Hesperian College — forerunner institution to Chapman University — is founded in Woodland, Calif., on the date of Abraham Lincoln’s first inauguration. The timing reflects the founders’ connection to the promise of Lincoln’s presidency. Hesperian welcomes women as well as men and students of all races – a radical concept…Read More

A $400,000 challenge by prominent banker and grower Charles C. Chapman is met by other Disciples of Christ leaders. The college establishes a presence in Los Angeles and, in 1934, is renamed Chapman College to honor C.C. Chapman’s insightful leadership. Such transformational support by visionary leaders is a hallmark of…Read More

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks in Memorial Hall as part of Chapman’s popular Artist Lecture Series. Over the years, Chapman hosts many groundbreaking artists and leaders, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Maya Angelou, Dolores Huerta and Angela Davis. 

Chapman physics professor Yakir Aharonov is awarded the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest scientific honor. Aharonov and his colleagues at the Institute for Quantum Studies build bridges to practical use of their foundational work, sparking advances in areas such as satellites and information processing.

The opening of Musco Center for the Arts is hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “an ideal opera house, potentially the best in the West.” The music, theatre and dance venue exemplifies Chapman’s commitment to cutting-edge facilities. Along with the Hilbert Museum of California Art, Musco Center enhances Chapman’s…Read More

In March 2020, Chapman makes the difficult decision to move all instruction online. This rapid transition protects the health and well-being of our campus communities. As many students and their families struggled with the financial fallout of the crisis, the Chapman community responded with an outpouring of philanthropic support. Read…Read More

With its highest-ever national ranking in The Hollywood Reporter, the film school is lauded for providing early access to hands-on experiences and a collaborative creative environment that helps film and media arts students thrive. An emphasis on diversity in faculty hiring and in establishing a mentorship program for underrepresented high…Read More

A new home for Chapman’s award-winning dance program is revitalizing the 1918 Villa Park Orchards Association Packing House, an icon of Old Towne Orange. The adaptive reuse of the building will provide nearly 33,000 square feet for teaching studios, performance space and a training center dedicated to dancer health. Read…Read More