Since Dr. James Tong became Ohio University’s first native Chinese professor in 1957, he has dedicated his life to teaching chemistry to students of all ages.
The 83-year-old “hero” walked to the podium at Nelson Commons yesterday morning to accept his first award of recognition in 54 years of service to the university.
To celebrate National American Red Cross Month, The Athens County Chapter Red Cross hosted more than 300 people at yesterday’s third annual Hometown Heroes Breakfast. The ceremony honored six men who have gone beyond their calls of duty to serve neighbors in need.
“The Red Cross is 98 percent driven by our 250 volunteers, so we rely on people in the community,” said Pamela Martino, executive director of Athens County Red Cross. “This breakfast is more a celebration of six local heroes than it is about the Red Cross.”
Tong, a professor emeritus, was recognized as the education hero. Tong came to Athens half a century ago to lend a hand in developing OU’s chemistry program.
“I didn’t expect to be a hero. I didn’t get any raises, extra money or anything from the university all these years, and this is really just personal satisfaction,” he said.
Tong created OU’s forensic chemistry degree in 1976, and, initially, only three students enrolled in the program. During the past 35 years, the program has graduated more than 300 students, each one recruited and advised by Tong.
Tong also created the Women in Science and Engineering Program in 1976, when there were no women faculty and hardly any female students in the physical science and engineering departments. Each year, the program brings about 600 girls from throughout the state to visit OU for a day of demonstrations by women in science.
After taking his trophy, he thanked his colleagues and sat among his fellow heroes who were honored for sheltering the homeless, empowering less-fortunate youth through boxing and assisting the 10,000 people affected by the September tornado.
The recent storm, which cost the Red Cross more than $200,000 in resources, received significant attention at the event.
“We’re still going to be out there on the corner doing all we can to help our neighbors,” said Pastor Joel Harbarger of The Plains United Methodist Church, which won the group hero award for keeping its doors open to the community during the disaster.
The ceremony neared a close with a word from humanitarian hero Keith Wasserman of Good Works, who said, “I consider myself the conductor of the orchestra. You guys are the tubas and trumpets, and together, we make music.”
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