Department of Political Science welcomes new chair

Paige-Tan

Paige Tan

The Radford University faculty has gained another passionate and dedicated scholar in Paige Tan, the new chair of the Department of Political Science.

Tan, an expert in Asian politics, joins the department during a period of growth and change, as a number of faculty members are leaving RU.

"This year, the department will lose two long-time faculty members, Bill and Margaret Hrezo, who are beloved in the university community," Tan said. "These are big shoes to fill and we will enter a phase of rebuilding with hires of new faculty members."

Tan, succeeding Margaret Hrezo as chair, has spent the last 10 years at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where she served as an associate professor of political science and assistant chair of Department of Public and International Affairs.

The new chair has also spent time in Singapore as a student and program development professional. She is currently editing her first book on Asian political thought, in which she will contribute a chapter on the political thought of Singapore's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew.

Tan received both a Ph.D. in foreign affairs and a bachelor's degree in Asian studies at the University of Virginia. She earned her master's in international public administration at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California.

Tan's experiences in academia and in the field will be a boon to RU political science students as the department moves toward a more internationally aware curriculum.

"Without doubt, the great strength of Radford is the focus on students," Tan said. "That is also a strength of this department as well. We will hope to maintain that student focus as we develop new activities in internationalizing the curriculum, encouraging study abroad, doing more to place students in internships, providing more guidance on careers, and fostering undergraduate research."

Tan joins the department as its home college, the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences (CHBS), experiences growth and change, including construction of a new state-of-the-art building, expected to be completed in 2016.

"We're very pleased to welcome Dr. Tan as the new chair for the Department of Political Science," said CHBS Dean Kate Hawkins. "She brings to RU a truly exemplary record of accomplishments as a teacher-scholar in her discipline. Dr. Tan's leadership will help to propel the Political Science Department forward into a very bright future."

Aug 5, 2014