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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) presented the 2015 Long Service Awards to 136 staff members who have been with the University for 25 and 35 years. One hundred and eighteen received the award for having worked at CUHK for 25 years and eighteen, for 35 years. The awards presentation ceremony was officiated at by Vice-Chancellor and President Prof. Joseph J. Y. Sung. 

Since its establishment over half a century ago, CUHK has been privileged to have many loyal staff to staying in their posts and growing together with the University.  Thanks go to those colleagues for dedicating their best years to the University. Without them CUHK would not be what it is today. Among the awardees this year, there are helpful and caring clerical staff like Ms. Sarah Lam, devoted teachers like Prof. Frederick Cheung, and many others from different units and different levels. All of them respect and befriend each other, making the University a large family.  CUHK has recently been recognized as a ‘Caring Organisation’ by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, precisely for reflecting this kind of benevolent humanistic culture on campus. 

Ms. Lam Suk-ching, Sarah 

Ms. Sarah Lam is currently Clerk I at the School of Chinese Medicine, performing secretarial work for the director. She joined the Appointment Service under the Office of Student Affairs at CUHK in 1980, and later transferred to the newly established School of Chinese Medicine in early 1999.  During her tenure at the School of Chinese Medicine, Ms. Lam was given an Exemplary Service Award for her outstanding performance.  She witnessed every stage of its development, including the first batch of undergraduates admitted to the School of Chinese Medicine who became its first graduates.  Her most memorable experience was the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003.  At that time, everyone at the School of Chinese Medicine spared no effort to attend to the patients visiting its teaching clinic, and eventually developed several kinds of Chinese herbal soup that could enhance people’s immunity to SARS.  There was one occasion when she noticed that a colleague’s family member was seeing many doctors for an illness but the condition was not improving.  Under her advice, the patient received treatment at the School of Chinese Medicine and was finally cured.  Miss Lam’s work at the School allowed her to gain a considerable knowledge of medicine and daily care, which she loves to share with her family and friends. 

Ms. Lam said that the University was her first job after leaving school, and she was glad that she chose CUHK from among a number of offers.  Over the years, she has never got tired of her job.  On the contrary she looks forward to staying in her position until retirement.  Then she will be able to witness the eighth Vice-Chancellor of CUHK take office.  Her social circle is closely connected to the CUHK campus. Even her son and daughter-in-law are CUHK alumni, making the University her home away from home. 

Prof. Cheung Hok-ming, Frederick 

Prof. Frederick Cheung graduated from New Asia College, CUHK of Hong Kong, and was taught by Professors Sun Kuo-tung, Yen Keng-wang, Yu Ying-shih, renowned historians of the time.  He then went to the University of California, Santa Barbara to further his graduate studies.  He returned in 1980 and taught at the Department of History until his retirement last year.  He still remembers that Professor Yu lent him his own books and even after Professor Yu returned to America, he still mailed him his new books and offprints of his articles. As a student, Professor Cheung expressed his gratitude and Professor Yu told him that ‘to take good care of your students would be repaying my kindness to you.’  Professor Cheung made this his mission, taking good care of his students, in the hope that this virtue will continue into the next generations. 

The Department of History at CUHK focused more on Chinese History in its early years, and there were less Western historians.  However, Professor Cheung took the founding education ideal of the University, ‘to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West’ as his own mission.  He has been promoting the studies of both Chinese and Western History, so that we will understand both China and the West.  When he studied his PhD, he changed to Western History, and he has been teaching mainly Western History.  In his teaching, he always relates history to our daily life, includes movies and songs as teaching materials and makes history classes lively and interesting.  He is also good at explaining the sources of our daily names and terms, such as months, weekdays, and medical and scientific terms, which can be traced back to history or mythology.  As a result, there are many students from other faculties taking Professor Cheung’s courses.  At one time, there were 201 students taking one of his courses, breaking the record of enrolment for the History Department.  Now Professor Cheung has retired, but continues to teach History and College General Education courses as a part-time lecturer. 

About Long Service Award 

The 25-year Long Service Award, introduced in 1988, has been given to 1,202 staff members. The 35-year Long Service Award, inaugurated in 2008, has been given to 126 staff members including eighteen this year.