Written by Katie Cormier
A good majority of my “story at Chapman” was actually spent trying to get to Chapman. This stems from my being a First Gen student, meaning that I'm the first in my family to pursue a university degree. I was fortunate enough that my family was able to support me through community college to get my Associates degree, but to move beyond that I knew that I would need outside help beyond what my family was capable of. So I started at Golden West, a community college in Huntington Beach, CA, and spent most of my time studying and focusing on extracurriculars like Student Government and Campus Clubs, along with working part-time as a Math Tutor in Golden West’s tutoring center, all in the hopes of getting some type of university scholarship so I could pursue my dream of obtaining a higher education.
Through these extracurriculars that I tried at Golden West, I learned that I truly enjoyed getting involved in my community and helping my fellow students in whatever way was available to me. I also gained the opportunity to nurture my love of music by forming a band, which morphed into a music club that ended up being regularly booked by college staff to play at campus events. These opportunities and the desire to give back to the community I was a part of truly helped me grow as a person, and Golden West always gave me the help and support I needed when I needed it. At the time, I still didn't know where I was going university-wise, but I knew that I wanted that university to have a strong community; a warm, tight-knit, and supportive environment like the one I would be transferring from.
Eventually, through some persistent nudging from both my mom and a favorite Golden West professor, I researched Chapman and I instantly fell in love with it. The warmth, sincerity, and dedication of the faculty, staff, and tour guides radiated from every section of the website and from every area that the tours took us to; I honestly felt at home here before I even applied. So I nervously sent in my application, cried with relief/joy when I got accepted, and I transferred in last Fall (2019) on a partial scholarship as a Communication Studies major (with the Honors Program as my minor/cluster).
When I first arrived on campus last August, though, I carried a lot of apprehension with me. Starting at any new place is always kind of nerve-wracking on some level, and I had trouble at first feeling like I belonged. I struggled to figure out how to integrate myself into the Chapman community, mostly because being a commuter student instead of living in the dorms made meaningfully interacting with other students outside of the classroom somewhat difficult. But I resisted my urge to retreat into my introverted tendencies and instead kept putting myself out there and trying new things. Because of this, I ended up connecting with my professors on a personal level, and they have encouraged, motivated, validated, and cheered me on in so many ways. I also made some wonderful connections with students from my classes, the clubs I joined, and even in the dining hall (the Commuter Meal Plan was a God-send!). Striking up the nerve to visit the Career Center has also been one of the best decisions I ever made, because through them I not only got resume tips and interview experience, I acquired my first internship (shout out to the Career Fair)!
I didn’t start out knowing that Chapman would be the university that I would eventually end up at, but it's literally a dream fulfilled and I can't imagine being anywhere else. Everything I’ve experienced at Chapman has radiated a warm, personable, tight-knit, supportive, and future-oriented environment that not only helps its students figure out the right education plans but also helps them figure out how to put what they learned towards successful career paths. Being at Chapman has done a great deal for me, and as I did with Golden West, I've been searching for opportunities where I can get involved and give back to the Chapman community and its students. Becoming an Orientation Leader felt like a perfect opportunity for this, and I can't wait to help the new students get settled in and start their time at Chapman!
If I had any advice that I could pass on from my experience, I would say to not let fear/apprehension cause you to turn your options into missed opportunities. I almost didn't push myself to reach out to my professors or to go to campus club meetings, or visit the Career Center, or a myriad of other important things that led to me being where I am right now. Scariest of all, I almost didn't apply to Chapman! If I hadn't, what an incredible opportunity fear/apprehension would have stolen from me! Even now in these more uncertain, online-based times Chapman clubs are still holding virtual Zoom meetings, professors offer virtual office hours, and the Career Center, along with other departments on campus, are offering virtual appointment times with staff, as well as virtual versions of many of their other services. So be brave, persevere, even when this world makes it hard to. The help and opportunities are still there to be reached for, albeit in a different format than usual. If one thing doesn't work out, then one of the next things you try will. You'll eventually land where you're meant to be, even if you're not entirely sure where that is at the moment. So just be brave and never stop trying, you and your dreams are worth the effort.