Times May Be Changing, But These Chapman Traditions Are Not pg.18
table of Contents Part-time Professors, Full-time Problems How adjunct professors are often left behind
06
By. Lisa Wong & Sydney Scott
Just Another Hashtag
Students want more media attention to global struggles
12
By. Sukhman Sahota
Times May Be Changing, But These Chapman Traditions Are Not By. Kiana Kalahele & Tatum Foulger Cover photo courtsey to Emily Paris
24 28 32
Swifties on Campus (Chapman’s Version) By. Gwen Buchanan
Work, Work, Work-Study More than 3,000 students work on campus By. Jamilyn Moreau & Daniella Moreau
What’s New With Old Towne How it has transformed over the years By. Lisa Wong
18
The Secret Life of Pets at Chapman Juggling Campus Life with Animal Companions
36
By. Carissa Nelson
Are Sports Classes Worth the Sweat? By. Marjorie Stemmler
42
¿Hasta la… visa?
International students struggle to stay in the United States post-grad By. Tatum Foulger
52 58
Business is Booming
Argyros Grows From School to College By. Brian Guevara
Breaking Stereotypes and Building Bridges
Greek life at Chapman continues to grow with more diversity By. Emily Cho
62
Physical Therapy, Not Just Physical
Virtual Reality Enters the Medical Realm By. Jamilyn Moreau
48
68 74
To Drive or Not To Drive…
Some students do, but it can be a struggle. By. Kiana Kalahele
Spiritual Harmony on Campus
Can Fish Interfaith Center Accommodate All? By. Carolyn Holt
80
Panther PRIDE
Chapman looks to further support LGBTQ students By. Gil Bothwell
Breath in, Breath Out
Integrating Mindfulness on Campus
84
By. Daniella Moreau
R.I.P. Orange Mall By. Nicole Kavros
And They Called It ‘Puppy Love’: Couples Who Move-in Together During College
88 92
Oh, I’ll guess they’ll never know. (How great it is!) By. Carolyn Holt & Emily Cho
Check out our columns here!
STaff page Editors In-Chief
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Marjorie Stemmler
Managing Editor
Lead Designer
Gil Bothwell
Sukhman Sahota
Social Media Managers
Senior Writers
Daniella Moreau Jamilyn Moreau
Tatum Foulger Brian Guevara
Staff Writers Kiana Kalahele Lisa Wong Emily Cho
Nicole Kavros Carolyn Holt Gwen Buchanan Carissa Nelson
Part-time Professors, Full-time Problems How adjunct professors are often left behind
By Lisa Wong and Sydney Scott
Adjunct professors and students struggle to find places to meet, often ending up in public spaces. Illustration generated with Adobe Firefly
I
f Emma Wu wants to ask most of her professors a quick question, she can’t just pop into their office. Oftentimes, her professors can only meet in a public space – such as the campus Starbucks. Which is a hard place to have a private conversation. But most Chapman professors don’t have offices. Because most Chapman professors are adjuncts. Part-time. “It’s hard to feel that you have a safe space with a professor,” she said. “It’s unfair to not have an office space.”
William O’Mara, a part-time history professor at Chapman as well as two other colleges. Photo by Lisa Wong
Which means that they’re not able to teach more than two courses a semester. This also means that their pay grade scale isn’t necessarily balanced.
This is a problem that affects both teachers and students alike, as Chapman’s part-time faculty makes up 53% of all staff members. While some students notice the difference between the availability of adjuncts and full-time faculty, many “That’s not ethical or sustainable,” said Hall. staff and students see the need for more fulltime faculty positions. Nearly half of American adjunct professors struggle with extreme job insecurity, According to Dean of Students, Jerry Price, this according to a report from The American is a topic that upper management recognizes Federation of Teachers. The average adjunct and has decided to include in the new five-year professor in America earns anywhere from plan with an effort to hire more full-time faculty $25,000 to $50,000, with Chapman on the low members. end. “As we’ve grown over the years, we feel we’ve hired a lot of part-time faculty to help cover some of the classes,” he said. “We feel like it’s time to rely less on part-time and more on fulltime faculty.”
A vast majority of adjuncts are juggling between several teaching positions or other jobs in order to save and make a living. Especially since part-time positions don’t offer benefits like full-time professors do.
At Chapman, adjunct professors make Lynda Hall, the English department chair, said more than half of the classes in the program are around $6,400 for a 3-credit class and are limited to teaching two classes per semester. taught by part-time faculty.
Universities’ contracts with their part-time faculty limit the number of hours, credits, and courses a professor can teach. In turn, professors aren’t granted the same benefits as full-time would. Full-time faculty are provided with a range of benefits including health insurance, dental insurance, vision, contributions to their retirement account, and social security, according to Eileen Besner, the director of faculty advancement at the Provost. But they only cover adjuncts’ social security payments. Teaching loads and salaries vary from professor to professor, and the workloads are appointed to professors by the Provost, according to the 2023 faculty manual. Chapman expects its professors to anticipate doing research, mentoring, and tending to the needs of students during office hours, in addition to being readily available to tend to student and teaching duties. Although it may seem like a reasonable transaction, this doesn’t necessarily always work out in the professors’ favor.
Graph showing the student to faculty ratio, with facuulty separated by part-time and full-time. Graphic by Lisa Wong
Professors across the board are more often than not working overtime. William O’Mara, a part-time history professor at Chapman as well as two other colleges, works a minimum of 60 hours a week to meet his expenses. This is a common experience for part-time or adjunct professors across America, according to a study done by the American Federation of Teachers. “The low income has made for long weeks and commutes at multiple employers, and this further tightens my belt,” said O’Mara. “[I] can’t afford to offend an employer that has no obligation to renew my contracts.”
“When adjuncts are paid like serfs they can’t do their best work. When that happens, students end up suffering. ” - John Nielsen
The lack of benefits and low pay have led to severe consequences for both O’Mara and other professors in a similar position. “I’ve known too many homeless academics and was homeless twice myself,” he said. Adjunct journalism professor John Nielsen said he briefly supplemented his teaching income by driving for Lyft when he first started teaching in 2019. Although he is not dependent on his position at Chapman, he says the pay adjuncts receive is not enough. “My Chapman salary [wouldn’t] be enough to cover the rent for the apartment I live in,” said Nielsen. “I should add that I’m not trying to build a career as a college professor or support a family on what I make at Chapman. That would be impossible.” Outside of pay, professors are dealing with difficulties that affect not only them but their students as well. Adjunct professors face a lack of offices, and majors with classes spread throughout campus, which makes them less easy for their students to find.
Luciana Paventy, a junior creative writing major, expressed feeling like her major is kind of everywhere, not having one set building that feels like her school. “It feels disjointed and disconnected,” Paventy said. She’s even had friends taking creative writing classes in the basement of Hashinger Science Center, the hub for all science departments. To further the stresses of students like sophomore English major Guinevere Buchanan, whose classes are spread throughout campus, she often has to meet with their professors in a public space when she needs help. This includes her business and STEM-related classes. “I don’t know if I would be comfortable,” she said. “It would be weird meeting with a professor in a Qdoba.” Senior Marjorie Stemmler had a similar experience with one of her sociology professors.
“He’s a great professor,” said the English major. “The frustrating part is once I see him in class I have to plan to ask all the questions when he’s there because I can’t guarantee I’ll get an answer outside of that time,” she said. Professors without office spaces often experience the feeling of being disconnected from their students. O’Mara, who has been teaching at Chapman for 14 years, has done most of his weekly office hours online. Although meeting over Zoom has been helpful for him, considering his travels for his various teaching posts, it creates a feeling of being unvalued by the university. “[It] further reduces the time we could be engaged in scholarly pursuits. And the less writing time that’s available, the more we are condemned to permanent job insecurity,” he said. Nielsen says that teachers are underpaid at every level of the education system, and that has a great impact on students. “When adjuncts are paid like serfs they can’t do their best work,” said Nielsen. “When that happens, students end up suffering. They don’t get the education they deserve.” However, making the necessary changes to combat this isn’t so simple.
According to Price, there’s already a pipeline of money that’s committed each year by the Provost for each school to operate. This includes funding for events, student worker paychecks, salaries, or conference travel. If a school wants to request more money through a process called ‘budget enhancements,’ they need to make sure the request aligns with Chapman’s 5-Year Plan. The plan is composed of strategic goals that aim to execute whatever priorities Chapman has.
Price stated that a lack of professors or not enough office spaces are issues that administrators recognize, and aren’t overlooked. It just simply hasn’t made it into the 5-Year Plan until now. So far, the past three plans, or the past 15 years, have been more geared towards the sciences. The last one was even named ‘Engineering the Future.’ “If you have a request that falls [into those] priorities, then there’s a better chance that that’s going to get some funding,” Price said.
He stated that that system isn’t necessarily perfect. There are going to be times when a student won’t see their academic program be the focus of the 5-Year Plan, but it may be in the next one. He said: “Sometimes it’s – just for lack of a better word – just kind of the luck of timing.”
Marjorie Stemmler, senior English major, meeting with adunct professor and Wilkinson career advisor, Erin Berthon at the on campus Starbucks. Photo by Lisa Wong
Just Another Hashtag Students want more media attention to global struggles. By Sukhman Sahota
A
rmenian junior Alexandra Der Boghosian feels as if she has been silenced by the Western world, as people ignore the dire situation her people are facing in Nagorno-Karabakh. But she refuses to forget the continual deaths and displacement of the Armenian people.
of the actual world, and public interest in human suffering is declining as a result.
Sudan’s Civil War has passed its 6-month mark with little concern from the rest of the world. And even a century after Armenian genocide, more than 100,000 Armenians have been displaced in 2023. The controversy continues in America with many believing that black citizens are denied basic human rights — even after the 2020 protests for the George Floyd killing and the Black Lives Matter movement.
“We saw this war break out between rival militaries… “How are we letting It’s been shamefully millions of people die neglected by because of two people the rest of who don’t like each the world,” other?” Murphy said.
The Sudan Civil War has occurred since April 15, with over 9,000 people, Instead, she lets it fuel her. according to the UN aid Professor Crystal Murphy is working on a documentary chief. A considerable in Uganda about Sudan’s “I hear the voice of my ancestors who died, number in such a short democracy. ‘Why are you letting them shut you out? We time, especially since Photo courtesy of Chapman News didn’t die for nothing,’” Der Boghosian said. most of the world does not know about it. Ukraine. The Israeli conflict. These are media hotspots we all know about. But many Political science professor Crystal Murphy Chapman students and alumni are upset is in Uganda, working on a documentary that such prevailing coverage diminishes about the political state of Sudan. She was in other tragic conflicts around the globe. Even Sudan during the summer and has seen the right here in the U.S. effects the war had on the Sudanese people.
Murphy has heard comMany Chapman students believe the media ments like coverage seems to never give a clear picture this, “Isn’t Su-
-Alexandra Der Boghosian
e
dan always at war,” making it sound inevita- their suffering. ble and further disregarding the thousands She asks herself, who have died because of this war. “Why am I being silent? Why In the Western world, she explains how do people stop there is a common stereotyping of protract- me from using ed conflicts about Sudan’s Civil War and my voice? Why similar conflicts. aren’t you listening to me?” “[The Western world] assume that people who have suffered are more capable of suf- The pain the fering and it’s not a big deal if they keep suf- Armenian peofering, ” Murphy said. ple have experienced is someChapman Student Alexandra Der Nigerian junior Desiree Oyebade sees the thing she can Boghosian shares her struggles with lack of interest in wars and civilian dying in feel, even if she the displacement of the Armenian people. Sudan and other African countries by Amer- is in America. icans. Photo courtesy of Alexandra Der Boghosian “I feel it in my “The truth is western regions don’t care blood,” Der Bogabout Africa because they still see it as a hosian said. ‘shithole country,’” Oyebade said. For her, the Armenian people are at the cenOyebade expressed how Chapman does ter of this conflict, a conflict that she cannot support or recognize African students not believe has become the reason for many like her. The absence of her community deaths and displacement. throughout campus and surrounding towns put addressing the Sudan civil war second- “How are we letting millions of people die ary to any other global conflict. because of two people who don’t like each other?” Der Boghosian asked. Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought over the region of Nagorno-Karabakj since the Recognizing other global conflicts does not early 1980s; recent violence arose when diminish the importance of media coverAzerbaijan created a blockade on the only age of Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine have road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to the been at war since February 2022, displacRepublic of Armenia, a key source of ba- ing millions and changing the lives of every sic supplies. More than 100,000 Armenians Ukrainian around the world. have fled, fearing ethnic cleansing for their people in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to Ukrainian Chapman alumnus Alex ShuryABC News. epov Witt thinks back on when the war first began. When he was supposed to work on Der Boghosian cannot wait for the Ar- his thesis, he was busy thinking about his menian genocide to become significant family and little cousins living through a enough for the public to start caring about war.
“It was paralyzing that first two, three ians, you hear the emotion. We have to reweeks, the first month,” Witt said. “The first member the toll it’s taking on every person and second days, I didn’t go to class.” that’s [in Ukraine],” Witt said Witt’s day-to-day life as a student changed when Russia invaded Ukraine; he no longer had typical student worries or stresses. Even when he was studying, he was thinking about the war.
The 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in America, following the murder of George Floyd during a police arrest, finally gave black Americans a platform to share their message. Since then, media and public interest in them have declined.
“I remember I was at the library in the morning, trying to work, while watching a Chapman junior and Black Student Union’s live feed of Russian tanks making their way secretary Amanda Dornsife sees the mistowards Chernobyl,” Witt said. treatment of black Americans—time after time—slip under the radar for many AmerWitt did have one professor who said, icans.
Film photos of the destruction in Ukraine from the war Photo courtsey of Alex Shuryepov Witt “There’s still a lot of racism in this world. But it’s not a concern anymore,” “There’s nothing I can say, but I’m here.” said Dornsife. But most just chided him for not keeping Chapman has made a big step towards up his homework. building a safe community for their black After graduating in 2023, he had the chance student. Especially when they appointed to work on a nonprofit film in Kyiv, Ukraine. Misy Levingston as the New Director of He also got to visit his family for the first Black Excellence and Achievement at Chaptime since the war and interview fellow man, some students still hope for growth at Ukrainians. Chapman. “When you’ve interviewed the actual civil- “They [Chapman] do a pretty good job at
“Situations that we do to address[foreign conflicts]…reflects politics more than anything else,” Rangel said.
