Biography

Roy Chan, a recipient of the 2009 National Excellence Leadership Award from the National Society of Leadership and Success, is an American educator, humanitarian, international peace-maker, and social entrepreneur. Chan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine in Criminology, Law & Society along with three minors in English Literature, Cultural Anthropology, and Educational Studies on June 14, 2009 and was nominated as 2009 Homecoming King finalist by the Department of Student Government Associations at UC Irvine. Chan is currently teaching English overseas at Hengyang, Hunan Province, China through the WorldTeach program from the Center for International Development at Harvard University. He serves as the current founder and President of the "China Institute for Higher Education(CIHE)" as well as the "Rural Kids China, Inc."

Chan was born from Long Beach, California on August 24, 1986. He has two older brothers. His oldest brother, Walter Chan, attended the University of California, Riverside as an Economics major and his mid-age brother attended the University of California, San Diego as a Structural Engineering major. Roy attended the most populous high school in California, Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where famous alumni like Snoop Dogg, Cameron Diaz, Tony Gwynn, Billy Jean King, Marilyn Horne, Van Heflin, and Samantha Larson have graduated. Chan was heavily involved with the choral program with the Chamber Choir ensemble under the direction of Brian Dokko where the choir received the 2004 Grammy Signature Schools Gold Award as one of the top seven high music departments in the United States. He was also involved in Best Buddies, FSEA, Key Club, and the American Mathematics Competition where Chan placed first to partake in the American Invitation Mathematics Examination to qualify for the highly prestigious United States of American Mathematical Olympiad. Chan prepared and studied for the SAT exam with ACI Institute.

After his four years in high school, Chan entered his freshman year of college at the University of California, Riverside. During his freshman year, he served under the ASUCR Office of Academic Affairs. In addition, he was involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the Choral Society vocal ensemble under the direction of Edward Bruner. During his free time, Chan competed in several marathon races, including the Long Beach Marathon, Surf City Marathon, and the Carlsbad Marathon.

He later transferred during his freshman year to the University of California, Irvine as one of the very few UC undergraduate student to transfer from one UC to another UC school in less than one year. During his four years at UCI, Chan was involved in numerous extracurricular and on-campus activities, including ASUCI Office of Academic Affairs, Division of Undergraduate Education, Phi Alpha Delta, Alpha Phi Omega, Sigma Alpha Pi - National Society of Leadership and Success, Campus Crusade for Christ, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Cal Teach Science and Math Initiative, Community Service and Leadership Program, The Rotary Foundation, Latin and Ballroom Dance Association, Maple Conservatory of Dance, the Concert Choir/Chamber Singers vocal ensemble, as well as the award-winning Madrigal Dinner at UCI. He was a founding member for the National Society of Leadership and Success as well as a chartered member for the Rotaract Club at UCI. During Chan's final year at UCI, he was nominated as a finalist in the Homecoming Court 2009 sponsored by ASUCI on February 7, 2009.

In fall 2008, Chan taught a University Studies class as a Discussion Leader within the Division of Undergraduate Education. He also served as a ASUCI Professor Luncheon Intern under the Office of Academic Affairs at UC Irvine, where he was selected as "Intern of the Quarter." In addition, he was nominated as one of the key finalists to receive the 2008 Living Our Values Student Honor Roll under the UCI Office of the Chancellor with Michael V. Drake. During his free time, Chan was involved with the Maple Conservatory of Dance and performed in the 2008 The Nutcracker production under the direction of award winning American Ballet Theatre choreographers Charles Maple and Chris Martin.

In winter 2009, Chan was rehired to serve as a University Studies Discussion Leader again within the Division of Undergraduate Education. In addition, he was hired by the California Coastal Commission under the California Department of Fish & Game to conduct a Field Study experiment for three months under the UCI School of Social Ecology. He also participated in the University of California Students Association LobbyCORE in the Sacramento, California in March 2009.

In spring 2009, Chan was recruited by the City of Santa Ana as Director of Photography under the leadership of Michael Q. Nguyen, currently serving as the youngest City Commissioner and Library Board of Trustees in southern California. On April 7, 2009, Chan accepted an invitation to become a pledge member for Alpha Phi Omega at UC Irvine. He was appointed as Sergeant-at-Arms to represent the Omicron class of 97 pledges, and became an official member of the Rho Rho chapter on May 29, 2009. The following day, Chan was inducted as a founding member into the Sigma Alpha Pi: National Society of Leadership and Success chapter at UCI. Chan was also a chartered member of the Rotaract Club at UC Irvine under Rotary District 5320 of The Rotary Foundation . Moreover, Chan was invited to study for the GRE exam by graduates from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School with Plan A Prep.

