U. student commits suicide

Post-Baccalaureate student Robert Tan committed suicide last Friday in his home in Hershey, Penn., police confirmed last night. Diagnosed with manic depression, Tan was described by his sister Alice as highly successful and motivated. He had been attending the University for the last two years in order to attain the requirements he needed to apply to medical school. Tan received a bachelor's degree in marketing from Pennsylvania State University, where he was a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. He then became a district sales manager for the Pepsi Cola company in Philadelphia and owned and operated Pearl Management, a real estate company. Seven years after graduating from Penn State, "he decided that his life meant more than selling soda," said Alice Tan, a 1993 College graduate. "He wanted to do more with his life than just making money. He wanted to help people." She said that his caring personality motivated him to pursue a future in medicine. Tan's friend and Graduate School of Education student Suzanne Kho said he was one of the nicest people she knew. "He was the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off of his back," she said. "He was so generous, so giving." While he was at the University, Tan was extremely active in the Big Brother/Big Sister Program as both a participant and a board member. In addition to caring for a "little brother," he interviewed prospective candidates and conducted fund raising for the organization. He was also a member of the Hat Society -- which raises money for children with cancer in Hershey -- and volunteered in the pediatric ward of Thomas Jefferson Hospital. Tan's funeral will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Hoover funeral home in Hershey. Alice Tan said she hopes that his friends from the University will attend. Memorial contributions should be sent to the Make-A-Wish Foundation at 2938 Columbia Ave., Suite 1002, Lancaster, PA 17603. Details surrounding Tan's death were not immediately available. Tan is survived by Alice Tan, his parents T. Ling Tan and Esther Tan of Hummelstown, Penn., and his brother, Paul Tan of San Francisco.