Mark Chapin Johnson ’05 has worn many hats at Chapman University: alumnus, parent, professor, trustee — and, perhaps most notably, visionary philanthropist.
His latest gift of $40,000 to Chapman’s War and Society Scholarship Fund will fully cover tuition for a career U.S. State Department officer to earn a graduate degree through Wilkinson College’s Master of Arts in War, Diplomacy, and Society. The selected officer will bring real-world experience into Chapman’s classrooms starting fall 2026.
“It’s very important in my mind that mid-level career officers have the opportunity to have a graduate education to develop leadership abilities in the agencies that they work in,” Johnson said.
Johnson has supported the War and Society Scholarship Fund for over a decade. His ongoing investment has helped Chapman attract experienced professionals whose presence enriches classroom dialogue and expands mentorship beyond it.
Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Dean Dr. Jennifer Keene emphasized the value of this support:
“Mark’s support of the War, Diplomacy, and Society program has allowed us to welcome mid-career professionals whose presence strengthens our academic community. His generosity ensures that the next generation of leaders — both in and outside government — are equipped with the critical tools they need to serve wisely and effectively.”
Past scholarship recipients have gone on to serve as foreign service officers at the U.S. Department of State, as company-grade officers in the U.S. Army and Air Force, and as educators and leaders in various fields.
As a professor at Chapman for 13 years, Johnson teaches courses on the U.S. Founders and the Constitution. But his commitment to national leadership extends beyond the classroom. As a longtime trustee of the Hoover Institution at Stanford, he witnessed firsthand how graduate education can transform careers in public service.
“I remember standing around the courtyard at the Stanford Park Hotel talking to H.R. McMaster when he’d just been promoted to major,” Johnson recalled. “Now he’s a former national security advisor. You never know where someone will end up.”
That experience planted a seed. When Chapman President Daniele C. Struppa asked him to help create something similar at Chapman, Johnson didn’t hesitate.
“It’s really important that career officers, military officers in the middle of their careers, know as much as possible about leadership attributes as they move up,” he said. “A graduate degree helps them become more knowledgeable — and hence, better leaders.”
A Chapman supporter for over 30 years, Johnson’s relationship with the university deepened in 2002 after an unexpected invitation to lunch with then-President Jim Doti.
“I joked with Jim… I said, ‘I spent so much time on this campus giving money, I should take a class and get an education,’” Johnson recalled. “Jim said, ‘Mark, you need to do that.’ I said, ‘Jim, I’m joking with you.’ Jim said, ‘I’ll call you tomorrow.’”
The next day, Doti did call. Johnson enrolled in a course on organizational leadership — and one class turned into a full-time, three-year academic journey. He graduated from Chapman in 2005 with a triple major. He then immediately enrolled full time in a master’s program and Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate University, continuing for another seven years on the journey Doti set him on.
“Jim Doti and Chapman University changed my life—literally, not figuratively,” Johnson said.
That transformative experience shaped his philosophy on education: it’s not a stage of life, but a lifelong opportunity.
“What makes by far the most difference is mentoring and educating mostly young and mid-career people and giving them the opportunity to learn and understand things that are beneficial to them and the country,” he said. “I built a lot of successful businesses and made too much money. I’ve lived the American dream. The difference is to make a difference to the lives of people.”
Johnson sees his scholarship gift as more than financial support — it’s a way to strengthen the institutions that serve the public good.
“It makes a difference, especially at that mid-level career level, where people are going to get promoted and given increasing levels of responsibility,” he said. “You want to give them the skills and the capacity to lead with the kind of thoughtfulness and understanding that really matters. And Chapman has the platform to do that.”
If his story inspires you, join Johnson in building better leaders and a stronger nation by making a gift to Chapman today.
