Table of Contents
18
Pressure to be Perfect
By Sophia Wehrlie
Chapman’s Quiet Hustlers
28 Where’s the Crowd?
By
Designed by Vivianna Juarez
By Quinci Cartmell Designed by Vivianna Juarez
By Alexa Cole Designed by Kiana Tanizaki-Hudson
Zoe Edeskuty Designed by Makenna Kunimura
Commuter but Still Living on Campus
By Lauren Contreras Designed
by
Lauren Contreras
Dancing for Donations
By
Jenna Roselli
Designed by Sarah Hart 46
50 In Good ‘OL’ Hands
By Elizabeth Wakamatsu Designed by Kajal Reddy
56 By Teagan Wall Designed by Kajal Reddy
62
Panther Connect or Disconnect
By Samantha Wong Designed
by Bella Ortiz
By Anika Yip Designed
by Kiana Tanizaki-Hudson
‘Bean’ There, Done That
By Matthew Azuma & Samantha Wong Designed by Grace Littrell
82
Brush Up on Visibility
By Megan Petroni and Zoe Edeskuty Designed by Sarah Hart
The Power of Aid
By Varenna Morris and Alexa Cole Designed by Quinci Cartmell
Staff
Editors
Holland Hatch
Sophi Wehrlie
Writers
Matthew Azuma
Quinci Cartmell
Alexa Cole
Lauren Contreras
Zoe Edeskuty
Varenna Morris
Designers
Megan Petroni
Jenna Roselli
Teagan Wall
Elizabeth Wakamatsu
Samantha Wong
Anika Yip
Chief Designer Kajal Reddy
Quinci Cartmell
Sarah Hart
Vivianna Juarez
Makenna Kunimura
Grace Littrell
Bella Ortiz
Kiana Tanizaki-Hudson
The Hidden Costs of Learning at Chapman
“If I didn’t need this class to graduate, I probably would have dropped it.”
Alyse Cross
Elena Skender, senior art minor. Photo courtesy of Skender
Some of Sally van Riper’s art supplies collected over the course of her minor. Photo courtesy of van Riper
is very careful with budgeting her life and likes to know course costs in advance.
India Alyse Cross
Photo courtesy of Cross
Lia Halloran is excited to see how material kits help students in the art department. Photo courtesy of Halloran
Chapman Students Feel the Pressure
For Rose Lindblom, senior dance major, there’s no better feeling than waking up on a Saturday morning, excited by the day’s planned fun activities.
Until she rolls over and sees the long list of work placed on her bedside table. Her stomach drops.
“It’s a lose-lose situation,” she said, thinking of those work tasks. “Because if I go I’ll be exhausted but if I don’t I feel guilty.”
High-achieving Chapman students juggle rigorous coursework, leadership roles, and extracurricular commitments.
It becomes a culture where burnout is common but rarely discussed. While some thrive under pressure, others get overwhelmed. Does the pursuit of excellence take a toll on health and put a strain on friendships?
Katie Bottinelli, Career Advisor and Alumni Relations at Chapman, admits to frequent burnout in the faces of her students.
“Sometimes when students are in the thick of working toward their goals, their mental health and self-care can take a back seat. And that’s when burnout can creep up and take hold,” said Bottinelli.
Experts say that students often ignore the early warning
Graphic courtesy of Sophie Wehrlie
“When does ambition stop being productive and start becoming self-destructive?”
signs—fatigue, irritability, and stress—until they reach a breaking point.
The demonstrate new feelings of anxiety, depression, loss of motivation, and even physical health issues. When does ambition stop being productive and start becoming self-destructive?
For Alexandra Der Boghosian, senior political science major, her level of involvement on campus — she’s president of a very active Armenian Student Association — and a rigorous class schedule have made it challenging for her to prioritize self-care. And yes, she admits, sometimes overwhelmed.
“As I try to manage it all, I often forget to take care of myself. I feel like day by day, I’m losing myself as the work piles on,” said Der Boghosian.
But some see it all as a welcoming challenge.
Camille Martin, a junior creative producing major, sees her ambition as an encouraging force rather than a source of pressure.
“I find that I feel better about myself and my work, when I have lots to do,” explained Martin. “I know I’ll feel better once it’s completed. That helps me in my overall success.”
Chapman University fosters a culture of ambition, boasting high graduation and employment rates while shaping determined and successful students.
Balancing ambition and well-being is a challenge many high-achieving students face. But Lindblom refuses to let her workload steal her weekends. No matter how long the to-do list, she says, she insists on finding time to enjoy her Saturdays.
