Never Say No
For Rex Wong, volunteering is part of the RISD ethos.
When Rex Wong BArch 03 was in his first year at RISD, 12,000 miles from home and immersing himself in the challenges and discoveries of Foundation Year, he met students who were active in the Asian Cultural Association (ACA). The group organized outings and events throughout the year, including an annual festival whose centerpiece was a major undertaking—an original performance written, produced and performed by volunteers. Wong joined the group, helped develop the festival, and was cast in the play. In a sign of things to come, Wong stayed involved with the ACA throughout his five years at RISD and eventually led the group.
Now, Wong is president of RISD’s Alumni Association Leadership Council and a founder of the RISD Alumni Club of Hong Kong, service he balances with his many professional, creative and civic responsibilities, including serving as CEO of Kum Shing Holdings and the founder of both Yan Concept, a creative brand hosting cultural events and providing exhibition spaces, and Unknown, a painting studio that offers art education programs in the Hong Kong area.
Reflecting on his student days, Wong said that tradition made the decision to devote so much time to the ACA uncomplicated.
“It was easy, in a sense,” Wong said. “There were people who were involved before me and there are people who come after us.”
These days, Wong said, he sees himself as a bridge between RISD and alumni, and uses the creative problem-solving he learned at RISD in many parts of his life, including volunteering.
“You know, I spent five years at RISD, and it was a very substantial experience,” Wong said. “The ideas, the creativity and the problem-solving I still use today, even though I'm not working as an artist on a day-to-day basis. This drive to look for the better way, a different perspective, different ways of talking and engaging other people—this is still a big part of what I do now in my professional and volunteer work. I think this is the reason why I never say no. I always want to help RISD.”
With RISD Alumni Club of Hong Kong president Donald Choi BArch 88, Wong has created a nexus of community and support for RISD alumni in the city as well as prospective and current RISD students. Together, Wong and Choi initiated a number of programs that have inspired other RISD volunteers’ work.
Wong and Choi created a tradition of Summer Welcomes for incoming RISD first-year students and their families. These are receptions where students learn about RISD before heading overseas, their parents find ready answers for their many questions and first connections that turn into lifelong relationships are made. These Summer Welcomes have since been adopted by many other groups, and ease students’ transition to life at RISD.
Wong, Choi and Hong Kong club members also volunteered to work with local high school students on their art and design portfolios, and even established a scholarship, working over several years to create the Hong Kong Alumni Club Endowed Scholarship, which is open to any RISD student.
“One of the missions for the club is to not just support students from this part of the world but all RISD students,” Wong said. “With this scholarship, they can know this support is coming from this part of the world.”
As president of the Alumni Association Leadership Council, Wong works with other regional alumni clubs to activate RISD’s global community, connect alumni efforts with family engagement and stay involved with students on campus. Wong took over the position from Choi, and one of his proudest moments was recognizing that he is part of a lineage of volunteers at RISD.
During a conference call for the international club leadership, Wong learned that one of the longtime Hong Kong club volunteers, Jennifer Chung 07 TX, is now the chair of the RISD Alumni Club of Beijing.
“I was most happy that these kinds of things are being brought forward by others to different places,” Wong said. “The challenge that we have is that we have to pass the torch forward.”
