17 minute read
The largest NEH grant in the university’s history helps establish a minor in Asian American Studies
NEH GRANT AWARDED TO LAUNCH ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES MINOR
BY DAWN BONKER
Advertisement
A National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant will establish a minor in Asian American Studies and support current ethnic studies courses and programming at Chapman University.
The $150,000 award announced in January is the largest NEH grant in the university’s history and just one of 208 awarded to universities, museums and other organizations across the country. It will further advance the strong 21st century humanities educational experience offered in Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, noted Jennifer Keene, Ph.D., dean of Wilkinson College.
“The NEH grant will offer critical support for next year’s Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on Ethnic Studies initiative by helping us develop innovative curriculum that advances the conversation on diversity, equity and justice in our community,” said Keene. “This includes distributing George Takei’s graphic novel about his experiences in a Japanese American internment camp to all students enrolled in the Engaging the World First-Year Focus program and bringing him to campus to speak.”
Adding an Asian American Studies minor is a logical next step for Wilkinson College, which in recent years expanded its interdisciplinary minors to include Africana Studies and Latinx and Latin America Studies, said Associate Professor Stephanie Takaragawa, Ph.D., who will direct the program.
Moreover, it is especially timely, Takaragawa said. Hate incidents against Asian Americans have surged during the coronavirus pandemic, a symptom of racism and inadequate appreciation for the diversity that has long existed in U.S. history, culture and civic life, she said.
“Asian Americans continue to be seen as a perpetual foreigner or model minority that has been misunderstood in mainstream American history,” Takaragawa said. “It has become a problem in light of excessive violence toward Asians in recent years. The thinking that Asians are unassimilable, responsible for SARS and bird flu, along with the tendency to exoticize or fear Asians, has caused backlash. I think part of it is a lack of education and understanding.” The new major also resonates with Chapman history. Chapman was a school of choice for many Filipinos at a time when few Asians were welcome in American higher education. Similarly, JapaneseAmerican alumni like Toshi Ito ’46 and Paul Nagano ’42 found kindness and support at Chapman in the years surrounding World War II.
“We have this history that is instilled in us,” Takaragawa said. “That’s one of the reasons this is a really important legacy for Chapman.”
Wilkinson will incorporate programming related to the new minor in upcoming events and projects. Official enrollment in the minor opens in fall 2023.
"Asian Americans "Asian Americans continue to be seen continue to be seen as as a perpetual foreigner or a perpetual foreigner or model minority that has been model minority that has been misunderstood in mainstream misunderstood in mainstream American history." American history." Stephanie Takaragawa
Associate Professor Stephanie Takaragawa, Ph.D., leads a panel discussion on JapaneseAmerican incarceration at the 2021 event Tsunami of Memory. The new Asian American Studies minor supported by the NEH will help bring similar events to Chapman.
IN MEMORIAM
DONALD BOOTH
Professor Emeritus Donald Booth, an economics professor from 1959 through 2018, passed away in his sleep in the early morning of February 17, 2022. His time at Chapman as a teacher and administrator spanned nearly 60 years, longer than any other faculty or staff member in university history. “We all knew him as an individual who dedicated his time and energy daily to the success of Chapman University, demonstrating an exceptional level of interest in students of every school and college,” said President Daniele C. Struppa. “Don was an educator of extraordinary intellect, drive and compassion.” Booth served in numerous leadership roles during his time at Chapman, including as the first chair of Corporate Faculty from 1966-68, vice president of Academic Affairs and Dean of College from 1977-78, vice president of Finance and Administration in 1988, and the founding director of the Executive Masters in Business Administration from 199598. He also held the position of Larry Parlett Professor of Economics in Memory of Alan Thompson. But it was his long-standing commitment to the Chapman Experience that won him the admiration of the many students and colleagues whose lives he touched. He was a mentor to countless students, and stayed connected and engaged with hundreds of alumni long after graduation. “He was always a voice of calm and reason during frequent turbulent and pressure-filled times,” said Mike Drummy ’74, former assistant vice chancellor and chief admission officer. “Over the years, I’d reach out to him often, or he’d just show up … somehow sensing I needed a pep talk.” Booth and his wife, Louise, who passed away in 2012, were generous supporters to campus facilities and initiatives, including the Leatherby Libraries, College of Performing Arts, Chapman Athletics, Office of Church Relations, Town & Gown and many funds connected to the Argyros School of Business and Economics. He established the Don Booth Philanthropy Fund to bridge the financial gap for students who needed assistance. At a 2013 celebration in Booth’s honor, Doy B. Henley, chairman emeritus of Chapman University’s Board of Trustees, said, “He has helped so many people, whether it’s with an airline ticket, an internship or something else. There are so many ways he has transformed people’s lives. He’s one of the best people you will ever know in your life.” “Dr. Donald Booth was among the legendary faculty members of Chapman University,” said David B. Moore (MA ’09), assistant vice president of legacy planning. “His son, David Booth ’80, tells me that Dr. Booth believed the memory care center where he lived the last several years to be the Chapman campus, so he was in his happy place.”
