Staci DumoskiMore than 120 health care professionals registered to attend Chapman University’s inaugural Alumni in Healthcare Reception, which took place on Nov. 14 in Irvine, Calif. Alumni attendees came from dozens of majors and fields within the health care industry, including frontline clinical care, research and development, and essential administrative roles, such as finance, human resources and marketing.
The event was a celebration of the university’s growing momentum in the health care space. Advancing health care is one of the pillars of Chapman’s current strategic plan, with an emphasis on expanding graduate training in health care fields to meet the growing needs of the community.
“Health care has been an important focus of our strategic plan,” said Matt Parlow, executive vice president and chief advancement officer at Chapman. “We’re one of the only aging counties in all of California. There’s going to be more and more of a need for health care in Orange County and Chapman wants to be a part of that growth.”
Parlow highlighted some of the community partnerships that are already contributing to this growth, such as a recent $5 million grant from CalOptima to Chapman’s Physician Assistant Program, which is funding full-tuition scholarships for students from underrepresented backgrounds in Orange County, who will then go back to serve within communities with less access to primary care.
The event called attention to the important role Chapman alumni are playing in shaping the future of health care in the region.
“We are proud of the impact our alumni are making in our communities and the example they are setting for our students,” said Nidhi Vogt, associate vice president of engagement and volunteerism. “It was great to meet alumni from many different areas of the health care industry and hear about various ways they want to stay involved with Chapman.”
During the event, alumni were introduced to the many opportunities available to support Chapman students and alumni as they plan for careers in health care. Experienced alumni can serve a vital role in shaping the future of health care, from serving on boards and speaking in classes and panels, to mentoring, hiring, job shadowing and more.
Health care professionals who would like to support the next generation are encouraged to fill out this form to share their interest.
“Health care touches pretty much every discipline,” said Parlow. “This is a wonderful robust community of alumni, and [we have an] opportunity in Orange County for Chapman to make its mark.”
