The 2013 Jack T. Chan Scholarship Recipients

Written by AAPAAN Board Member Rick Holzheimer

 

For 2013, AAPAAN awarded two separate $500 Jack T. Chen Scholarships to Jason Liao (2014) and Ruyin Liao (2014) at U.Va.-AAPAAN’s Signature Event and Gala. The Chen Scholarship was created to honor Jack T. Chen and the ideals of academic achievement, involvement in the community, and excellence of character. As such, one would expect this year’s two scholarship recipients to be very similar to both win the same award. However,that would be incorrect as both Jason and Ruyin exhibit the ideals of the Chen Scholarship in surprisingly different ways.

Sure, Jason and Ruyin have many similarities (besides their last names). Both Jason and Ruyin are rising Fourth Years. Both recipients are academically gifted and pursing degrees in difficult programs. Jason majors in Chemistry with a specialization in Biochemistry. Ruyin is majoring in Commerce with a double concentration in Finance and Marketing. Both Jason and Ruyin are at ease in a ballroom full of alumni, students, professors, and guests. They both have quick smiles and the ability to mingle and converse with the diverse attendees at the Signature Event and Gala. They both exhibit the maturity and leadership one would expect of future leaders in the community. However, after talking to both Jason and Ruyin, you are quickly struck by how different the two of them are.

Jason has a plan for his life. He has focused his life on his desire to help others and on learning what is necessary to be a “servant-leader.” With the rising costs of education, Jason works hard to help fund his education while at the same time working to help those less fortunate than himself. After completing his third year, Jason will travel to Africa to help teach science to students for the summer. After meeting Jason, you will be immediately struck with the idea that Jason has a carefully planned future.

Ruyin is following her passion. Growing up in a self-described “Anti-Tiger Mom” family, Ruin’s path involves finding and following her passion. In searching for her passion, Ruyin has tried numerous paths including being pre-med before focusing on her Commerce degree. While working hard for her grades, Ruyin says that grades and academic awards are not the focus of her life. Instead, Ruyin says she is guided by the ideal of following your passion and having a passion in what you do.

With two such unique individuals, it may seem unlikely that they would both be recipients of the same scholarship award. However, their uniqueness shows the breadth of the Chen Scholarship. Jack Chen, for whom the scholarship was created, is remembered as a student who touched broad aspects of the University community. Jack Chen is remembered for his hard work as an electrical engineer and for a passion for giving. He was an active member of his fraternity and his Bible study group. He was full of life and was respectful of others.

As Chen Scholarship recipients, both Jason and Ruyin deserve the scholarship in their own unique way. Perhaps no single person can fully embody the ideal that is the Chen Scholarship. Perhaps that is the way it should be, and the Chen Scholarship should be viewed as a broad umbrella which covers and rewards excellence in all of its manifestations. Congratulations to both Jason and Ruyin.

You both uniquely exhibit the ideals of the Jack T. Chen Scholarship.