WILLIAM PARKER ’52
William Parker '52, a loyal and active member of the Chapman Family, passed away on January 21, 2022. He was 93. Parker and his wife, Barbara '64, his Chapman sweetheart who passed away last year, were regular attendees at university events, especially athletic events, often visiting the Orange campus every week during baseball season. Recalling Bill’s commitment to sports specifically, Dave Currey, the university’s athletic director for 25 years prior to his 2016 retirement, said, “We lost a Chapman Athletics icon. Bill was not only a supporter but was a link to all of Chapman’s success on the athletic fields. He was a tremendous, loyal booster of Chapman Athletics. When tough times came, Bill was always there with a positive boost.” The Parkers showed their love for the Chapman Family through their generous support, making donations toward Chapman Athletics, student scholarships, Town & Gown, the alumni association, Leatherby Libraries, Fish Interfaith Center and each of the university’s schools and colleges. In addition to his financial support, Parker served on multiple groups and boards, and he and Barbara regularly volunteered at Chapman events, such as the annual Candle Lighting Ceremony for new students, and they hosted hundreds of students at their home for meals through the years. Though he will be missed dearly, Bill’s memory and spirit remain on our campus through the Bill and Barbara Parker Atrium Lobby. As he and Barbara arranged many years ago, his ashes will be interred within the Columbarium of the Fish Interfaith Center, beside his late wife, so that Chapman Family members and friends might all have a place in which to gather and reflect on their lives.
RONALD SODERLING
Ronald Soderling, philanthropist and trustee of Chapman University, passed away on December 28, 2021. A real estate developer who played an instrumental role in defining the local Orange County culture and aesthetic, Soderling’s impact on the region is only surpassed by the impact he had on Chapman. Soderling, along with his wife, Gail, was a longtime supporter of Chapman, and the couple’s three children (Teresa ’83, Eric ’89 and Kurt ’88) all graduated from the university. “Ron was an inspirational and forwardthinking leader who was committed to helping communities thrive,” said President Daniele C. Struppa. “He knew that giving back, whether it was his time, experience or financial support, would generate new opportunities and open doors for others.” Soderling’s commitment to the Chapman Family touched every aspect of university life. In 1996, he joined the Board of Trustees, where he offered sage advice to Chapman’s leadership for more than 25 years. From 1998 to 2000, he served as the chair of Chapman Celebrates (at the time called American Celebration), and he and Gail generously supported Musco Center for the Arts, the William Hall Legacy Endowment and the Millennium Campaign. Soderling was also a major supporter of the Argyros School of Business and Economics, where he endowed the Ronald E. Soderling Chair in Economics and Real Estate Development.
HERE TO LEND A HAND.
We need something that only you can give — your time!
Our volunteers are essential in helping us provide the Chapman Experience for every Chapman Family member. We have an array of fun, high-impact volunteer opportunities for every kind of volunteer in almost every department on campus:
• Mentors • Event support • Panelists • Committees and task forces • Speakers • Career assistance
Our new Volunteer Portal makes it easier than ever to get involved. Whether you live close to campus or across the globe, we have in-person and virtual opportunities for you.
To learn more, go to Chapman.edu/volunteer
NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE NADIA MURAD APPOINTED AS CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTIAL FELLOW
BY STACE DUMOSKI
Chapman University has announced that Nadia Murad, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, will be the keynote speaker at the university’s 2022 Commencement ceremony. The event will mark the beginning of Murad’s appointment to a three-year term as a Presidential Fellow at Chapman.
