Where coffee meets community

Collage by Matias Pacheco-Ramirez, Photographer

Few clubs at Chapman embody the baseline of collaboration and creativity like the Coffee Club.

More than just a place for caffeine lovers and unique drink explorers, the club combines science, food chemistry and a love for collaboration by bringing together students from all backgrounds to appreciate the coffee bean.

“Coffee, of course, is at the center of our club; we base the activities of the week on a certain coffee trend or aspect of coffee … we’ve had meetings where we branch out and create matcha or chai since they’re tangentially related to coffee,” senior writing for film and television major Aly Pickett said.

The Coffee Club fosters a community where people can take a breath of fresh air at the end of a long week, learn a new way to prepare coffee and then enjoy a cup of joe with the other members. 

“Coffee Club absolutely creates a feeling of belonging on campus. We're open to everyone, even people who don’t like coffee,” Pickett said. “It’s a great space to learn a bit about chemistry and socialize. The people who come to Coffee Club are all cool, and all have unique stories. We try to create an environment where they can tell those stories or even bring in some coffee knowledge if they have it.”

The Chapman Coffee Club is closely related to the food science program, as many lessons are taught in collaboration with other professors and faculty with knowledge of food science and chemistry. This combination brings students and staff together to collaborate on a mutual interest. 

“While Coffee Club is open to everyone, we do have a large food science presence because we talk a lot about the chemistry of coffee itself, and our faculty advisor is a good science professor,” Pickett said. “Of course, you don’t have to like food science to be in it. I’m a biology and screenwriting major so I don’t really know much about food science, but it is cool to learn from my peers.” 

The Coffee Club also works to bring the Chapman community outside of the club together with events such as the annual “Chappee Hour,” where both students and faculty are invited to enjoy the club's coffee creations. In a school that emphasizes the value of community and collaboration, Coffee Club hones this value through the use of a single bean. 

“The key is that everyone, regardless of their background, is bonded by a shared interest and a love for coffee, so we can always connect and meet friends and recommend coffee shops and stuff,” senior chemistry major Jack Bruneel said. “I know that being welcomed into (Coffee Club) my freshman year really helped me feel like I belong here.”

As leaders of the club, Pickett and Bruneel are not only responsible for welcoming new members and creating a warm and positive environment, but also for ensuring that every meeting feels engaging and meaningful, helping students involved learn valuable skills. The club encourages participation and aims to build a space where members feel valued individually and motivated to participate.

“Typical meetings open with a quick presentation introducing whatever the topic is that week and building some background knowledge. I try to get through those pretty fast usually because we don’t want Coffee Club to feel like another class,” Bruneel said. “Afterwards, we transition to a hands-on activity, which can be anything from brewing coffee to tasting to roasting.”

In a social and learning environment where students are often hard at work studying, in classes or honing their creative skills, it is immensely powerful for members to have a space to take a step back and breathe.

“I’m a huge believer in free third spaces; it’s so important to have a space you can go to that’s not your house (and) not your job, but is just free and fun,” Pickett said.

During a time when a significant  share of college life exists online, spaces like Coffee Club remind students of the value of simply showing up, being a part of the community and connecting with their peers. It’s not just about the club, and it’s not about coffee; it’s about creating a place to belong.