Robert Hitchcock
Walking onto campus for the first time is exciting and probably a little nerve-wracking for any student. But when you’re the first in your family to ever attend college, those feelings are multiplied. That’s exactly why Chapman University created the Promising Futures Summer Bridge Program — designed to turn those butterflies into confidence before classes even begin.
Before the fall semester begins, 111 first-year and 14 transfer first-generation Panthers from across the United States and internationally come together for a special three-day experience. The program provides event-filled days on campus, giving students and their families everything they need to hit the ground running. The goal is to facilitate the smooth transition of first-generation college students into university life by providing them with the skills, connections and resources needed to adjust to campus life and find academic success.
Summer Bridge participants engage in workshops on time management, navigating academic resources, study strategies and financial aid essentials. Research shows that students in this program feel more prepared and confident accessing campus resources compared with their peers. What makes this program truly special is that it creates a sense of belonging. Students bond through activities such as campus scavenger hunts, mentor meals and interactive mixers that help lifelong friendships develop before the first day of classes.
For Andrea Onofre ’25, that sense of belonging was life-changing. “The Summer Bridge Program helped me find my community, helped me belong and helped me get a great experience within what college is and what it should be,” she says. “It made me more successful and helped me become the person I am today.”
Onofre first joined Summer Bridge as a participant in 2022, later becoming a Bridge leader and now serving as a program coordinator. She credits the program with not only helping her navigate the academic side of Chapman, from understanding general education requirements to meeting professors before classes began, but also with connecting her to mentors who supported her through graduation and into her master’s program.
The benefits extended to her family, too. As a commuter student from a Spanish-speaking household, Onofre recalls how much her parents appreciated the program’s efforts to make them feel included and informed. “When we had Family Day, my parents were able to get campus tours, go to the resource fair and have their questions answered in Spanish,” she says. “To this day, they’re still so grateful for the support they received.”
At the heart of the Summer Bridge Program are the Promising Futures Leaders, or PFLs. Having followed a similar path, these upperclassmen know exactly what it’s like to be the first in their family to navigate college. With this common bond, PFLs not only facilitate workshops but also become friends and guides well after the first classes start, offering everything from study tips to emotional support.
Understanding that first-generation success is often a family affair, the Summer Bridge Program offers sessions for parents and guardians. These gatherings help families understand how to best support their Chapman Panther, covering everything from financial aid to academic expectations.
Summer Bridge is more than an orientation; it’s the start of a yearlong journey. Throughout the academic year, the first-generation community stays connected through peer-led study sessions in the Cross-Cultural Center, celebrations for National First-Generation Day, homecoming barbecues and graduation gatherings that honor every milestone along the way.
Now, as she works with this year’s participants, Onofre hopes to pay it forward. “I want to give students all the insight I’ve learned — and even the things I wish I’d known when I was a freshman,” she says. “Most of all, I want them to feel that Chapman was the right choice for them, that it’s a home away from home and a place where they will find their community.”
Summer Bridge is where first-generation Panthers discover their sense of belonging. It’s where the unknown and uncertainty are replaced by knowledge and confidence. It’s where strangers become lifelong friends, and students and families truly join the Chapman community.
For a look at the demographics, outcomes, and experiences of Chapman’s first-generation students, see recently released data-driven results by clicking here.