Murad was born in the village of Kocho in the Sinjar District of Iraq, a region populated mostly by the Yazidi, an ethno-religious minority indigenous to northern Iraq. In 2014, Islamic State militants attacked her home and killed hundreds of men and older women in her village, including her mother and six of her brothers. Murad herself was captured – one of more than 6,500 Yazidi women and children taken into slavery. She was later able to escape and was smuggled out of the Islamic State’s territory to a refugee camp in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Murad chronicled her story of survival in her book, “The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State,” and has since become a leading advocate for both gender equality and survivors of genocide and sexual violence. In 2016, Murad became the first United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking. In 2018, she won the Nobel Peace Prize.
“I am proud to serve as a Presidential Fellow at a university that is dedicated to seeking truth and fostering thoughtful global citizens,” said Nadia Murad. “I was 21 when my village was attacked, and I began my journey as an activist. I hope to educate and inspire Chapman students – many of whom are the age I was then – and impart that they too can make a difference. Together, we can make the world a better place: one where marginalized communities are protected, survivors are supported and gender equality is the norm.”
INSPIRING CHAPMAN STUDENTS TO GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
“Chapman has never shied away from the dark places of human history,” says Chapman University President Daniele C. Struppa. ”We shine a light on them, to remember, and to find the lights that are shining back. Nadia Murad is one of those lights. Her story inspires us not because of how she has suffered, but because she has become a voice for global change. That is the message we hope to impart to our students.” The three-year appointment as Presidential Fellow will allow Chapman students to interact with and learn from Murad on multiple occasions. In recent years, students in Professor James Brown’s FirstYear Focus Course “Difficult Histories and Critical Theory” and the Leadership/Peace Studies course “Critical Discourse, Social Change, and Positive Peace” have had the opportunity to talk with Murad via Zoom and hear her story first hand. Says Brown, Ph.D., “The narrative of her personal experiences during the genocide and her approach to recovery with Nadia’s Initiative provide the perfect illustration of the impact of destructive and polarizing ideology and the power of transformational leadership and positive peace efforts.”
Among other causes, the work of Nadia Murad focuses on preventing the systemic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and protecting marginalized communities.
NADIA’S INITIATIVE: ADVOCATING FOR SURVIVORS
Murad’s advocacy work focuses on raising awareness of the Yazidi genocide, preventing the systemic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and protecting marginalized communities, in part, by improving gender equality. She founded and serves as president of Nadia’s Initiative, an international NGO dedicated to rebuilding communities in crisis and advocating for survivors of sexual violence.
Nadia’s Initiative uses a comprehensive peace-building approach to the process of rebuilding and recognizes that reconstruction efforts must be developed in conjunction with survivors – local solutions to local problems. The Initiative implements programs in the Sinjar region of Iraq that are community-driven, survivor-centric and sustainable. This approach empowers survivors and helps to reestablish a sense of community.
Central components of Nadia’s Initiative’s work are ending the use of women and girls as weapons of war, seeking justice and accountability of Islamic State perpetrators and enabling survivors to heal and rebuild their lives.
INSTITUTE CHAMPIONS ACCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
BY DENNIS ARP
More than $11 million in support reflects the expanding influence of Chapman’s Thompson Policy Institute on Disability.
In the struggle to make education more inclusive, too often people with disabilities have been on the outside looking in. But now Chapman University’s Thompson Policy Institute on Disability (TPI) is increasing access and opportunity for all individuals, aided by growing support from foundations and other donors.
In September 2021, TPI received a $3.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund a Technical Assistance Collaborative supporting innovative approaches to preparing educators to teach all students equitably in general-education classrooms.
The Gates Foundation grant establishes the California Educator Preparation Innovation Collaborative (CalEPIC). The gift elevates the total amount of foundation grant and donor support for TPI programs to more than $11 million.
“We’re pleased and grateful that the Gates Foundation shares our commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities,” said Meghan Cosier, Ph.D., director of TPI and associate professor in Chapman’s Attallah College of Educational Studies.
