Chappenings: Student Edition

Here we go again!

2012-02-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

Well, it's the start of a brand new semester. Classes have begun, work is in motion, but most importantly, the weather is beautiful! I think it's one of the best things about going to school in Southern California. We all joke about the 363 days of sunshine we get here, but lately it has not been a joke. Most schools get to experience multiple seasons. Here at Chapman, we have Summer all year round, and with the addition of the new residence hall pool it's just the way we like it! Come down for a visit and experience what we get to experience all year long.

- Garrett

Interterm at Chapman

2012-01-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

Interterm is offered in between Fall and Spring semesters where students are allowed to take a 6 week course, whether it be one or a maximum of four credits. This gives students the chance to fulfill a GE credit, take a class required for their major or some just come back to Chapman for another month of winter break in the California heat. As for myself, I chose to fulfill my Science GE credit by enrolling in a Biology class taught in Irvine Lecture Hall. Figuring that this class would be a big commitment, I decided it would be best to take it during interterm so that I would be able to put all of my focus on this subject rather than having to balance it with my other subjects in the spring or next fall.

Interterm is not only a great chance to take a class you have been interested in, but also to explore the surrounding areas of Orange that you may have not had time to visit because of classes. In my case, my best friend from High School flew in from Arizona to visit me! We had a chance to go to a hockey game at Staples Center, go to a taping of America’s Funniest Home Videos, visit Venice beach, go on a Star Tour in Hollywood and of course take a trip to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland... all in one weekend! Coming back to Chapman for interterm, you will find, since you are only enrolled in one class, that you will have a lot more free time on your hands compared to Fall or Spring semester, which is not a bad thing. This gives you time to focus on creating some goals for next semester, pick up a new hobby or just spend more time with your friends.

Overall, I would definitely recommend enrolling in a class for interterm, at least for your freshman year because you not only get to get credits out of the way, its really fun too!

- Paige

The Good Life

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've had so much fun this Fall semester, and I can credit so much of that to the Chapman Greek Life community. From winning Greek Week, to participating in various fraternity and sorority events, this semester hast turned out to be the best one yet. Recently we had our fall semi-formal, Delta Gamma Crush Party. It was at a beautiful venue called the Orange Hill Restaurant, and it looked over the entire city. From chocolate fountains to the great dance floor, it was one of my favorite nights of the semester. I feel so lucky to live in a place that is so close to gorgeous venues like that, and to have such a fun Greek Community with exciting events! Spending a night with my sisters and our dates? It doesn't get much better than that :)

- Jill

Chapman Service

2011-12-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

Service is encouraged on any college campus, but at Chapman it is a way of life. Chapman offers programs to allow students to be able to make a difference in the community side by side with other students. I had the pleasure of experiencing the incredible dedication to service of this university at Chapman Day of Service. Students were able to serve in a multitude of ways ranging from restoring books for a child’s afterschool program to creating a community garden. As a student who has been dedicated throughout my life, it is so refreshing to see hundreds of young people who are equally dedicated to bettering the community in which they live. Chapman’s strong emphasis on service is a reflection of the university as a whole. We are a school that promotes becoming a well-rounded individual that will use his or her college education to work toward the betterment of society. To celebrate the Chapman’s 150th Anniversary, the school committed to completing 150,000 service hours, and after Chapman Day of Service, we exceeded that goal. I am proud as ever to be a Chapman student and I look forward to serving with this student body for years to come!

- Justine

Chapman Ambassadors

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

At Chapman there are many ways for a student to get involved. One of the most recognized groups on campus are the Chapman Ambassadors. Chosen to represent the student population, these individuals wear bright red blazers and volunteer at events for Alumni, Donors, and Trustees. This past weekend, the Ambassadors participated in the largest scholarship fundraising event; American Celebration. This Broadway-style event consists of two nights. Friday is opening night for Parents and Alumni and Saturday is the Gala for all Donors, Trustees, Honorees and their guests. This year’s show focused on the history of Chapman University, celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the school and the 30th Anniversary of American Celebration. The show consists of a live band and students from our music, dance, and theater departments. On Saturday, the Ambassadors welcomed Chapman’s honored guests and escorted them to the cocktail reception, the show in Memorial Hall, and then into the giant and elegant tent for dinner and dancing. It is such an enjoyable night benefiting scholarships for Chapman Students. I always love this event as an Ambassador volunteer. Not only do I get to see my friends perform on stage, but I get to interact with the great supporters of Chapman. I will defiantly plan to attend this event as an Alumnus!

- Taylor

American Celebration

2011-11-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was the 30th annual American Celebration at Chapman University, and the event went off without a hitch. Every Fall semester, students watch as the big white tent goes up on Memorial Lawn and begins to fill with the extravagance that only Chapman can offer its guests. At first the tent seems remarkably out of place and odd, but as the weeks leading up to AmCel go on, the tent becomes a regular part of the campus. How a company can make a tent look like the finest of ballrooms is beyond me, but they manage to do it in a timely manner with the utmost class. Looking like a circus pop-up on the outside, the American Celebration gala is held in a beautifully decorated and elegant room. From the wood floors, to the fountains, to the chandeliers and lights, the inside of that tent is nothing less than extraordinary. Donors, trustees, friends of the University, and students alike all file into the tent after the always amazing performance by some of Chapman’s most talented students. After the music and dancing, dinner and dessert, socializing and donating to the University, the event ends just as suddenly as it began. By the next morning, the tent begins to empty- beginning with the most lavish pieces- and slowly but surely the tent is progressively taken apart. Feeling as if a building had been torn down, Memorial Lawn begins to appear again with the overgrown grass that hasn’t seen the sun in weeks. American Celebration and the big white tent become a standard part of the Chapman experience for students that walk by Memorial on a regular basis. Beginning as an inconvenience and an eye-sore, it’s always a little sad to see the tent taken down and driven away.

- Kelsey

Mid-Semester Mayhem

2011-11-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

This past week was the middle of my semester, and my professors wanted me to know it. I had 3 projects, a huge paper, and a midterm exam all in the same week. On top of that, I have work and some sort of social life to keep up with. I got it done, but it was because of a lesson I learned from one of my professors. It goes as follows:

Stephen Covey asked his class to guess how many rocks he could fit into a jar. They guessed and after they finished he started putting rocks in it. Once none of his big rocks could fit he asked, "Is the jar full?" They all replied, "Yes." He responded by taking out some gravel and began filling the same jar until no more gravel could fit. He asked again, "Is the jar full?" The students replied, "Probably not." Then he took out some fine sand and began fill the same jar. He asked, "Is the jar full?" The students replied, "NO!" He took out some water and began pouring it into the same jar until it was full to the brim. He asked his students, "What is the point of this illustration?" One student said, "There is always room for more in your schedule." Stephen responded with, "No. The point is that if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never be able to fit them in."

It's these little lessons, that are sometimes learned outside the classroom, that truly help you manage your life. Get the big tasks done first, or you'll never have time to finish them. If you want to see a video demonstration, go here: http://michaelhyatt.com/put-the-big-rocks-in-first.html

- Garrett

2011-11-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

Last week was Airbands, which is a lip-syncing competition sponsored by one of the sororities. About 20 girls from my sorority partnered with roughly 20 guys from another fraternity. It was an absolute blast! Between late night practices and costume making I developed strong friendships and a lot of laughs. The theme for our group was the 2011 VMA's; we had Katy Perry, Chris Brown, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga. We ended up getting second place which was great, especially after our 1st place Greek Week win. Although, winning is always a plus : ) participating in these activities reminds me why I love Chapman Greek Life; because we are involved and love to perform!

Check out our video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4ZRYsHMMZg

- Steph

Enjoying the 2011 School Year

2011-10-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

My sophomore year has been off to an amazing start! As far as academics go, I am only taking major and minor class, and I love each of them! I find the readings and projects so interesting, and I feel as if I've already learned so many new things! I've always been academically-oriented, but I find myself especially excited for this year! One of the many things I love about Chapman University is that I am able to take classes for my major and minor so early on. I've been taking such classes from my first semester as a freshman, which is such a great opportunity. I am living on campus again, in a suite with 3 other students. I love the living situation because we have two bedrooms with two bathrooms, connected by a living room and kitchenette. It provides separate areas for studying, socializing and sleeping, which as helped me stay organized and on top of all of my assignments and responsibilities. I can't believe that almost two months have already passed for the 2011-2012 school year! I'm so excited of taking advantage of all the great opportunities that Chapman has to offer!!!

- Christin

It's a Great Week to be Greek

2011-10-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Once a year, members of Greek life at Chapman University come together for the most incredible, suspense-packed, exciting, and down-right awesome week of the year: GREEK WEEK. I got my first taste of it last year and ever since, I have been hooked. I was even caught by my roommates singing, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” What can I say? There is nothing more magical than seeing grown men dancing around on the steps of the library as they sing praises for every sorority, seeing women from each house tugging rope like their arms are made of pure steel, and seeing these events unfold to the screaming voices of every Greek chant that has ever been written. Greek week is a time for each house to come together, train, and perform to the best of their ability at popping balloons, tossing water from cup to cup, and how could I forget stacking hundreds of cans into intricate sculptures that are later donated to charity. Because Chapman has such a large population of the campus involved in Greek life, you cannot get too far on campus without seeing a Greek proudly wearing a t-shirt in honor of the festivities. Greek week took place last week and what a week it was. Competitors from every house gave it 100% in every event and it brought the Greek community together once again. And a big congratulations to FIJI and Delta Gamma who were the winners. See you all next year…bring your A game.

- Justine

Chapman Lovin

2011-10-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

My first month at Chapman University has been a blast. When I talk with my friends at other colleges, they have certain aspects about their school that they complain about. When I talk about Chapman, I always say, “I wouldn’t change anything! Its great!” and I mean that honestly. Chapman paired me up with an excellent roommate, working for admissions is fun and rewarding, my teachers are passionate and the cafeteria food rocks! I’ve joined Delta Gamma and I’ve also found it to be a very satisfying experience. For Delta Gamma, I am participating in Airbands with Fiji. We have rehearsal several times a week from 10 to midnight and though sleep is a limited factor, it’s worth it!

- Ali

Exciting Athletics!

2011-10-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend was football recruitment which was very exciting because our football team this year has been really amazing. As a cheerleader for Chapman University I got to interact with all the football recruits and their families. It was so much fun to talk with all the potential members of the football team and answer all of their questions. This whole weekend was dedicated to sports and so after football recruitment I was able to go to the Hall of Fame Banquet representing a Chapman Ambassador and meet some incredible people that will go down in history as legends. Proceeding right after the banquet was the Football game where we had an incredible win against Claremont of 14 – 9. This weekend was filled with Athletics excitement and it truly showed how spirited Chapman University was. I look forward even more to next week with all the excitement of homecoming weekend!

- Kristine

Free Food!

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Junior year brought with it many new things; ambitions, worries, excitements, and maybe best of all…a new student union. Starting in January, the space that used to be home to the old cafeteria began a transformation culminating in the first day of school opening of this new space as a student union. The student union has fast become a place where I spend a good majority of my time as it is an atmosphere that is great for studying, socializing, eating, and really whatever you might want to do at the time. With this new student union, we also got a few new dining options; World of Wings, Jamba Juice, and Einstein Brother’s Bagels. Back in early September, Einsteins began advertising for a “free breakfast for a year” promotion in which the first 50 guests on a designated Friday would receive 52 free breakfast sandwhich coupons. As I am a broke college student this offer of free food was quite appealing(you will soon understand how this feels). As the day came closer, a few friends and I planned to show up at around 6 am – one hour before the 7 am opening time, figuring that would be plenty of time to score some free bagels. Fast forward to the night before the promotion, it is 11:30 PM and I am near the student union and I see students already lining up. I immediately called up my friends and we got in line. Almost eight hours later, after a night of music, games, little sleep, and even less homework, I, along with 49 other lucky and dedicated students, was handed a book of 50 coupons for free breakfast from Einsteins. The next day many people asked me if it was worth it, to which I confidently responded “Of course! Do you have free breakfast for a year?” Needless to say, it was a lot of fun, and turned out pretty well. I’m just hoping they give away more free food soon!

- Anthony

Chapman Dance Alliamce: Floor 13

2011-10-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went on a retreat with my dance group, Floor 13. It’s a group I have been apart of since my friend started it our sophomore year. We just added new members last week and jumped right into rehearsing for Chapman Dance Alliance. It is a performance put on every fall, showcasing the talents of dance majors and a few non-majors. This is Floor 13’s first time dancing at this performance and it is also a chance for us to show a different side of our style. Normally, we do a hip hop, contemporary hybrid but our performances are usually fun and upbeat. This concept is a lot more serious, about a son and mother relationship and our choreographers are doing a great job putting everything into this piece. We perform this coming Friday so everyone is stressing out, we are also starting choreography for another performance coming up in a few weeks. I am really happy about the new members we have, auditions were a big event for us and a lot of fun. I can’t wait for everyone to perform on Friday, I know it is going to be one of our best pieces yet!

