Following years of dedication to the system of higher education and international studies, former Boston University Vice President John Joseph Meng died Friday at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from pancreatic cancer. He was 58.
Meng came to BU in 1980 to serve as vice president of external programs. While in office, he oversaw all BU’s international programs, as well as the Center for English Language and Orientation Program (CELOP) and Metropolitan College.
“He was a very good administrator … and a good leader. He was very intelligent and hardworking,” said Riaz Khan, the current associate vice president of external programs, who worked with Meng during his years at BU.
Meng worked to bring a large number of students to BU through the Hariri Foundation, an educational foundation that sends many Lebanese students to the United States for college. Meng’s help gave these students the opportunity to attend BU, Kahn said.
Meng resigned from his position at BU in 1991 to start his own private consulting firm, The Meng Group.
Meng began his career in education at Columbia University where he worked as grants administrator. He taught law at the Catholic University of Puerto Rico before becoming the dean of student services and vice chancellor of City University of New York.
In addition to his passion for education, Meng was also an accomplished cook. A founding member of the Spinazolla Foundation, he was a former president of the Culinary Institute of America.
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