Education dean invests in future with faculty, staff belonging

When Y. Barry Chung considered where he wanted to leave his philanthropic legacy, he had no shortage of options. 

He has alma maters in two different countries. He has held faculty and leadership positions at four major universities. And he has held leadership positions in multiple professional organizations in the fields of education, counseling and psychology.

So why pick San Diego State University?

"Well, it was an easy choice,” said Chung, dean of the College of Education. “This is the university I'm going to retire from. I'm starting my ninth year, making me one of the long-serving deans of our college. So I think it makes sense for me to invest in it, because I love this college so much.”

Chung hopes his gift will inspire faculty and staff to feel that same love for years to come. 

Over the summer, he and his husband Joel Smith finalized a $1.1 million estate gift to create the Y. Barry Chung Community Building Endowment. The vision is to give future deans of the College of Education resources to foster a strong sense of belonging for their employees and students.

"Dean Chung and I started at SDSU right around the same time, and over the years I have admired his thoughtful leadership, as well as the strong community he has built in the College of Education," said SDSU President Adela de la Torre. "This gift from Barry and Joel is a powerful statement about their belief in our university and their commitment to our faculty, staff and students."

Added Adrienne Vargas, vice president for University Relations and Development: "It's so inspiring to see faculty and staff leave a lasting legacy through planned giving. We are so grateful to Barry and Joel. Their vision and generosity will make an impact on the College of Education for generations to come."

Chung never imagined he’d be in a position to leave a gift of this magnitude. He grew up in Hong Kong, part of a family of seven with very modest means.

"We were very, very poor,” he recalls. “My mother had to borrow milk and rice to feed the children. My mom told this story a thousand times, and she was always crying when she told it.”

Chung was the only person in his family to attend college, eventually coming to the U.S. to earn a Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“I've come a very long way,” he said. “I attribute that to education’s impact on social mobility. That's why it's so important for us to provide education to more people, so that they can transition out of poverty."

Changing times

Given his background growing up with scarcity, Chung said philanthropy didn’t come naturally. He was more comfortable guarding his money to make sure he and his husband would always have enough should times become tough.

His mindset changed about a decade ago, as the Black Lives Matter protests against police violence laid bare long simmering inequity and he reeled in horror at the terrorist attack against the LGBTQIA+ community at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. 

Chung wanted to do something in his field to help. He created an endowed fund with the American Psychological Foundation to support research into issues impacting people of color and the LGBTQIA+ community. 

"That really started my journey of giving,” he said. “When people don't have the mindset of giving, it takes some critical event for them to be ready. Once I did it, it was a liberating experience. It got me thinking more about leaving a permanent impact.”

Things became even more immediate six years ago when Smith was diagnosed with terminal cancer, a painful reminder that time is fleeting and the future is uncertain. Chung and Smith began working on a trust. With no children, they began to think harder about what they really wanted to support.

“You never know what's going to happen,” Chung said. “It would be unwise not to have a plan."

When Chung came to SDSU in 2018, there was a line he’d often repeat when he met with faculty and staff. My only goal, he’d tell them, is to make you happy. 

That wasn’t a platitude from the new boss, but a leadership philosophy built out of his background as an expert in vocational psychology. 

“The employee and employer both have needs and both have things they can provide to satisfy the needs of the other party,” Chung explains. “It needs to be a two-way street. An important piece of that, as an employer, is to support employee success and create a community of support.

“Supporting employee and student success alone is not enough. I want them to have a sense of belonging and be happy at SDSU.”

One way Chung does that in the College of Education is through recognition and appreciation. 

He launched an annual holiday party for faculty, staff and retirees that draws more than 100 attendees. He also instituted a celebration each May to honor retiring faculty and staff. And each semester kicks off with an in-person assembly that now includes a Dean’s lecture series in the spring.

Chung also launched smaller functions, such as staff development luncheons, football game tailgate parties and celebrations for Black History Month, Disability Pride, Lunar New Year and the Chinese Moon Festival.

The challenge, he said, is that funds in the budget for such gatherings are scarce.

Fortunately, that should not be a problem for the college’s future leaders.

"I wanted to make sure they didn’t have to worry about that anymore,” Chung said. “There'll be sustainable funds to take care of community building initiatives. It’s very important to me that people feel that they belong.”

Support the community building fund in the College of Education online, or learn how you can make an impact through estate planning by contacting Megan Beardsley at [email protected].