- Alyssa

No Longer a Newbie

2011-10-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

First month in and things are in full swing! The beginning of this year I was worried about getting in a sophomore state of mind because people kept telling me things don't really get better than freshman year. So far, they stand corrected. Sophomore year is even better here at Chapman. I finally feel like I know what's going on. Anyways this month started off great after finishing my week of being an Orientation Assistant to out newest, largest and smartest class of amazing incoming freshman, I celebrated by going to the city's annual labor day weekend street fair. I didn't have a chance to go last year and man oh man, was it so much fun! What I love so much about Chapman is how our university is so community based that when the city puts on events like this, not only the Chapman community comes out for the good time, but the entire Orange community as well! It was a great way to celebrate and enjoy this weekend will all my fellow schoolmates and the surrounding families. I got some good food, listened to some good music and got a nice, fun and laid back weekend to kickoff the start of my even better sophomore year. If the rest of this year goes as well as my first month, i'm in for a fantastic year!

- Amita

A New Year

2011-09-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

Starting Junior year has been very busy. I began interning for The Orange County Register as a Santa Ana reporter so each week one of my original news articles is published online. On campus, I was recruitment chair for my sorority and I am so happy with the new pledge class, they are wonderful women. I am beginning to apply for study abroad programs which makes me excited for the future. I talk about study abroad on all of my campus tours to prospective students and their families and now I will be able to share my own experience as well. :)

- KJ

Animation Internship!

2011-09-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

I just started an internship at Nickelodeon in the Spongebob Squarepants department. As an animation student, this is super exciting! I just started last week and I work Tuesdays and Fridays . On Tuesday, I helped sort out all the new revisions for upcoming episodes, went over storyboards and x-sheets, and actually got to sit-in on a storyboard meeting! I work right under the production assistant's for the show, so I also got to shadow them and they explained the entire in-depth process to me on how to bring a show full-circuit through production. On Friday, I got to assist the background designers and see all of the amazing paintings they've done for the next episodes. I then set up the new shipment of production material for Korea. Spongebob uses a company called Rough Draft Korea that does all the in-between drawings for them. Every Friday, we ship them the material they need for the show - usually storyboards, reference photos, new character designs, backgrounds, etc. (which means I got to see all of it)! The reason for this is because in between drawings take FOREVER, so using a separate company saves tons of time for the actual animation studio. They set everything up and all the other company needs to do is draw out HOW something goes from Drawing A to Drawing B. I believe the only studio that still does their own in-betweens is Disney!

I also got to go to this huge event Nick has every year where they show a movie on a giant screen in the courtyard and have this huge dinner and drive-in movie sort of event! It was so much fun, and I met all kinds of people, from animators to 3D modelers to P.A.'s to art directors, etc! It was so cool, and everyone was so nice. I actually was invited to sit in on Kung Fu Panda this week so I can watch some 3D stuff at work! That's the best part of the internship so far - everyone is so friendly and so excited to show us everything they're doing.

As if you ever needed a reason to apply for internships, there you go! I get to see all sorts of animation careers at work, and that sort of experience isn't something you can read out of a book!

- Holly

In The Fast Lane

2011-09-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

It’s safe to say that this week I have a lot of blood in my coffee stream. In every spare moment between work and class I find myself in line at Einsteins or Jazzmans trying to get my coffee fix that is slowly but surely becoming more and more less effective and tasting more and more like juice. I’ve gone from drinking 3 bottles of smart water a day to drinking 4 ice coffees a day; needless to say my body is feeling a little over caffeinated and frazzled. I probably sound like I’m living off of 3 hours of sleep, am over worked and on the borderline of a breakdown but, truth is, I am actually sitting at a very low stress level with a high percentile of happiness. My classes are great, one of them is named Disney and Darwin so I definitely can’t go wrong there, and each of my professors have their own little quirks. I’m living in an apartment with 3 awesome people and I recently got my drivers license, a few years late I know, but rather late than never. Despite that I am still car-less I did recently sign up for the ZipCar program so I’m looking forward to receiving that information in the mail so I can start “zipping” around as they say. If I really think about it I probably have no need for coffee in my life, I’ve just been conditioned to buy it whenever I can, just like I’ve now been conditioned to think that I need to get a bagel at Einstein’s whenever I am in the Student Union. Lets just say that by the way that I’m swiping my ID card like its an unlimited American Express I’m going to be panther buck broke in t-minus 2 weeks. I blame the bagels.

- Bronwyn

Get Involved!

2011-09-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

I'm coming in to my Junior year now and last year almost seems like a blur. Between lacrosse practice, sorority events, internships, project research, and, oh, yeah, school, my sophomore year was one big balancing act. During orientation week, the Orientation Assistants always encourage you to get involved, make the most out of your time here at Chapman, be active! There is no doubt that Chapman is full of involved individuals, but there comes a point where you have to stop and look at how much you are taking on and see if it might possibly be a little too much, perhaps? It is only the fifth week of school and I have already found myself running from one thing to another, non-stop, waiting for my day to end so that I could just go home and maybe relax a little before hitting the books. So my advice is the following: Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and get involved, you will definitely gain so much out of it, but at the same time, don't feel like you have to take on everything all at once because you will wear yourself out. Stay balanced and give yourself some "me" time. I don't mean to sound preachy, I just wanted to give a little shout-out to my over-involved and enthusiastic fellow Panthers out there. Keep calm and carry on.

- Sally

Our Disneyland Playground

2011-09-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

All of my friends from home always tell me how lucky I am that I live so close to Disneyland. It really has become a second home for me. I’m fortunate enough to have an annual pass and go about once a week (sometimes more than that!). People always ask if I get bored of it, or if I even enjoy going anymore, and the answer is no, I will never ever get bored of Disneyland and I always enjoy going. Every single time I go it’s a different experience. We ride different rides, see different things and enjoy every single second of it. I took an anthropology class last semester and was fortunate enough to be able to write a paper about Disneyland, and let me say, it opened up my eyes to a whole new meaning and understanding about Disneyland. Whether you have an annual pass, or you want to have one, I hope that you’ll take advantage of your time at Chapman and use the pass to the best of its abilities!

- Rose

Sorority Recruitment

2011-09-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

One week later and I'm still recovering from my lack of sleep from sorority recruitment! It was so much fun getting to participate and work with the Greek Community through sorority recruitment. I met a bunch of great girls, cheered my head off, and had a dance party with my sisters. You know all of the hard work has paid off when you get 65 outstanding new members! My sorority Delta Gamma contributes to so much of my college experience, and I am so glad I got to spend a weekend surrounded by all of my best friends. Congrats to all of the sororities, it was one incredible weekend!

- Jillian

Study Abroad! Semester at Sea

2011-09-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

This past semester I traveled the world on Semester at Sea. It was the most incredible experience of my life without a doubt. Throughout my trip, I got to see world landmarks such as The Christ Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janero, The Taj Mahal in India, and the Great Wall of China in Beijing. I now understand why my mom told me she would disown me from the family if I didn't study abroad. I feel like I have a new worldly perspective that I didn't have before I left. I have an appreciation for life to a much greater degree and I understand that you truly can't take anything for granted. No matter where your college journey takes you, make sure that your four years include a semester abroad. You won't regret it, and you will grow immensely.

- Joe

Champman Lacrosse Attire

2011-09-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

So fall is almost upon us here at Chaptown University which means acouple things, football is finally back, freshman are getting used tocollege, I get to wear shorts and a longsleeve everyday, and Chaptownlax.com is in the process of making new Chaptown tanktops.Some of the hottest items sold on campus, Chaptown tanktops have beenin high demand the last two years. From the 2009 simple design of Chaptown of the front and Babe City on the back, to last year actuallydeveloping a logo and incorporating some of the things that make SoCal great, beach, girls, and palm trees, to this years design that is suppossed to be unreal. Chaptownlax.com tanktops are a perfect gift for your mom, dad, sister, brother, dog, cat, girlfriend, boyfriend and most importantly for yourself. So keep your eyes open for the good looking kids slanging tanktops this fall. In this economy how couldyou afford not to buy a tank.

- Sammy

Greek Life

2011-09-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

With all of the thrills of college like dorm living and new classes, another big excitement for new students is the opportunity to participate in Greek Life (fraternities and sororities). About 30% of Chapman's campus is "greek" so it's a present force at our school. One of the biggest thrills each year/semester depending, is "rush", where the groups get new members after a series of events and activities. Events for the fraternity rush range from laser tag, bumper cars, broomball and more and it's an awesome opportunity to meet a bunch of different students. I loved this process last year when I rushed my own fraternity because I got a true sense of what my brothers would be like and got to meet a bunch of my peers as well. My fraternity has provided me the opportunity to be involved in leadership, philanthropy and a wide spread range of actvities to participate in with my brothers. It's been one of the best decisions I've made here at Chapman, and I'm excited for the new students to have that experience as well.

- Nathan

Busy Busy

2011-09-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks of the new school year, and already I can feel the overwhelmingness that comes with it. From classes to work to campus involvement, it has started! This semester the bulk of my classes are for my IES (Integrated Educational Studies) minor, which is great because they are all classes I am genuinely interested in. I will say, however, assigning a paper the first week of school was not the best welcoming. But, hey, getting back into the swing of things is my specialty. Alongside that I have tours to give! With this heat, I may push for personal fans for each guest. And on top of both those things, there's also my campus involvement to consider. The biggest thing right now is RUSH for my Fraternity, seeing as it's right around the corner. Planning events, meeting new guys, making sure everything goes according to plan-- it gets hectic.

Now this may read with a negative tone looming, but I can assure you this is how I like it! Being busy is so much more entertaining than being bored. Remember, "If you're ever bored at Chapman, you're not doing Chapman right."

- Garrett

Senior year. Cue scary music.

2011-09-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard all the horror stories about being a senior – your last year, facing the real world, actually being on your own, the frustration, anger, and tears – and I’ve been mentally preparing myself all summer.

But I’ve got to tell you, aside from the normal overwhelming feeling and the normal stress that accompanies the beginning of any involved student’s year, things look really good. As a senior I’m getting to take two senior seminar classes – one for my screenwriting major and another for my English major. And because they’re such high level courses – 497 and 498, respectively, I get to focus on anything I want. I’m writing my English Senior Thesis on Chuck Palahniuk (you may know him as the guy who wrote Fight Club). He’s definitely not on your average English class syllabus, and I’m stoked to get a chance to research and write about him and his books.

Of course, it’s going to be a lot of work, but I can’t remember the last time I was this excited to write a 25 page research paper.

So if senior year is really as scary and hard to deal with as I’ve heard, I’ve yet to see any of that. And until that moment arrives, I will say that Senior year is shaping up to rank right there at the top.

-Robert

Go Greek!

2011-09-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

The first day of sorority recruitment was just 3 days ago, a nerve-wrecking experience for both active sorority members and potential new members. I never rushed until my junior year because quite frankly I had no idea what sororities did or why I would want to be in one. But seeing Chapman's Greek spirit made me change my mind and left me itching to partake in all the fun competitions and activities which were put on by Greek life. Unlike many other college campuses, Chapman's Greek community is much more focused on academics and exciting events than on 24/7 partying and drunkenness; there are spoil weeks instead of hazing/hell weeks; your brothers and sisters motive and inspire you to excel, build ties with your community and be a leader. So even though the long hours of this weekend might seem daunting, it's all worth it in the end when you have 70 beautiful new sisters!

- Florencia

Start of Sororities

2011-09-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

If you’re around campus at al this weekend, you’ll see signs that it’s that time of year again. Hundreds of girls shuffling from building to building, squeals and screams and snaps echoing through campus, and more glitter than anyone knows what to do with. That’s right, today marks the start of sorority recruitment. For freshman, and upperclassmen who are not affiliated, this weekend presents a great opportunity to meet a ton of new girls, and potentially end the weekend with a family of new sorority sisters to call your own. For those already affiliated, this weekend represents a lot of hard work, excitement, many mental breakdowns, and absolute insanity on Sunday when we welcome new girls into our houses. Chapman Greek Life is a fantastic experience, and if you hadn’t considered it before, I suggest you check it out. I am very confident in saying there is a house for every girl on this campus, and should you not decide to affiliate with a house at the end of the weekend, you will still have spent a few days making a lot of new friends and meeting really cool girls. In the meantime, watch out for all the girls this weekend!