Alexandra Der Boghosian ‘25
Rose Lindblom ‘25
Camille Martin ‘26
Overnight O-Week Fame
First year Chapman University student Brendan Canada. Photo courtesy of Canada
“He was trending like crazy, and people posted his face. So everyone now knew what he looked like ”
–Kiki Banta
Prevalence of Fizz on Campus: A Breakdown of Student Opinions
Relateable, Funny, Informative, Toxic,
Popular Topics and Themes Discussed on Fizz:
Complaints/Rants, Homophobia, Memes/ Humor, Greek Life, Politics, Parties/Events, Dating, Gossip, Bullying, Sex
Graphics by Grace Littrell
First year Chapman University tudent Bjorn Ryning
Photo courtesy of Ryning
Photo courtesy of Moon
“Every year, we get cases of students who are hurt personally by things being said about them on Fizz ”
–Jerry Price
Dean of Students Jerry Price
Photo courtesy of Chapman University n
Senior Emily Paris edits photos from a recent photoshoot at her desk in her bedroom.
Photo by Quinci Cartmell
Chapman’s Quiet Hustlers
The World of Student Businesses
Metallic clanking echoes through the halls of Pralle-Sodaro as Danna Diaz, then a freshman, flips the switch on her snow cone machine. The whirling blades and sweet, colorful syrup quickly attract curious students eager to taste her frosty creations.
What began as a small business venture in Diaz’s dorm room has since grown into a thriving operation with big expansion plans.
“My hard work is paying off, and hopefully, it’ll pay off more [post-graduation],” Diaz said, a junior business administration major.
She’s not alone in starting her own business. Scores of Chapman students are getting a head start on the workplace by creating their own for-profit ventures.
“For many students, it’s this drive that pushes them to take risks and balance entrepreneurship with their studies, even if they’re not earning much at first,” said Cynthia West, director at the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, 98.7% of California businesses are small businesses, and Chapman’s numbers of students within that percentage reflect that.
“Somewhere between eight and 10% of [Chapman] students are taking an entrepreneurship minor,” West said.
Junior Danna Diaz sells snow cones at Chapman’s Piazza, serving passing students as she promotes her business, Cosmic Ice. Photo Danna Diaz
“Many students started a company during COVID because they had some extra time.” Like West, Dean Jerry Price sees the energy of student entrepreneurs on campus.
“We’ve seen students go on to success, with some running thriving businesses or scaling their ventures after graduation,” Price said. “The great thing about Chapman is that we have the resources and the mentorship to help guide them every step of the way. ”
For many student entrepreneurs, success comes from trial and error. “It’s important to get the failures out of the way early,” Mario Reza, assistant director of the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics, said.
Take Diaz, for instance.
“I’ve had a lot of failed businesses,” Diaz said.
“There was a lipstick that I had, and it looked like a candy-type of thing where I’d mix the lipstick with Nutella.”
Diaz’s early experiments, like Nutella-flavored lipstick failed, but they taught her what works. “Fail fast,” Reza said. “The sooner students fail, the faster they learn.”
Diaz’s business, Cosmic Ice, has built itself up. According to Diaz, the name comes from the themes of planets and space in Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres album. Customers can incorporate syrup flavors and corresponding design elements such as gummies into each snow cone, reflecting their own personal planet.
Diaz has taken Cosmic Ice to several farmers’ markets, including in Orange County and San Diego County, foreseeing more in her business’s future.
Senior Emily Paris found her small business calling not with a snow cone machine, but in a gift she received during her sophomore year of high school.
A Canon EOS Rebel SL2.
A freelance photographer, photo editor for The Panther and a member of Chapman’s University Programming Board, Paris juggles coursework while running her business, Emmy Grace Photographs.
Business peaks in spring with graduation season. With word-of-mouth driving bookings, Paris expects to shoot around 25 senior graduation sessions.
Pricing has significantly changed on Paris’s end. While her income fluctuates with the seasons, she recognizes that her ability to set prices and workload makes photography a sustainable venture during school.
When building up her portfolio, Paris charged $15-30 per session.
Today, she offers tiered pricing based on session length, with some packages exceeding $300. Involved in numerous avenues within Chapman, Paris often experiences creative burnout due to the hours she devotes to editing her images for her business and school newspaper, in addition to balancing school work.
Some nights, Paris works until 3 a.m. editing galleries. “Being my own boss means I need to set my own hours and allow time to rest,” Paris said.
“My clients are paying for a service, so I sometimes may have to reach out for a couple more days to get this gallery sent.”
Like Paris, senior Taylor Green’s business began with a gift, though hers was a bit bigger in size. Instead, it began with a plastic pink chef’s kitchen that she received when she was a child.
Today, Green’s business, Taylor Baked, specializes in gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free cakes. Her financial strategy is key to her success.
With a projected annual revenue of $16,000, Green
carefully prices each cake to reflect the premium ingredients and craftsmanship behind her designs. What sets Green’s cakes apart?
Fresh organic flowers, hand-selected from local farms, are incorporated in Green’s design.
