A Night to Remember: Third CUAFA Gala and Fundraising Dinner Highlights

We are delighted to report that the Third CUAFA Annual Fundraising and Gala Dinner was fantastically successful! Nearly 140 friends, colleagues, students, parents, alumni, and sponsors (30% more than last year) packed the Skyline Dining Room at Faculty House and dined on delicious foods.

We greatly appreciate Interim Provost Dennis Mitchell, EVP Jeannette Wing, EVP Wafaa El-Sadr, and many other university leaders for attending this cornerstone event and for the inspiring remarks. Vice Provost Weiping Wu and Interim Dean of CDM Roseanna Graham sent warm greetings via pre-recorded videos. Thank you! 

University Professor Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Chair of CUAFA Awards Committee, presented the Young Investigator Award to Dr. Yuan Yang, Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Mae Ngai, Lung Family Professor of Asian American Studies and Professor of History. What fun to delight the awardees with big red dragon checks, along with beautiful crystals! Both Drs. Yang and Ngai offered thought-provoking and touching acceptance speeches that captivated the entire audience!

A perfect evening must have beautiful music. Tenor Ziwen Xiang’s performance of an aria from “Daughter of the Regiment” and the famous O Sole Mio was simply mesmerizing!

We hope events like this will encourage more Asian faculty and allies to join CUAFA. We now has 370 members. With >800 Asian faculty at Columbia, we still have much room for growth. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to join!