-Halee

First Week of Classes

2011-09-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Last week was the first week of classes. The week were you have to adjust from your lovely summer schedule to waking up early to go to class. It is one of most fun weeks of the year, it is nice to get to see all of your friends that you werent able to see over summer. Also your teachers are mainly just doing overviews of the class and going over syllabuses. There are always those classes that you are really excited for and then the ones that you know will be harder. Those harder classes are always on your radar, what home work is due next and how much reading do we have to do? Those are some of the questions that always go through my head. Then again those classes that you want to be in and are excited for are the ones that get you through our day! Now that we are in the second week of school our campus is in full swing. We are ready for a busy semester ahead of us and we cant wait to share some of those experiences with you!

- Shai

Walt Disney and Charles Darwin

2011-09-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Walt Disney and Charles Darwin. That is the name of one of my courses this semester. To most people this subject sounds far from academic. However, I have learned in only three classes that the two brilliant minds offer insight into how to be successful. One concept that has been highlighted is the thought of pursuit of happiness. Now some may believe that this Disney belief is not meant for the classroom, but as we learn this is far from true. In fact, the first argument our professor provided us with was that this concept in fact stems from our Declaration of Independence. As I said before I do not know much about this course since it just began but I can say I am already hooked. Oh and by the way our professor is bringing in the first president of Disney next week.

-Steph

Orange International Street Fair

2011-08-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Every Labor Day weekend, the Orange International Street Fair (OISF) is hosted in the circle for everyone to enjoy. Friends, families and neighbors get together to experience a wide variety of food, music and dance from cultures and ethnicities throughout the world.

The historic fair has come a long way over the years. In 1973, The City of Orange was looking for ideas to celebrate for its one hundredth year. Inspired by the Orange Street Fair of 1910 it was decided that for the centennial celebration Orange would have the Orange International Street Fair. The Fair was so successful that it has become an annual tradition during Labor Day weekend ever since. The streets around the Plaza are closed to auto traffic from Friday evening through Sunday evening so that everyone can wander around on foot and have a great time. The 2011 fair will be held in the Orange circle on September 2nd through September 4th. The fair has been celebrated for 39 years and continues to remain a mainstay in Orange.

Every year there are many non-profit ethnic groups represented in the Street Fair. Each year many organizations utilize the event as their biggest fundraiser of the year. They provide food, entertainment and crafts to the Fair visitors. Many of these groups present themselves in their native or chosen lands ethnic costumes and have made the Street Fair famous for its wide variety of foods reflecting different cuisines from all over the world. Whether it’s Philly Cheese Steaks or Greek Loukoumades, the Street Fair never fails to tantalize the taste buds of the half million people every year. The theme for 2011 is, “A World of Flavor at Your Finger Tips!” A very appropriate title if you ask me.

See you there!

- Tyler

Fall Chapman Athletics

2011-08-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Chapman athletic teams have started training for the upcoming season. What used to be an empty field is now a busy practice area for the football and soccer team. Watching them prepare reminds me of the exciting games ahead!

Fall athletic events are always a blast. Join other students and support your teams! Sporting events at Chapman are just another excuse to show some school spirit and hang out with some friends while you do it. Some students have even formed fan groups for teams and show up in their festive attire each game such as the, “Grand Street Hooligans.” The soccer team has made it to the NCAA playoffs in the past and they are looking to do it again this year, make sure to go out and support them!

Chapman has a great group of teams, so pick up a schedule and mark your calendar for the great athletic year ahead!

- Tyler

Orientation Week

2011-08-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

Fall orientation officially starts tomorrow! A week of debriefing, informing, and preparation for incoming freshman and new transfers. New students will all come together and start the exciting process of becoming a Chapman student. Speaking from experience, orientation week is the start of a very exciting four years.

One of my most memorable experiences was living in Henley Hall as a freshman. It was one of the biggest adjustments I have ever made but also one of the greatest. I was lucky enough to room with two incredible roommates on the FYE (First Year Experience) floor. Living in a community with other freshman helped me ease into Chapman and was never overwhelmed. Living in the dorms is a life-changing experience and I highly recommend it to all new incoming students.

Exploring Chapman is exciting as a new student. With some of the most beautiful architecture around, getting lost on campus can be fun. Chapman has a very manageable campus though and you will feel comfortable with your new school in no time.

During the week, orientation participants will hear fantastic speakers, meet fellow students, and above all else get a great feel for what Chapman is like. Enjoy the week by yourself, with some friends, or with your parents! Make sure you take advantage of all the great seminars and workshops available.

Don’t miss out on the incredible orientation week agenda… especially playfair!

- Tyler

It's just around the corner...

2011-08-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

School is just around the corner. In fact, we technically only have one full week of summer left. Luckily the warm and sunny weather never goes too far away when you live in Southern California. We’re starting to see more and more familiar faces as students and faculty return to campus.

This year I will be completing my double major, which means I have a tough agenda ahead of me. Luckily over the past 3 years I have not only prepared appropriately for this final year but I have created strong relationships with my professors, who will help guide me through my classes. It is no walk in the park but Chapman is great for its student/faculty relationships that extend past the classroom.

Chapman works with its students to make sure they feel comfortable at their own school. Whether it’s social, dorms, classes, food, or sports Chapman goes above and beyond to address the concerns of students through various mediums that give us a voice. Chapman students are not ignored.

I’m excited to see what this new year brings and engage in my final year at Chapman University. With school just around the corner it’s time to head to Office max and sharpen those pencils!

- Tyler

Irvine Lake Mud Run

2011-08-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Living in Southern California, you have the option to try new things every day. Mud run and obstacle course races are growing in popularity all over the nation and Southern California offers some of the best tracks. One of these events is hosted at Irvine Lake, which is just a short drive from Chapman. This year they are doing a “race with reality stars” theme that will help raise money for a great cause.

I will be taking part in the mud run this September with a group of friends. What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than rolling around in some mud.

The event takes place on 9.10.11 and you can find more information about it by clicking the following link: http://irvinelakemudrun.com/home

- Tyler

The Yost Theatre is Reborn!

2011-08-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

Orange County has plenty to offer its residents: theme parks, beaches, nightlife, dining, and of course, shopping. One of the most recent additions to the entertainment scene around Orange is the reopening of The Yost Theatre just a few weeks ago. Originally one of the oldest theatres in Orange County (built in 1912!) was recently taken over by two entrepreneurs in 2009 to bring the theater back to life. After a complete “Venue Make-over” the building is now the oldest theatre with the newest technology. The new venue has subtle elegance & retro glamor. Very attentive staff, gorgeous lighting, and the sound is spectacular! The venue has already booked big names and the upcoming events calendar looks promising.

In addition to the reopening, The Yost sets aside a significant percentage of profits from its operations to subsidize cultural and entrepreneurial based education programs for teens in Santa Ana.

Looks like Los Angeles just moved a little bit closer…

- Tyler

The Last Summer

2011-08-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

Summertime is coming to an end. Another great season has come and gone, but for me, this one is special. This is my last “school” summer. I’m approaching my final year at Chapman and in just 9 short months I will be entering the real world. Despite the horror stories, I do not fear graduation.

As a Chapman University student for three years, I am confident that I will be prepared to take on the challenges of the professional world. I have been fortunate enough to intern at FX Network, BWR, and Rogers & Cowan during my time at Chapman. My internships have allowed me to apply what I was learning in the classroom to real projects. Getting involved with these companies was one of the best decisions I made.

If you didn't know, I am full of great advice and priceless wisdom. If I wanted to extend the best advice I had to I could to incoming students, it would simply be to take advantage of every opportunity that is put in front of you for the next four years. Each day Chapman presents something new and exciting for its students and it is very easy to look past or not embrace them. Don't do it! Push and challenge yourself to get involved with everything!

Whether it is the opportunity to join a club, fraternity/sorority, or intramural team, do it! Being so close to Los Angeles, Chapman is in the perfect location for great internships, so take advantage of it! You don’t know who you will meet, where it will lead, or how it will change your life until you go for it. I personally started as a media relations intern at FX Network as a sophomore and every internship after that was a result of someone I met while I was there. Once you get your foot in the door who knows where it will take you!

Over the next four years, you will develop valuable life and professional skills, create lifelong relationships, and above all else have the best time of your life. Just remember to say, “yes” to every opportunity that finds you, no matter how small or large because when your final year approaches and graduation is around the corner you want to be able to say, “I’m ready.”

- Tyler

Summertime at Chapman

2011-08-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be a Sophomore here at Chapman this coming fall, and I had such an amazing experience my freshman year that I couldn't stand leaving for the whole summer. So I didn't. I decided on spending the summer here at the university and despite common misconception, there is STILL SO MUCH TO DO!. I am working my school year job about 20 hours a week and it's nice because I don't have to work weekends or nights, so I still get to enjoy my summer. Both the Chapman gym and pool are open for students' use and I still get to live super close to Disneyland and the beach. Also, all university offices are still open so I've had major personalized time with a career counselor building my resume and have had appointments with the global studies office discussing study abroad options. No stress and nothing but time to do all the things I need and want to do. Sounds like a sweet deal to me!

- Amita

Preparing for the Real World

2011-08-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

On August 29th, the school year will begin here at Chapman University, and it will be my last as an undergraduate. For the past three years I have accumulated class credits, invaluable experiences, and friendships that will last a lifetime, but have I truly been prepared for the harsh realities of the "real" world? Is my matriculation complete?

I feel with overwhelming confidence that I can say, yes. I am ready. A part of me will always miss the times I've had at Chapman University, from pledging my fraternity, to finishing my first film, and finally helping to start the new men's ice hockey team, but it is these very experiences that have given me the foundation I need to excel in my chosen profession.
Never do I need to worry or fear the unknown. I entered into Chapman with no idea of what to expect or who I would become. But today I can say that through challenging myself academically, socially, and physically, I will leave Chapman a far better person than when I entered.

- John

The Orange Circle

2011-08-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

The Orange Circle is the home to many unique businesses including everything from ancient antique shops to some of the best small restaurants in Southern California. Every day there is always a reason to visit, especially if you live so close… When it’s a nice day out (so pretty much every day) it’s fun to walk into the circle with friends to grab a good lunch or check out the local shops. Not only is it a great daily hangout spot, the Circle puts on events every year that attract hundreds of families and students to participate. One of these upcoming events is the international street fair. The circle is divided up into sections of nationalities where you can find the amazing local foods of that particular culture. It is a great place to spend your weekend and the rest of Orange County would agree! Living so close to the Orange Circle and all the excitement is a great perk of being a Chapman University student. See you there!

- Tyler

Dorms vs Off-Campus Housing

2011-08-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

I am a junior and have lived on-campus for the last two years. I was in dorm rooms, not the apartments and I am finally moving into my first big kid house. It is a huge change for me and I’m already noticing quite a few things that were more convenient living in the dorms:

1. The fact that if something in the house breaks, I can’t just call maintenance and expect them to magically appear within five minutes. I have to actually locate someone who fixes those types of things and wait for them to schedule time to come to the house. And then I have to sit around and wait for them to actually come!

2. How if one of our roommates doesn’t work out, I don’t get to just let Housing take care of it. If a roommate moves out for whatever reason, I now actually will have to PAY their share until we find someone else.

3. Having a real kitchen. Which originally was exciting and I thought about all the cute kitchen-y stuff to buy, until I realized that this also requires that I cook for myself. Which I can’t do. So I guess I’ll wear my new leopard print oven mitts while I use the toaster, or something.

4. Bills. I will now have to remember to actually turn off my laptop, instead of leaving it on “sleep” mode, and plugged in, all day and night. Instead of paying for everything upfront, we will now have to divide these bills among the roommates and make sure they actually get paid.

5. Public Safety will not be there to ensure that the area around my house is perfectly safe. Which is a bit alarming, considering I am mildly paranoid. It’s very nice that on campus, they are constantly patrolling and making sure there aren’t any weirdos creeping around the dorms. And also, they make sure none of my neighbors are too obnoxious.

I haven’t even actually moved in yet, but I love my roommates so hopefully we can at the very least avoid Issue #2. I’m sure this will also make it easier to transition from college to Big Kid Life after graduating, as well. But it definitely makes the dorms seem much more appealing now than they did when I actually lived in them!

-Holly

Boom, Boom, Pow!

2011-07-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

When I came to Chapman as an incoming Film Production student, I did not really know what that major really encompasses. I had made my own short films and internet videos in high school, but, looking back on them now, they pale in comparison to the work I have already been able to accomplish in just one year at Dodge College. I told myself, when coming to Chapman, that I would take a couple of months to sort of figure things out and learn about filming more before I worried about going on set. However, as if destiny was calling my name, a senior Orientation Assistant sat down at my dinner table one day during my orientation week and started talking energetically about the thesis film that he would be directing in a couple of weeks. He seemed as if he could talk for days and days on end, educating me in everything film related. Before he left my table, he imparted with me the best piece of advice I have yet received at Chapman: get on set as early as possible, and with an open mind. Now, his opinion directly conflicted with my “wait-a-couple-of-months” strategy; but who was I to argue with this friendly, zealous, and seemingly all-knowing senior?

