Queens College receives $1.1 million endowment from
Flushing organization to support Asian contemporary art
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
The Thomas Chen family,
of Crystal Window and Door
Systems in Flushing, gifted
an endowment of $1,105,000 to
Queens College on Wednesday,
Nov. 10, to help establish
the college’s new School of the
Arts.
The endowment is the first
major gift to Queens College to
support the institution’s Asian
contemporary art exhibitions,
student scholarships, and a
visiting artist program. The
college offers undergraduate
degrees in studio art, art history,
design, photography and
imaging and graduate degrees
in studio, art, art history and
social practice.
Queens College President
Frank Wu said they are
profoundly grateful for the
generous support of Thomas
Chen, founder and chairman
of Crystal Window and Door
Systems, whose endowment
will enable the college to offer
exciting new programs and
scholarships.
“At the same time, Chen’s
remarkable life and outstanding
career will inspire our
students, showing them that
with vision and hard work,
the American dream is attainable,”
Wu said at a reception
held Wednesday morning
at the Queens College Music
Building.
Chen, an entrepreneur and
philanthropist, emigrated to
the United States from Taiwan
in 1982 with little money and
no command of English. Eight
years later, Chen founded
Crystal Window and Door Systems
in Flushing, while his
son, Steve, serves as president
in charge of daily operations.
Today, Chen is a major supporter
of Asian culture and
art, and educational initiatives
for immigrants.
As someone who never had
the opportunity to attend college,
Chen believes supporting
a prestigious local institution
like Queens College with its
long history of benefitting immigrants
and first-generation
Americans makes perfect
sense.
“I am proud to make this
contribution on behalf of the
Chen Family and Crystal Windows
to Queens College,” Chen
said. “As someone who never
had the opportunity to attend
college, I believe supporting a
prestigious local institution like
Queens College with its long history
of benefitting immigrants
and first-generation Americans
makes perfect sense.”
The recipient of numerous
honors, Chen has been named
one of “New York’s 100 Most
Powerful Minority Business
Leaders” by Crain’s New York
Business, “Entrepreneur of
the Year” by New York City
Region by Ernst & Young,
“Business Person of the Year”
by the Queens Chamber of
Commerce, and he received
the Minority Business Leadership
Award from the National
Minority Supplier Development
Council (NMSDC).
Chen is a founding member
of the Taiwanese American
Arts Council, which collaborates
with the Queens Museum
to support Asian artists
throughout the city.
Together with his family,
Chen provides support to
Queensborough Community
College, Queens Theatre in the
Park, the NYC Winter Lantern
Festival, Flushing Town Hall,
and the Flushing Taiwan Center.
Chen is also the founder of
Crystal Park, a private 200-acre
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.10 COM | NOV. 19 - NOV. 25, 2021
sculpture park and nature preserve
in Dutchess County.
As a sponsor for local and
international contemporary
artists, Chen exhibits their
work along the wooded trails
of Crystal Park for the enjoyment
of guests and local residents.
The park’s most recent
installation is a life-sized
bronze statue of the late Claire
Shulman, a four-term Queens
borough president, a longtime
mentor and friend of the Chen
family, and a supporter of its
business endeavors.
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards issued a
proclamation in honor of the
Chen family and Crystal Windows
that acknowledged their
“deep and ongoing commitment
to the borough.”
“Thomas Chen is extraordinarily
generous in his
support of many different
outstanding organizations
in Queens,” Richards said.
“Thanks to his latest gift,
Queens College will be in an
even better position to offer a
first-rate education to talented
people of all backgrounds and
financial means.”
Lee Fensterstock, president
of the Queens College Foundation,
said they’re grateful for
the “incredible gift” and the
direct benefit it will bring to
students.
“Queens College has always
been known for its excellent
programs in the arts,” Fensterstock
said. “Mr. Chen’s gift
will take our programming in
the arts to a new level.”
In her remarks, So, an immigrant
from Hong Kong who
is considering a career as
an art therapist, shared her
gratitude for the Chen family’s
endowment.
“With the support from
Mr. Chen and his family, more
young immigrant artists like
myself can have the opportunity
to achieve our dream.
And hopefully, one day, there
will be more immigrant or
Asian artists’ work in museums,”
So said.
So, who found it difficult
to express herself in English
during high school, said that
art helped her break out of her
shell.
“Through art, I was able to
communicate with my classmates,
and I started making
new friends. Art helped me
build up my self-esteem. There
is no language barrier in art,
and I think that is the beauty
of it,” So said. “It is wonderful
to see Queens College encouraging
people from different
backgrounds and young immigrant
artists to learn more
about art.”
Local elected officials such
as Congresswoman Grace
Meng, Senators John Liu and
Toby Stavisky, commended
the Chen family for their
generous support to Queens
College.
The Chen’s endowment will
help the college do an even
better job in serving students,
and preparing them for their
careers and futures, Meng
said.
“I thank them for contributing
to the growth of this
exceptional institution. It is
important to ensure that the
college remains a critical asset
to our borough and the rest
of New York City,” Meng said.
Stavisky said the new
School of the Arts represents
an exciting new chapter for
Queens College.
“This endowment and the
culturally enlightening opportunities
it will provide will
serve as a critical foundation
for the school to build upon,”
Stavisky said. “Thank you to
Thomas Chen and his family
for their generosity. I know
this support will not only enrich
the student experience
but will enable Queens College
to continue to be a beacon of
light for the arts.”
Liu reflected on Chen’s arrival
in Queens from Taiwan,
and sleeping in the senator’s
family’s living room floor for a
week before securing his first
job and achieving the American
dream.
“With all his success over
four decades, he never once
forgot to give back and provide
others with opportunity, and
with this endowment continues
his life’s commitment first
as entrepreneur and in more
recent years as philanthropist,”
Liu said. “We owe Thomas
and the Chen family a debt
of gratitude.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
Queens College President Frank H. Wu (l.) accepts a $1.1 million endowment from Thomas Chen, founder
and chairman, Crystal Window and Door Systems (fourth from l.) and his family. Third and fifth from
left are Chen’s sons Steve, president, Crystal Window and Door Systems, and Johnson, general manager,
Tempco Glass fabrication; seventh from left is Diana Chang, Johnson Chen’s wife, also affiliated
with Tempco Glass. Photo by Andy Poon/Queens College
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