Vicki Hughes-Hung and Berwyn Hung
Vicki Hughes-Hung (B.S. ‘95; M.T. ‘95) and Berwyn Hung each have connections to Virginia Commonwealth University. Hughes-Hung attended VCU’s graduate program for secondary education and graduated in 1995. Hung has been teaching at the Brandcenter in the VCU School of Business since 2011. And both are committed to making education more accessible.
“I have always been very passionate about teaching and helping people get into the advertising industry,” Hung says. “Advertising is an influential space to be in. The more different voices we can have in that space, the better it is for the industry and the world.”
As he has worked to promote diversity and inclusion at the Brandcenter, Hung saw that one barrier often kept promising students from enrolling because they simply didn’t have the money.
As an educator, Hung always saw it as a loss for the Brandcenter when a candidate decided not to attend because of the cost. He and Vicki “wanted to find a way to give that will be long-lasting to support future generations of students.”
Hughes-Hung was fortunate enough to pursue her degree at VCU with immense support from her family. She pushed herself to complete the five-year teacher education program in just four years and commuted to classes while living at home. She was able to graduate without student debt, something she is very grateful for, and she knows firsthand how much she has benefited.
But with their children now in college, the couple sees firsthand the cost of an education today. When students today come out of college with debt, “it’s hard for them to start living or consider earning another degree because they have to start working to pay off their loans,” Hughes-Hung says. “We hope to give opportunity to the students who wouldn’t have the option of an advanced degree and lessen their financial burden.”
The couple decided on a planned gift to the Brandcenter as the best way to achieve this goal. Their initial gift established the 2020 Vision for Social Justice Endowed Scholarship, which supports Brandcenter students with demonstrated financial need, merit and a commitment to social good.
“The fund has been steadily growing and supporting Brandcenter students. My hope is that by the time I retire it will be significantly bigger,” Hung says. “And whenever we do pass, we’ll be able to give so much more. “We hope it can eventually pay one or more student’s full tuition.”
“Education is part of the pathway to having a voice. By supporting scholarships, we allow people to be a part of the world that they live in,” Hughes-Hung says. “We want to make sure to give the next generation as much of a leg up as we can.”
You can join Berwyn and Vicki in helping the next generation of Brandcenter students by making a gift to the 2020 Vision for Social Justice Endowed Scholarship.
