Sacramento State students have given their support to an unusual slogan. It’s not “Go Hornets” or “Defeat the Aggies;” it’s “Saaaandwich and Soda.”

Those three words can be heard around campus almost every weekday from friendly Togo’s employee Cheng Wang. Wang sets up a shop at his sandwich and soda cart between the University Union and Library Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. almost every weekday. Now, the Sac State club Engineers Without Borders is taking the slogan one step further.

Beginning Friday, the club will be selling shirts with sandwich and soda-inspired designs and the famed slogan, “It’s ah lunch time!” for $15 next to Wang’s cart.

“It was a group idea to make the shirts and then donate some of the funds to him, but when we told him our plan he refused to take the funds,” said David Tigerino, senior civil engineer major and club president. “We wanted to give him a gift and the university a gift to cement him on campus as the sandwich and soda guy.”

Wang earned his bachelor’s degree in China and immigrated to America in 1989. He attended Sac State, where in 1993 he received his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Wang bragged how he was the first of his friends to earn his degree and get a full-time job. Shortly after earning his degree, Wang suffered a severe stroke that left him in a coma. Upon waking up, he lost his full-time job and began the long process to recovery.

“I didn’t get to walk at graduation because I was in the hospital,” Wang said. “I put the cap on and sent a picture home to my mother in China to show her I graduated while I was in the hospital.”

After his stroke left him unable to work as an engineer, he came back to the university looking for work. Wang is an on-call translator at the UC Davis Medical Center because he is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English.

“Not only can I do my job as a translator after a stroke; my boss said I do it excellent.” Wang said.

With the funds raised from the T-shirt sales, the club hopes to give the university a gift in his name. The group is also requesting President Alexander Gonzalez to make Wang an honorary guest at the graduation.

Gonzalez was unable to be reached for comment.

Senior graphic design major Elizabeth Perez, who is personally inspired by Wang’s story, helped finalize the design for the shirt.

“He used to be one of us walking the halls and going to class as a student,” she said. “Even though a tragedy struck him, he gives you hope to make it through the end of the tunnel and get our degree.”

Senior sociology major Jennifer Rushing said the shirt will remind her of her “good old CSUS days.”

“We’re graduating and when we’re gone, we’re going to miss him,” she said.

Engineers Without Borders originally wanted to create a scholarship in Wang’s name, but creating and maintaining a scholarship was too difficult to complete before graduation, Tigerino said.

Some of the new ideas for what the funds could be used for are a dedicated bench or table for the campus, or just anything to cement him on campus as the “Sandwich and Soda Guy,” Tigerino said.

Wang has also become somewhat of a celebrity on campus, with a Facebook fan page being fashioned in his honor.

“SAAAAAANDWICH AND SODA,” Wang’s fan page, has about 5,000 followers who discuss topics, such as how to leave Wang a tip or organizing the next sandwich and soda day. Wang is well aware of his support.

“I’d like to get 5,000 fans on Facebook … world-famous,” Wang said.Engineers Without Borders set up a table on April 14 and 15 during Wang’s shift so students could vote on the T-shirt design and color.

Tigerino said it was Wang’s idea to let the students vote on the design and the colors.

“When you order the shirt, I can sign it for free,” Wang said.

Cahil Bhanji can be reached at [email protected].