The first step was a really big hole with a 160-foot crane at its center. But now, as the Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts rises to meet its future glory, life at the site decrescendos only after darkness falls on the Chapman University campus. With this image taken from atop Beckman Hall, music composition major Scott Stedman ’14 captures recent progress on the future home of artistic performance and learning at Chapman. More of Stedman’s architectural photos accompany a collection of project figures on page 29.
Executive Editor: Sheryl Bourgeois, Ph.D. Executive Vice President for University Advancement
Managing Editor: Mary A. Platt Director of Communications platt@chapman.edu
Editor: Dennis Arp arp@chapman.edu
ON THE COVER The story of Ilse Diament’s liberation from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945 inspires this photographic artwork by Bailey Smith, who was in eighth grade in 2010, when she created it. Diament was sick with typhus and weak from hunger when a British doctor gave her medicine and a pear. “Now whenever she eats a pear, she is filled with happiness and hope,” Smith said in describing her entry in Chapman’s Holocaust Art and Writing Contest. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this March, the contest has grown to have national and even international impact. By helping to share the stories of survivors, middle- and high-school students become a new generation of Holocaust witnesses. A story on the contest and its expanding influence begins on page 24.
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IN THIS ISSUE UP FRONT
FEATURES
2
President’s Message
4
First Person: A Choir Trip Includes an Inward Journey
13 As a Professor and Performer, Grace Fong Strikes a Sustaining Balance
CHAPMAN NOW
21 High-Profile Chapman Students Are Already Enjoying Real-World Success
5
New Schmid College Dean Andrew Lyon Sets the Stage for Collaboration
24 Over Its 15 years, the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest Has Become an Indispensable Crossroads
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State of the University: Reaching Out, Building Up
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Board of Trustees Names Chancellor Struppa Presidential Designate
30 Health Professionals Embrace a Team Approach, Adding Efficiency to the System
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Nathan Flanagan-Frankl ’14 Spends a Week on Hollywood’s Biggest Stage
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A Highly Regarded First Feature Earns Breakout Status for Justin Simien ’05
12 Thousands of Fans Flock to Huell Howser Exhibit
DEPARTMENTS 10 Chatter 11 Seen & Heard 18 In Memoriam: Don Will, June Williams 29 Figures 35 Sports: Both the Women’s and Men’s Basketball Teams Reach the NCAA Tourney
36 A Century Later, the Impact of World War I Is All Around, Despite its Ambiguity
ALUMNI NEWS 40 Fifty Years After They Met, Chapman Sweethearts Get Their Storybook Ending 42 Class Notes 43 Chapman Stories: Anna Romiti ’01, Rich Coury ’94 (MPT ’96), Rebecca Williams ’09, Steve Napolitano ’03, Sabrina Landa ’06 48 Friends We Will Miss, Panthers on the Prowl
CHAPMAN
p r e s i d e n t ’s m e s s a g e
The Upside of Always Arriving Thanks to the extraordinary accomplishments and support of so many members of our Chapman family, Chapman University has been recognized by its peers as a university on the move, topping the U.S. News rankings for student selectivity and up-and-coming universities in the West and attracting some of the brightest students from across the nation. While rankings are often just numbers, I think the “up-andcoming” designation says a great deal about how Chapman is increasingly regarded as a trendsetter in higher education. This designation is particularly gratifying since it is determined by a survey of peer university presidents, chief academic officers and admission officers to recognize the most promising and innovative changes in academics, faculty, student life and facilities. The evidence of Chapman’s innovative nature can be experienced virtually all over campus, from the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, which puts industry-standard equipment in our students’ hands from day one, to the new, world-class Musco Center for the Arts — now under construction — that will change the face of our College of Performing Arts, to our new School of Pharmacy at the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine, which will not only
Board of Trustees OFFICERS Doy B. Henley Chairman David A. Janes, Sr. Vice Chair David E.I. Pyott Vice Chair Scott Chapman Secretary Zelma M. Allred Assistant Secretary TRUSTEES Wylie A. Aitken Donna Ford Attallah ’61 Raj S. Bhathal James P. Burra Michael J. Carver Phillip H. Case Irving M. Chase Hazem H. Chehabi, M.D. Arlene R. Craig Jerome W. Cwiertnia Zeinab H. Dabbah, M.D. (J.D. ’12) Kristina Dodge James Emmi Dale E. Fowler ’58 Barry Goldfarb
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teach the latest pharmacological advancements but also create a new model for how that education is delivered. In another move that is outside the norm, the Board of Trustees has named Chancellor Daniele Struppa, Ph.D., presidential designate, appointing him as my eventual successor. While I do not have immediate plans to retire, I firmly believe that succession planning is critical to sustaining Chapman’s spirit and reputation, and this designation allows me to work more closely with Daniele on presidential matters, ensuring that Chapman has a bright future. Interestingly, Chapman is the only university to be ranked as up-and-coming every year since this category was introduced in 2008. This begs the question: Will Chapman always be up-and-coming? I hope so. I’ve often said that Chapman University is a place that has never arrived; it’s always arriving. Thanks to a forward-looking Faculty Senate and the spirited leadership of a dynamic Board of Trustees, Chapman remains committed to being a university on the move, consistently striving to be better and more relevant to our students and our community.
David C. Henley Roger C. Hobbs William K. Hood Mark Chapin Johnson ’05 Jennifer L. Keller Parker S. Kennedy Joe E. Kiani Joann Leatherby Charles D. Martin James V. Mazzo Joel P. Moskowitz Sebastian Paul Musco Frank O’Bryan Harry S. Rinker James B. Roszak The Honorable Loretta Sanchez ’82 Mohindar S. Sandhu James Ronald Sechrist Ronald M. Simon Ronald E. Soderling R. David Threshie Emily Crean Vogler Karen R. Wilkinson ’69 David W. Wilson
EMERITUS TRUSTEES Richard Bertea Lynn Hirsch Booth J. Ben Crowell Leslie N. Duryea Robert A. Elliott Marion Knott Jack B. Lindquist Randall R. McCardle ’58 (M.A. ’66) Cecilia Presley Barry Rodgers Richard R. Schmid
EMERITUS CHAIRS The Honorable George L. Argyros ’59 Donald E. Sodaro
Board of Governors
EX OFFICIO TRUSTEES Donna S. Bianchi James E. Blalock (J.D. ’09) Reverend Don Dewey James L. Doti, Ph.D. Kelsey C. Flewellen ’05 Judith A. Garfi-Partridge Reverend Mary Jacobs Reverend Dayna Kinkade Penni McRoberts ’71 Reverend Felix Villanueva Reverend Denny Williams
OFFICERS Judith A. Garfi-Partridge Chair
Regards,
James L. Doti
Melinda M. Masson Executive Vice Chair Thomas E. Malloy Vice Chair Douglas E. Willits ’72 Secretary GOVERNORS George Adams, Jr. Marilyn Alexander Lisa Argyros ’07 Margaret Baldwin Marta S. Bhathal Deborah Bridges Kathleen A. Bronstein Eva Chen Ronn C. Cornelius Rico Garcia Kathleen M. Gardarian W. Gregory Geiger Steve Greinke Lula F. Halfacre Rebecca A. Hall ’96 Stan Harrelson Sinan Kanatsiz ’97 (M.A. ’00) Elim Kay ’09 Scott A. Kisting John L. Kokulis Dennis Kuhl Stephen M. Lavin ’88 Betty Mower Potalivo James F. Wilson
EMERITUS GOVERNORS Sue Kint Gary E. Liebl Jean H. Macino Richard D. Marconi Jerrel T. Richards EX OFFICIO GOVERNORS Sheryl A. Bourgeois, Ph.D. James L. Doti, Ph.D.
President’s Cabinet Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos George L. Argyros, Jr. ’89, (J.D.’01) Julianne Argyros Joyce Brandman Heidi Cortese Sherman Lawrence K. Dodge Onnolee B. Elliott (M.A. ’64) Paul Folino Douglas K. Freeman Marie Gray Frank P. Greinke Gavin S. Herbert Steeve Kay General William Lyon The Honorable Milan Panic Lord Swarj Paul James H. Randall The Honorable Ed Royce Susan Samueli Ralph Stern David Stone Alan True
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‘A Job Well Done’ I want to extend my congratulations for a job well done. The open house event for the Huell Howser exhibit (story on page 12) was truly amazing! I can imagine Huell’s look of wonder and disbelief at seeing the exuberant crowd and outstanding documentary. The day was truly lovely. I’m so thrilled to see that Huell’s legacy and body of work have a place of honor at the University. My deepest thanks to all involved.
Don’t forget to check out Chapman Magazine online, with Web-only stories, links to video, slide shows and more. Find it all at chapman.edu/magazine.
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DIANE RAMADAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEONIS ADOBE MUSEUM
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Correction Renowned musician Henri Temianka, whose legacy was chronicled in the “String King” article in the winter issue of Chapman Magazine, won third prize at the 1935 Wieniawski Competition.
WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS James E. “Jimmy” Blalock (J.D. ’09) is in-house council for Pacific Compensation Insurance Co., practicing insurance defense litigation in and around Orange County. He is also president of the Chapman University Alumni Association. While a student at the Fowler School of Law, Blalock was president of the Student Bar Association, symposium editor of the Criminal Justice Journal, secretary of the Mock Trial Executive Board and a Student Ambassador. In 2008, he helped the Chapman team win the ABA Mock-Arbitration National Championship in Houston.
Donna S. Bianchi is a retired executive and entrepreneur. She founded and was president of Bianchi International, a manufacturing company she developed into an innovative design leader that changed the way holsters are made. Bianchi products are used by law enforcement and militaries around the world, including by the U.S. Department of Defense. Bianchi is the current president of the Women of Chapman and has served on its steering committee for nine years. She’s a past member of the CHOC Children’s Foundation.
Michael J. Carver is the president and owner of the R.J. Noble Co., a leader in the production, manufacturing, engineering and recycling of asphalt, asphalt rubber, concrete and other products. The company has two large multipleresource plants on more than 120 acres and recycles almost 500,000 tons per year. It also has a large landfill operation and is an active participant in state and local advisory boards and programs concerned with the environment. Carver started at the company in 1977 pulling weeds.
Hazem H. Chehabi, M.D., is a doctor of nuclear medicine who has served as an assistant clinical professor at the UCI School of Medicine. In 1996, he founded Newport Diagnostic Radiology, a professional group of physicians with interrelated areas of expertise. Dr. Chehabi has served as a board member of the Pacific Symphony and Opera Pacific. He is a past president of the Medical Board of California and the National Arab American Medical Association. His son, Eyad, is a Chapman student.
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first person
Photo courtesy of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Houston
By the Rev. Nancy Brink ON A FREE AFTERNOON DURING THE CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY SINGERS’ TEXAS LONE STAR TOUR, WE HEADED FOR HOUSTON’S MUSEUM DISTRICT. ART, NATURAL HISTORY, HOLOCAUST, JAPANESE GARDEN — THERE WERE SO MANY OPTIONS. BUT I ADDED ANOTHER POSSIBILITY TO THE MIX.
I
had just learned that St. Paul’s United Methodist Church has an outdoor labyrinth, a full-sized replica of the one at Chartres Cathedral in France. We exited the bus and started getting into groups for different destinations. What surprised me is that about a third of the choir wanted
to walk the labyrinth with me. No one is completely sure why a number of Europe’s 12th-century cathedrals put labyrinths in their floors, but there is a worldwide revival for building these meditative paths. Some years back I got to study at Chartres and learned how to facilitate using the labyrinth for prayer. I gave the students a few minutes of introduction and then spaced them out so they would not be bunched together on the path. All was quiet as they began their inward journey. That is when I noticed him — a distinguished looking man was watching us from the sidewalk. He approached and walked around the labyrinth several times before joining us. A labyrinth is a continuous winding path that leads to center and back out again. One by one we exited, and the students sat quietly nearby until we all had gathered. We took some time sharing our experiences, and when the stranger exited I invited him to join us. He told us his story. He is from Trinidad, and the next day he was beginning cancer treatment at the nearby M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital. He thanked us for being there, for he wouldn’t have found the labyrinth on his own. He appreciated being with us in silent contemplation. I encouraged him to come back again during the long days ahead, for labyrinths are very healing. He thanked us kindly and walked on. Throughout the tour, I prayed for his healing, even as my own soul was calmed and fed over and over by spectacular concerts. St. Augustine once said, “One who sings, prays twice.” But I know it truly — we have prayed three times.
The Rev. Nancy Brink is the director of Church Relations at Chapman. 4
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GOOD CHEMISTRY New Schmid College Dean Andrew Lyon sees ample opportunities for collaboration and growth.
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ndrew Lyon, Ph.D., is a renowned researcher who explores soft matter in the hard sciences. Perhaps that nod to overlapping disciplines and multilayered thought is why excitement surrounds his new appointment at Chapman University. In July, he takes over as dean of Schmid College of Science and Technology, which encompasses everything from biochemistry to physics to software engineering. It’s a dynamic time for Lyon, Schmid and the sciences at Chapman, where examples of the University’s expanding scientific reach abound. Among other things, Chapman is launching the new Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences (see accompanying story), growing the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine to include a third building, and raising funds to build a new home for the sciences on the main campus in Orange. Currently chair of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech, Lyon was hired to lead Schmid College after a nationwide search. “His interest in being part of the Chapman family illustrates our rising national presence and suggests exciting new opportunities for Schmid College,” said Chapman Chancellor Daniele Struppa, Ph.D. “We’re extraordinarily fortunate to have Andrew lead our continued growth in the sciences.” For his part, Lyon said he’s energized to engage with “Chapman’s incredibly entrepreneurial leadership.” “At Chapman, we can immerse students in experiential learning that is valid not just for content depth but also for on-the-job training,” he added. As a researcher in soft-materials chemistry, Lyon led his own group, exploring colloid and polymer science. Areas of discovery include the self-healing properties of nanomaterials that when fully realized “At Chapman, we can might help patients recover normal bloodimmerse students in clotting function and close wounds. In also leading a school with 40 experiential learning faculty members and 100 postdoctoral that is valid not just for scholars and scientists, Lyon learned many valuable lessons in collaboration. content depth but also “You don’t have to give up something for on-the-job training.” to work together; you just have to bring a larger toolset to solve bigger problems,” SCHMID COLLEGE DEAN ANDREW LYON he said. Lyon knew of Chapman from serving in scientific advisory roles for the Orange County-based Beckman Foundation. He says that joining the University as it more greatly emphasizes the sciences “is super exciting,” but not just from a scientific perspective. “One cool thing about it is that I’m coming from a place where the liberal arts are not valued in the same way (they are at Chapman). I was a philosophy minor, and I love that connection. That’s one of the things about which I was wide-eyed as I walked around campus. “This feels like what it should be, and the campus itself leaves an amazing impression.”
CREAN COLLEGE TO LAUNCH WITH ‘LIMITLESS POTENTIAL’
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his summer, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences becomes Chapman University’s newest college. As part of the University’s continued growth in the sciences, Crean College will officially split from the Schmid College of Science and Technology on June 1 and be led by Dean Janeen Hill, Ph.D., the present dean of Schmid. Chancellor Daniele Struppa said the creation of the new college continues an “exciting phase in the life of Chapman University.” “I expect the new college to build on its existing research strengths in health and behavioral psychology as a focused area of research excellence that will continue to attract exceptional faculty and students,” Hill said. “I’m excited to lead a college with seemingly limitless potential.” The disciplines encompassed in Crean College will include marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, psychology, health science and the new physician assistant program, scheduled to begin in January 2015. Schmid College will be home to biological sciences, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, computational science, environmental science, mathematics, software engineering, physics and food science.
Chapman University’s Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine will be home to many programs in Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences.
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REACHING OUT, BUILDING UP
In his annual address, President Doti highlights Chapman’s continuing growth and its efforts to engage scholars from underserved communities.