AS TPI'S IMPACT GROWS, BARRIERS FALL
Since 2015, when TPI began under the leadership of founding director Don Cardinal, Ph.D., now TPI leadership coach and professor emeritus, the institute has steadily expanded its impact, providing technical assistance and research to influence policy and reduce barriers that limit access to learning, living and working.
Through a network of more than 50 local, state and national partners including CHOC Children’s, UCI Center for Autism and Nuerodevelopmental Disorders, and the California Alliance for Inclusive Schooling, TPI develops technical assistance programs for teachers and administrators. Support from outside funders expands TPI’s impact. In addition to the Gates Foundation’s grant for CalEPIC, recent support includes
• A three-year grant of $784,000 from the Gates Foundation that supports PK-12 schools and educator preparation programs to improve outcomes for historically marginalized students.
• An additional award from the William S. and
Nancy E. Thompson Family Foundation of $500,000, supporting TPI’s overall mission.
• An initial Gates Foundation grant of $420,000 to support the California Teacher Residency
Lab, which features a webinar series helping pre-service teachers fulfill teaching credential clinical hours. Chapman partnered on the project with the University of Kansas and the
University of Florida.
“The CalEPIC project supports California institutions, but going forward we see this as a national effort to prevent special education from being siloed,” said TPI co-director Audri Gomez (Ph.D. ’16). “All students benefit when they have the chance to learn together,” Cosier added.
The Thompson Policy Institute on Disability team includes director Meghan Cosier (second row, second from left), codirector Audri Gomez (bottom row, left) and founding director Don Cardinal (top row, second from left).
LEADERSHIP HELPS SHARPEN A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AND EQUITY
Cosier and Gomez are champions of engagement. They agree that TPI’s collaborative and humanistic approach is at the heart of their relationship-building success.
“We don’t have all the answers, so it takes a collaborative approach to do the work we do,” Gomez said.
By succeeding in leadership roles that historically have been held by men, Cosier and Gomez are also helping Chapman continue its forward momentum on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.
“As a first-generation Hispanic woman, I’m proud of the example we’re setting,” Gomez said.
ALUMNUS MICHAEL PHAN LEADS THE WAY TO SAFER CARE
BY STACE DUMOSKI
The vital role pharmacists play in health care is more visible than ever. With a fellowship at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Division of Pharmacovigilance, Michael Phan (Pharm.D. ’18) is helping to ensure that the drugs we take are safe.
Along with his work at the FDA, Michael is on the faculty of the Chapman University School of Pharmacy and serves on the Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP) Alumni Advisory Board.
Who was the most influential person for you at Chapman? Why?
“Dr. Sun “Coco” Yang. She was my mentor from my time as a Pharm.D. candidate and after when I was an assistant research professor at CUSP. She had a tremendous role in guiding me to my successes and was very nurturing as she saw my strengths and potential.”
If you could go back in time and experience one moment again from your time at Chapman, what would it be? Is there anything that you would do differently?
“Going to Sacramento to present to the California Board of Pharmacy about my capstone project. We argued that additional regulations were needed to help with the disposal and handling of hazardous drugs in the outpatient setting. This was a project that was mentored by Dr. Yang when I was a Pharm.D. candidate. That experience vitalized my enthusiasm for tackling public health issues through research and dissemination.”
What do you wish you knew at the time of your graduation that you know now? What advice can you give to the students and/or recent graduates of today?
“Be forthcoming with your intentions and goals, but also have space to allow for change and modifications. Recognize that big life decisions need to be deliberated over time and that your stance may waver from day to day. Allow yourself and others to have the opportunity to change and grow.”
How did Chapman prepare you for your career? For life? How did your experience prepare you for the real world?
“I learned how to direct myself and not rely on instructions to get things done. A lot of my learning came from the projects I was involved in, which ranged from very guided experiences to entirely independent work. Direct communication and strategic actions are necessary to keep things moving forward effectively.”
Were there any major societal issues in our country/world that you recognized or faced as a young college student? What was your perspective or how did you get involved? Have your opinions on these issues changed or stayed the same?
“We have a bigger potential to impact our communities than most people realize. There are so many ways to do this — speaking to decision and policy makers, working with community/ grassroot organizations, relaying information and messages. I think these roles are necessary to pick up if we want to maintain or grow a healthy community.”
