Mississippi College Salutes Dr. Louis Lau as Alumnus of the Year

Dr. Louis Lau

An extraordinary businessman, and faithful supporter of his alma mater for decades, Dr. Louis Lau will be honored as Mississippi College’s Alumnus of the Year.

President Lee Royce will join the salute to the 1965 MC chemistry graduate at the Alumni Awards dinner on October 23. Beginning at 6 p.m. that Friday evening at Anderson Hall, the occasion is among the signature events of the university’s 2015 Homecoming celebration.

Dr. Lau’s many accomplishments in the business world and deep love for the Christian university make him an excellent choice for this prestigious award, Royce noted.

“A highly successful Texas businessman who created a company which installed the Internet back bone in China, Dr. Lau has truly supported his alma mater for many years,” Royce said.

At Mississippi College, “we’ve been blessed by Dr. Lau’s strong support of various academic initiatives and the steady growth of our international student population,” Royce added.

A native of Hong Kong, this dedicated alumnus “remains a faithful supporter of the university’s wonderful table tennis team. Led by extraordinary players from China, MC edged longtime champ Texas Wesleyan last season in Wisconsin to become the No. 1 collegiate team in North America,” Royce said. “We consider Dr. Lau to be a champion, too, when it comes to supporting Mississippi College.”

Other leaders in the Mississippi College family applaud his lifetime achievements after arriving in the United States with few dollars in his pocket.

“Louis Lau is a most remarkable person who came to America with almost nothing,” says Ron Howard, vice president for academic affairs.

He obtained his undergraduate diploma at Mississippi College, Howard said, “thanks in large part through the help of missionary friends and nurturing faculty and staff he met once here. He studied hard and made the most of his opportunities.”

Although trained as a chemist, Dr. Lau moved rapidly up the ladder of entrepreneurship, first in real estate development in Dallas. Next, the Texan became a founder and chairman of Asian Info which brought the Internet trunk lines to China.

“His is certainly a modern day Horatio Alger story, assisted all the way by his loving wife, Sophia,” Howard said. “Dr. Lau believes in giving back, and he has been a most generous philanthropist to Mississippi College and other worthy endeavors.”

Retired professor John Legg of Clinton commends Lau for supporting the Chemistry Department with several major lab equipment purchases over the years.

“He’s been a very good friend of the college,” Legg said. Joining the MC faculty in 1960, Legg chaired the Chemistry Department for two decades before retiring in 2001.

A 1958 MC graduate, Legg recalls Dr. Lau as the very quiet freshman student who struggled at first with the English language. But the native of Hong Kong hit the books, succeeded in the classroom on the Clinton campus and later in his business ventures stretching from the USA to China.

Today, the two Mississippi College graduates remain good friends. “He deserves it (Alumnus of the Year),” Legg said. “I’m proud of him.”

For details on MC’s 2015 Homecoming, contact Lori Bobo of the university’s Alumni Affairs Office at 601-925-3252.