Came to Ithaca, NY in 1965 for doctoral study at Cornell University; served as president of the Ithaca/Cornell Taiwanese community organization (伊薩卡同鄉會, later 康大臺灣同鄉同學會), which under his generation grew to nearly 300 members including families.
Per his wife 程美希 Mei-Hsi Chen’s memoir of the association’s history, the group’s work centered on 同鄉互愛、互助: easing homesickness, cooking Taiwanese food, welcoming new students and sending off graduates, and handling weddings and celebrations. In the 1960s–70s the association conducted itself in Taiwanese.
Married 程美希 in 1967, the same community circle the memoir documents.