So, a few weeks later, a month into my first semester at Chapman, I started work on my first senior thesis set. My role: boom operator. I had no experience, and had only met the director once, and yet felt like I knew everyone on set as soon as I got there. The whole crew was made up of upper-classmen except for me and a couple of other freshmen, yet all of the underclassmen on set were treated with respect and given plenty of support and instruction. During the first weekend of that first thesis set experience, I was able to learn more than I did throughout the entire semester about making a successful film. I learned how to effectively set up plant microphones, lavalieres, and how to keep the boom microphone just on the edge of the camera frame in order to get the best possible production sound. I learned how to successfully manage a film set, through the excellent example of the ensemble cast of Dodge superstars that were leading the production. Most importantly, I learned that I wanted to pursue a career as a sound designer.

Though, I was, at first, a little upset that I landed to tiring job of boom operator, considering that I was, at the time, much more interested in working with cameras; but, holding the director’s advice close, I kept an open mind. I had so much fun and everything seemed so natural that first on-set weekend that I knew I had found my calling.

To all incoming Film Production freshmen and any other aspiring filmmakers at Chapman, I say don’t be intimidated by working on any set. The general attitude of Dodge students is to be as supportive as possible and every set I have been on to date has fully embraced that ideology. Take an active role and challenge yourself to respond to at least one of the numerous emails that are sent out weekly asking for help on student films in your first semester. You don’t need any experience on set to make your first one an amazing one. Have a great rest of the summer everybody! See you on set!

- Nate Grady-Reitan

Graduate School

2011-07-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

For many people who want to go to graduate school, those plans are usually halted by a need to work first and earn enough money or already being burnt out from 4 years of undergraduate studies. But Chapman has another great option for students who wish to pursue their Master's degree but don't want to plunge into another 3 or 4-year program. The Integrated Five-Year programs allow Chapman undergraduate students the possibility of graduating with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in only 5 years. A few of the graduate programs that offer this alternate course are the Master of Business, Master of Health Communications, and Master of Computational Science.

I recently applied and was accepted into the 4+1 Integrated MBA program. For this program, students with any major are eligible to apply during the spring of their junior year. Students who enter into the program begin their master's classes during the spring of their senior year, and with only one additional year, can earn their Master's degree. When I started college I was set on either doing Psychology or Business. I chose to major in Psychology, and by the time I realized my true passion I was already too far into my Bachelor's degree to switch over. But luckily, this Integrated program has allowed me to do what I want and not waste any time.

- Florencia

Local Adventures

2011-07-25T09:23:00.001-07:00

The great part about living in southern California is the amazing adventures one can have. There are many different things one can do. For instance, last weekend my friends and I began with a trip to Laguna Beach and ended with a viewing of the Tim Burton exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The exhibit was amazing! It showed Burton as a film director, artist, illustrator, photographer and writer. My favorite part was seeing Johnny Depp’s Edward Sissorhand costume. All in all you will never be bored and as someone heading into my senior year, I suggest to those heading into college to go on his/her own adventures.

- Steph

Blue Frog Bakery

2011-07-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Chapman is just a short walk away from the Orange circle. The circle is the home to many great shops, restaurants, and small businesses. Everyone can find something to enjoy! A personal of mine favorite is the Blue Frog Bakery.

The quality and freshness of the food is unrivalled. Blue Frog offers everything from freshly baked breads, desserts and pastries, to hearty soups, salads, and sandwiches, there are also plenty of health conscious and light alternatives that almost taste too good to be true. Their entire menu is a success and every dessert is a winner. With a laid back, casual ambience, Blue Frog is a great spot for lunch with your friends. They offer free internet access so it’s a great alternative to the library.

It’s family owned so it’s not just another over-priced, generic, mainstream monster. The staff is extremely friendly and creates a great atmosphere to enjoy your meal.

In recent news, Blue Frog will be opening a hamburger joint in the circle. I can only imagine how good it is going to be and can’t wait to become a reoccurring customer!

- Tyler

Involved

2011-07-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

This is the key word while being at Chapman. Somehow, and I don't know how, but somehow all Chapman students have the same need to get involved in as much as they can. It's a very rare occurrence that you'll hear of a student only going to class and back. Of course some programs are more strenuous than others, and maybe you feel totally exhausted at the end of the day, but somehow we panthers do it all.

My friends and I all have to be involved in as much as we can take. Some weeks I look at my iCal (that's the calendar on my Macbook, for all you PC users) and it has no room for meals, or even sleep sometimes! But I would much rather be going and going and going than laying around doing nothing. I have my fraternity (and all the events we put on, as well as the events put on by the other greeks) which is a big part of my involvement, but even past that I'm starting my own club (Beautiful Animals-- look for it), I was a part of our Student Government Association, planned events for the Department of Student Affairs, and now I'm giving tours through the Office of Admission. And that doesn't include my classes or designing my own, personalized, major: Power of Language.

What's the moral of the story? If there is one rule that all panthers follow it's this:
"If you're ever bored at Chapman, you're not doing Chapman right."

- Garrett

Not your average assignment…

2011-07-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

This past semester I had the opportunity of doing an individual study with Dr. Veronica Hefner in the Communication Studies Department. I had expressed an interest in doing more hands on research to get me better prepared for graduate school. I was guided to Dr. Hefner because of my interest in women’s health and media. Dr. Hefner and I, along with three graduate students from the Communication Health Sciences Disorders Graduate Program, conducted a study called the “Cougar Study”. One of our research questions was whether Cougar related media (such as the television show Cougar Town) affected the way middle age women felt about their body and their relationships.

I was responsible for gathering responses to our surveys, and then compiling data for our report. While it took up a lot of my time, and some weeks I was quite stressed out with the amount of work I needed to do, it was an invaluable experience. I would recommend all students to take advantage of doing research with their professors. It’s a great opportunity to work with people who have had a lot of experience in the field you are interested in, also, if you decide to go to graduate school it will look great on your application!

- Kelly

Endless Opportunities

2011-07-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

As a relatively small university, most people would not automatically associate a university like Chapman with immense opportunities you can take advantage of.

The last couple years here has taught me that Chapman is exactly that, a place with more opportunities than you will be able to take advantage of. Through my various involvements at Chapman, I’ve been able to go to Texas on a conference, to Washington DC for a symposium at the US Library of Congress and even on a 2 week trip to Russia as part of a delegation to promote “citizen diplomacy”. What’s more, by the time I graduate, I’d have spent a semester in Madrid, worked several on-campus jobs, studied hard, socialized a lot and arm myself with an International Business degree, ready to explore and make the most of an increasingly smaller world.

Of course, as young adults, we’re expected to make the initiative to take advantage of all of these opportunities that are made available to us. I’ve had my plate full to the brim for the last 3 years and I can still think of a dozen opportunities I wish I could’ve taken part in.

In conclusion, Chapman’s future students, when you get to Chapman, don’t be shy, look out for these opportunities, don’t worry if you miss one, another two will be on their way, but don’t forget to make that initial initiative and don’t let anything stop you. If finances are an issue, approach the concerned people for that opportunity, if class timing is, work with you professors because that’s what Chapman’s about, and that’s what we’d love you to join us in being about.

Chapman truly does cultivate global citizens, how else, would I, a student from India, be able to live in Orange County, California, learn from Professors from Greece, Lebanon and Turkey, travel within the US on conferences, visit Russia and live in Madrid, Spain for 6 months, all in the span of 4 years we call College.

- Kahan

2011-07-11T09:24:00.001-07:00

I am so excited to be living in Orange this summer and working at the Admissions Office has given me an opportunity to fall in love with Chapman all over again. My favorite part of being a tour guide is meeting the families of prospective students. Chapman has provided so many career opportunities in my two short years as a student. One opportunity that I found on Panther Connect is my current paid internship at ABC Daytime's "All My Children". I've been a production intern since January and have been asked by the producers to stay on through Fall. :)

-Kjellrun

The Beach!

2011-06-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

It is officially summer and when I’m not working, you are pretty likely to find me at my favorite place in the world: the beach. I’m a Laguna Beach local so I am a complete beach-snob. I usually try to avoid the tourist-infested beaches and over the years, I’ve definitely found the best ones. Here are my list of favorites:

Thousand Step Beach (known as 9th St to locals) This beach is my absolute favorite. Expect few tourists, hardly any seaweed, clear water, and the best part is that it’s kind of in a bit of a cove. This blocks out most of the wind, so even on windy days, this beach is still usually perfect. This is a popular beach for professional skim boarders too, so you often get a free show when they’re out practicing for the next contest. The downfall? It is called Thousand Steps for a reason. There aren’t really a thousand steps – I counted them once in high school. I think it was around 400. Anyway, trust me, it is WORTH it. Especially because tourist families cannot carry their coolers/stereos/tents/umbrellas/14 crying children or whatever else they unnecessarily drag along to the beach to annoy you. Also, the houses up on the cliff?Pretty much all have elevators. Make friends with people in these houses.

West Street
This one is my second favorite, mostly because aside from the street sign along PCH, no one really knows it exists unless you’re a local. Yes, there is the whole bunch-of-stairs-down-a-cliff thing, but if I remember correctly (again, it’s been like four years since I counted), I believe there are around170 stairs here. So, you know, it’s less. This beach is again a skimmer-friendly beach, and home of a lot of the local contests. It’s clean, there are not many tourists since it’s hidden, and there is a volleyball net. I don’t partake in sports at the beach, but for some people that is exciting. Also, it is much easier to find parking around West St than pretty much any other beach in Laguna.

Salt Creek
Okay, this one is technically Dana Point. This is pretty much the beach you think of when you stereotype Socal beaches. There are surfers, there are tourists, there are constant activities going on. The far end is home of an exclusive “beach club”, and the other half is an expensive hotel. Salt Creek pretty much only makes my list because I used to live across the street from it, and it was nice when I couldn’t drive. If you get bored of my beaches with almost no people (I don’t), then Salt Creek is that typical “fun” beach. Plus there is a grassy part with a basketball court, barbeques, actual bathrooms, etc. Just don’t go on a windy day. Seriously, any wind makes it completely freezing. Also, don’t try to sneak into the hotel pool by giving them a fake name. They check. Those are my top three beaches.

Following in #4 would be Crescent (North Laguna, pretty, no stairs, but sometimes tourist infested), #5 Oak St (Pros: downtown Laguna, right in the middle of everything, you’ll meet lots of people, no stairs and right next to Wahoo’s. Cons: parking costs money and good luck finding any, plus the beach is like a huge rock and it can be crowded), and probably Thalia (next to Oak, sometimes less crowded than Oak, people go there usually to surf). You usually can’t go wrong with beaches around here, as long as you avoid Main Beach. Seriously. It’s awful. Have fun tanning and enjoying summer!

- Holly

Business as Usual

2011-06-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

I was extremely anxious about this summer as it was approaching the end of last semester. I didn't want to leave my new friends for three months; but then I realized that I only a half hour away from Chapman. That is a fact that I had slowly pushed into the back of my mind as I spent more time at Chapman and it became my new home. So, luckily, I have been able to get my daily dosage of the school I have come to know and love by working in the Department of Admissions and going to class during the week, and trekking to the beach and Disneyland with Chapman friends on the weekends, just like old times! I think I can safely say that I have spent more time up at Chapman this summer than I have spent at home, which is exactly how I want my time spent this summer. Whether I am playing Frisbee after class on Wilson Field, or grabbing a bite in the Circle before work with friends, time just seems better spent when I am back home at Chapman. I cannot wait for everyone else to come back and for the fall semester to begin! Have a great summer everyone!

Home Sweet Home

2011-06-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

As Dorothy once said in the Wizard of Oz, "there's no place like home". After spending 4 months in Florence, Italy, Mexican food never tasted so good. It wouldn't have been possible to jump start my life goal of visiting every country in the world without the help of Chapman's study abroad office. They really encourage students to become a global citizen by studying in a different country. They also help you a LOT through the application process, helping you turn your studying abroad dreams into a reality.

Since I've been back it's been a hectic month. I re-assimilated, decompressed, went back to work, started a new job, took the GMAT, and moved into a new apartment. Even though I love my life here, a piece of me will always remain in Firenze. That's not to say I didn't have my trials and tribulations while abroad. There were times when I wanted nothing to do with those crazy Italians. Nevertheless, having lived through those events is an experience I would never trade in. Studying abroad was probably one of the best decisions I have made during my stay here at Chapman, and I highly recommend it to any other young panther out there.

