DR. JAMES LEE TAN
BOARD CHAIRMANDr. Tan often tells people he is a "Tondo boy". This is because he was born at Mary Johnston Hospital in Tondo, Manila, Philippines.
The parents of Dr. Tan were Mr. Henry Tan, a piano manufacturing businessman and Mrs. Julia L. Tan, a Christian educator. Dr. Tan was the fourth of five children, and his siblings were Peter,Paul, John and Esther. Their father passed away when he was only 8 years old, and Mrs. Julia Tan was widowed with five children to rear on her own. The Lord's favor was upon the Tan family.
Dr. Tan graduated from the old Grace Christian High School (GCHS) in 1958 which was then located in Nagtahan Street, Manila. He pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. After a year of teaching Math at GCHS, he went to the United States to take up Masteral studies in Engineering Administration at the George Washington University from 1964 to1966. In the same university, he also finished his Doctor of Science degree (D.Sc.), minor in Education in February 1986. He also took up a Doctoral Program in Industrial Engineering at New York University (1966-1968).
Teaching is Dr. Tan's greatest passion and for almost half of a century he has been an educator. He taught Music and Math at GCHS in 1962 and 1963, respectively. He also taught in the United States while still a student. Upon his return to the Philippines he became a professorial lecturer at Philippine Christian University and other Christian institutions.
Dr. Tan holds key positions in prestigious Christian and educational organizations. For these, he has been awarded many honors. Among the several awards and honors given him were:
AWARDS AND HONORS
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National Science Development Board (Philippines), Balik-Scientist Awardee
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Outstanding Christian Educator Award, Schools for Christ Foundation (Hong Kong)
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International Who's Who of Professionals
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Baron's Who's Who in Asia and the Pacific Rim
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Outstanding Alumnus, Grace Alumni Association
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Outstanding Christian Educator, Association of Baptist for World Evangelism (ABWE), New Jersey, U.S.A.
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Baron's Who's Who in the World
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Best Principal of Filipino Chinese Schools in the Philippines
A visionary and an innovator, he spearheaded several academic and spiritual programs at Grace Christian High School. Among them are:
- Putting up a High School Computer Laboratory (SHARP machines) as early as 1986
- Embarked on the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM) Aptitude Tests of English, Science and Math in 1988 from Kinder II up to Fourth Year High School
- FISHNET Training in Evangelism
- Bereans Bible Study
- Centurion Leadership Training
- Grace Christian Science Education Convention
- Computer Programming Curriculum
- Kumon Math Program
- ROBOTICS Training Program
- Discovery Learning Center (Individualized Learning Program in any or all subject)
- “School of Tomorrow” (Accelerated Christian Education, USA) Curriculum
- Thomas Jefferson Gifted and Talented Program
He also supported the establishment of camps for Math and Science; K-Nex and Technology; started the Astronomy & “Star-gazing” Program; and the N.A.S.A. “Water Rocket” Program. He encouraged participation in International Inter-School Math, Science, English, Robotics, and other Competitions; as well as the establishment of Grace Mathematics Interscholastic Competition (GMATIC), Grace English Proficiency Interschool Competition (G-EPIC), Grace Science and Technology Interschool Competition (G-STIC) and Grace Information Technology Interschool Competition (G-IT).
Recently, Dr. and Mrs. James Tan initiated a move to improve the teaching and learning of Chinese as a second language through the use of 『生活華語』computerized curriculum - revamping the entire Chinese Curriculum and the use of the textbooks in the “Teaching Chinese as a Second Language” Program. He introduced Chinese E-learning strategies through the Taiwan Government ADOC Programs; enabled GCC to be given the exclusive responsibility of administering the Chinese “Test of Proficiency” (T.O.P.) 『 華 語 文 能 力 測 驗 』 in the Philippines. This is the equivalent of the U.S. SAT or TOEFL. Recently, he also signed a MOA with “IQ-Chinese” to be the exclusive distributor of this world-academic Chinese language software series in the Philippines.
Dr. Tan has established sister-school relations with seven (7) Universities in Taiwan, two (2) High Schools each in Taiwan & Korea, and one (1) in Indonesia. He initiated “A SOPHOMORE TASTE OF TAIWAN” where all Sophomore GCC College students go to Taiwan for full academic, language and cultural exposure for 9 weeks - studying under Taiwan Professors with PhDs. Third year students may opt to join the International Junior Enrichment Program (IJEP), where they can study abroad for a semester.
In order to promote Christian Education in the country, Dr. Tan started the Grace Christian Education Convention (GCEC) whose initial offering was in 1990. The participants of GCEC has now grown to more than 1,300 with delegates coming from all over the Philippines. He started the Grace Christian Educators Leadership Conference (GCELC) in 1998: a 3-full day training for Principals and Administrators. In 2007, he initiated a 4-day “total immersion, live-in” training program called Grace Research Institute for Christian Educators (G-RICE) also for Principals and Administrators.
Dr. Tan is active in various church ministries as well, having served as Deacon and Sunday School Teacher at the Chinese Mandarin Church of Greater Washington DC (華府國語教會); Overseas Christian Mission (中華海外宣道會) in New York City; the Chinese Bible Church of Maryland (馬利蘭中華聖經教會); Grace Gospel Church (靈惠堂) in Manila; and now Grace Christian Church (靈惠基督教會) in Quezon City.
Dr. Tan has published works like “Component Combination for Grammar in Chinese Characters” (with Kirk Rankin III, et al, National Bureau of Standards, Maryland, U.S.A., 1966); “Analysis of the Development of Science and Technology in the Philippines” (George Washington University, U.S.A.,1967); and “Contributions of Ethnic Chinese to Science and Engineering in North America”, (George Washington University, U.S.A., 1985); plus other technical articles and papers with the National Bureau of Standards in Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.A.
Dr. James Tan was happily married to the late Mrs. Judith L. Tan (Vice President for Student Affairs, GCC). They are blessed with two children, Grace (married to Dr. Lee Branstetter, Professor of Economics at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) and Timothy (married to Cyndie), and two grandchildren, Daniel, and Joshua.
The whole Grace Christian College family adore Dr. Tan and Mrs. Tan. Their loving relationship was a testament of a God-anointed marriage. So on April 26, 2020, when the good Lord called Mrs. Judith L. Tan to be with Him in heaven, the whole Grace community mourned. She was very much loved, respected and appreciated. As one supervisor wrote, “We lost a wonderful colleague, a selfless leader, a dedicated co-worker. God won an angel.” Through it all, Dr. Tan proved himself a man of faith. He surrendered her up to be with the Lord.
For more than 30 years, Dr. Tan served Grace Christian College unselfishly, selflessly, with deep dedication and undivided commitment.
On April 29, 2020, Dr. James L. Tan turned over the mantle of leadership of GCC to a well deserving successor, Dr. Christine Joy Tan.