Nicole Bigley
If you’ve spent time on campus during big events, you’ve probably seen students in red jackets, moving purposefully through crowds, greeting guests, and guiding families. Those are Chapman Ambassadors. Ask them why they joined, and you’ll get a familiar answer: connection, leadership, and campus involvement. Ask them what they got out of it — backstage at major university events with celebrities, face to face with Holocaust survivors, standing in rooms where Chapman’s future is being shaped — and the answer gets a lot more interesting.
Jihkeem David ’27: Becoming Part of What Chapman Is Building
David arrived at Chapman from the Caribbean wanting to look beyond the science lab, to understand how education intersects with entrepreneurship, communication, and the way universities present themselves to the world. He also came with a desire to be a visible, authentic voice for international students who might not yet see themselves in spaces like this one.
“Coming from the Caribbean, I saw this role as a chance to contribute to Chapman’s mission of building global students,” he says. “I wanted to be an authentic voice for prospective international and West Indian students, someone they could see themselves in.”
That instinct guided him to some of the program’s most quietly profound moments. At the Holocaust Art and Writing Competition, where student artwork is created in response to survivors’ stories and ambassadors have the chance to speak with some of those survivors directly, David found his perspective on life itself shifting. “We often associate our worth with our physical abilities, how much we can do, how active we are,” he reflects. “But speaking with survivors made me realize that we are so much more than our physical bodies. Life is meaningful if you have a story to tell and an impact to make.”
The program also changed the way he sees Chapman itself. Names on buildings were just names to him at first, until he started meeting the people behind them, speaking with them in rooms where Chapman’s history was still being made. “A lot of those names are people who are still connected to Chapman today,” he says. “Chapman isn’t just this long-established place with history. It’s still growing and building its legacy right now. I’m not just here experiencing Chapman as it is. I’m actually part of what it’s becoming.”
Sera Shimakura ’27: Backstage with Keegan Michael Key
Shimakura joined the Ambassador Program with a straightforward goal. “I wanted to help prospective students learn about Chapman while also building connections with faculty, staff, and donors,” she says. “This opportunity felt like a perfect fit.”
Working backstage during Keegan-Michael Key’s visit to campus, Shimakura got a firsthand look at what it takes to pull off a major university event. “It gave me a new level of respect for the staff and everything that goes into planning an event,” she says. “I was able to see firsthand the communication, professionalism, and attention to detail required, especially when handling unexpected challenges. It also reinforced the importance of maintaining professionalism, especially when I was one of the first students to greet him.”
Shimakura says the culture of the program is what sets it apart from other ways to get involved on campus. “Because it’s a volunteer program, everyone involved truly wants to be there,” she says. “The ambassadors are kind, open, and eager to help, and the supervisors are incredibly supportive and understanding. It’s one of the best ways to build connections while having fun.”
Lara Ramirez ’27: The Attallah Piazza at Homecoming
Ramirez came to the program looking for connection, and it was Homecoming, an event she had never attended before, that crystallized what the role really meant. “I remember seeing the Attallah Piazza filled with people. Families reconnecting, alumni sharing memories, students coming together to celebrate. There was such a strong sense of pride and energy throughout the day.” Being part of making it happen, she says, made all the difference. “As an ambassador, I wasn’t just attending the event. I was helping contribute to that experience for others, which made it even more rewarding.”
That sense of contribution deepened as she began working events alongside donors, trustees, and distinguished guests. “There have been moments where I’m standing in a room with individuals who have played a direct role in shaping Chapman,” she says, “and it really shifts your perspective. You start to realize that so many of the opportunities we have as students don’t just happen by chance.”
Become an Ambassador
Every semester, a new group of students joins the program. The events change, the moments are different, and the reasons they join vary. But ambassadors tend to find themselves in a similar place: shaped by service, woven into Chapman’s story, and a little more certain of where they belong.
The red jacket is hard to miss on campus. After reading their stories, you might find yourself wanting to wear one. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Join the Program
Applications are open and close October 4. The Chapman Ambassador Program is open to undergraduate students maintaining a 3.0 GPA with a history of campus involvement. The process is competitive, and by all accounts, worth it.
“You’re doing all of this alongside a group of people who are supportive, motivated, and genuinely want to see you grow. It makes the program feel less like an obligation and more like being part of a community that pushes you to be better.” — Jihkeem David ’27
