In a few short weeks I will end my tenure in one of the most honorable, gratifying, and fulfilling positions I have ever held. As I reflect on the past three years as president of the
Chapman University Alumni Association Board of Directors
, I find myself overwhelmed with the strides the Association has made and the people that I have had the pleasure of working with to get there.

I would be remiss not to start this article without a special thanks to how my journey started. The dedication and labor of past Presidents Kelsey Flewellen ’05 and Robert Diaz ’97 was unparalleled and without their travail, acumen, and leadership the Association would not be what it is today. I attempted every day to be half the leader they were when I was a member of the Board.

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That is truly what sets our University apart: the people. The amount of gifted, intelligent, talented, passionate people I have met and had the opportunity to work alongside has been the true reason for my term’s success. This includes alumni wherever dispersed around the world – the one I met in Indonesia wearing a Chapman t-shirt,
the 325 alumni who attended Greek Skit Brunch
, the alumni who gave last year to our prestigious institution – each of us brings the Alumni Association one step closer to the powerhouse it can be.

One of our most successful accomplishments has been the growth of dedicated staff at Elliott Alumni House. We now have several full time staff members working tirelessly on career initiatives, alumni engagement,
Chapman Sweethearts
,
Young Alumni Society
, and the like. I cannot begin to find the words to adequately thank Assistant Vice President Delite Travis (M.A. ’15) for her patience, devotion, and zeal in our success.

This success lead us to record alumni attendance at
The Chapman Family Homecoming Celebration
(with a 200% increase),
the Alumni Entertainment Industry Mixer held two weeks ago which saw 365 attendees
, Career and Industry Networking Roundtables, alumni networking events, and giving back to the current students of the University.

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Leading this group of dynamic and passionate Chapman alumni has truly been an honor. I look forward to seeing how my successor Akin Ceylan ’90 and the Board of Directors builds on this momentum. We have laid a strong and solid foundation on which to shape even greater opportunities for quality alumni engagement. Whether you live around the corner or across the globe, there are many ways to stay connected and take an active role in the life of our University. I encourage you to explore opportunities to be involved with our alma mater at
www.chapman.edu/alumni
.

It has been an absolute pleasure getting to assist in the future growth and greatness of our Association. This is definitely not goodbye as I plan to stay involved through the Board of Trustees. As always,
please feel free to reach out with any questions or ideas
; I serve at the pleasure of my peers.