“It was paralyzing that first two, three weeks, the first month.” - Alex Shuryepov Witt
The humans who have suffered are never in the center of a war; it’s the political conflict first. Rangel worked for the UN Eminent Group of Experts investigating crimes committed during the Yemen war. She witnessed firsthand the effects of not putting those affected first when dealing with war.
recognizing black people on campus, but there’s still so much that they could do to “We may experience intergenerational make us feel more supported,” extermination of Yemeni for years to said Dornsife. come as a result of this war, regardless of whether or not we come to a resoluHowever, Oyebade has felt that tion of it,” Rangel said. Chapman has not provided her with a course that she can relate to This is not just in Yemen; this is in Haiti, or even care for as a black student. Congo, Ethiopia, and the list goes on. “Most of the required courses don’t Chapman has yet to make students like Der elaborate on the experiences of Boghosian feel recognized in her struggle Black people,” Oyebade said. for the Armenian community. The lack of people and knowledge on this situation prePeace studies professor Nicole vents students from discussing it at ChapRangel explained that supporting man. the Armenians, Sudanese, Ukrainians, or any persecuted commu- “I want to talk to someone about it [Armenity starts with ending the justification of nian genocide], but no one even knows unlawful wars and humanizing those who what it is,” Der Boghosian said. “It feels like have suffered. a brick wall.” “It’s difficult to wrap your head around When asked what Chapman could do for Arsome human groups being subject to oppo- menian students, Der Boghosian requested sition, persecution, and subjugation just by one thing. nature of who they are,” Rangel said. Recognition. However, countries and people do successfully justify the deaths and displacement to “Just putting up the flag on campus,” Der the public by changing the narrative of a Boghosian said. conflict to reflect their interests.
The Global Conflict Tracker of 2023
War in U
America’s racial injustice.
Conflict Between Tur Armed Kurdish Gro Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Criminal Violence in Mexico
Civ Instability in Haiti
Violent Ext in the Sa
Instability in Venezuela
Conf Centr Re
Conflicts around the globe as of December 2023. Graphic by Sukhman Sahota
Conflict in Syria Instability in Iraq
Ukraine
Instability in Afghanistan
War in Ukraine Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
rkey and oups
North Korea Crisis
Conflict Between India and Pakistan
vil Conflict in Libya Civil War in Myanmar Instability in Pakistan
tremism ahel
Confrontation With Iran
flict in the ral African epublic
War in Yemen
Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo Instability in South Sudan
Confrontation Over Taiwan
Conflict With AlShabaab in Somalia Conflict in Ethiopia
Civil War in Sudan
Source: Global Conflict Tracker
TIMES MAY BE CHANGING... B TRADITIONS ARE NOT Sophomore Kaye Galang started off her freshman year the same as many other students — hastily taking off her shoes, laughing alongside friends, and running around in the three different fountains across campus. An experience that has stuck with her ever since. “Hopping in those fountains was disgusting, I won’t lie, but I really wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Galang, a computer science major. Why? Well, it’s a long-standing Chapman tradition. Others widely known by students include the Undie Run
near semester’s end as well as va (UPB) and Greek Life events.
Sophomore computer science m introduction to the tradition. How Yet.
“I had actually heard about fount advisor, who instructed me to loo said Fondevilla. “It is something fore graduating.”
Fountain hopping is meant to be luck” and help them “get straigh
BUT THESE CHAPMAN By Kiana Kalahele and Tatum Foulger
arious University Program Board
it has remained popular.
major Diego Fondevilla needed no wever, he has not participated.
The tradition involves students going to each fountain on campus, jumping inside, and running around with friends before heading off to the next one. Most students have opted to go at night, after getting drunk first.
tain hopping from my college ok up Chapman traditions online,” that I hope to participate in be-
“It was absolutely thrilling, just being able to go a little crazy and hop in fountains late at night,” said Galang. “My favorite part was hopping around on the stones in the Piazza.”
e a way for students to “have good ht A’s,” making it another reason
Fountain hopping at Chapman dates back at least 25 years, according to a Chapman Facebook post. Like Galang and Fondevilla, many other students have also expressed excitement in taking part in several traditions happening on campus, including sophomore English major Nicole Kavros. Kavros, a part of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, cited “community” and “friendship” as her main reasons for engaging in Greek Life traditions. “It brings together people from all sorts of majors, grades, and organizations and gives everyone a mutual thing to bond over,” said Kavros. “A lot of my best friends are in different Greek affiliations, and we can all support each other and our different philanthropies through Greek events.”
On the left, Galang at the first fountain she hopped in on campus. On the right, students in 1989 enjoy the same tradition. Photos courtesy of Kalahele and Chapman University, respectively
undergone changes to make them more engaging to the Chapman community. One of those is Theta’s annual spring philanthropy event, Casaball.
Katwalk, Theta’s fall philanthropy event, featured sorority and fraternity members showcasing their best outfits for a chance to win first place. Photo courtesy of Becca Wilkinson
“We’ve been doing (Casaball) for years, but every year, whoever is the fundraising director adds their own new spin to it and makes it really unique and fun,”
Kavros explained more about the traditions that are celebrated in her sorority, specifically Katwalk and Casaball.
said Kavros. “And, I think that’s cool that everyone gets a way to be creative and get involved with it.”
According to Kavros, Theta’s Katwalk recently took place on Nov. 15, after the annual event took a hiatus of five years.
But what’s the most noted of them all?
“Because it was relatively new, and it was the first time any of us had experienced this event, we all got super close because of how hard we had to work and how we had to work together to make it happen,” said Kavros. “It was super amazing.” Along with Greek Life traditions, some other annual events open to the entire Chapman community, include Gamma Phi Beta’s Airbands, Delta Delta Delta’s Capture the Cure, and Alpha Phi’s Mr. Alpha Phi. Many of these events put on by fraternities and sororities have been taking place for years, meaning many of them have also
The Undie Run. Hundreds of students, both male and female, brave cold temperatures in their underwear and race toward the fountain at the Circle and back. Usually followed by a party somewhere. While it is popular among students and has been for decades, Chapman administrators are not fans. “For 98 or 99 percent of the students participating, it is something they enjoy, it is something they bond over, it is something
Students celebrate the end of 2023. Photo courtesy of ONS
to look forward to. And, I can respect that,” Dean of Students Jerry Price said. “I see the other one to two percent who have a miserable night, they get assaulted, they get groped. But for most students, they don’t see it. So they wonder why we get all worked up over it.”
sexual indicator.
Another risk is the overconsumption of alcohol, which Jerry Price says has been an issue in past years.
Most students, however, don’t think of it that way. It’s just something they enjoy.
“[Undie run] really made me think about how our society is so afraid of sensuality and nakedness, proven by the fact that students find so much enjoyment in simply breaking this cultural norm,” she said in an Instagram post.
Price said the university, with city police help, has found ways to discourage the after-parties:
“Most of the Chapman community participates, so it’s fun to all be together doing something to take the stress off of finals,” said alum McKenna Foulger, who graduated in 2020.
“We used to have anywhere from five to 12 students transported for alcohol poisoning on Undie Run night. And now, we rarely have anyone.”
The event, which involves running from campus to downtown Old Towne Orange in one’s undergarments, attracts more than just Chapman students.
But, alum Emily Price, who graduated in 2021 with a sociology degree, believes the event should not always be viewed as a sexual indicator. “[Undie run] really made me think about how our society is so afraid of sensuality and nakedness, proven by the fact that
In YouTube videos posted to channels like TheContentExchange, ONSCENE TV, and the Orange County Register, students are filmed as they run down Glassell Street, and people line the sidewalks to catch a glimpse.
the spring semester with the semiannual undie run in SCENE TV
While it may be a bit of a troublesome tradition for neighbors living around Chapman, students have noted it to be one of the major highlights of their college experience. Other popular traditions: Fall and Spring Concert, Fall Speaker, Drag Brunch, Spring Sizzle, and Midnight Breakfast. All are sponsored by the student-run University Program Board. UPB also has numerous other events each semester.
This year’s SET Director, Emma Villegas, who is also a sophomore strategic and corporate communications major, has already organized both Fall Speaker and Fall Concert, which included New Girl’s Jake Johnson as Fall Speaker and UMI and the Peach Tree Rascals as the performers for Fall Concert.
the trends going on at the time.” Currently, Villegas is preparing for Midnight Breakfast, which takes place every semester from 9 p.m. to midnight on the Monday of finals.
Hundreds of excited students attended both events this year and have been doing so since the organization was founded in 2011.
The event includes a different theme every semester, with Hunger Games and Pirates of the Caribbean being a few, performances from several Chapman organizations, and a late-night breakfast buffet for all Chapman students.
“I think it’s been so exciting seeing how SET events evolve and change from year to year,” said Villegas. “All the events we put on in UPB have been cultivated since the beginning, but each one has a unique touch based on the director and
“My favorite event to plan so far has been Midnight Breakfast because of the theme!” said Villegas. “You can really pick and choose how closely you want to engage with the attention to detail and decorations.”
Many fast e Chap
How scrat has t
Ther with camp hoste dent Stude ic Isl brati
Junio enda APSA brati time
“Wh know to th man very of ho voice
Acco is on back Brother duo The Driver Era’s Rocky and Ross Lynch performing on campus last spring. Ross Lynch (right) is on the Chapbook cover page. Photo courtesy of Emily Paris
“APS every and b time perfo
ny students flock to Midnight Breakeach semester, making it one of pman’s most well-known events.
wever, those events just nearly tch the surface of what Chapman to offer.
and we even have food trucks and vendors at the event. It’s continued to grow each year, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store going forward.” APSA celebrates the 24th year of its Asian Pacific Islander Desi American celebration in April 2023. Photo by Lisa Wong
re are even more traditions seen hin several student organizations on pus, including the Diwali Festival ed by Chapman’s South Asian Stut Association and the Asian Pacific ent Association’s (APSA) Asian Paciflander Desi American (APIDA) celeion hosted every April.
or health sciences major Kate Avano-Woodruff, who serves as one of A’s co-presidents, notes APIDA celeion to be one of the highlights of her e at Chapman so far.
hile APIDA may not be the most wellwn tradition on campus compared he many others, it’s something that ny Asian students on campus are grateful to have each year because ow it highlights and uplifts Asian es,” said Avendano-Woodruff.
ording to Avendano-Woodruff, APSA ne of Chapman’s oldest clubs, dating k to its origin in 1931.
SA has been around for so long, and y year, APIDA has only gotten bigger better,” she said. “We’re hiring bige Asian musicians and speakers to orm at Chapman, it’s in the Piazza,
“Traditions are kind of how students make the college experience their own,” said Jerry Price. And while they have changed and developed over the years, one factor has remained the same: creating a space for students to connect and just have fun. “[Fountain hopping] is such a strange tradition when you think about it, but if I’m being honest, that’s what made doing it even more fun,” Galang said.
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Swifties on Campus (Chapman’s Version) By Gwen Buchanan Nicoletta Johnson stood in Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium on a Friday evening in July. After having spent $350 on concert IMG_8448.heic tickets, she counted down the seconds until it began. Three… She pulled out her phone and hit record. Two… Held her breath. One… And let out a sigh. Taylor Swift appeared on stage. “The concert was one of the greatest nights of my life,” said Johnson. “I cried a
lot. I was happy. I was dancing. It just felt very rewarding.” To so many, Swift is more than just a sing- 12/13/23, er. She’s a beacon of hope for aspiring musicians. A businesswoman. An activist. An older sister. The 33-year-old 12-time Grammy winner has sold an estimated 162 million units in downloads and ringtones worldwide, and she was just named 2023 Person of the Year by Time Magazine. Johnson, a sophomore psychology major, grew up listening to Taylor Swift. As her connection to the artist grew, she realized
Design Courtesy of Gwen Buchanan
From left, Nicole Kavros, Nicoletta Johnson, and their friend Katrina Westfall cannot hide their smiles in anticipation of seeing Taylor Swift in concert. Photo courtesy of Nicole Kavros.
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something: Her interests as a teenage girl are never going to be taken as seriously as her male peers. “The hate that fangirls get is insane compared to a teenage boy who is obsessed with football,” Johnson said. “After a football team loses, they go crazy. Society and mass media isn’t attacking them, but they’ll attack a 15 year-old girl crying over Taylor Swift.” How excited is Johnson about her musical hero? She and sophomore roommate Nicole Kavros formed their own Taylor Swift fan club. And immediately found an enthusiastic audience to bond with.
Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone
2006: At the age of 14, Taylor Swift released her first single.
2009: Swift was interrupted by Kanye West
while accepting her VMA award for best female video.
“A lot of interests that teenage girls have 2010: Swift received four Grammy Awards. are hated on by society, or made fun of by the public. We just wanted to create that space where people don’t have to feel that 2012: Swift broke a Guinness World Record for the single: “We Are Never Getting Back Toway.” Johnson said. gether”. The main goal of the club is to bring together students who experience hate for their passion.
2014: Swift released “1989,” and won another Grammy award for the album.
2017: Swift released “Reputation,” which be-
“It’s cool to have a room of people that came the top-selling LP of the year. are all on the same page,” said Kavros, English major. “It connected us, and I feel 2020: Swift began re-recording her songs. like it can connect so many people.” She earned yet another Grammy for her album: “Folklore.”
The club meetings include fun games and kahoots, as well as in-depth discussions 2023: Swift’s total net worth rose to over 1 biland “hot takes” on Swift’s music. lion dollars. She also won nine MTV video music “The first meeting was a lot of fun. People
awards.
