Asia Society honors Sun, Baker

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

Asia Society Texas Center (ASTC) honored two members of the Rice community Thursday night at its 2011 Tiger Ball at the Hilton Americas-Houston.

	JEFF FANTICH PHOTOGRAPHY
	Charles Foster, chairman of the board of Asia Society Texas Center, presents University Representative Y. Ping Sun, left, with the Asian-American Leadership Award at the organization’s Tiger Ball March 24 at the Hilton-Americas Houston.

University Representative Y. Ping Sun received the Asian-American Leadership Award for her commitment to education and community organizations and to the mission of Asia Society. Sun serves on the ASTC board.

”The reward for me is simply that I’m doing what I love,” Sun said. ”I feel fortunate to have an opportunity to work with great institutions like Asia Society, Texas Children’s Hospital, Teach for America, United Way and others. It truly is a testament to our city that so many people volunteer with nonprofit organizations.”

Sun said her husband, Rice President David Leebron, should be receiving the award with her. ”He might look Caucasian, but he sometimes thinks like an Asian,” she said. ”Being an American but thinking like an Asian or an African is a good thing in our increasingly global society. Our children won’t merely be Americans, Chinese, Indians, Italians, Mexicans or South Africans. They will be citizens of the world. Understanding the cultures that make up our world is crucial to security, peace and prosperity.”

JEFF FANTICH PHOTOGRAPHY
Eddie Allen, vice chairman of the board of Asia Society Texas Center, presents former Secretary of State James A. Baker, left, with the Roy M. Huffington Award for Contributions to International Understanding.

Also honored was James A. Baker III, honorary chair of Rice’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. He received the Roy M. Huffington Award for Contributions to International Understanding.

The Asia Society award was given to Baker because, over the course of his career as a diplomat, lawyer and politician, he has become one of Houston’s most admired public figures. He has served in senior government positions under three U.S. presidents, including secretary of state from January 1989 through August 1992 under President George H.W. Bush. He also served as secretary of the Treasury from 1985 to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan and White House chief of staff to President Reagan from 1981 to 1985.

The namesake of the award Baker received was a Texas oilman who helped found Asia Society Texas Center, a nonprofit organization that fosters understanding between Asians and Americans. The Tiger Ball is the society’s annual gala fundraiser.