Chapman University history

In 1920, the assets of Hesperian College were absorbed by California Christian College, which held classes in downtown Los Angeles.

The original bronze cup was a gift of the Class of 1929 and remains on permanent exhibit in the Argyros Forum on campus, along with its successor, a silver bowl.

One of the oldest awards presented by Chapman, the Cheverton Award was first bestowed upon the university’s top graduate in 1930.

In 1934, the school was renamed Chapman College, after the chairman of its board of trustees (and primary benefactor), C. C. Chapman.

In 1954, it moved to its present campus in the city of Orange on the site formerly occupied by Orange High School, which was relocated.

Chapman established a Residence Education Center Program to serve military personnel in 1958.

Our business school, now the Argyros School of Business and Economics, was founded in 1976.

The A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research, established in 1979, has been essential to refining the model used during Chapman’s Economic Forecast and Update and has received national attention for its accuracy.

In 1981, Doctor William Hall gave life to American Celebration, which is today known as Chapman Celebrates.

After acquiring the status of a four-year, degree granting university in 1991, the institution became Chapman University.

Our School of Law, now the Dale E. Fowler School of Law, opened in 1995.

Our School of Film and Television, now Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, opened in 1996.

Almost as a sign of our future focus on developing the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at Chapman University, Chapman theoretical physics professor Yakir Aharonov, Ph.D., was awarded the President's National Medal of Science in 2010.

Our evolving approach toward the STEM fields truly began in 2013 with the opening of the Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine, which became the home of Chapman’s School of Pharmacy — established that same year.