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rom building purchases to the formation of a community engagement program aimed at preparing low-income students for college, a spirit of growth and achievement was the theme of President Jim Doti’s 2014 State of the University Address. “Chapman University is on the move,” Doti said, referencing this year’s commemorative poster, created by graphic design student Valerie Rustad ’14, which proclaims the same message with its colorful rendering of the campus and environs. A key highlight of the February address was the announcement of the Lloyd & Elizabeth Klein Family Foundation Community Engagement Program. The program will strengthen four University initiatives: the Iluminación Writing Program; the Orange High School Literacies Partnership; the Choral Music Camp; and the Librería Martínez de Chapman University in Santa Ana, Reading Starts Early Home Library. The additional funding brings the initiatives under one umbrella and allows them to expand their valuable work in the community. In addition, it supports scholarships for lower-income Chapman students. “There are going to be all kinds of kids who are going to carry on your name as Klein Scholars,” said Doti, acknowledging Christine and Lon Cross, who head up the foundation named for
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Christine Cross’ parents and who were among the audience members gathered in Memorial Hall for the address. Doti outlined other areas of growth that will help the University meet the needs of future students and the larger community, including news that it was in the process of purchasing a third building for the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The 125,000-square-foot building will be leased out in the short term but
Chapman’s newest commemorative poster, by Valerie Rustad ’14, shows a University on the move.
eventually used to house future health science programs. In addition to transformational support from donors, the president noted that helping make those advancements possible is the strength of the University’s endowment. The endowment enjoyed a steady rate of 11.6 percent growth in the last several years despite the economic downturn, placing Chapman third in a ranking of major universities by their net asset growth. And that trend is strengthening. “We are maintaining that incredible growth rate because most recently, this last year, it increased 12.1 percent,” Doti said. The address came to a bittersweet close when the president announced that the Donald S. and Leonora N. Will Endowed Chair in Peace Studies would be created to honor the late Professor Donald Will, Ph.D., who held the Delp-Wilkinson Chair in Peace Studies. Support for the endowment came from every corner of the campus, from trustees to faculty and students, a reflection of Will’s “powerful impact” on the University community, Doti said. “When I think of Don Will, he would work with people, he would bring about change and people would come away loving him even more,” Doti said. “He had that special quality.” The entire State of the University Address may also be viewed online. A link is at chapman.edu/magazine.
BOARD NAMES STRUPPA ‘PRESIDENTIAL DESIGNATE’ For the past eight years, Chancellor Daniele Struppa, Ph.D., has led Chapman University’s academic growth, infusing its intellectual life with robust research, teaching and student-scholar interaction.
T
his spring the University’s Board of Trustees awarded the highest praise for that remarkable work, officially naming Struppa “presidential designate” and successor to President Jim Doti, Ph.D., when Doti eventually retires. The Chapman Faculty Senate also voted to approve Struppa as the eventual successor to the University presidency. Struppa will continue as chancellor, a role he relishes for its opportunity to build on the University’s tradition of individualized education, a classic model he prizes for its roots in the earliest universities and one he says he will continue as president. “I am particularly proud of what I believe is one of the unique characteristics of the University, namely its attention on individual students, coupled with an emphasis on highquality, internationally renowned researchers. The model which we have often described as the teacher-scholar, that brings us back to the best times of universities, where people like Galileo were teaching the students in Padova,” Struppa said. Doti, 67, a respected economist whose 23 years at the helm of Chapman place him among the longest-serving university presidents in the nation, has stated that he has no immediate plans to retire from the post he has held since 1991. However, in a message to Chapman students, faculty “I am particularly proud of and staff after the board’s vote, he clarified why he has strongly advocated this succession plan. what I believe is one of the “While this action will not have any immediate impact, unique characteristics of the it paves the way for me to work more closely with Daniele University, namely its attention on presidential matters,” Doti said in the message. He added that the succession plan “will help ensure that our on individual students, coupled long-run strategies and initiatives are based on a common with an emphasis on highvision and have the continuity of executive leadership to carry out that vision.” quality, internationally Struppa, 58, joined Chapman University as chancellor renowned researchers.” in 2006. Previously he served at George Mason University, first as director of the Center for the Applications of CHANCELLOR DANIELE STRUPPA Mathematics, then as chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences and as associate dean for graduate studies. In 1997, he was selected dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at George Mason, a position he held until he joined Chapman. A distinguished mathematician, the Italian-born Struppa earned his laurea in mathematics from the University of Milan, Italy, and his doctorate in mathematics from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has authored more than 150 refereed publications, has edited several volumes, and is the author or co-author of seven books, including the upcoming The Mathematics of Superoscillations with Chapman physicists Yakir Aharonov, Ph.D., and Jeff Tollaksen, Ph.D. While serving as chancellor, Struppa has continued his scholarly research, focusing on Fourier analysis and its applications to a variety of problems, including signal processing, pattern recognition and the proteomics of cancerous cells. “I have grown to love this University and the values for which it stands,” Struppa said. “I plan to continue on the path to excellence that President Doti has charted with his impressive presidency, and to make sure that Chapman will be known as one of the very finest institutions in the country.”
Daniele Struppa, Ph.D.
CHAPMAN’S PRESIDENTS James L. Doti 1991– present 1988 –1989 (acting) Allen E. Koenig 1989 –1991 G.T. “Buck” Smith 1977–1988 Davis Chamberlin (acting) 1976 –1977 Donald C. Kleckner 1971–1975 John L. Davis 1957–1971 J.E. Wilkinson (acting) 1956 –1957 George N. Reeves 1942 –1956 Cecil F. Cheverton 1929 –1941 Arthur C. Braden 1923 –1929 Henry D. McAneney 1892 –1895 Allen M. Elston 1878 –1892 Benjamin H. Smith 1875–1878 James M. Martin 1873 –1875 1863 –1872
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& ME A Chapman film student earns a week on Hollywood’s biggest stage and gets to share his dream of bringing more diversity to the screen. By Nathan Flanagan-Frankl ’14
I
t was the first day of the spring semester at Chapman University, and I was missing class. Instead of taking my seat in my leadership capstone course with Professor Mark Maier, I was on a Skype call that changed my life. Academy Award producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron interviewed me from their Beverly Hills office. Along with asking me about my dreams of Oscars, they told me I would live out my dream in a month’s time. I was one of six film students selected from across the U.S. to spend Oscar week as an insider. And then, on the big night, I would help hand out the awards on the Dolby Theatre stage, in front of thousands of industry heavyweights as well as maybe a billion TV viewers all over the world. It all started last November, when I came across a video on the Ellen show, in which Channing Tatum announced a contest called “Team Oscar.” Any U.S. college student could submit a short video answering the question “What do you want to contribute to the future of film?” I had been working on my senior thesis documentary film since the beginning of the school year, so I already had an answer to the prompt. My senior thesis is an essayistic documentary looking at Asians
in the American entertainment industry — both their misrepresentation in media and their struggle to succeed. This is a very personal film for me because it stems from what I’ve struggled with the majority of my life. Growing up as an adopted child from Korea, with Irish-Italian and AustrianHungarian-Argentinian parents, I always stood out in a crowd. In my video, I reveal that it was hard to find people in media with whom I could relate — people who also looked like me. As I grow as a filmmaker, I want to create film and television “heroes” that represent a variety of backgrounds, so all children can see someone like them on screen. Thanks to the help of my sister and my friends at Chapman, I was able to film the contest video quickly during finals week last fall and spent the snowy winter break at home in Chicago editing it. I posted it casually on social media in January, and it quickly spiked in views. After Channing Tatum announced the winners on Ellen, the whirlwind was in full motion. My week as a member of Team Oscar became a blur of studio tours, meet-and-
greets at pre-Oscar events and rehearsals for the big night. There were many highlights: meeting presenters like Jennifer Lawrence and Angelina Jolie, touring the Disney and Universal studios, asking questions of director Gary Shore (Dracula Untold), going to the Governor’s Ball. It was great fun, but it was also a tremendous learning experience. I got to see people do a lot of different jobs, and I can now see the end of the rainbow through their experiences. Yes, success is partly about luck, but it’s mostly about sacrifice and intelligent decisions. I came away thinking “I can do this,” and that I don’t have to be perfect the second I graduate. As the glow of my Oscar experience gives way to the joys and realities of student life, I want to express my appreciation to everyone at Chapman who has supported me and my message. I’m not used to all the overwhelming kindness, and I really hope that I can pay it forward. Even though I got to live my dream at this year’s Academy Awards, I hope that the recognition of my video will spark a larger conversation and a movement to bring more diversity to the screen.
Links to Flanagan-Frankl’s winning short video and photos from his Team Oscar experience are at chapman.edu/magazine.
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DEAR WHITE PEOPLE IS A BREAKOUT SUCCESS FOR JUSTIN SIMIEN ’05
“I
just tried to stay cool and get myself on and off that stage without saying something crazy.” That’s how Justin Simien ’05 describes his limelight moment after winning the Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Talent at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. And now his critically praised feature film, Dear White People, will get its chance to break into wide release. Variety magazine reports that Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions together have acquired the rights to the film that Simien wrote and directed. “Justin Simien is a funny, fresh and current voice with his finger on the millennials’ pulse,” said Roadside co-president Howard Cohen. Earlier this year, Variety named the Texas-born Simien one of its 10 Directors to Watch, calling Dear White People “lively and articulate.” The ensemble satire chronicles the experiences of four black students at an Ivy League-inspired college where a riot breaks out after a white fraternity holds an African-American-themed party. “The film is about identity,” Simien said during a recent Google Hangout conversation online. “It’s about being a black face in a white place, and toggling between different levels of blackness. It is, in my opinion, the new black experience.”
Variety calls Justin Simien’s ensemble comedy Dear White People “lively and articulate.”
The comedy, starring Tyler James Williams (“Everybody Hates Chris”) and Tessa Thompson (“Veronica Mars”), sprang from a concept trailer that generated tremendous buzz and helped drive Simien’s highly successful crowdfunding campaign. The excitement generated by the campaign and especially the trailer helped show that there was an audience for the film, said Simien, who earned a BFA in film production at Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. “When I started telling people about the film, all of my friends were saying, ‘That’s my experience.’ But Hollywood as a whole was, ‘Who’s going to show up for that? Black people don’t go to smart movies, and white people don’t go to black movies.’ “I had to prove that this was a conversation worth having.” A link to Simien’s Dear White People trailer is at chapman.edu/magazine.
Mitch Eby ’15
EBY MAKES NEWS AS FIRST OPENLY GAY PLAYER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
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hapman University found itself at the heart of a quickly evolving social and sports landscape in March when Panthers football player Mitch Eby ’15 announced in a team meeting that he is gay. The announcement made national headlines as Eby became the first openly gay active player in college football. His teammates at the meeting responded with applause, followed by some hugs and words of encouragement. Eby told outsports.com that in sharing the news with his teammates he no longer wanted to go on “repressing myself because of how society may view me.” In part, he said in the meeting, “It has taken me years to accept myself for who I truly am, so it’s irrational to expect everybody to unconditionally accept me right away. However, the one thing that I hope that I can count on from each of you, my teammates, is your respect.” Before making his announcement, Eby discussed his decision with his roommates, friends and coaches. He also had multiple conversations with Willamette University kicker Conner Mertens, who came out as bisexual in January. Eby joins a growing list of male athletes who have come out as gay in recent months, including former Missouri football star and NFL draft prospect Michael Sam, NBA center Jason Collins and Los Angeles Galaxy soccer player Robbie Rogers. “I didn’t expect (the news coverage) would be on this level,” Eby told the Los Angeles Times. “But everything's been really, really positive.”
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Class Bling It’s official. Chapman University seniors can now put a ring on it. A Class of 2014 committee designed and launched the class rings, offered to seniors and alumni for the first time this year. The rings feature a variety of designs, including a traditional signet version with an image of Memorial Hall alongside a Chapman red stone. And the rings come with a memorable ritual. To symbolically imbue them with the Chapman spirit, they’re lodged for a night in Alumni Tower of Beckman Hall. At the ceremony the next morning, seniors dip their rings in the Marion Halfacre Fountain – chosen because its design represents the four pillars of a Chapman education. “Nowhere else will they have that,” says Kathleen Doll ’14, who served on the committee. Going forward, the ring dedication ceremonies will be part of the Chapman Family Homecoming Celebration in October. Alumni may order class rings online at www.balfour.com.
She Does
Jayne Kacer performs the wedding of Rebecca (J.D. ’13) and Alexandria Kipper.
‘I Do’s’
Jayne Kacer wasn’t looking to moonlight. She has enough to keep her busy as associate dean for student affairs at the Fowler School of Law. But when alumni ask her to officiate at their weddings, she can’t say no. “The law school is such a supportive community that strong bonds get formed,” says Kacer, who has an online ministry. So far she’s performed four ceremonies — for Manuel Mendoza (J.D. ’09), Julie Sarto (J.D. ’10), Kandis Burns (J.D. ’12) and Rebecca Kipper (J.D. ’13). “Each student and ceremony is special to me,” Kacer says. “But I must say it was really a wonderful experience to perform the two same-sex ceremonies this past summer, especially because both came shortly after the court allowed them to occur. I knew that they had been waiting and waiting until this was open to them.” Kacer will be happy to officiate at more weddings. “It’s quite an honor,” she notes. But in case anyone’s wondering, “I haven’t hung up a shingle,” she says. 10
CHAPMAN MAGAZINE
TRAINING DAYS From working with elite athletes in Australia, Switzerland and Germany to helping prepare top artists of Cirque du Soleil and the Radio City Rockettes, Alyssa Alpert ’10 seized just about every opportunity available in Chapman’s Athletic Training program. And now that she’s a working professional, she’s still finding ways to stand out. Recently Alpert was named head athletic trainer for the New York Cosmos soccer team, making her one of only a handful of women filling such a role in a U.S. professional men’s league. “Man or woman, my skillset is the same,” she says. Skills and confidence have helped her gain the trust of players as she toils in her dream job at age 26. “I credit all I know to Chapman,” she adds. A key lesson was that there’s always more to learn. For instance, when she interned with Cirque she confronted this dilemma: “How do you stretch a contortionist?” She’s still working on that one.
GIANT IMPACT Sitting in the sunshine of his 34th professional spring training, Tim Flannery ’79 is talking about the importance of living in the moment. Pretty good for a guy whose career is full of fond memories he could relive. After a Hall of Fame baseball career at Chapman, he played 11 years in the big leagues and now has won two World Series championships as a San Francisco Giants coach. But not all the moments are joyful. He recalls the day in 2011 when Giants fan Bryan Stow — a son, husband and father — was nearly beaten to death outside Dodger Stadium. “It was like I got kicked in the stomach,” he says, “because everything he is, I am.” So now Flannery uses his parallel life as a singer-songwriter to improve Stow’s life. Thanks to benefit concerts and the proceeds from his 11th album, he has helped raise more than $200,000 for Stow and his family, who are his full-time caregivers. “Selfishly, I’m getting so much out of this,” Flannery says. “Seeing their love and how they meet their responsibilities – well, being around that has made me a better man.”
Seen Heard &
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"You never know what connection is the one that opens the next door for you. So establish meaningful professional relationships now, and write down contacts. Don't forget people, don't burn bridges. Unless a person is toxic in your life, don't burn a bridge; there's no reason to. You may be able to help them as much as they may be able to help you." Keegan-Michael Key, star of Comedy Central’s Key & Peele, speaking in Professor Theresa Dudeck’s “Impro for Actors” class.
“I FIND THAT EVOLUTION IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY MEANINGFUL SCIENTIFIC CONCEPT IN A WAY THAT PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS NOT. IT REALLY DOES CONNECT US WITH ALL OF NATURE. I MEAN, I SHARE GENES WITH PETUNIAS – HOW COOL IS THAT?” Eugenie Scott, Ph.D., outgoing executive director of the National Center for Science Education and newly named faculty associate at Chapman’s College of Educational Studies. Scott spoke to an overflow crowd as part of a panel discussion on how science education is being undermined by advocates of creationism and critics of climate-change science.
