovation Building will take off in the direction of its fulfilment and achieving the targets.

Student Reporter Chan Hin Wing