Summer is over and it’s that time of year where we welcome our newest faculty members and ask them a few questions to get to know them better. We asked why they chose Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and what it means to be a part of the heart and soul of Chapman University. We also asked a few of those fun questions we all love to read!

Mac Bunyanunda
Instructor, Political Science

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Mac Bunyanunda: It means that the positive effects of my work have the potential to extend beyond the four walls of the classroom to have a far-reaching and meaningful effect on the college and on the university.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say?

MB: It would mention my hobbies and interests, including my collection of diecast cars, diecast airliners, and replica food in miniature from Japan.

VoW: What’s your favorite movie?

MB: One of my very favorite movies is “Tampopo” by the Japanese director Itami Juzo. At base, it’s about how two long haul truckers save a failing ramen shop, but it’s also about so much more than that.

VoW: Why Chapman?

MB: Chapman is at an exciting point in its long history, having recently made the jump from the ranks of regional universities to that of national universities. It has a superior administration that’s deftly overseen the growth of an organization that continues to attract some of the best faculty and students across many fields. Moreover, Chapman is an invaluable asset and a point of pride for the local community and for the region. It’s an institution that is no doubt on an unbounded and upward trajectory.

Juan Bustos

Juan Bustos
Instructor, World Languages and Cultures

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Juan Bustos: That’s a great question! Well, if the soul is the seat of our sense of being and reasoning while the heart is the root of our emotions and passions, then you could say that Wilkinson are the ones who provide the encouragement and support to all of Chapman to keep moving forward amidst adversity.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

JB: Morocco because of its beautiful culture, food, and people. Way too many to list, but the top two places on my bucket list right now are Italy and Greece.

VoW: What’s your favorite movie and/or book?  What did you read over the summer?

JB: Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Over the summer, I read City of Dreams by Tyler Anbinder as it covers the 400-year history of immigrant New York.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us.

JB: During my senior year of high school, I ran in the Los Angeles Marathon and finished with a time of 3:19:20.

Corrado Confalonieri

Corrado Confalonieri
Associate Professor, Italian Studies, Bernardino Telesio Endowed Professor

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Corrado Confalonieri: First of all, I just want to say that I like the metaphor very much – it reminds me of some of the Renaissance poets I focus on in my research. And I like the idea of being the heart and soul because it means that we (meaning: Wilkinson) are important, but also because it implies that we need all the other parts of the body, that we are part of a community.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say?

CC: For other people with the same name, see Corrado Confalonieri (disambiguation). Indeed, there is a Corrado Confalonieri who already has his own page, and that’s the so-called Conrad of Piacenza, “an Italian hermit of the Third Order of St. Francis” – I’m quoting Wikipedia! – “who is venerated as a saint”. He lived in the Middle Ages, and, believe it or not, just like me, he’s also from Piacenza, my hometown, in the North of Italy. So, I guess my page would say something like “not the saint”…

VoW: What’s your favorite movie and/or book?  What did you read over the summer?

CC: As for my favorite book, I can’t help mentioning the Gerusalemme Liberata (Jerusalem Delivered) by Torquato Tasso, an epic poem of sixteenth-century Italy to which I dedicated many years of my career. For the movie, I would say Amarcord by Federico Fellini, which in a way brings me to the book I’m reading right now – Francesco Piccolo’s La bella confusione (Beautiful Confusion), whose title comes from the working title of Fellini’s 8 ½ (and the book is a sort of making of of both 8 ½ and Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) by Luchino Visconti.

VoW: Why Chapman?

CC: It seems that I’m coming to Chapman in a great time for Italian Studies. In 2023, Professor Federico Pacchioni founded the Ferrucci Institute for Italian Experience and Research, which now includes an amazing team of scholars working across several disciplines. I’m excited to join this group of colleagues, and look forward to working together to create bridges both among disciplines related to Italy and between different academic traditions in the US and in Italy.

Michael Dopp

Michael Dopp
Assistant Instructional Professor, Art

Voice of Wilkinson: Why Chapman?

Michael Dopp: I’ve had the privilege of teaching as a lecturer at Chapman for over a decade, and I’ve been continually impressed by my students’ talent, insight, and ingenuity. These experiences have enriched my life immensely. The opportunity to be a full-time professor in Wilkinson is incredibly exciting.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us!

