W.W. Yen was the first student from China to earn a degree from the University of Virginia. Arriving on Grounds in 1897, he excelled in disciplines spanning the arts, sciences, humanities, and law. Yen graduated in 1900 and went on to a long diplomatic and political career that included serving as the Premier of the Republic of China, China’s first ambassador to the Soviet Union, and a delegate to the League of Nations.

In 2016, to honor Yen’s achievements, the University established the Yen Global Initiatives Student Projects Fund to support activities related to student project work for global initiatives.

This past April, UVA held a dedication ceremony for the newly named Yen House in the International Residential College.