▎PEOPLE

Pei-Gen Wang is a student in NTU’s Department of Social Work. His name means “nourishing the root,” and he has been nurturing himself with optimism, positivity, and self-confidence to grow into a giant tree to shelter and nourish others. Born into a visually-impaired family, he lost his eyesight due to retinal detachment when he was young. However, he has remained dedicated to his studies with the solid support of his family and friends. In 2010, he won his first President’s Education Award as a junior high school student.

After entering NTU, Pei-Gen Wang faced the many obstacles with the confidence and courage to find his footing in this mostly-seeing society. With his expertise in social work and unique insight as a visually-challenged person, he presented two papers on disabilities at domestic seminars in 2019 as a graduate student. Moreover, he joined the Center for Student Well-Being in 2021 to assist other challenged students in overcoming their obstacles based on his own knowledge and experience.

In his application for the 2023 President’s Education Award, Wang introduced his life story as “the growth narrative of a helper with disabilities and experience in social work.” During the selection process, all the faculty members and student peers recommended him highly to the selection committee. They praised his sincerity and solid contributions. Ever humble, Wang expressed the wish to further explore the academic discipline of assisting people and responding to the needs of society in his academic research. By supporting and delving into topics concerning disabilities and oppression, he intends to sustain and grow his influence on social systems and culture.

Wang’s receiving this award again in 2023 proves that he has the courage to tackle challenges, keep the community as well as himself in mind, and project a positive attitude. He truly embodies the spirit of this award!