ORANGE : Chapman Gets Up for a Hoedown

Chapman University President James Doti is nationally known as an economist. He is also well known for heading Orange County’s largest private university. But on Tuesday, Doti got rave reviews for other talents: roller-blading and western dancing.

Doti, dressed in western attire, joined students on campus for their third annual Harvest Fest Hoedown. First, he danced the Texas Two Step as a bluegrass band played foot-stomping tunes. Then, wearing a pair of in-line skates, the 47-year-old academic gave an exhibition of his skating skills.

“I’m the only one who does this accompanied by a dog,” said Doti, pointing to his pet, Cindy. “She’s my secret weapon.”

Doti then skated in and out of plastic cones set up on a campus sidewalk, demonstrating the art of in-line skating. Students and faculty laughed and applauded.

Jack Byers, 22, of Buena Park, a broadcast journalism major, was among students who donned skates and joined Doti in the on-wheel exhibition.

“He has a great sense of humor,” Byers said about Doti. “He’s pretty cool. He’s incredibly busy, being president of the university; but he’s really accessible to the students. He’s really a nice person.”

Byers also applauded the idea of the annual Harvest Fest Hoedown on campus. “It’s a great way to bring the university together,” he said.

The outdoor event is sponsored by Doti with discretionary money from the president’s office budget. In an interview, he explained how the hoedown came about.

“A couple of years ago I found a wonderful old Christmas photo of Chapman College, as it was then called, back in the 1940s, with the entire Chapman community, students and faculty in front of Memorial Hall,” Doti said. “I wanted to update that photo, now that we’re Chapman University, and I was wondering how I could get everyone outside for a photo. So I pitched the problem to our student-life people, and they said, ‘Why don’t we have a hoedown?’ ”

A new campus tradition was born.

The one-day hoedown features students and staff wearing cowboy and cowgirl outfits, outdoor dancing and contests. The games this year included sack races, apple bobbing, horseshoe throwing and lasso tossing.

The lasso event drew big crowds. Students took turns twirling a long rope, then hurling the loop toward a life-size plastic horse. A few were skilled enough--or lucky enough--to put the lasso around the horse’s neck.

“I got the ears mostly, but I did get one (lasso toss) around,” said Elizabeth Bouton, 21, of Bakersfield. She said she and other students loved the outdoor western party. “It brings everybody together; you meet people you didn’t know. And it has great atmosphere,” she said.

Doti is pleased at how the Harvest Fest Hoedown has evolved. “This is what’s really special about Chapman,” he said. “We can all get together and participate and have fun.”