It has been an exciting fall for Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. In a college with 9 departments, 272 faculty and staff, and 2,408 majors and minors, it is impossible to quickly summarize all our events, innovations, and achievements. Nonetheless, before we say good-bye to 2019, I wanted to quickly recap a few highlights of happenings within Wilkinson this semester.

Wilkinson College received noteworthy news from the class of 2018 about their Wilkinson experience and first steps after graduation.

  • Thanks to the work of multiple faculty, La Frontera/The Border was a glowing success that included 17 events, 4 art exhibits, and culminated with 90 student presentations.  La Frontera/The Border showcased Wilkinson at its very best, providing a forum for faculty, students, invited speakers and artists, and the community to engage in thoughtful dialogue about a critical issue.
  • We celebrated the opening of the Center for Cultural and Creative Industries, and this week marks the 10th anniversary of Tabula Poetica, the poetry center at Chapman University.
  • Wilkinson faculty conducted timely (and well-attended) discussions of the impeachment process, white supremacist organizations, and the psychological costs of war.
  • Our intrepid career advisor visited over 50 classes to conduct resume-writing workshops, took students on excursions to explore career opportunities at Volcom and the Nixon Presidential Library, and brought speakers to campus to discuss careers in the FBI and State Department.
  • The Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education brought Alexandra Zapruder to campus, who spoke about her work unearthing the diaries Jewish youth kept during the Holocaust, and growing up as the grand-daughter of the man who accidentally captured JFK’s assassination on film.
  • The dual major in World Languages and Global Communication was successfully launched, an innovative curriculum made possible through a partnership between Wilkinson College and the School of Communication.

As we all take a well-deserved holiday break, I wish the entire Wilkinson College community health and happiness in the new year!

Warmly,

Jennifer D. Keene

Dean, Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.