Chapman University Announces 2014 Commencement Schedule, May 22-24

Festivities Will Send Off the Largest Graduating Class in the University’s History

Honorary Degrees Will Be Presented to Actor Edward James Olmos, Movie Studio President Cathy Schulman, and Philanthropist Dale E. Fowler

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:
Mary Platt
Director of Communications and Media Relations
Chapman University
platt@chapman.edu

ORANGE, Calif. – Chapman University will graduate the largest class in its history – 1,519 seniors and 754 graduate degree candidates – during its spring Commencement festivities May 22-24.

Honorary doctoral degrees will be presented to actor and activist Edward James Olmos (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Miami Vice”) by the College of Educational Studies; Cathy Schulman, president of Mandalay Pictures, by Dodge College of Film and Media Arts; and by the law school to philanthropist and real estate developer Dale E. Fowler, who with his wife Sarah Ann gave $55 million to name the Dale E. Fowler School of Law.

Commencement keynote speakers include Judge Raymond Fisher (U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit) for the Fowler School of Law, John Cushman III (co-chairman of the board, Cushman & Wakefield) for the Argyros School of Business and Economics, Oahn X. Nguyen (co-founder of Chance Theatre in Anaheim) for the College of Performing Arts, Cahal McLaughlin (professor, School of Creative Arts, Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland) for Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences, James Mazzo (executive chairman/CEO of AcuFocus, and partner for Versant Ventures) for Schmid College of Science and Technology, Carl Wilkens (humanitarian – the only American aid volunteer to remain in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide began) for the College of Educational Studies, and Cathy Schulman (president, Mandalay Pictures, who will also receive an honorary degree) for Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

The weekend will kick off on Thursday, May 22 with the Senior Convocation – the all-university academic ceremony honoring the achievements of the graduating class – followed by the President’s Toast to the Class of 2014 for seniors and their families. On Friday, May 23, the Baccalaureate Interfaith Worship Service will feature actress Amber Tamblyn (“Two and a Half Men,” “Joan of Arcadia”) as the keynote speaker, and the Commencement ceremonies for the Dale E. Fowler School of Law and George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics will take place on Friday evening. On Saturday, May 24, the Commencement ceremonies for the other five Chapman schools and colleges, as well as the doctoral ceremony for the Department of Physical Therapy, will take place.

Full schedule of events, plus some “by the numbers” Commencement statistics, are below.

Chapman University’s 2014 Commencement Weekend

All events are free and open to the public without tickets except where noted.

SENIOR CONVOCATION & PRESIDENT’S TOAST TO THE CLASS OF 2014
Thursday, May 22, 7:00 p.m.
Senior Convocation is an all-school academic ceremony designed to honor the achievements of the graduating class. The ceremony is followed by the President’s Toast, where the President raises a glass to this year’s seniors. Senior Convocation is not open to the public. It is for seniors and their families, and attendance is optional. Free, but tickets are required.
7:00 p.m. – Senior Convocation at Bert C. Williams Mall
7:45 p.m. – President’s Toast and Reception at Attallah Piazza

BACCALAUREATE INTERFAITH WORSHIP SERVICE
Friday, May 23, 4:00 p.m.
Baccalaureate is a traditional spiritual service open to those of all faiths. Seniors’ attendance Is optional.
Featured Speaker: Amber Tamblyn, Actor and Poet
Guest Performer: Gurpreet Sarin, Singer
4:00 p.m. – Baccalaureate Service at Wallace All Faiths Chapel, Fish Interfaith Center

2014 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES, FRIDAY, MAY 23

Dale E. Fowler School of Law
5:00 p.m., Holly and David Wilson Field
Keynote Address: Hon. Raymond Fisher, Senior Circuit Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Honorary Degree: Dale E. Fowler ’58, Owner, Fowler Properties
5:00 p.m. – Hooding and Conferral at Holly and David Wilson Field
7:00 p.m. – Reception at Donald P. Kennedy Hall

The George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics
8:00 p.m., Holly and David Wilson Field
Keynote Address: John Cushman, III, Co-chairman of the Board, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.
6:00 p.m. – Pre-ceremony Reception at Attallah Piazza
8:00 p.m. – Commencement at Holly and David Wilson Field

2014 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES, SATURDAY, MAY 24

College of Performing Arts
8:00 a.m., Bert C. Williams Mall
Keynote Address: Oahn X. Nguyen, Co-founder of Chance Theater
8:00 a.m. – Commencement at Bert C. Williams Mall
9:00 a.m. – Reception at The Shady Quad

Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences
9:15 a.m., Holly and David Wilson Field
Keynote Address: Cahal McLaughlin, Professor, School of Creative Arts, Queen’s University Belfast
9:15 a.m. – Commencement at Holly and David Wilson Field
11:15 a.m. – Reception at Attallah Piazza

Schmid College of Science and Technology
11:30 a.m., Bert C. Williams Mall
Keynote Address: James Mazzo, Executive Chairman/CEO, AcuFocus, and Partner for Versant Ventures
11:30 a.m. – Commencement at Bert C. Williams Mall
12:45 p.m. – Reception at Escalette Plaza

Department of Physical Therapy
1:30 p.m., Memorial Hall
1:30 p.m. – Hooding and Conferral at Chapman Auditorium, Memorial Hall
3:00 p.m. – Reception at Crean Hall

College of Educational Studies
4:30 p.m., Bert C. Williams Mall
Keynote Address: Carl Wilkens, humanitarian. Honorary Degree: Edward James Olmos, actor and activist
4:30 p.m. – Commencement at Bert C. Williams Mall
6:00 p.m. – Reception at The Shady Quad

Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media Arts
6:30 p.m., Holly and David Wilson Field
Keynote Address and Honorary Degree: Cathy Schulman, President, Mandalay Pictures
6:30 p.m. – Commencement at Holly and David Wilson Field
8:00 p.m. – After-party at Marion Knott Studios

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES – Numbers and Facts

Number of Students Graduating – By School or College:
Agryros School of Business and Economics: 362 undergraduates, 141 graduate students (506 total)
College of Performing Arts: 95 undergraduates
College of Educational Studies: 82 undergraduates, 169 graduate students (251 total)
Dodge College of Film and Media Arts: 319 undergraduates, 79 graduate students (398 total)
Dale E. Fowler School of Law: 170 graduate students
Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences: 423 undergraduates, 56 graduate students (479 total)
Schmid College of Science and Technology: 235 undergraduates, 139 graduate students (374 total)

Number of students with double or triple majors:
Double majors – 115
Triple majors – 3

Top award winners:
The Cheverton Award (Chapman’s highest honor for graduating seniors – equivalent to valedictorian) was given to two students this year – Elliot Cooley ’14 and Adam Kalawi ’14. Cooley, from Yuma, Ariz., is a Presidential Scholar and double major in mathematics and computational science. He was the lead developer for the Autism Management Platform Project – an Android application and website developed to assist parents and educators of autistic students – and is a software design engineer in test for Microsoft Inc. Kalawi, from Anaheim, Calif., is an Albert Schweitzer Scholarship recipient and a double major in biochemistry and molecular biology, and in the Honors Program. He was a medical intelligence and innovations intern for Children’s Hospital of Orange County and was the Robotics and Robotic Surgery Abstract Competition Winner for the Pediatrics 2040 Conference.

About Chapman University
Consistently ranked among the top universities in the West, Chapman University provides a uniquely personalized and interdisciplinary educational experience to highly qualified students. Our programs encourage innovation, creativity and collaboration, and focus on developing global citizen-leaders who are distinctively prepared to improve their community and their world. Visit us at www.chapman.edu.

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