Nearly 100 MSU alumni, faculty members, faculty emeriti and students attended a memorial dinner hosted by International Studies and Programs in honor of MSU alumna Delia Koo on May 1 at the Delia Koo International Academic Center.
Delia Koo, known as a pioneer of international programs at MSU, died Oct. 20, 2008.
“We are grateful beyond measure to Dr. Koo for her generosity and leadership to improve international services on our campus,” said Jeff Riedinger, dean of International Studies and Programs, “The wide scope of her work has served as an inspiration to countless staff and faculty.”
Through a major endowment to MSU, Koo made possible the Delia Koo International Academic Center, which yielded a major expansion for the facility adding classrooms conference and administrative spaces.
She also established the Delia Koo Chinese Grant Program, providing approximately $300,000 for undergraduate and graduate scholarships for Chinese students to study at MSU.
“Dr. Koo’s work has been a springboard for numerous international projects, which have resulted in an increased internationalized curriculum, research and outreach,” Riedinger said.
As a 1941 Chinese immigrant, Koo understood the challenges of acclimating to an American educational system. So, in 1983 she created the Volunteer English Tutoring Program, which continues to provide MSU’s growing international population with free resources.
In addition to her husband, Anthony, Koo is survived by three daughters.
“Her foresight will be remembered by MSU and generations of students for many years to come,” Riedinger said.