From Shoeshine Boy To Shining Star
Dr. Lawrence Tseu is a dentist, renowned philanthropist, regent at the University of Oxford and much more, but at heart he remains a humble guy with
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that he achieved academically.
He remembers his first patient at Northwestern. It was a graduate student who came for free dental service at the school.
“A simple filling took me four hours,” he recalls.
“Have you improved your time?” we ask.
“Not much,” Tseu responds and bursts into a hearty laugh.
But hundreds of satisfied patients later, his 44-year dental career has been both rewarding and lucrative.
“I’ve been drilling, filling and billing ever since!” he says.
The financial rewards have allowed him to invest in ventures to pyramid his earnings. Tseu knew as he accumulated wealth he had an obligation to give back to the community.
This is what separates the men from the boys.
It is said that in most households, giving is the least-contemplated major purchase. One must be a giver at heart and be willing to put your hands into it as well. Tseu believes giving should be done as thoughtfully as investing.
Tseu’s passion is helping people reach their full potential. Children from disadvantaged socio-economic levels especially get this attention.
“Giving someone a start in the right direction is very satisfying,” he says. Education also is a focus because it is “empowerment and an equalizer.”
Whether it’s beauty contestants vying for scholarships or a Navy commander trying to clear his name after a mishap of history, Tseu’s philanthropic investments nourish hopes and dreams.
He is president of the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation USA, regent of the prestigious University of Oxford in England, patron of the Gallery of General Eric Shinseki (former U.S. Army Chief of Staff) at the U.S. Army Museum, and associate producer of the movie Ka Shen’s Journey, which depicts the life of Chinese actress Nancy Kwan and will premiere in Hawaii as a fundraiser for the American Red Cross.
He is director of many organizations such as Bishop Museum, East-West Center International Foundation, Hawaii Theatre Center, University of Hawaii Culinary Arts School and Salvation Army.
Tseu is currently establishing a $1 million endowment at the University of the Pacific’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry to assist students who can’t otherwise afford the three-year program.
Social networking and community visibility are byproducts of Tseu’s outreach to the community. From fashion shows to the performing arts, Tseu is frequently seated in the VIP section as a supportive patron. While life imitates art, it’s the cause behind the glamorous events that truly attracts him.
That’s because Tseu believes he is a steward at best, never the owner of a charitable movement or program. He contends that when a worthy cause is at the heart of the matter, your wallet will follow.
Tseu is proof that one just does-n’t jump into philanthropic giving. You evolve into it. It is a progression that takes time. Only then can an “encourager” truly become a “giver.”
One must not rush into “irrational exuberance” for the publicity value, according to Tseu. Philanthropic programs must match one’s personal values so there is a sound, principled approach to the giving. With more than 700,000 charitable organizations in the U.S. - and a good percentage of them right here in Hawaii - there’s no shortage of opportunities for principled giving.
Philanthropists are interested in seeing results. “We want to be part of the solution,” Tseu says. “People think that being a phil-anthropist means you have to be Warren Buffett and have deep pockets. But it’s really a state of mind.”
Now we’ve got it. Philanthropy. It’s just another word for aloha.
Music Foundation of Hawaii’s third annual Legacy Awards, honoring Dr. Lawrence Tseu and several other local notables, is Wednesday, March 12, 6 p.m., at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel Monarch Room. Call 951-6699 for ticket information.
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