Picky Panther Origins

Before I begin to tell you about myself, I want to find out more about YOU and why you are looking at my little blog.

Are you a Chapman University student? Faculty? Parent? Prospective student? Donor? Alumni? Random visitor? School rival?

Is Chapman the school of your dreams? Do you bleed cardinal and gray? Do you have a tattoo of Pete the Panther on your right bicep? Is a picture of Chapman President James Doti framed above your mantel? Are you involved in Greek Life, a sport, Associated Students, Orientation, and so many other clubs and groups that you have no free time whatsoever? Do you send letters to USC once a week bragging about how much better our film school, lacrosse team, and advertising club is than theirs?



<---This is you







or...

Are you and your parents having to take on second jobs to pay off your tuition? Do the cafeteria hours and meal plans leave you starving after 7:00? Have you been denied housing because you live "in-area"? Have you had money taken away from your financial aid, even though tuition is rising? Have you been number 17 on a waitlist for a class that you desperately need to graduate? Does the new C-Park plan make you want to C-Barf?



<---This is you








If you did indeed answer yes to any of these questions, this blog is for you. Welcome to the Picky Panther. Now, before you go making assumptions about me, let me release a disclaimer : I love Chapman. I would not be going here otherwise. But sometimes, I don't feel like Chapman is reciprocating the same emotions. The reason I came to Chapman was because I felt like they wanted me to be here. But nowadays, it seems more like they just want my family's wallet. After being offered a healthy Dean's scholarship and Chapman Grant, I had most it taken away my sophomore and junior year with hardly an explanation. With a 6% increase in tuition this year, and the economy being what it is, you can start to see why my thoughts on Chapman haven't necessarily been positive ones these days.

I am currently going through the proper procedures to remedy this financial problem. So I am not writing this blog as a pathetic plea towards the financial aid office to get my grant back. The primary purpose of this is to pose one major question: is Chapman University WORTH all the money I'm paying for it? Because let's face it...as much as we can try to defend Chapman, it's not.

I'm a commuter student, so I really don't have the time or the gas money to get involved on campus. So this is going to be my role in the student body. To be a voice. To create a change. To ASK for this school to be worth the close to $40,000 it asks of its students. You listening, President Doti? Because your picture isn't hanging over my fireplace right now.

But let's be fair. Before you start following my blog, I insist you check out Chapman University's website to find out more about the school. Otherwise, you will have no clue what I am talking about 95% of the time.


I am the Picky Panther. Hear me roar.