Neighbors of Chapman | Chapman Blogs

Students in CES 103 – Helping Professions withFriendly Center staff after their final presentation

Chapman Students Give Back, Right in their Backyard

By Malena Gordon / February 2, 2026

Last Fall, students in CES 103- Helping Professions in Chapman University’s Attallah College of Educational Studies took their learning beyond […]

Community, Events, Updates

Chapman University Sponsors the Second Annual Celebration of Schools

By Valery Pivaral-Bran / October 20, 2025

Chapman University sponsored the Orange Unified School District’s second annual Celebration of Schools event on Wednesday, October 15, at Villa

Community, Updates

Celebrating Partnership: Chapman Community Relations Receives The HUB OC’s Highest Honor

By Valery Pivaral-Bran / October 20, 2025

On September 9, 2025, Chapman University’s Office of Community Relations received The HUB OC’s Gratitude Award, the organization’s highest recognition

From left: Dean Dr. Roxanne Greitz Miller, Trustee Doy Henley, Kaitlyn Ambriz Holl ’25, and President Emeritus Dr. Jim Doti.

Alumni, Neighbor-to-Neighbor

Kaitlyn Ambriz Holl '25 Carries on Father's Commitment to Community

By Alisa Driscoll / August 25, 2025

Born and raised in Orange, Steve Ambriz served on the Orange City Council before his life was tragically cut short

Each class participating in the PEPP program must reach a consensus about which of the nonprofit organizations they have researched will receive a donation

Community, Neighbor-to-Neighbor

Learn By Giving: Classroom Experience Turns Students into Local Philanthropists

By Malena Gordon / May 21, 2025

Since its launch in 2019, the Panther Experiential Philanthropy Project (PEPP) has given over $60,000 to local nonprofit organizations while

Assistant Professor Jorge Rodriguez grew up in Santa Ana, but it wasn’t until he returned to Orange County to teach at Attallah College of Educational Studies that he learned about the significant role that the local community played in the history of school desegregation. Now, he has incorporated that history into his courses by leading students in his classes on a community walk focusing on the geographic histories of Orange and its impact on educators and community organizers. Students learn about the local landmark case Mendez v. Westminster, the desegregation histories in Orange County and tour historical landmarks within the Cypress Street Barrio Neighborhood, including the Cypress Street Schoolhouse and the Lydia D. Killefer School. “What better way to expose students to this concept of making the familiar strange than to actually walk the neighborhood that they walk on the way to school?” says Rodriguez, noting that students get to experience not just coming to Chapman, but actually living within an environment that has historical significance. “But not just any historical significance... the birthplace of desegregation is right there.” Participants regularly list the neighborhood walks as a highlight for the course, says Rodriguez. “They say, I can't not see this neighborhood as a historical landmark or see the value in this neighborhood. Because of the history and the legacy that exists here, I now see my campus from a different light.”

Alumni, Community, Neighbor-to-Neighbor, Students

Local History Makes Impact on Chapman Students

By Natalie Papazian / February 6, 2025

Assistant Professor Jorge Rodriguez grew up in Santa Ana, but it wasn’t until he returned to Orange County to teach

Here’s a quick look at how many hours Chapman students contributed to OUSD schools in the 2023-24 school year.

Alumni, Community, Students

Student Teachers Make an Impact in Local Schools

By James Gerrard / October 7, 2024

Each year, the Orange Unified School District (OUSD) welcomes student teachers from Chapman University’s Attallah College of Educational Studies (ACES)