Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is a program that gives Chapman undergraduate students the opportunity to do hands-on research and creativity projects with faculty mentors. It is an eight-week program that is hosted on Chapman University campus. SURF Fellows receive a $4,000 fellowship and have the option to request free housing during the program. To become a SURF fellow, students apply and are chosen from a competitive pool of applicants. Last summer, Karli Lonnquist ‘26 was one of the select few chosen for the SURF program and had the opportunity to adapt and produce a play. 

Karli presenting her research at the Summer Undergraduate Showcase

Being a theatre and peace studies double major, Lonnquist expressed that she is both an artist and a scholar, and how those aspects of her personality could impact the world in a unique way. “I think those two things are the perfect intersection…arts have a lot of power and scholarship has a lot of power,” said Lonnquist. Seeking an outlet to find ways to bring art and research together, Lonnquist was first made aware of the SURF program by Dr. Jocelyn Buckner. “I went and did a whole bunch of looking into it…I was starting to see what kind of questions [I wanted] to engage with in SURF and how I might do that from my unique, interesting theatrical peace studies perspective,” said Lonnquist. 

Lonnquist’s SURF project was looking at how contemporary adaptations of historical plays could be a new methodology for conflict resolution, particularly what it would look like in modern United States. She adapted the 1944 play titled No Exit, which was originally written during the occupation of France in World War II by French playwright Jean-Paul Sartre.  This play explores existentialism, and Lonnquist took that exploration and applied it to modern society. “I thought that there were a lot of parallels between that specific form of existentialism and modern-day political polarization in the United States…and our ideas of the American dream…how [it] resonates differently for different people and has shifted over time,” said Lonnquist. She took Sartre’s central themes of No Exit and reimagined them. After extensive research on the original play, analysis, interviews, workshops, and reading about adaptations, Lonnquist wrote Last Exit.  

The SURF program gave Lonnquist the opportunity to create her play. She was also granted a scholarly/creative grant, which has allowed her to put Last Exit into production in November 2025. “I really do think it’s an important play and it’s a timely play…History can provide tools torespond to conflict, respond to pain, and respond to confusion,” said Lonnquist.

Karli with her cast and crew for the production of her play

Lonnquist saw many different types of research and creative projects during her SURF program. “[Center for Undergraduate Excellence] really endeavored to support all different kinds of inquiries and all different kinds of student scholarly and creative people…It’s a really unique way to get involved with other disciplines at Chapman,” said Lonnquist. Along with research, SURF provides an opportunity to build community and bond with peers. “We also had community bonding days. We went to an Angels game, and we had Trivia night,” said Lonnquist.  

The SURF program is a great opportunity for undergraduate students to develop their research and creative projects with the support of expert faculty and peers. The 2026 SURF program will take place from June to August. SURF applications open February 2026, and students across all disciplines are encouraged to apply. If you are interested in SURF and want to learn more, email cue@chapman.edu or visit the SURF information page on the Center for Undergraduate Excellence website.