Bao-Ding “Bob” Cheng
Bao-Ding “Bob” Cheng’s journey to Syracuse University in pursuit of graduate education in the 1960s was long and arduous. He didn’t have the means for air travel, so he voyaged more than 5,000 nautical miles by boat from his home in Taiwan to the Port of Seattle, Washington, where he boarded a bus to Syracuse, New York, travelling another nearly 5,000 miles. That trip would set the stage for an extraordinary future and the ability to help countless others achieve the American dream.
Cheng G’67, G’69 passed away in 2020. Through the Jatain Charitable Foundation he had established in 2002, his family expressed their gratitude to the University with a $1.3 million gift to fund the Bao Ding Cheng Endowed Professorship of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences.
“When he arrived in Central New York, it was the first time my father had traveled outside of Taiwan. He had never even seen snow before. But he felt truly welcomed by Syracuse University,” says his son George. It was 1965, two years after Cheng had graduated from National Taiwan University with a degree in chemical engineering. He was the first in his family to go to college, the oldest son and one of nine children in a family with little means.
Syracuse University offered Cheng a scholarship to study in America. He earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in chemistry in just four years. Besides the scholarship support, there were people who helped him thrive. “One advisor, Dr. Harry Brumberger, was a mentor to him, treating him like family, inviting him over for Thanksgiving. They kept in touch over the years,” recalls George.
While Cheng was studying, he was also developing a relationship by mail with a young woman in Taiwan who would become his wife. Jean Cheng says they were introduced to each other by her grandmother’s friend. She recalls Bob writing to her about his enthusiasm for football and the support he was receiving from professors. After they married in Taiwan in 1970, Jean had to wait nearly six months before being able to join her new husband and meet his mentor at the University. “He and his wife were so kind to both of us,” she says.
The kindness the Chengs received is reflected in their giving back to the University. Their gift is part of the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program in which the University matched a portion of the gift to fully endow the professorship. “It’s our way of recognizing the impact of a professor on students,” says George. “The program elevates the impact of philanthropy—my father would have appreciated that.”
“We are very thankful for the Cheng family’s unwavering support,” says Mathew Maye, professor of chemistry and department chair. “We are thrilled to have this endowed position in the memory of one of our most distinguished Ph.D. alumni. Future faculty with this title will no doubt train generations of students who will go on to publish many papers and patents and become leaders in industry, just like Dr. Cheng did.”
George and Jean both noted that Bob was both entrepreneurial and philanthropic. He was especially impressed with investor and philanthropist Warren Buffet’s commitment to use his vast wealth for good. Over time, Cheng accumulated enough resources to give back in substantial ways, to community organizations doing good work and especially to organizations dedicated to Taiwanese American culture and recognizing the contributions of Taiwanese Americans.
“My husband was always working hard and helping others,” says Jean. He took on private tutoring jobs and was a teaching assistant, earning income for himself and helping others understand the power of education. After graduating from the University, Cheng went to work for Colgate Palmolive as a researcher, focused on removing dangerous phosphates from detergents. After a decade, he and some friends started a company to produce high-quality display products (LCD displays). His friends ultimately dropped out of the venture, and Cheng was left on his own to develop the company that would eventually become FEMA Electronics.
“My father had the grit to stick it out and build the business,” says George, who is currently CEO of FEMA Electronics. Meanwhile, the family opened a small grocery store in New Brunswick, New Jersey, near their home, and Jean worked 12 hours a day with help from her sons to pay the bills and support the family’s dream. Eventually, they relocated the business headquarters to Irvine, California, where FEMA Electronics grew rapidly. Still, they never forgot their East Coast roots.
“My husband remained a humble man throughout his lifetime,” says Jean. His philanthropy was never about promoting himself, but always about promoting the Taiwanese American community and providing opportunities for others to succeed.
“By ensuring that we can continue to attract and retain gifted researchers and teachers through this endowment, we are impacting generations of students and graduates,” says College of Arts and Sciences Dean Behzad Mortazavi. “Dr. Cheng appreciated the value of his Syracuse education and experience, and with this gift from the family foundation, he is smoothing the path for others who are pursuing the American dream.”
