The following story is part of our Volunteer Spotlight series, celebrating alumni and Queen’s friends whose time, leadership, and dedication strengthen the Queen’s community here and around the world. Through these stories, we recognize the many ways volunteers contribute – through mentorship, branch leadership, advocacy, events, and beyond. By sharing their experiences, we hope to express our gratitude, highlight the impact of volunteer engagement, and inspire others to get involved.
When Jonathan Kong, Artsci’11, was considering where to go to university, a Queen’s admissions officer took the time to speak with him by phone. That conversation lasted several hours – and it changed the direction of his life. Kong went on to choose Queen’s and spend his first year as a “castle kid” at what’s now Bader College in Herstmonceux, England.
Nearly 20 years later, he’s still paying that attention forward, helping young people find their path and bringing Queen’s alumni together across cities and continents.
As co-founder of Porte Global, Kong helps mentor high-school students who want to make a meaningful difference in their communities. The Vancouver-based organization, which turns five this year, emphasizes community service over résumé-building.
“How can we help local first?” says Kong. “How can our kids have an impact, a genuine impact?”
Among a wide range of projects, Porte students have successfully advocated for automated external defibrillators in B.C. schools, donated more than 50,000 meals to people experiencing homelessness, and created a free graphic-design service for student founders around the world.
They’re the kinds of initiatives that stand out on a university application, but for Kong, the point is much bigger.
“At the end of the day, what you've done, what you've built up, will continue to have an impact on yourself,” he says.
That’s been true for Victoria Lu, a Porte alum. She first connected with Kong at the beginning of high school and continued turning to him for guidance through university, including when she changed majors. Two years after graduating from Berkeley, they’re still in touch.
“He helps with the ideation process. He’s really big on asking why,” says Lu. She is especially grateful for Kong’s willingness to make time for the people he cares about.
Jonathan Kong, Artsci’11, (left) and David Nesbitt, MBA'70, at the Vancouver alumni branch welcome event on Sept. 15, The Next Chapter: Change, Connection, and Resilience.
That instinct to connect people also shapes Kong’s volunteer work with Queen’s.
Today, he’s the co-president of the Vancouver alumni branch. He and his team there have been building on the branch’s long history while helping shape a reimagined model. The idea is to connect local programming in the city with Queen’s priorities and demonstrate the power of alumni networks to foster belonging, mentorship, and meaningful involvement. One recent example was the branch’s welcome event on Sept. 15 – The Next Chapter: Change, Connection, and Resilience.
Kong’s reach also extends beyond Vancouver. He has helped build connections with alumni in Hong Kong, where he is working with longstanding branch leaders on a fall reception, and is exploring opportunities to connect with alumni in London, UK.
“Jonathan’s work goes well beyond organizing events,” says Andrea Delgado Morrow, Queen’s Director of Global Alumni Strategy. “He is always looking for ways to connect people and strengthen the Queen’s community both locally and globally.”
Kong traces some of that outlook back to Queen’s. After graduating, he worked in the university’s Vice-Provost (International) Office, and his time abroad at Bader College left a lasting impression. He still remembers art history instructor Daphne Lawson’s ability to bring paintings to life by drawing attention to details others might miss.
“I do feel a sense of pride in my time at the university,” says Kong. “It was very formative and I don't think I would trade it for anything else.”
Nearly two decades after that Queen’s admission officer took the time to help him imagine what might be next, Kong is still doing much the same for others – one student, one alum, one connection at a time.
To learn more about upcoming alumni events in Vancouver, contact Jonathan Kong and his team at alumni.branches@queensu.ca.
Alumni in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area are also invited to attend the Queen’s alumni reception on Nov. 22. Stay tuned to the alumni event listings for more details.
