President Wong named to Chinese-American leadership organization

President Les Wong has been named a member of the Committee of 100 (C-100), a national organization dedicated to promoting the achievements of Chinese Americans and encouraging a strong relationship between the people and leaders of the United States and China.

The organization announced President Wong's status as a new member last month. He joins other notable Chinese-American community and civic leaders including architect I.M. Pei, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, YouTube co-founder Steve Chen and NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao.

"In an increasingly interconnected world, it is critically important to foster relationships between nations and communities to address issues of mutual concern and develop the next generation of leaders," said Wong. "As an educator, and as a Chinese American, I am honored to be joining an organization strongly committed to these goals."

In addition to advocating for stronger U.S.-China relations and for greater participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life, C-100 also sponsors a leadership scholarship program, and members actively mentor emerging community leaders.

President Wong serves on the board of directors of the American Association of Colleges and Universities and is a member of the California State University's Ethnic Studies Task Force. He received the 2014 Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) President's Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contributions to the field of higher education.

SF State has had a long commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive campus, a commitment reaffirmed in the University's new strategic plan. Last year, the magazine Diverse Issues in Higher Education named SF State one of the nation's top producers of minority STEM graduates and of Asian-American graduates in business and education. The Chinese Flagship Program, launched in 2009, provides undergraduate students seeking careers related to China and the Chinese-speaking world with intensive language and cultural training.