Ci vediamo!

- Florencia

2012 Chapman Lacrosse

2011-06-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Chaptownlax.com finished the 2011 season ultimately taking 5th in the MCLA. Looking ahead to the upcoming season Chaptown Nation has a lot to look forward to. Chapman graduated 8 of their most influential and winning-est players in program history. But with their contributions to last year’s team, and the impact they had on first year coach Dallas Hartley Chapman should come out next year as the team to beat. Coach Hartley will have an excess of veteran players to choose from and with a very strong core of recruits coming in 2012 should be the year Chaptown finally wins that last game of the season this year being held in Greenville North Carolina. For all you supporters of Chapman make sure you make your way to Wilson Field aka THE JUNGLE during the spring semester and watch the best looking team in college lacrosse dominate any team that steps on the field. With six televised games in the last four years I am almost positive students will be seeing the likes of either Fox College Sports or ESPNU cameras around next year. New season, new players, new gear, and new students to show support for the team they love, the possibilities are endless for Chaptown Nation and hopefully in a year from now Chapman will be graced with 40+ kids wearing big, beautiful nation championship rings.

Y'all have a blessed day and Go Chaptown

- Sammy

Summer Abroad

2011-06-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Each year, Chapman University sends hundreds of students abroad. New students embark on a life changing semester each term. But did you know that you can study abroad over the summer? Or even Interterm? Chapman students who may not have the opportunity to travel abroad during the year because of things such as work or sports can consider looking into abroad programs during school breaks.

One of those programs is Semester at Sea. The summer 2011 term departs tomorrow from the Bahamas! I was fortunate enough to participate in the spring 2011 voyage this past semester. It was an incredible opportunity and one of the best life decisions I have ever made.

There is no other abroad program that can rival what Semester at Sea has to offer. Semester at Sea provides the once-in-a-lifetime chance to investigate 8-12 countries in a single semester, learn from leading faculty and international experts, perform service work in local communities, explore the world's most fascinating sites, earn a full semester's credit, and support a nonprofit organization.

Not only is it a once in a lifetime opportunity to sail around the world with your best friends but it doesn’t look too bad on a resume either. Your unique and personal global experience will contribute to who you are and how you view the world.

I highly encourage and recommend the Semester at Sea program. It is an opportunity that every student should consider taking advantage of. If sailing around the world isn’t for you, look into the other abroad programs that are out there. Studying abroad is a life changing experience that will be remembered as one of the best few months of your life.

The summer voyage lasts from June 17th to August 20th. For a full itinerary and additional questions, the upcoming voyage details can be located here: http://www.semesteratsea.org/voyages/upcoming-voyages/summer-2011.php

- Tyler

Summer Job

2011-06-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Work work work work work. That’s all it feels like I’m doing now. But thankfully, it’s work that I love doing. As the Tour Guide Coordinator in the Office of Admission, I get to work directly in the training of our tour guides as well as directly with potential students and their families. Seeing the impact that our tour guides have is really incredible, and each shares a dedication and passion for Chapman unlike anything I’ve seen. Then, working in the Office of Orientation as the Family Orientation Coordinator for the upcoming New Student Orientation, I get to work with families planning on attending Orientation and accommodating their needs and questions. Parents nervous about sending their children off to college for the first time, parents confused about the schedule, anything and everything you can think of.

Basically, I love working with students and their families. And that’s what I get to do full time this summer while working in two of the friendliest and most entertaining offices on campus. It really is exciting to see how hard these two offices work toward ensuring that the incoming students are given the best opportunities to succeed and become one of the Chapman community.

Shameless plug – for all you new incoming students…make sure you come to Orientation! http://www.chapman.edu/orientation/

- Robert

Summer Internship: Wild Plum

2011-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

School is out and summer has begun. This summer aside from relaxing I have a great internship at Wild Plum. Wild Plum is a boutique production house focusing on commercials, music videos and new content in Venice, CA. Thus far the internship has been amazing and it has been great to work with such brilliant and friendly people. The reason why I am bringing up the work side of my summer as a Chapman student is because I want people to know what exciting opportunities Chapman has to offer; such as internships. In fact, I found my internship through e-mails I receive from the school. Chapman therefore not only teaches us inside the classroom but also out in the real world. The experience I have gained at Wild Plum has been amazing. It is so great to have the ability to love what I do! To check out more about Wild Plum go to http://www.wildplum.tv/.

- Stephanie Baum

Summer Living

2011-06-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Chapman, I am living on campus all summer. Being a junior, I get the perks of an upper class apartment, which comes in either 9-month or 12-month leases. My roommate and I decided to get the 12-month lease seeing as we both are working at Chapman over the summer.

I cannot tell you how nice it feels to be able to walk to work rather than commute every day. The best part is that I'm so close to everything Southern California has to offer! With the beach and Disneyland only 20 minutes away, it's hard to not go every day. And since I'm on campus I have access to the Chapman gym (or the Henley hall gym which is open 24 hours a day).

So in summation: I'm making money, working out for free, and exploring the best places in Southern California. Why yes, I do think this summer is the best one yet.

-Garrett

Summer is Here!

2011-06-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again... summer 2011 is finally here! I know that the new season doesn’t technically start until June 21, but now that the weather is warming up and the sun is hanging around longer we’ll declare it summer. As far as I’m concerned, Memorial Day marks the traditional start of the new season.

Chapman had a very successful year academically, socially, and spiritually. But school is out! Get ready for more lazy days on the beach, more trips to Disneyland, and investing a part of that paycheck into ice cold lemonade. Tucked away in a perfect location, Orange is just a short trip away from Newport, Huntington, and Laguna Beach. Log some hours perfecting your surfing skills or spend some time at Ruby’s Diner out on the pier.

Los Angeles is not too far away (if you don’t leave at rush hour) and a great place to explore and shop on the weekends. Or maybe you find yourself sticking around this summer to intern at a major television network or to work for one of the big four law firms. Orange is located in a perfect area to explore Southern California during the summer. Maybe you can finally make that trip to the San Diego Zoo that you’ve always wanted to do.

Or maybe, if you’re a current student, you just want to finally fill that math requirement that you keep putting off. Courses offered at Chapman are available for anyone spending time nearby during the summer months, whether you're a Chapman University student or not.

The amazing community that Chapman creates during the academic year extends into the summer making it a great place to spend your days off. Just a short walk from the popular Orange Circle, there is always something to do. We will be blogging throughout the summer, check back for all the Happenings at Chapman!

- Tyler

3D Characters

2011-05-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

When I started at Chapman University as a Digital Arts major, I was definitely most excited for 3D animation. I was an art studio student transferring over to the digital aspect – and how cool would it be to not only bring my drawings to life, but do so from multiple angles?!

I am in the process of working on my first “real” 3D character. I say real, because I’ve done several in earlier classes, but they did not function as accurately as my current one.

I decided to do a tiger because those are my favorite animals and I wanted to do something cute and round because it’s easier to model. Here is (very roughly) the process we use to create a 3D “rig”, or animated character, in Autodesk Maya 3D.

Modeling. This is where you take basic shapes and pull, push, or mold them into a character’s shape. It is a lot like clay, because you can move around the space and see your character from different angles. However, it is a lot more difficult than clay in that if you have something awkwardly sticking out, you have to mold it back into place, instead of, you know, just squishing it back in.
Rigging. This means creating a sort of skeleton – complete with joints – for your character so that it can move and bend correctly. You then add influence to the joints so that they know what to control. You know, so your character’s left pinky finger doesn’t somehow control his back fat (actually happened to me). You also can add control “buttons” that don’t show up in the actual animation, but are used to quickly grab a joint and move it into the correct position.
Animating. This is where I’m at right now, and let me just say, IT IS HARD. You may not realize exactly why something needs to look a certain way – like, a walk cycle, for example, but when it’s done incorrectly, it’s painfully obvious. Everything has to be perfect.

I’m currently working on my character’s facial expressions. I spent roughly three hours making sure it smiles and blinks correctly. I’m not kidding. We actually put all of its expressions on separate heads and then combine them into a control panel. It looks something like this:

See? Complicated!
Although my major is ridiculously time consuming, I do honestly love it and I will hopefully enjoy it even more once I actually figure out what I’m doing. Now, I’ll be doing this for the next several weeks. Wish me luck!

- Holly

Right Around the Corner

2011-04-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

I'm finding it hard to believe that this school year is already coming to an end. Seems like not too long ago, I was just moving into the dorms, attending orientation week. This year has been filled to the brim with all sorts of new experiences, such as moving away from home, taking different classes, and joining a new sport. I've met so many great people and I've grown so much over just the past several months.

On one hand, I'm excited to go home and see my family and friends, but on the other hand, I'm sad to leave my new Chapman family and the great community here. I'm sure that summer is going to fly by, and before I know it, I'll be moving into the dorms again and starting my sophomore year. I can't wait to get into next year - with so many more memories and experiences to be made. I always have to remind myself to take time to sit still and relax, so I don't wake up one day with graduation right around the corner!

- Christin

Preview Day Video!

2011-04-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

We just uploaded our footage from this years preview day! Check it out:

Pay it Forward

2011-04-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

As my time at Chapman comes to a close I have been blessed to realize how great our Alumni are. I have become more and more anxious to graduate and become a part of such an excellent network. Although graduating is a scary thought, I am coming to terms with the perks that come along with it. Recently, I was invited to a dinner at Disney Studios to chat with a few executives about Film Development and starting a career in the industry. The week afterward I was invited to a cocktail mixer in Hollywood put on by the school for graduating seniors and graduate students to have round table discussions with alumni in the film and TV industries. Tonight I will be headed to the annual "Foot in the Door" night, an event where alumni 1-5 years out come and talk to us current students and give advice on how to network, gain internships, find jobs etc. Tomorrow I am headed to a dinner on campus with two agents from ICM to discuss what working at an agency is like. Each of the intimate ad interactive settings has given me so much to think about as I enter the "real world."

Time and time again I am impressed by the help given to us by the university to establish meaningful relationships with past students. But even more so, I am impressed at the caliber of individuals who have graduated from my university and how they have a strong presence in LA and within the entertainment field. I am proud to join this group of people as they continue to make name for Chapman graduates and I cannot wait to stay connected with Chapman post-graduation to pay it forward.

- Anne

Preview Day 2011 a success!

2011-04-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

It's the day after Preview Day here in the Chapman admissions office, and David and I have lots of video and photos to share!

At the opening session, everyone gathered in the Hutton Sports Center to listen to President Doti, Dr. Hall, and others speak. Our "This Week" video was even featured!

Audio of the opening speech:

Afterwords, the crowd dispersed and met up in smaller Academic sessions related to their major of choice, like Math or Theater.

Once the Academic sessions ended, the students and their families gathered in Attellah Piazza for snacks, and were treated to a surprise flash mob by Chapman's very own dance department!

This version is just a preliminary version we captured-Panther Productions will have an edited version for all to see soon enough.

For all that attended: I hope you had fun yesterday, and we wish you luck on your college decisions!

- Miles

LMFAO at Chapman!

2011-04-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Associated Students at Chapman is always hard at work in doing big things for students. Just a few weeks ago they secured DJ Earworm to perform and just this past Friday, the one and only LMFAO performed at our Hutton Sports Center! Tickets were so inexpensive and it was an event that the whole school seemed to be attending. The show sold out and was a huge success. It was nice seeing a great majority of the Chapman community come out to this sold out event and dress up in vibrant colors for a night of "party rocking." It’s great to have these events at school because especially during stressful midterm time, having something this great to look forward to is a nice help to get my mind off of school for a night. I can’t wait to see what AS has planned for us next year!

- Amita

First Year Reflection

2011-04-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe my first year here at Chapman University is already so close to being done. The year goes by so fast and so much has happened since I wrote a blog last. Skit is right around the corner, and Delts are going strong. We’re pumped and ready to perform. I cannot wait to participate in my first Skit Night here at Chapman. The other houses are going to be amazing, Men of Harmony is performing at intermission, and its going to be an awesome show.

Admitted Students Day is this Sunday it’s going to be a great day. It’s so exciting to see all the admitted students that have interest in my University. It’ll be great to discuss with them what drew them here and why they pursue their college career. 7 hours of collaboration with fellow Admissions people and admitted students will make an epic day!!

- Vince

Admitted Students Day 2011 Teaser 2

2011-04-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

Just to get all of you admitted students more excited, here's a second teaser:

What Season Are We In?!

2011-04-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

As I am writing this, it is about 82 degrees (according to my laptop) outside. It is HOT and perfect beach weather. Sadly, I have class/work pretty much all day until Friday every week. I am lucky enough to have the issue of every time I am extremely busy, it is gorgeous and sunny. However, when I have free time, the weather gods suddenly decide that this is the perfect time for a torrential downpour. This has not failed for the past several months.