Information found on Office Timeline
came dressed up, which was cool because it was on Halloween,” said Kavros. It’s a common occurrence for young girls to have their interests belittled, and Taylor Swift’s diary-style of songwriting makes her an easy target. “We have a lot of friends… a lot of guy friends who kind of give us hate for it. And it’s joking hate, but they still think we’re a little bit crazy for liking Swift and IMG_1716.heic starting a club,” said Kavros. What many Swift-haters don’t understand is that she has undergone a musical evolution across at least five different genres. Pop, country, folk, rock, and alternative. In fact, Swift’s significance in modern culture is enough to teach a class on.
teaching a class during interterm titled “Taylor Swift and Modern Feminism,” and uses Taylor Swift to examine liberal feminism, Marxist feminism, and radical feminism. Despite the scattered hate towards Swift culture on campus, enrollment filled up faster than most other classes. “The overarching theme of the class is to look into why girls feel so attached to Tay5:50 PM lor Swift as a figure, but also12/13/23, to analyze whether she should be a feminist figure for us to look up to in life,” said Wenger. Whatever her role, she’s getting rich doing it. In Swift’s upcoming 2023-2024 Eras Tour, tickets can cost up to $3,900.
Eliza Wenger, an English major at Chapman, is doing just that.
To some, Swift is admirable because of her money-making strategies, according to Nick DeLucca, a senior screenwriting major.
Through the honors program, Wenger is
“I actually greatly admire her business
The Taylor Swift club gathers in a photograph of their first meeting on campus. Photo courtesy of Nicole Kavros
methods and the way she’s built her brand,” said DeLucca. But he hates her music. “I wish she was less open about the whole dating thing (in her songs). Like, I don’t really care. It feels like recycled news over and over,” said DeLucca. While some fans do thrive on the drama, many Swifties look up to her for her work in the music industry. Swift inspired Jamilyn and Daniella Moreau, two senior English majors, to start a band together. The Band Kris Instagram and Facebook pages are flooded with Taylor Swift tributes and covers. They are an accurate representation to the interests of Jamilyn and Daniella Moreau, who have worshiped her from a young age. “I was in elementary school, and I wanted to be literally just like her,” said Jamilyn Moreau. “So I printed out all of her songs with chords, and that’s how I taught myself guitar.” After starting their band, the sisters moved from California to Nashville to pursue music. The same place that Taylor Swift started her career. They even played at Bluebird Cafe, the same Cafe that Swift was discovered in. “Even when we have challenges with pursuing music, we know Taylor had those, so it’s okay. It’s like, Taylor Swift went through this,” said Daniella Moreau.
Daniella (left) and her sister Jamilyn Moreau dressed up as Taylor Swift’s cats for Halloween, and posed next to a cardboard cutout of their musical idol. Photo courtesy of Gil Bothwell
But Swift appeals even to those outside of the music industry. To Johnson, Swift’s evolution of music is a way to reflect on her own self-growth as a woman. “It’s been cool to just watch the growth of her and it’s accompanied with the growth of myself.” said Johnson. Swift’s music portrays a life that many young women relate to. But is that the reason she receives so much opposition? “Everything that a teenage girl likes is hated on by society,” said Johnson. “That is why being a teen girl is so hard.” Swift has been a guiding light to so many on and off campus. “She’s the reason I chose my dreams, it’s cheesy but it’s true,” said Jamilyn Moreau.
WORK, WORK,
MORE THAN 3,000 STUDEN By Jamilyn Moreau and Daniella Moreau
Senior Bella Gerencser works at Chapman Radio, where she is program director. Photo courtesy of Gerencser.
, WORK-STUDY
NTS WORK ON CAMPUS W
hen senior Bella Gerencser joined Chapman’s radio club, she thought it was just a great way to get involved on campus. What she wasn’t expecting was for it to turn into a paid gig with her work-study aid. “Because of my position, I’ve been able to get internships with a radio station,” said the screenwriting major. Gerencser’s position at Chapman Radio is one of the many jobs that are offered to federal work-study students. It might surprise you, but more than 3,000 students have campus jobs through that federally-funded program. All across campus, students might recognize a variety of posters encouraging them to apply to work on campus. In the fine print, however, it might state that the campus job is only hiring students who qualify for federal work-study. Work study provides the university with a certain amount of funds to subsidize employment for students who qualify for financial need. In 2021-2022, around 4600 students applied for some form of financial aid. Only about 3400 of those students were awarded work-study.
Qualifying for the money is half the battle. There is also a limit on the amount of workstudy funds each student gets. Once a student runs out of those funds, it might get a little more complicated. Dean of Students Jerry Price said some departments will only hire work-study students, which means that if students run out of funds, they won’t have a job.
While Gerencser currently holds two job positions on campus, typically working 12 hours a week, she hasn’t run into this problem.
The difference between work-study “I worry about students kind of being left out and non-workstudy jobs is who in the cold come January because they’ve is funding the stuexhausted their work-study,” said Price. dents’ paychecks. Bella Gerencser and Jackson Gefe For the student, According to universityliving.com, on average, it costs college students around $2400 a the paycheck is the test to promote the launch of a n Photo by Gerencser. month to live in California, excluding tuition same either way. fees. Work-study typPrice described a scenario ically funds students of a student with work-study $3000 a year, so this compared to one without; if a could cause students student works 10 hours withto exhaust the funds out work-study, the university by January. has to pay for 100% of those 10 hours. Contrary, if a workFor senior Sydney study student works 10 hours, Scott, her hours vary, the university probably only with some weeks pays for 3 of those hours, and working up to 15 the federal government pays hours and another for 7. week working none. “I don’t know if I ran out of work-study funds, but if I did, they kept paying me outside of that,” said the English major.
Sydney Scott putting up posters for the Brain Institute on campus. Photo by Daniella Moreau.
However, it’s not just about the paycheck for all students. Scott credits her work-study experience as being a stepping stone to her future.
“It helped me get my summer internship at a Fortune 500 company,” said Scott. But that’s not always the case.
en hosting a pie-eating con-
new app for Chapman Radio.
For some students, it’s just a way to cover expenses while at school. Work-study might not seem any different than any ordinary job.
tionships and expand their support network. “Work-study is good if it facilitates more students working on campus,” said Price, “we just have to be able to figure out a way to sustain them when the work-study funds run out.” While the job is unique to each student, Gerencser said her experience has allowed her to get more involved on campus. “I think it’s 100% worth it,” said Gerencser.
Senior Ryan King had a work-study job assisting sports teams by setting up for each event. “It was more of a way to help pay for expenses rather than further my career,” said the data science major. Like any other job, King recalled many challenges due to his work-study job. “It was difficult to balance my school, workstudy, and social life,” said King. However, King said the on-campus aspect of the job made it easier to accommodate working during school.
Senior Ryan King credits his work-study experience for helping him make connections with staff and colleagues. Photo courtesy of King.
Price suggested that working on campus is beneficial for all students to develop rela-
new what’s
with
ld Towne How it has transformed over the years By Lisa Wong
Old Towne Historical District is a lot more lively than years past. (From left: photo courtesy of Gil Bothwell and The Orange Preserve Association
Lifelong resident Dan Slater can remember a “It’s not as tired and time when Old Towne Orange was quiet, often dead, and unknown. It was seldom used as a hangout location. It was made up of retail and antique stores. The only restaurant around was the century old Watson’s Soda Fountain. Today, a few decades later, things are different. Slater is now mayor, a new restaurant took the place of Watson’s, and Old Towne, known as the Plaza and colloquially called ‘the Circle,’ is now bustling with tourists and residents alike.
sleepy as it used to be,” said Slater. A large part of Old Towne’s change is largely attributed to the growth Mayor Dan Slater at Love Orange 2023. of Chapman University.
Photo by Emily Paris
As more students and families flock to Old Towne, the business scene has grown to accomodate its visitors. More eateries, hip and modern shops have started to outnumber Old Towne’s iconic antique shop environment.
There are more than 1,000 vintage buildings in the Plaza, according to Preserve Orange County. In them are old-timey stores with various trinkets, pastel century old homes, and a variety of small businesses – either generationally passed down or owned
[are] a draw for a lot of people. You get a lot of things in a small area so it’s nice to come and do all of that,” said Allison.
that’s the orange charm
by young entrepreneurs. Eateries such as 1886 Brewing Company, the recently opened Play Coffee, and even Starbucks, have all moved into vintage buildings – and have paid homage to its location’s roots. 1886 received its name from the year its building was built, Play Coffee kept the original architecture of its previous inhabitants – the second oldest bank building in Orange County, and Starbucks lives in the previous Orange Daily News building – where its logo still lingers under the franchise’s sign. That’s the Orange charm. “It’s fun to walk around,” said Gwendolyn Allison, a film production major originally from Illinois. The ‘small town vibe’ is what connected Allison to the area, especially since she comes from a similar small hometown. “The cafes and restaurants and the antiques
(From top: A family eats ice-cream together, friends Gwendolyn Allison and Lisa Wong having fun in the Plaza) Photos by Lisa Wong and Emma Wu
Mike Escobedo is the founder of the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review – which primarily focuses on highlighting Plaza happenings and its businesses. He recalls just a few decades ago when Chapman was small and unknown – just like Old Towne. “I would feel bad if I was a student here because you never saw students,” said Escobedo. “You never saw people. It just [seemed] so desolate,” he said. But eventually, Chapman grew. Old Towne grew with it.
restaurants more than I ever have in my life,” said Slater. “Just because there’s definitely more to do down there and more things to attract me,” he said. Paul Del Mundo, who co-founded Contra Coffee with his wife Julie, says that their location offers an interesting vantage point when it comes to observing how the Plaza has changed since they opened in 2018. “The one thing that we’re pretty fortunate to be in, position wise, is that we’re like one block away from all of it,” said Del Mundo. Del Mundo says that Wells Fargo’s conversion into Play Coffee is a major indication of the Plaza’s growth. “If a commercial bank, like a national, worldwide known bank, was willing to close a branch in a historic district, yeah. Tough times,” said Del Mundo.
Contra Coffee and Tea co-founder Paul Del Mundo with employee Yuichi Yoshida. Photos by Lisa Wong
Over the past few decades, the restaurant
scene took off, with older places such as Rutabegorz, newer restaurants such as O Sea, and cafes like Contra Coffee establishing Old Towne as a unique downtown area. Slater didn’t hang around the Plaza much when he was younger. But now? “I go to the Circle often just to check out the
Del Mundo says that the Plaza really started to see a shift after the pandemic. “I think it’s the bounce back from college… with all the community coming back, in person and on campus,” said Del Mundo. “Plus, bringing that youthful energy,” he said. That youthful energy is only continuing to surge, and businesses are aware of that. Sarah Hart, a sophomore from Orange County, says that a lot of the smaller shops she used to frequent have now converted to other businesses. “The ramen places weren’t there, a lot of the coffee places weren’t there, Philz wasn’t there,” said Hart.
Hart agrees that Chapman had a great impact on the Plaza’s evolution. “When I was younger [the Plaza] was just for people in the area coming to do things. I feel like it was just a lot of residents and families and less trendy young people,” said Hart. A majority of new businesses are self-starters and locally owned, according to Escobedo. They’re taking advantage of the Plaza’s proximity to a viable market, being the Chapman community. The influx of new businesses is not necessarily a threat to the small town feel of Old Towne, especially since they aren’t major corporate chains or restaurants, says Escobedo. “It’s a nice boiling pot for young entrepreneurs who are just starting to grow businesses,” said Escobedo. Del Mundo is one of those entrepreneurs. When Contra first started, he and Julie often felt like outsiders, and not just because they were a block away from the Plaza. They were one of the few young business owners who didn’t inherit a storefront or building.
Now, I see younger business owners and I’m like ‘Sick. Alright, cool. I just hope you’re nice’,” he said. Megan Penn, the co-founder of Orange Home Grown, has been a lifelong Orange resident. She says that this growth was a gradual process. The Plaza scene today is far different from what it was when she was growing up. “We’d get hot choco, watch the fountain and the cars go ‘round – because everything was closed by 6p.m,” said Penn. “It’s nice to see it alive…people coming to shop on Saturdays and getting food – it wasn’t like that growing up,” she said. Today, students and their families come in from everywhere. They fall in love with the Orange charm and tell their friends, who’d in turn pay a visit to Old Towne. Lifelong residents like Penn, Slater, and Escobedo say that although the small town feel has changed, it’s okay.
“It’s not just our little secret anymore,” said Escobedo. “It’s just a part of the evolution of But now, Del Mundo is seeing more and more community,” he said. young entrepreneurs. “I’ve kind of aged with the city as well. So I’m Although Old Towne’s historic feel is shiftin this very interesting, middle position of ing and the business makeup continues to being like, ‘I rechange, a majority of residents think this member the good evolution is generally positive. old days.’ [But] “I am a firm believer in supply and demand wait, that wasn’t and free markets. [The] free market is slowly that long ago,” said Del Munchanging the downtown into something different,” said Slater. do. “I don’t feel like I’m just the Old Towne needs to adapt to the population it youngest business owner here. attracts, according to Slater. That population, of course, is primarily the Chapman community.
The business makeup of Old Towne, a majority of which are eateries. Graphic by Lisa Wong
At Chapman
Juggling Campus Life with Animal Companions By Carissa Nelson
T
aking care of yourself in college is hard enough. Throw in the responsibility of another living thing, and it seems nearly impossible. Despite this, some students simply just have to own a pet.
A Washington State University study found that 70% of first-year college students suffer from pet separation anxiety when leaving home. In another study by Beyond the Treat surveying four U.S. universities, 90% of students said that owning a pet helped them feel less anxious and stressed.
In Soleil Perrin’s case, it’s a dog. “To be able to come home and be greeted by this little thing that loves you so much and sees you as their whole entire world, it’s so rewarding,” said Chapman senior Perrin, who lives off-campus with her mixed-breed pup.
This all seems to apply to Chapman student pet owners too. Whether it be reptiles, hamsters, cats, or dogs, pets can invoke a sense of familiarity and comfort for students away from home and their childhood pets.
n
Chapman psychology professor Ashley Weller believes that replacing a missed pet isn’t always healthy.