“Herod the Great makes Henry VIII look monogamous and magnanimous. I can’t even keep track of his family tree. It’s more like a family forest.” John Dominic Crossan, D.D., New Testament scholar and best-selling author, speaking on “Jesus and the Kingdom of God” during Founders Education Day events in the Fish Interfaith Center.
“Walt never spent 5 cents on market research. Walt said, ‘I’m going to do what I want to do and hope and believe that they will come.’” Jack Lindquist, the first president of Disneyland, speaking in the class of Professor Brian Alters, Ph.D, “The Pursuit of Happiness and Knowledge: Walt Disney and Charles Darwin.”
“There is no doubt that women’s roles in Islam are part of current political debates in the new millennium. More importantly, unlike any other time in history, Muslim women themselves are leading these debates.” Amina Wadud, author of Qur’an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective, speaking at “Religious Genderings,” a conference presented by the Department of Religious Studies. SPRING 2014
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Robert Bouttier, president and CEO of the Automobile Club of Southern California, with Jim Doti, Chapman University president.
GOLD CRUSH O
The opening of a new permanent exhibit devoted to the work of Huell Howser attracts thousands of fans.
can perform research using episodes of the shows. Howser donated n a sunny Saturday morning, Santa Ana schoolteacher to Chapman more than 900 episodes, which are now digitized and Collette May stood in a long, snaking line to see the available for viewing online at www.huellhowserarchives.com. keepsakes, desk, artwork, memorabilia and biographical During the daylong open house, visitors were treated to performances pictorials that make up the new permanent California’s Gold exhibit and informal talks made famous by those shows, ranging from The and Huell Howser Archives. Whistling Diva (Carole Anne Kaufman) to The Lint Lady (Slater Barron). And she didn’t mind the wait one bit. Many visitors, like Tony Beardsley and his wife, Mae, from San Dimas, “I loved it,” May said during the exhibit grand opening March 29 Calif., stopped to chat and have their photos taken with Howser’s at Chapman University. “I’m a California native, and I think he longtime cameraman, Luis Fuerte. Beardsley said he and his wife did such a great job of showing people across the state. It’s not often spend weekends touring the towns and sights they see featured just Hollywood. It’s all the people, all the places.” on the shows. May had plenty of company, too. An “I liked the interesting places he went. estimated 4,000 visitors filled the campus “I’m sad that there aren’t going A lot of times I went and explored them for the debut of the permanent exhibit to be any more shows, but I’m myself after seeing the show,” he said. devoted to the life and career of the late Another highlight was the debut of California broadcaster known for his grateful for what he left us.” the documentary A Golden State of Mind: folksy style and unpretentious programs The Storytelling Genius of Huell Howser, by Chapman film professor about the state’s ordinary and extraordinary characters and sights. Jeff Swimmer, produced with support from the Automobile Club The exhibit room, on the basement level of the Leatherby of Southern California and Chapman University. Several screenings Libraries, features colorful wall copy and graphics outlining played to sold-out audiences in the Waltmar Theatre. Howser’s distinguished career in broadcasting and the evolution Even with all the festivities, there were poignant moments among of his shows devoted to exploring California. There are also fans of Howser, who passed away in January 2013. memorabilia display cases and a full-sized model of the office Said May: “I’m sad that there aren’t going to be any more shows, where he edited all his shows. but I’m grateful for what he left us.” Along with the exhibit is space where scholars and others
The exhibit on the basement level of Leatherby Libraries is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is free.
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Grace S TAT E O F
As professor and pianist, Dr. Fong strikes
a sustaining balance that resonates
with students and audiences alike. Stories by Dennis Arp Photos by Scott Stedman ’14
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Grace Fong “I
jokes that she can trace her musical growth back to her pre-natal period. After all, she was in the womb as her mother played her college graduate recital. “I think I came out listening to music,” said the prize-winning concert pianist who has a doctorate in musical performance and directs the keyboard studies program at Chapman University. “I don’t remember a life without music, and I can’t imagine my life without it.” As a teacher, Fong was also an early convert. In her toddler years, she would take naps under the piano while her mother gave lessons, then later she would sometimes sub for her mom, “and over the years I absolutely fell in love with teaching.” These days, it’s not always easy to maintain TRY TO USE OTHER SENSES TO HELP BRING THE MUSIC the balance between an international career and working with piano students at Chapman. ALIVE FOR THE STUDENTS, SUCH AS TO ‘SEE AND FEEL Typically, she schedules concerts on weekends, THE FIRST RAY OF SUNSHINE AMID THE GLOOM OF THE during interterm or summer tours “so I can consistently be available to my students STORM,’ OR TO ‘TASTE EACH CHORD.’ WHEN I SEE THIS during the year.” Fong draws on the lessons of her mentor, ALL FINALLY CLICK WITH A STUDENT, I KNOW THEY’VE Sergei Babayan, with whom she studied at MOVED FROM THE STUDENT LEVEL TO ANOTHER.” the Cleveland Institute of Music, but she also charts her own classical path. We asked her to talk more about how performance and professorship co-exist in her musical life. An extended version of this interview is at chapman.edu/magazine.
To see videos of Professor Grace Fong and Arsen Jamkotchian ’15 in piano performance, visit chapman.edu/magazine.
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Q
What’s the best thing about your life as a performer? How about as a teacher? I’m most happy when I feel the freedom on stage to speak to the audience through my music without any physical or mental obstacles. When I feel that I have delivered the composer’s intent — with a twist of Grace, of course — I feel a transcendental energy in the room, and I feel that I’ve done what I was supposed to do. There are no better words to hear than when people tell me that in the two hours during the performance they healed, went to another place, forgot the trivialities of their daily life. It makes me feel like a magician in my own right. When I teach, I know that in the arts each individual’s journey is so different. I feel lucky to have the one-on-one time in the students’ four years to help them find their voice. I encourage my students to appreciate the differences that make them individual artists, and not to just regurgitate what they hear on YouTube. It’s a fantastic resource to have, and we can access more music than ever; however, it’s easy to lose one’s voice along the way. When the students find their voice, are fanatically involved in the musical process, are hungry for more and no longer dependent on my approval, it doesn’t get much more rewarding than that.
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What do you seek to contribute to help students take the next steps in their careers?
Once upon a time it was enough to be an excellent pianist. Boy, has the music world changed. There are more jaw-dropping pianists than ever before, so how does one even begin to compete in this field today? I’ve created a first-of-its-kind seminar, beginning in fall 2014, to address this very question. It’s called “The Business of Piano,” and we’ll look at some topics rarely discussed, like getting and working with agents, marketing and self-promotion, stage presence, injury prevention and putting together your pianist’s portfolio. There’s no easy way out here. An intelligent work ethic combined with a fanatic love obsession with music is essential to surviving in this cutthroat field. As a teacher, I can only give as much as the student wants to give in return. I set the bar high for my students, and it’s draining when a student doesn’t return the energy. But when the student is prepared and passionate, the synergy is staggering. I think both student and teacher must inspire one another. The growth is mutually rewarding.
Q
How do you help students move beyond technical proficiency to add depth to their performances?
We attend a concert to take away something shared, something communicated. We don’t pay for a ticket to hear someone just play fast — we could very well put on an accelerated MIDI file on a computer. One of the most important messages I can get across to my students is that there must absolutely be emotional content behind every single note played. The music was written by a human, so there is an emotion, a response, a reaction behind each note. I don’t want to hear a single note played as an empty note, without thought behind it. I insist that the students hear what they want to play before they play it; otherwise, their finger movement is just an accident. We must be aware of how we use the instrument so that the listener hears what we intend. How is it received emotionally, spiritually? I try to use other senses to help bring the music alive for the students, such as to “see and feel the first ray of sunshine amid the gloom of the storm,” or to “taste each chord.” When I see this all finally click with a student, I know they’ve moved from the student level to another.
How does teaching influence you as a pianist, and how does performing inspire how you teach?
As a performer, I take a piece of music, via unflinching self-evaluation, from the first to last note to an organic outcome. I then bring that knowledge and inspiration — whether it’s a lesson about the music itself, performance anxiety, listening from a critic’s point of view, etc. — to a student who is open and like a sponge. The way the student then takes the information and makes it work for him- or herself teaches me something as well. I learn something in that process and come back out of it with renewed pleasure in music-making. The main job of a teacher is not to teach how loud or soft, fast or slow something should go, but how to discover what to look for to make decisions. In music, there isn’t one answer, and it’s great to be able to suggest possibilities. Much of my lessons involve demonstration, not because I want them to imitate me, but because so much of it is unspoken and understood in that magical experience that’s so much more precise than words. I like to challenge them to do something different from what I demonstrated.
Q
As someone who is so accomplished but still a young artist herself, what remains on your performance bucket list? I have jazz on my playlist anytime I’m not teaching or at the piano myself. I wish I could rock out on the piano like Hiromi Uehara. What she does comes from a completely different part of the brain than what I do. There’s a video of Hiromi and Chick Corea doing the most unbelievable jam session. They completely lose themselves, making it all up as they go along. Will I be able to do that in this lifetime? web
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From a chaotic hallway full of scurrying students and mingling voices, Arsen Jamkotchian ’15 steps into a realm where the din swiftly dissolves. In Grace Fong’s Bertea Hall office in the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music, there’s barely room for two grand pianos, but somehow they fit, side by side, allowing space for little else beyond aspiration.
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amkotchian, tall and angular, moves right to the bench he’s been waiting all day to occupy. For both student and teacher, music is breath, it is life, it is joy incarnate. But here, in this windowless space, on this Tuesday afternoon, music is 60 minutes of hard work. Jamkotchian possesses the gift and drive to someday realize his dream of performing as a concert pianist. Opportunities like this, to gain insights from a piano master such as Fong, are a big reason why he chose Chapman University. Likewise, nurturing the talent of young performers like Jamkotchian is why Fong chooses to split her time between the concert stage and teaching sessions. “My aim is to help students find their individual voice and to be able to use and develop it by the
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Office Hour time they graduate,” says Fong, whose own playing has been described by critics as “positively magical” and “passionately honest.” One raved, “She is above being a mere virtuoso — she occupies a lofty stratosphere of her own making.” “Ten students can approach the same piece in completely different ways physically, musically, philosophically,” Fong adds. “Every artist has a different story to tell — one just needs the know-how and the confidence to tell it.” Jamkotchian’s voice is spirited, and soon the office walls pulse with the sounds of Verdi and Prokofiev. It’s clear that even though he maintains the academic schedule of a junior double-majoring in music and computer science, the six hours a day he sets aside for piano practice is time well invested. Still, Fong finds opportunities to help Jamkotchian grow. “Lean in,” she says at one point. “It still sounds like you’re only playing with your fingers.” She presses on his shoulders. “Think of the balcony. … Yes, that’s right; feel the connection. A little more intense. Better. That’s better!” Later, between movements, Fong tells her student, “Technically, it’s all there. But now we need to start putting in the characters.” Jamkotchian is preparing to perform Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 6 in A Major, the first of the composer’s War Sonatas, during a series of concerts, including his junior recital. In the summer there
will be festivals, and Jamkotchian wants to bulk up his repertoire with an eye toward international competitions. “For the Prokofiev, Dr. Fong always mentions that it needs to have a lot of clarity and intensity,” he says. “She really focuses on technique and very specific aspects of the music. I love working with her, because I always get something out of it.” Now, about those characters. “So which one are you thinking of?” she asks as Jamkotchian begins to play. “A crazy person,” he says. The teacher pauses. “But is this person completely crazy?” The student plays on, his head bobbing slightly. Later, Fong encourages him to explore a passage as if he were entering “The Twilight Zone.” “Really feel the creepycrawly-ness of it,” she says. “Remember that even the soft sounds have a savage quality.” As the session continues, there are moments of standout intensity, a few minor breakthroughs, some simultaneous playing by teacher and pupil, and at least one more interesting point of emphasis by Fong. “This part should be weird — like a weird circus,” she says. “Good! That time I pictured a spooky merry-go-round.” The 60 minutes fly by — so much so that it’s clear at the session’s end Jamkotchian would like to take a couple of more spins on the merry-go-round. But there will be plenty more chances. For now, he gathers his belongings, thanks Fong for her time and nods as she offers some encouraging words. He opens the door and re-enters the flow of hallway traffic, and as he does it’s hard not to imagine that a few of Prokofiev’s characters are exiting with him.
FROM RUSSIA
with Music and Art
The Global Arts Festival is made possible by support from the Kay Family Foundation, The Chapman Global Arts Performance represented by President’s Cabinet member Steeve Kay and his wife, Helen (photo at left). Program, founded by the Kay Family In addition, Chapman University Trustee Jim Emmi and his wife, Catherine, hosted the dinner event that launched the festival. Foundation and in partnership with Pacific Symphony, launched its first Global Arts Festival, initiating an important annual cultural event that will salute and explore the arts and music of a different region of the world each year.
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his year, it was Russia, with the spotlight on the composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 –1975), who faced unique artistic challenges living under the Soviet regime, yet produced some of the 20th century’s most memorable music. The weeklong festival that kicked off Jan. 31 engaged ensembles, artists, students, faculty and the public in a wideranging series of events, including concerts and recitals, art exhibitions and film screenings, lectures and panel discussions, workshops and master classes. “Music is indeed a vital part of the history of ideas,” said Chapman University Chancellor Daniele Struppa in opening the series, “and the nature of this festival and our partnership with Pacific Symphony is to bring to light the interplay of disciplines in ways that indelibly connect music to history and to other forms of art.” Pacific Symphony, under the baton of Carl St.Clair, kicked off the festival at Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, with a concert featuring guest Russian piano virtuoso Alexander Toradze performing Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Toradze was a leading figure in the festival, appearing at Chapman for several events. He performed in the President’s Piano Series with fellow Russian pianist Vakho Kodanashvili, and with Chapman viola professor and Pacific Symphony principal violist Robert Becker in the Festival’s keynote event, a “Concert and Dialogue” with Chancellor Struppa. Other arts leaders featured prominently in the festival included music historian Simon Volkov, whose groundbreaking interviews with Shostakovich changed the world’s collective opinion of the composer, whom many had previously viewed simply as a Soviet collaborator. Volkov’s interviews showed that Shostakovich was a truth-speaker forced to work within the Soviet system, who often dared to courageously challenge the supreme powers
of the day, up to and including the dictator Stalin himself. Volkov, along with music critic and Pacific Symphony artistic adviser Joseph Horowitz, gave several fascinating talks during the week that illuminated many facets of Shostakovich’s career. The visual arts were also prominently in focus, as a carefully curated exhibition “Stalin’s Russia: Visions of Happiness, Omens of Terror” opened in the Doy and Dee Henley Galleria in Argyros Forum. Paintings, posters, ceramics and prints, drawn from the collection of Tom and Jeri Ferris, the Institute of Modern Russian Culture and the Wende Museum, showed a benevolent, grandfatherly Stalin hugging idealized Soviet children and greeting staunch, sun-bronzed commune members and factory workers. Co-curators Wendy Salmond, Ph.D., Chapman professor of art history, and Mark Konecny, Ph.D., associate director at the Institute of Modern Russian Culture at USC, selected pieces of art that were vivid reminders of art’s role, for better or worse, in propaganda and the promotion of an ideology. Theatre arts were represented in a discussion by Chapman theatre professors John Benitz, Michael Nehring and Thomas Bradac on the influence of Stanislavsky and other Russians on American acting, theatre and film. Vladimir Chernov, professor of vocal studies at UCLA, offered a master class for voice students, and Chapman music composition professor Vera Ivanova, Ph.D., offered a lecture on Shostakovich’s early works. Colleen Neary, artistic director of Los Angeles Ballet, gave a lecture-demonstration on the Balanchine technique, derived by the great Russian-American choreographer from his classical Russian ballet roots. Next year’s Global Arts Festival will focus on an entirely new subject and country. And the festival will shine even more brightly when the new Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts opens in 2016. SPRING 2014
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CHAPMAN
in memoria m
DON WILL Described by Chancellor Daniele Struppa as “without doubt among the most respected and trusted people on this campus,” Don Will, Ph.D., professor of political science and holder of the Delp-Wilkinson Chair in Peace Studies, passed away in February. A member of the Chapman University faculty for more than 25 years, Will was widely admired for his strong principles and gentleness of spirit. He served Chapman in many different roles, from president of the Faculty Senate to chair of the Political Science Department to associate dean of Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He mentored many students each year, including as an adviser and a friend to the members of the Black Student Union. He is survived by his wife, Leonora, and son, Alex. A memorial service was held March 21 in the Wallace All Faiths Chapel. Following is a remembrance by one of his students. By Joey Huddleston ’11
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very once in a great while, a few of us are lucky enough to have someone alter our path forever. I was, as many American youngsters are, asked throughout my childhood who I took as my role model. I understood the term to mean honorable men and women who showed courage in the face of danger or confronted great evils. My parents directed me to Abraham Lincoln, who emancipated a nation; Corrie ten Boom, who rescued the persecuted from torturous demise; Albert Schweitzer (yes, I knew all about him before coming to Chapman), who revered life enough to tend to it always. These advocates’ stories inspired lofty ambitions and filled me with dreams. However, I never figured out how their examples could guide me in the daily chore of being good to people. In a way, making the right choice is easier when it comes in the form of a momentous, high-stakes decision, when it demands sacrifice. Being faithful in the small things, day after day, for everyone around you, unnoticed — that requires true integrity. Coming to adulthood, I gradually gave this daily challenge less thought and no effort, and I settled into being a thoroughly average nice guy. Then I met Don Will, and I found a role model.
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Dr. Will was extraordinary at times when he could have been ordinary, when no one would have noticed. He had the honor, courage and reverence for life of my childhood tales of virtue. He boldly confronted oppression, took the side of the unjustly downtrodden and gained influence in high places. Of course, that draws admiration from all of us. However, Dr. Will’s real impact on me, the reason I unabashedly claim him as my role model, came from his peculiar habit of consistently doing the right thing for everyone: friends, rivals and strangers. Besides setting a beautiful abstract example of how to approach life and society, Dr. Will invested deeply in my own future. He had a clear vision for me the moment I met him. After a brief introduction, he jumped to the question on his mind: “Did you know you share your family name with one of the staunchest anti-apartheid activists in South Africa? Trevor Huddleston, an Anglican bishop, stood side by side with Mandela for years, demanding justice for all South Africans.” The impression Don Will gave me of the Peace Studies program at Chapman was enough to convince me to become a part of it.
Joey Huddleston ’11, right, is shown with Peace Studies professors Don Will and Angeliki Kanavou. Will had “the peculiar habit of consistently doing the right thing for everyone: friends, rivals and strangers,” says Huddleston, who calls the late professor his role model.
And it was not just empty salesmanship. Under Dr. Will’s leadership and Dr. Angeliki Kanavou’s guidance, Peace Studies provided me tremendous opportunities to aim high and give it my all. I traveled to Cameroon and made a documentary film alongside three Dodge College students; I spent six weeks in refugee camps in North Africa conducting interviews for my senior thesis; and I went to four conferences in three cities to present my work and explore the work of others. At each step, Dr. Will went to bat for me. When I was accidentally overcharged in tuition for the Cameroon trip, he got on the phone for hours on a Friday afternoon to ensure the mistake was corrected. He helped me navigate the process of getting Institutional Review Board approval for my interview schedule and senior research plan. He persuaded, encouraged and enabled me to shoot as high as possible while at Chapman. Dr. Will’s impact on me is deep and permanent. Thanks in part to dozens of letters and phone calls from my Peace Studies professors, I gained admittance to several graduate schools, and I am in my second year of a doctoral program in political science and international relations at USC. I research conflict, its causes in public sentiment and its effects on identity and state-society relations. I am preparing this year to publish my first academic article. I model my commitment to conflict resolution after Dr. Will’s bold lifelong fight for social justice. Even stronger, though, was the model he gave me for personal and professional relations. He invested as much in all his students’ futures as he did in mine, and he made the Peace Studies program a matchlessly special place. No wonder Peace Studies has continued to produce students who pursue further studies, gain prestigious scholarships around the world and land positions in international consulates and NGOs. To quote President Doti, “Peace Studies is the design in the center of the Chapman Turkish carpet." The program will always be indebted to Dr. Will for its outstanding reputation, magnetic draw on students and uncanny ability to inspire greatness in young people. Dr. Will’s passing leaves a void much larger than it seems any one person could. His lifelong investment in his students, colleagues and community and his bold, ceaseless commitment to social justice cannot soon be equaled. The task of filling Dr. Will’s shoes in the Peace Studies program is sure to be daunting. Still, my heavy heart will always be lifted when I recall the unrivaled moral and professional example he set for me, and the echoing contribution he made to my life and direction. Rest in peace, Dr. Will. We miss you dearly.
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in memoria m
a planned gift makes a difference
LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP HONORS RYAN OLDENWALDER (J.D. ’09)
R President Jim Doti, left, and Professor Vernon Smith join June Williams at her “June A-Wake.”
JUNE WILLIAMS
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longtime member of the Town & Gown support group as well as the Charles C. Chapman Heritage Society at Chapman University, June Williams passed away in March. President Jim Doti described Williams as a devoted friend of the University. “Though she hasn’t been around campus much in recent years, she was beloved by all of us who knew her. Indeed, many Chapman community members joined June’s family and friends at a ‘June A-Wake’ held at her home last October, soon after she was diagnosed with inoperable cancer,” Doti said. Through the years Williams came to consider many of her Chapman friends “adopted” children and grandchildren and enjoyed sending greeting cards. Doti recalled that in her most recent birthday greeting to him she wrote, “Do at least one thing every day that scares you.” Williams was the wife of the late Professor Bert Williams ’35, for whom the Bert Williams Mall is named. She was also a special adviser and friend to the Leatherby Libraries and served on the Advisory Board. In addition, she and her husband were lead founding donors, naming a room in the Leatherby Libraries. A memorial service celebrating Williams’ life was held March 22 in the Wallace All Faiths Chapel.
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yan Odenwalder (JD ’09) was known for his willingness to help anyone in need. He was one of the top students at Chapman University’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law, where he was a member of the Chapman Law Review during his second year and was a notes editor in his third year. In addition to supporting charitable organizations, Oldenwalder served as an Academic Fellow in Civil Procedure, helping to smooth the transition for first-year law students. After graduating cum laude in 2009, Oldenwalder passed the California State Bar on his first attempt and accepted a position as legal counsel for Morgan Drexen, a company known for giving back to the Orange County community. Just a year after Oldenwalder graduated law school a car accident ended his life in April 2010. His death deeply impacted Fowler students, especially those he mentored. “Ryan was a dedicated student who demonstrated a passion for helping others,” said Jayne Kacer, associate dean for student affairs and administration at the Fowler School of Law. Ryan’s parents, Darlene and Gary Odenwalder, have established a legacy scholarship in their son’s name to help aid and inspire future students at the Fowler School of Law. The Ryan L. Odenwalder Endowed Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to qualifying students at the school. “Generations of students Darlene and Gary Odenwalder will benefit from Ryan having been with us,” said Tom Campbell, dean of the Fowler School of Law. “Because of Ryan’s love of Chapman’s law school and his academic accomplishments, we wanted him remembered for what he represented: honesty, integrity, hard work and his willingness to help others,” said Darlene Oldenwalder. “Gary and I hope that this scholarship will help others fulfill their dream, since Ryan’s dream and full potential were cut short.”
A link to learn how to contribute to the Ryan L. Odenwalder Endowed Memorial Scholarship is at chapman.edu/magazine.
Ahead
TheirTime
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FOR OLIVER BOGNER ’15 AND OTHER CHAPMAN STUDENT ACHIEVERS, REAL-WORLD SUCCESS IS MORE THAN A CONCEPT. Maybe it was a throwaway line, maybe it wasn’t. Either way, when Oliver Bogner was a high-school DJ and his independent film producer dad quipped, “Your life would make a good reality TV show,” the 15-year-old didn’t laugh. Instead, he turned the concept into a pilot that the E! network bought. And now, six years later, the ideas for potential new hits just keep coming. Though he’s but a junior at Chapman University, Bogner ’15 oversees his own company and has four shows in production, including the prime-time hits Kim of Queens on Lifetime and My Five Wives, a show about a polygamist that airs on TLC. At the same time, he’s working on two shows for Discovery, with others in various states of development for Nat Geo Wild, A&E and Syfy. Forbes magazine has noted his achievements, naming him one of its All-Star Student entrepreneurs and highlighting his work in its 30 Under 30 feature. “Things have kind of exploded,” Bogner says of his producing career. “We’re budgeted for 52 hours of original television this year, OLIVER BOGNER so this has turned into a ridiculously exciting time.” And Bogner isn’t alone as an ahead-of-his-time achiever at Chapman. Other students are also carving out successful careers at the same time that they’re meeting with professors and cramming for tests. All it takes is heaps of talent, the confidence to challenge conventional thinking and a willingness to juggle two full-time pursuits. Bogner knows all about that juggling act. He’s carrying 18 units this spring as a television / broadcast journalism major in Dodge College of Film and Media Arts while he also pitches ideas to network executives. He says he doesn’t feel intimidated, even when he’s easily the youngest person in the meeting room. “They’re not expecting a 21-year-old kid with a baby face to walk in and sell a hit TV show,” he said. “So you’ve got to know what you’re talking about. But if you do, no one questions you.” Bogner added that he thrives on the demands of his schedule. “If you don’t experience intense emotional and physical pain, you’re not doing it right,” he said. “I always have to prove myself, but that’s the way I like it.”
“If you don’t experience intense emotional and physical pain, you’re not doing it right. I always have to prove myself, but that’s the way I like it.”
Photo by Artem Barinov ‘14
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CAMERA READY
AGENT OF CHANGE When Evan Brennan (J.D. ’15) was asked why the textbook for his “Professional Responsibility” class was covered in linear tabulations, he smiled. He was calculating the probability of college football players being on an all-star game watch list and then, after training camp and the draft, actually making an NFL team. “I want to ensure that the all-star game that I’m looking at is a good indicator of NFL talentto-be,” he said, “as opposed to a list of the other several thousand (players) with the aspirations but not the transferable talent to go from college to the pros.” In layman’s terms, Brennan was on the prowl for his next client. While attending Chapman’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law, Brennan is one of a very few students in the nation to pass the NFL Agent Exam. He has also completed an award-winning capstone research project in which he devised a business plan to launch his own sports agency. “I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been around and seen so many others’ successes and failures, that I have a good idea of what to do and what not to do,” he said. He got a lesson in the latter when he worked for a successful agent in Atlanta. He stumbled in some assignments and started questioning his career choice. Ultimately he decided “to give it everything I have,” he said. “I made extra phone calls, researched inquiries and asked more questions to gain insights.” And now he’s known as the agent “who’s willing to get after it when others are less than willing,” he said. He often works with smallschool players who struggle to gain exposure. “I work to ensure that they’re known to teams and get a fair shot throughout the process,” he said. “It’s not easy, but the satisfaction I feel when they get that phone call from a team is enormous.” 22
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You might guess that landing a play-by-play job with ESPN3 while still a senior in college requires an early start in the business. That’s certainly the case for Trent Schlom ’14. High school announcing, local cable, Chapman Radio, Fox Sports prep reporting — Schlom has done it all. He definitely possesses a natural-born dynamism in front of a camera. The television and broadcast journalism major is now a Big West Conference play-by-play announcer, covering basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball. “When you get a student like (Trent), it’s almost like they’re your assistant teacher. He’s a good guy and he’s super talented,” says Pete Weitzner, associate professor, and director of the broadcast journalism program at Dodge College. Schlom says he first picked up a microphone as a child and “drove everybody nuts.” It was a good choice. He caught the attention of Fox Sports, which hired him to be a spotter at local high school games when he was just 15 and his parents had to drive him. When he entered Chapman, though, the real polishing began, he says. He recalls senior student editors letting him know when he “didn’t deliver” on Chapman News broadcasts. And he was pushed to tackle topics beyond sports. He produced and hosted Chapman News’ 2012 Election Night coverage, a live program that was awarded the Dodge College Cecil Award for Best Television Show. “That night is still the proudest moment of my life and the toughest of all the things that I’ve done,” he says. These days, ESPN3 is certainly keeping Schlom busy. Through February, he did play-by-play for both men’s and women’s basketball games. In March, he announced Big West women’s tournament games at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Schlom can think of no better place to be. “At this point, I never thought I’d be where I’m at,” he says. “It’s great.”
THE PERKS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
MR. COMMISSIONER Want to see just how slowly wheels can turn? Get into politics. That was one of the first lessons for Connor Traut ’16 when at age 18 he was elected to the civic council in Ladera Ranch, Calif. So he started working to speed things up. When a law-enforcement request was going nowhere, he helped lead an independent fundraising effort that netted new police bikes and the officers to use them. “That was my baptism of political fire,” he said. Now Traut, 19, a double major in economics and political science, is the youngest member to serve on the Juvenile Justice Commission in Orange County. He’s working to create programs that focus on gang prevention in CONNOR TRAUT schools and stopping juvenile sex trafficking throughout the county. “The judge who appointed me told me he wanted to make sure I could hold my own with other county officials and commissioners, and he didn’t want me to be a youth commissioner,” Traut said. “My response was that my age doesn’t mean nearly as much as my experience and my ability to respect other ideas and bring about a collaborative solution.” Traut first became interested in leadership and service at 14, when he and some fellow Boy Scouts received a city council commendation. Everyone else in the group left after they got their award, but Traut stuck around for the rest of the meeting. “I was on the edge of my seat,” he said. “It changed me to see how easy it is to get involved and how few people do it.” During his journey, he has been mentored by a number of people, including Anaheim City Council Member Jordan Brandman. Chapman political science professor Fred Smoller, Ph.D., and adjunct faculty member Sukhee Kang, a former mayor of Irvine and congressional candidate, have helped him “learn theory and then, in depth, how to apply it,” he said. In general, service has helped Traut determine the issues about which he is passionate. “It’s not about the title or power or money,” he said. “I see it as based on what I can do, where I can be unique and how I can create the most impact.”
“It’s not about the title or power or money. I see it as based on what I can do, where I can be unique and how I can create the most impact.”
Anyone who has taken up the challenge of operating a restaurant or café swiftly realizes that the hours can be long and the work hard. At least Tatiana Boustani ’14 knew what she was getting into. Her parents are entrepreneurs, and her first job was as a hostess at her father’s restaurant when she was 15. Now that she’s the owner-operator of the Chapman Coffee House on Glassell Street just across Walnut Avenue from campus, she also knows the rewards of running her own business. “I’ve wanted to be in the restaurant industry for a few years now and have been searching for the perfect location for a while,” said Boustani, a business administration major with an entrepreneurship emphasis in the Argyros School of Business and Economics. “When this property was listed for sale, my parents and I saw so much potential and were very excited.” Boustani has moved quickly to put her stamp on the coffeehouse. She expanded the dining space slightly and added a window that brightens things up. A redesign includes new paint and a shift to modern furniture and décor. As for the menu, she’s added new healthy choices such as a hummus wrap, mango Asian salad, Mediterranean quinoa salad and acai bowl. As she implements the changes and meets day-today challenges, she draws on lessons from her studies, “from optimizing inventory to managing employees and solving customer disputes,” she said. And the education continues. “I’ve learned so much these past few months,” she noted, “not just about the business but about myself.” Tatiana Boustani ’14, left, shown with her sister, Tarah, says she targeted the Chapman Coffee House for her first entrepreneurial venture because she and her parents “saw so much potential.”
Photo courtesy of the Orange County Register
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Over its 15 years, the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest has become an indispensable crossroads — a place where voices of the past inspire witnesses to the future. And a big tent fills with hope. By Dawn Bonker
e c n a r b m e Rem S
Every Little Bit Helped By Joshua Sands, Acaciawood College Preparatory Academy Inspired by the survivor testimony of Regina Lewin
helli Bautista loves her job, but it can be tough. As a registered nurse working in a cardiac care unit at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, her days are filled with challenging moments as she cares for people who are fearful, confused or in pain. Her training prepared her for that. But she sometimes dips into another well of strength on those long days — an experience that grew from her high school participation in the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest at Chapman University. It was 2008, and for an assignment made by her English teacher, Teresa Hill (M.A. ’01), Bautista studied the videotaped testimonies of several Holocaust survivors, looking for the one that would inspire her essay. Bautista was struck by the testimony of Mila Page, who had been a young Eighth-grader Hailey Shi shares her painting, medical student when the war erupted. called Never Again, with Holocaust survivor Page was one of the “Schindler Jews” Engelina Billauer, whose story inspired and among a group of women mistakenly the work in the 2014 contest. transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau rather than to Schindler’s factory. Throughout it all, Page remained hopeful. “That’s what I wrote about, that whole train ride,” Bautista says. The essay won first place in the high school prose category, and Bautista recalls a “blur” of excitement — reading her work from the stage of Memorial Hall and meeting Page in person. But the enduring takeaway from the experience goes much deeper. “It helps me put things in perspective. It’s given me hope that I can do things in my little corner of the world to make a difference in other people’s lives, especially in the work that I do. I meet so many different people — people from different walks of life. It can be challenging,” Bautista says. “(Mila’s) story, her belief that compassion and understanding is the key to making sure that what happened in the Holocaust doesn’t happen again, has helped me with what I do. It reminds me that each one of us has a role to play.”
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ENDURING IMPACT
Survivors Idele Stapholtz, above, and Curt Lowens, right, greet students at the 15th Annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest. Lowens says the knowledge that a new generation will be carrying their remembrances forward is “leading to – well, it’s utopian to say a better world – but at least a better neighborhood.”
Lessons of sacrifice and character are at the heart of the contest, which marked its 15th year this spring with 175 participating middle and senior high schools from across the United States. With support from the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education, Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences, The 1939 Society, The Samueli Foundation and Dana and Yossie Hollander, the program includes speakers, lunch, a traditional musical performance by the Orange County Klezmers, copies of The Holocaust Chronicle for each participant and transportation for survivors. A few years back, Chapman finance and marketing major Bayli Anderson ’14 was among those youngsters as a finalist in the middle school art category. Now she’s a student assistant working at Chapman’s Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education, home to myriad worldclass programs, including a lecture series, annual visits for conversations with students by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel, the Sala and Aron Samueli Holocaust Memorial Library and other educational and commemorative events. The Department of History also collaborates with the center on its widely respected minor in Holocaust history. “Even now, working at the library, I learn so much every day,” Anderson says. “I just love that they still have the opportunity for students to come onto campus and meet survivors.” But each year the number of Holocaust survivors that attends the contest award ceremony grows smaller. And each year the number of middle and high school students who gather to meet them grows larger. It’s a numbers game that is an affecting fact of life for the contest, says Marilyn Harran, Ph.D., founder of the contest and director of the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education. “The contest has grown and engaged more and more students and teachers. Some schools now have their own contests to choose the entries that are forwarded to us,” Harran says. The march of time makes the effort ever more urgent. “As there are fewer and fewer witnesses to the Holocaust, survivors who can speak from first-hand knowledge of what they experienced, our work becomes even more important,” Harran says.
VITAL VOICES Still, even as they increasingly arrive with slow, shuffling walks and canes in hand, the survivors and witnesses remain committed to sharing their stories, again and again. Following the award ceremony in Memorial Hall they sit at open tables in a large tent that covers the Bert C. Williams Lawn for an informal lunch and conversation with contest entrants who made it into the finals. Students line up for photo opportunities and one-on-one chats. All clutch copies of the commemorative book Holocaust Survivors: The Indestructible Spirit, made possible by Louis Weber and Publications International. The aging men and 26
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women turn to the pages where their particular story is printed and sign their names with short notes and appeals to “always remember.” While survivors say they enjoy the students’ energy and interest, the day is not a lark. Often in the many moments of meeting, hands clasp and eyes meet, bridging generations. The survivors honor memories of lost loved ones and plant seeds of compassion for the future. “Unfortunately, a lot of survivors are dying out. There aren’t many left and if we don’t tell the story, nobody will. We hope the younger generation will keep the memory going,” says Engelina Billauer,
86, who survived countless ordeals, from an attack by SS dogs to the gruesome duty of carrying bodies to a huge pile. Survivor and resistance fighter Curt Lowens, who immigrated to the United States after the war and launched a successful career as a screen and television actor, says the day is meaningful to him because it is a chance to touch the future. “To us it means so much that the memory is retained and is studied and is basically, hopefully, leading to — well, it’s utopian if I say ‘a better world’ — but at least a better neighborhood,” Lowens says.
INSPIRING AND TEACHING Hope, along with a desire to help young students grapple with the events and lessons of the Holocaust, was the driving force behind the contest from the beginning. “The contest is about bringing memories to life and inspiring and teaching each student to become a witness to the future. That can only come through the intensive personal engagement with history and story that is at the core of the contest,” Harran says. To enter, students study the videotaped testimonies of Holocaust survivors and choose one for the inspiration of either a work of poetry, prose, art or film, a new category added this year. The contest attracts entries from across the United States and now even includes international participants. Christine Perez, an English teacher from Bernardo Yorba Middle School in Yorba Linda, has had students enter the contest since its inception. Not all students can win — just three of her 20 entrants made it to the finals this year — but the experience is valuable for all, Perez says.
“As there are fewer and fewer witnesses to the Holocaust, survivors who can speak from first-hand knowledge of what they experienced, our work becomes even more important.” MARILYN HARRAN, PH.D., CONTEST FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE RODGERS CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST EDUCATION
“It’s very important. I teach The Diary of Anne Frank, and to keep that history alive for these kids, and particularly in middle school, is very important because we want them to be more aware of what happened,” Perez says. It’s an experience eighth-grader Hailey Shi from Walnut, Calif., says she will never forget. Hailey had studied a videotaped oral history interview with Holocaust survivor Billauer. From it she was inspired to paint a picture of the moment Billauer and her sister were separated from their parents, both of whom were deaf and taken away by Nazis and killed in a mass execution. Hailey met Billauer at the reception. “Meeting her was very wonderful,” Hailey said. “I hope that people generations from now will still hear it and understand that it was a very hard time to live through, but it will never be forgotten.”
Stones By Gabbi Heckler, St. Anne School, 2012 Inspired by the survivor testimony of Leon Leyson We lived in Narewka, the world was quiet and calm Children playing on the street corner Run as fast as you can And toss a carefree stone. In Krakow the Nazis came to take us away, tearing us from our home Hurting the people we loved, destroying our childhoods Let go And throw a worthless stone. Forced into ghetto gates draped in barbed wire, our holding pen before death Walls surround us, contain us Spin around And hurl a violent stone. Smoke from the imposing chimneys curls like a cat’s tail, covering the sky We are emaciated, ensnared, empty Raise your arms And cast a frightful stone. We ask for and received a savior named Schindler who kept us alive A great kindness in a mad world Bow your head And cast a tranquil stone. The gates with their rusting silver teeth fell and out we flew, scavenging for food With a last burst of strength, take a deep breath And cast a desperate stone. Saved, rescued, emancipated and free Walk past his grave And place a final stone. SPRING 2014
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By Shelli Bautista, Downey High School, 2008 Inspired by the survivor testimony of Ludmila Page
Excerpt from
In Remembrance There Is Only Kindness
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Versteh By Charlotte Woolfolk, Foothill High School Inspired by the survivor testimony of Rose Kohn
oes saving a memory necessarily mean we immerse ourselves with the horrible images of our past? Or could it be as simple as performing an act of kindness every day? Listening to Ludmila Page, I felt transported back in time. I heard fear in her voice; yet she remained optimistic. It was her optimism that moved me to do something I have never done before. On January 14, 2008, I called 411 and inquired if a Ludmila Page lived in Beverly Hills. The operator acknowledged one did and gave me her phone number. Two scenarios loomed: I will find her or I will not find her. I prayed repeatedly that the latter was not going to happen. Then, a miracle — I was talking to Mrs. Ludmila Page. Our conversation was not long. I told her I was participating in Chapman’s Holocaust Art and Writing Contest. She suggested I write to her and promised to answer all my questions. I immediately began composing my letter. Three days later, I realized I had only one question: How do you want me to keep your memories alive? Twelve days after I mailed the letter, Mila answered, “... all of us should be tolerant and understanding of others regardless of our differences ... tolerance and understanding are the best way of remembering, so that the tragic experiences of our lives will never happen again.” At the beginning of this assignment, I wanted to win in order to meet my survivor. But hearing Mila’s voice transformed an assignment into a journey no words could describe. Elated and excited lost their meanings — what I felt was far stronger. I have won. This experience is the prize I will carry the rest of my life. A prize that will be a constant reminder of what Mila’s late husband Leopold said: “It is so much easier to love than to hate.”
Holocaust survivor Leon Weinstein, 99, a former Warsaw Ghetto fighter, greets middle- and high-school students at Chapman’s annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest in 2010.
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42,017
Cubic yards of earth moved to prepare to build the Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University: Loads of concrete delivered to the site:
1,554
352
Steps to the top of the 160-foot construction crane:
88,142
Square feet of space in the building:
150
Floor diffusers that will provide motionless/soundless air conditioning inside the theatre:
GRAND OPENING:
2016
Weight in pounds of the acoustic orchestra shell that will be hoisted into place at the touch of a button:
99,924
362.5
Tons of steel in the structure:
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ALL IN
Siu Fun Wong, dean of assessment and scholarship and professor at the School of Pharmacy; Michael Estrada, founding director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program; and Jacklyn Brechter, chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, all practice and teach the team healthcare approach at Chapman University.
Health practitioners embrace a team approach, adding a new dose of dynamism to a system that needs mending. Story by Susan Brink, photos by Challenge Roddie 30
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It was a mouthful of a diagnosis: De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, a painful condition that made the bottom of her thumb and the side of her wrist hurt. But Nancy thought of it more simply. It was knitter’s thumb, kind of like tennis elbow without the athleticism. She had been on a tight deadline to finish her grandchild’s baby blanket before the estimated due date, two weeks hence. She spent long, uninterrupted evening hours knitting one, purling two — over and over. Then the pain hit. Not only could she no longer knit; she could barely hold a fork to eat.
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he called her doctor’s office, in this rewarded more, not better, care. In that system, hypothetical picture of the new world no one doctor is paid to communicate with other of health care, but her primary care medical providers. No one is paid to scrutinize physician was booked solid. She got right in to new prescriptions and make sure they don’t see his physician assistant. She went home with interact with medications patients already take. a splint for her thumb and wrist, advice to avoid Caregivers are not paid to communicate with using the hand, and recommendations for ice and each other, even as patients are referred from ibuprofen for pain relief. Behind the scenes was a one health expert to another. consult between the P.A. and a physical therapist Models for change take on various names, that confirmed the diagnosis, recommended the including ACOs and patient-centered medical splint and scheduled an appointment for followhomes. But the team approach is central, up therapy. Nancy never saw her primary care regardless of the name. A physician leads each physician for the pain. But at her next physical network, but teams could well have a variety exam, he glanced at her record and said, “So, of members, depending on the patient’s needs. how’s the thumb?” The team might include a Hopes are that team medical In the not-so-distant physician assistant, a nurse past, Nancy might have practitioner, a pharmacist, care will begin to address a felt she had no choice a nutritionist, a physical costly and often dangerous but to wait for an therapist, a mental- or void in America’s healthcare appointment with her behavioral-health specialist, doctor. Or the pain or any number of highly system that has long rewarded might have driven her trained experts to help more, not better, care. to an emergency room, the patient. All keep the the most costly setting for healthcare services. In patient’s needs paramount as each team member the U.S., the average cost of an emergency room works to the maximum scope of his or her training. visit for a sprain or strain is $1,051. It’s shaping up as a huge national experiment, In today’s evolving healthcare environment, giving providers a financial incentive to work a team approach is increasingly likely. Chapman together; promising to save money by avoiding University students are on the cutting edge of duplicative tests, unnecessary procedures and training for that new healthcare paradigm. dangerous drug interactions; and making the team Hopes are that team medical care will begin jointly accountable for the health of patients. None to address a costly and often dangerous void of it will work unless each member of the team in America’s healthcare system that has long seamlessly shares information with the others.
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hapman has launched two new health-science programs that will add well-trained providers ready to answer the call for team medical care. Michael Estrada, founding director of the Physician Assistant Studies Program in the Schmid College of Science and Technology, expects to welcome new students in 2015. And Ron Jordan, R.Ph., FAPh.A, is the founding dean of the new Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), which plans to welcome students to the professional portion of its program in 2015. Existing University programs, including physical therapy and communication, are on board with their own emphasis on the team approach to medicine.
Primary-care physicians are going to need all the professional help they can get. The next few years will see an influx of millions of newly insured Americans, all looking for a primary-care provider. Predictions are that by 2025, the United States will suffer a shortage of up to 45,000 primary-care providers. Physician assistants are already geared up for practicing medicine as part of a team, and they, along with nurse practitioners, will be just what the country needs to help ease the physician shortage. 32
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“Physician assistants provide a broad range of medical services, from assisting primary-care providers to assisting in surgery and prescribing medication,” says Estrada. “They work as a team with a supervising physician, but within that relationship they make autonomous decisions.” The P.A. works in partnership with a physician, but not necessarily side by side. Their relationship can be in the same room, over the phone or via email and other electronic communications. The P.A. Nancy saw for her “knitter’s thumb” could act independently. State laws vary, but in California a physician is required to review 5 percent of the medical records initiated by a P.A., though the physician eventually will have access to details of all P.A. encounters next time he or she sees the patient. That expertise and flexibility allow P.A.s to fill in provider gaps in rural or urban areas that have long been underserved. They might have careers in a family practice office, a specialty office, a long-term or acute care facility or dozens of other healthcare settings. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, P.A.s are prepared to perform 85 percent of the duties performed by a physician. “The Affordable Care Act is pushing this forward. We’re poised and ready,” says Estrada. Orange County has one of the largest homeless populations in Southern California. That’s one reason that the Chapman P.A. program will train its students not only in medical science, but also in the mental and behavioral sciences. And the program will give students experience in cultural diversity, seeking training partnerships with community healthcare clinics that provide services to immigrant populations and poor and homeless people. “We’ll see working folks, including those who have lost their jobs, maybe even their homes,” says Estrada. “They still need physical exams. Their school-aged kids still need immunizations. They’ll have a medical home, so they won’t find themselves in an emergency room for routine care.” There will be a host of others on the team, and P.A.s will draw on diverse healthcare expertise. If someone is depressed, a P.A. could refer to the team’s mental health therapist. If obesity is a central problem, a nutritionist, dietician or exercise therapist
might best serve the patient. Following a stroke, an accident or an overuse injury — like Nancy’s knitter’s thumb — a physical therapist enters the patient’s care circle. Or a pharmacist will get involved. “If a patient is on multiple medications, the best person to manage that will be a pharmacist,” Estrada says. Pharmacists will take a more hands-on approach with patients. Nearly half the population in the United States took at least one prescription drug in the past month, according to a 2008 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; among those aged 60 and older, more than three-quarters used two or more prescription drugs, and 37 percent of those elderly patients used five or more. Each additional drug increases risks of harmful drug interactions. “For 15 years, I was an assistant area medical director at Kaiser Permanente in Orange County,” says Dr. Richard Pitts ’70, D.O., Ph.D., chief medical officer and interim CEO of Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, Calif. “That environment is all about teams. If you have a blood clot and use a blood-thinning agent, that management is done by pharmacology, not by a physician.” Drug therapy, which may one day include individual genetic profiles, is sure to become more complex. “Pharmacists are the medication therapy experts,” says Jordan. “They receive more hours of training on the use and science behind medications than any other healthcare practitioner.” The pharmacist of the future will be a people person, accessible without an appointment, and Chapman is looking for students who can help lead the kind of cultural change that pharmacies of the future will require. No longer the unseen experts in the recesses of the drug store, pharmacists will be familiar faces to patients looking for advice. “We’re looking for the (student) who will have a strong relationship with patients,” says Siu Fun Wong, PharmD, FASHP, FCSHP, associate dean of assessment and scholarship and professor of oncology at the Chapman University School of Pharmacy. “They’ll need
ask about all medications patients are taking, update medical records and provide a written plan as well as a verbal review of instructions after each visit. A part-time mental-health expert sees patients who test positive on depression screening, and a pharmacist is consulted for complicated medication questions. In the old way of practicing, doctors may have felt overwhelmed by the
So we can assume, for the knitter’s thumb example, that the P.T. would have been delighted to welcome Nancy’s husband as the newest member of her care team when he accompanied her to the appointment. As he watched and listened, he could prepare himself to cajole his wife to do recommended exercises, and to limit the time she spent knitting. Team care can only succeed if each member in a patient’s care talks to the others involved.
