Nelson Chen and his wife, Margaret Wong, believe in the vital role of education, understanding that quality higher education comes at a cost. In 2011, they pledged $100,000 toward the GSD Annual Fund, setting the bar for donations from other alumni. Despite his physical distance from Cambridge, Mr. Chen actively supports the GSD in many ways—he has created a student prize for housing design, supported Asia GSD, served on both the Dean’s Advisory Council and the GSD Visiting Committee, and acted as Asia Chair of the Sert Council.
“My years at Harvard, both in the College and at the GSD, profoundly shaped my thinking, attitudes and career. And, they continue to inform my professional and personal life on a daily basis. I consider it a privilege to help make a similar opportunity and experience available to a current generation of students with financial need.”
Mr. Chen and Ms. Wong’s donation supports international financial aid at the GSD as Mr. Chen explains, “until less than a decade ago, international students were not eligible for scholarships at the GSD. Yet their presence enriches and informs the overall academic experience, while promoting intellectual and cultural exchange that benefit future generations both domestically and abroad in our increasingly global society. I was gratified to see one of my most talented former undergraduate students in Hong Kong able to attain a MArch degree at the GSD—it was only made possible with a scholarship.”
Nelson Chen and his wife, Margaret Wong, believe in the vital role of education, understanding that quality higher education comes at a cost. In 2011, they pledged $100,000 toward the GSD Annual Fund, setting the bar for donations from other alumni. Despite his physical distance from Cambridge, Mr. Chen actively supports the GSD in many ways—he has created a student prize for housing design, supported Asia GSD, served on both the Dean’s Advisory Council and the GSD Visiting Committee, and acted as Asia Chair of the Sert Council.
“My years at Harvard, both in the College and at the GSD, profoundly shaped my thinking, attitudes and career. And, they continue to inform my professional and personal life on a daily basis. I consider it a privilege to help make a similar opportunity and experience available to a current generation of students with financial need.”
Mr. Chen and Ms. Wong’s donation supports international financial aid at the GSD as Mr. Chen explains, “until less than a decade ago, international students were not eligible for scholarships at the GSD. Yet their presence enriches and informs the overall academic experience, while promoting intellectual and cultural exchange that benefit future generations both domestically and abroad in our increasingly global society. I was gratified to see one of my most talented former undergraduate students in Hong Kong able to attain a MArch degree at the GSD—it was only made possible with a scholarship.”