The MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing has received substantial support for its striking new headquarters on Vassar Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A major gift from Sebastian Man ’79, SM ’80 will be recognized with the naming of a key space in the building, enriching the academic and research activities of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and MIT.
Man, the first major donor to support the building since Stephen A. Schwarzman’s foundational gift established the Schwarzman College of Computing, is the chair and CEO of Chung Mei International Holdings Ltd., a manufacturer of domestic kitchen electrics and air treatment products for major international brands. Particularly supportive of education, he is a council member of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, serves on the Board of the Morningside College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and was a member of the court of the University of Hong Kong and the chair of the Harvard Business School Association of Hong Kong. His community activities include serving as a council member of The Better Hong Kong Foundation and executive committee member of the International Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong China Business Council, as well as of many other civic and business organizations. Man is also part of the MIT parent community, as his son, Brandon Man, is a graduate student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Man’s gift to the college was recognized at a ceremony and luncheon in Hong Kong, where he resides, on Jan. 10. MIT Chancellor for Academic Advancement W. Eric L. Grimson PhD ’80, who hosted the event, noted that in addition to his financial generosity to the Institute, Man has played many important volunteer roles at MIT. “His service includes advancing MIT near and far as a member of the Corporation Development Committee, sharing his expertise through his recent selection as a new member of the Mechanical Engineering Visiting Committee, and, most recently, his acceptance of an invitation to join the Schwarzman College of Computing Dean’s Advisory Council,” he said.
“This new building is a home for the MIT community and a home for the people who are helping shape the future of computing and AI,” said MIT Schwarzman College of Computing Dean Daniel Huttenlocher SM ’84, PhD ’88 in a video greeting to Man and his family. “Thanks to your gift, the college is better positioned to achieve its mission of creating a positive impact on society, and for that we are deeply grateful.”
The state-of-the-art MIT Schwarzman College of Computing headquarters was designed to reflect the mission of meeting rapidly changing needs in computing through new approaches to research, education, and real-world engagement. The space provides MIT’s campus with a home base for computing research groups, new classrooms, and convening and event spaces.
Those at the Hong Kong event also enjoyed a video message from Stephen A. Schwarzman, chair, CEO, and co-founder of Blackstone and the college’s founding donor. “When we first announced the new college at MIT,” he said, “MIT said it was reshaping itself for the future. That future has come even faster than we all thought. Today, AI is part of the daily vernacular, and MIT’s ability to impact its development with your support is more tangible than ever.”
Sebastian Man spoke fondly of his years at the Institute. “The place really opened my eyes … and sharpened my intellect. It offered me a whole brave, new world. Everything was interesting and everything was exciting!
“I come from a family where my father taught us that one should always be grateful to those people and places that have helped you to become who you are today,” Man continued. “MIT instilled in me unending intellectual curiosity and the love for the unknown, and I am honored and privileged to be associated with the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.”