Faculty Tribute: Jason Leong

          During his time at Lawrenceville, Mr. Leong was one of the greatest teachers and advisors a student could come across. It was evident that he always cared for the well-being of everyone. While maintaining a polite and kind demeanor, Mr. Leong always knew how to joke around and laugh, never being overbearingly serious. He was also a great crew coach; whenever he gave feedback, it was clear that he truly wanted us to improve. Whenever we approached him with a problem, he showed unmistakable empathy, as he always took the time to talk about what he would have done in the same situation and what we should do to fix the problem. One of the most genuine people to step foot on this campus, Mr. Leong has truly impacted everyone that he interacts with in his tenure at Lawrenceville. His impact was most profoundly felt within the Boys’ Varsity Crew 2V, the boat he coached. 

          Not a day went by in practice where praises weren’t sung about the quality of his feedback, his empathy when coaching, or his simultaneously serious and joyful attitude. Here are a few of his students’ words: 

          “Mr. Leong, congratulations on graduating from the fellows program! Rowing for the 2V was a ton of fun this year. We will get this Stotes medal for you. Next year, we will miss your hype pre-race speeches and ‘raise your hands to the catch’ calls in practice. When you become a medical professor at MIT, never forget the Courageous boys. The Mr. Leong 20 WILL be in effect tomorrow.”

          Mr Leong, your presence will be sorely missed on this campus. However, it is clear you will excel in whatever future endeavor you pursue, just as you did here at Lawrenceville. Thank you for all you’ve done for both me and the Lawrenceville community.