MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon traveled to Hong Kong this week to talk with philanthropists from the Sun Wah Education Foundation. The group donated $5 million in 2004 to support higher education.

"I'm meeting with a philanthropist and the foundation to talk about next steps for foundation support," Simon said. "It partly started with their interest in education, but the foundation's interests expands beyond education. We want to explore their interests beyond education.

"This is part of our donor cultivation."

Jonathan K.S. Choi, chairman of the foundation, created the U.S.-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence at MSU with a $5 million donation. The center helps to create basic education outlines for students in China.

Simon will return to MSU on Thursday.