Dr. Eddie Ho－ Director of Student Affairs HKBU

The BUddy Post reporter has interviewed Dr. Eddie Ho (Sociology), Director of Student Affairs who shared with us his views on student affairs development and many more.

Reporter: How did you start your association with HKBU?

Dr. Ho: I was an undergraduate student of HKBU from 1969 to 1973 majoring in sociology. At that time, resources in campus were relatively limited for 3,000 students as the government gave little recognition to the then Hong Kong Baptist College. But this, I believe, triggered our strong motivation to treasure our study life at HKBU. After completing my PhD at the University of Georgia in 1981, I started to develop my career at HKBU.

Reporter: How would you describe the development of student affairs at HKBU during the past 22 years? How do you feel about that?

Dr. Ho: When I started to take up the role as the Director of Student Affairs in 1989, I intended to introduce the counseling culture from the US to the campus. I believe that university life should not be limited to classroom training or academic discipline. Guiding students to develop their positive values and unleash their potentials with professional counseling skills are also important. This is the essence of our “Whole Person Education”.

Reporter: What do you think about the psychological quality of universities students nowadays?

Dr. Ho: The psychological quality of university students nowadays is much related to their living environments. Most of them grow up in “greenhouse” with abundant care from parents or even maids. They do not need to care about household duties or taking care of brothers and sisters. They have tutorials as study backup. They tend to take it for granted.  As a result, they are spoiled and become self-centered, and keep asking for a shortcut whenever they face difficulties.

Reporter: From a professional perspective, what is being psychologically healthy? And how can we achieve/ maintain it?

Dr. Ho: In order to be psychologically healthy, we should try to expand our social circle. Both teachers and students should have an open mind to learn comprehensive and sophisticated thinking from one another. I believe in the effectiveness of “Other Learning Experience (OLE)” as demonstrated in the hall life at our University whereby students learn to live an independent life in a social epitome.

Reporter:  Can you share with us some memorable and impressive moments of interacting with students?

Dr. Ho: Customs change with the times. In the past, dancing, gambling and card games were prohibited according to the Church’s code of conduct. Now, we have a fruitful campus life which allows various student activities including singing contests, study tours and SU banquets in which I enjoy interacting with students. All these are memorable moments to me.

Reporter: Can you share with us some of the contributions or achievements that you are proud of?

Dr. Ho: The new student orientation programme is one of the most satisfactory missions which I have accomplished at HKBU. It is an important experience for new students who step into the campus for the first time and start a new stage. Through various orientation activities and strategies, the University is able to enrich the experience and sense of belonging of the students.
Another project which I feel satisfied with is the University’s Newspaper Baptist Fax in the early 90s. It provided a transition platform for students to tune their mindset from secondary school life to university life.
The grouping of student associations with same/similar categories/fields together, for example, bringing a number of science associations to become a federal association of Science is another good piece of memory. This process helped develop leaders and facilitated staff coaching and training.

Reporter: Students of today will be alumni in the future. To what extent do you think Office of Student Affairs and Alumni Affairs Office can work together to sustain the big family of BU?

Dr. Ho: I think we can develop career mentorship programmes as an inter-office cooperation because interactions among current students and alumni will be fun and meaningful. We can place emphasis on transferable skills from study outcomes to career applications as these are the important tools for developing their career. I believe alumni can provide great assistance to our current students in this aspect.

Reporter: As a devoted Christian, what is your reflection in life?

Dr. Ho: I have five brothers and sisters and I am the eldest son in my family. I believe it was the Grace of God to give me this role and I feel grateful for it. I cannot accept myself to be lazy and idle. I have the urge to improve myself and move forward in life. It is God who pave the road for me and I have to transform the strength given by Him to become my internal strength. I think the youngsters nowadays rely too much on the external support.  Remember, we should not be easily contented with something good enough. Rather, we should always look forward to something better!

Reporter: What is your motto in life?

Dr. Ho: “It is clear to me that I have not come to that knowledge; but one thing I do, letting go those things which are past, and stretching out to the things which are before, I go forward to the mark, even the reward of the high purpose of God in Christ Jesus.” (Bible: Philippians 3:13-14).

Interviewees’ Biography: