The Greek Pioneer Who Founded a Top University in the Philippines

President of the Philippines Elpidio Quirino (center) with Dr. George Lucas Adamopoulos and his relative Alexander Adamopoulos; receiving an honorary doctorate successful 1948. Credit: Adamson University Archives

Greek migrant pioneer, George Lucas Adamopoulos, founded Adamson University, 1 of the astir prestigious universities successful the Philippines that inactive represents a modular for world excellence successful the country.

Adamopoulos, a renowned educator, industrialist, diplomat and pioneer successful the Philippines and overseas, was calved successful a small municipality adjacent Delphi successful 1903.

He grew up determination and became a driven young antheral with a relentless thirst for cognition inspired by the teachings of Socrates and Plato. He lived the Greek virtuousness of philotimo, oregon emotion of honor, which manifested successful his heavy consciousness of obligation, nobility and motivation pride.

After his secondary education, George Lucas initially enrolled connected a two-year diploma people successful telecommunications and postal services astatine Athens Technical College, and was 1 of the archetypal enrollees successful the Bachelor of Science grade programme during the inaugural twelvemonth of the University of Athens School of Chemistry (1918).

The Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922) interrupted his studies erstwhile helium was called to service successful the Greek Army. He was assigned to the telecommunications and postal services conception astatine the Ministry of Public Works from 1918 to 1924. He besides continued his assemblage acquisition arsenic a part-time pupil and graduated successful 1924 with a grade successful chemistry.

Adamopoulos opened a college-level preparatory schoolhouse aft his graduation. He taught returning warfare veterans and prepared them for University Entrance Examinations which they could instrumentality aft their tours of duty. Despite the occurrence of his venture, helium acceptable retired connected a idiosyncratic quest and near Greece for Australia successful 1927.

During his voyage, helium studied the English connection and was spoke it fluently upon his accomplishment successful Sydney, Australia. He had besides changed his surname to Adamson to assimilate into the English-speaking country.

In Sydney, Adamopoulos thrived, creating innovations similar mineral array h2o and a mineral batch liquid nether the marque sanction “Rayospa”. He was besides co-publisher and exertion of the Greek-English paper Ethniko-Vima (The National Tribune), and method advisor of the Australian Cotton Wool Products company.

Although his occurrence was undeniable, his businesses were affected by the Great Depression (1929-1932). This prompted him to question much accidental successful Japan.

Greek pioneer establishes University successful the Philippines

On his mode to Asia successful 1930, helium decided to sojourn the Philippines, past nether American assemblage rule. He met a Greek national, John Talambiras, who had been surviving successful the state for years. Talambiras led him into a task with Ciriaco Chunaco and the Chunaco family, and the eventual constitution of the Chunaco-Adamson Chemical Company. The task utilized Adamopoulos’s strategy for preventing vino from turning sour during its production.

Upon his instrumentality to Manila, helium founded the Adamson Testing Laboratory, which provided invaluable metallic and ore investigating services to assorted industries – fuel, textile, chemical, medical, soil, agriculture – successful the Philippines.

Despite uncovering occurrence successful business, his occurrence for acquisition remained, starring him to found the Adamson School of Industrial Chemistry (ASIC), the archetypal of its benignant successful the country.

Adamson University today. Credit: Facebook/Adamson University

ASIC continued to pull students and use world and method upgrades, evolving into the Adamson School of Industrial Chemistry and Engineering (ASICE) successful 1936, and Adamson University successful 1941.

He was awarded an honorary grade of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Athens successful January 1938 successful designation of his accomplishment of founding the archetypal schoolhouse of Industrial Chemistry successful the Philippines.

Aside from his duties arsenic University President, helium took an progressive portion successful nation-building, serving arsenic a subordinate of the Board of Directors of authorities and backstage organizations successful the education, subject and technology, mining, textile, pharmacology and agriculture sectors.

He besides organized the Philippine Chamber of Technology, a radical of architects, engineers, chemists, and different technologists promoting technological advancement successful the country.

He was besides appointed arsenic Greek Consul General, representing the Greek authorities astatine authoritative and societal functions, and assisting successful the decision of an aerial statement betwixt the Philippines and Greece. He was the Chief Delegate and Signatory to the Treaty of Friendship betwixt the 2 nations.

In 1964, the University became a private, Catholic, coeducational basal and higher acquisition instauration tally by the Congregation of the Mission successful Manila.

Despite Adamopoulos’s absorption transfer, helium remained president until his status successful April 1967. He remained connected the University Board of Trustees and was fixed the rubric of President Emeritus.

He passed distant successful Greece successful February 1974.