Who would have guessed that a Chapman University support group called The Fashionables would be around 40 years? Formed in 1971 when Chapman University was called Chapman College, the group's focus was to offer top-notch programs to its members and use members' dues for scholarships for students enrolled in the university's World Campus Afloat "floating classroom" project. The group, later called The Fashionable Women of Chapman and as of July 1st, the Women of Chapman, has grown from 35 to 220 over the years and continues to draw members of all ages, interests, and walks of life with one thing in common – they love Chapman University! Proof of that is the close to $5 million they've given to the university – i.e. student scholarships, Leatherby Libraries, All-Faiths Chapel, and Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, with $1 million pledged to Chapman's proposed Center for the Arts and $500,000 to the building of Dodge College's Millennial Studios.

A Fortieth Anniversary Celebration dinner dance was held Friday night at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach to commemorate the benchmark year. The party was chaired by board members Leslie Cancellieri, Sally Crockett and Eve Kornyei. Ninety members, spouses and escorts enjoyed a festive alfresco cocktail reception on the club's terrace, where huge framed Neiman Marcus fashion advertisements from the '40s and '50s were displayed with live models wearing similar clothing posing alongside. It was a showstopper! Michaele Hall, Neiman Marcus Fashion Island Director of Public Relations and a member of the Women of Chapman, received beaucoup compliments…

Bob Bassett, Dean of Dodge College, spoke about the impact the Women of Chapman have had on the film students' dreams. "The Women of Chapman have made our students' dreams possible and have been there every step of the way," he said. WOC contributed $1 million to the building of Marion Knott Studios, which opened in 2003, and pledged an almost-completed million dollar endowment that will fund senior film projects.

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