» Creative and Cultural Industries Research and Resources

The Creative and Cultural Industries program at Chapman University intends to foster and support each student’s interests as well as giving them an understanding of what CCI are and how they are shaping our lives. To successfully do this, the Center for CCI has built, and will continue to add to, a list of resources and research support tools for our CCI students.

+ - Research

CCI’s burgeoning research programs is indicative of a larger University effort aimed at providing students with access to key researchers. Undergraduate research should encompass both scholarship and creative activity. Each research opportunity has its nuances and unique attributes spanning research design, collection and analysis of data, creative visualization, and collaborating with faculty on specified research. There are a variety of ways to engage in research through CCI.

  • Collaborative Faculty/Student Research- Students interested in a collaborative project can reach out to CCI faculty about the possibility of such a project and what that would entail. The student should have a basic idea of what area study they would like to research, and be able to explain what in the professor’s research background is interesting to them in this context.
  • Independent study- Students can work with the Program Director on appropriate research projects through Independent Study
  • Workhops- CCI will be planning and hosting workshops that instruct interested students on how to get started on a research project, including tools and software at their disposal.
  • CCI Surf- SURF is an exciting opportunity for Chapman University undergraduate students to pursue research and creative activity under the guidance of full-time faculty mentors during the summer. SURF is a paid, on-campus summer fellowship with a faculty member that includes monetary support and on-campus housing. The Center for CCI’s goal is to make sure at least one of our esteemed students has a chance to participate in the program  every year.
  • In addition, the Center for CCI is lucky to be a part of the Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, which has a strong culture of both undergraduate and graduate research. You can also investigate research funding and resources available to all Wilkinson Students the Wilkinson Building Undergraduate Research Networks Page as well as the Wilkinson Research and Centers page.

+ - Funding

In order to help CCI students with costs associated with research, internships, and conference presentations, we do offer the opportunity for students to apply for funds. To do so please follow these steps:

  • Fill out a CCI student fund application.
  • Submit the application to the CCI Program Manager, Shannon Halverson either in person (428 N. Glassell, office 108) or via email at shalves@chapman.edu.
  • You will be notified via your Chapman University email account if you have been awarded funds, along with instructions for reimbursement.
  • Following the use of CCI awarded funds you will be asked to write a blog submission for the CCI blog documenting the activity/travel/research that the CCI funds helped you to complete. This requirement is to help document all the incredible projects that our CCI students are doing, also to help inspire and encourage other CCI students to move forward with projects or research they might be contemplating.
You can also apply for funding from other sources on campus such as:

+ - Internships

As diverse as the Creative and Cultural Industries are, so to are the myriad of internships that our students can apply for. Though students are welcome participate in an internship at any point, we do recommend for CCI internships that our students at least complete CCI 100-01 “Introduction to Creative and Cultural Industries” before looking for an internship in the Creative and Cultural Industries, though it is not a requirement. 

As a first step, we recommend you reach out to Erin Berthon, Wilkinson College’s Career Advisor. Erin will be able to help students to brainstorm internship ideas, or it the student already has an idea of the internships they would like to apply for, she can help with the process, including prepping for the application, and acting as a liaison between the student and the Career and Professional Development Center, so that the internship is properly registered. Note that University allows students to receive academic credit for both paid and unpaid internships. Internships are registered through Career and Professional Development, rather than my.chapman.edu. For further information on general internship guidelines check with the Career and Professional Development Center.

Going forward CCI students will want to also make sure that they are regularly check on the CCI blog, as job, internship, and other creative connections will be posted on there as the opportunities arise.

+ - Incubator

As part of the Getting to Know Europe Grant that was awarded in the Fall of 2015 to Develop Cultural and Creative Industries at Chapman University. Funds were awarded in part to launch an incubator that would continue to support CCI connections both locally and globally, and to offer an opportunity to support students, faculty and mentor relationships and projects. To do so the CCI Incubator functions as such:

  • CCI faculty, staff, and going forward CCI mentors, are available to work with students on research, and projects that allow students to develop relationships and possible collaborations with and in the industries that they are most passionate about. In some cases, this could include seed funds, through the Center.
  • The CCI incubator is also a physical space, located in the Center for Creative and Cultural Industries that allows CCI students the opportunity to work with high end equipment in the areas of graphics, audio recording and editing, marketing design and VR.

+ - CCI Library

The Center for Creative and Cultural Industries also is building a repository of CCI centric books, periodicals and memberships to help our students. For further information, stop by the Center at 428 N. Glassell.

+ - Jobs

CCI wants to support students with their job hunts both while here at University, and out amongst the Creative Industries themselves.

  • For on campus jobs with CCI make sure that you are checking with the CCI blog (link “CCI blog” to the blog- new) periodically as new opportunities will be posted there, as well as the Student Employment Services site which allows you to search all on campus job openings
  • For help with job searches in the Creative and Cultural Industries we suggest first meet with Erin Berthon, Wilkinson College’s Career Advisor. Erin is available to assist with: Liberal arts career exploration and planning, Internship and job search strategies, Resume, cover letter, and bio tailoring, Personal website and social media review,  Interview preparation and practice, Grad school application materials, helping performers “translate” their unique skills and strengths for applying to non-performance opportunities, and you can reach her at berthon@chapman.edu.  

+ - Mentor Program

One of the programs that we are very excited about developing through the Center for CCI is a Mentorship Program that will match CCI minors that sign up with Alumni, parents and other members of the extended Chapman community that are working or active in the Creative and Cultural Industries. At this time if you are a CCI minor that is interested in possibly participating in this upcoming program please fill out the CCI Mentorship Application. (COMING SOON!)

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