“This may cause a rebound sadness.” - Weller
“The new pet will bring with it challenges and not be a fulfilling replacement for home or family they may be missing,” said Weller Still, students feel that owning a pet in college is worth it and adds meaning to their lives. “It makes you less lonely and gives you something to take care of other than yourself - like a bigger purpose,” said Perrin. So what do students’ pet lives look like on and off campus? For students living on campus, Chapman does not permit pets unless accommodation requests for emotional support animals (ESA) are approved. Still, there have been occurrences where students sneak pets into their on-campus living situations.
You would assume this isn’t an easy feat to house an unpermitted pet in such close quarters. But Assistant Dean of Students Juan Tinoco admits that there haven’t been any cases of catching prohibited pets. “Part of that is because the ESA process is simple. We are very flexible as far as getting approved for ESA so I think people are very aware of our process. Typically if we have the letter, it’s almost an automatic approval,” he said. Tinoco explains that the reasoning behind the no-pets policy is to make sure the animals are properly being taken care of, mitigate the presence of pests, and prioritize the health and safety of all students. “Sometimes students’ schedules don’t provide them with the flexibility or the time to really take care of an animal,” said Tinoco.
“It makes my social life better because people often want to come over and play with him which is lit,” said a sophomore hamster mom who will remain anonymous due to her prohibited pet housing situation in Chapman Grand.
Rumpert the hamster. Photo courtesy of anonymous student
“Imagine a student who has nine, ten hour days being away from the animal. It can be stressful for the animal.” - Tinoco As uncommon as having a pet tortoise is, Taylor has found solace in having Gunther as a pet and a member of her family. Off-campus, many students own pets, from stereotypical cats and dogs to unconventional reptiles. Even those commuting from their childhood home maintain a close bond with their pet and have the responsibility of caring for them. Gunther the desert tortoise lives in the backyard of senior Erika Taylor’s family home. Living outdoors and spending the winter in brumation (a form of hibernation for reptiles), Gunther serves as a low-maintenance pet for a college student lifestyle. “Tortoises overall are not big social animals,” said Taylor, “They’re friendly but are pretty content with living lives of solitude.”
“Even with all the changes my life has had over the past several years, he’s been one of the few constants I’ve known,” she said. More often, cats and dogs are the chosen pet route for students, especially for those missing their pets at home. “I’ve been missing having a dog,” said Perrin who grew up with two dogs. She had initially turned to fostering dogs before finally deciding to adopt her own. Senior Gracie Kouns almost brought her dog from home with her to college but decided against it because of her dog’s old age and potentially stressful transition. Instead, Kouns adopted her dog, Sadie. “I felt the void of not having a pet with me in college,” said Kouns, “She makes me feel like I always have a friend nearby.”
“No pun intended but having Olivia Halton, a senior at Chapman, has owned her cat Kitty for the past two years a pet tortoise has allowed and can’t imagine life without her. She me to slow down and focus believes Kitty has positively impacted her on being in the moment.” overall well-being. - Taylor
“Having a pet is a very grounding experience,” she said, “It has definitely taught me responsibility because, in the back of my mind, I know I’m taking care of a pet, and I take that very seriously.” Pet ownership can serve as a protective factor against mental health issues in college students, according to Weller. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research revealed that pet owners, in general, had lower levels of depression and anxiety compared to non pet owners. But with all the perks of having a pet in college, there comes significant responsibility.
“We are in a stage of our life that involves a lot of movement and change.” - Kouns Perrin had to shift her lifestyle for her dog Mike, quitting her retail job to pick up a remote job to spend more time with her pet. “I make it a priority to work and make money when I’m not in class so I can afford his food and his vet bills and collars and leashes and toys,” said Perrin. “I didn’t really anticipate how much time it would take,” she added.
Erika Taylor’s pet, Gunther the tortoise. Photo courtesy of Taylor
Tortoises and dogs may not have much in common, but Taylor has the same outlook on the extensive care needed for pets. “Even with a low-maintenance pet like Gunther, there is still an added time and money expense that I think a lot of people might not take into consideration when getting a pet,” said Taylor. Some may argue that pets may be a cause for roommate tension, but Perrin disagrees. Living in a house with six roommates, Perrin is grateful for her huge support system and believes it’s crucial to balancing pet care as a student. “I’m really lucky that all my roommates love Mike. We all take care of him,” she said.
“If you don’t have roommates, room, or time for them I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s a huge commitment.”
always someone there to watch her,” said Halton. “To just have a situation where my roommates are onboard with me having a pet and for them to love her as their own is very special to me,” she added. Pets have been proven again and again to bring joy and satisfaction, filling a hole in the lives of students who may have felt homesick or unhappy. According to Weller, having a pet provides a built-in companion, a source of stress relief, and even a workout partner. “They can serve as a healthy replacement for negative patterns like staying out late, not exercising, or depression,” she said, “They require, by nature, you get up and get moving, if for nothing else than to get outside for the bathroom.”
- Perrin Halton shares the same mindset that having a pet in college requires extra hands. “Living with four other roommates, if I need to go away for the night, there’s
O
Olivia Halton and Kitty, Soleil Perrin and Mike (bottom), and Gracie Kouns and Sadie (middle). Photos courtesy of owners
Are Sports Classes
Worth the Sweat? By Marjorie Stemmler
Photo by Gil Bothwell
From elementary days through high school, students are forced to do P.E. classes. Many in the later years dreaded that they were forced to run the mile at least once a week. But not Chloe Wong, now a Chapman junior.
Chloe Wong preparing for a bump in her volletball class. Photo by Gil Bothwell
She loved it. Wong, a public relation and advertising major, enjoyed the physical activity so much, she decided she needed to keep it going. Through sports classes at Chapman. Wong has taken a total of six sports classes, one almost every single semester, including interterm. Wong’s drug of choice? Volleyball. “I just do it to play with my friends,” said Wong, “It’s for fun.” Chapman makes sure students like Wong have physical fitness available to them even if they’re not on the official teams. From volleyball to tennis to even bowling, Chapman offers an hour class that meets two days a week for half a credit of fun. But why are these classes becoming so popular? And is it really worth the time instead of hitting the gym? Wong says it’s the best choice she’s made at Chapman. Being a student athlete back in high school, Wong missed the feeling of the bump, set, and spike. She noticed the option for volleyball back in Interterm of her freshman year and decided to take the leap.
“It’s a fun way to get back into the sport, it takes out all the stress,”- Chloe Wong
Sports classes have been around even before Mary Cahill, the volleyball class teacher who is also the women’s volleyball coach, who is in her 33rd year. But the sports classes haven’t always been the same. Similar to high school, in its earliest days Chapman required that students take at least four sports classes, amounting to a whole two credits. It’s no longer required, but the sports classes remain popular. For the 2023 catalog, Chapman offers sixteen different physical activity classes. But, not only does Chapman have a variety of sports classes, but also a variety of levels. Students can choose between the beginner, intermediate, and advanced class for whatever sport they so choose. For a student like Summer Motell, a junior public relations and advertising major, she knew advanced was the way to go. “I took tennis in high school so I decided on the advanced class,” said Motell, “But I didn’t realize most of the students in the class would be from the tennis team.” With beginner and intermediate classes, they tend to go over the basics and fundamentals of a sport. Wong said she likes to take this kind of class because it has warmups, more teaching, and an overall structure to the class. Because of the lack of structure, Motell’s class started with ten students, and nowadays only has around four students showing up.
Volleyball teacher Mary Cahill telling her students where they’ll be playing for the day. Photo by Gil Bothwell
Motell doesn’t regret her choice to be in the class, though. Like Wong, she was also a student athlete in high school and loves tennis. “It’s good for people who did that sport in the past but don’t want the competitive stress of being on a team,” said Motell.
Mia Lee, a sophomore chemistry m exercise from the gym.
“I get to make my own schedule at t does see the fun in sports classes, L busy schedule, so she uses the gym
This brings up another issue with th But, while the sports classes seem to only have positives, some students still don’t get the hype.
Every sports class Chapman offers o leads to students like Lee with a hea nor the time to fit any sports classes
This is where students like Sydney S benefits.
Scott had a jam packed schedule he now that she doesn’t have as many c her “yogalates” class into her sched
“If I were taking more classes, I don es,” Scott said.
Students like freshman undeclared hopes to one day be in a sports clas ule for his first semester at Chapma
“I definitely would like to take a spo volleyball in high school, but none o already full,” Namimatsu said.
Cahill said her volleyball classes fill all levels. Which doesn’t surprise he
“They just get to play, but it’s still co them played sports in high school b the volleyball team.” The class is also less commitment. Summer Motell having fun at her tennis class. Photo by Gil Bothwell
Tyler Lee laughing with friends in his volleyball class. Photo by Gil Bothwell
major, would much rather get her
the gym,” Lee said. While she Lee doesn’t have the time in her m to choose her workout time.
he sports classes: the credits.
only 0.5 credits per class. This avy major not having the space s in, even if she wants to.
Scott, a senior English major,
er first few years of college, and classes to take, she can easily fit dule.
n’t think I’d take the sports class-
major Zachary Namimatsu have ss, but because of his busy schedan, he just doesn’t have the time.
orts class because I really liked of the times worked out, it was
Tyler Lee, a freshman business major, points this out as his reason for wanting to join the class.
led up almost every semester. At er.
“I played volleyball in high school, and the class is only 50 minutes so not much of a time commitment,” Lee said.
ompetitive,” Cahill said. “A lot of but aren’t good enough to make
But, even if you haven’t played, Lee and many other students think everyone should give it a try. “I’d highly recommend it,” says Lee, “it’s really fun. And whatever level you are, you can be in it, so even if you’re bad you can still learn how to play the game.”
¿Hasta la... visa? International students struggle to stay in the United States post-grad By Tatum Foulger Not sure what any of that means? The question “Will you now or in the future Imagine having to navigate the process solo. require sponsorship to work in the US?” All while balancing a full course load, a job, lights up the screen. and social life. Chapman alumna Katherine Fontan, who is Welcome to the life of an international stufrom Brazil, sighs and clicks “yes.” dent in the final semester of their senior year. “It almost feels like you’re instantly rejected because companies aren’t willing to go through the process,” she said. The number of international students at American colleges has increased by 12% since campuses reopened post-pandemic, according to a report sponsored by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Afairs. At Chapman, there are currently 447. But, it is still just as hard to secure a work visa. Here’s what the process entails: - Finding a sponsor (employer) - Filing a Labor Condition Application - Obtaining a Prevailing Wage - Submitting Form ETA-9035
To sponsor an immigrant, an employer must prove to the federal government that they could not find an American citizen or permanent resident to fill the position. That ans documenting the requirements and advertising the position to prove that no acceptable citizen applicants are available. That’s a big burden for employers to hold. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that most opt out. And international student advisor Pavis Ortega says Chapman is limited in the ways it can help.
“As an institution, we are unable to assist students to gain other immigration statuses.” - Pavis Ortega.
This year, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services received 780,884 registrations for an H-1B visa, yet less than a quarter were selected. Photo by Foulger
Senior David Murillo Galiano, a dual citizen of Spain and Chile, says his experiences with the school’s International Student Services (ISS) office and the support he received was “very impersonal.”
Ding Ding Ding.
“I talked with ISS, and they were not very helpful. I was asking them a bunch of questions, and they were just very general,” the film production major said.
In March of 2021, before graduating with a business finance degree, Fontan found out she had not been selected for an H1-B visa, a nonimmigrant work visa that operates on a lottery basis, meaning there was nothing she or Chapman could do.
So, are international students supposed to figure it out on their own?
Aren’t feeling lucky in the immigration roulette? Some Chapman international students have been in the same boat.
She was left with two options: pursuing a Master’s degree or returning to Brazil.
“When you think about it, I wasn’t getting my master’s because I wanted to, so it just didn’t make sense to me. I thought it would be best to come back to Brazil and find a company that I enjoyed working at without the barrier of needing sponsorship.” - Katherine Fontan Issues obtaining a visa are more common than students may think. However, Murillo Galiano is still hopeful about his chances. “I got in touch with an [immigration] lawyer. We have a plan moving forward, and I do remain optimistic,” he said.
Fontan says moving back to Brazil was the best de process again to live and work in the U.S. Photo co
ecision for her but is open to going through the ourtesy of Fontan
But senior psychology major Steven Kyprianou has questioned whether to stay in the United States or return to his native Cyprus. “If I find anything good after I graduate that will have a smooth work visa process, then [I will stay]. If not, then I won’t even attempt it,” said Kyprianou. There are no guarantees. It’s frustrating and a lot of work. All for the very real possibility your application is rejected. Fontan hasn’t ruled out trying again in the future. But for now, she’s happy in Brazil. “People don’t understand how stressful it is to have your whole life’s existence be based on whether or not a country accepts you. It takes a mental toll,” she said. Chapman loves its international students. But if you want to stay after graduation: you’re on your own, kid.
Business is
Booming Argyros Grows From School To College By Brian Guevara
M
ost would agree that Dodge College is Chapman University’s shiniest light. It’s annually ranked among the top five film schools in the country. Just don’t tell that to business students. They have their own bragging rights. In fact, the business school — officially this year the Argyros College of Business and Economics, has been booming so much it has even more students than Dodge. “It used to be super tiny,” said accounting alumni Matt Luna. “But now, even my coworkers are talking about how big it’s getting.” It became Chapman’s seventh college in September. On top of this, the college’s MBA is ranked #60 in the country, which is leaps and bounds higher than it was even two years ago. Like, it wasn’t even in the top 100 back in 2016. Now, of all the undergraduates enrolled at Chapman, 25% of them are in the Argyros College of Business and Economics according to the Institutional Research and Decision Support Census. That’s right. One out of every four students you see on campus is studying business for their major.
Beckman Hall has been home to the Business College since it was constructed in 1998. Since then, it has become the most populous college in the University. Photo by Gil Bothwell
Of course, it must be taken into account that business is the most popular major in the country. But, that makes it all the more impressive that Chapman is rising the ranks so quickly in such a populated major.
