• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Features
  • Campus News
  • CSUDH.edu
  • Contact
  • People
    • Staff Spotlight
    • Faculty Highlights
    • Alumni
  • Magazine
  • For Journalists
    • CSUDH In The News
    • Press Releases
    • Facts and Figures
    • Find Media Experts
    • Gallery
    • News Reporting on Campus

CSUDH News

The primary source of news and information about California State University, Dominguez Hills, its students, faculty, and staff.

You are here: Home / Archive / News / Tak Yee Poon ‘Goes the Extra Mile’ for CSUDH and its Students

Tak Yee Poon ‘Goes the Extra Mile’ for CSUDH and its Students

October 31, 2014

Tak Yee Poon, main on page
Tak Yee Poon

Tak Yee Poon’s friendly demeanor and prowess in providing such support as building innovative webpages or webserver maintenance is well known to those who periodically seek his expertise. But for those he works with on a daily basis, it’s his unmistakable passion for helping faculty, staff and particularly students that provides the true meaning of the words “Outstanding Education Support” engraved on the plaque of his 2014 Staff Award.

“I understand what they [students working on campus] are going through in trying to balance work and classes, especially during mid-terms and finals,” said Poon, the university webmaster in California State University, Dominguez Hills’ (CSUDH) Office of Enterprise Applications Management. “So I try my best to increase their work experience, knowledge, and ethics. I see them more as friends than co-workers. ”

Poon’s college and professional careers have taken place exclusively at CSUDH since he arrived in the U.S. in 1993. In fact, as a CSUDH international student from Hong Kong, China, he wasn’t permitted to work off campus.

Like a lot of the student assistants and interns who work with him in the Division of Information Technology (IT), Poon (B.S., computer science, 1998) began working at CSUDH as an assistant in student computer labs until he graduated. In 2000, his reputation on campus and technical abilities helped land him the position of university webmaster.

Poon is currently focused on migrating the entire CSUDH website to a content management system called CM1, and is responsible for working with and assigning work to student assistants and interns, many of whom IT hired specifically to assist with the project.

However, for the students Poon often goes beyond his job description. He “tries his best” to answer any questions they have, including those related to homework and class assignments. He also drafted step-by-step guides to help them improve in web development, and even helps them navigate the job market when they graduate.

As webmaster, Poon is responsible for webserver application installation, configuration, and maintenance campus wide.  He also sets up websites with Cold Fusion, JavaScript, and Active Server Pages (ASP) programming languages for CSUDH’s divisions, departments and colleges, as well as handles such projects as creating space online for faculty who need webpages for student projects.

Tak Yee Poon, with student
Poon helps IT student assistant Albert Bevans.

In his staff award nomination letter, IT Project Coordinator Nathlyn Hirohama wrote that Poon is an example of how staff can play a key role in the success of the university.

“He is always available to the faculty to assist them with their needs or problems, even when he is on vacation or during his off-hours,” added Hirohama. “He has been instrumental in helping the library support their applications while they were searching for a new system administrator. Tak has also set up accessibility software to provide data and statistics on all campus websites, which will help ensure that students with disabilities have the same access to information as other students.”

Poon believes that by going the extra mile to help the campus community that he is giving back to those who have helped shape his career. He credits CSUDH computer science Professor Kazimierz Kowalski—his mentor when he was a student— for introducing him to web programming and management. He is also thankful to Professor Wang-Chan Wong in the Information System and Operations Management Department for introducing him to database management.

“I’ve spent more than eight hours here every day since I was a student. This is like my home,” he said. “That’s why it was a great honor to be awarded the Outstanding Education Support Award. I am grateful to Nathlyn Hirohama for nominating me, the faculty and students for submitting support letters, and IT management for supporting me.”

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Computer Science, Faculty, Students

Primary Sidebar

Social Media

Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram
LinkedIn
SOCIALICON

Recent Campus News

student and advisor at the CHHSN Success Center

New Student Success Centers Open Their Doors

In Conversation with Lauren Halsey

Amber Riley onstage

Amber Riley Shares Struggles, Triumphs at Presidential Distinguished Lecture Series

2022 Division II Conference Commissioners Association West Region Player of the Year Sulaiman Bah

Sulaiman Bah Named West Region Player of the Year

CSUDH student at computer

CSUDH Receives $5.3 Million to Address Digital Divide in the South Bay

... see all Campus News

Recently In the News

Students using microscopes

Insight into Diversity: California Grant Expands Health Professions Access for Underrepresented Students

January 4, 2023

Video still: 2:24 CSUDH can boast about graduating 5 current mayors

NBC4: CSUDH Can Boast about Graduating 5 Current Mayors

December 16, 2022

Recent graduates holding certificates from the Small Business Growth Academy

Daily Breeze: Carson Celebrates 1st Graduates of Small Business Growth Academy

December 16, 2022

... see all In the News

Footer

California State University, Dominguez Hills Logo

1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747
1-310-243-2001 • Send Email

Related Sites

  • csudh.edu
  • magazine.csudh.edu
  • gotoros.com

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get CSUDH News directly in your inbox

Copyright © 2023 · California State University, Dominguez Hills