Chapman drops student’s commencement speech, cites campus group review
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In line with tradition, Student Government Assn. President Cintya Felix Mendivil readied a speech for Chapman University’ commencement ceremony. She even arranged for family members to travel from Mexico to watch her deliver the remarks during graduation.
Felix Mendivil, a double major in political science and Spanish, served as the first Latina elected SGA president in the university’s history — and had a lot to say. Following past presidents’ practices, she emailed her speech draft to administrators earlier this month, but did not get an immediate response.
On May 15, just a week before graduation exercises, Felix Mendivil learned by an email that senior administrators decided to scrap her speech from the commencement program.
“I haven’t been given an adequate reason why I’m being censored or punished, given that I did no wrong,” Felix Mendivil said. “The only difference I see between my predecessors and me is that they were white and I’m not.”
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism now guides Chapman University’s discrimination and harassment policy. Critics contend the move could chill academic freedom and criticisms of Israel.
Bob Hitchcock, a university spokesperson, did not point to the speech’s content or Felix Mendivil being Latina, but rather a conduct review of SGA that began in March as reason for the cancellation.
“While on frozen status, SGA is not permitted to hold events or conduct official organizational business, including participation in ceremonial or other official university functions,” he said. “As a result, the SGA president was not invited to speak at commencement.”
Hitchcock did not specify what prompted the university’s review, but added that it will consider restoring the group to good standing if the concerns and complaints lodged are resolved.
The Panther, Chapman’s student newspaper, reported in March that the freeze came after an election controversy where allegations ranged from disregarding university protocol in running the election to holding hearings on discrimination and harassment without standing.
Felix Mendivil did not feel at liberty to speak on the conduct review of the group and only shared that administrators have not interviewed her as part of the process.
It was too late this week to await a resolution for the student’s speech planned for Friday’s commencement ceremony at the Holly and David Wilson Field, a kickoff to a graduation weekend for more than 2,700 students.
Chapman alumni Matt and Ross Duffer, the brother duo behind the Netflix hit Stranger Things, remained on the program as Friday night’s keynote speakers. But Felix Mendivil felt devastated by her exclusion, especially as she turned down offers from USC and UCLA to attend Chapman.
“I’ve been treated unfairly and I’m hurt,” Felix Mendivil said. “This has been an ongoing investigation. It just feels like they were waiting me out to graduate, because I tended to be a very active advocate for students. I don’t think that was very welcomed.”
She responded by posting the speech in its entirety online.
In planned remarks, Felix Mendivil thanked her mother for the sacrifices she made and called on fellow graduates to be change agents in the world.
“Stay informed,” she wrote. “Read books. Vote. Direct your money and energy to causes you are passionate about. Use your skills and creativity to expand opportunity and humanity for others. To improve the quality of life for others, to protect the earth, to end pointless wars and to lead with integrity.”
The speech struck another political note, albeit briefly, when calling out Indigenous land theft and genocide as well as quoting the late Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis.
About 200 students and faculty turned out to protest a move to put two key Chapman University vice presidents, including from the DEI office, on administrative leave.
Felix Mendivil described the online response to her speech as overwhelmingly positive with a few negative detractors.
It’s a small concession for a commencement ceremony that did not go as planned.
“I should have had my replacement elected and I would have been an outgoing president who is no longer in their role in student government,” she said. “Had the university thought about this in advance, I would have been notified a long time ago. They didn’t do their due diligence.”
Students, faculty and community members responded more broadly by organizing an alternative “Students’ Commencement,” with Felix Mendivil’s scuttled speech on the program, at the First Presbyterian Church of Orange the same night.
Even though Felix Mendivil’s time at the university did not end smoothly, she plans to forge ahead with higher education by enrolling in law school in the fall.
“I am the type of person who will lead with integrity and build a career that will uplift voices,” Felix Mendivil said. “For me to stay quiet is just incongruent with who I am and my principles.”