Chapman is looking for students who can help lead the kind of cultural change that pharmacies of the future will require. No longer the unseen experts in the recesses of the drug store, pharmacists will be familiar faces to patients looking for advice.
to have knowledge, skill and confidence in their abilities. Add to that an attitude of wanting to work with people.” The Accountable Care Organization provision in the Affordable Care Act encourages doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers to form networks to better coordinate care. Already, some 4 million Medicare beneficiaries are in ACOs, and 428 hospitals have signed on to the concept. Overall, about 14 percent of Americans are in an ACO. Millions more find themselves being cared for by patientcentered medical teams accountable for meeting the majority of patient needs, including prevention, wellness, acute care and chronic care. One such model, Belmar Family Medicine in Lakewood, Colo., has been recognized since 2009 as a fully qualified patient-centered medical home by the National Center for Quality Assurance. The core team consists of two physicians, Dr. Tracy Hofeditz and Dr. Kristin Marie Everett, and a nurse practitioner. A care coordinator backs them up. She monitors patients to ensure control of such things as blood pressure, arranges referrals to specialists, orders laboratory work and makes sure transitions of care and medical documentation are complete. Two medical assistants greet and check in patients at the practice. They take vitals, measure weight and height,
introduction of a new screening test, such as for depression. Now, says Judy Hewitt, Belmar’s practice manager, the mentalhealth expert takes that burden from their shoulders and follows up with expert care for depressed patients right in the practice’s offices. That kind of immediate support frees doctors to spend precious time with patients — the elderly or those with multiple chronic problems — who have complicated needs. “Becoming a patient-centered medical home has changed the role of a provider to one of being a change agent,” says Hewitt. “It may mean the patient goes to a mental health therapist, or a weight loss program, or takes medications differently. It’s a team effort. Everyone is working toward helping the patient get better and stay better.” For some healthcare experts, a team approach is old news. “Physical therapists have been members of the healthcare team since the inception of the profession,” says Alison McKenzie, Ph.D., professor in Chapman’s Department of Physical Therapy. P.T.s educate patients and show them how poor movement and health habits can contribute to their problems. With everyone in sync, the team-care net expands. Traditionally, physical therapists have reached out, adding patients’ loved ones to the team. “We involve family members and caregivers, educating them about the role of behavior and choice in the health and wellness of the patient,” says Jacklyn Brechter, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Physical Therapy.
“Communication by healthcare providers has been linked to patient satisfaction and compliance,” says Lisa Sparks, Ph.D., Foster and Mary McGaw Endowed Professor in Behavioral Sciences and director of the Health and Strategic Communication Program at Chapman. In every aspect of team medical care, the ultimate focus is the patient. “Team members change, but the client is always there, at the center,” says Judy Montgomery, Ph.D., program director, Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Educational Studies at Chapman. Says Hewitt, who has been with the Lakewood, Colo., practice through its transition from a traditional-care to a patientcentered medical home model: “We’d never go back to the way it used to be.”
By Dennis Arp
FROM HERE TO CINCINNATI A challenging case with miles of complications puts Dr. Matthew Barcellona ’99 at the hub of team care.
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“When you’re a hammer, att Barcellona ’99 learned a thing or two about teamwork whole world looks like a nail, the at Chapman University, where as an Academic and specialists are a whole bunch of All-America baseball player he led the Panthers hammers with a whole bunch of nails,” he says. to three NCAA playoff appearances and a West Region title. Another of his central roles is ensuring that all healthcare Along the way, there were lots of comebacks, and even some team members pursue the same goals, while never forgetting that last-inning heroics. But he never had to rally his teammates to the first priority is the patient. help save the life of a child. That challenge only presented once “I’ve been able to form a bond he became a pediatrician and with the family, so they know that assumed the central role on a if they hit a wall in their care or healthcare team. coverage, I’ll be there to help As a primary-care physician them get past it,” Barcellona said. at North Scottsdale Pediatrics in “That’ s big, because the medical Arizona, he has coordinated the system can be complex to navigate, care on a number of complicated and it’ s only getting more so.” cases. One stands out. Barcellona, a Cheverton Jessica (not her real name) honoree at Chapman as the top was 2 when she was diagnosed graduating senior in his class, with a complex heart condition now has lots of experience with that would require multiple the team approach to health care. surgeries. As if that weren’t It starts in his own household; challenge enough, Jessica’s parents his wife, Dawn, is a pediatric are Jehovah’s Witnesses, which emergency physician, and they precludes transfusions. Thus, the often compare notes. Meanwhile, multiple surgeries would all have at his practice, he and the 12 to be bloodless. other doctors and two physician After the family found a assistants meet at least once a surgeon in Cincinnati who agreed month to talk about conferences to do the surgeries according to they’ve attended or the particulars their wishes, the real work began of instructive cases. for Barcellona. He had to manage Barcellona can offer this a team that included not just update on Jessica. the surgeon 1,800 miles away “She’ s doing great — she’s but also a cardiologist; an spunky, amazing,” he says. “She’s immunologist (because Jessica 4 years old, going to preschool, has a complex immune-system “When you’re a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail, and living her normal life, other than disorder); a gastro-intestinal specialists are a whole bunch of hammers with a whole bunch of nails,” says Dr. Matthew Barcellona ’99, an Arizona pediatrician. her many doctor visits.” specialist (because her organs are It’s not always easy to know backwards in her body); a general his level of impact as the person at the hub of her care, he adds. surgeon; speech, feeding and occupational therapists; and a home “Truth be told, she’d be doing well even if I wasn’t in the healthcare nurse. picture. But hopefully I’ve made their experience easier and more “At any given time, I’ve talked to each of them,” says Barcellona, rewarding, and maybe improved outcomes. Nothing I’ve done M.D. “So communication becomes critical. Notes, phone calls, has saved her life, but I’ve helped coordinate her care so things communicating through the parents – they’re all important.” have gone as smoothly as possible.” If the surgeon in Cincinnati needs test results from Phoenix, And the joy of knowing that much puts the case in a treasured Barcellona makes sure that transfer is speedy. And with so much corner of his own team healthcare hall of fame. potential for complications, he serves as risk-minimizer-in-chief.
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By Doug Aiken ’99 (M.A. ’09)
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OOPS RUNNETH OVER WITH SCIAC SUCCESS
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arch 1 was a landmark day for the Chapman University basketball programs,
still in their infancy in terms of SCIAC membership. Thanks to the women’s
basketball team’s co-conference championship — the first SCIAC title for
any Chapman team in school history — and a surprise upset by the men’s basketball team in the conference tournament semifinals, the Hutton Center hosted not one, but two tournament championship games on the same day. The women, on the strength of an outstanding regular season and 20–5 overall record, earned the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s No. 1 seed and home court advantage throughout the conference playoffs. They defeated Cal Lutheran in the semifinals and hosted co-regular-season champion Claremont in the finals. Meanwhile, the men peaked as the season culminated, winning five straight games and seven of their last nine to earn the No. 3 seed. They had to go on the road to PomonaPitzer in the semifinals. The Panthers upset the Sagehens while Cal Lutheran For the second time in four years, both was knocking off top-seeded Claremont, the men’s and women's basketball giving Chapman the right to host teams reached the NCAA playoffs. the finals. Championship Saturday and the excitement that came with it did not disappoint, as Panther fans packed the Hutton Center. Although the women fell short in the finals against Claremont, they earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament. In the nightcap, the Chapman men defeated Cal Lutheran, 79–51, to earn the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. This marked the second time in four years that both basketball programs reached the NCAA playoffs. Senior guard Kimi Takaoka ’14 concluded a phenomenal career with some prestigious honors. Along with earning All-America honors and being named SCIAC Player of the Junior center John Joyce drives to the Year, she was one of 10 national finalists for the Jostens Trophy, awarded to the most basket during the Panthers’ playoff run. outstanding male and female NCAA Division III basketball players who excel on the floor, in the classroom and in the community.
SPORTS ROUNDUP 300 HITTER
MOVING ON UP
S swimmer Julie
Cits new baseball
Trankings in three spring sports:
Case ’14 earned All-SCIAC honors for the second time in her career by capturing second place at the conference championships in the 1,650-yard freestyle. She set school records in that event and the 500-yard freestyle, and she will graduate as the Chapman record-holder in four individual and two relay events.
coach with a successful start in 2014. In February, Scott Laverty won his 300th collegiate game as a head coach (298 came in 14 seasons at the University of Redlands). And in March, he guided the Panthers into the SCIAC title hunt with a 9–4 record that included wins over nationally ranked Kean (N.J.) and Cal Lutheran.
women’s water polo (top 10), men’s golf (top 25) and women’s tennis (top 30), each with postseason aspirations. Chapman’s softball team also enjoyed a nine-game winning streak in March, its longest run of success since 2006.
CASE FILE enior distance
hapman introduced
he Panthers invaded the national
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’OVER THERE ’ IS STILL HERE
I
A century later, the impact of World War I is all around, despite its ambiguity. By Dawn Bonker and Dennis Arp
f you have ever taken an aptitude test, been prodded by a physical therapist to exercise while still aching from surgery, looked skeptically at the government’s justification for foreign involvement or been influenced by propaganda marketing,
that was World War I talking, even after all these years. In that moment 100 years ago when a Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand on a Sarajevo street, a boom was triggered that still resonates in American politics, education, health care, foreign policy and culture. And we’re not just talking about the affection for BBC dramas — we’re looking at you, Downton Abbey.
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urprised? You’re not alone. Professor Jennifer Keene, Ph.D., knows that most Americans tend to think that World War I didn’t much affect, involve or change the United States. Granted, the U.S. entered the war late. It sustained far fewer losses than its allies in the horrific trench battles that came to characterize the war that claimed the lives of some 10 million combatants. And to echo a lyric from a patriotic tune of the era, “over there” truly was a long way away. But as the world marks the centennial of the war’s beginning, no one should discount its imprint on America or the shadow it casts here, says Keene, an internationally recognized scholar of the war. “Nobody thinks that World War I is important for the United States. That’s my big soap box speech,” Keene says. “Why is World War I important for America and how did it transform the world and the United States?” The answers are everywhere. Most obvious are the continual struggles in the Middle East and the powder keg of Eastern Europe, where religious and ethnic groups still strain against borders drawn up by the victors in an effort to render the old Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires powerless. “That is the first and most significant outcome, and we still see the legacies of that. The way the Middle East was created, the way the Balkans were created, the way that entirely new states were created — we’re haunted by it today,” says John Hall, Ph.D., a law professor, historian and international law scholar at Chapman’s Dale E. Fowler School of Law. President Woodrow Wilson’s ideals that American selfdetermination should be shared around the world still shape American foreign policy, Keene says. But there are numerous other connections, too.
PENCILS DOWN, PLEASE Take our culture’s obsession with standardized testing — some might throw in a vehement “please!” It begins in grade school for all children and reaches a test-prepping frenzy in the junior year of high school for teenagers determined to ace the SAT and ACT. The seeds of that zeal were planted in the pre-war progressive era, but World War I brought it into full flower, says Professor James G. Brown, Ph.D., who teaches educational history in Chapman’s College of Educational Studies. When the U.S. Army was faced with screening millions of recruits, it turned to the new science of psychological testing to quickly sort out who might be officer material, a drill sergeant or a potato peeler. After the war, American schools likewise were challenged by a flood of enrollment, fed by compulsory education laws and a surge of immigration delayed by the war. The timing was perfect. Educators adapted the new technology of testing and ran with it in what historians call the beginning of the efficiency movement in U.S. schools. “The people who were behind the testing movement really believed that testing was our way to reach a utopia,” Brown says. The reality that followed was far from paradise. “The question becomes, then, should we provide the same curriculum to everybody or a differentiated curriculum? Does a bricklayer need to study Shakespeare? Well, how are we going to do that?” he explains. “That’s where we go back to the testing.
It does lead to tracking.” Tracking was also akin to the “scientific” justification for school segregation. Immigrants, the poor, African Americans and just about any other group that couldn’t identify with most of the tests’ cultural references and readings drawn from middle- and upper-class life were always at a disadvantage, Brown says. Those blunders, as well as today’s debate over the merits of tests like the SAT and ACT, should remind all test writers: “We have to be careful,” Brown says.
UP AND AROUND Like the Army and the schools, the medical world had to pick up its game during and after WWI because of the sheer numbers coming its way. For the recovering wounded, physical therapy came to the fore, thanks not so much to physicians but to a contingent of women called reconstruction aides, says Jacklyn H. Brechter, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Physical Therapy in the Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. Taking their cues from Scandinavian countries where exercise and gymnastics were embraced, the women reversed the American medical practice of prescribing extended bed rest, Brechter says. “We learned that if you don’t move, you die. (The aides) learned the value of getting patients up post-injury. You have to get people moving,” she says. Although far more refined today, much of the treatment physical therapists provide would be familiar to those reconstruction aides, she says. They were the first to understand the mechanics and benefits of resistance training, contract-and-relax exercises and soft-tissue manipulation to improve mobility. They even pioneered procedures to desensitize post-amputation limbs for prosthetic devices — an advancement borne out of necessity because of the heavy use of artillery. The practice helped generations of war wounded. “There were a lot of amputees, but when these people were left in bed to recuperate, the limb would tighten up and become sensitive,” she says. “So they started with gentle pressure and would build, build and build until they could take the pressure of a prosthetic device.” SPRING 2014
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LINGERING CLOUD
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ass casualties and the kinds of wounds that kept reconstruction aides busy were inescapable in a conflict the size and length of the war, but intolerance for poison gas weaponry was fierce, creating the spark for international bans of today. “The use of poison weaponry, the horrific nature of the injuries, was different in kind, not just different in scale. It reverberated in a number of ways,” including a host of international laws banning their use, Hall says. While some regimes have used such weapons since then, more have shelved them, aware that the international response would brand them as pariah states, Hall says. “When the Syrian regime decided to hand over its poisonous gas munitions, I think this was really very interesting. It’s this notion that the use of poison weaponry is too abhorrent to the world. That’s this lingering memory of the First World War,” he says.
CYNICISM ON THE MARCH Perhaps the most subtle but ingrained legacy of the war on Americans is something that’s harder to pin down.
“In terms of America, if there was one change that came about from World War I, it was cynicism,” says Chapman historian and author Robert Slayton, Ph.D., who holds the Henry Salvatori Professorship in American Values and Traditions and teaches a course on the history of everyday life in America. Americans felt betrayed by everything from the propaganda of the era that inflated and manipulated reports of German atrocities on Belgians to the enormous slaughter in what most considered “the stupidest war in history,” Slayton says. “People generally think that (cynicism) was a product of the Vietnam Era. No, that really is a product of the First World War,” he says.
