Mr. Ip-Wing Kong Donated $150,000 for Center for Chinese Art at William Paterson University

04/26/2017

On April 26, 2017, the William Paterson University announced Mr. Ip-Wing Kong's $150,000 donation to the Center for Chinese Art. The official ceremony and banquet were hosted by Dr. Kathleen Waldron, President of William Paterson University at Hobart Manor. Mr. Ip-Wing Kong, his daughter Ms. Tianna Hu, and her assistant Ms. Nana Wang attended the ceremony. They were joined by Ms. Margaret Lam and Mr. David Yen, the Honorary Directors of the Center for Chinese Art. Also in attendance were: Dr. Warren Sandmann, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; Ms. Pamela L. Ferguson, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and President, William Paterson University Foundation Board; Professor Daryl Joseph Moore, Dean of the College of the Arts and Communication; Mr. Spencer Scott, Director of Major Gifts and Gift Planning; Mr. Zheshu Xie, World Journal’s Journalist; and Professor Zhiyuan Cong, Director of the Center for Chinese Art.

Dr. Kathleen Waldron presented the opening welcome speech. Mr. Ip-Wing Kong stated the purpose and requirement of his donation. Upon mutual understanding, President Waldron and Mr. Kong signed the donation agreement. President Kathleen Waldron signed and presented the official appointment letter and plaque to Mr. Ip-Wing Kong, naming him the Honorary Director of the Center for the Chinese Art at William Paterson University. The special ceremony was followed by a banquet held at Hobart Manor.

President Waldron welcomed Mr. Kong, praising him highly on the donation he made to the University; she thanked him for his contribution and support to the Center for Chinese Art. She and Mr. Kong agree that the Center for the Chinese Art has been flourishing and has achieved great success under the leadership of Professor Zhiyuan Cong. President Kathleen Waldron promised that the full sum of the donation would be used for developing the Center for Chinese Art. She promised to give her full support to cultivating more interest in Chinese culture and arts through educational programs for the University and the surrounding community, to foster a deeper understanding for the people of the U.S. and China.

Mr. Ip-Wing Kong shared his journey of giving back to the community and to William Paterson University. Promoting Chinese culture and arts in the U.S. has been his long-held wish. He has been searching for a matching platform to fulfill his dream, but it was not easy with all the top-tier universities in the region. Upon learning about the programs and achievements of the Center for Chinese Art on the website and meeting with Professor Cong, Mr. Kong was touched by Professor Cong’s devotion to Chinese culture and arts and convinced of his talent and integrity. Mr. Kong made the decision to visit William Paterson University, to join the big family of the Center for Chinese Art, and to be part of the force for promoting Chinese culture and arts. Mr. Ip-Wing Kong is a well-known entrepreneur in New York, owner of the famous Kong Kee Tofu. He became a passionate art advocate himself in recent years, not only promoting Chinese culture and arts, but also with his own talent and accomplishment in practicing expressionism calligraphy.

Professor Zhiyuan Cong, Director of the Center for Chinese Art, reported that for the past eight years the Center has been supported and aided by the University, the community, and everyone was involved. First, it was founded with Ms. Margaret Lam and Mr. David Yen’s donation and initiative, followed by Mr. Yong Liu and Mr. Mingsheng Liu’s donation, then Shanghai William Chinese Art Foundation led by Mr. Zhipeng Ding, has provided stability and development to the Center for Chinese Art. Now with Kong’s donation, we will be thriving for a better future. We are planning to collaborate closely with Mr. Kong to set up the New York Gallery of Chinese Art, be more active in New York, inviting more renowned Chinese artists to come to the American East Coast for visiting, lecturing, participating in exchange programs and organizing exhibitions. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Mr. Ip-Wing Kong for his generosity and hope to maintain continuous support, trust, and help from all of you.