Graphic courtesy of Institutional Research and Decision Support Census
But wait. How did it become a college in the first place? What constitutes a promotion of that caliber to occur? Is it all semantics? Or is there a clear set of criteria that is needed to qualify to be a college? The Dean of the Business School, Henrik Cronqvist, explained it this way: “It can be a natural progression for a school that is performing very well, such as the Argyros School, to become a college, with specialized schools under that umbrella.” The “specialized schools” Cronqvist mentioned were in reference to the new school that opened under the Argyros College, the Burra School of Accounting and Finance. The opening of Burra, along with all new funding from the family of wealthy alum George Argyros, helped prompt Chapman to upgrade Argyros into a college. Its upgrade from school to college stems from many reasons. But it was helped along by the Argyros family’s recent $10 million donation. But it hasn’t always been this way. There was a time when the foundations were all there, but the size wasn’t there to show for it.
Luna, who graduated in 2021, can attest to that, and can recall a time when this was the case. “It was tiny. My coworker went there and at the time there were like three professors in the major,” he said. The growth of the college overall has been a gradual but consistent process, driven by donations and a skillful lineage of deans. All of them can point to successes under their helm.
Luna wearing his Argyros graduation sash in 2021. Photo courtesy of Luna
interview rooms and bringing students closer to high-end firms around the country. When asked about the success that occurred during his tenure and after, he stated that “one of the most important stories for the Argyros College has been the ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ story.” He explained that the general growth It was under Kraft that the Janes of Chapman is what pushed the Financial Center was made. (That college forward. Just as a tide lifts place when you walk up the second all boats at the same time, the tide floor with the stock prices and TV of Chapman’s general successes on the news.) This has become a has lifted all its subdivisions, staple part of Beckman Hall, and including Argyros. has the latest in programs to show the latest updates on stock prices And it was Turk that created the and every movement that goes on Real Estate MS, one of the most at Wall Street. popular programs in the college. From 2006 to the present day, Argyros has had four deans: Arthur Kraft, Reggie Gilyard, Tom Turk, and the current dean, Henrik Cronqvist. Each of them contributed significantly to the success of business education at Chapman.
Gilyard brought career advising to Argyros, creating facilities like
Turk didn’t hesitate to give credit to all those around him, stating that
The Argyros College of Business and Economics was ranked 81st in 2017. It has grown to #60 nationally, and it looking to become even higher ranked next year. Photo by Brian Guevara
the school has been on a “30-year winning streak” that earned itself all the rewards that came during his tenure. Cronqvist, now in his second year as dean, is already leaving his imprint on the college with the creation of the Business of Entertainment minor. Economics major Mattias Cochard, class of 2021, expressed his gratitude for the then-school, citing its faculty and career advising program as a positive for him. “They genuinely give you everything you need to succeed,” said Cochard. “ It’s up to you as a student to take advantage
but they leave you in the best possible position to win.” It isn’t only alumni that are happy with what they’re seeing from the college. It also caught the attention of freshmen who see the school as a strong and successful part of the business world. Freshman business major Jack Currier said that Chapman caught his eye very early on in his application process, enough to convince him to attend. Since then it’s done nothing but impress him more. “In my short time here I’ve been amazed
at the stuff they have to offer, especially in the career development center.” Another business student that is excited to put her degree to use is senior Carissa Nelson.
the #60 ranking in the nation, a rank that has continued to rise in the last decade and doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon. Dean Cronqvist is determined to make that the case.
“I’ve been thinking of how to use my degree… I feel very confident that this degree One of Cronqvist’s biggest priorities is to create ties between Argyros and Dodge. is going to help take me to jobs that I can This is why he created the business enexcel in,” she said. tertainment minor, to start creating the The work of all of these deans and support- bridge that will only get stronger with time. ing faculty, as well as the performance of students in the college and alumni in the real world, draw the attention of both new “Companies like Netflix, and consistent donors, the largest of which Spotify or Disney need a lot is the Argyros family. of business minded people
as well, and we want to be a part of training them with the right skills,” he said. “Like any good business, we have to find our core strengths and work on that.”
The $10 million donation by the Argyros family is just the latest in a nearly 50-year string of contributions by George Argyros and his family. George, a Chapman Alum, was the longest-serving member of the Board of Trustees, starting in 1976 and - Dean Henrik Cronqvist ending in 2001. Throughout that time he helped oversee the establishment of Chapman’s golden goose, Dodge College, as well Dodge is that core strength Cronqvist has as other programs. His wife, Julianne Argy- in mind. ros, also has her name on other buildings in the University, such as the fitness center. The college’s sights are now set on increasing its ranking, which is part of a The budding business school was named after George in 1999, and it has grown due larger strategic plan set by President Daniele Struppa. The ultimate goal? to his contributions since.
The combination of everything mentioned That the public thinks of Chapman having so far - the donations, the deans, the facul- two crown jewels: film and business. ty, and the students - has driven Argyros to
Breaking Stereotypes and Building Bridges
Greek life at Chapman continues to grow with more diversity. By Emily Cho
Three board members of the new Multicultural Latinx sorority pose with their Greek life jackets, holding up signs representing their chapter. Photo courtesy of Cintya Felix
Sophomore Cintya Felix, whose home is Tijuana, Mexico, has always dismissed Chapman’s Greek life. But now she’s vice president of Omega Phi Beta, Chapman’s newest and first multicultural, Latinx sorority. “I did not want to become a stereotype, nor did I want to spend my time doing something I didn’t feel passionate about,” said Felix.
The stereotype is linked to the long history of Greek life: White, conservative, Republican, close-mindedness, with a history of hazing. Several colleges nationwide have been cracking down on sororities and fraternities that are still caught up in past Greek life misdeeds. However, Chapman’s Greek life has been undergoing changes to make it more reflective of the student population’s increasing diversity.
Chapman students say those changes have been long needed. Greek life is a big part of university. More than one-third of the student population belongs to its 10 sororities and 9 fraternities. According to Chapman’s Greek life graduate assistant Sarah Johnson, at the start of COVID, Chapman’s Greek numbers instantly dropped, losing a couple hundred members.
Graduate Assistant for Greek life Sarah Johnson. Photo courtesy of Chapman University
“I had seen it coming, which definitely impacted registration numbers. But I do think that different communities are finally bouncing back and are reshaping the way they work in the wake of COVID,” said Johnson. Senior Delta Delta Delta member, Claire Annino, rushed online and still saw the big decline in fraternities and sororities at the time.
Senior engineer student Kirt Simmons, who is not in Greek life, worries that not enough changes are taking place from longheld stereotypes.
Claire Annino (top) finds out Natalie Cartwright (bottom) is her new big on reveal day. Photo Courtesy of Claire Annino
“They will just grow to be a lot more secretive about their processes over time since more and more schools begin to crack down and remove them,” said Simmons. Chapman recognizes that opinion is out there.
“Chapman does struggle with some of the typical issues associated with Greek life,” Johnson said. “We’re always talking about how we can integrate members in different chapters and create that cohesiveness.”
“I think people are still adjusting to it in every sense, and Chapman’s Greek life is no exception. I do think that it’s starting to grow again, now that people are coming in with an entirely in-person college experience,” said Annino.
Felix from the new sorority believes it’s up to the students to make those changes.
While Chapman’s Greek life is growing, some people still have concerns about hazing, discrimination, and sexual harassment that it is known to have.
Although she is a part of a traditional sorority, junior Alpha Chi Omega member Cassidy Cho notices what chapters are doing in order to grow past the negative stereotypes around Chapman’s Greek life.
“It’s time to have some student-led initiatives to educate one another,” she said.
“We are one of the first chapters to have a DEI position as part of our exec team. There is an emphasis on inclusion and absolutely no room for negativity,” said Cho.
Junior psych student Giovanna Hamed also decided against rushing due to this reason, but also believes joining Chapman Greek life just isn’t worth it.
“I almost rushed but decided against it due to the costs and the Adding to realization that I this, Tanner Beta Theta Phi table in Attallah Piazza for Veteran’s Day, with Tanner can make friends Pierce of Beta Pierce (second to the left) shaking hands with another fellow member. Photo without needing courtesy of Tanner Pierce Theta Phi a sorority,” said emphasizes that philanthropy is a big part of Hamed. Greek life. Despite these reasons, students found ben“It isn’t just partying and having a fun time,” efits to joining a chapter, like sophomore said Pierce. “We stand to serve a bigger purAlpha Epsilon Pi member Zach Lipfield who pose by supporting the community around joined a fraternity in order to connect with us and the school as a whole through giving people with a similar identity to him. back.” “I’m Jewish and API is a Jewish fraternity, and Some students also decided not to rush beI thought it’d be good for me to connect to cause of the large dues you have to pay, like other people that are Jewish,” said Lipfield. junior Nana Nakano, who rushed a professional fraternity instead. While Chapman’s Greek life chapters are changing their ways for the better, new soror“I didn’t think that it was worth spending ities are being added to campus in order to over $600 a semester for it. If it was cheaper reach a wider audience. or if the dues were the same then I probably would’ve joined a social sorority over a proContinuing their commitment in diversity, fessional fraternity,” said Nakano. equity and inclusion, Chapman’s 5 year plan is to have their student body be at least 25% Hispanic/Latinx.
That led to Felix’s sorority joining campus this year.
knowing anything about Chapman’s Greek life, the chapters on campus, or what any of it entails, and I think having that detailed information could potentially increase interest,” said Annino. Many students now face the question, do they want to rush, like freshman broadcast journalism and documentary student Sarah Hildebrand.
Omega Phi Beta Vice President Cintya Felix. Photo courtesy of Cintya Felix
Aizzy Portillo, senior historian and programming chair of the new sorority, sees this as Chapman really wanting to become a Hispanic-serving institution, and opening doors for more organizations to come.
“I am going to rush in the spring semester,” said Hildebrand. “Making close friends has been a struggle and to be around like-minded women I think will really help me find my group.”
“Being the first multicultural Greek organization at Chapman has been groundbreaking because this is a result of the university starting to accept change,” said Portillo. OPBSI’s philanthropy is “Raising Awareness of Violence Against Women.” The organization welcomes women from diverse ethnic and gender identities. They are also an LGBTQ+ welcoming organization, meaning they are transgender-inclusive. Trejo believes the new sorority and this move toward more multiculturalism will now make Greek life more appealing to many who had not considered it before. “I know that was the case for myself,” Trejo said. “Many people go through recruitment not
In order, Aizzy Portillo, Cintya Felix, and Natalia Trejo stand with their advisor, Athina Cuevas. Photo Courtesy of Cintya Felix
PT
HYSICAL HERAPY, NOT JUST PHYSICAL
By Jamilyn Moreau
Virtual Reality En Medical Rea
Silver motion capture balls are placed on specific body parts of th stroke participant for an experiment as part of the Department Physical Therapy. Photo courtesy of Samantha Jeffcoat.
nters the alm
he of
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Department of Physical Therapy, Class of 2025, at the campus center at Rinker. Photo courtesy of Sarah Andreshak.
s senior Adrian Aragon helps the stroke participant get strapped in a safety harness, he places six silver motion capture balls all over the participant’s body.
40 students at any given time, it has an annual graduation rate just shy of 100%. Students get hands-on experience working with people who have Parkinson’s disease, stroke and neurological disabilities. That experience helps them get jobs in that field after they leave Chapman.
“It’s very futuristic. It’s like a 3D model of the person’s lower half,” said the applied One of its most successful programs: physiology major, who works with the Stroke Boot Camp. doctoral program. Students provide stroke survivors an Encircled by a 180-degree virtual reality intense exercise program spanning two video game, every move the participant weeks. Professor Allison McKenzie demakes will be displayed in real-time on scribed it as a training ground before the screen. the students go out in their first full-time clinical rotation. All of this is part of Chapman’s doctoral Physical Therapy program at the Rink“Stroke survivors are often looking for er campus in Irvine. It may not be well this kind of thing, and at the same time, known to Chapman students, but it’s the it’s a great opportunity for our students longest-running physical therapy proto practice their skills with real people,” gram in the United States. With some said McKenzie.
Doctoral student Michael Lian said he loves taking part in the Boot Camp so much that he’s worked it three times now. However, he was nervous at first. “That’s our first actual experience working with participants over the course of eight hours. So it was terrifying,” said Lian. Randy Hamm has become a familiar face at Chapman, where he receives free rehabilitation. Hamm suffered a stroke at the age of 35 after being hit while riding his bicycle in Newport Beach. “They get an education by Stroke Boot Camp 2023 graduation photo of Randy studying me,” said the wheelchaired Hamm and students, from left, Jacob Chung, Hennaly volunteer with a laugh. Patel, and Olivia Hing, who worked with Hamm for two weeks. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Morales. Lian described Hamm as a champiWhat I learn from the students and what on campus doer, who returns to the they learn from me is humungous.” Boot Camp yearly. “To a certain degree, you could say that he almost has more experience with physical therapy than most of the students do,” said Lian.
The hands-on experience prepares students for a career in the field. The program has had a successful employment rate for students post-graduation, averaging 96%.
But, it’s not just a learning experience for the students, Hamm said:
“With this degree, you have pretty good job security. If you wanted to, you could really work right out of school,” said Lian.
“I love it. They do such amazing work there.
Doctoral student Sarah Andreshak was paired up with a young stroke participant in her twenties who could not walk without a cane. The goal was to get her walking on her own by the end of the two-week camp. “She was really hesitant at first during assessments and was only able to walk three steps,” said Andreshak, “But by the end of the two weeks, she walked 20 meters without her cane.”
Sarah Andreshak, on the left in the orange, had her stroke participant use the antigravity treadmill, which puts less stress on the joints by ‘unweighting’ the user. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Morales.
Randy Hamm working with physical therapy students at the Stroke Boot Camp in November 2023. From left: Students Jacob Chung, Hennaly Patel, and Olivia Hing, with participant Randy Hamm. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Morales.
“SHE WAS ABLE TO OPEN UP AND HAVE US LIKE A FRIEND” -ANDRESHAK Andreshak said it was eye-opening to be helping someone so young: “It was interesting to work with somebody your own age. She was able to open up and have us like a friend.” The bonds between volunteers and the physical therapy department are inevitable, according to both faculty and students. Program Professor Natalia Sanchez said that she has worked with very young stroke survivors, some of whom participate in her research studies at Chapman. Sanchez’s research assistant, Samantha Jeffcoat, said she can’t help but form these connections with the stroke participants. “They start telling you about their life and hobbies and it’s especially hard for them to relate to other people,” Jeffcoat said, “so they feel like they can open up to us.” Jeffcoat said one participant shared that she used to run cross-country before she had a stroke.
