Honoring the shyness and “low key nature” of Phil and Dianne Ferguson, the faculty and staff honored them with a “special event” as both are retiring from Chapman University and the College of Educational Studies at the end of January 2016.




Couple standing next to cake.

The Fergusons were honored by the CES faculty and staff with a “special event” as both are retiring from Chapman University and the College of Educational Studies



Phil and Dianne have pursued for more than three decades their interest in the field of disability studies. Focusing much of their research on family/professional interactions and support policy, social policy and the history of disability, each have contributed to the success of the Ph.D. in Education program and the mission of the College of Educational Studies. Each have published extensively and are known as leaders in their discipline. Dean Margaret Grogan remarked, “I’d like to wish Phil and Dianne the very best as they embark on this next phase of their lives. The C.E.S. community has benefited greatly from Phil and Dianne’s excellent scholarship, teaching, advisement and administrative activities over the past 8 years. We sincerely hope that the Fergusons will remain connected to us in whatever ways they find meaningful.”

Dianne has focused much of her attention on program improvement and accreditation for the college, specifically, developing the current system and approach that support and sustains the ongoing college improvement effort for the CES known as PISCES (Program Improvement System – College of Educational Studies).

Phil besides teaching within the Ph.D. in Education and Integrated Educational Studies program has been a leader within faculty governance for accessibility issues on campus and has been an instrumental leader for many of the accessibility improvements over the last few years on the Chapman University campus. He and other colleagues also developed the integrated Disability Studies minor with numerous course offerings coming from the College of Educational Studies and Wilkinson College.

Woman and man looking to the right.

Phil and Dianne Ferguson



During the “special event”, Chancellor Struppa bestowed the highest faculty status for Dr. Philip Ferguson as “professor emeritus” and Dr. Dianne Ferguson was the first CES Faculty Associate colleague unanimously awarded by CES faculty. Each will continue assisting current Ph.D. in Education students with dissertation completion and as Dianne said on their behalves “the best is yet to come!”