Our Glorious United Men
The College places strong emphasis on nurturing talents and future leaders for our Hong Kong community through education. Over 18,000 alumni have graduated from United College. Being considered a rich asset of our College, many of them are leading distinguished careers in the local political, economic, social or cultural arenas.
A good representative example are the Rhode Scholars. The Rhodes scholarship, initiated according to the will of Mr Cecil J Rhodes in 1902, is one of the oldest and the most prestigious international fellowships. Many scholars have become world leaders in different fields, such as Bill Clinton, former President of the United States; Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia; and Professor A. Michael Spence, Nobel Laureate in Economics in 2001. The Rhodes Scholarship was first launched in Hong Kong in 1985 and a Rhode Scholar is selected every year. So far, thirteen CUHK graduates have been awarded the Scholarship to further their studies at the University of Oxford, making CUHK the top local university with the most Rhodes Scholars. Among the thirteen CUHK Rhodes Scholars, seven of them are graduates of United College (see below). These young Scholars have subsequently excelled in a variety of professions, ranging from law, banking and finance, to social sciences.
- 1987 Dr Wong Suk Chee, Dorothy (ENG)
- 1994 Mr Wong Ming Fung, William (BBA)
- 1998 Dr Lee Pui Shan, Amanda (EEE)
- 1999 Mr Hui Tat Yan, Daniel (ENG)
- 2004 Ms Fung Si Yu, Cecilia (TRA)
- 2005 Ms Chan Hiu Tung, Evelyn (BBA)
- 2009 Dr Cheng Hua Tse, Timothy (MED)
Professor Charles K Kao, 2009 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics, was appointed as United College Distinguished Laureate. The deep bond between the College and Professor Kao started in 1970 when he first joined United College to establish the Department of Electronics. The College felt much honoured to have the joyful reunion with Professor Kao. The College was equally honoured to have Professor Kao interviewed in 2007 for the publication United We Advance. Professor Kao shared his experience and feeling of joining United College and then serving as Vice-Chancellor of CUHK for ten years as well as his endeavor in and devotion to scientific research development in Hong Kong. The interview can be viewed at the website of United We Advance.
Another example is the late Dr Tse Yuen Man, a true heroine of United College, who, while treating the patients, contracted Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and passed away in 2003. The Dr Tse Yuen Man Memorial Tree was planted in fond memory of the late Dr Tse Yuen Man who will be remembered for her courageous and selfless act in risking her life voluntarily to save the SARS patients. Dr Tse was in residence at Hang Seng Hall between 1988 and 1989. The College established Dr Tse Yuen Man Memorial Scholarships in 2004. Three scholarships each of HK$10,000 are awarded to courageous, young medical students who share and continue the vision of Dr Tse Yuen Man in utilizing medical knowledge to reduce suffering and save lives.
To know more about Glorious United Men, please view the different College online publications, including: