Yung Wing, Yale College Class of 1854, holds the distinction of being the first Chinese person to graduate from an American university. The rest of his life was no less storied. Passionate about development in China, he was responsible for strengthening ties between the United States (US) and China. His ‘Chinese Educational Mission’ allowed many young Chinese to study in the US including at Yale and they, in turn, made significant impact upon their return to China. Long before Yale-NUS College, Yale already had a close and historic relationship with Asia, much of which can be traced back to Yung Wing.

Join us for an intimate view of the fascinating life of Yung Wing as his grandson, Frank Yung, chats with us at a Saga Rector’s Tea session.

The session is moderated by Hoon Eng Khoo, Associate Professor of Science (Life Sciences) and the Rector of Saga College, Yale-NUS College.

About the speaker

Frank Yung has lived across Asia and Europe but settled in Singapore, where he was the former CEO of several listed companies and former Chairman of the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore.

About the moderator

Hoon Eng Khoo is Associate Professor of Science (Life Sciences) and the Rector of Saga College. She joined Yale-NUS College in 2011 as Director in the Office of the Executive Vice President (Academic Affairs), before moving on to other appointments in the College.

Watch the full session here: