Dear Colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well and that you are looking forward to commencement as we celebrate the accomplishments of our Class of 2025. Today, I am pleased to announce that Chapman Trustee Mark Hilbert has made a generous gift to Inspire: The Campaign for Chapman University.
This gift will establish a new manager of education position at the Hilbert Museum of California Art, enhancing its ability to engage visitors of all ages by delivering immersive experiences that educate, inspire, and entertain. With the addition of this role, the Hilbert Museum will now have a dedicated resource to expand programs focused on bridging connections to our local schools.
When Mark and Janet Hilbert helped us open the museum in 2016, one of their goals was to ensure that everyone could experience the unique focus of the Hilbert Museum on California Art. I want to thank Mark for his continued dedication to Chapman and our mission. Providing a gift to fund a position dedicated to education, with a particular focus on young people, is admirable on many levels and advances the Hilbert Museum’s role as a gateway to Old Towne Orange and Chapman.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit the Hilbert Museum, I encourage you to do so. You will explore one of the world’s largest collections of California narrative art, along with pieces focused on Disney animation, American illustration, and Native American arts. And thanks to the wishes of Mark and Janet, the exhibits are free for the public, but reservations are encouraged due to the growing popularity of the Hilbert Museum.
As always, I am thankful for your contributions to making Chapman the special place it is, as the support of the Inspire campaign has now reached $404 million. I am confident that this gift – and the many that will come in the future – will continue to enrich the impact and experiences of the Chapman community and beyond.
Best,
Matt