Brian BelardiThree of Chapman’s longest-serving leaders concluded their distinguished careers during the past academic year, marking the end of an era for the university.
Mike Pelly (M.S. ’96) retired as vice president and dean of enrollment after 40 years at Chapman. Janeen Hill, Ph.D., stepped down as founding dean of Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences after nearly three decades at Chapman and returned to the faculty. Jerry Price, Ph.D., retired as senior vice president for student affairs and dean of students after 18 years of service to the university.
Their combined tenures span nearly 90 years and trace the evolution of modern Chapman.
“Universities evolve through thoughtful leadership over many years,” said Amy Rogan-Mehta, J.D., executive vice president and chief of staff. “Mike, Janeen, and Jerry have each helped shape Chapman in meaningful ways, and their contributions will benefit our students, faculty, and campus communities for years to come.”
GROWING THE CHAPMAN COMMUNITY
Pelly arrived at Chapman in 1986, when applications came in on paper and half the current buildings on the Orange Campus hadn’t yet been built. Five years later, Chapman College became Chapman University. He stayed to recruit the generations of students who would help shape Chapman’s future.
Along the way, he earned an M.S. in Human Resource Management at Chapman, becoming an alumnus of the university he was helping to build.
Over four decades, Chapman rose dramatically in U.S. News & World Report‘s rankings, eventually reaching No. 5 among regional universities in the West before switching to the National Universities category and continuing its rankings climb. Pelly recruited every class along the way.
“We went from a sleepy college to a more active university,” Pelly said.
“Mike is Chapman incarnate,” said President Matt Parlow. “He cares deeply about each student and family member and ensures they receive attention — and ultimately choose Chapman.”
“Universities evolve through thoughtful leadership over many years. Mike, Janeen, and Jerry have each helped shape Chapman in meaningful ways, and their contributions will benefit our students, faculty, and campus communities for years to come.”
— Amy Rogan-Mehta, executive vice president and chief of staff
BUILDING A COLLEGE FOR THE FUTURE
When local healthcare leaders approached Chapman about creating a medical school, Hill saw a different opportunity.
Instead, she championed allied health education — physician assistants, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists who could enter the workforce more quickly and help meet Orange County’s growing healthcare needs.
Crean College opened June 1, 2014.
The physician assistant program was central to Hill’s vision, but within its first year, the program faced an unexpected setback: the accrediting body rejected its initial application. Hill led the effort to rebuild the program.
The charter class arrived in January 2017. Today, the program reports a 99% first-attempt board pass rate, among the highest in the country, and Crean has grown into Chapman’s second-largest academic unit.
“Building a college from the ground up requires conviction and resilience,” said Mike Ibba, Ph.D., executive vice president, provost, and chief academic officer. “Janeen never lost sight of the students she was serving or the long- term vision she was pursuing.”
PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST
Price retired in June after 18 years building Chapman’s division of student affairs.
Price’s office sat in the heart of campus, surrounded by glass. He chose it that way — a reflection of his belief that students and families should know where to turn when they needed help.
Under his leadership, student affairs became a model for student well-being, support, and leadership development. He made the residential experience more intentional, connecting first-year students with peers who shared academic interests, and mentored a generation of student-affairs professionals. His weekly emails — complete with a “thought of the week” — became a familiar part of campus life.
But Price measured his work in individual moments: helping students navigate difficult circumstances, greeting them around campus, and watching them grow into confident adults.
“If I had to summarize how I feel about the last 18 years, it would be ‘grateful,’” Price said. At commencement, when his name was announced, students chanted “JER-RY.”
