{"id":329590,"date":"2026-05-23T17:38:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T17:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/329590\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T17:38:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T17:38:18","slug":"chapman-university-celebrates-graduates-duffer-brothers-share-how-to-slay-the-monsters-of-life-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/329590\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapman University celebrates graduates; Duffer Brothers share how to slay the monsters of life \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bright futures were celebrated under the bright lights of Wilson Field as Chapman University<\/a> kicked off its weekend of commencement ceremonies.<\/p>\n

Friday night\u2019s all-school celebration featured two alumni, The Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, who in 2007 were celebrating their own graduation from the Orange university\u2019s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts<\/a>. You might know their \u201cStranger Things\u201d series from Netflix, among other successful projects since.<\/p>\n

\"Ross<\/p>\n

Ross Duffer, left, and his twin brother, Matt Duffer, collectively known as the Duffer Brothers, who are graduates of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University, and who are the creators of the popular Netflix show \u201cStranger Things,\u201d give the keynote address during Chapman\u2019s Commencement Ceremony in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Chapman<\/p>\n

Chapman University graduates celebrate after moving their tassels and becoming official members of the class of 2026 following the school\u2019s annual Commencement Ceremony in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends Prudence Bhattariai, Amy Allen and Tracy Gaytan, from left, stand together at the conclusion of the Commencement Ceremony at Chapman University in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Karli<\/p>\n

Karli Coolman, left, a Business Administration major, and Holly Sundquinst, an Environmental Science major, take a selfie together at the conclusion of the Commencement Ceremony at Chapman University in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends Sophia Arendt, left, and Natalie Jakoda celebrate together at the conclusion of the Commencement Ceremony at Chapman University in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends Abbey Werner, left, and Braylan Enscoe jokingly wear leis over their graduation caps before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends pose for photos in their graduation regalia before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Graduates<\/p>\n

Graduates wave to their loved ones in the stands as they file into the stadium before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends Alyssa Hernandez, McKenna Nolasco, Serena Lovell and Brianna Zamora, from left, stand together in their graduation regalia before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends pose for photos in their graduation regalia before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Graduates<\/p>\n

Graduates look for their loved ones in the stands as they file into the stadium before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Chapman<\/p>\n

Chapman University graduates celebrate after moving their tassels and becoming official members of the class of 2026 following the school\u2019s annual Commencement Ceremony in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Ross<\/p>\n

Ross Duffer, center, and his twin brother, Matt Duffer, right, collectively known as the Duffer Brothers, who are graduates of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University, and who are the creators of the popular Netflix show \u201cStranger Things,\u201d are awarded honorary doctorates during Chapman\u2019s Commencement Ceremony, where they were the keynote speakers, in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Confetti<\/p>\n

Confetti launches over the graduates at the conclusion of the Commencement Ceremony at Chapman University in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends Hannah Foxx, Eva Healey and Sophia Taxin, from left, share a moment together before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends and fraternity brothers Marco Asiano, left, and Robbie Cullerton, both business majors, pose for a photo in their graduation regalia before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Graduates<\/p>\n

Graduates wave to their loved ones in the stands as they file into the stadium before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Chapman<\/p>\n

Chapman University President Matt Parlow speaks to graduates and their families during the school\u2019s Commencement Ceremony, Parlow\u2019s first as school President, in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/p>\n

Mary Poily, right, hands a Hawaiian Kukui Nut necklace to her daughter, Skyler Poiley, a Film and TV major, before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Graduates<\/p>\n

Graduates turn their tassels from right to left as they are announced as the official class of 2026 at the conclusion of the school\u2019s Commencement Ceremony in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Gonfalons,<\/p>\n

Gonfalons, representing the schools and colleges of Chapman University, as well as a ceremonial university mace, are carried into the stadium at Chapman University during the school\u2019s Commencement Ceremony in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Graduates<\/p>\n

Graduates wave to their loved ones in the stands as they file into the stadium before the start of Chapman University\u2019s Commencement Ceremony at the school in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Chapman<\/p>\n

Chapman University graduates celebrate after moving their tassels and becoming official members of the class of 2026 following the school\u2019s annual Commencement Ceremony in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 23<\/p>\n

Ross Duffer, left, and his twin brother, Matt Duffer, collectively known as the Duffer Brothers, who are graduates of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University, and who are the creators of the popular Netflix show \u201cStranger Things,\u201d give the keynote address during Chapman\u2019s Commencement Ceremony in Orange on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

The pair started off letting the audience know they were aiming to deliver the \u201cmost nerdiest commencement speech ever,\u201d and then walked the grads through some of the Dungeons & Dragons-style monsters they will face as adults \u2014 the game made a prominent appearance in their \u201cStranger Things\u201d show.<\/p>\n

They encouraged the grads not to default to the safest route, because it, too, contains pitfalls; to not shy away from challenges even after they have been bitten by one; and to not allow themselves to be average.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to refuse the average,\u201d Matt Duffer said. \u201cYou have to be yourself. That involves being vulnerable and letting your freak flag fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Allowing yourself to be vulnerable can cause hurt, Ross Duffer added, \u201cThe natural thing is to recoil, to self-sensor, but you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe average can never be an individual, because of that, your individuality is the most valuable thing you ever own,\u201d he said. \u201cDon\u2019t you dare flatten it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brothers received honorary degrees during the ceremony.<\/p>\n

Diplomas weren\u2019t handed out at Friday night\u2019s event to the university\u2019s more than 2,700 graduates; instead, Champan is hosting 11 college-specific degree ceremonies this weekend to more intimately celebrate members of the Class of 2026.\u00a0 The last four will be held Sunday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bright futures were celebrated under the bright lights of Wilson Field as Chapman University kicked off its weekend…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":329591,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,7,17700,15,8600,100,171,611,136],"class_list":["post-329590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-california","tag-chapman-university","tag-education","tag-graduation","tag-news","tag-orange","tag-orange-county","tag-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=329590"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/329590\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/329591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=329590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=329590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=329590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}