LCAL Establishes Lena Foo InnoGen Seed Fund
By Karen Richters
The Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics is pleased to announce the establishment of the Lena Foo InnoGen Seed Fund, made possible through a generous gift from alumna Lena Foo (DC 1988), managing principal of the CETIC Foundation. The fund is designed to advance interdisciplinary education, innovation and experiential learning opportunities for both college and pre-college students.
The InnoGen Seed Fund will support interdisciplinary student projects, outreach programs, scholarships and early-stage innovation initiatives. By connecting academic learning with real-world challenges, the fund aims to prepare students to become adaptive leaders and socially responsible innovators.
Foo’s contribution reflects her longstanding belief in the power of education to drive personal and global transformation. “My vision is for education to be an inclusive, practical and purposeful journey that grows with us,” she stated. “Learning should begin with kindness and care. It is not just about acquiring knowledge but about shaping leaders who can navigate and transform the world across boundaries.”
She highlighted the importance of global perspectives, creativity and technological fluency. “By connecting diverse subjects and people, students can develop life skills and personal experiences that help them identify and solve real-world problems. Education should nurture caring, responsible global citizens who are to adapt, innovate and make a positive difference.”
Foo hopes the InnoGen Fund will strengthen pathways between college and pre-college education. “I hope the fund will empower students to bridge gaps across ages, fields and backgrounds. By supporting interdisciplinary learning and real-world engagement, the fund can help young people transform bold ideas into meaningful social impact,” she said. “At its core, InnoGen reflects a belief in infinite possibilities — the idea that every young person, when equipped with the right opportunities, can seize defining moments in their educational journey.”
A key component of this vision is LCAL's pre-college program Global Cultures and Emerging Technologies which will be a major beneficiary of the fund while still leaving room to support additional initiatives across the department.
Gang Liu, director of undergraduate studies and teaching professor of Chinese studies, noted that the fund aligns directly with LCAL’s goals around innovation and student success. “This gift will allow us to foster early exploration, support diverse student experiences and expand opportunities that prepare learners for a rapidly changing world,” Dr. Liu said. “We are deeply grateful for Ms. Foo’s generosity and her commitment to empowering future generations.”