MD: I recently learned something interesting, especially with the games happening in Paris. From 1906 to 1948, the Olympic Games included an arts competition known as the ‘Pentathlon of the Muses.’ This now largely forgotten event featured five artistic categories: architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

MD: It’s tough to choose just one! So many places I’ve visited have left a deep impression on me, influencing my life, studies, and artwork. During graduate school, I traveled through East Africa and met incredible people who transformed my perspective. As an undergraduate, I went to China and Japan through travel study courses. And some of my best travel experiences were in Berlin, both on my own and during a travel study course I co-taught with Professor Micol Hebron here at Chapman.

VoW: Why Chapman?

MD: It’s the students who are the biggest reason, but the faculty and staff members also. Chapman’s art department is full of potential and exciting energy. It’s an honor to teach alongside widely recognized and talented thinkers and makers who bring innovative ideas and pedagogy to the student community. And in turn, the students create a dynamic atmosphere that feels both fresh and vital.

Jean Chen Ho

Jean Chen Ho
Assistant Professor, Creative Writing

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Jean Chen Ho: I’m so excited to join Wilkinson! I’ll be teaching creative writing here at Chapman. As a writer, I believe that storytelling is truly the “heart and soul” of the human experience. The ability to tell our own stories, and share them with others, is what makes us feel like a community.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

JH: Boring answer, but I love Paris. The croissants! The cheese! I also love to visit Taiwan, where I was born and still have lots of family.

VoW: What’s your favorite book?

JH: Too many favorite books to name! Here are a few: Sula by Toni Morrison, The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston, Lost in the City by Edward P. Jones, The Gangster We Are All Looking For by le thi diem thuy. I recently read Piranesi by Susanna Clarke—the perfect summer fantasy read.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say?

JH: She is the owner of 20+ houseplants.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us.

JH: I’ve been practicing yoga for over ten years. I love to sweat it out at hot yoga!

VoW: Why Chapman?

JH: I grew up in Southern California, not far from Chapman! And I’m currently writing a novel about Los Angeles Chinatown in the 1800s. It’s wonderful to be back on the west coast and to be a part of the Chapman community.

Lily Lucas “LL” Hodges

Lily Lucas “LL” Hodges
Assistant Instructional Professor, History

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Lily Lucas Hodges: It’s great to have a lot of brain, but in the final analysis, I think I’d rather go out being known for having a lot of heart and soul. In other words, it’s a reason for “being,” period.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us!

LH: I was born and raised in San Francisco, left at 18, and now wish I had just stayed. I’m biased, but I think it’s the most beautiful city in the world. I’m always happy when I’m able to visit.

VoW: What’s your favorite book?

LH: Lately, I’ve enjoyed works by Irish writers— anything by Colm Tóibín or Claire Keegan is in the running to be a favorite. This summer I read and was very moved by Blackouts by Justin Torres.

VoW: Why Chapman?

LH: I find the students to be earnest, curious, and kind.

Stefan Ionescu

Stefan Ionescu
Associate Professor, History; Associate Director of Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education

Voice of Wilkinson: Why Chapman?

Stefan Ionescu: A solid education in arts, humanities, and social science is very important for students who want to be informed citizens in a democratic society and acquired critical skills and abilities that will allow them to adapt fast in a changing labor market and society.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us!

SI: This summer I traveled to Romania and Europe, specifically to the region of Transylvania. I visited the city of Sighisoara which allegedly is the birth place of Dracula. My biggest achievement … coming back alive from that trip!

VoW: What’s your favorite book? See any good movies over the summer?

SI: I have many favorite books and movies. When I was in college. I loved the book Dune by Frank Herbert and this summer I watched the movie Dune 1 and Dune 2.

 

Mohammad Isaqzadeh

Mohammad R. Isaqzadeh
Assistant Professor, Political Science and Peace and Justice Studies

Voice of Wilkinson: Why Chapman?

Mohammad R. Isaqzadeh: My teaching and research interests fall at the intersection of political science and religion. Chapman is the ideal place to teach and follow my research interests.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us!

MI: My favorite hobbies are hiking and swimming.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

MI: As an undergraduate student, I spent one semester as an exchange student in Singapore. It was an incredible experience. I later traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East but never enjoyed it as much as in Singapore. Egypt is at the top of my travel wish list. I am very interested in visiting Cairo and the pyramids.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say? 

MI: Mohammad R. Isaqzadeh has two adorable sons from whom he has learned much. He owes his success to his wife, Sameyeh Jafari. Without her support, he would have never finished graduate school.

VoW: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you? 