Chan's most significant life changing event occurred during the summer in 2007, where he studied abroad in Beijing, China and studied Mandarin Chinese with the American Institute For Foreign Study, the same organization that he went with his high school choral group to Rome, Italy four years ago with Encore Tours under the division of ACIS. During his free time at Beijing Language and Culture University, Chan had traveled and conducted a short term mission project with the Beijing International Christian Fellowship in Shenyang, China. He later taught English at the world's famous institution in Peking University at Beijing with the TeachOverSeas program under the renowned Educational Services Exchange With China, Inc. (Total Immersion Program) in mid-August 2007 during his final four weeks of the summer.

Perhaps Chan's most notable experiences occurred last summer in 2008, where he went to Llangollen, Wales and competed in the world-renowned Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod with the Concert Choir/Chamber Singers ensemble at UC Irvine, where the choral program placed second in the youth category while the women's choir won First Prize and participated as finalists in The Choir of the World for The Pavarotti Trophy under the direction of Joseph Huszti, currently in his 32nd consecutive years as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at UCI. The UCI choral program was founded by the world renowned choral musician Roger Wagner in 1967. Chan later traveled to over 5 different countries with Contiki Holidays, including France, Germany, Italy, Austria, The Netherlands, and Switzerland . In addition, he served as a team facilitator for Soul Survivor United Kingdom Christian camp in Staffordshire, England as the first person ever in its 30 years of history to attend the conference coming from the United States.

From the entire UCI Class of 2009, Chan held the highest completed UC quarter units at the University of California Irvine, graduating with a total of 373.4 UC Quarter Units.

During the 2009-2010 China year-long program with "WorldTeach," Chan teaches both middle school and high school students as a full-time faculty member at ChengZhang Middle School and Hengyang Number Eight High School at Hengyang, Hunan Province, China. He currently teaches a total number of 28 classes per week, ranking him as the highest amount of classes taught per week among all "WorldTeach" China volunteer teachers and the highest paid "WorldTeach" volunteer teacher since its program founding in 1989.

From his current WorldTeach experience, Chan established the Roy Chan Foundation on January 2010.

Outside of teaching, Chan is expected to volunteer and work with the International China Concern Orphanage in Hengyang, China; lead English worship for the Hengyang City Church in Hengyang, China; participate as a staff in the highly prestigious WorldExpo 2010 in Shanghai, China on May 2010; as well as volunteer in the highly acclaimed World Choir Games in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China on July 2010. In addition, he is expected to attend the 106th annual China Import and Export Fair at Guangzhou, China on October 2009; backpack to Vietnam with Contiki Holidays on February 2010; as well as enroll in a summer course at Peking University through the 2010 London School of Economics-Peking University(LSE-PKU) Summer Program in Beijing, China.

In the future, Chan desires to establish a non-profit organization in the Hunan Province, China called "China Institute for Higher Education(CIHE)." by the year 2015.

Chan's research focuses primarily on the identity formation among Chinese students, including the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender and class. In addition, he is interested in the social, cultural and public policy factors affecting Chinese student educational outcome; comparative international education policy; higher education administration and school leadership; and standardized testing. In the future, Chan hopes to conduct ethnographic research on the social, cultural and structural factors affecting Chinese students educational outcomes in the Hunan Province of China.

During his free time, Chan likes to sing, dance, run, take pictures, and read. He has traveled to more than twenty independent countries in the world. You can usually find him in local coffee shops all around Southern California, specifically in "Panera Bread". He also enjoys serving at Rock Harbor Church, watching movies, traveling, and taking random pictures.

FUN FACTS:

Full Name: Roy Yew-hung Chan
Hometown: Long Beach, California
Birthdate: August 24, 1986 (23 years old)
School: University of California, Irvine
Year in School: UC Irvine Alumni, Class of 2009
Ambition: World Traveler
Favorites: H&M, pineapple pizza, ice cream, baking cupcakes, traveling
Hobbies: Hiking, Italian food, LOST, watching the sunset, cooking/baking holiday cookies, rainy days, laughing at things that doesn't seem funny, good cup of coffee/tea, snowboarding, art history, French Fries with ranch sauce, singing in the car, dogs, church, trying new things, long adventures, breakfast at McDonalds, visiting new restaurants, wearing fashionable things, smiling, and long walks at the beach
Three words that best describe me: Determined, Creative, and Unpredictable
Something most people don't know about: I never dated a girl once in my life!
Proudest Accomplishment: Being voted from my student as 2009 Homecoming King finalist
Future Aspirations: To continue to become a better person and a valuable asset to society.
Favorite quote: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." ~ Gandhi
Best Feature: Legs
What type of person are you?: Committed, determined, and outgoing
If you were a movie, what would you be rated?: PG-13
What CD is in your CD player right now?: Michael Buble
McDonalds or KFC: McDonalds
Favorite Vacation: Bahamas
Wildest Adventure: Living and volunteering in Staffordshire, England by myself!
If you could be invisible for one day, what would your do?: Spy on people
Who would you rather have by your side in a street fight?: Jackie Chan
Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate
Your fears: Spiders and dying young
Pepsi or Coke: Coke