Bob Hitchcock
Chapman University will honor the accomplishments of more than 2,600 graduates, including 750 who earned advanced degrees, during its 2025 Commencement Weekend taking place May 23-25. The main University Commencement Ceremony will be held Friday, May 23, at 7 p.m. on Wilson Field, where keynote speaker Hilary Swank will address the graduating class.
Swank, a two-time Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning actress and producer, is best known for her transformational performances in “Boys Don’t Cry” and ”Million Dollar Baby.” In recognition of her artistic achievements and humanitarian efforts, she will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree (honoris causa) during the ceremony.
This year’s ceremony also marks a significant milestone as it will be the final commencement address delivered by President Daniele C. Struppa. President Struppa is retiring from the presidency in September after 19 years of leadership at Chapman and returning to the mathematics faculty.
Students will receive diplomas during individual degree ceremonies for each of the 11 schools and colleges throughout the weekend. For a full list of ceremonies and times, visit graduation.chapman.edu.
Honorary Degrees
In addition to Swank, Chapman will award honorary degrees Friday to three distinguished individuals whose contribution to the arts, education and community service reflect the university’s values and mission.
John Badham, Doctor of Arts
For more than six decades, John Badham has been a visionary director, producer and educator. His influence has had a profound impact on the film industry and on generations of young filmmakers at Dodge College.
Through his mentorship, countless Chapman students have entered the film world equipped not only with technical skills, but with a disciplined and thoughtful approach to the art and craft of directing. Badham’s commitment to education, paired with his deep professional insight, elevated Dodge College’s reputation in the entertainment industry.
A graduate of Yale University, Badham created some of the most iconic and influential films in American cinema. As a director and producer of films like “Saturday Night Fever,” “WarGames,” “Short Circuit,” “Blue Thunder,” “Heroes,” and “Supernatural,” his storytelling has helped shape Hollywood and spurred important cultural conversations. His work earned five Academy Award nominations and two Emmy nominations, along with numerous accolades, including three Saturn Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction and Fantasy and the Grand Prize from the Paris Science Fiction Festival.
Chapman University is proud to recognize the extraordinary contributions Badham has made to the cinematic arts, film education and our university community, and for his lifetime of artistic achievement and tireless support of our students, Chapman University is proud to confer the honorary degree of Doctor of Arts, honoris causa.
Dr. Carolyn Forché, Doctor of Arts
Chapman University is proud to recognize accomplished poet, author and human rights advocate, Dr. Carolyn Forché with an honorary Doctor of Arts Degree.
Through her Presidential Fellowship at Chapman, Forché has enriched the campus community by hosting public events, collaborating closely with Wilkinson College and opening doors to professional and publishing opportunities for students. Her presence on campus has inspired the next generation of writers and thinkers.
Forché is best known for her pioneering work in the genre of “poetry of witness,” which explores the intersection of literature and political conflict. Her writing has earned widespread acclaim for its artistic depth and moral urgency, qualities that deeply align with Chapman’s mission to offer an interdisciplinary and globally minded education.
Among her achievements, Forché’s fifth poetry collection, In the Lateness of the World, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her memoir, What You Have Heard Is True, was a National Book Award finalist and winner of the Juan E. Mendez Book Award for Human Rights in Latin America. Her international anthology, Against Forgetting, was praised by Nelson Mandela as “itself a blow against tyranny, against prejudice, against injustice.”
Forché’s lifetime of work has also been recognized with the Hiroshima Foundation for Peace and Culture Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Lannan Award for Poetry, and the Wyndham Campbell Prize from Yale University. She serves as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Academy of Literature (UK), and a Distinguished University Professor at Georgetown University.
Forché embodies the values at the heart of Chapman’s academic and cultural life. Her influence as a writer, educator, and advocate makes her a most deserving recipient of this year’s honorary degree.
Ronald M. Simon, Doctor of the University
Ron Simon is a successful business leader, philanthropist and dedicated supporter of Higher Education, and Chapman University is proud to honor Simon with an honorary Doctor of University degree.
As a first-generation American of Russian descent, Simon built an industry-leading career by transforming his father’s company, Perma-Bilt, into the largest manufacturer of bathroom medicine cabinets in the U.S. He went on to launch RSI Home, a leading global manufacturer of cultured marble countertops and vanities, and later founded RSI Communities and RSI Energy, continuing his legacy of innovation and leadership in real estate and clean energy.
Simon’s generosity is equally impressive. Through the Simon Family Foundation, he and his wife, Sandi, have opened doors for thousands of students by establishing life-changing scholarship programs. The Simon-Orange-Chapman STEM Scholarship Program supports Orange High School students pursuing STEM careers at Chapman, while the Simon Scholars Physician Assistant Program provides full-tuition scholarships to local students in Chapman’s PA program. To date, Simon Scholars has awarded more than $100 million in scholarships to over 3,000 students.
Since joining Chapman’s Board of Trustees in 2007, Simon has played a key role in advancing the university’s mission and vision. His support is visible across campus, from the Keck Center for Science and Engineering to the state-of-the-art Sandi Simon Center for Dance. In 2019, he and Sandi were named Chapman’s Citizens of the Year.
Simon’s philanthropic reach extends far beyond Chapman. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and supported Hoag Hospital. Most recently, he announced the launch of RSI Dream Communities, a nonprofit focused on creating affordable housing for essential workers such as nurses and firefighters.
For his lifetime of achievement and his unwavering commitment to education and community, Chapman University proudly confers upon Ronald M. Simon the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.
Commencement Weekend Events
Candlelight Blessing of the Graduates
Thursday, May 22, 7:45 p.m.
Aitken Arts Plaza
This event is free and open to students, parents and families.
All graduates are invited, along with family and friends, to the Candlelight Blessing of the Graduates. Similar to the candlelight event at orientation, participants will experience a brief interfaith ceremony of blessing and receive a gift from the staff of the Fish Interfaith Center as a reminder of the blessing.
University Commencement Ceremony and President’s Toast
Friday, May 23, 7 p.m.
Wilson Field
Ceremony is free for graduating students and families, but tickets are required.
Following the commencement ceremony, graduates and guests are invited to join President Daniele C. Struppa at Aitkin Arts Plaza where he will make a champagne toast to graduates. A fireworks display will follow the toast.
Schools and Colleges Degree Ceremonies
Friday – Sunday, May 23-25, various times
Wilson Field
Degree ceremonies are free for graduating students and families, but tickets are required.
