Peter Ho
By Amy Karagiannakis
For Peter Ho (MFA ’79 Industrial Design), giving back to the University of Illinois School of Art and Design is a gesture of gratitude and a tribute to the transformative power of education and perseverance.
Born in mainland China in 1944, Peter’s early life was shaped by dramatic upheaval. His family, once wealthy landowners, lost everything in 1949 during the Communist revolution. They fled to Hong Kong where life became a daily struggle. “We had to survive. That’s why I’ve been skinny all my life—skin and bone,” recalled Peter.
Despite these hardships, Peter completed high school, and following in his father’s footsteps, as is Chinese tradition, started work in the banking industry. Having a little savings set aside at that point, he began taking evening art and design classes, where he met a man who had studied in America. This changed the trajectory of his life. Peter shared, “I sent my portfolio to the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), and they accepted me. I can’t believe it—they accepted me. Four years scholarship, free.”
That moment changed everything. Following his undergraduate studies at CCAD, it was recommended to him that he reach out to Professor Ed Zagorski at the University of Illinois. Peter was offered a teaching assistantship while pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Industrial Design at the School of Art and Design. While at Illinois, he found a community that challenged and nurtured his creativity.
After graduating in 1979, Peter moved to Chicago and worked very briefly for a design consulting firm. By pure chance at the Consumer Electronic Show, he met the owner of RJP Electronics. The Hong Kong manufacturer was eager to establish a sales office, Computrex Inc. in Evanston, and entrusted Peter to run it. After running the Computrex office for many years and retiring, Peter became a self-taught investor and found great success in the stock market. His investments helped him build lasting financial stability. Decades later, he was able to give back to the School of Art and Design by establishing an endowment fund that will support scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. Peter shared, “The Chinese have a saying, ‘When you receive help from somebody, you remember it for a thousand years.’”
Peter recounted that Professor Leo Buscaglia once said, “Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions, and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, ‘Did you bring joy?’ The second was, ‘Did you find joy?’” Peter later discovered that Buscaglia had made this up, but it inspired him, nonetheless. He continues to bring joy to everyone he meets, whether in the form of a snack, a piece of candy, or a much needed hundred-dollar bill. “I feel fortunate I can share.” Peter lives in Chicago with his lifelong companion Ken Peterson.
His planned gift—rooted in resilience, generosity, and gratitude—will certainly bring joy and shape new opportunities for future Illinois Art and Design students. If you would like to learn more about Peter Ho’s scholarship fund or are interested in establishing a named scholarship yourself, contact Senior Director of Advancement Brenda Nardi.