This past weekend was perfect beach weather and everyone (well, it felt like everyone!) on campus was sporting freshly tanned skin. I had work all weekend and several projects to do. "Next weekend," I told myself to motivate the continuation of my schoolwork, "next weekend I can go to the beach!" So, I made sure that I didn't have too much to do this coming weekend. I worked on all my projects ahead of time, or figured out when I can get it done so that I'll have at LEAST one real beach day this weekend.

Starting Friday, the weather will be 56 degrees, and oh yeah, it's raining.

Cross your fingers for next weekend?

- Holly

Admitted Students Day 2011 Teaser

2011-04-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hey admitted students! Here is a quick teaser of our Admitted Students Day (Preview Day) 2011 promo video:

No Regrets

2011-04-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

As a second semester senior, I spend quite a bit of time reflecting on the last four years. While I couldn’t be happier with my decisions and experiences at Chapman, I can’t help but have a few regrets about the things I did not do. If I could do it all over again, I would have made a few changes and offer the following advice to incoming students:

Bucket List: At the beginning of college write down everything that you want to do in your four years. Make a point of sticking to these goals and take advantage of every opportunity that you have.
Study abroad: Just do it - whether it’s for a month, a semester, a year or a summer. I have yet to meet a single person that did not enjoy their time abroad and learn from the experience. Chapman’s global citizen mission fully endorses study abroad and gives students endless opportunities to choose from. Not studying abroad is my one true regret.
Get involved: While I was heavily involved in my sorority and took on leadership positions, I wish I had joined more clubs early on. Clubs, sports, Greek life and student government are great ways to meet people and make new friends, broaden your interests and gain teamwork or leadership experience.
Follow your passions: take the time out of your busy schedule to find and follow your passions. You will never again have the opportunity to take (and get credit for) classes like ballroom dance, photography, bowling or history of film.
Have fun!: we are certainly here for our education, but looking back it’s not the midterms or the final exams that I remember. The memories that stand out are the late night study sessions with my friends, the stimulating conversations with professors and the random adventures that I’ve been on.

These really are the best four years of your life – enjoy!

- Taylor

Delta Queen

2011-03-31T16:18:00.000-07:00

One of the many reasons I have been so MIA from blogging is DELTA QUEEN.

The annual philanthropic pageant is put on by the Delta Tau Delta fraternity here on campus. Each year the greek community nominates a representative to compete on behalf of their chapter. This year Order of Omega, the Greek honors society I belong to asked me to be their candidate. The competition began last November and all fundraising efforts went to the Beckstrand Cancer Foundation. More than half of our score was based on how much money we could bring in for the non-profit. I wrote letters to friends and family, spoke with local businesses and organizations for donations, held a bake sale and a car wash.

During our months of fundraising I also participated in the Hope and Harmony 5k, which is hosted each year by Beckstrand. We also had a concert on campus featuring DJ Earworm to bring awareness to the pageant and bring in even more money for Beckstrand.

The day of the big show was March 17th where all the other 11 contestants plus myself competed in talent, Greek spirit walk, on stage question and formal wear. I never would have imagined myself in a pageant but I loved every minute of it. I ended up doing stand up comedy for my talent and who knew people would actually find me funny.

I thank the men of Delta Tau Delta for allowing me to put so much effort and time into a wonderful organization like Beckstrand. It was a wonderful project and I have become such great friends with all the other girls who also participated. I ended up coming in at second runner up and raised more than 2,500 dollars!

- Krystal

Midterms!

2011-03-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

Midterms are in full swing! But that also means the semester is already half over. I cannot believe how fast time flies. Although I am so excited for summer and the next chapter of life at Chapman, I am reminding myself to enjoy every moment I have left of this first year. It is difficult to prioritize in college, because there are so many wonderful things to be a part of. So, even in the midst of midterms, I am constantly trying to be involved with as many of the important things as I can.

The most important at this time is to spend time with my friends, mostly my sorority sisters, who are graduating in just a few weeks. It is so strange to be a freshman, when graduating from college seems ages away, yet they are telling me that their freshman year feels like yesterday. This definitely reminds me that time in college does go by fast, so no matter what time of the year it is (midterms, finals, whatever...), I have to keep focusing on all the wonderful things in my life at Chapman.

Making the most of it all,
Sarah

What can I do when I am not in class?

2011-03-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

Chapman University has a variety of events students can participate in on campus. So far this semester I have attended activities from DJ Earworm to the Danceathon which raised money for CHOC Hospital. Both events involved dancing, however one was for pure fun, while the other was fun AND for a good cause. The range in activities is great because it means there is always something to do. I know when prospective students look at colleges they wonder "what can I do when I am not in class?"

Aside from these two events there is yoga and kickboxing offered by Residential Life, competitions like Red and Gold week, and a variety of clubs from Alpha Kappa Psi, a business fraternity, to Invisible Children, a Non Profit Organization working to provide a safe learning environment for children in Northern Uganda. By raising money, and spreading awareness. I can honestly say I am never at a loss for what to do on my weekends : ) But what I am most excited for is the upcoming LMFAO concert! That is by far going to be a fabulous event and it shows future students what Chapman has in store for them.

- Stephanie

Next Step: Social Justice Retreat

2011-03-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

At the end of February, I went on a Chapman retreat, called "Next Step: Social Justice Retreat". The concept of the retreat was to find the "Next Step" to take towards a more just world. The retreat was only over one weekend in Mentone, California, about 1-1.5 hours away from Chapman. The lodge was a short drive up a mountain, immersed in the wilderness. About half way into the trip, it snowed and it was absolutely beautiful.

During the retreat, we had several large and small group discussions and activities. The main topics we covered were sexuality, race, and gender. By increasing awareness and respect, we can counter oppression.

I am so glad I went on this retreat because I learned so much about myself and society as a whole. The group of people was so amazing - truly inspiring and motivated. I definitely recommend this retreat to everyone because it was such an amazing and life-changing experience.
- Christin

Dance!

2011-03-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

When you come to Chapman, you should definitely take advantage of the dance classes. Even if you aren’t a dancer, I highly recommend trying one of the classes. You don’t have to be a dance major to take dance classes at Chapman. Although many classes are reserved for majors only, the dance department does offer classes for dance minors and non-major students. The most popular classes open to all students are hip-hop and ballroom dance. Swing dance class is also a favorite, even among guys! Those classes don’t really require any previous experience so if you are looking to try something new, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

There are also "beginner" jazz, ballet, and modern classes that are offered. All dance minors are required to take these classes before advancing on to the level that the majors start at. Although the classes are considered beginner, they are technically for intermediate dancers. If you have no prior dance experience, I probably wouldn’t recommend these for you. I am currently in a jazz class for non-majors and I love it. It’s challenging and the choreography is really unique and enjoyable. The warm gives everyone a really good workout which is perfect since bikini season is approaching. Whether you are a dancer who wants to take an occasional class for fun, or you have never attempted dance before, I strongly recommend you try a class at Chapman. You won’t be disappointed.

- Jenna

Runner's High

2011-03-16T14:55:00.001-07:00

Playing a sport in college is a great way to relieve all that stress from the long day of classes, work, and hours in the library. When looking at colleges I had the tough realization that being an athlete might not be in the stars for me. Running at a D1 school would not allow me to get the playing time I desired. Not to mention I would have difficulty prioritizing my schoolwork with the demands of coaches, etc. Other D2 & D3 schools didn't have track teams. That is why I was so grateful that Chapman had a Division 3 Women's Track & field team....so I could continue sprinting and hurdling without letting it get in the way of the "traditional" college experience that I was looking for.

I ran as a freshman and sophomore but took my junior year off so that I could study abroad in Cannes, France. It was a tough decision but I knew I made the right choice. Deciding to go back to running after a year off was a tough call but I am so thankful that I committed to one more year. When else do you get that sense of athletic camaraderie? Pasta feeds? 4x100 relays? My teammates and I recently broke a 26-year old school record in the Sprint Medley and we couldn't be happier. By shaving off nearly 6 seconds we solidified our spot on the Track & Field school records list. We worked hard the entire week heading into this meet knowing what task we had to face and what times we had to run to clinch it. It was exhilarating! Now my teammates and I have a few weeks away from meets to focus on strengthening up and getting in gear for the next slew of meets in April. My fellow-record breakers and I have a renewed sense of energy.

- Annie

Not enough time!

2011-03-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

Spring 2011. Man how things have been busy. Taking a new pledge class for Delts is exciting and a reality check for the new actives. We have so much to do as actives and it really is exhilarating. Delta Queen is coming up fast and I’m very excited to be a part of my first philanthropy with Delts. Panther Skim is really expanding with the new 16 or 17 sign ups after the Student Involvement Fair. I think I might consider tabling again with all the popularity.

This semester has so much in store. Skit is one that is greatly anticipated and everyone’s working hard with their eyes on the prize. Also Panther Skim is finally going to have its first event in Balboa April 9 from 10a-2p. They’ll be holding a board demo where any Chapman student, alum, or faculty and come try boards out or just see skimming in the action. I love Chapman and can’t wait to participate in future events.

- Vince

Picking a Minor

2011-03-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

As I’ve said before, I am a Digital Arts major with an emphasis in Animation. Today, I decided that this would be the day that I finally pick out my minor. I want to do a minor because it takes the place of the Interdisciplinary Cluster portion of G.E. credits. Basically, it’s almost the same amount of credits, but you get a degree out of it. Being in the animation industry, this was a really, really difficult decision. I wanted a minor that would tie in with my major. With my Insidetrack coach, which is basically an adult mentor that Chapman gives you the option of having, I finally sat down and tried to pick my minor.

I went through the list of minors and first crossed off everything I am bad at. This
included Spanish, French, actually any language, Political Science, Physics and all other sciences, anything to do with Religious and/or Peace Studies, anything related or even semi-related to math – including business, anything to do with Philosophy (it is hard, and I just do not understand any of it), all history classes (I can never remember all the random facts), and almost anything to do with, well, what a real “grown-up” job might entail.

I want to be an animator – clearly, a “grown-up” job is not something I aimed for.

This left me with the following options: Advertising, Art, Broadcast Journalism, English, Game Development Programming, Music, and finally, Graphic Design.

Considering my musical ability consists of several guitar lessons in high school, that was, sadly, next off my list. I also had to admit that although I am good at English, an animator with a minor degree in English is mildly worthless. I crossed of Broadcast Journalism as well, although I would not turn down my own talk show, should anyone offer me one.

I then got rid of Advertising, because for me, Graphic Design would be a better option and almost the same thing. So, I had my three: Art, Graphic Design and Game Development.

Game Development, nerdy as it may be, would tie directly into my major because a
lot of animators do both and are able to switch back and forth between programming and the artwork side. However, it is HARD, and a lot of computer skills are involved. Surprisingly, computer skills are my biggest issue as an animator.

Graphic Design is a lot of work with very similar projects. However, these projects would not be interchangeable between my major… So I’d have twice as many huge projects to do. That also require computer skills. Again, total fail.

Taking Art as a minor would be entirely in my background. I’d get to take drawing and
painting classes – mediums which were my first love and how I ended up in Animation to begin with. Also, I have to take a lot of drawing classes as an animation major – and the projects are very similar but these would interchangeable. So it’d really be twice as much drawing time per project.

Can you guess what I chose!? I am now a Digital Arts major with an emphasis in Animation ANDDDDD: an Art minor.

I am actually really excited to take REAL art classes, so I guess that should have been my clue as to what to decide on!

Good luck picking your major and minor, and while they are all amazing programs, you
have to really analyze how much you’d enjoy them!

-Holly

I LOVE SOCAL!

2011-03-11T09:50:00.000-08:00

Today is March 11th. March is still wintertime as far it goes technically. Today the weather was so beautiful that I decided to take a day off of studying for midterms and soak up some sunshine. There is nothing better to relieve the stress of midterm week than to jump into the pool, tan by the volleyball courts while the Delts barbeque and play music, and shoot a couple hoops on the basketball courts. I love that that is how I can spend two hours of my time, rather than taking a break by cuddling up in my bed because it’s so cold out! What’s even better, I get to go to Disneyland later on tonight! Happy Tan-time! :)

- Amita

Student Life

2011-03-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

On every tour I give here at Chapman, while exiting Argyros Hall I usually mention the Office of Student Life way up on the third floor. Usually I crack a little joke about my high school's student government (and the fact that it was a complete joke) then I mention that our own student government works with close to a half a million dollar budget putting on all kinds of events here on campus. Additionally, their funds are open to every student who applies for it on behalf of their clubs.

