In this special edition of Owl Byte, we turn the microphone toward a crucial but often unheard part of our university ecosystem: the families who support our students from thousands of miles away.
When Tony Siu left Hong Kong for Temple, few could have predicted where his journey would lead. Today he’s an AI engineer and Founder of Coffee & Code Philadelphia, a growing community where developers and tech enthusiasts build and learn together. Behind that success was his mother, Rebecca Lai, who supported him through a 12-hour time difference and an unfamiliar university system. Now retired from City University of Hong Kong’s Student Development Department, she joins Owl Byte to share what it’s really like to raise an international student from the other side of the world — and how Temple became a second home.
In this episode:
- How daily video calls closed a 12-hour gap, and why Tony’s early struggles made his success sweeter
- The strategic path from Tamkang University in Taiwan to Temple’s 4+1 accelerated master’s program
- Why the International Student Affairs Office was the anchor that made a distant, unfamiliar process feel real
- Rebecca’s advice for international families: document health needs early, and memorize the Add/Drop deadlines that protect your visa
- What Tony’s difficult early years reveal about resilience — and the role steady support from home played in his turnaround
- From data science student to AI engineer and community builder: how Temple gave Tony the foundation to think forward in the field he loves
Whether you’re an international student weighing a move abroad, a parent supporting one, or a Temple Owl curious about the family side of the CS journey, this is a rare and heartfelt look you won’t want to miss.
“Temple University has been like his second home. Without Temple’s support, he wouldn’t have gone this far.”
— Mrs. Rebecca Lai
“As an international student, you have to be more proactive and ask for help when you need it. You have to understand the system clearly.”
— Mrs. Rebecca Lai
References: http://Temple International Student Services
