students at Baccalaureate

1970s students awaiting their degrees

Campus & Students

Archive Dive: Graduation – remember when? Take a trip down Chapman's memory lane with images from commencement past!

Brittany Hanson

May 20, 2016

1 min read

Congratulations graduates – you’ve made it to this special weekend and will join the ranks of Chapman University Alumni! As you look toward your future, here’s a peek back at those who have gone before you. Take a dive through the Leatherby Libraries’s Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections & Archives and see nearly 130 years of graduation history and tradition.

Don’t miss this earliest Chapman “SnapChat” circa — we think — around 1931 and featuring Charles C. Chapman and Cecil Cheverton (best viewed with Windows Media Player):

graduates holding programs — Students smile in graduation caps and gowns

man speaking at podium and woman smiling at commencement — Dr. DJ “Buck” Smith, presents Cheverton Trophy to Alma Clark, Commencement 1978

Commencement procession — Commencement procession from the 1980s

graduation cap — Mortarboard message in 1999

two men smiling in graduation gowns — Chancellor Daniele C. Struppa and President Jim Doti take the field in 2008

commencement on the sunken lawn — 1950s commencement on the sunken lawn

graduate shaking hands and holding diploma — A degree-granting handshake in 2009 with President Doti and student

students at Baccalaureate — 1970s students awaiting their degrees

group of men in commencement gowns — Friends pose at commencement in 1999

class photo — The class photo of 1925

bagpipers at commencement — Bagpipers lead the festivities in 2000

woman smiling in graduation gown — Totally commencement excitement in 1992 as student smiles with flowers

graduating seniors — Students in 2009 before degree conferral

graduates standing — The class of 1923 at California Christian College

commencement on memorial lawn — Class of 1982 as seen from atop Memorial Hall

man speaking at podium for commencement — Comedian Bob Hope addressed graduates at Commencement, received Chapman’s first Presidential Citation. His son, Kelly, was one of the graduates.

students at commencement — A student gets flowers in 1990s

woman smiling — Mattie Barbara Foster, class of 1889.

graduating class standing with diplomas — The class of 1930 poses with their degrees

commencement procession — A breeze blows for degrees in 2003

man and woman holding award — Dr. Reeves presents Ellen Atherton Valentine the Cheverton award in 1946

male graduate — A student beats the sun in the 1980s

graduates blowing bubbles — Class of 2007 is bubbly!

commencement on memorial lawn — In 1984 the lawn was still sunk and Chapman was growing.

graduates walking — The class of 1927 carries the Ivy Chain across campus

commencement — Class of 1954 in Los Angeles, last year before coming to Orange

graduates in celebration leis — Lei laden in 2011

graduation ceremony — 1950s graduation ceremony

commencement procession — A proud procession in 2006

1930 graduation at Chapman — The faculty and board get ready for the procession in front of Founders Hall in 1930

archive dive Chapman history chapman university commencement Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections & Archives

Brittany Hanson

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