Published August 04, 2014
Along with donor Eric Liew, and his wife Linda Pruett, University of Louisiana at
Monroe officials broke ground on the newest privately-funded project for the university—the
international student center.
The Liew family pledged $1 million in January to build the facility that will temporarily
house incoming international students as they prepare for life in a new country and
new culture. The center will serve as a base-camp for those looking to socialize with
others from around the globe, and will be a place to cook, study, and have group meetings.
“When I came to the university, the international population was growing, and I wanted
to continue that trend,” said ULM President Dr. Nick J. Bruno. “International students
add a great deal to our campus, including their language, their culture, and their
understanding of our world.”
Bruno met with Eric Liew, a 1993 business graduate, and the two realized that to support
the expansion of the international student body, they would have to create a facility
that would make the transition easier.
Bruno said, “We knew that to really grow the international student population we would
need a facility not only to accommodate those students, but to become the center of
the international student community—a place for cultures to meet each other and join
each other in their university journey.”
Linda Pruett (left) and Eric Liew (right)
Liew reflected on his own journey as an international student arriving from Malaysia
some 30 years ago.
“I came here with one suitcase and a small bag,” said Liew. “The student association
picked me up and dropped me off at a dormitory. I was alone. I remember that feeling
and I said to myself if I am ever blessed enough to become successful, I wanted to
make this happen. We did it.”
With the new facility, those entering the country to attend ULM will have a safe and
comfortable place to meet other students and settle into life at ULM.
Current student, Marcelo Gomez, a native of Ecuador, said, “Being a student in a place
where we have a different cultures and different language is not easy, but we have
to learn to adapt.
What Mr. Liew and his family have done is an inspiration to all the international
students, and it gives us a place to congregate and be creative and learn about one
another.”
Construction has already begun on the facility and the university hopes to open its
doors in spring 2015.
About Eric Liew:
Liew is the CEO and majority stockholder of the Monroe-based AOSS Medical Supply,
Inc. According to Liew, AOSS is the largest privately-owned medical supply company
in Louisiana.
AOSS has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; and Honolulu, Hawaii, with plans to expand
to Pennsylvania or New Jersey in the coming months.
Liew recently completed his first term on the Board of Trustees for the Louisiana
Public Facilities Authority.
