The Story Behind the Andrew Wong Memorial Fund
“Find your passion and go for it.”
Andy Wong (he/him) had a unique perspective on life. He found success wasn’t measured by titles or accomplishments, but by helping others discover what they were capable of.
The Starting Line
Ask Andy’s wife, Sally Lloyd (she/her) to describe him, and she doesn’t begin with his doctorate or career.
She starts with his personality.
“Andy was a force of nature, he had a magnetic way of bringing people together.”
Andrew Wong, known as Andy to his family and friends, was the kind of person who made everyone around him feel seen. A chemist by profession and a mentor by nature, he believed everyone deserved a place at the table.
“On the introvert, extrovert scale, he was so off the scale that he made me look like an introvert, and I’m an extrovert,” Sally laughed.
Andy was what Sally affectionately called “a gatherer.” He found success wasn’t measured by titles or accomplishments, but by helping others discover what they were capable of. He gathered people around the resources they needed, and more often than not, those resources were each other.
Finding His Stride
As Andy’s career grew, so did his commitment to creating spaces where others could thrive.
Andy earned his doctorate in chemistry and began his career at Procter & Gamble in the lab before moving into product development. Sally is quick to point out that he wasn’t your typical chemist. His curiosity extended well beyond science, and he found just as much fulfillment in understanding people as he did in solving technical problems.
Early in his career, Andy participated in a consulting program that helped teams navigate workplace challenges. Diversity and inclusion were central to the training, introducing conversations around race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and identity that challenged him to think differently about leadership.
Those conversations continued at home.
Sally’s background in the social sciences encouraged Andy to think more deeply about how people’s lived experiences shaped opportunity. Together, they challenged each other’s perspectives, and over time, Andy’s approach to leadership evolved.
He carried those lessons back into the workplace, becoming deeply involved in diversity initiatives at Procter & Gamble.
Andy brought his passion to the company’s Asian Leadership Development Network after recognizing that its leadership didn’t reflect the diversity of its technical workforce. He believed leadership meant creating opportunities for others to succeed.
Going the Distance
Andy and his younger brother, John Wong (he/him), grew up in Jerome, Idaho, a town of roughly 8,000 people near Twin Falls. Their family owned the town’s only fine dining restaurant and, for many years, they were the only Asian family in the community.
Growing up, Andy understood what it felt like to stand out. Even as his career and life took him far beyond Jerome, those early experiences stayed with him. They shaped the way he saw people, the importance he placed on belonging, and his instinct to create spaces where others felt welcomed.
Years later, when John came out as gay, Andy and Sally met the moment with the same openness that had defined so much of their lives together. They celebrated John for being able to live authentically, then looked for ways to better understand and support the LGBTQ+ community.
John eventually introduced them to GSBA through his own involvement as a board member. They attended events, met community leaders like Louise and Mary, and found an organization that reflected values Andy had spent a lifetime putting into practice.
The Next Generation Takes the Course
In 2020, Andy’s life was cut short in what Sally describes as a tragic accident. An avid runner who had completed marathons and was training for triathlons, Andy was just 56 years old.
“The most tremendous shock,” Sally recalls. “One minute he’s here, and the next he’s gone.”
It was in the midst of planning Andy’s memorial service that Sally and their son, Alex, knew they wanted to honor Andy in a way that reflected the life he had lived. They chose to establish a scholarship through GSBA.
The decision came just one day after Andy’s passing.
“We felt that it was right in line with Andy, his beliefs, and what he stood for,” Sally says. “GSBA is working to develop leaders in many parts of our culture that have often been underrepresented.”
What began as an idea quickly became a family effort. Andy’s brother, John, and their mother, Annie, helped build the scholarship fund, while friends, colleagues, and former coworkers donated in Andy’s memory. Many shared stories of the ways he had quietly changed the course of their own lives through mentorship, encouragement, and unwavering belief in their potential.
The scholarship became another way Andy could continue doing what he had always done: opening doors for others.
Crossing a New Finish Line
Andy approached every part of his life the same way: he gave it 150 percent. Whether he was mentoring a colleague, training for a marathon, or building community, he believed in showing up fully and encouraging others to do the same.
That spirit lives on through the Andrew Wong Memorial Fund.
As a retired university professor, Sally has long believed that higher education has the power to transform lives. Supporting students, particularly those facing financial barriers, reflects values she and Andy shared throughout their lives together.
“I hope they gain what I hope every student gains from college,” Sally says. “The ability to critically analyze the world, engage deeply with others, find their authentic self, discover their passion, and become leaders with a social conscience.”
Each scholarship awarded in Andy’s name is an investment in that future. It creates opportunities for students to grow into thoughtful leaders who understand their communities, recognize the experiences of others, and carry that compassion forward.
Six years after Andy’s passing, his impact continues to reach people he never had the chance to meet.
“He’s been physically gone six years,” Sally says. “But he’s never gone away, because he lives on in the hearts of so many.”
Create a Legacy That Goes the Distance
The Andrew Wong Memorial Fund is one of many named scholarship funds helping LGBTQ+ students pursue higher education and build brighter futures.
If you’re interested in creating a lasting legacy through the GSBA Scholarship & Education Fund, we’d love to start that conversation.
