As a boy, John Corpin ’69 dreamed of attending college. His father, a barber, struggled to earn enough money to pay for college, so when Chapman offered him a scholarship, he seized the opportunity to enroll.
“Chapman wanted to help someone who wanted to achieve,” Corpin shared. “I may not have had the best grades, but I had a desire to achieve.”
Corpin worked at Disneyland to help offset some of his costs. Despite his financial challenges, he found unwavering support and encouragement from the Chapman community, particularly from two professors. Professor William Boyer and Professor Jim Miller showed they cared about their students, making the classes exciting and engaging.
Corpin noted that he felt consistently supported during his time at Chapman, including when he broke his leg during a ski club event. The science classes were located on the second floor, and because of his left leg cast, Corpin couldn’t walk up the stairs. As he fondly recalls, the professor moved the class to the first floor so Corpin could attend.
Another example of Chapman’s support and personalization is evident in the way Corpin selected his major.
“Professor Boyer knew I was interested in physics, so he gave me a 3,604-page “Handbook of Chemistry and Physics” and said, ‘Hey John, you’re our first physics major!’” Corpin remembered.
Professor Boyer’s hands-on approach and experiments with radiation and a reactor in the basement motivated Corpin to dive more into physics, ultimately leading him to a career in the space industry. After graduating, Corpin worked at Autonetics in the Apollo space program and Hughes Aircraft (which later became Raytheon). He got his MBA while working full-time and credits Chapman for helping him develop the ability to study and work simultaneously.
“Chapman’s generosity and willingness to take a chance on me helped shape my future and allowed me to pursue my dreams,” Corpin explained.
Grateful for the personalized education and scholarship he received at Chapman, Corpin is now paying it forward by funding the Corpin Family Endowed Scholarship to support the next generation of scientists.
“Chapman made it possible for me to attend college, and that’s what I want to do for future scientists,” he shared.
Established in 2021, the scholarship supports one or more undergraduate students who have financial needs and are pursuing a degree in the hard sciences. Hard sciences may include but are not limited to biology, chemistry, physics, math, engineering, radiation, astrophysics, and other hard science fields that may be offered in the future. Scholarship recipients tend to be selected from the Fowler School of Engineering and the Schmid College of Science and Technology.
A dedicated donor to Chapman since 1997, Corpin is still employed at Raytheon after more than 50 years. He continues to live his dream of working in the space industry and still refers to the 3,604-page book Professor Boyer gave him. Corpin consistently states that attending Chapman was one of the best decisions he has ever made.
“By helping others achieve their dreams through the Corpin Family Endowed Scholarship, I hope students will also pay it forward and do something for the future of Chapman,” Corpin concluded.
Are you inspired by Corpin’s story? Learn how to make a positive difference and support future Chapman students by donating today.
