She Gives Chapman Students a Leg Up as They Pursue Their Dream Careers in Health Care In her new role with Schmid College, Christine Crispen '02 is helping all science students succeed, with a special focus on those applying to medical and other health schools.

Chapman alumna Christine Crispen ‘02, Ph.D., returns to her alma mater in the new role of assistant director for student success and pre-health advisor for Schmid College of Science and Technology. In this role, Crispen will guide students in preparing for and applying to medical and professional health schools, as she also helps science students succeed at Chapman.

For many Chapman students, a career in health care is a life-long dream. Crispen will be instrumental in making that dream a reality. Her services include workshops and one-on-one appointments. For pre-health Schmid College students, she will provide application support such as reviewing and revising application materials and conducting mock interviews.

“I’m excited to be in this role because I love being able to help students reach their goals,” Crispen said. “Their successes are my successes.”

Crispen has more than a decade of experience in medical school admissions. She previously served as director of admissions and outreach for UC Irvine School of Medicine and director of curriculum for Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. After earning her undergraduate degree in sociology from Chapman, she earned master’s degrees in organizational management and college counseling. In 2017, she completed her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Southern California.

“Dr. Crispen’s addition to Schmid College transforms our ability to support the success of all of our students, particularly those that are seeking careers in health. I cannot imagine someone more qualified to work with our students; they are going to love having her around the Keck Center,” notes Greg Goldsmith, Ph.D., director of the Grand Challenges Initiative at Chapman.

Chapman students have already benefited from the guidance of Crispen, who started working for Schmid College as a consultant during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering several workshops and meeting with a few students one on one. Two Chapman students who worked with her received admission to California medical schools, which typically have acceptance rates of less than 2%.

Crispen is especially passionate about counseling first-generation students through the challenges of college. The number of students identifying as first-gen in Schmid College has more than doubled from spring 2021 to 2022. Along with this rapid growth, Schmid College continues to prioritize breaking down barriers to academic success.

“As a first-generation student learning to navigate extracurriculars and academics, I benefited from Dr. Crispen’s insights, which clarified gaps in my knowledge about the process and provided guidance on how to pursue meaningful experiences,” said Sydni Au Hoy ’22, who recently won the Cheverton Award, Chapman’s highest student honor. She met with Crispen in preparation for applying to medical school. “Her honest feedback and careful attention to the unique qualities of each student ensures engagement in fulfilling extracurriculars and a confident application.”