“For a study, we wanted her to walk fast, but then she just kept going. She was able to sprint for the first time since she had her stroke. So you definitely build relationships with these people,” said Jeffcoat, “she was so excited.” McKenzie and Sanchez both emphasize that it takes an entire village to be able to do the work that they do.
“It’s busy and it’s a lot going on. But we feel like it’s a great service for the community and for our students,” said McKenzie.
Samantha Jeffcoat and a stroke participant playing a virtual video game for the entire body in the GAIT research lab. Photo courtesy of Jeffcoat. “It just stands out. And how trusting of Chapman the community feels. It’s just a very different dynamic.”
Andreshak said the physical therapy program at Chapman exceeded her expectations. Physical therapy doctoral students in the 2025 cohort. From left: Sarah Andreshak, Alejandra Fregoso, and Brooklynn Rawski. Photo courtesy of Andreshak.
To Drive or Not To Drive… students who have moved from Hawaii to California to stay connected to their hometown and find community with other Hawaii born and raised students on campus. However, the club’s approach has now shifted a bit this semester in response to the wildfires.
and academic stumbles.
Tornadoes are high up on that list.
For senior computer science major Kayla Anderson, her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri is well known for having tornadoes hit.
“(Pua’ikeana) has become a second “(My hometown) has suffered its fair share home for me, a home away from of tornadoes and each time it happens, it Some students but it cangetbe a struggle. home,” said Kalama. “We’redo, still fodoesn’t easier,” said Anderson. cused on building community, but By Kiana Kalahele now we come (to meetings) with a Throughout her life, Anderson has lived perspective of really through more tornawanting to help each does than she can count other, providing reon both hands. Luckily, sources, and allowing destruction from these each other time to talk, disasters has never regrieve, and reflect.” sulted in anything “too bad” for her and her The club hopes to family. continue serving as a safe space for “I’ve gotten used students as the recovery to coping with these efforts in disasters by now, but Pua’ikeana provides resources to help students Lahaina trudge on. sometimes I get worfrom Hawaii find comfort in being away from ried about that ‘What home. Photo courtesy of Lauren Kalama According to Kalama, if,’” said Anderson. it will take years for the historic town “What if something worse happens to my to rebuild itself anywhere close to family and I’m not back home? You just never what it once was. really know.” However, it doesn’t just stop with wild- According to Anderson, the most destructive fires. tornado in Missouri happened in Joplin in 2011, where 8,000 homes were damaged and Students at Chapman have 161 lives were lost. unfortunately faced other natural disasters that have resulted in mental “It’s scary to know it’s happened before and
Chapman senior Taylor Michel finally gets to drive home to her home in Fullerton past midnight, after a long day of classes and nightly dance practice. Photo by Kiana Kalahele
After a long day of back to back classes on top of nightly dance practice, Chapman senior Taylor Michel finally begins her roughly 30-minute drive home to Fullerton just past midnight.
having to miss out on nightly events and meetings that the university hosts.
However, she knows she’ll have to return just eight hours later for an 8:30 a.m. class.
The club was created to help commuter students build community with those that face the same difficulties in traveling from afar.
“Sometimes, I feel like just sleeping over on campus in order to not have to drive all the way back just a few hours later,” said Michel, a political science and strategic corporate and communication double major. According to Dean of Students Jerry Price, at least one out of five Chapman students still live at home. Which means a long drive, fighting for parking, and in many ways missing out on college experiences. You think it’s a long drive from Cerritos? Try Pasadena. During rush hour. Senior computer science major Alexa Zuch makes that almost hour-long drive to campus daily.
However, Chapman’s Commuter Club hopes to help.
“I’ve heard about (the club) and attended a few meetings, which did help me feel less alone,” said Angelique Acuna, a 2022 Chapman graduate and current faculty member at the Center for Global Education. “But, I stopped going pretty early on in freshman year once I joined other clubs on campus.” For other commuter students, they didn’t even know the club existed. “Even if I had known about it, I don’t think I would go just because it’s another thing I would have to wait around for once my classes end for the day,” said senior sophomore engineering major Kevin Oropeza.
Along with the unbearable traffic, Zuch also notes that family squabbles have affected her performance at school a bit.
Oropeza lives in Santa Ana and while his drive is only 15 minutes, it’s still a reason why he doesn’t like to stay on campus too late.
“Of course I love my family, but as anyone knows, living with family can be a lot at times and fights and arguments are bound to occur,” said Zuch.
“I normally don’t stay on campus past 7 p.m. or even earlier if I’m lucky,” he said. “I really only come to campus for class and nothing else. That’s all I really need.”
Other commuter student complaints range from parking, a lack of camaraderie, and
“I really only come to campus for class and nothing else. That’s all I really need.” - Kevin Oropeza
Oropeza does wish he could experience more events and social outings at Chapman, but because of how late many of them start, he doesn’t see their purpose. “There are a few events from the University Program Board (UPB) that I do think would be super cool to attend, but they all start so late, like past 9 p.m. or later,” said Oropeza.
Chapman housing. She noticed that the drive from her home in Cerritos was putting a damper on the on-campus events she could attend. “The commute to my home is around a half an hour, but if you add in traffic and everything, then you’re looking at more like an hour or so of driving,” said Velez. “It would deter me from going to events, especially since driving on the freeway at night can be scary.”
Unlike Oropeza, students who live closer to campus do take advantage of the events and outings that happen at night because of how accessible they are to them.
That’s when Velez knew it was time for a change.
Yet, this has not always been the case.
“It was stressful to move away from home and find a place to live in Orange, but I do think it’s been much more beneficial for both my gas tank and I,” said Velez.
Price explained how Chapman used to be more of a “commuter-friendly” school, but has changed over the past few decades.
This year, she was able to find housing at the K Residence with some friends, which is only a 10-minute walk from campus.
Zuch disagrees.
“Twenty years ago about 40% of Chapman students came from Orange County,” said Price. “Now, the current Chapman student body is much more geographically diverse.” Now about half live in campus housing. That will include the newest addition, Chapman Court, which is set to open in 2024. Others not living at home live on their own near campus. Junior broadcast journalism and documentary major Reese Velez is part of the majority that has taken advantage of
Finding prking remains a big issue for students commuting to Ch Jack Sundblad
After a long of back to money back classes on “Honestly, not day having to pay on Chapman having to miss out on nightly events and top of nightly dance Chapman sehousing or rent is morepractice, than enough of a reason to meetings that the university hosts. niorme Taylor Michel finally her it’s roughly make stay at home,” Zuchbegins said. “So, a win-win in 30-minute my book.” drive home to Fullerton just past However, Chapman’s Commuter Club hopes midnight. to help. According to RentCafe, the average rent for an apartHowever, she knows she’ll to return just ment in Orange is $2,550 per have month. The club was created to help commuter stueight hours later for an 8:30 a.m. class. dents build community with those that face And, Chapman’s on-campus housing is no cheaper. the same difficulties in traveling from afar. “Sometimes, I feel like just sleeping over on campus in order not havestudents to driveamount all the to “I’ve heard about (the club) and attended a Residence halls for to first-year way back just aand fewrates hours later,” said Michel, $11,645 per year for continuing students few meetings, which did help me feel less a political sciencetoand strategic corporate and alone,” said Angelique Acuna, a 2022 Chaprange from $11,645 $16,238 for single apartments. communication double major. man graduate and current faculty member Most students commuting far from home believe that at the Center for Global Education. “But, I to Dean Students Jerry Price,on athoustheAccording drive is worth it inoforder to save money stopped going pretty early on in freshman least one outand of five Chapman students still with ing, furniture, all the other costs associated year once I joined other clubs on campus.” live on at home. Which means a long drive, fightliving their own. ing for parking, and in many ways missing out For other commuter students, they didn’t A list of pros and cons of commuting to Chapman, on college experiences. Acuna is no stranger to this belief. even know thetoclub existed. according students. Graphic by Kiana Kalahele
You a long drive fromAcuna Cerritos? Try For herthink four it’s years at Chapman, commuted “EvenJust if Ilike hadAcuna, knownOropeza about it,hopes I don’tChapthink man this issue. And quick. Pasadena. During rush hour. from Long Beach daily. And now, she continues to do I would gocan justfix because it’s another thing I would have to wait around for once my so post-grad. “If end the school to buy sophoanother Senior computer science major Alexa Zuch classes for thecan day,”afford said senior building, then surely they makes that almost hour-long drive campus moreapartment engineering major Kevin Oropeza. “While the drive maytobother others, could pay to build another parking gadaily. it’s never really bothered me much,” rage,” said Oropeza. “It’s something we she said. “But, finding parking doesOropeza lives in Santa Ana and while his need.” Along with theget unbearable traffic, Zuch alsotime.”drivereally is only 15 minutes, it’s still a reason on my nerves a lot of the notes that family squabbles have affected her why he doesn’t like to stay on campus too performance at school a has bit. four parking garages,late. Along with parking, a lack of camaraChapman derie has also taken a toil on commutso it’s no surprise to commuters that ers. “Of course I love myall family, butare as anyone “I normally don’t stay on campus past 7 p.m. often of them full. knows, living with family can be a lot at times or even earlier if I’m lucky,” he said. “I really “Sometimes, school can be a bit deand fights and“There arguments are bound to occur,” are cars everywhere, at all only come to campus for class and nothing I don’t know many said Zuch. else. pressing That’s allsince I really need.” hours of the day,” said Acuna. “I’ll get people outside of the ones in my classto Chapman 20 minutes early to look es,” said Zuch. “But, that’s also on me Other commuter for student parkingcomplaints and still berange late to work. hapman. by a lack of camaraderie, and since I don’t make a big effort to try to fromPhoto parking, That shouldn’t be happening.”
From Pasadena to Santa Ana, Chapman students commute to school from all over Southern California. Gra Kiana Kalahele
get to know other people.” For students who live on campus however, it’s just easier to get involved. Velez can spend up to eight hours daily on campus because home is just a short walk. “I go to meetings, events, and all of those things to allow myself to meet new people,” said Velez.
Yet, this lack of camaraderie shouldn’t c rent to commuters. But instead, as enco
Price said commuters sometimes need t
“It’s important that they invest themselv to know their classmates and get involve clubs,” he said.
And, Acuna agrees. “I was able to make a few friends by joining a club or two, or studying on campus for a bit,” she said. “It’s up to you as a commuter on how involved you decide to be on campus.” While living at home for college does come with its struggles, commuter students strive to remain invigorated. “Even if I can’t attend every single thing on campus, I try not to let it get me down,” said Michel. “My college experience may be different from others, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
aphic by
come as a deterouragement.
to take initiative.
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Michel was able to find community and friendship on campus even while being a commuter student. Photo courtesy of the Floor 13 Instagram
Spiritual Harmony on Campus Can Fish Interfaith Center Accommodate All? By Carolyn Holt
Wide shot interior of Fish Interfaith Center. Courtesy of AC Martin Architecture.
I
Chapman’s goal of encouraging spirituality of all kinds is in the name, “Inter”-faith. The center encourages respectful learning and dialogue of different faiths. But how practical are these efforts: is it Interfaith enough to satisfy “There is no specific religious imag- everybody? ery,” said Interfaith’s Center Director of Church Relations, the Reverend Nan- The multi-faith chapel’s operation has cy Brink. “The space accommodates all everything to do with the denominations of the chaplains it houses. Chapman Uniwith grace.” versity has three full time religious chapn a single day at Chapman’s Fish Interfaith Center, Catholic mass is held, tenets of Islam are discussed, and Christians sing in worship, all within the same high-ceilinged walls.
lains: Brink, Director of Church Relations, Shaykh Jibreel Speight, Director of Muslim Life, and Rabbi Heidi Cohen, the Director of Jewish Life. “When Chapman was raising funds to raise some kind of chapel on this campus, they made a very conscious effort to make it interfaith,” said Brink.
“At a time when the world is gripped by so much violence, the building and sustaining of learning and dialogue across traditions has never been more important.” - Dr. Marilyn Harran
imaging of harmony without specific images.
But she recognizes that this is an ongoing A row of religious text displays line the main hall: including the Book of Mormon, process. the Torah, the Christian Bibles, the Quran, “Interfaith work is really an emerging field and a Sikh religious text. The building also in the last several decades. As the world hosts a conglomerate of art. becomes more pluralistic… there is a lot more living and working with people who The center’s showpiece, sculpture “Equinox Sunrise” which hangs in the chapel’s are very different than you.” main room, exemplifies religious harmoThe Fish Interfaith Center achieves this ny by featuring symbols to nod towards
Fish Interfaith’s Fashionables Courtyard. Photo courtesy of AC Martin Architecture.
different religions, such as a large star sig- Brink is ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), or Disciples, which is nifying the Star of David. a denomination of the Christian tradition At Fish, religious harmony takes center distinguished by values including inclusivity as well as freedom to interpret the stage. Bible. Chapman was originally founded in According to Religious Studies Professor 1861 as a Bible school of the Disciples of Marilyn Harran, “At a time when the world Christ. is gripped by so much violence, the building and sustaining of learning and dialogue “I believe there are across traditions has never been more immany paths to God, and portant.”
I would say, many paths to wholeness.”
“We are very fortunate at Chapman University to have an Interfaith Center with -Reverend Nancy Brink chaplains from different traditions who are deeply dedicated to fostering those conversations and furthering understand- “I believe there are many paths to God, ing and respect among people of different and I would say, many paths to wholeness. There are many ways to make the world traditions,” said Harran. better, and many ways to find peace,” said Brink. And the chaplains strive to achieve that. “I think a lot of people are turned off to C h r i s t i a n i t y,” said Brink, “because they’ve had bad experiences of people who meet them and try to recruit them… That there is some underlying reason for this relationship other than huRabbi Heidi Cohen. Photo courtesy of Cohen’s website, hanefeshoc. man to human.” org.