We tour guides usually mention the over ninety clubs available to Chapman students, and also that if there's no club to fit your needs, Chapman encourages people to start their own clubs. Only this year have I truly come to understand what that means. Since my first semester here at Chapman, I've been involved in these student organizations. The time I've spent with my fraternity has been some of the best of my life. Time I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. Through our philanthropic work, I became involved with C.A.R.E.S. (Creating A Rape-free Environment for Students). I've helped put on a number of events that raise awareness of sexual health issues in our society, and my perspective about the world we live in has changed. Finally, this last fall, a number of ice hockey players who attend Chapman got together and decided that it was time for Chapman to get its very own ice hockey team. I'm proud to say that my involvement on campus now extends to the local ice, represent Chapman against teams from all over Southern California.

The amount of opportunities here at Chapman can be overwhelming at first, but it's important to remember, the greatest benefits you receive from your time in college come from putting yourself out there, trying new things, and investing yourself at every chance.

- John

SKIT HAPPENS!

2011-03-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

Well here we are, as March get into full swing us students here are Chapman are starting to get hit with the brunt of the busy semester. It is about this time that weeks are filled with frantic studying for midterms and extracurricular commitments start to pile up. One of these extracurricular commitments that seems to keep a good number of us pretty busy is Skit. Skit is a Greek Life program put on each spring that consists of each Greek house putting on an eight minute skit for parents, faculty, and the rest of the student body to enjoy. Now this is not your third grade, “pilgrims land at Plymouth rock” skit; Chapman students take skits to a whole new level and the production you’ll see is more of a condensed Broadway musical, complete with a storyline, singing, dancing, and if you are lucky some awesome props, costumes, and stunts.

Because these productions go above and beyond what anyone would imagine a “skit” would be, countless hours of rehearsal, design work, and planning go into each house’s skit. Many groups practice three or four nights per week for anywhere from one hour to three hours. It is a lot of work, but getting to spend all that time with some of your closest friends provides for some unforgettable memories. When skit night finally comes, it is quite a relief, but there is so much to show for all your hard work. If you want to see this year’s performance, check out the live feed on April 8^th and 9^th!

- Anthony

A Purple Tie Affair

2011-03-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

When people think 'fraternity', I feel like images of big parties and hazing are what come to mind. Coming to Chapman, however, I am so proud to say that I am a part of a fraternity that goes beyond that stereotype, and works to use the resources they have to make a difference in the world around them. On Saturday, February 26th, the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (otherwise known as 'Fiji') put on its big second annual charity gala for Make a Wish Foundation. The event was held in a large conference room in the new residence hall building and the entire place was transformed to a classy event, where all guests were encouraged to wear purple ties- the official color of the fraternity. All brothers of the fraternity were invited, but many of the guests were residents from around the area and supporters of both the fraternity and Make a Wish.

To raise money for Make a Wish, we had a Silent Auction with items like a trip to Morocco and an invitation to the exclusive Club 33, and a raffle for prizes like an iPad, free limo ride, an Angels baseball ticket package and more. Along with the fraternity president, Ryan Robinson, giving a formal welcome to all the guests, we also had two ambassadors from the Make a Wish Foundation speak, one of which was a thirteen year old child whose wish was granted a few years ago to meet the President at the White House. After a night of dinner, dancing, and many prizes, Fiji raised over $12,000 for the Make a Wish Foundation, which translated into granting more than two wishes for different children with life threatening illness.

This entire night was fantastic, not only because of the amount that we got to give back to the community, but the fact that a group of college men were able to use their talents to make such an impact. It really empowers me, and I hope empowers others when coming to Chapman and taking another look at the Greek Life system.

- Nathan

The Best Kind of Busy

2011-03-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

My second semester at Chapman has been so amazing. I'm only a freshman and I already feel completely at home. I came from out of state and was definitely worried about feeling homesick. But Chapman has totally become my other home and my family. The weeks are flying by - I am so busy with so many exciting things! I'm a film major, and this weekend I will be on set assistant producing a senior thesis film. I am so excited about it!

The following weekend my Dad is coming to visit from Colorado. I can't wait to take him to my new favorite restaurant, Bruxie, where they serve burgers on Belgian waffles! It's right next to campus! We are also going to go Disneyland since it is only ten minutes away. I went to Disneyland last Tuesday after class with some friends - I love it when there are no lines! Chapman's location could not be any better. There are so many fun and exciting things to be a part of. I love being busy with so many amazing things, and I love that I still feel at home.

- Sarah

Senior with a plan...

2011-02-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

Four weeks ago, I started my LAST SEMESTER as an undergraduate at Chapman University. It’s safe to say the semester began with a mixture of 25% sheer joy, 25% pure sadness and 50% straight up nerves. The thought of graduating and leaving Chapman behind was scary enough, but the thought of graduating AND being unemployed was not something I was willing to deal with. Thankfully, Chapman has amazing resources and opportunities not only for current students, but for students quickly approaching alumni status as well.

Networking opportunities present themselves in so many places, whether it’s a club or organization you are part of, a professor you’ve come to know well or Chapman’s own Career Development Center. Here are a few examples of some of the job opportunities my friends and I will be pursuing after graduating this year…

Greek Life and other clubs are a great resource to use for networking or employment opportunities. Next year, I will be working as a field consultant for my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta. Basically, I get to travel the entire nation and help our collegiate chapters, making sure they are operating efficiently, offer new ideas, and possibly even help with expansion efforts.

One of our Public Relations and Advertising students, who was a member of the winning National Student Advertising Competition team, is now the Social Media Coordinator at Vizio. She is the first in-house employee working on social media and was recruited after her internet communication's portfolio was found through a Chapman University professor. She is currently working part-time until graduation, after which she will go fulltime.

San Antonio, Texas, Phoenix, Arizona and the Mississippi Delta are a few regions in which Chapman University students will be impacting the lives of children through education. Chapman University boasts quite a few graduates from the past few years that have been accepted into the Teach for America program.

300+ major league baseball players use Marucci baseball bats. A friend of mine will be joining their team in Louisiana after graduating and will be working on brand management.

A fellow Business Administration major who is emphasizing in finance was recently offered a position as a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual. Likewise, many accounting majors will be working at some of the "Big 4" accounting firms next year, such as Ernst & Young.

Many companies recruit at Chapman University and are aware of the caliber of students here. While leaving Chapman University will be difficult, knowing that my peers and I have amazing opportunities ahead makes it so much more reassuring!!

- Taylor

So much to do!

2011-02-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

As a freshman here at Chapman, I didn’t know what I was going to do on campus other than classes. And within the first weeks of fall semester I was already rushing for a fraternity and starting my own club. I feel so active in the student community and it’s awesome. Chapman has so much room for students to branch out and do their own thing. I don’t think there is a single student that hasn’t found a student organization or event that fits their taste in activity.

Now that Spring 2011 is here, I love every one of my classes and what the semester has to offer. I can’t wait to table for my skimboarding club, Panther Skim, and be active in my fraternity. I love Chapman!

- Vince

Spring Awakening

2011-02-25T10:12:00.000-08:00

The past few weekends have been busy around Chapman. Internship mixers, meetings, and film screenings. I also forget how close I am to LA until I realize I can go there anytime I want! Two weekends ago I was taken to the Broadway show ‘Spring Awakening’ at the Pantages Theatre in LA, and even tried out a restaurant called Roscoe’s. Who knew chicken and waffles went together?

The following weekend my parents came to visit and we hit Venice Beach, Rodeo Drive, the Hollywood walk of fame, and Malibu all in one day! What’s nice is that I can do all of these things but the drive home is just about an hour away, so I can make it back in time for things like my sorority meetings. Thanks Chapman, you’re a convenient place to go to!

- Jillian

Second Semester!

2011-02-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

We’re about a month into the spring semester, my second semester of college, and I feel well transitioned. In my first semester, it took me a little while to find a balance between academics, athletics, and friends.

I decided to join crew, which has practice in the morning, starting at 5:30am. This forced me to change my habits to sleep earlier, meaning I had to finish homework earlier as well. Although it was a difficult transition, it has helped me to become much more productive. Before crew, I would wake up with just enough time to get ready and go to class. Now, I wake up, exercise for a couple hours, have breakfast, and get ready for the day, with some downtime for relaxing and homework.

Now, I feel so at home at Chapman. The transition was so smooth, and I’m so excited for this new chapter in my life. I’m not sure what exactly the future holds, but I’ve already added a second major as well as a minor, and I am so excited for the possibilities ahead of me.

- Christin

Thoughts of a Senior.....

2011-02-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

It's almost March. It's almost March and I'm a senior. You know what that means. Graduation is just around the corner. Which means I need to find a job/adjust to life on my own/decide where I'm living. A little exciting, a little daunting. Fortunately, the connections I've made through Chapman are helping me quite a bit.

Last week, I attended an Ad Club event in which representatives from ad agencies in Orange County and LA spoke on a panel and answered student questions. They gave some great career advice, and I feel confident that I'll be able to use their advice in the near future.

In addition to attending networking events put on by Chapman, I've made some great contacts through people I know here. Even my classmates have told me about internship opportunities that they have had previously. I learned about an opportunity (that eventually became my first internship) through a few friends who had previously worked at the company. Now, I'm able to reference my previous experience and use it to become a more valuable prospective employee.

So, here's what I would like to tell prospective and current Chapman students about being prepared to find a job after graduation:

Everyone you know is a potential contact to help you find a job or internship. If you're interested in finding a job, ask around and find out what other people have done. Find out if they liked their experience and if the company may be looking for someone like you.
Attend as many career development-related events as possible. You may have homework or be tired and want to stay in, but you might meet someone who can help you down the line.
Use Chapman resources. The Chapman Slate and Panther Connect are some simple ways to learn about companies. Even if you aren't looking for a job or internship now, you can still hear about companies and look them up later.

That's my advice. That's what I've learned over the past few years. Don't be scared of finding a job. You just have to take the initiative to find out about opportunities that you may not have known even existed in the past. And stay positive! We're all in the same boat :)

- Emily

Greek Life

2011-02-22T15:17:00.000-08:00

Tri Delta (my sorority) has started it's open spring recruitment process. We had our first even last week, and it was really fun! It was Valentine’s Day themed so we decked out the room in red and pink, and covered the tables with heart candies. The activity of the night was making cards and decorating heart-shaped cookies. The cards that we made are going to CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County), which is our local philanthropy. It was really great to get our potential new members involved in our philanthropy while getting to know them at the same time.
I met some really sweet girls, and I was impressed with the number of people that came to the event, and were interested in Tri Delta. I would definitely say the night was a success. The cookies and candies were a nice treat as well. One of our members made pink and red icing to use on the cookies and we had all sorts of sprinkles to put on top. People were able to get really creative and by the end of the night there were some pretty cute cookies.

All in all, it was a great way to spend a Thursday night and bring in the Valentine’s day spirit.

- Terra

Location is Key

2011-02-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

This past Friday, I got off work at about four and one of my sorority sisters invited me to go to Disneyland later that night. I’m not sure if I’ve ever gone for anything other than a full day trip; and I remember while touring Chapman for the first time, they talked about how people would go for a couple of hours, between classes, etc; this was going to be a first for me.

We reached the park and about seven, rode three rides, saw the AMAZING firework show and left at nine. Two hours and I got to have a little Disney magic to start off my weekend. The next day, I even followed up this great weekend with spending an hour tanning at Newport Beach. It’s just great when it's 84 degrees and you can go to the beach in the middle of February! Thanks Chapman, you couldn’t have been placed anywhere better. :)

-Amita

Prime Time: Shooting the Drama

2011-02-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

I spent 40+ hours a week in class in the month of January. Now, to most, that doesn't sound appealing... and I'll be the first to admit that I was overwhelmed a time or two, but let me explain why this class (yes, just one class took this much time) was one of the most lucrative experiences I have had here at Chapman. My interterm class was called Prime Time: Shooting the Drama. The school gave us $20,000, camera equipment (great camera equipment, at that), and an encouraging pat on the back before setting us free to create two 22 minute television pilots to later be edited and submitted to film festivals around the world.

All in all we were on set for 13 12-hour days which were interspersed with educational workshops and critical production meetings. There were 40+ people on the crew (many more when you take into account cast and extras) that helped, each in his or her own way to make this project the best that it could be with the limitations that were inevitably present. It was an exhilarating experience. As one of the assistant directors it was my job to make sure that everyone was aware of what we were doing, when we were doing it, and how we were going to do it both safely and efficiently. In this position I was forced to communicate with the various different departments of production, giving me a great sense of what each position's function was. I am so thankful to have received such an amazing opportunity from the school. And I cannot wait to strut over to Folino theatre and watch our project on the big screen someday soon.

