Isaac Persky is an Economics, Public Relations, and Entertainment Marketing student at Chapman University set to graduate in 2026, as well as a student-entrepreneur. Isaac shares his entrepreneurial journey with DormPour, a venture he co-founded with fellow Chapman student, Ben Shafton.

Developing DormPour

DormPour aims to revolutionize the way students access filtered water in their dorm rooms, addressing the limitations of traditional water filters. “We are creating a new type of filtered water dispenser that is specifically made for small dorm fridges, holds more water, and provides a better experience than traditional water filters,” says Persky.

The inspiration for DormPour struck Isaac when he grew frustrated with his dorm room’s standard water filter. Discarding the Brita filter at the end of the year, he knew there had to be a better solution. This frustration became the catalyst for DormPour, a venture dedicated to providing a more efficient and enjoyable water filtration experience for dorm dwellers.

The road to success was not without challenges. Isaac highlights the difficulty of finalizing the product’s design. He says “Even something simple needs to be revised several times and we always have new changes that we want to make. Working with professors at the school in the 3D printing lab has helped us overcome some of the hurdles we have ran into in the design process.” This underlines the importance of seeking guidance and utilizing available resources in the entrepreneurial journey.

Chapman University: A Launchpad for Entrepreneurship

Isaac credits Chapman University, particularly The Argyros College and the Leatherby Center, for preparing him for entrepreneurship. Business and economics courses equipped him with a solid foundation, while mentorship from the Leatherby Center provided valuable advice. Isaac is also looking forward to further developing DormPour through the Startup Incubator program.

Persky says that he has really enjoyed his college experience thus far. “It was definitely a large adjustment coming out of state from Nebraska to Southern California,” he says, “but I love Orange and the weather!” He has also made amazing friends and met a lot of interesting people through classes and campus involvement. A big part of Isaac’s involvement has been through his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta. “Being social chair has helped prepare me to work with other people, manage groups, and coordinate events,” he says, all very useful skills when it comes to anything in life, and especially entrepreneurship. He also says that his fraternity has helped give him the confidence and support to embark on an entrepreneurial journey.

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Isaac’s advice for students and recent graduates is simple: start now. “Just go for it and start now. Don’t make up excuses for yourself to ‘wait until the right moment’, there will never be a ‘right’ moment.”

Isaac leaves us with a powerful reminder: life’s most important aspect is happiness. “The most important thing in life is to be happy and enjoy yourself,” he says. “It’s not worth overly stressing about anything, so go for it and have fun while you are doing it, not everything has to be serious.”

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