William Tong receives Eastern's first Distinguished Public Service Award

Attorney general tells graduates: 'Fight for the nobodies'

by Ed Osborn

Willimantic, CT (05/29/2025) — Connecticut Attorney General William Tong delivered a deeply personal address at Eastern Connecticut State University this May when he received the inaugural Distinguished Public Service Award. Presented during the University's Graduate Division commencement ceremony on May 17, Tong urged graduates to stand up for those who feel unseen and unheard.

The Distinguished Public Service Award, presented for the first time this year, was established by Eastern's seventh president, Karim Ismaili. It will be awarded annually to an individual whose career exemplifies public leadership, civic engagement and a commitment to justice - core values of Eastern's liberal arts mission.

The ceremony took place on the Eastern campus, where 98 graduate students received Master of Science degrees in secondary education, elementary education, management, data science, accounting, and early childhood education.

Tong, the first Asian American elected to statewide office in Connecticut and the first Chinese American attorney general in the United States, accepted the award on behalf of the 225 attorneys and 75 staff members in his office.

"I get to get the award," Tong said. "But we're grateful for the opportunity to serve you every single day."

A personal journey

Tong reflected on his upbringing as the son of immigrants who worked 12-hour days, seven days a week, in their Chinese restaurant in Wethersfield.

"I'm a nobody," he said. "Nobody expected me to run for office. My parents came here with nothing. My family did not come from money or status."

While acknowledging his historic firsts, Tong emphasized that even now, being Asian American in America often means invisibility.

"There are a lot of nobodies in this world who feel invisible," he said. "I see them every day - in restaurants, behind counters, washing dishes, ringing up orders. They look like me. I know their sacrifice. I see how hard they work. I want to help them."

From Hartford to the Supreme Court

Tong also recounted his recent trip to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he joined a coalition of attorneys general to defend birthright citizenship.

"Of the attorneys general leading this case, I am the only one who, when I was born 52 years ago, became the first U.S. citizen in my family by right of my birth on American soil, in Hartford," he said.

The case, he said, was not just about constitutional law, but about people who live with a target on their backs - families like his own who narrowly escaped persecution and found a life in Connecticut.

"I often say I'm the son and grandson of immigrants, but I've come to realize I'm also the son and grandson of refugees," he said. "They ran for their lives. If we hadn't caught a break, we could have been deported, too."

A call to graduates

Tong urged graduates to use their degrees in service of others, to recognize and stand up for "their people" - whether immigrants, working-class families, young professionals, or others on the margins.

"Whoever your people are, try to see the people who may not look like you," he said. "Those are your people, too. And they need you to fight for them."

He concluded with a reminder to stay grounded: "When you go home, when you take off your robe and hood, remember who you really are. Recognize your people. And fight for them."

The full speech is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5srD8YHcrY.

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About Attorney General William Tong

William Tong is the 25th Attorney General to serve Connecticut since the office was established by the state constitution in 1897. He first took office in 2019 and is currently serving his second term. Attorney General Tong is a national leader in many of the most consequential lawsuits and investigations in our country today, including bipartisan, multistate efforts to hold the addiction industry accountable for their role in the opioid crisis; to restore fair competition and prices in the generic drug industry; to hold social media giants accountable for the harms they may cause to kids and young people; to stop robocall scammers; and to ensure corporations safeguard our personal information from misuse and respect consumers' rights regarding the collection and use of their information.

Attorney General Tong previously practiced for 18 years as a litigator in both state and federal courts. He served for 12 years as a state representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, where he served as House chairman of the Judiciary Committee as well as the Banking Committee. During his service in the legislature, Attorney General Tong was the author of several major Connecticut laws, helping lead the state's efforts against gun violence and domestic violence, among many other critical laws and initiatives.

A Connecticut native, Attorney General Tong grew up in the Hartford area and attended schools in West Hartford. He graduated from Phillips Academy Andover, Brown University, and the University of Chicago Law School. Attorney General Tong is the oldest of five children and grew up working side-by-side with his immigrant parents in their family's Chinese restaurant. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Stamford with their three children. Attorney General Tong is the first Asian American elected to statewide office in Connecticut history, and the first Chinese American to be elected Attorney General nationwide.

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About the Distinguished Public Service Award

The Distinguished Public Service Award will be presented annually at Eastern Connecticut State University's Graduate Commencement Ceremony to honor an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to public service and made a lasting impact on the state of Connecticut.

As Connecticut's public liberal arts university, Eastern is dedicated to fostering engaged citizenship, leadership, and service to the community. This award recognizes a distinguished individual whose career in public service embodies these values - whether through government leadership, advocacy, nonprofit work or other avenues of civic engagement.

In addition to receiving the award, the honoree will deliver remarks at Eastern's Graduate Commencement, inspiring the next generation of professionals as they embark on their own careers. The 2025 Graduate Commencement marks the inaugural presentation of the Distinguished Public Service Award, celebrating the beginning of a new tradition that honors those who have dedicated their careers to making a difference. Through this award, Eastern reinforces its commitment to preparing students for lives of leadership, responsibility, and service.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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Tong at podium

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William Tong with President Karim Ismaili

Eastern Connecticut State University