Michael Wu (’61, LLD ’05) came to Mount Allison from Hong Kong to study engineering and went on to careers in mechanical engineering, banking, and finance. He has also spent decades praising his Mount Allison experience and cherishing the lifelong friendships he made while at the University.

“He has always spoken very highly of how much he enjoyed the experience, of how supported and welcomed he felt — when he talks about Mount Allison, it's from the heart,” says daughter Michelle Wu. “He never forgot that Mount Allison opened the door for him to study engineering and to build the career success that followed.” 

Michael Wu has stayed connected to the University through the years, including creating an endowment fund that supports the resources and activities of the University’s International Centre and, in 1996, making a gift to create the Wu Teaching Centre, named in honour of his father, Dr. Y. S. Wu. In 2005, the University conferred Michael Wu with an honorary degree, recognizing his advocacy of education and commitment to the success of future generations of Mount Allison students.

“Dad has been a dedicated, supportive, and modest alumnus, never looking for or expecting recognition,” says Michelle. “His past gifts to the University are examples of his wish to recognize other people and the causes that are important to him.”

Michelle and her two siblings, inspired by the values of gratitude and giving back to the community that their father taught them and by his love for his alma mater, recently made a new gift to Mount Allison — supporting the Dr. Michael PK Wu Aviation Space.

“This is our opportunity to recognize dad,” says Michelle. “We think the Aviation Space is a wonderful way to celebrate his connection to Mount Allison.”

The Dr. Michael PK Wu Aviation Space is located just around the corner from the Wu Teaching Centre in the University’s Dunn Building. The space provides aviation students a much-needed place to study, collaborate, and access aviation training tools. Students use flight simulators and other technology to build their skills and strengthen their training when they are not logging practice time in the air.

“As an aviation student, the space has been really important to me and my classmates, especially as I work toward my goal of flying fixed-wing medevac, an air ambulance service,” says Ava Halperin. “I am a double major in physics and aviation, so spend a lot of time in the Dunn Building’s Wu Centre and Aviation Space, and I am really thankful for the Wu family support.”

Michelle says her family was attracted to the project because it was a need identified by the students themselves as something that would remove barriers to their success, and she remembers the smile on her dad’s face when they told him about the gift.

“My dad has always said attending Mount Allison was one of the best decisions he ever made,” says Michelle. “Back then there were not a lot of international students in the country, and it took a lot of courage and initiative on his part to come to Canada. As a young man, Mount Allison became his first community. Dad believes that a strong, connected community is essential to building a better tomorrow. Mount Allison gave him that feeling and it’s why he has remained such a devoted and loyal supporter of the University.”

Mount Allison Aviation

Aviation is a popular degree option at Mount Allison. Students earn their bachelor’s degree (BA, BComm, or BSc) and pilot license at the same time, and the program is delivered in partnership with MFC Training (Moncton Flight College). 

Dedicated students put in long hours, studying and attending lectures and labs on campus, travelling back and forth to the airport and college for flight instruction, and logging flight time in the air. 

The University is deeply appreciative of the donors supporting the success of our aviation students. 

Read more stories of giving, partnership, and community at mta.ca/giving.