FONG--Dr. Bobby. The Board of Trustees, along with the students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni of Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA, mourn the untimely passing of Dr. Bobby Fong, 15th President of Ursinus College, who died unexpectedly on September 8, 2014.

As President of Ursinus since July 2011, he established himself as a leader with integrity, vision, humor, and passion, hailed for his role as a national leader on the stage of higher education, especially in the liberal arts. He continued to enhance the Ursinus College model for liberal education where students learn to think critically, communicate effectively, work cooperatively, and act ethically. He was committed to the values that lead not only to graduates making a living, but also making lives of purpose. Dr. Fong led the campus in creating "Transformative Education," a seven-year strategic plan for Ursinus, and in establishing two interdisciplinary centers: the Center for Science and the Common Good and the U-Imagine! Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies. He recently led efforts that resulted in the third largest incoming class, which surpassed enrollment goals, and the best fundraising year in the history of the College. He made connections with Chinese universities, the local and greater Philadelphia communities, and a wide range of individuals across the country.

The son of Chinese immigrants, Dr. Fong grew up in Chinatown in Oakland, CA, where he developed a lifelong passion for baseball. He earned a scholarship to Harvard and received his doctorate in English Literature from the University of California - Los Angeles. He was an internationally known scholar of Oscar Wilde and the editor of the Oxford edition of Wilde's poetry. His academic career took him from Berea College, to Dean of Arts and Humanities at Hope College, to Dean of Hamilton College. In 2001 he became President of Butler University, where he served for a decade and was a beloved leader. During his tenure, the men's basketball team twice reached the NCAA Final Four championship game.

Dr. Fong was past Chair of the Board of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and served on the Presidents' Council of the Association of Governing Boards. He also served on the boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the Council for Independent Colleges/Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education, the Lingnan University Foundation, Project Pericles, the Annapolis Group, and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

We extend our deepest condolences to Suzanne Fong and sons Jonathan and Nicholas (Colin). A memorial service will take place September 20, 2014, at 11am on the Ursinus College campus in Bomberger Hall. Memorial contributions can be made in support of the planned Innovation and Discovery Center, which was one of Dr. Fong's highest priorities for his presidency. Contributions can be mailed to Ursinus College; Attn: Advancement Office; 601 E. Main Street; Collegeville, PA 19426, with checks made payable to "Ursinus College" and noting tribute to Dr. Fong. Memorial gifts may also be made online at www.ursinus.edu/makegift/.