Flyers for Life

When Andrew Wong ’19 entered a management rotation program through Synchrony, his first role was to lead 25 customer service associates. Wong was 21 and many of the associates were more much experienced and tenured at Synchrony. UD had prepared him well, but this was to be his first test of applying what he’d learned in class.

Wong quickly discovered the importance of taking ownership of anything and everything, both good and bad. Instead of making excuses, he found it important to find solutions and to act with integrity. But the greatest lesson he learned was that people will always remember how you make them feel.

“Forming strong relationships built on trust and integrity is how I try to live my life,” said Wong. “I understand that life may be stressful, but kindness — and understanding how to make people feel special — will bring others and yourself much further along. I have sought to embody the idea of ‘Learn. Lead. Serve.’ by understanding that, while I may not have the most experience early on in my career, I am not afraid to question and ask for advice when needed.”

For Wong, being a servant leader means leading by example, understanding the premise of vulnerability and doing the right thing. He found that being open to feedback and growth is critical to early advancement, and he seeks further understanding through the leaders and individuals he works with daily — molding his own unique leadership style.

“Being born and raised in Hawaii, the idea of lokomaikaʻi — or the idea of being disposed to do good and act with kindness and humility — was taught and instilled in me from an early age. The importance of servant leadership to the Marianists is one of the main reasons why I chose to attend UD, and I want to continue to make a positive difference in the world.”

Now a lay Marianist, Wong shares the lessons he learned at UD and leads with humility and through example, whether that is through championing his team members for promotion or simply living with a global mindset to help break down cultural barriers. He tries to base his life on the principles he learned from his home in Hawaii and his home at UD.

“I take what I learned from UD and use it to shape communities founded by servant leadership and built on a foundation of social justice. Even though not everyone around me is familiar with UD, I share with them the same sense of community that I felt during my four years in Dayton.”

Wong remains very active with the University, serving as the social chair for the Charlotte Alumni Community. He has also helped with college fairs representing UD in the Charlotte region and has hosted and led an event for underrepresented and first-generation college students to learn more about opportunities at UD.

When asked about his favorite UD memory, Wong exclaimed, “This is such a hard question! There are really too many to count, but right now I’d have to say my favorite has to be living on Kiefaber and just chilling on the porch and seeing all the friends stop by and talk for hours.

“There will never be a time again where I will be so close to so many people I love and who inspire me. It was such a great place, and I am so proud to have gone to UD!”