FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 18, 2021 • KIDS & EDUCATION • THE QUEENS COURIER 25
Queens College receives $1.1M endowment
to support Asian contemporary art
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e Th omas Chen family, of Crystal
Window and Door Systems in Flushing,
gift ed an endowment of $1,105,000 to
Queens College on Wednesday, Nov. 10,
to help establish the college’s new School of
the Arts.
Th e endowment is the fi rst major gift to
Queens College to support the institution’s
Asian contemporary art exhibitions, student
scholarships, and a visiting artist program.
Th e college off ers 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 Th omas Chen, founder and
chairman of Crystal Window and Door
Systems, whose endowment will enable the
college to off er 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
benefi tting immigrants and fi rst-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 benefi tting
immigrants and fi rst-generation Americans
makes perfect sense.”
Th e 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 Th eatre 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 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. Th e 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.”
“Th omas Chen is extraordinarily generous
in his support of many diff erent outstanding
organizations in Queens,” Richards
said. “Th anks to his latest gift , Queens
College will be in an even better position to
off er a fi rst-rate education to talented people
of all backgrounds and fi nancial means.”
Lee Fensterstock, president of the Queens
College Foundation, said they’re grateful for
the “incredible gift ” and the direct benefi t 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 diffi cult to express herself
in English during high school, said that
art helped her break out of her shell.
“Th rough art, I was able to communicate
with my classmates, and I started making
new friends. Art helped me build up
my self-esteem. Th ere 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 diff erent
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.
Th e 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.
“Th is endowment and the culturally
enlightening opportunities it will provide
will serve as a critical foundation for the
school to build upon,” Stavisky said. “Th ank
you to Th omas 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 refl ected on Chen’s arrival in Queens
from Taiwan, and sleeping in the senator’s
family’s living room fl oor for a week before
securing his fi rst 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
fi rst as entrepreneur and in more
recent years as philanthropist,” Liu said. “We
owe Th omas and the Chen family a debt of
gratitude.”
kids & education
Photo by Andy Poon/Queens College
Queens College President Frank H. Wu, at left, accepts a $1.1 million endowment from Thomas Chen,
founder and chairman, Crystal Window and Door Systems (fourth from left) and his family. Third
and fi fth 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 affi liated with Tempco Glass.
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