“I meet you where you are and you meet me where I am. And we talk about what’s of interest to us… even though I have my way, and I cling to it, I do not have to make anyone else like me,” said Brink. Cohen, one of the original members of the advisory committee during the center’s construction, is ordained through the Reform Movement of Judaism. This denomination is also distinguished by its progressiveness in its openness to interfaith relations. “Reform Judaism is very open to interfaith relations…It does not take away from your
religion; if anything, it helps build com- “It is naive to think that munity, and trust,” said Cohen. we all are to “I don’t necessarily have to believe in an- going other religion’s tenets. At the same time, agree on I can, though, learn about them, and re- anything. spect them, and have a mutual respect of We don’t. But we are each other’s religious practices.” also respectSpeight also vocalized his support for the ful of one and another’s perspeccenter’s premise. Shaykh Jibreel Speight. Photo courtesy of tives.” Fish Interfaith’s “We try to encourage spiritual health, spirFacebook page. itual education, and articulating whatever There are 17 spiritual and religion or spiritual background that you religious student groups at Chapman — 11 have, not only within the walls of Chap- Christian groups, two Jewish groups, and one Sikh group, and one Muslim group. man and beyond, said Speight. “[When] you graduate, if you’re ignorant about the role of spirituality and religion in a person’s life, or if a person is heedless to these things, then you haven’t really gotten the full experience [of being a global citizen],” said Speight. But he understands people’s concern that the center’s mission might be impractical.
“It is naive to think that we all are going to agree on anything. We don’t. But we are also respectful of one and another’s perspectives.” - Shaykh Jibreel Speight
Asiyah Speight, sophomore and president of the Muslim Student Association, believes that “Interfaith as a concept is a good way of seeing the world, but it somewhat [suggests] the idea that [different religious groups] are all…in favor of each other, and we are not.” Speight also said that people of different faith must “make the public who are not of faith understand that it is ok to agree or disagree with one another,” as long as you do not try to harm anyone “on the basis that my religion is different than yours.” Isabel Ronald, senior and president of the YoungLife, an Evangelical Christian organization on campus, quotes the book of Mark in her view of Interfaith
gether, and where spirituality flourishes. It helps make our students feel welcome and seen on campus.” But it doesn’t reach everybody. Hundreds of Chapman students, maybe thousands, never set foot in the place. Jillian Chang, 2023 Chapman graduate who served as the vice president of Acts Club her junior year, understands why. “The center seems to offer little resources to their students and I personally did not “ T h e feel welcomed or comfortable in a space Reverend Nancy Brink. Courtesy second of the that felt very performative.” of the Chabad Facebook page. Ten Commandments is this ‘love your neighbor as your- “As someone who used to go to interfaith meetings for religious club [leaders,] many self,’” said Ronald. meetings seemed more mechanical and “As a Christian organization, our only job events were planned only within the cenis to love those around us, regardless of ter rather than campus wide events,” said how we worship the higher power we be- Chang, feeling like she and other student lieve in, or our differences. It is really im- club leaders were “all kinda just clumped portant that every religion has somewhere together for monthly meetings.” on a college campus where they feel safe to worship, and interfaith chapels are the best place for that to occur.” Chabad, a non-denominational Jewish organization at Chapman, states their motto on website: “Where every Jew is family.” Chabad President Rachael Glieberman, junior, said that “Chabad loves that there is a safe space for some of our events and classes to be held on campus. It’s a place where we can learn together, celebrate to-
“The center seems to offer little resources to their students and I personally did not feel welcomed or comfortable in a space that felt very performative.” -Jillian Chang
During her senior year, 2022 graduate Cait- if a religious goes against our truth, we just lin Dinh attended weekly interfaith coun- had to sit there and smile at each other.” cil meetings with other club leaders at Fish The spiritual leaders’ “leading ends up beas president of Acts Club. coming watered down heavily,” said Dinh. “During that time I would be forced to lis- “Us people of faith want a space to freely ten about other faiths’ beliefs and practic- practice our beliefs but not want to do so in es. While I am open to learning, it should a place that pushes us to learn about other not have been forced onto me like it was… faiths instead.”
Chabad group photo. Courtesy of the Chabad Facebook page.
Brink believes in the center’s mission, but she does recognize that for some students it is a challenge. She believes that students who disagree with interfaith can still stand to learn something from the center. “Even if they leave chapman and do not agree with this interfaith concept,” said Brink, “I think the thing they will have
gained from building relationships here, is when they go out into the workforce [and encounter various religions], you may know how to navigate that with integrity and respect.”
Panther
PRIDE
Chapman looks to further support LGBTQ students By Gil Bothwell
A pride flag waves in front of Memorial Lawn. This year, Chapman is making changes to help LGBTQ students feel more welcome. Photo courtesy of Chapman University website.
For first-year grad student Amelia Jauregui, being able to express her sexuality has not always been easy.
of LQBTQ studies resigned, citing unfulfilled promises of full time faculty in that field. But things really are changing.
Especially as a woman attending undergraduate school in the South. But for Jauregui, being a part of Chapman’s Dodge College of Media Arts has given her a chance to be exactly who she wants to be. “I have been the most myself that I have ever been,” said Jauregui. For the rest of Chapman’s queer students, every story is unique. Less than a year ago, some students from the LGBTQ+ community were so upset about what they perceived as the university’s lack of support, the director
Grad student Amelia Jauregui at Dallas Pride 2023. Photo courtesy of Jauregui.
For one, Joshua Liashenko was hired as the new director of the LGBTQ studies minor as a full-time faculty member, starting this semester. But also, Chapman’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is looking to support these students in new ways. One big step that queer students are pleased with: Its recent hire of Kevin Nguyen-Stockbridge as the school’s first director of LGBTQ Pride and Achievement. Nguyen-Stockbridge, similar to Jauregui, grew up in the South which led to challenges expressing his sexuality. NguyenStockbridge later pursued a ph.d. in education at Chapman, where he felt accepted enough to express his sexuality with others for the first time. “Because of the professors that I had here and the welcoming environment and people that I met, I ended up coming out at Chapman and really coming into myself and thriving in my own queerness,” said Nguyen-Stockbridge. Starting in early June of this year, NguyenStockbridge’s main priorities have been connecting with and hearing the voices of LGBTQ students like senior Kiana Kalahele, president of the Queer and Trans People of Color Collective, which focuses on building friendships and helping queer students find community through social groups and bonding activities. It also collaborates with similar groups, like the Queer Student Alliance.
But it’s not all rosy yet. “I don’t think there is enough awareness related to LGBTQ events happening on campus,” said Kalahele. Senior Kiana Kalahele, president of the Queer and Trans People of Color Collective. Photo courtesy of Kalahele.
Nguyen-Stockbridge is devoted to changing that. “He’s amazing,” said Kalahele. “He has a lot of really good plans coming up. He wants to really help be that voice for the students.” But Nguyen-Stockbridge is just as impressed with students like Kalahele. “We have some amazing student leaders and amazing groups and a lot of growth… we have a beautiful queer community,” he said.
Kevin Nguyen-Stockbridg, Chapman's first director of LGBTQ Pride and Achievement. Photo courtesy of The Panther newspaper and Nguyen-Stockbridge.
Nguyen-Stockbridge wants to provide a more welcoming attitude for all students of diverse sexualities. “I think the little things are extending a warm hand and invitations to folks and staying in touch with each other.” For many current LGBTQ students, having a school that they are accepted and feel safe with their sexuality has been a big part of eventually choosing Chapman. Junior education major Landon Davies is no exception. “We obviously don’t want to go to a place that is super conservative and full of people that won’t accept us,” said Davies. Growing up in a small Catholic community in Washington, Davies found it hard to come out due to the stereotypes that didn’t represent his true identity.
“I didn’t want to be known as the only gay guy because the only other representation of gay people were people super unlike me,” said Davies. Finding a school in California that had values in acceptance and community attracted Davies to Chapman, where he still struggled at first to come out as gay. But finding campus communities like his acapella group Chaptones, whom many of its members are a part of the LGBTQ community, helped him to feel comfortable being his true self. “I just realized I could be my own unique person even if I did come out as gay because Chapman really showed me that the stereotype isn’t really relevant here,” said Davies. Other students, like first-year grad student Sean Kelly, came into Chapman already fostered in a community where they felt comfortable.
“I just realized I could be my own unique person even if I did come out as gay because Chapman showed me that the stereotype isn’t really relevant here.” -Landon Davies Junior education major, Landon Davies, in his hometown Leavenwoth, Washington. Photo courtesy of Davies.
For Lien this has become an exhausting battle. Kelly got his undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley, one of the nation’s more progressive and politically active universities. He “I almost feel guilty sometimes when I have to correct them. I’m like, oh hopes Chapman can take a few pages out my god, are they gonna of Berkeley’s book when it comes to react badly or approaches to make the LGBTQ something,” said Lien. community feel supported. “Getting misgendered so much can be really “I think being loud enough and being taxing”. proud enough to vocally give people a space to be who they are here I feel like can go a long way,” he said. Senior Kari Lien, a creative writing and communication studies double-major. Photo courtesy of Lien.
Davies also mentioned occasionally hearing slurs and homophobic language used while walking on campus which, although not directed at him or anyone in particular, can still deter from a truly inclusive environment. But most queer students will tell you it’s better at Chapman than at many other places.
Grad student Sean Kelly previously graduated from UC Berkeley. Photo courtesy of Kelly.
Not that problems don’t still exist. Senior Kari Lien, has had issues being mis-gendered by both peers and professors. Despite being very open and direct about their they/them pronouns, Lien often repeatedly will be referred to as she, even months into her classes.
Amelia Jauregui in her short time at Chapman is thankful for the inclusion and acceptance she has received. But Jauregui can’t wait to see even more efforts in pride and growth in the community. “Having a director who is going to facilitate some of those activities and things on campus to make it safer and take the environment that it is to the next level,” said Jauregui. “If I could even see a shift...I think that would be really big.”
Breath in, Brea
Integrating Mindfulness on C By Daniella Moreau
Emily Cho, co-captain of Chapman’s women’s golf team, meditates on the practice putting green to clear her mind. Photo courtesy of Cho.
ath Out
Campus
Bernard McGrane introduces mindfulness in every
F
class he teaches. Photo courtesy of McGrane.
eeling her thoughts start to spiral, junior Emily Cho indulges in her go-to coping mechanism to ease her mind.
practice mindfulness on a daily basis all around the campus. Some Chapman professors even incorporate mindfulness practices into their classes to give students a chance to pause and reset before jumping into the class agenda.
Right there on the golf course, she sits down. “I get a lot of weird looks for it. But sometimes, I’ll just sit on the practice putting green. And put my hands on the green and just close my eyes,” said the broadcast journalism and documentary major. Ah, much better. While meditation is one way to practice mindfulness, it’s not the only way. Mindfulness can be as simple as taking a mindful walk, spending time in nature, or fully engaging in a conversation. In fact, many students and faculty
Bernard McGrane, a sociology professor, suggested that the last 15 years of digital overload have trained most people not to be present. “We practice distractedness rather than mindfulness,” said McGrane.
“We practice distractedness rather than mindfulness” -Bernard McGrane
McGrane begins every class with a gong and a few minutes of mindfulness for his students. “It has an immense educational and cognitive effect in terms of being present,” said McGrane. “Rather than off about where they just came from, where they have to go next, or all the chatter that continuously goes on in our minds.” This isn’t restricted to any particular department.
doing a lot of mindfulness in their lives without ever knowing it. “When they’re hanging out with friends, when they’re working out, when they’re enjoying nature, or when they’re being present in class, those are all elements of mindfulness,” said Pazmany. As for senior Ashley Alexander, she uses journaling to center herself. “I journaled for a really long time as practicing mindfulness, and it was great,” said the biochemistry major.
Alexander recalled trying out various mindfulness practices before she found what Senior Ashley Alexander uses journaling to practice mindfulness. Photo by Alexander. worked for her.
Sophie Janicke-Bowles, a communications professor, guides her students in every class with a minute of grounding.
“I try to break up a little bit of the traditional model of going from one class to the next and just give students a little bit of space to take a breather,” said Janicke-Bowles. Students find different ways to practice mindfulness on their own. Joseph Pazmany, a leadership professor, pointed out that most people are already
“I think mindfulness is definitely not a one-size-fits-all,” said Alexander. Senior Sydney Scott noticed how she feels much calmer during yoga. “Practicing in yoga has made me be more aware of when I’m feeling really stressed out and overwhelmed. I can stop and just focus on where I am,” said the English major.
Senior Sydney
doing yoga. Ph
all the things that stress me out, yoga might not prove to be as beneficial as I want,” said Pazmany. “Or I can wash the dishes and be perfectly present for that and also benefit from that possible experience as well.”
Emily Cho practicing putting after clearing her mind with meditation. Photo courtesy of Cho.
If being mindful is as simple as intentionally being aware of the present moment, why do some find it so challenging to do? Some might have given mindfulness a try and concluded that it just doesn’t work for them, while others question if they are even doing it ‘right.’ According to Pazmany, doing a mindfulness activity doesn’t automatically make someone mindful; it’s the act of purposefully being present in the moment that does.
y Scott practices mindfulness by
hoto by Marjorie Stemmler.
“I can go to yoga, and if I’m thinking about
After discovering how her thoughts were affecting her golf game, Cho started practicing meditation.
“I have noticed myself become a little calmer in situations where I usually wouldn’t be,” said Cho. While out and about on campus, students can practice mindfulness in a variety of ways. “Go have a conversation with a friend. Go explore the campus and stay off your phone for ten minutes. Go be in the sun for a little bit. Go find a quiet spot and breathe,” said Pazmany. Sophomore Nicole Kavros finds calm places on campus to pause in between classes. “I love the little individual cubicle desks on the second floor of the library because it’s always super quiet,” said the English major. “I can sit next to a window and really focus on reading a book or writing to clear my mind.”
