Greetings from the Dean's Office!
Last week we welcomed the class of 2026 (students and families) to the Wilkinson community! In this edition of We are Wilkinson, our new faculty members share their thoughts on joining the college, and we officially launch the fall 2022 Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on Ethnic Studies series of lectures, film series, art exhibits, and discussions. These events are open to the entire community! The career paths available for students studying the arts, humanities, and social sciences shines through in stories on alumni working with Art Professor Lia Halloran, and how one student is using her political science minor to jumpstart a career in political reporting. Homecoming comes early this year, scroll to the end of the newsletter to see what Wilkinson will have on offer if you are planning to attend.
If you would like to share a story for an upcoming newsletter,
please contact wilkinsoncollege@chapman.edu.
Pictured Above: (left to right) Aaliyah Hale ('26), Erika Brunst ('26), Morgan Delgadillo ('26), Bella Tatsing ('26), Sam Lawrence ('26), and Nate Hogan ('26) celebrate at the Wilkinson Welcome Dinner during Orientation Week!
Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on Ethnic Studies
Wilkinson College is excited to announce the theme of this year’s series, Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on Ethnic Studies. The series will include film screenings, artist talks, lectures and panel discussions highlighting diverse histories, cultures, perspectives, and community work of people of color within and beyond the United States. Don't miss our keynote event, An Evening With George Takei, on Wednesday, November 2. Reserve your tickets now.
Left to right: Dr. Monique Charles (Sociology), Dr. Jaime Campbell (English), Dr. Justin de Leon (Director of Ethnic Studies), Dr. Patrick Hunnicutt (Interdisciplinary Faculty) Dr. Sara Mattavelli (World Languages & Cultures), Dr. Kyndra Rotunda (Military & International Law).
Introducing Wilkinson's Newest Faculty
Wilkinson College's newest faculty members share why they chose Wilkinson College and what it means to be a part of the heart and soul of Chapman University. We threw in some fun questions along the way.
Pete Simi Awarded Grant to Study Threats Targeting Public Officials
Dr. Pete Simi (Sociology) was awarded a one-year grant from the University of Nebraska Omaha’s National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE), the Department of Homeland Security’s Center of Excellence. The $254,147 award will support terrorism prevention, counterterrorism research, and opportunities for student researchers to work alongside Dr. Simi.
How Having a Minor in Wilkinson Prepared Juhi Doshi For Her Dream Internship
Juhi Doshi (‘24, BFA Broadcast Journalism and Documentary; Political Science minor), sat down with Wilkinson College’s Career Manager, Erin Berthon, to discuss how her internship at POLITICO’s California Bureau pushed her to explore new frontiers in journalism, and how Wilkinson helped her jump start her career in political reporting.
Art Professor and Alumni Come Together to Create Double Horizon
This summer, the Exploratorium in San Francisco hosted Professor Lia Halloran’s (Art) new installation, Double Horizon, in its Black Box gallery space. Halloran developed the three-screen portrait of Los Angeles alongside three Wilkinson College alumni, Lucille Henderson (’21, Communication major, Art and Africana Studies minor), Garret Hill (’18, Studio Art major), and Adam Ottke (‘13, Art major and Journalism and Advertising minor), all of whom played pivotal roles in the exhibit's success.
Upcoming Events
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Tuesday, September 13 at 2:30 p.m.
Join Wilkinson College's 2022-2023 Engaging the World initiative, Leading the Conversation on Ethnic Studies, for a poetry talk at 2:30 p.m. in Argyros Forum 209A with Diana Khoi Nguyen, author of Ghost Of (Omnidawn Publishing, 2018), her debut poetry collection. Co-sponsored by Tabula Poetica (Department of English). A reading of Nguyen's work will follow at 7 p.m.
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Tuesday, September 20 at 11:30 a.m.
Join Engaging the World: Leading the Conversation on Ethnic Studies for the artist series, "Creative Sovereignty: A Conversation with Artist Gerald Clarke," in Argyros Forum 209A. Clarke's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and major museum collections. In 2022, the Escalette Permanent Art Collection added two of Clarke's works, through the generosity of the Ellingson Family.
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Thursday, September 29 at 7 p.m.
Don't miss "Previewing the 2022 and 2024 Elections: A Conversation with Mara Liasson," the Bill and Ronna Shipman Distinguished Speaker Series in Presidential Studies, in Beckman Hall 404. Liasson is a contributor to FOX News Channel (FNC) and the national political correspondent for NPR.
Chapman Family Homecoming
Chapman Family Homecoming is almost here! Friday (September 30) and Saturday (October 1), come celebrate with your fellow Panthers for a weekend of fun and family-friendly activities for everyone. Join us in person or virtually for this chance to reconnect with everything you love about Chapman!
Be sure to visit the Homecoming Hub to find out more about scheduled events, including Master Classes and the Chapman Family Tailgate leading up to the big game. We can’t wait to welcome you home!
Interested in volunteering? Fill out this Homecoming Volunteer Form.
Wilkinson Sponsored Homecoming Events
Escalette Permanent
Art Collection Tour
Saturday (October 1) at 10 a.m., take a tour of the Escalette Permanent Art Collection! Housed in several buildings around the Orange campus, the Collection encourages interdisciplinary discovery and fosters an atmosphere of inclusion. The tour will begin on the steps of Roosevelt Hall, home of Wilkinson College, where the student-curated art exhibition, This Land is Your Land, is currently on display.
Master Class with
Dr. Kyle Longley
Saturday (October 1) at 2 p.m., join Dr. Kyle Longley, director of the MA War, Diplomacy & Society program, for "The Modern David and Goliath: The War in Ukraine and the Struggle Against Authoritarianism," in the Irvine Lecture Hall. Dr. Longley will discuss the origins of the war in Ukraine and how it has unfolded since its inception, and an analysis of its importance and
possible outcomes.
Gift of the Month
Did you know that you can support Wilkinson College, the heart and soul of Chapman University, at any level? Alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students have all shown their philanthropy over the years by gifting to an area close to their hearts. The fund for academic excellence, faculty fund, art collections, research labs, and our many departments and programs are areas of consideration. Every donation is meaningful to our students' experience, for whom we strive to provide personalized education
of distinction.
Wilkinson Alumni News
Check out what some of our awesome alumni are doing:
Winston Andrus' ('21 MA War & Society) Master's thesis, "The Infinite Crisis: How the American Comic Book has been Shaped by War" was recently used for @50objectsnikkei's post on educating their followers on the terms "Yellow Peril" and "Model Minority".
Maya Cheav ('22, Environmental Science; English) is currently a Community Science Organizer at a local nonprofit, Orange County Environmental Justice (OCEJ). Cheav works on their PloNo! Santa Ana campaign, focused on addressing soil lead issues within Santa Ana, remediating the soil, advocating for policies that provide healthcare for affected residents, and preventing soil lead issues in the future.
Nimah Gobir ('15, Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution; Studio Art) was featured in an article, “'How human we are:' Nimah Gobir expands the space of Black love,” in 48Hills. Gobir’s art explores her identity, and the nuances and shared experiences of being Black.
We want to know what you've been doing with your degree!
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