Announcing the Charles C.S. Song Fellowship

One year ago, our SAFL community lost an esteemed colleague, dedicated teacher and scholar, and internationally renowned researcher when Dr. Charles C.S. Song passed away. Even though he no longer walks among us, Dr. Song’s legacies of excellence, kindness, and caring are alive and well here in the lab and across the world in our SAFL network of alumni and friends.

We are delighted to announce the creation of a new graduate fellowship in Professor Song’s honor. A generous group of his former graduate students have partnered to start the Charles C.S. Song Fellowship at SAFL. We are grateful to Dr. Changsi Chen, Dr. Xiangying Chen, Dr. Cuiling (Sue) Gong, Dr. Qizhong Guo, Dr. Jianming He, Dr. Wenchin Lin, and Dr. Fayi Zhou for honoring Professor Song for his pioneering research accomplishments and his caring mentorship.

 The new fellowship will provide vital graduate student support, particularly for international students at SAFL. When creating the fellowship, Professor Song’s former students shared the following:

“Professor Song himself was an immigrant, he understood the challenges that international students faced abroad.  He always reached out to new international students and offered his help and support.  When he taught classes that had international students, he intentionally adjusted lecture pace and wrote important information on the blackboard.  As an advisor he was very patient and allowed time for us to overcome the culture shock.  He made us feel at home when he and his wife, Irene Li-Ying Song, invited us to his house for summer or Christmas gatherings to enjoy delicious food and have delightful conversations. Professor Song’s guidance and support in those early years helped us build a solid foundation for our future academic and professional development.  We extend our sincere gratitude to Professor Song through this gift to support future international students’ journeys at U of M.”

Read more remembrances of Dr. Charles C.S. Song by his students.

The inaugural Charles C.S. Song Fellowship award will be made in spring 2022.

If you would like to honor Dr. Song’s memory by making a gift to the new fellowship, your support is welcome. Make a gift to the Song Fellowship.