"If we are going to be a university that ensures every graduate is equipped to think truthfully, act justly, and live faithfully for the good of the world and the glory of God, we as an entire community... must learn to run towards people different from us, embrace them in the warmth of Christ’s love, and be humbled with hands open to learn and unlearn. This is going to be hard. It is going to challenge your norms and your unconscious biases. Trust me when I say it’s worth it."
— Christopher Wong, Assistant Director of Intercultural Programs (ICP), TWU Student Life
During Canada's Asian Heritage Month this May, we invited leaders from across campus to tell their story. Here, Christopher Wong shares why the 90's was a great time to be alive, the adventures of the global community at TWU, and his hopes for Trinity Western University.
Words by Christopher Wong
The landscape at Trinity Western University is changing. When you look at the demographics of our institution, you can’t help but notice the increased diversity amongst our students, staff and faculty. It’s a community that is beginning to exemplify God’s kingdom and all those in it, regardless of culture, heritage or background.
However, there is still much work to be done.
My name is Christopher Wong and I’m the Assistant Director of Intercultural Programs (ICP) in Student Life. Before I get into what ICP is, what I do and my hopes for the university, I’d love to share about my background.
I was born in Vancouver and was raised by Christian parents, both originally from a small country in South-East Asia called Brunei. I was brought up in a very safe community in Coquitlam where we spoke English and Hakka, a dialect of Chinese. In terms of my heritage, I am Chinese mixed with East Indian and Portuguese.
There were many benefits to growing up as a first generation Chinese Canadian in a place like metro Vancouver. I got to eat amazing food from a variety of cultures including spaghetti, mashed potatoes, noodles, fried rice and sushi. I also got to watch movies from all around the world. I could watch a Jackie Chan film (before he came to Hollywood) on one night and then an Arnold Schwarzenegger film the following night. I could also tell people how much I loved Korean or Chinese singers like Jay Chou or BOA as well American singers like the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. The 90’s were certainly a great time to be alive and I learned a lot about cultural differences through food and media during my childhood.
In my early years I attended a church in Vancouver mixed with Canadians, Americans, Malaysians, Koreans and Nigerians. It was such a blessing to grow up experiencing the Kingdom of God in all its diversity at such a young age. When I became a teenager my family moved to a larger church in Burnaby with mostly families from Mainland China and Hong Kong. Every Sunday, we had three services that we could attend: English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
I could watch a Jackie Chan film on one night and then an Arnold Schwarzenegger film the following night. I could also tell people how much I loved Korean or Chinese singers like Jay Chou or BOA as well American singers like the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. The 90’s were certainly a great time to be alive and I learned a lot about cultural differences through food and media during my childhood.
After completion of my bachelor degree at Simon Fraser University, I moved to Japan for my first “real” job as an ESL teacher in a prefecture called Saitama. While I was there, I learned a lot about being an outsider and living with humility and a willingness to learn. I didn’t speak any Japanese before arriving, so it was a steep learning curve for me. I also had very minimal exposure to Japanese culture prior to living there. That being said, it was a wonderful experience and after my contract ended I returned to Vancouver. My next job was a Director of Pathway Partnerships for an international college with staff and students from over 75 countries. If there was ever a place to learn about cultural diversity, this was it!
In 2016 I started at Trinity Western and my first few years were in enrolment management as an admissions counsellor where I served the metro Vancouver area, a very diverse region for recruitment. In those short few years, I gained a deeper appreciation for the variety of students we were bringing into the university. In 2018, I transitioned into my current role in Student Life as the Assistant Director of Intercultural Programs (ICP).
Now that we’ve gotten my background out of the way, I’d love to share about what I currently do and my vision for Trinity Western.
ICP’s programming is dedicated to fostering authentic diverse community, engaging our international students while making them comfortable and creating a space for them to showcase who they are.
The first question I always get from other staff members is “What is intercultural Programs (ICP)?” First, we are part of the Global Engagement Office which sits under the Student Life division. Second, ICP is the student leadership team that bridges local and international students, raises cultural awareness and hosts globally-minded events like our Culture Expo and Spring Festival. Third, ICP student leaders support our international students: from their transition into Canada and university all the way until they graduate. In short, ICP’s programming is dedicated to fostering authentic diverse community, engaging our international students while making them comfortable and creating a space for them to showcase who they are.
Currently, my job is to oversee the student leaders who are hired for the ICP team and mentor them as they run our programming. I have the privilege of working with a diverse group of student leaders from all around the world including China, the Netherlands, the United States, India, Canada, Rwanda and beyond.
One of the best things about ICP is that every year the new team that starts in September immediately bonds like a family. Even though there is so much diversity on the team, barriers, cultural biases and misunderstanding are stripped away and the student leaders work cohesively. It is quite a sight to see brothers and sisters in Christ from a variety of nations sacrificing daily for each other. This isn’t to say that we are the perfect team. We also have our struggles and conflict, as any team does.
They have humble hearts and are actively seeking ways to learn or be around people who aren’t from their own culture... Everyone is always welcomed and treated equally. Truthfully, sometimes I feel like the student leaders are teaching me about humility and love for others rather than me teaching them.
However, I think the reason why the ICP team works well with each other amidst so many cultural differences is because the individuals we hire are all passionate about loving people who are different. They have humble hearts and are actively seeking ways to learn or be around people who aren’t from their own culture. This level of humility and openness to other cultures can be seen throughout ICP programming. We host a variety of weekly events including culture clubs, community potlucks and small groups, all with different people and cultures being represented and cared for. Everyone is always welcomed and treated equally. Truthfully, sometimes I feel like the student leaders are teaching me about humility and love for others rather than me teaching them.
So now that you know what ICP does, where does this leave us? As I mentioned at the beginning, our institution is changing. We can’t deny the fact that our university is becoming an extension of the global church as each semester passes. That it is, now more than ever, the most diverse it has ever been. International students currently make up more than 50% of our total student population across all programs and campuses. This is a wonderful blessing for our community.
It is my hope and vision for Trinity Western to be a place where all people, regardless of their culture, background or status are equal and are one community under Jesus Christ. We are not there yet. There is still work to be done.
If we are going to be a university that ensures every graduate is equipped to think truthfully, act justly, and live faithfully for the good of the world and the glory of God, we as an entire community including staff, faculty and students (not just the ICP team) must learn to run towards people different from us, embrace them in the warmth of Christ’s love, and be humbled with hands open to learn and unlearn. This is going to be hard. It is going to challenge your norms and your unconscious biases. Trust me when I say it’s worth it. I have seen moments of it throughout my years.
It is my hope and vision for Trinity Western to be a place where all people, regardless of their culture, background or status are equal and are one community under Jesus Christ. We are not there yet. There is still work to be done.
I want to leave you with one of my favorite videos. In this short clip, we see a white and black child, both friends, running towards each other and eventually hugging. It is honestly one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen and I hope it makes your day. However, more than that, this is a perfect image for how we as a TWU community need to embrace each other. I hope the next time you see someone culturally different from you while at Trinity Western, whether it’s in person or online, you don’t walk to them in hesitation (metaphorically speaking). Rather, you run to them. You run with your hands held open in humility, with a willingness to learn and unlearn, and with the spirit of God right behind you.
Blessings,
Christopher Wong
See also — How TWU's Intercultural Programs (ICP) and Bridge meetups foster friendships across cultures:
TWU News
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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