University of Houston Athletics
Dominic & Ellen Ng Academic Center for Excellence Dedicated
9/7/2018 6:58:00 PM | General
More than 9,000 square feet renovated in commitment to academics
HOUSTON – As part of an ongoing commitment to student-athlete success, the University of Houston Department of Athletics officially dedicated the Dominic and Ellen Ng Academic Center for Excellence inside the Athletics/Alumni Center on Friday afternoon.
Thanks to a generous lead gift from the Ngs (pronounced Ings) and additional funding from Corby and Barbara Robertson with the Cullen Trust for Higher Education, the Academic Center for Excellence underwent extensive renovations during the summer. DLR Group served as the architect, while Vaughn Construction completed the work.
The new 9,000-square-foot space consists of an open floor plan with reconfigured areas for student-athlete tutoring and group study spaces highlighted by technology driven furniture amenities.
The project included redesigned classrooms to provide serviceable areas for both small and large groups along with new office space for student-athlete services personnel.
"This center is used every day by our student-athletes, so this is an incredible opportunity for us. Making these kinds of improvements for them is why we are here," Vice President of Athletics Chris Pezman said. "We cannot thank Dominic and Ellen and Corby, Barbara and the Cullen Trust for Higher Education enough for their gifts to support our student-athletes."
Ng is a University of Houston alum. As an undergraduate in the late 1970s, he served as an Athletics tutor for the football team under legendary Head Coach Bill Yeoman.
"I didn't know a lot about American football, but that was one of the highlights of my personal experience at the University of Houston," Ng told a group of student-athletes and Athletics staff members. "After your playing careers, when you choose another career, you want to make sure you have a strong foundation. If we can make this place look better, feel better, that you enjoy better, hopefully each and every one of you will achieve more academically. I hope Ellen and my contribution will help you achieve your goals in the athletic field and also academically. We are thankful we have the opportunity to give back."
Speaking on behalf of more than 400 Houston student-athletes, Cross Country/Track & Field All-American and Academic All-American Brian Barraza spoke about the daily benefits the ACE and its staff provide and the transformation of the space.
"It can be a juggling act to try and keep the academics, the athletics and whatever social life we can stitch together afloat. Having this space to come and get tutoring, to talk with your advisers provided the guidance I needed to get the transition from high school to college down and layer from undergrad to graduate school," Barraza said. "It's revolutionary to have a space like this, so cutting edge and new age. Thank you to everyone who made this possible."
Ng is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of East West Bank. Headquartered in California, East West Bank is a top performing commercial bank with an exclusive focus on the U.S. and Greater China markets.
Ng transformed East West Bank from a small savings and loan association with $600 million in assets in 1991 into a full-service commercial bank today with $38.1 billion in assets. East West Bank has been ranked among the 25 largest banks in the U.S. by market capitalization, and in 2018, Forbes named it among the top five of "America's 100 Best Banks."
Ellen Ng also is a University of Houston alum, having earned both an undergraduate degree and MBA from the Bauer College of Business.
A former student-athlete himself, Corbin J. Robertson Jr., Chairman of the Board of the Cullen Trust for Higher Education, is the chairman and CEO of Natural Resource Partners, serves on the University of Houston Energy Advisory Board and was a founding member of the Corbin J. Robertson Society.
Corby, along with his sisters, Beth Robertson, Lillie Robertson and Carroll Ray, honored their late father with the gift by naming Study Hall 1 and Study Hall 2 in his memory. Corbin J. Robertson, who is considered one of the major benefactors of Houston Athletics, worked closely with former UH Director of Athletics Harry Fouke to help create the nationally ranked football, basketball and golf programs of the 1960s and '70s.
"My first and most important message I can give to the student-athletes is look at what the tutor has done," Roberston said to laughs from the crowd. "Getting an education is fundamental. The sports come and go, but the education is for you life. I commend you to take advantage of this center and all it provides."
Dominic & Ellen Ng Academic Center for Excellence
• Complete renovation of more than 9,000 square feet of existing Academics support space on the second floor of the Athletics/Alumni Center with a clean, modern architectural approach
• Open floor plan with new glass entry area and reconfigured areas for student-athlete tutoring and group study complete with technology-driven furniture amenities
• Redesigned classroom placement to service small and large groups
• New offices for student-athlete services personnel
• The project was completed in late August