“Every cake is thoughtfully priced to reflect the quality of ingredients and the artistry behind it,” Green said. Green has expanded her brand through social media, strategic partnerships and a collaboration with Graza Olive Oil.
As part of the Leatherby Center’s Accelerator program, she hones her business skills through pitching and investor strategy workshops.
Green’s experience mirrors the journey of Sean von Kaenel, who also seeks mentorship from the Leatherby Center.
Senior Sean von Kaenel, founder of Sole on the Wall LLC, moves quickly because trends in secondhand apparel fade fast.
“What’s hot now can be irrelevant in months,” von Kaenel said. “Flipping inventory fast and keeping cash on hand is everything.”
His strategy has paid off.
Sole on the Wall has generated $1.2 million in revenue over three years, with $750,000 in its best year. Currently, the business brings in $5,000 a week, with $300,000 in projected annual revenue and a 30% profit margin.
Operating out of a Santa Ana warehouse, von Kaenel supplies 15 consignment stores nationwide.
Von Kaenel is preparing to launch a Los Angeles showroom to connect with customers directly.
“It’s been a lot of work, but I’m excited about the next step in making Sole on the Wall an even bigger player in the market,” von Kaenel said.
Senior Sean von Kaenel, founder of Sole on the Wall LLC, pulls out one of his favorite pieces from his warehouse collection.
Unlike Green and von Kaenel, junior Angelica Jauregui is still in the early stages of growing her business.
For Jauregui, tea is a ritual.
What began as a way to escape daycare evolved into Everleaf, a tea company focused on sustainability and experience-based consumption.
Launched in February, Everleaf started with sales at local farmers’ markets in Orange and Cypress, serving as an initial stepping stone into the tea industry.
“I’m really just trying to scale the business, and that’s where I see it going in the future,” Jauregui said. As her website states, Everleaf is dedicated to making tea the centerpiece of connection, celebration, and wellness.
Jauregui wants to redefine afternoon tea, and Everleaf will be the vehicle for creating moments for her customers that become lasting memories.
Everleaf is passion-driven but is also supported by Jauregui’s drive to scale her business in the right direction financially.
“I see business as a way to financial freedom,” Jauregui said. “I know I can reach these goals.”
Like Jauregui, Diaz’s snow cone business is projected to scale by hitting new milestones as well.
If Diaz’s plans work out, she will expand with more events and employees.
“Cosmic Ice is just getting started.”
Musicians of the Chapman Orchestra take the stage, delivering a captivating performance. Photo courtesy of Evan Richards
Concertmaster of The Chapman Orchestra, Kaitlyn Irianto. Photo by Zoë Edeskuty.
The view from the stage at the Musco Center for the Arts, as musicians prepare for a performance, with the seats still await ng an audience. Photo by Zoë Edeskuty
Attendees arrive at the Musco Center for the Arts to enjoy a performance by the Chapman Orchestra. Photo by Zoë Edeskuty
Haley Kothari improvises a private study space during her three hour gap between classes.
Photo by Lauren Contreras
Commuter, But Still Living on Campus
Just Another Thing to Drive to
“You can’t be spontaneous, and knock on your friend’s door asking if you wanna go to Target.”
Haley Kothari
“It’s a balance of wanting to be involved, but also knowing when it’s just not realistic as a commuter.”
Hunaina Hirji
Kaitlyn Fuller is working on
on her assignments on the steps in front of
between
Waltmar Theatre at Moulton Hall, passing time in
classes. Photo by Lauren Contreras
The red circle represents the 30-mile radius of the Orange campus, where students can petition to live at home. Graphic courtesy of mapdeveloper.com
studies in the library with all his essentials needed for his day.
Brody Bradley
Photo by Lauren Contreras
Ashley Agatep takes a break from sampling in a natural hot spring . Photo by Holland Hatch
Chasing Research Experience: An Exciting Quest?
Sophomore Ashley Agatep holding a shell. Photo courtesy of Agatep
“I think research parts of my Chapman experience soAshley Agatep, sophomore Chapman
Riya Belani observing the intertidal zone in Southern California, pointing at seagrass. Photo Courtesy of Belani
Agatep, Chapman student
From left, Sally van Riper, Holland Hatch, Ashley Agatep, and Gabriela Shirkey before heading into the rainforest for a day of research. Photo by Gregory Goldsmith
Dancing For Donations Chapman Giving
“We knew that do something as
we wanted to as a collective.”
Racing to the Finish Line
Three-Year Graduation is Becoming a Trend
By: Varenna Morris
“It gets super overwhelming at times and I hate what my schedule looks like. But it’s always quality over quantity, I try to keep that in mind ”
Grace Littrell
Photo courtesy o Littrell
“I knew coming into college that cost would be a concern, so one thing I was considering during my decision-making process was if there would be the support and resources to help me graduate early and cut some of that cost ”
“Last semester I had a lot on my plate, I am trusting the process that I have the rest of my career involved early allows me more time to learn in a different way ”
Avery Grant
Steele Viverette
In Good ‘OL’ Hands:
How Important is Orientation Week to New Students?