MI: We live in a time when advancements in science and technology drastically change how we live and our relationship with the environment. Social sciences and humanities are the primary fields investigating how technological and scientific advances positively or negatively affect our way of living as a species and other organisms. Housing social science and humanities disciplines, Wilkinson College leads invaluable research and teaching on essential issues of our time.

Kathleen Kaiser

Kathleen Kaiser
Assistant Instructional Professor, Art

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you? 

Kathleen Kaiser: Being the heart and soul of Chapman University means that the human experience comes first. Wilkinson represents the conscience of the university, consistently seeking solutions that benefit humankind.

VoW: What’s your favorite movie and/or book? What did you read over the summer? 

KK: I do not have a favorite movie or book. I tend to read books in groupings of subjects. Currently, I am reading about the art and design of the late 1800s to mid-20th century. This summer, I completed “Gropius” by Fiona McCarthy, “Duchamp” by Fiona McCarthy, and “In Montmartre: Picasso, Matisse and the Birth of Modernist Art” by Sue Roe. Next, I will start “William Morris” by Fiona McCarthy.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say? 

KK: She was born in Palo Alto, California, and moved constantly as a child, attending ten different schools before age of 10. Member of the Christian Catholic Church. Attended California State University majoring in Advertising and Photography with a minor in Art, earned an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design, practicing designer for over 30 years, professor for nine years, and lives in San Clemente with her husband of 33 years. Has 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

VoW: Why Chapman? 

KK: Design is an interdisciplinary profession, and Chapman provides students with a strong design background as well as educational opportunities in a multitude of subjects. The students graduating from Chapman are highly creative and well-rounded individuals who collaborate well and are focused on human-centered design.

Lewis Luartz

Lewis Luartz
Assistant Instructional Professor, Political Science

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Lewis Luartz: It means promoting knowledge through out-of-the-box thinking and reasoning. Educating the future is a very important goal in my mind.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

LL: Taiwan is the most interesting place I’ve traveled given the rich history and artwork there. I hope to travel to Thailand someday given their beautiful temples.

VoW: What’s your favorite movie?

LL: Favorite movie is the original Jurassic Park.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say?

LL: That I like learning new things in my discipline, as well as cooking, baking, and DIY.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us.

LL: I have been attempting to learn how to ski.

VoW: Why Chapman?

LL: After teaching as an adjunct faculty member for several years, I realized that the students we have are highly creative and motivated to learn, which makes me want to stay and provide them with the knowledge and skills they seek. I think our students are the true heart of the university.

Steven Pfaff

Steve Pfaff
Professor, Sociology

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Steve Pfaff: For me, the heart and soul of liberal arts education reside in the connection between research and teaching.  Knowledge is driven by inquiry. Research comes out of the effort to pose important questions and try to answer them as reliably as possible. My passion for teaching comes out of sharing the spirit of inquiry with students and orienting lessons around big questions.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

SP: I have been fortunate to have studied, taught and lived in several countries of Europe. I have also gotten to visit some countries in the Middle East. The most interesting place I recently visited was South Korea, a fascinating and very foreign place to me. I’m hoping to travel to Japan.

VoW: What’s your favorite book?  What did you read over the summer?

SP: There is no single favorite. I’m an avid reader of fiction and non-fiction. Not surprisingly, I really like the genre of the campus novel. This summer I read Post Office and Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us!

SP: I once ate 60 Buffalo chicken wings to win a contest in upstate New York. I lost anyway.

Karen Snedker

Karen Snedker
Associate Professor, Sociology

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Karen Snedker: Wilkinson as the home of arts, humanities, and social sciences is at the center of a rich liberal arts education which I believe is essential to a holistic education. In the student-centered learning environment at Wilkinson, I plan to equip my students with the tools of social science and push them intellectually to think more critically about the social world within a caring and supportive community.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

KS: The most interesting place I have traveled to and lived for several months was Rome, Italy. It is a thriving metropolis with a rich history. Just walking around the city doing mundane tasks—going to the store, dropping off kids at school—were filled with beautiful vistas, bustling piazzas, impressive buildings and ancient landscapes.  I was given an opportunity to appreciate history and culture every day! I have never been to an Asian country and we hoping to plan a family trip to Japan as my youngest son is longing to visit there for its interesting history and amazing cuisine.

VoW: What’s your favorite book?  What did you read over the summer?

KS: I don’t have one favorite movie. I love period dramas and crime/suspense movies. One of my favorite authors for pleasure reading is Tana French. This summer I read Elly Griffiths The Crossing Places, Alice Monroe’s Open Secrets, Clarie Keegan’s So Late in the Day and Helen Klein Ross’ The Latecomers.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say?