R.I.P. Orange Mall By Nicole Kavros
The longtime hangout spot for Orange residents and Chapman students is leaving soon. Photo by Nicole Kavros
Imagine your local mall, stripped of everything that makes it what it is. No more jewelers, fashion, or shoes. Piano Empire’s not there either. See’s Candies—gone. Bye-bye Bath & Body Works. With online shopping and the convenience of buying everything you need in a couple of clicks, in-person malls have been slowly dying. But with the demolition of stores comes the death of the entire experience, and this trend is happening all over the country, even at the beloved Orange Mall. The Orange Mall, technically called The Village, is closing its doors next month. Only the interior stores will be closing, leaving popular stores like Olive Garden and Trader Joe’s open. But no more strolling at the Mall. And for Chapman students and grads, this means that many of
their favorite hangout spots will be gone. Chapman graduate Kurt Stemmler, who got his master’s degree from the school in 1999, has frequented the Orange Mall ever since his childhood days in Villa Park. “When I was a teenager, my favorite part of the mall was the movie theater, which isn’t there anymore. That was one of my favorite memories, because my family would all go together,” said Stemmler. Kayla Levin, a sophomore studying public relations and advertising, was sad to hear the news of the mall closing. She loved going with friends after class. But now, it’s being taken away from her, only a year and a half into her college experience.
Some popular restaurants at the mall are leaving visitors sad to see them go, like Poke to the Moon. Photo by Nicole Kavros
“Since it’s so close to campus, it was always the first place I stopped when I needed to pick something up from Ulta or one of the clothing stores inside. I’m bummed it’s closing so soon,” said Levin.
Fellow sophomore public relations and advertising major Dylan Limp was surprised to hear about the end of the mall. She said that she’ll especially miss Poke to the Moon, a place that she and her friends visit often for a bite to eat. “Poke to the Moon, man. It’s the best Poke place around here. This is awful,” she said. An official statement from the owner of The Village, TRC Retail, said that they “are in the process of planning for the revitalization of the remaining exterior storefronts at the Village of Orange to reposition the shopping center for long-term success in this new retail environment.” Say what? When asked for further comment, a TRC representative said that the company has “no The Orange Mall once offered many restaurants, retail stores, and services. Photo by Nicole Kavros
additional information to share at this time.” In other words, ‘whatever.’ The mall’s first seeds were planted in 1967 with the opening of a Sears. Only four years later, The Orange Mall was welcoming customers to its 900,000 sq. ft. shopping hub. Over the past 50 years, the mall has taken up a special place in the hearts of residents all over the county. Katie Thomas, a sophomore public relations and advertising major, also grew up in Villa Park. She’s been going to the mall for as long as she can remember. She thought she’d be going till long past her 2026 graduation.
Katie Thomas loves getting her favorite Orange Mall snack, Auntie Anne’s pretzel bites. Photo by Nicole Kavros
“I remember running around the mall once when I was four as my mom helped my brother and his friend film a video for their Spanish class. And sharing cinnamon sugar pretzel bites from Auntie Anne’s—the best mall pretzel store—each time we’d go shopping,” she reminisced.
But, she understands where this end is coming from. “A combination of the wrong stores and a surge in online shopping probably sealed the deal for the Orange Mall,” she said. The Village isn’t the first to meet this dreaded fate. And it probably won’t be the last. The Westminster Mall is being turned into 3,000 apartments and 425 hotel rooms. These days, the mall is often empty of customers. Photo by Nicole Kavros
Santa Ana’s Mainplace Mall is getting apartments too, along with offices and open space for courtyards. The Nordstrom building is already half destroyed. Brea Mall is also hopping on the housing trend. Sears is in the demolition process. While the malls are still open as of now, bigger stores are being taken down to make way for redevelopments and housing. People used to live at the mall. Now they will be actually … living at the mall? So—how does this happen? How do malls that were once lively and popular enough to warrant their own discussion posts for visitors to share their cherished shopping memories become a ghost town? When did we go from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High atmosphere of the ‘80s, when malls ruled the world, to this 2023 residential takeover?
Students like Kayla Levin (left) and Katie Thomas enjoy visiting the mall after class to hang out. But many stores have already closed or will be closing. Photo by Nicole Kavros
This new use of mall space with both retail and residential area, which goes by the name of mixed-use property, is great for the city. It brings in new residents, gives them jobs right next door, and encourages them to shop within city bounds. It’s great. Just not for the people who still love a day at the mall.
And it’s not great for those restaurants and businesses that are staying. The appeal of the shopping mall is to hit up all your favorite stores in one trip. But if a few are gone, that’ll take away a lot of people’s reason to drive over there in the first place. Stemmler pointed out that the mall has lost the fun and purpose that it had when he was younger. “There isn’t as much variety or fun things to do in the mall. Everything you can find there, you can find online. You can find Bath & Body Works and Sears online, so people don’t really have a reason to go,” said Stemmler. At least we still have Amazon.com. You just can’t spend a day there.
R.I.P. Orange Mall By Nicole Kavros
The longtime hangout spot for Orange residents and Chapman students is leaving soon. Photo by Nicole Kavros
Imagine your local mall, stripped of everything that makes it what it is. No more jewelers, fashion, or shoes. Piano Empire’s not there either. See’s Candies—gone. Bye-bye Bath & Body Works. With online shopping and the convenience of buying everything you need in a couple of clicks, in-person malls have been slowly dying. But with the demolition of stores comes the death of the entire experience, and this trend is happening all over the country, even at the beloved Orange Mall. The Orange Mall, technically called The Village, is closing its doors next month. Only the interior stores will be closing, leaving popular stores like Olive Garden and Trader Joe’s open. But no more strolling at the Mall. And for Chapman students and grads, this means that many of
their favorite hangout spots will be gone. Chapman graduate Kurt Stemmler, who got his master’s degree from the school in 1999, has frequented the Orange Mall ever since his childhood days in Villa Park. “When I was a teenager, my favorite part of the mall was the movie theater, which isn’t there anymore. That was one of my favorite memories, because my family would all go together,” said Stemmler. Kayla Levin, a sophomore studying public relations and advertising, was sad to hear the news of the mall closing. She loved going with friends after class. But now, it’s being taken away from her, only a year and a half into her college experience.
Some popular restaurants at the mall are leaving visitors sad to see them go, like Poke to the Moon. Photo by Nicole Kavros
“Since it’s so close to campus, it was always the first place I stopped when I needed to pick something up from Ulta or one of the clothing stores inside. I’m bummed it’s closing so soon,” said Levin.
Fellow sophomore public relations and advertising major Dylan Limp was surprised to hear about the end of the mall. She said that she’ll especially miss Poke to the Moon, a place that she and her friends visit often for a bite to eat. “Poke to the Moon, man. It’s the best Poke place around here. This is awful,” she said. An official statement from the owner of The Village, TRC Retail, said that they “are in the process of planning for the revitalization of the remaining exterior storefronts at the Village of Orange to reposition the shopping center for long-term success in this new retail environment.” Say what? When asked for further comment, a TRC representative said that the company has “no The Orange Mall once offered many restaurants, retail stores, and services. Photo by Nicole Kavros
additional information to share at this time.” In other words, ‘whatever.’ The mall’s first seeds were planted in 1967 with the opening of a Sears. Only four years later, The Orange Mall was welcoming customers to its 900,000 sq. ft. shopping hub. Over the past 50 years, the mall has taken up a special place in the hearts of residents all over the county. Katie Thomas, a sophomore public relations and advertising major, also grew up in Villa Park. She’s been going to the mall for as long as she can remember. She thought she’d be going till long past her 2026 graduation.
Katie Thomas loves getting her favorite Orange Mall snack, Auntie Anne’s pretzel bites. Photo by Nicole Kavros
“I remember running around the mall once when I was four as my mom helped my brother and his friend film a video for their Spanish class. And sharing cinnamon sugar pretzel bites from Auntie Anne’s—the best mall pretzel store—each time we’d go shopping,” she reminisced.
But, she understands where this end is coming from. “A combination of the wrong stores and a surge in online shopping probably sealed the deal for the Orange Mall,” she said. The Village isn’t the first to meet this dreaded fate. And it probably won’t be the last. The Westminster Mall is being turned into 3,000 apartments and 425 hotel rooms. These days, the mall is often empty of customers. Photo by Nicole Kavros
Santa Ana’s Mainplace Mall is getting apartments too, along with offices and open space for courtyards. The Nordstrom building is already half destroyed. Brea Mall is also hopping on the housing trend. Sears is in the demolition process. While the malls are still open as of now, bigger stores are being taken down to make way for redevelopments and housing. People used to live at the mall. Now they will be actually … living at the mall? So—how does this happen? How do malls that were once lively and popular enough to warrant their own discussion posts for visitors to share their cherished shopping memories become a ghost town? When did we go from the Fast Times at Ridgemont High atmosphere of the ‘80s, when malls ruled the world, to this 2023 residential takeover?
Students like Kayla Levin (left) and Katie Thomas enjoy visiting the mall after class to hang out. But many stores have already closed or will be closing. Photo by Nicole Kavros
This new use of mall space with both retail and residential area, which goes by the name of mixed-use property, is great for the city. It brings in new residents, gives them jobs right next door, and encourages them to shop within city bounds. It’s great. Just not for the people who still love a day at the mall.
And it’s not great for those restaurants and businesses that are staying. The appeal of the shopping mall is to hit up all your favorite stores in one trip. But if a few are gone, that’ll take away a lot of people’s reason to drive over there in the first place. Stemmler pointed out that the mall has lost the fun and purpose that it had when he was younger. “There isn’t as much variety or fun things to do in the mall. Everything you can find there, you can find online. You can find Bath & Body Works and Sears online, so people don’t really have a reason to go,” said Stemmler. At least we still have Amazon.com. You just can’t spend a day there.
And They Called It ‘Puppy Love’: Couples Who Move-in Together During College Oh, I’ll guess they’ll never know. (How great it is!) By Carolyn Holt and Emily Cho
Couple Nicole Nava and Carlos Gonzalez lay on the grass outside of their house. Photo Courtesy of Carlos Gonzalez
What goes into the decision to move in together with your partner while you’re both in college? Olivia Chilvers, senior, would say, a 50 question quiz. “I made an entire excel sheet of 50 questions…“what to talk about before you move in,’ and [my boyfriend and I] both filled it out separately. Afterwards, I printed out the answers as records for us and in case people were gonna be like, ‘But did you guys really talk about everything?’
And I’m like ‘yes. We did.’” A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Americans are making the choice to move in with their significant other prior to marriage at higher rates than ever. But it’s not always an easy choice, especially for college students. DeAnn Richter, a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who has been practicing for 22 years, warns that some basic foundations are needed first.
“In the right circumstance,” says Richter, “It can work out fine. In other circumsta-
telling them to clean, versus them being bros who didn’t really care.” With that being said, when asked if she recommends moving in with your sweetheart, Shah says no.
Marriage & Family Therapist DeAnn Richter. Photo Courtesy of Psychology Today
-nstances it can be complicating and lead to the end of the relationship…The communication, respect and trust are some of the vital components to make a relationship last.”
“I loved living with my boyfriend and if I could go back, I still wouldn’t change anything, but couples have the rest of their lives to live together, and sometimes its important to feel lonely and deal with that,” said Shah.
There may be many reasons to move in. Chandni Shah, senior, moved in with her boyfriend of three years over a year and a half ago, to escape toxic roommates. “It ended up being one of the best decisions of my college experience,” said Shah. “I got to come home to someone I love every night.” Shah’s other half Matthew Seals, a 2023 Chapman graduate, notes that there were some struggles.
Matthew Seals looks at his girlfriend Chandni Shah smiling, as they both graduate from Chapman together. Photo courtesy of Instagram @chandnishahh
“We had four other boys in the house, which definitely took some getting used to for Chandni and our relationship dynam- Chilvers’ boyfriend of over a year, senior Trey Alexander, cites one of the main reaic,” said Seals. sons they decided to live together: California housing prices being out of reach. The Shah did note that the roommates “were two moved in together seven months ago. very messy so it was a tough balance of
“Housing prices in California are insane and we weren’t able to afford places by ourselves,” shared Alexander.
who I got close with as well.”
But financial benefit is not the only focus, said Alexander. He believes the move-in had helped them get closer. “The pros of living together [include]... seeing each other almost daily,” he said. “It gives us a support system outside our families while we are at college and makes doing work and tackling life less lonely.”
Marriage & Family Therapy Professor Julie Payne. Photo courtesy of Chapman University
According to Julie Payne, professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Chapman, “Cohabitation can be beneficial, but there can be some downsides According to Chilvers, “he is my best such as increased distraction and confriend [and] every day is us getting to hang out… We can do things together how flict…Daily living activities can be quite different for everyone and sometimes it we want and it makes it a lot easier and can be an adjustment or create additional less stressful.” challenges.” Nicole Nava, 25, and an outreach care specialist, and Carlos Gonzalez, 25, medical school student, know all about that communication. The couple lived together for all four of their recent undergraduate years at Chapman.
Olivia Chilvers hangs out in the living room with her boyfriend, Trey Alexander, and their cat, Tevye. Photo courtesy of Trey Alexander
One “[tends] to figure out,” shared Gonzalez, “whether you are willing to put up with this person because when you move in with someone, you’re going to get into fights… But you have to be patient. You have to be flexible to live a different lifestyle with someone.”
Chilvers did cite one con, and that is that is missing out on the “typical college life,” sharing, “I miss living with my roommates Then there’s the obvious question:
Top: Olivia Chilvers and Trey Alexander stand in front of their Christmas tree in their living room. Photo courtesy of Olivia Chilvers Bottom: Chilvers and Alexander have two cats Bean (photographed) and Tevye. Photo courtesy of Trey Alexander
What about marriage? For Chilvers and Alexander, that is the plan, but education comes first. “We have both agreed that we want to finish our bachelors and our masters before doing so,” said Chilvers. Professor Payne knows classes are important. She advises couples: “Think about what you need in your day-to-day routine, including study habits.”
Another suggestion from Payne: “Routine check-ins can help prevent a buildup of frustration and reduce conflict.” Do these couples regret their choice to move in together? Chilvers says she doesn’t. “We have our own little family now, with us, and our two cats,” shared Chilvers.