When Dora WONG joined CW Chu College in 2013, the College Office was still based in the William M. W. Mong Engineering Building. Students were living in I-House, and the College had yet to move into its permanent home on Campus Circuit North.

It was a formative period for a young college, and a busy one. Dora arrived in August, just as preparations were under way for JUPAS interviews and the arrival of a new cohort. Having spent the previous 19 years serving in the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK, she brought with her both extensive experience and a meticulous approach to administration.

Thirteen years later, Dora retired as the College’s General Clerk and one of its longest-serving staff members. Her final day of service was 5 August 2026. At a farewell gathering on 23 July, members of the Senior Management Team, College staff and the janitor team came together to thank her for her loyalty, care and many contributions to College life.

Looking back, Dora is especially grateful to founding Master Prof Kenneth YOUNG and then College Secretary Ms Melody LEE for welcoming her into the new College.

‘After only a brief meeting, Prof YOUNG and Melody accepted my transfer from the Faculty of Medicine to this new place, CW Chu College,’ she recalled.

Once the academic year had settled into its rhythm, Melody asked Dora to help establish a more systematic approach to the College’s financial work and records. The permanent College premises would soon open, the office team would expand, and student numbers would continue to rise.

Dora proposed devoting most of her time to finance and record-keeping, while continuing to support College and student activities. Accuracy mattered deeply to her, particularly because financial records needed to stand up to scrutiny by the University’s Finance Office and auditors.

Much of this work took place quietly, behind the scenes. Yet the systems and routines Dora helped develop supported the College as it grew in scale and complexity.

Among Dora’s most treasured memories is the journey of LI Yi, a student from Beijing in the 2013–14 cohort who arrived in Hong Kong at just 13 years of age. Born in the same year as Dora’s youngest son, and sharing his English name, Jerry, LI immediately stood out to her.

Dora remembered him as a small, short-haired young teenager, newly arrived and studying far from his parents. She wondered whether he would adapt to Hong Kong and find his place among older students, so she made a point of checking in whenever they met.

After completing his undergraduate studies, LI went to the US to pursue a doctorate. In 2023, he returned to Hong Kong for a visit after graduating and spoke with Dora about his life and plans.

‘I had watched him grow from an innocent young boy into a mature young man with a broad outlook,’ she said. ‘To see what he had achieved at such a young age, and to think of the bright future ahead of him, filled me with happiness. It was such a sweet and warm feeling.’

For Dora, LI’s story reflects one of the deepest rewards of working at the College: seeing young people become confident, capable adults.

The College itself changed enormously during Dora’s years of service. When she joined, CWC had admitted only its first cohort. By 2015, after welcoming its fourth cohort, the community celebrated reaching ‘CWC300’.

That milestone marked a turning point. In the early years at the new premises, some hostel rooms were occupied by students from other colleges and by postgraduate students. As CWC’s own student population grew, the residence became fully home to CWC students.

The expansion also brought a richer programme of student life. Dora recalled activities ranging from archery and indoor rowing to film screenings, music appreciation, festive celebrations, cultural dining events, workshops, island excursions and museum visits. The aim, she said, was to create a welcoming community for local, mainland, international and exchange students alike.

The College Office grew alongside the student body, expanding from a small team of five or six colleagues in its early days to more than a dozen today.

Of all the spaces at CWC, Dora feels a special affection for the Piazza.

‘If you look down on it from above, the open space seems like a person with both arms outstretched, ready to welcome and embrace everyone who visits CW Chu College,’ she said.

She has seen the Piazza in all its moods: quiet in the morning as colleagues arrive for work; bustling at lunchtime; dressed with bunting, flags and backdrops for Photo Day and graduation; and transformed during the annual CWC Festival with student booths, a large stage, music, dance and performances.

‘Throughout the evening, it shines,’ Dora said. ‘Then, once everything has been cleared away the next day, the Piazza immediately becomes peaceful again. It is simply such a comfortable place, and that is why it has always felt so special to me.’

Dora’s reflections are as much about colleagues as they are about students. She remembers difficult periods when staff turnover left the College Office operating with only a very small team. Today, she is encouraged by a larger group whose members work harmoniously and often have lunch together.

She paid warm tribute to College Master Prof Suk Ying WONG and College Secretary Ms Alice TANG for their sincerity, care, accessibility and practical leadership. Had family responsibilities not called her to Australia to help care for her two granddaughters, she said, she would gladly have continued serving the College for a few more years.

‘I hope the team will continue to be able to recognise every student and understand something of each person’s background,’ she said. ‘And I hope the students, in turn, will know the members of the College Office and understand how each of them serves the College.’

After 13 years, Dora leaves behind far more than well-kept records and established procedures. She leaves a legacy of precision, constancy and personal care: the qualities that turn an institution into a community.

‘I wish CW Chu College enduring prosperity,’ she said, ‘and I wish all my colleagues good health and every success in their work.’

The College also wishes Dora happiness and bliss in every day of her new beginning in Australia.