The soft sounds of an acoustical guitar, along with holiday lights, candles, and a hint of blue, filled the MARC Pavilion at Modesto A. Maidique Campus during the second annual Chapman Graduate School’ s alumni holiday party on December 7, 2006. More than ninety guests—including program managers, professors, and alumni from a range of years—attended.

Chapman Dean José de la Torre and College Executive Dean Joyce J. Elam made remarks about the school’s progress and noted how delighted they were to have so many graduate alumni come back to the school.

Guests entered to win raffle prizes that included gift baskets from Parrot Jungle Island and the FIU Alumni Association, a bottle of Chivas Regal—the evening’s liquor sponsor—and tickets to an upcoming performance at the Carnival Performing Arts Center. The 2006 Master of International Business (MIB) class had the most alumni present and won a special gift for attending the party.

“This event was a great opportunity to spend time with friends and colleagues from my Executive MBA (EMBA) class as well as with other alumni,” said current EMBA student Kika Elkin. “I enjoyed seeing other individuals from other classes whom I really don’t have the chance to see during the year. I also had the chance to meet some of the board members and network a bit.”

Ellie Browner, director, student and alumni services and former director of the Evening MBA, was delighted to visit with alumni and hear about their lives since leaving the university.

“One of the most rewarding experiences of the evening was to meet a student who had attended the university some years ago when, according to her, ‘there was little opportunity to get involved in the commuter university,’” Browner said. “I was pleased to tell her about the ‘new’ university and the many things that we have done to create a ‘community experience’ for our business students and alumni.”

At the conclusion of the event, the student sought Browner out.

“’You’re right,’ she told me,” Browner said. “She said that she had met so many people who are open and involved and could see the many opportunities for her to become involved as an active alumna as well.”