SELLING THE WAR Much of the distrust can be traced to a World War I phenomenon — the use of government-controlled propaganda. But that’s not to say that when the U.S. first entered the war in 1917, the government’s message wasn’t effective. Posters with powerful visuals were developed and displayed just about everywhere there was foot traffic. The message was obvious, even to those who couldn’t read: The European threat is real, so better to confront it over there rather than wait for it to cross the Atlantic.
There were two main purposes of the posters — to fund the war by encouraging people to buy bonds, and to generate “the fodder of the war — getting men to sign up,” says Gail Griswold, an adjunct art professor at Chapman who teaches the history of graphic design. And the U.S. wasn’t the only country pumping up nationalistic fervor. “The closer you get to ground zero in this, the more urgent the posters,” Griswold said. “Germany’s message is extremely hard-edged; they were fighting for their lives. England’s approach was more ‘Save our families.’” U.S. posters were image driven, with very little text. These posters introduced Americans to Uncle Sam, who pointed a finger and said, “I want you for U.S. Army.” There was also a demonic-looking Hun with blood dripping from his bayonet and a teeth-bearing gorilla that wielded the club of German kultur (culture) in one hand and held a half-naked woman in the other. “One thing graphic designers knew back then was that they had a tremendous influence over people. That visual contact is everything, and graphic designers were able to grab hold of that,” Griswold said. As the war wound down, Americans started to question the message they’d been fed. The distrust was compounded as immigration, which had been put on hold by the war, rose again and the 1920 census revealed that for the first time in U.S. history, the majority of the country’s population was urban. “It’s the first census where we are no longer a country of farmers. … The country gets hysterical,” Slayton says. That hysteria prompted immigration restrictions and was the final push needed to pass Prohibition, but a wariness of change and government became a lasting part of the national consciousness, Slayton says. Keene agrees. Whenever news followers question government reports, statistics or motives, they’re echoing questions most citizens didn’t ask until after World War I, she says. “A lot of people want to link this mistrust to Vietnam, where it also belongs, but it actually goes back to World War I.”
History professor Jennifer Keene displays images from her World War I collection. The object of the propaganda posters is impossible to miss, but the magazine covers and other imagery show that ‘Great War’ messaging could be quite nuanced and diverse, she says. Photo by Scott Stedman ’14
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Professor John Hall holds a cigarette tin that was in his grandfather’s pocket when the howitzer he and his fellow crew members were operating exploded during one of the battles at Ypres, Belgium. Most of the crew died in the explosion, but Hall’s grandfather survived, although he suffered nightmares and “lingering emotional traumas” the rest of his life.
fighting on the Atlantic that it was completely conceivable that letters could fall into the wrong hands,” Keene added. “Plus, there were lots of German Americans back home.” Officers would simply black out sections deemed inappropriate, Keene said. Of course, there were complications. Because of immigration, letters were being written home in as many as 50 different languages, Carroll noted. The letters also highlighted a widespread problem with literacy. This revelation helped fuel a final post-war push for compulsory education — something for which progressives had long lobbied, Keene said. At least at the beginning of U.S. involvement in the war, service members who did write letters struck a distinctly American tone, Carroll noted. “They’re full of optimism,” said Carroll, who oversees the Chapman collection of as many as 100,000 letters, from every war involving U.S. troops. “It was the fresh blood of the Americans that helped win the war, and that fighting spirit really comes across in the letters, although by the end of the war, they do confront the enormity of the suffering they’ve seen.”
A NARRATIVE DEFICIENCY Finally, what’s behind Americans’ fuzzy vision about the so-called Great War? After all, it preoccupied American novelists like Ernest Hemingway, ramped up the country’s international role and resulted in Veteran’s Day being on Nov. 11, a memorial to the Armistice that ended the blood bath at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Keene suspects that it’s related to that fuzziness: The war was about so many things, it’s hard to attach a narrative that makes sense of all its ambiguity. “Americans don’t have a natural place for World War I in their national narrative. What role did it have? How did it change us? There’s not a straightforward answer to those questions,” she says. “It’s not ‘It ended slavery,’ ‘It defeated Nazism.’ You don’t have that quick shorthand answer for it. It’s essentially a little bit here, a little bit there, and that makes it an important war.”
Dog tags of Capt. C. Stanley Chapman
CENSORSHIP IN THE FIELD Even during the war, there was a fair amount of mistrust that extended from the trenches right through to Allied headquarters. For the first time, U.S. officers censored their troops’ letters home, because of worries that they would divulge strategic information. “Civil War soldiers wrote pretty much whatever they wanted,” said historian Andrew Carroll, director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University. “In some cases they were very graphic, and they weren’t shy about complaining about their commanders.” Because the Civil War was fought on home turf, and soldiers of lower rank often didn’t know until the last minute when and where an attack would come, there was little concern about giving away secrets, Carroll said. “In World War I, there was so much
World War I letters such as these written by Capt. C. Stanley Chapman, son of University namesake Charles C. Chapman, are generally full of optimism, says historian Andrew Carroll, director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman. Carroll says the center has seen a recent surge in donations of WWI letters and is actively seeking additions to the archive from all U.S. wars. More information is available at www.warletters.us.
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After a Chapman romance that was all love letters and Johnny Mathis, Emilie and Terry spent 50 years apart. Now the Class of ’64 sweethearts are newlyweds at last, and the moonlight is magic again. By Anna Rose Warren ’16
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t’s been half a century since Emilie Danielson, 71, and Terry Britton, 70, set foot on the Chapman campus, where the couple met as freshmen. Emilie nearly swoons as she enters Argyros Forum; it’s a bit of a step up from the student union of 1964, when she graduated. As we tour the campus, we’re stopped by a cluster of female students — participants in a class scavenger hunt, looking for a romantic story. Would Emilie and Terry be willing to share how they met? Emilie is all smiles. “It’s funny you would ask,” she says, recounting the reason they are visiting Chapman today. Terry and Emilie have fallen into a fairytale. After two years of dating in college, they separated over a trivial argument and only communicated through family Christmas cards for the next 50 years. Both graduated and lived separate lives: Emilie taught school and then worked as an executive secretary, raising three children and being widowed twice; Terry prospered as a retail manager and never married. A simple phone call brought them back together.
milie extends a handful of snapshots to the crowd of students, who lean in eagerly. Here’s one of the couple’s 2013 wedding, one of the first day they met in 1960. There is a collective sigh: evidently, this is more than the scavenger-hunters had bargained for. “I saw her and I just went nuts,” Terry recalls of the time they met during a freshman mixer. Emilie reassures him with a look and clasps his hand in hers. We stand in the hot sun for a minute longer while the students take a photo. Another snapshot to add to the collection. In the shade outside Moulton Hall, I ask if the couple’s shared experience and rekindled love have influenced any belief in a higher power. “I think there’s an aspect of divine intervention in there,” Terry says. “You think?” Emilie interjects. “Yeah, I do.” “There’s no doubt about it in my mind,” She clarifies. “It’s such a ‘God thing.’” They also agree on lessons learned from their journey. Terry says, “You don’t have to have immediate gratification. It teaches you that if it’s meant to be, it’s worth a wait. Even a half-century wait. To be with the partner you want to have in life, forever. ... Emilie Danielson and Terry Britton met at a Chapman mixer when they were I had been spoiled by her love. My expectations were a lot freshmen. Though the couple were apart for 50 years, Emilie still has Terry’s higher. I wasn’t going to take second best.” love letters from college. They’re tied up with a ribbon that’s covered in hearts. Emilie chokes up, and I rearrange my papers, feeling the genuine emotion myself. “When I heard his voice,” she said. “We’re such romantics,” she says. Of anyone, she has reason Terry, echoing back, had made up his mind just as early on: to be. She has kept Terry’s love letters from college. “I tied them “When I heard hers, it struck a chord in my heart.” all up in a ribbon that had hearts all over it and I could never Terry and Emilie exude the aura of newlyweds who can’t quite part with it. I always said they should be published; they are believe their luck — after all, they have only been married a bit extraordinary. And I’m a writer, so when I say they’re more than a year. extraordinary, they’re extraordinary. “I think we just kind of add to each other’s stories,” Emilie says. “Every month on our anniversary, he would leave a Johnny And their fairytale has one more twist. Emilie displays a ring Mathis album on the doorstep with flowers and the most she wears alongside her wedding band. It’s one that had belonged beautiful card. He would always, oh my gosh, how can I?” to Terry’s mother, with whom Emilie She gushes and gathers herself. was also close. The couple had feared “He was just so unbelievable. “You don’t have to have the ring was lost, because they I could never get him out of couldn’t find it in her home after my heart.” immediate gratification. she passed away. Terry hasn’t lost any It teaches you that if it’s meant Then, in a half-empty jar of romantic inclinations himself, jewelry cleaner that was about to realizing over the phone during to be, it’s worth the wait. Even get tossed, there it was. that fateful call the reason he’d a half-century wait.” “I couldn’t even talk. I was remained a bachelor and that speechless,” Emilie says. “His mother Emilie was the one to whom TERRY BRITTON would love it that I have this, for he was going to propose after she always wanted me to be her all these years. daughter-in-law.” “I got advice from one of my good friends,” he recalls, Sometimes it takes a while for the “meant to be’s” in life to snap “I said, ‘I have a quandary here: how do I connect with this into place. For Emilie and Terry, there are no concerns about the woman I think I’d like to reconnect with, and ask her to lapse of time and what might have been. It’s all about the love they marry me?’ She says, ‘Oh, you should meet her.’” are privileged to share in the here and now. But Emilie knew over the phone that they were meant Together, they’re 18 again. to reunite.
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C L A S S
N O T E S
Email your news and photos to alumni@chapman.edu or mail to: Alumni Engagement, One University Drive, Orange, Calif. 92866. Any pictures received by mail will be scanned and returned. Class Notes are subject to editing due to space. To post Class Notes and photos online, visit alumni.chapman.edu.
1980s Melinda (Blake) Bolognese, B.A. communications ’89, and husband Rob created a series of children’s e-books, Roaming with the Romans. The first book in the series, When in Rome, was written from the perspective of their 8-year-old daughter (who also partially illustrated the book) about a trip to Rome to discover their family’s heritage. Myron Feinstein, MBA ’84, lives in the Triangle area of North Carolina. After a 30-year career at Unilever, he is now a consultant and part-time lecturer in the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University. Alan McNabb, B.S. chemistry ’84, and Cheryl (Hisatomi) McNabb, B.S. chemistry ’84, have a daughter, Breanna, who is a junior at Chapman, following in her parents’ footsteps and studying chemistry.
1990s Heather (Tuomala) Binns, B.A. communications ’99, was voted by the Los Angeles Hot List as one of the top five personal trainers in Los Angeles for the second consecutive year.
wedding vendors, as voted by brides. Pete is a musician and DJ, specializing in high-end weddings and events.
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Justin C. Massey, B.A. political science ’94, is a Realtor with Reality ONE Group, serving Orange County, Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. 2 Gabe Serrato, B.A. English ’97, and Kristen Henning, B.A. English ’07, attended New York Fashion Week in February. Gabe is the owner and publicist of Serrato+Co., and Kristen is the associate editor of Footwear News/Conde Nast.
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Carla (Ogden) Waterfield, B.M. performance ’92, teaches the Musikgarten curriculum in New Orleans and recently brought on Erin Shaw, B.M. performance ’13, as an apprentice after Erin found Carla during an online search for work opportunities.
2000s Molly Ainsworth, B.A. liberal studies ’09, teaches third grade at New Roads School in Los Angeles. Molly and one of her students were featured in an article in
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1 Julie Fletcher, M.S. human resource management ’93, was promoted to AMN Healthcare’s chief talent officer.
Pete Goslow, B.M. performance ’95, was named by The Knot as a 2014 winner in its Best of Weddings, an annual list of top 4
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The Harlan Tribune (from Shelby County, Iowa) for their work on a class project about the 50 states.
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3 Amber (Hannigan) Alford, B.A. communications and public relations ’00, is a program coordinator for the County of Orange. Her husband, Brett, and daughter, Ava Valentina, welcomed the newest addition to their family, Mia Isabella, on Jan. 3. 4 Jannah (Kociencki) Arnold, B.S. business administration ’09, married Brett Arnold, BFA creative writing ’10, on August 4, 2013 in Fullerton, Calif. 5 Fiona Beitdashtoo, B.A. public relations and advertising ’07, was named senior public relations and marketing manager for Adconion Direct, a crosschannel digital advertising company. Fiona is based out of the company’s San Diego office.
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Kellen Blair, BFA film production ’06, was honored in December with the Lorenz Hart Award for musical theatre writing. His off-Broadway show, Murder for Two, opened at New World Stages in New York City in November and has been extended to run through July 6. The show premiered at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, where it ran for seven months and received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical in Chicago.
Nancy Christiano, B.A. communication studies ’07, is a partner (specializing in philanthropy and foundation management) at Altitude 7 Trade. The company is licensed to take groups to Cuba to meet with government officials and artists as well as hold dinners in private homes. 6 Yvonne Cone, BFA theatre performance ’09, joined a group of actors in forming the Shrunken Shakespeare Company, which is preparing for its second season. Yvonne lives in New York City.
Jonathan Dyer, M.A. education ’02, released the first two volumes of his Nick Temple File series, Switchback and The Heraklion Gambit, spy thrillers set during the Cold War. Jonathan’s publisher, Carta Studios, plans to release at least two more volumes in the series this year. Jonathan served as a Russian linguist at Field Station Berlin in the early 1980s. 7 Ashley (Davisson) Drag, B.S. psychology ’07, and Devin Drag, B.S. business administration ’07, welcomed son Calvin Andrew Drag on Nov. 29, 2012.
Candice Fliedner, B.S. biokinesiology ’06, was featured in an article and radio interview on KCRW for the nonprofit organization she started, We Are the Movement, which offers music, dance, art, writing and physical activities to at-risk and disadvantaged children.
Anna Romiti ’01
Stories in Motion By Ryan Hines
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nna Romiti ’01 knew she wanted to make a world of difference in her career. Joining Churm Media as an advertising coordinator just two days after graduation, she was quickly on her way. Romiti’s journey led to her current role as president of California-based communications agency Reveille. She works with nonprofits and corporations to tell their stories, whether they have local, national or global impact. One thing’s for sure, the spirit of global citizenship that Romiti developed while a student at Chapman still carries through in her work at Reveille. “I see our clients doing amazing things. We work with them to be true to who they are, not fit a preconceived notion of who they need to be to have success,” Romiti said. It’s this belief in her clients and commitment to her work that makes Romiti so happy to be part of Reveille. She enjoys the opportunity to visually, creatively and strategically bring the organization’s mission to life, telling stories that create action. It also gives her the flexibility and freedom to balance life and work. The rewards of her life as a marketing professional begin with seeing her clients improve lives, she said. “Starting with myself, my family and my community, my work at Reveille is my way of making the world a better place.”
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8 Erin Gonzalez, B.M. vocal
performance ’08, made her debut in the Florentine Opera in November as Flora Bervoix in Verdi’s La Traviata. She was also accepted into the Santa Fe Apprentice Singer Program for summer 2014.
Rich Coury ’94 (MPT ’96)
A New Game Plan By Dawn Bonker
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ootball was his game, and he thought it would be his future. He was a senior at a powerhouse high school, and serious college football scholarships were on the horizon. Then one day it all ripped apart. “My cleat stuck in the grass as I was tackling somebody. My knee bent the wrong way,” says Rich Coury ’94 (MPT ’96). The knee injuries were multiple and devastating. So that was that. Or so Coury thought. A regimen of physical therapy produced a remarkable recovery, and he even considered playing ball again. But something else sparked his interest. Pedaling on a stationary bike, Coury was flooded with the insight that he should dedicate his professional future to physical therapy. “I realized how much my therapist had helped me, and I felt like I was called,” he says. “It was a very vivid moment.” It was also a good call. Today Coury is a board-certified orthopedic specialist and cofounder of Coury & Buehler Physical Therapy, which runs four clinics in Orange County and was recently named Practice of the Year by Advance magazine, a leading trade publication for the physical therapy profession. Mentorship among therapists and pathways to greater responsibility are hallmarks of the practice. The core desire to help people recover strength and mobility still drives Coury and shapes the clinics, he says. “That’s still my passion overall — to help people,” Coury says.