-Anne

Internship in London

2011-02-18T10:17:00.000-08:00

Internships are extremely important for students in college. Although classroom lectures provide you with valuable information regarding individual fields, internships allow students the hands-on experience that companies truly value. Chapman has numerous internship opportunities available for students. The Career Development Center (CDC) posts available positions on an online portal called Panther Connect. You can search for openings by your interested industry such as marketing or film. Because Chapman is so close to L.A., there are numerous public relations and film internships. The CDC also sends email alerts to students with the newest internship postings so that you are always aware of new openings. This Wednesday, the Career Center is even holding an internship mixer for students to meet with representatives from various local companies.

I strongly recommend that you participate in as many internships as possible. Most are unpaid but you can receive school credit for the internships. Some companies only want upperclassmen to apply, but there are many places that would gladly take freshman as well. Juniors and seniors at Chapman have the ability to even participate in an international internship! Last summer, I interned in London and it was a truly incredible trip. Internships provide excellent experience and are perfect resume boosters. As a senior looking for post-graduation jobs, I wish that I had taken more advantage of internships during my time at Chapman. I encourage each of you to look into the internships that Chapman offers.

- Jenna

Spring Semester

2011-02-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

We are in the 3rd week of classes now so I pretty much have a good feel for my classes. Advanced Broadcast News Writing is a ton of fun! My professor is incredible and I am really learning a lot quickly in this class. We also have daily current events quizzes so you can usually find me with my nose in a newspaper. My other writing class for Public Relations is not my favorite, probably because writing press conferences is a weakness of mine. Last Friday I anchored Chapman News first newscast of the semester which was a ton of fun to get behind the desk again. Its going to be a great semester in the newscast so I'm excited. I'm taking a few more production classes and my plate is pretty full, yet I still manage to find time to do everything else.....

Intramural Ultimate Frisbee starts this week! I am so excited! I'm also on the executive board for my sorority, Alpha Phi, so I just finished attending my weekly Panhellenic meeting and exec meeting, and the chapter meeting was yesterday. I am also involved with a fraternity's philanthropy, a pageant called Delta Queen (more on that in a later blog). Add in working my part time job as a personal assistant for a realtor, CBS Sports, Admissions, social functions, filming, the list goes on and on and I find myself with no time to breathe and its only the 3rd week of school! Funny thing is, I wouldn't have it any other way! I love all my commitments and I know I won't be regretting my time and efforts.

Time for me to file my taxes and fill out my FAFSA, all in a days work!

- Krystal

Abroad in Italy

2011-02-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

What do you think of when you think Pompeii? Ashy covered ceilings? Bodies that have been solidified to form interesting shapes? I did too, until I went during my study abroad experience last semester. As the largest archeological site in the world, Pompeii looks almost identical to the road to the colosseo in Rome – completely destroyed. Except, unlike Rome, the sheer size of the site makes you understand the magnitude and force of what must have taken place. Waking up for the second time in the semester at 4:00am, I got up and walked to the dreaded six hour bus ride that thankfully landed us just outside the archeological gates. Also thankfully, one of my professors (Tuscany and it’s Environment) was our incredibly knowledgeable tour guide. He knew things deep down about that place that I don’t think the official 10 euro guides of the museum had delved into.

Once our 4 hour tour was over, in which we saw several bars, homes, and a brothel (incredibly interesting if you’ve never seen them), we got back on our bus and drove the extra 45 minutes or so to Sorrento, our stopping point for the evening. Exhausted from the day already, my friends and I took a nap while the rain came and went and led us into night. As we were staying at a four star hotel, it was easy for the restaurant to accept all 45 students or so coming on the trip, and let us order what we wanted from roasted pork, orange duck, or a vegetarian omelet (I had the pork, if you’d really like to know – quite delicious). After we had our fare share of food and wine, Luca, my professor, took us all to a local limoncello producer, one of the specialties of Sorrento. Finally, we wrapped up the night by taking a stroll down to a nice spot overlooking the bay of Napoli – the perfect way to end the first night of our excursion.

Bright and early came the sun on day 2 of operation Southern Italy, and first on our groups’ itinerary was the island of Capri – one of the seven in the archipelago chain first colonized by Roman citizens. The island, which we quickly learned is one of the most beautiful locations in Italy, is rather small. Two cities, Capri and Anacapri grace the island, giving both residents a place to settle down, and tourists an incredible new view of the Mediterranean. We spent the first half of our visit on a boat, again led by Luca, around the island, gaining our bearings for it, and braving the rather choppy water. Finally, before our now 7 hour bus ride home, we landed back on the dock and spent 4 hours tasting some of the local cuisine, taking in the small town of Capri, and riding the cable car to and from the city center. A lovely trip that I will most certainly complete again.

- Mark

Reflections on Construction

2011-02-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

It was during the summer between my junior and senior year of High School that I first visited Southern California. I was drawn by legends of beautiful women, perfect weather and a pristine new film school at a certain small liberal arts university. I remember on my first tour a vast section in the middle of the campus was fenced off, inaccessible to student and visitor alike. This construction, they promised, would be gone by the time I attended Chapman University, and indeed it was. I returned to Chapman to find construction had finished on Attallah Piazza. Where there was once nothing, a gorgeous four-pillared fountain now served as a beacon summoning the student body to the heart of our campus.

With the growth of Chapman's student body in these last few years, it was inevitable that construction would once again encroach upon our campus. Argyros Forum, already one of the most prominent buildings on campus, will now play host to a brand new student union. Construction of this facility is set for completion in August of this year, and our student body eagerly awaits both the new congregation space and franchise restaurants including Jamba Juice and Einstein Bros Bagels.

This construction is highly indicative of the current state of Chapman University. Our facilities and our campus are continuing to blossom along with our population. With every passing year, the admissions process becomes more rigorous; the student body becomes more impressive; and graduating with a degree from Chapman becomes all the more prestigious.

SoCal Mythbusting

2011-02-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

Living in southern California, we hear A LOT of stereotypes about us. I'm from Laguna Beach originally, so I'm pretty used to it. However, not very many of these stereotypes are true - at least for me personally. Here a few popular ones:

1. Everyone is best friends with [enter celebrity here].

Being from Laguna Beach, I GET THIS ALLLL THE TIME! Everyone asks if I hangout with LC and Kristin. First of all, they are way older than me. But either way, no, this one is not true. Most of us do not hangout with celebrities on a regular basis. Also, just as a side note, in Laguna, anyone on the "Laguna Beach" series, isn't actually considered a celebrity. Mostly because our town isn't actually like how it is portrayed on TV (shocking, I know!).

2. People think anything under 70 degrees is cold.

True. Hey, you try moving out here. It's going to happen to you, too. I lived in the snow for part of my childhood, but now I'm permanently cold if it isn't about 70 degrees.

3. Everyone is tan.

I wish this one was true. I am extremely pale right now, due to the above issue and the fact that it has been under 70 lately. Tragic. But we have our pale kids like every other state.

4. Everyone goes to the beach all of the time.

Okay, for me this true. But REMARKABLY, there are some people who dislike the beach!!! I personally do not understand it, but there are a few of them. So, for me, yes true, but as a majority, not so much.

5. Everyone is an aspiring model/actor/actress/singer.

Definitely not, not, not, not true. People have plenty of other interests.

6. Everyone surfs.

I've never surfed in my life. Obviously if you want to, this is a great area to do it in, but there are more people who don't surf than those that do.

7. Everyone is blond.

I have black hair. Next.

8. Our vocabulary consists of: like, oh my gosh, totally, dude, gnarly, far out, and rad.

This pretty much depends on where you live. I actually said rad AND gnarly for years because you get soooo used to hearing it. At Chapman, I hardly hear any of those words, but then again, we're a whole mix of people. So I'm going to go with... partially true. Depending on where you're from in Socal!

So, okay, more of the stereotypes were true than I thought... But for the most part, don't believe everything you hear!

Oh and the last one:

9. We have the best beaches.

True.

- Holly

Internships and Real World Experience brought to you by: Chapman!

2011-02-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

If I was not a student at Chapman University, I doubt I would have the opportunities I do. Through a variety of mediums and departments, Chapman has connected me to hundreds of business professionals and companies. I never dreamed of interning for MTV Networks or TV Guide Channel, but here I am with professional experience and fantastic memories.

Whether the Career Development Center sponsors an internship faire or the weekly Dodge College Slate finds its way to my inbox, I am instantly aware of multiple opportunities to make me the most competitive applicant after graduation. Some times, it is as simple as asking your professor. Due to the small classroom sizes, I feel very comfortable asking my professors for guidance. Professors at Chapman are still well-connected to the professional world and often have guest speakers or friends come visit the classroom. I feel blessed to sit in class listening to life experiences that await me after college. Other times, they will put me in touch with a close friend in my chosen career path. Informational interviews can be as beneficial as internships. After meeting with a professional (in my case a Producer or Special Events Director), I will use their advice and information to aide me in my senior project.

So, whether you're building your resume with internship experience or building your senior project with knowledge, Chapman University has put me in touch with the best business professionals out there. I am a strong believer that these opportunities would not have come so easily had I gone to another school near home or out of state. Perhaps Chapman is lucky to be so close and connected to Los Angeles, but I know Dodge College and the Career Development Center do their best to get you the experience you deserve!

- Sheri

PE Classes

2011-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

As a student here at Chapman, some of my favorite classes to take are physical activity classes. Every semester, a broad selection of classes are offered ranging from bowling to yoga. I have taken advantage of these classes most every semester (and interterm too!) and this semester is no different. I am currently enrolled in a swimming class on Mondays and Wednesdays and ultimate Frisbee class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both classes are a lot of fun and give me an excuse to have some fun during my busy days.

Oh and something else great about the classes? You get credit for them and the easy A can help boost your GPA! So when you are registering for this coming fall, don’t overlook the chance to add a little fun into your schedule and enroll in badminton, cardiofitness, martial arts, tennis, volleyball, weight training, sailing, basketball, or another one of the many PE classes Chapman has to offer!

- Anthony

Back at It

2011-02-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

Returning to a regular schedule after a crazy first semester at college is definitely refreshing. I think the start of college was an experience unlike anything I'll have again, just because everything was about a beginning. Whether it was living independently (and living in a completely different time zone, like I am), meeting all new people, or figuring out what I wanted to do for the next four years of my life. From the beginning of the year, I started auditioning for things like American Celebration and SoundCheck and even started pledging a fraternity, but now that things have somewhat subsided, I can focus more on how to improve and grow at the things I am currently working on.

For example, SoundCheck, Chapman's co-ed a cappella group, is diligently practicing for next month's ICCA competition, where we will be competing against some of the top a cappella groups in Southern California. Instead of just learning a ton of songs and working on the group dynamic and blend, we are now focusing specifically on a few pieces that we need to choreograph and perfect to make it competition ready.

I think I am just now getting in the groove of what college life is like, and realizing that everyday I have hundreds of choices from what I do, say, eat, etc, that I am able to make the right choices that make for a successful lifestyle as a Chapman student.

- Nathan

One Word...Interterm!

2011-01-31T14:39:00.000-08:00

I must say if someone were to ask me what one of the perks is at Chapman University my response would be "don't miss out on interterm." Interterm is such a great experience! I have participated in this program since my freshman year and have taken Human Biology, Spanish and Sociology: Abuse of the Disabled. There are many choices available from courses in your major, to GE's to electives. Having the opportunity to focus on one subject for four weeks is amazing because you get to immerse yourself in the material. Aside from the academics, having time to socialize and see all that So Cal has to offer is a blast. From Disneyland to Newport Beach and even a drive to San Diego for three day weekends, anything is possible. : )

- Stephanie

The Big Apple

2011-01-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if you all have heard about the best part of the year at Chapman. It is the lovely season of Interterm. I honestly look forward to the month of January every year. It is the one time during the school year where you only have to focus on one class. Although it is an "intensive" class you only have class sessions three or four times a week. Which means you have long weekends EVERY WEEKEND! This Interterm I decided to take a finance class called "A Walk Down Wall Street". This is a Business School specific class in which you must apply. The class is centered around portfolio management, an introduction to various financial institutions, the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve.

The best part though is that for the third week of the class we get to actually travel to NEW YORK CITY. We get to visit financial firms, tour the NYSE, and get input and recommendations from actual Wall Street firms in regard to our resumes, how to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the applicants, and how to adapt to living in the Big Apple. We had various tours scheduled throughout the week but other than our set tours we had the rest of the days and nights to ourselves. This was when we got to explore the city. I went to a New York Knicks Game, a show called Memphis, to various museums, and of course explored Soho and the Meat Packing District. The week was full of adventure and zest. Sadly it did have to end and normal class was resumed. We do have a final but I can honestly say that this class not only taught me about portfolio investment strategies and introduced me to many firms, but it also convinced me that at some point in my life I WILL be living in New York! Interterm once again has been greatly enjoyed!

- Kela