Inspire
The Campaign For
Chapman University
Join Chapman in its ambitious goal to raise $500 million, and become a partner in influencing the trajectory of a top university, its research and the lives of its students.
Campaign Highlights
$500 Mil
Fundraising Goal
$485 Mil
Raised to Date
21,696
Donors
92,607
Gifts
Campaign Strategies
Complete a $500 million comprehensive giving campaign to drive Chapman’s overall success.
Strengthen alumni, parent, and volunteer engagement across all departments and disciplines.
Increase endowment giving with the goal of a $2 billion endowment by 2038.
Bolster development support for all 11 Chapman schools and colleges.
Driven By
Chapman is uniquely positioned to transform lives by providing paths to social mobility, energizing health delivery in the region, and conducting breakthrough research to solve critical issues on a global scale. Our donors power the momentum of a world-class university to inspire real change that ensures the success of Chapman for generations.
Creative & Academic Opportunity
Scholarships & Music Education
Christine Cross has deepened her long‑standing partnership with Chapman by committing a total of $35.5 million, including a $20 million endowed scholarship fund and $5.5 million to support summer music programs at the Hall‑Musco Conservatory of Music. Her transformational support will expand access for students pursuing their academic and artistic passions, ensuring both financial assistance and enriched opportunities in music education for generations to come.
$20 million for need‑based scholarships, the largest scholarship gift in Chapman’s history.
Unlocking Potential
Expanding Access Together
The Marymount Education Foundation’s $2.625 million commitment establishes the Marymount Scholars Program, removing financial barriers for Southern California students beginning Fall 2026. The program pairs scholarships with dedicated faculty mentors, academic support, and professional development training to guide students through college and beyond.
Chapman University and the Marymount Education Foundation share beliefs in nurturing the whole student. In addition to financial aid, Marymount Scholars will also receive dedicated faculty mentorship, targeted academic support services including tutoring and study skills workshops, and professional development training that prepares students for meaningful careers beyond graduation.
The Marymount Education Foundation also partners with Cal Lutheran University, La Sierra University, and Mount Saint Mary’s University for this initiative.
Program Innovation
Invest in Your Passions
The Masson family’s $2.5 million gift demonstrates how personal passion can fuel institutional excellence, supporting graduate student scholarships, a Math, Philosophy, and Physics fellowship, and water polo programs. By investing in areas they love, the Massons aim to inspire others to champion the programs closest to their hearts.
Pierre Masson ’12 was a Chapman water polo All-American in every season he played, and he and his wife Lisa (Horn) Masson ’12 met while both played water polo for Chapman.
Removing Barriers
Nourishing Students
A $225,000 legacy gift establishes the Rose and Frank Giannantonio Endowed Food Pantry Fund to support Chapman’s food pantry, ensuring students facing food insecurity have reliable access to nutritious meals so they can focus on their studies.
Chapman’s Panther Pantry provides food items that can be used for a week’s worth of meals during times when members of the Chapman community are experiencing food insecurity.
There is a Panther Pantry at the Orange Campus and one on the Rinker Campus to provide flexibility to students.
Student Access
Investing in Scholarships
The Blalock family’s gift establishes a $50,000 endowed scholarship to support students, providing lasting impact through perpetual funding that will help students achieve their academic dreams for generations to come.
Understanding the unique challenges first-generation students face, the Burris family’s $50,000 endowed scholarship removes financial barriers for incoming undergraduates who are the first in their families to attend college. Together, these gifts create lasting opportunity for students who bring diverse perspectives and determination to Chapman.
⅔
of Chapman’s endowment is comprised of student scholarships.
Academic Excellence
Studying American Leadership
A $2 million bequest establishes an endowment for Presidential Studies, with an additional $40,000 for immediate use. The gift advances Chapman’s leadership in deepening understanding of the American presidency and strengthening civic engagement.
Through events, conferences, and research opportunities, the Presidential Studies program aims to demonstrate civil discourse while deepening understanding of the presidency and its critical role in American governance.
Education & Remembrance
Preserving Holocaust Education
Chapman University receives $3 million endowment from the Samueli Foundation to preserve the Holocaust Art & Writing Contest in the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education. This transformative endowment permanently sustains a nationally recognized program that engages students through art and writing, ensuring future generations connect with Holocaust history in deeply personal and meaningful ways.
The Holocaust Art & Writing Contest began in 2000.
About 7,000 students participate annually in the contest with representation from many states and other countries.
Civil Discourse
Championing Free Speech
The Fletcher Jones Foundation’s $1 million grant establishes an endowed chair dedicated to advancing scholarship and dialogue on free speech, advancing Chapman’s commitment to open discourse and intellectual freedom. At a time when free speech on college campuses faces unprecedented challenges, this chair positions Chapman as a national leader in fostering constructive dialogue across ideological divides and cultivating a campus culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed and rigorously examined.
Professor of Communication Vikki Katz, Ph.D. was named the inaugural chair in free speech.
Professor Katz’s research on the intersection of free speech, civil discourse and equitable access to civic engagement opportunities, addressing how the digital divide and technology engagement impact both young people’s and adults’ ability to fully participate in civic life.
Intellectual Leadership
Cultivating Critical Thinking
Mark Chapin Johnson ’05 establishes a new endowed chair in honor of President Emeritus James L. Doti, strengthening Chapman’s commitment to developing the next generation of thinkers. This chair reinforces Chapman’s mission to teach students how to think, not what to think — equipping them to navigate complexity, challenge echo chambers, and participate meaningfully in a democratic society.
“Through advanced academic work, particularly in history, political science, and comparative politics, Johnson came to understand how deeply assumptions shape beliefs and how rarely those beliefs are challenged. Critical thinking, he learned, is not about having the right answers. It is about asking better questions and being willing to accept that strongly held views may be wrong.”
Learning In Action
Walk Down Wall Street
Building on their previous philanthropic leadership, the Morissette family’s $75,000 gift continues their investment in the Walk Down Wall Street program ensuring Chapman students gain invaluable hands-on financial industry experience. Their continued support elevates this signature initiative as a permanent pillar of experiential learning for students pursuing careers in finance.
This annual trip takes 20 juniors down Wall Street to explore careers in finance.
The students meet Chapman alumni working at some of the companies on Wall Street.
Inspiring Generations
Champions of Excellence
Chapman alumna Nella Webster O’Grady and Kevin O’Grady give $1 million to support the Argyros College of Business and Economics, the Hilbert Museum of California Art, and the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics. Nella’s experience at Chapman sparked her passion for supporting the next generation of business leaders, and she is inspired by Mark Hilbert’s dedication to preserving and sharing California scene painting at the museum.
“When I was a student at Chapman, I was one of only three women in the economics and business school,” says Nella. “That experience shaped my passion for supporting the next generation of business leaders—especially women. Chapman’s business programs give students the opportunity to develop both technical skills and leadership capabilities…”
Innovation In Action
Dancing into Entrepreneurship
An anonymous $125,000 gift establishes an endowed scholarship for undergraduate dance majors and launches the Performing Arts Incubator Program to prepare dancers for their futures beyond the stage. By connecting current dancers with alumni mentors in the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship, the program fosters a cycle of mentorship and equips dancers with the skills to plan for life after their performing careers.
This program started with 20 students during Interterm 2026 and will run for 5 additional years.
Alumni returned to serve as mentors and guest judges of the students final pitches.
Future Generations
Amplifying Young Voices
Smart & Final establishes a multi-year music education and mentorship program with their $50,000 gift. Partnering with two local high schools, this program brings the transformative power of music to underserved communities and inspires the next generation of musicians
The local high school students play together with Chapman Orchestra students.