Matthew Greco, B.S. business administration ’05, and Robert Beaton, B.S. business administration ’05 (MBA ’07), operate a payment-processing company, Serve First Inc., in Los Alamitos, Calif. It was recently recognized by the Orange County Business Journal as one of the fastest growing companies in 2013. Keith Hancock, B.M. music education and performance ’02 (M.A. education ’04), was mentored by Matthew Morrison (Will Shuester on Fox’s Glee). He now works as a choral music director at Tesoro High School. In October, the Tesoro Madrigals finished in the top three in the CUSC Local Vocals High School Choir Sing-off. Tesoro was also one of only four schools invited to perform at the 2012 American Choral Directors Association Western Division conference. 9 Erin (DeSeure) Horst, BFA theatre performance ’08, married Kyle Horst, BFA creative writing ’06 (M.A. psychology ’10), on Oct. 28, 2012, in Weston, Mo. The wedding party included alumni David May, BFA film and television ’05 (M.A. film studies ’10); Adam Kalma, BFA theatre performance ’07; Megan Alvord, B.A. theatre ’08; Paula DeSeure, BFA film
production ’10; Josiah Lewis, B.S. business administration ’06; and Bonnie (Coil) Lewis, B.A. religious studies ’06. 10 Ashley (Mayer) Levering, B.A. communications ’08, married Jeff Levering, B.A. broadcast journalism ’05, on Oct. 27, 2012, at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco.
David Lopez, B.A. screenwriting ’07, writes a column for the Orange County Register called “Life in the Golden City,” which sheds positive light on the culture, arts, businesses, people and happenings in Santa Ana.
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William Lu, BFA dance ’02, had his dance film, Still, featured at the Asians on Film Festival in North Hollywood in February. It was nominated for Best Editing and Best Short Film. In addition, his film has been selected for six film festivals: Festival 11
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Internacional de Videodanza Experimental de la Rioja/ FIVER in Spain, CINEDANS in Amsterdam, Mecal International Short Film and Animation Festival in Spain, and International Speechless Film Festival (where it won Best of Fest). 12
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Chris Marshall, BFA television and broadcast journalism ’08, was interviewed by Lacrosse All Stars, an online publication, about his career as a broadcaster for The Lacrosse Network. 11 Sarah (Wahl) McCance, BFA film and television production ’03, Dustin McCance, B.S. business and accounting ’03, and their son, Darren, welcomed the newest addition to their family, Kellen, on Feb. 11, 2013.
Ramone Menon, BFA film production ’09, formed the production company Phenomenon Cinema and recently wrapped postproduction on his first film as producer and director, The Black Tape. The film was screened in March at the Los Angeles Indie Film Festival and Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa, Fla. 12 Ashley (Sibley) Monaghan, BFA film production ’05, moved to Ireland after graduation and lived there for six years, earning a post-graduate degree in early childhood Montessori education. After getting married, she moved back to Los Angeles, had a baby and published a children’s book called A Little Goes a Long Way.
Lona Montgomery, B.A. organizational leadership ’04, was named assistant vice president of centralized services at GEICO’s regional office in Macon, Ga. Lona previously served as director of sales and service in the company’s Coralville, Iowa, office. Saydee Pojas, B.S. business administration ’06, received an M.A. in organizational change from Hawaii Pacific University in December. She is a member of the Delta Iota chapter of the Delta Mu Delta National Honor Society. 13 Ben Rubin, JD ’06, was promoted to partner at the Irvine office of Nossman, LLP.
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Rebecca Williams ’09
Peak Experiences By Astrid Martin ’15
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usco, Peru, welcomes visitors with lush green mountains and unique cultural adventures. This is the new home of Rebecca Williams ’09. Graduating from Chapman with a degree in Spanish and a Peace Studies minor, Williams has always fed her curiosity by exploring different cultures, languages and ways of living. However, traveling to Cusco for the first time in 2011, Williams felt rushed and robbed of true cultural immersion. Passing through the cities and popular sites, she knew nothing about the inhabitants or the culture. That’s when she got the idea to start her own tour company. In May 2013, she launched Encuentros Andinos (Andes Encounters), offering culturefilled treks such as venturing into caves and learning more about ancient Incan drawings. Each trek she offers includes the chance to meet and share a meal with indigenous people. Homestays are also available. More information is at www.encuentrosandinos.com. “My sincerest desire is to help people have an authentic encounter where they are gently challenged on how they see life,” Williams said. “The only way to do that is by meeting people up close and being invited into their homes.” The business also allows Williams to connect with earlier dreams of becoming a missionary, as she returns a portion of her profits to Peruvian communities, helping locals send their children to school and build better lives.
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Steve Napolitano ’03
Brewmaster, Esq. By Alex Mandinach ’15
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lthough Steve Napolitano ’03 pursued history with a passion, and his interest in the law propelled him to a Chapman J.D. degree, these days he's pouring himself into a whole new pursuit. He has co-founded an Orange County brewery. “It was the best way to pass the time and relax,” he says of his first forays into beermaking as a hobby. “After reading book after book, sometimes I just needed to work with my hands.” After graduating from the Fowler School of Law in 2009 and then working in human resources for a packaging company, Napolitano continued brewing with two friends in his spare time. “Originally we just joked about opening a brewery,” Napolitano says. “I had a job and they had jobs, so I never thought we’d go through with it. It was only after doing some preliminary research that the joke became real.” It took a year to develop not only a business plan but also a 1950s-inspired science-fiction theme, conveyed through branding and labeling, as the brewers worked to excite imaginations as well as taste buds. In spring 2013, Bottle Logic Brewing opened in Anaheim. Napolitano handles administrative duties as president, yet his greatest joy comes from interacting with customers in the tasting room. “The atmosphere is calm and the people are friendly,” he says. “And there’s no better feeling than seeing someone enjoy what I’ve made.”
14 Katie (Irvine) Ulrich, B.A. psychology ’09 (MBA ’10), and Bryston Ulrich, B.A. psychology ’09, were married on September 7, 2013, in San Clemente, Calif. The wedding party included Taylor Wilson, B.A. public relations and advertising ’09; Andrew Quillin, B.S. business administration ’08; and Charles Vickery, B.A. leadership and organizational studies ’08 (MBA ’10). 15 Katie (Vlietstra) Wonnenberg, B.A. history ’03, was promoted to vice president of government relations and public affairs at the National Association for the SelfEmployed.
2010s Hiyam Abousaid, MFA film production and cinematography ’12, was promoted to manager of camera sales and store assistant manager at Filmtools Inc. in Burbank, Calif. Andrew Bergamo, BFA film production ’13, is the executive assistant at The Donners’ Company, working for producer Lauren Shuler Donner and director Richard Donner. 16 Justin Bird, MBA ’11, is a
cast member and matchmaker on Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker. Sarah Faulkner, B.A. English ’12, was accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Washington. Jessica Fernandez, B.A. political science ’13, joined
Townsend Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. Previously, Jessica was the senior legislative assistant for Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, B.S. business administration ’82. 17 Hillary Foss, B.S. business administration ’13, works at FindTheBest, a Santa Barbarabased online research engine that has made national headlines for fighting against patent trolls. In November, Hillary shared her experience in a guest post on Venture Beat.
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Meghan Grace, B.A. communication studies ’12, was hired as the full-time coordinator for leadership programs at the University of Arizona. In her new role, Meghan serves as the director of one of the school’s undergraduate leadership programs and teaches leadership courses at the undergraduate level. 18 Joey Halegua, BFA film production ’10, created Gutter Films, a B-movie/cult film series in Miami. Gutter Films has shown more than 40 films and has plans to team up with a local drive-in theatre.
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Nathalie Keeler, B.S. athletic training ’13, was accepted into the physiotherapy doctoral program at the University of Melbourne. 19 Eliana (Moreno) Laabs, BFA television and broadcast journalism ’10 and B.S. political science ’10, married Jeffery Laabs at Chapman University on Jan. 11.
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20 Michael Lee, B.A. theatre ’13, accepted an automation position with Princess Cruise Lines.
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Jessica Pauletto, B.A. public relations and advertising ’11 (and 2011 Cheverton Award recipient), has been granted dual citizenship in Italy and is teaching English in Carpi, Italy. She is also a columnist for a local newspaper, writing about
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her experiences as an American in an Italian town. In July, Jessica is taking a group of Italian high school students on a two-week immersion trip to Southern California. Alex Popescu, B.A. communication studies ’10, is the assistant director of annual giving at Whittier College. Tori Rose, BFA television and broadcast journalism ’11, works as a script supervisor
on the upcoming season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Efrain Solis, B.M. performance ’11, won second place in the 30th Annual Palm Springs Opera Guild Vocal Competition in December. Megan Souder, B.S. biology ’10, is an Air Force officer stationed in Oklahoma City. After graduating from Chapman, Megan earned a master’s of public health degree from the University of Texas, specializing in epidemiology. She is board certified and was top of her class at the Air Force Public Health Officer School. She and her husband, Travis, welcomed their first child, daughter Hadley, on March 9. Spencer Sturken, B.S. accounting and business administration ’12, recently published his first mystery/thriller novella, The Intermediary. Spencer works as an analyst for a prominent real estate capital advisory firm in Irvine. Beth (Vogel) Fitzgerald, B.A. communication studies ’10, married Eric Fitzgerald in November in Long Beach. Beth works for Trinity Law School. She also volunteers as an adviser for the Chapman chapter of Delta Gamma Fraternity. Sarah Van Zanten, B.A. public relations and advertising ’11, was hired as the Chapman University men’s crew coach and program director.
Sabrina Landa ’06
Gratitude as a Payable By Ash Stockemer ’14
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passion for learning and gratitude for support have guided Sabrina Landa ’06 throughout her educational and professional life. And now that she’s balancing work, study and teaching, she has advice for students. As an undergraduate, Landa earned an Orangewood Guardian Scholarship, which supports former foster youth in achieving their dreams. She seized the educational opportunity and ran with it. After graduating from Chapman, she worked as an accounting manager for a construction firm, and by 2008 she was promoted to controller, launching policies that helped sustain profits even during the economic downturn. In 2010, she was promoted to chief operating officer as she pursued an MBA at Brandman University. Completing her MBA last year, she launched her own accounting and consulting practice, Process Innovators. Now also a teacher of accounting at Brandman and a doctoral candidate, Landa says her own support network includes Chapman friends Saskia Knight, Marcela Mejia-Martinez and Diana Lamar. “I hope to help other students fall in love with accounting,” she said. “Teaching is an art, and it's my privilege to pass on the knowledge and opportunities that I’ve been given.”
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FRIENDS WE WILL MISS Elouise Walborn Brinegar, B.A. English ’39, passed away Jan. 17 at age 96. Elouise was a lifelong educator and enjoyed playing bridge and golf in her retirement. She was a member of the Charles C. Chapman Heritage Society, so her legacy and commitment to education will be sustained at her alma mater. Louise (Ely) Johnson, B.A. liberal studies ’38, passed away Nov. 21, 2013, at age 104. Louise was an active member of her church and community and a dedicated philanthropist. She was also a generous supporter of her alma Louise Johnson mater and left her mark at Chapman as a member of the Charles C. Chapman Heritage Society.
PANTHERS ON THE PROWL
Dawn (Smera) Billings, B.A. communications ’90, and Bruce Billings, B.A. communications ’87, recently traveled to the Great Wall of China. Bruce coordinates incentive trips for State Farm sales agents, and Dawn is a consultant with Mary and Martha and volunteers as a children’s supervisor at a Bible study fellowship. They have two sons: Brandon, 16, and Cameron, 12.
Charles (Chuck) E. Maier, B.A. philosophy ’58, passed away Dec. 3, 2013, in Laguna Beach. Maier was an ordained Old Catholic priest. He also served in the Marine Corps and was a veteran of the Korean War. Chuck’s legacy will be sustained at Chapman University through his generosity in including Chapman in his estate as a member of the Charles C. Chapman Heritage Society. John Paul Gullett, BFA film studies ’04, passed away March 16 at age 33. He was a Delta Tau Delta fraternity brother, a dedicated member of the Asian Pacific Student Association (APSA) and a committed and faithful Baha’i. John will be remembered by his family and friends for his creativity, generous spirit and irrepressible smile.
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Rosalin Sakdisri (MFA ’04) gets a ride on Honey the elephant at the Sampran Riverside eco-resort on the outskirts of Bangkok during a journey to discover her familial roots in Thailand.
ALUMNI NEWS AND CAMPUS EVENTS ECONOMIC FORECAST UPDATE Thursday, June 19, 2014 7:30 a.m. continental breakfast, 8:30 a.m. conference, Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa Join President James L. Doti and Professor Esmael Adibi as they review the economic trends of the past six months and give insight about what’s in store for the remainder of 2014 and into 2015. Individual tickets are regularly $150, but Chapman alumni are eligible for a discounted rate of just $50 per ticket. The special rate is good for one ticket per alumna/alumnus, as a career-development and networking opportunity. To receive the $50 alumni rate, enter the code PANTHERPRIDE during online registration. To register and find more event information, visit www.chapman.edu/economic-forecast or contact the Office of Special Events at (714) 628-2750.
UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION, GET A FREE DECAL The Chapman University Alumni Association is dedicated to keeping you connected to your alma mater. There are opportunities throughout the year to: • Connect with fellow alumni and Chapman Family members to build your professional network. • Interact with and mentor current students. • Come to campus events like the Chapman Family Homecoming Celebration, Greek Skit Night and more.
SAVE THE DATES
Class of 1964 Reunion – May 22-25, 2014 Get more information, including a complete schedule of events, at www.chapman.edu/1964reunion.
The Chapman Family Homecoming Celebration Oct. 10-12, 2014
• Get exclusive discounted tickets to professional-development and networking events like the Economic Forecast Update. But we can’t let you know about these valuable opportunities if we can’t reach you. Update your contact information using our quick and easy online form at www.chapman.edu/alumni-update. Be one of the first 100 people to submit your updated contact information and we’ll mail you a free Chapman University alumni decal!
CONGRESSIONAL AWARD As director of Web and interactive marketing at Chapman, David May ’05 (MBA ’10) spotlights standout University people and programs. But thanks to a nomination by Board of Governors member Sinan Kanatsiz ’97 (M.A. ’00), the focus is on May this time. At the recent Chapman 50 retreat, May was presented with Rep. John Campbell’s award for outstanding leadership in business.
Find Us Online Web: chapman.edu/alumni Blog: blogs.chapman.edu/alumni Facebook: facebook.com/chapmanuniversityalumni Twitter: @ChapmanAlum LinkedIn: Search for Chapman University Alumni Association
Gotta Dance Brooklynn Reeves ’14 has learned a lot about dance at Chapman University, from the demands of choreography and performance to the history of her chosen art form. But there was a sliver of history she didn’t learn until just recently. It seems that her great-grandfather — George N. Reeves, Chapman president from 1942 to 1956 — danced to a different tune. Reflecting mores of the day, he upheld Chapman’s ban on social dancing. Or he did until Mary Lou Savage ’48 marched into his office and told Reeves she and her fellow student government leaders were planning a dance in the public street adjacent to the campus, then in Los Angeles. The ban was lifted. Brooklynn finds the story amusing, since she couldn’t be happier with her dance studies and overall Chapman experience. “I feel so at home here,” she says. Savage still fondly recalls that first on-campus sock hop. When she and Brooklynn met at a recent alumni event they even struck a dance pose together. We think President Reeves would have approved.