The Barbara Ying Center was dedicated in September 1996 by Dr. Nelson Ying, a Chinese-American philanthropist and Baron of Balquhain who donated $250,000 in honor of his late-wife, Lady Barbara Ching Oung Ying of Balquhain. The center offers social, cultural, and intellectual focus for many university and community activities, like the Center for Multilingual Multicultural Studies’ Conversation Hour which connects international students learning English at UCF with volunteers from UCF and the wider community. According to a May 1997 Central Florida Future article, the Center serves as a symbol for an increasing commitment to international relationships in commercial, financial, and political areas of world affairs.