Staci DumoskiFor 25 years, the Annual Holocaust Art & Writing Contest presented by Chapman University and The 1939 Society has provided an opportunity for students in high school and middle school to learn about the Holocaust by asking them to engage with first-person accounts from survivors and to produce their own creative work in response.
Now, a $3 million endowment from the Samueli Foundation will ensure that the contest will be able to continue its mission of educating future generations about the lives and experiences of Holocaust survivors. Drs. Susan and Henry Samueli are long-time supporters of our great institution. The Samuelis, and their foundation, The Samueli Foundation, have sponsored Chapman’s contest for 20 years. This $3 million endowment ensures the contest will continue in perpetuity. The contest will also be renamed the Sala and Aron Samueli Art & Writing Contest presented by Chapman University and the 1939 Society. The renaming honors Mr. Samueli’s parents, both of whom were Holocaust survivors and whose names appear on our Holocaust Memorial Library, established by the Samuelis in 2005.
“In many ways, endowed support is like a life insurance policy for something you truly believe in and that is integral to the identity of an institution,” said Marilyn Harran, who is the founding director of Chapman’s Rodgers Center for Holocaust History and holds the Stern Chair in Holocaust Education in Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
Harran has conceptualized and directed the contest since it was launched in academic year 1999-2000. While at first only local Orange County schools took part, participation soon grew throughout California, the U.S., and eventually around the globe. Last year, 7,000 students participated from 161 schools in more than 30 states and 10 countries.
“I’ve seen the Annual Holocaust Art & Writing Contest grow from a small, local event to a national and now international program. This additional financial support assures that we are building on its decades-long success and helps to guarantee there will be a future for it,” she said.
The Lessons of History
The contest is more vital and necessary now than ever before. Currently, only 25 U.S. states and nine countries worldwide require Holocaust education, and as many as 6 out of 10 Americans under 30 cannot accurately identify how many Jews were killed in the Holocaust. In addition, with every year that passes, there are fewer survivors able to talk about their first-hand experiences during and after the Holocaust directly.
“This generation of students will be the last to meet a Holocaust survivor in person,” said William Elperin, president of The 1939 Society, which has partnered with Chapman to organize the contest since it began. “Our mission, to teach and learn the lessons of the Holocaust, is more important than ever. This gift feels like validation of all that we have accomplished so far, and all that we hope to do in the future.”
Each year, students participating in the contest are asked to watch testimonies recorded by Holocaust survivors or rescuers and respond through their own creative work—essays, poems, visual artwork and film. The experience is often revelatory for the participants, and the resulting works demonstrate compassion, understanding and the shared humanity of those who have vastly different life experiences.
During an awards ceremony and reception at Chapman University, students and their teachers have the opportunity to meet survivors. In addition, the winners participate in a four-day summer study trip to visit the Holocaust Museum LA, the Japanese American National Museum and other sites in Los Angeles, as well as to meet with members of The 1939 Society, a community of Holocaust survivors, descendants and friends.
A Commitment to Holocaust Education
Drs. Susan and Henry Samueli are long-time supporters of Chapman University, and through their foundation have sponsored the Holocaust Art & Writing contest for 20 years.
“Henry and Susan have been quietly but wildly generous for many years in support of thriving Jewish life,” said Samueli Family Philanthropies president Lindsey Spindle. “Building opportunities for youth to meaningfully engage in Holocaust testimony is a pathway to building more empathy, increasing understanding of Holocaust atrocities and diminishing Jew hatred and all forms of identity-based hate. This gift to Chapman is a beautiful extension of the Samuelis’ commitment in honor of Henry’s parents, and in recognition of Marilyn Harran’s dedication to building this exceptional program.”
The gift is also a testament to Samuelis’ confidence in partnering with Chapman University, due to the strong support of the university’s administration and the committed faculty leadership.
“We are tremendously thankful to the Samuelis for their gift that will ensure that the Holocaust Art & Writing Contest continues to educate young people about a part of our history that should never be forgotten,” said Chapman University President Daniele S. Struppa. “The Chapman community has always regarded the contest as something special, and as it continues to grow and flourish it will have an even greater impact on the world.”
Matt Parlow, executive vice president and chief advancement officer, praised the Samuelis for their generosity. “The Samuelis’ continued support of Holocaust education at Chapman demonstrates their personal commitment to honor the history of their family and so many others. Their support cannot be overstated, and we are very thankful for this gift that will ensure the continuation of the Holocaust Art & Writing Contest in perpetuity.”
The gift bolsters Chapman’s strategic plan goal to raise $500 million through its Inspire campaign. More than $394 million has been raised.