President Struppa walks down the Orientation Leaderlined walkway at Opening Convocation on August 20, 2024. Photo courtesy of Orientation Team
By Elizabeth Wakamatsu
Orientation Week at the Opening Convocation event on August 20, 2024. Photo courtesy of Orientation Team
Laura Le, a second-year health science student and 2024 Orientation Leader.
Photo courtesy of Le
During my time in undergrad I realized the importance of supporting students through their transition into college.
-
Breil Bonaguro, Program Coordinator
at the Opening Convocation on August 20, 2024.
courtesy of rientation eam
Photo
Political Climate Change
By Teagan Wall
Student protestors designed posters raising awareness for Palestine at the encampment in May 2024.
By personally intervening in a campus-wide awards nomination process, you dealt a powerful blow to free speech.Signed Faculty Statement
Photo by Renee Elefante
Students gathered for programming at the pro-Palestine encampment last May.
Faculty hosted lectures about the student encampment last May.
Photo by Elefante
Photo by Renee Elefante
“It is dangerous to equate antiZionism with antisemitism, one being opposed to a political ideology and the other to a group of people.”
Chapman Students for Justice in Palestine
Chapman responses to the 2025 College Free Speech Survey, conducted by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
“
” Vikki Katz, Chapman ommunications rofessor
Not all are happy with the Chapman app
“They do their best to make it easy, and somehow, it still confuses me ”
Maya Marcinko
“The main goal of Panther Connect is to be a one-stop shop for student clubs and organization leaders and students who are looking for ways to get involved,”
Sydney Nomura, program coordinator for student engagement.
efi
“Learning any new system takes time and patience ”
Sydney Nomura
Sydney Nomura, the Program Coordinator for Student Involvement, shared her thoughts on how Panther Connect is meant to make club management easier.
Photo courtesy of Nomura
“I think it’s been a great switch to have everything in one place, as opposed to having to click through a million different websites ”
Bella Brancato
Maya Marcinko running the Speech and Debate club after booking a classroom through Panther Connect.
Photo Courtesy of Samantha Wong
“I don’t think there is a perfect system, It’s frustrating, but I will learn to use it.”
Maya Marcinko
For many club presidents, navigating through Panther Connect is a confusing task.
by Samantha Wong
Illustration
Selling Out
“Chapman
places a huge value on creativity and entrepreneurship, I feel like this ban especially harms student creators who have had to stop hosting popular events such as Chapman Thrift that really bring the community together “
- Lauren Chen
‘Bean’ There, Done That
Students seek more diverse food options
Photo Whitten
“The staff is so kind, but sometimes the meal will be the exact same, I would just appreciate some variety ”
–Savannah Whitten
Executive Chef
J m Douglas, Photo by Chapman
University Dining Services
Olivia San Jose’s painting titled “Little Slice of Heaven.” Photo courtesy of Olivia San Jose
Brush Up on Visibility:
Art Departments Are Struggling to Stay in the Picture
Right: The Ficus canopy tree overshadows the Guggenheim Gallery and Moulton Hall. Photo by Megan Petroni
“Art plays a powerful campus culture—it fosters communication, creativity, and critical thinking.”
-Lia Halloran, Art
Above: Olivia San Jose’s piece titled “Garden Space.” Photo
courtesy of Olivia San Jose
powerful role in shaping fosters visual creativity, inspiration, thinking.”
Chair
Above: Reese Paddock’s performance art piece titled “Alotted Time.” Photo courtesy of Reese Paddock
Olivia San Jose’s mixed media collage titled “Songs of Suburbia.” Photo courtesy of Olivia San Jose
Above: A front view of Moulton Hall, home of students in the Art Department. Photo courtesy of Megan Petroni
This work by Alba Triana titled “Music on a Bound String No. 2” was recently shown in the Guggenheim Gallery. Photo courtesy of Alba Triana Studio and Silvia Ros
Reese Paddock painted a portrait titled “Second Mother.”
Photo Courtesy of Reese Paddock
The Power of Aid: The Past, Present and Future of
FAFSA, already troubling to many Chapman students, faces new Trump challenges
“In my 39 years of working in higher admissions, last year’s FAFSA problem was the most disruptive issue I have ever faced that impacted enrollment, even more so than COVID.”
Mike Pelly, Vice President and Dean of
Left, Savannah Whitten opening up their FAFSA application. Photo by
Below, is a graph showing the decline in FAFSA packages out per year as of Valentine’s Day. Graphic courtesy of Pelly
