Born in China and during a time when opportunities for women to pursue a college education were rare, Dr. Fu-Ho Chow (Ph.D., ’57) had an inherent passion for learning and an unwavering determination to teach and obtain higher education degrees. Equal to that passion was her desire to create educational opportunities for students that will last far beyond her own time.
Earlier this year, members from the CSU community were able to learn more about Dr. Chow’s personal story and educational journey during an event celebrating scholarship recipients and donors. They also discovered the ripple effect one person can have on the lives of students.
Dr. Chow’s granddaughter, Nancy Tao Go, shares how she arrived in Ft. Collins in the 1940’s determined to earn a graduate degree so that she could go back to China and teach at her local college. However, she was unable to return because of the Communist party’s takeover and the closure of China’s borders. From that moment on, she made Ft. Collins, and CSU, her home. She obtained her master’s degree in home economics and was recognized as one of the first CSU students, and one of the first women in Colorado, to receive a doctorate degree. She was a longtime chemistry professor at CSU, and her husband taught microbiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Even into her 90’s, she was known for enrolling in adult educational classes, including computer skills courses.
When she passed away in 2017 at age 101, a scholarship in her name was established because of her estate planned gift to CSU. Since then, the Dr. Fu-Ho C. Chow Scholarship has awarded approximately $30,000 in scholarship support to 80 students who have received anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000, an amount Dr. Chow believed could change a student’s life. This year, 12 students received support from her scholarship.
One of those recipients is Joella Maes, a third-year CSU student majoring in biomedical sciences with a minor in chemistry. She says she’s grateful for the support and inspired by Dr. Chow’s story.
“The Dr. Fu-Ho C. Chow scholarship has empowered me to continue my STEM education in countless ways—not just through the inspiration of Dr. Chow’s story of overcoming challenges, but also through the generous support that funds my educational endeavors,” said Maes. “My grandmother was my greatest role model, and it feels wonderful to honor her memory by reaching milestones made possible in part by this scholarship.”
Thania Cordova is another Chow scholarship recipient majoring in history. She says the scholarship will support her efforts to apply to law school to pursue immigration law. For her, the scholarship has been a great help to her and her family by easing financial pressures.
For more information about Dr. Chow’s scholarship and the impact scholarships have on CSU students, visit CSU’s scholarship information page.