Announcing the Ada & Peter Mui Social Work Fellowship
Hello, alumni, students, and friends of Columbia University,
My name is Ada Mui, and I am a professor at the Columbia School of Social Work. After over five decades of dedication to social work education, research, and practice, I will be retiring following my upcoming sabbatical. As I reflect on this journey, I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support of God, my family, friends, mentors, colleagues, and students. It has been a profound honor to work alongside and nurture some of the brightest minds in social work across the United States, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Today, I am thrilled to announce the establishment of the Ada and Peter Mui Social Work Fellowship, an endowed legacy fund my husband and I created to support and empower social work students—including international students—as they pursue their professional journeys.
Before I delve further, I’d like to introduce myself more personally by sharing a story about how scholarships transformed my life and shaped my mission to give back.
My professional passion lies in social gerontology, with a focus on healthy aging, productive aging, depression, dementia, and caregiver burden. My journey began in the 1970s as a medical social worker in Hong Kong, where I served in a geriatric unit. That experience taught me the importance of promoting healthy aging—not only to enhance the quality of life for older adults but also to ease the burden on family caregivers, reduce healthcare costs, and strengthen communities.
Inspired by this work, I pursued graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis, earning my Master’s and Ph.D. in social work in 1990. That same year, I joined Columbia University’s School of Social Work, where I have been honored to serve for 35 fulfilling years
Now, let me share a deeply personal story that underscores the significance of this scholarship. My husband, Peter, is a minister who has volunteered as a religious life advisor at Columbia’s Chaplain’s Office for over 25 years. Together, we have provided spiritual and social support to students, particularly international students from Social Work and other departments. Our home became a welcoming space for dinners and fellowship—a “home away from home” where we fostered a sense of belonging for students navigating new and challenging environments. These students have become like family to us, and this scholarship represents our legacy and enduring gift to them.
Scholarships hold a profound place in my heart. They represent motivation, empowerment, dreams, and hope. I grew up in extreme poverty in Hong Kong during the 1950s. My mother, whose health suffered greatly due to life’s hardships and malnutrition, often gave what little food we had to us children. My father struggled with chronic alcoholism and gambling, leaving my mother to bear the weight of providing for our family.
As a child, I yearned to ease her burden. Out of my parents’ five children, I was the only one fortunate enough to receive an education—a rare opportunity in those days. I began primary school in an evening program run by American missionaries, working as a child worker during the day to support my family and attending school at night. Scholarships became my lifeline. Despite a grueling routine of working and studying, their support fueled my perseverance. Each scholarship I received motivated me to overcome adversity, progress through grade school, and ultimately gain admission to college—an extraordinary achievement for someone from my background.
The scholarships I received didn’t just fund my education; they empowered me to dream beyond my circumstances and gave me the strength to pursue a better future. They ignited a lifelong commitment to giving back and supporting others as I was supported.
Columbia University has been my academic home for over three decades, providing me the opportunity to develop my career, mentor exceptional students, and contribute to the field of social work. Watching my students grow and seeing the impact they have made in our profession has been one of the greatest joys of my life.
Columbia is more than just an institution to me; it is my family. I invite you to join me in supporting our legacy fund so that, together, we can help ensure that social work students—especially international students—receive the support they need to achieve their dreams and make meaningful contributions to society.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story. I hope this scholarship will inspire and empower future students to pursue careers in social work, bringing hope and blessings to the communities they serve.
I wish you all success, fulfillment, and good health. May God bless you and your loved ones.
Thank you.
Ada Mui
Professor of Social Work
Columbia University School of Social Work