One of the many things we are thankful for every year are our generous donors, who help provide funding support for school-wide projects, student grants, and much more. One organization that has been very kind to us over the years are the Women of Chapman.

The Women of Chapman are a group of philanthropic-minded women who are  strongly dedicated to a program of service to Chapman University. When the group started in 1971, they had just 35 members. Now, they number more than 250.

Over the past four decades, Women of Chapman have given their support to Chapman University. For Dodge specially, they have help fund The Women of Chapman Rotunda Boardroom and Terrace in Marion Knott Studios, Women of Chapman Grand Foyer located in the Digital Media Arts Center, and Women of Chapman Endowed Filmmaker Fund, which supports senior film projects for our students.

Today, we’re going to share something written by Robert Bracker (BFA/Film Production ’17), who recently received the Endowed Filmmaker Fund Grant. He was kind enough to share his experience at the luncheon where it was awarded to him. Here’s what he had to say:

women of chapman

On June 15th I attended a Women of Chapman luncheon after being given a grant towards my Thesis Film. During the lunch one of my classmates, Andrew Primavera, and I spoke about our projects to all of the members. I explained how the grant allows me to have an extra day of shooting to travel to a U.S./Mexico border town, where my film takes place.

The lunch was President Doti’s last event before he retires. At the lunch, he thanked the Women of Chapman not only for their contributions over the years, but for giving the campus character. By character he explained that over time their scholarships, public exhibits, and funds for buildings have enhanced the image of Chapman University.

During the lunch, I sat next to Adrienne Brandes, who choose me as one of the recipients of the grant. She told me that while she was a student, she joined the Los Angeles Police department to pay off her college tuition. Today, she is one of the most successful real estate agents in Newport Beach. With the high cost of tuition she, like many of these other successful women, want to make college a bit easier for students to afford. The grant they have given me will allow me to make the film I want to make without putting me in a financial hardship.  I look forward to inviting all of them to my film’s screening at Dodge next year.

A big thank you for Robert Bracker for sharing, and a big thank you to Women of Chapman for their generous donations every year, and for supporting the Dodge College filmmaking community.