KS: Karen Ann Snedker is a dedicated professor. She teaches sociology and criminology courses. Her biggest impact in the field has been through her work on the intersection between mental health and criminal justice and her work on homelessness. Much of her work, while academically rigorous, is always relevant to contemporary public policy. In addition to her dedication to her work she tries to live a balanced life devoted to her two boys, her husband and is active in her church and community.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us.

KS: I was born in England and immigrated to the United States as a child.

VoW: Why Chapman?

KS: As a teacher-scholar I see Chapman as the perfect balance between those two parts of my vocation. Too often professors are forced to choose between being a dedicated teacher or an excellent scholar. As a university I believe that Chapman sees the merits in supporting both excellent teaching and rigorous scholarship and furthermore sees the integration of the two as a part of its university mission and culture.

Yoshiko Uchida

Yoshiko Uchida
Instructor, World Languages and Cultures Japanese Studies

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Yoshiko Uchida: Having taught at Chapman as a part-time instructor for the past seven years, I have come to appreciate Chapman’s unique and special environment, filled with creative individuals and original thinkers. I have consistently seen Chapman students rise to the challenge of learning Japanese. I embrace Chapman’s core principle of providing personalized education through small classes and opportunities for faculty and students to interact beyond the classroom. The world is full of challenges, and I have witnessed Chapman preparing its students to meet these challenges head-on.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

YU: I had the incredible opportunity to live in France for a summer, every French major dream come true. In France, I found beauty everywhere: in the culture, architecture, food, people, and of course, the language. One day, I hope to travel to other Asian countries, including South Korea and China, to explore their unique cultures and histories.

VoW: What would the personal section of your Wikipedia page say?

YU: Yoshiko Uchida, born and raised in Japan, is a language educator. She ventured to the US after college to earn a graduate degree at The Ohio State University. After teaching at the University of Chicago for 13 years, she moved with her husband to Golden, Colorado, where their son was born. She has lived in Orange County for 15 years and have taught at Chapman University since 2017.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us.

YU: While teaching at the University of Chicago, I received an envelope full of letters from American elementary school students expressing their enjoyment of books such as “Journey to Topaz” by Yoshiko Uchida. While I enjoyed the letters, I had to return them to the teacher as I was not the author, Yoshiko Uchida they were looking for, who was incarcerated during the World War II.

VoW: Why Chapman?

YU: I greatly enjoy teaching Chapman’s motivated and inquisitive students. On the first day of class, I always ask my students what motivates them to take a Japanese course. At Chapman, I find there is usually a wide range of responses, including enjoyment of Japanese animation and movies, a desire to communicate with Japanese friends and family, and the aspiration to visit Japan. Some students are looking to fulfill academic requirements, conduct research using Japanese source materials, or further their education in Japan. Many mention an interest in Japanese culture, people, history, and language. These wide-ranging motivations reflect the uniqueness of Chapman’s students.

Shyh-Wei “Ray” Yang and his daughter.

Shyh-Wei “Ray” Yang
Assistant Instructional Professor, Sociology 

Voice of Wilkinson: Wilkinson is the heart and soul of Chapman University. What does being the heart and soul of this amazing university mean to you?

Shyh-Wei “Ray” Yang: It means that I will continue sharing my anthropological knowledge with and absorbing ideas from different fields and disciplines, while remaining in touch with the lived experiences of my colleagues, my students, and the community.

VoW: Tell us the most interesting place you have traveled to. Where do you hope to travel one day?

SY: There are far too many places that I would put on the list of the “most” interesting places I have been to. Route 66 (I guess it is of many places, rather just one single place) in the U.S. is fascinating. The Canadian Rockies is certainly another one. The Navajo Reservation would also be on that list. If I have to absolutely pick one place then I would say the Canadian Rockies. As someone who grew up on an Island nation, I would love to travel to Cuba and Easter Island in the future.

VoW: Share a fun fact with us!

SY: I was trained in competitive Chinese yo-yo (diablo) for two years while growing up in Taiwan.

VoW: Why Chapman?

SY: Chapman University has provided me the great opportunity to teach new classes that I rarely or have never taught before. These new opportunities will lead me to more exciting knowledge, conversations, and different ways of thinking about life.

Also joining is Jean Chen Ho, Assistant Professor, English.

Welcome to all our new faculty!