New and enriched life after retirement
Kenix Wong
A farewell party was held on 19 June for 44 members of staff who are retiring from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) this year.
CityU wishes them a new and enriched life after retirement.
The party’s guests included Professor Way Kuo, CityU President; Professor Alex Jen Kwan-yue, Provost; Professor Matthew Lee Kwok-on, Vice-President (Development and External Relations); Professor Horace Ip Ho-shing, Vice-President (Student Affairs); Mr Sunny Lee Wai-kwong, Vice-President (Administration); and Ms Kit Chow Kit-yi, Director of Human Resources.
“The hard work and contributions offered by all colleagues over the years have contributed to our sustainable development and achievements and are now shared with the younger generation,” Professor Kuo said in his remarks at the party.
Among this year’s retirees is Professor Alice Chong Ming-lin, an expert in gerontology and Visiting Professor at the Department of Applied Social Studies. During her 28 years at CityU, she taught social work and counselling courses and served as Associate Dean (Student Life and Learning) in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences from 2005 to 2010. She was given the Teaching Excellence Award by CityU in 2012/13 and the Teaching Award by the University Grants Committee in 2013.
Professor Chong said she felt most touched and gratified during her years at CityU when she witnessed her students’ steady development. With an emphasis on whole-person development, she encouraged students to develop life planning, volunteer, and care for elders.
“I saw how my students gained in confidence and became more serious about their work. They became more willing to shoulder responsibility and develop their objectives for life. Such changes were as important as their academic results, and benefited them for their whole life,” said Professor Chong, who was a social worker before she joined CityU.
Although she has reached retirement, she will continue to contribute through her research and by advocating social policy for the elders. “I told my friends that I have just changed my role in life,” she said. “I’m still working on policy for elders, but my focus has shifted to how to make the optimal use of resources.”
Also saying goodbye are Mr Chan Pui-hi and Mr Yu Nai-tor, two good friends who have worked at the Campus Development Office for 30 years. They have both witnessed how CityU has changed over the years, and they said they felt sad to leave their long-time colleagues.
“I am delighted to see campus becoming bigger and bigger and the number of students growing,” Mr Yu said.
Mr Ernest Cheung Chi-pang, who has worked as a Laboratory Technician at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering for more than 30 years, said what he cherished most was the harmonious working relationship with colleagues, but he said he was content to be retiring from such a happy workplace. “There’s an end to every journey. What follows for me will be a new route,” he said.
He said he planned to spend more time traveling, volunteering and taking care of his grandchildren.
CityU thanks all these retirees for their amazing contributions over the years and hopes to see them on campus from time to time for visits.