» Hispanic/Latinx Applicants

Welcome from Christian Aguilar, Associate Director of Diversity Initiatives and Hispanic/Latinx advocate

¡Bienvenidos!

At Chapman, we strive to create an environment where everyone is valued, and every identity is respected.

I understand how important it is to remain connected with your heritage and community throughout your college experience. At Chapman, there is a growing community of Hispanic/Latinx students who have been able to make space to celebrate their culture and navigate together the ways in which their identity shapes their experience in higher education. 

Your assigned admission counselor is a good resource for guidance, but if you have any questions regarding the Hispanic/Latinx experience on campus, please do not hesitate to email me at caguilar@chapman.edu.  

Chapman’s Hispanic/Latinx student highlights

Financing your education

We understand the importance of making education accessible, which is why we offer financial resources that make attending college more affordable. Therefore, cost should not prevent you from applying.

• Every student who applies to Chapman as a first-year is considered for a merit scholarship, which can be as high as $40,000 per year for first-year students.
• Chapman offers need-based aid in addition to other awards, which is determined by your FAFSA form and family's circumstances. 
  • You can find a student financial aid guide written in the Spanish language on Fin-Aid’s Ayuda Financiera del Estudiante en Español page.
• Talent/departmental awards can be combined with other awards and are determined on an individual basis by academic and university departments.

In addition to merit scholarships, need-based aid, and talent/departmental awards, we also offer mission-driven awards that provide educational opportunities to students underrepresented in higher education.

Outside scholarships

Unless otherwise noted, these scholarships are open to all Hispanic/Latinx students pursuing higher education. In most cases, these scholarships can be combined with awards you receive from Chapman or other institutions.

Details of each scholarship are subject to change, so make sure to check the scholarship's website for the most up-to-date details. 

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: Awarded to students who have submitted the FAFSA and plan to enroll full-time in a four-year university.
  • Application deadline: February 15
• Hispanic Education Endowment Fund: Awarded to students who are first-generation and have lived in Orange County for at least the past three years.
  • Application deadline: December 31
• Hispanic Empowerment No-Essay Scholarship: Awarded to students who are high school seniors pursuing an undergraduate degree.
• McDonalds HACER National Scholarship: Awarded to students who are high school seniors, show academic achievement, and are planning to attend a two- or four-year college or university.
  • Application deadline: February 5
• Juan Andrade, Jr. Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders: Awarded to students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a four-year or two-year institution, and demonstrate a verifiable need for financial support.
  • Application deadline: November 30

Chapman clubs, organizations, and opportunities

Chapman offers many culture-based clubs, including several for Hispanic/Latinx students. Some examples include:

• Latinx Club: Creates activities such as fundraisers, holiday celebrations, outings, and networking events in which students can learn about Latin American culture.
• Chapman University Spanish Club: Offers a space to celebrate the Spanish language and culture through monthly meetings, creating a learning community for both Spanish learners and speakers. 
• Brazilian Association: Creates a sense of community, support, and engagement among Brazilian students through cultural events, activities, and social gatherings.
• Chapman Mariachi Club: Celebrates and promotes Mexican culture, particularly through the vibrant and traditional music style with musical performances, instrumental workshops, and student gatherings.
• Omega Phi Beta Sorority: a Latina-oriented and multicultural sorority for undergraduate students who identify as women. Founded on the principles of empowerment, diversity, and cultural awareness, Omega Phi Beta strives to uplift and support women through a commitment to sisterhood and social justice.
  • Visit Chapman's official Omega Phi Beta website.

Admitted students can also learn about and join clubs in-person at the Student Involvement Fair, which takes place once every semester.

Chapman resources

Chapman takes pride in supporting Hispanic/Latinx students by ensuring that their achievements are recognized, from orientation through graduation. This involves:

Orientation and commencement opportunities

• Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Orientation Welcome Reception: once you are admitted to Chapman and attend orientation, you will have the option to attend a welcome reception held by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to meet staff and faculty who provide resources and support for students of diverse backgrounds and identities. 
• Orientation Affinity Socials: During orientation, you will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with other students and staff who are part of the Latinx Affinity group. Students may also attend and meet with as many affinity groups as they identify with.
• Latinx Affinity group: Connects students with a network of faculty, staff, peers, and alumni who are of the Hispanic/Latinx heritage.
  • Follow the Latinx Association on Instagram: @chapmanlatinxalumni.
• Latinx graduation: An annual celebration that takes place to honor the achievements of Chapman’s Hispanic/Latinx students, in addition to the official university commencement ceremonies that all students participate in.

On-campus resources

• Hispanic/Latinx staff and faculty advocates: In addition to the list of faculty advocates, Dr. Gabriela Castaneda, the Director of Latinx Achievement, is a great resource for support through anything that comes up during your time at Chapman.
• Cross-Cultural Center: Provides students with a safe space, and offers programs and services intended to affirm the value of and support students from underrepresented identities.

Spanish-language resources

If you have any family members who want to learn more about Chapman but are more comfortable with Spanish, they can use the resources below:

• Spanish-language website: If you or one of your family members possess a better understanding of the Spanish language, you can find the resources necessary to understand Chapman and the application process in Spanish on our Spanish-Language website.
• Self-guided Virtual Tour: Explore Chapman through an interactive virtual tour from wherever you are - available in Spanish.
• Spanish-speaking admission counselors: If you have questions and prefer conversing in Spanish, refer to our Spanish-speaking admission counselors, who are all excellent sources of information:
  • Christian Aguilar: chrisa@chapman.edu 
  • Marcela Mejia-Martinez: marcelam@chapman.edu 
  • Maricruz Santander: maricruzs@chapman.edu 
  • Mateo Leano: mateol@chapman.edu 
  • Andrea Moreno: andream@chapman.edu
  • Carlos Leyva: carlosl@chapman.edu 
  • Ivan Bustos: ivanb@chapman.edu 

Visiting Chapman

Self-guided tour: If you are in the area of Chapman’s campus, schedule a self-guided tour that follows the same route as our guided campus tours and includes several aspects of student life and academic areas. Available in the Spanish language.

If you are visiting campus and want to speak to a Spanish-speaking admission counselor, reach out to visit@chapman.edu.

Coming to Chapman from outside the area?

Around 40% of those living in Southern California are Hispanic/Latinx. The Hispanic/Latinx community around Chapman provides countless cultural events and experiences for our students, including:

Surrounding Community

• Sporting events
  • Angels Stadium (2.5 miles from campus) often hosts Hispanic/Latin celebrations during baseball games or community events in the parking lot surrounding the stadium.
  • Dodgers Stadium (33 miles from campus) hosts Hispanic/Latin events as well, including Mexican Heritage Night and several Latin nights throughout the year.
  • Los Angeles Football Club [Soccer] (33 miles from campus) organizes Hispanic/Latin celebrations including Latin American Heritage Night, Hispanic/Latin musical performances, and more.

• Anaheim (4 miles from campus)
  • Disneyland frequently hosts events or celebrations, including events for Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month and Plaza de la Familia. Refer to this calendar for a regularly updated list of events happening in the park.
  • The Honda Center and the House of Blues often host Latin American musical groups and festivities. You can find the regularly updated list of these events on this calendar.
  • Fiestas Patrias Carnival (September): a four day event filled with food, live music, games, and rides, all celebrating Hispanic/Latin heritage

• Santa Ana (4 miles from campus)
  • Chicano Heritage Festival (August): a free, cultural celebration with food, arts, cultural exhibits, and more.
  • Fiestas Patrias Carnival (September): Celebrates the independence of various Latin American countries through a street fair with vendors, live music, carnival rides, cultural artistic exhibits, and more. 

• Fullerton (10 miles from campus)
  • The Muckenthaler Center Día de los Muertos Festival (October): festive activities, live music, local artisans, and art displays.

• Local restaurants close to campus
  • Cafe Zocalo (Modern Mexican)
  • Felix Continental Cafe (Cuban and Spanish)
  • Avila’s El Ranchito (Mexican)
  • Ostioneria Bahia (Mexican and seafood)
  • Don Jefe (Mexican)
  • El Pulgarcito Pupuseria (Salvadoran)
  • Donde Adela (Colombian)

Academic opportunities

At Chapman, we support academic endeavors both at home and abroad.

Related minors

• Latin and Latin American Studies minor: Integrates theories of decolonization and liberation with the exploration of historic geopolitical, economic, and sociocultural conditions of Latin American development and how they have shaped contemporary U.S. Latinx identities.
• Spanish minor: Helps foster individuals to become culturally and linguistically proficient in the Spanish language, allowing you to contribute more to a diverse and multilingual society.

You will be able to add minors once you begin taking classes at Chapman. You can learn more about majors and minors here.

Study abroad opportunities

Chapman encourages the incorporation of studying abroad as a significant element of the complete college experience. Oftentimes, it's more affordable than anticipated and will still enable you to graduate on time!

• You can choose to pursue a semester-long program, an interterm travel course, or a summer travel course that is much shorter in duration.
• Through Chapman’s Center for Global Education, you can find additional scholarships for studying abroad by identity and location, as well as guidance in finding a program that best suits your wants and needs.

Opportunities to explore Hispanic/Latinx heritage abroad

If you are interested in learning more about your heritage and fully immersing yourself in the Hispanic/Latin culture, The Center for Global Education offers programs in Mexico, Chile, Spain, Argentina, and Costa Rica.

You can find more information about studying abroad as a Hispanic/Latinx student on our Students of Color Abroad page.

Language Requirements

At Chapman, you are required to take language classes to earn your degree.

However, if you already know a language besides English proficiently, you can test out of some or all of your language classes with a language exam. You can learn more about this process on our Language exams page.