J. D. Thompson Alumni remembers former student Julius Chapman
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Special to the News
Julius Chapman (April 1, 1937 – Oct. 24, 2023) was born in the Kellyton community. His parents were Rubin and Essie Chapman, and he graduated from J. D. Thompson High School in the 1950s.
Chapman graduated from Tuskegee Institute in 1961 with a B.S. in biology and later a Masters. This young man had a thirst for knowledge and education, graduating from Loyola College in Maryland, Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and postgraduate study at Harvard University.
A memorial story was printed in “The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education” about Dr. Chapman’s career: Research associate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland; associate dean of students at Tuskegee University; associate director of admissions at Wilberforce University in Ohio; admissions counselor for Great Lakes College; provost and vice president of academic affairs at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina; dean and professor Division of Education, Coppin State College, and Towson University in Maryland.
Dr. Julius Chapman was Towson’s first dean of minority affairs. Interim president Perreault issued a statement on October 25, 2023, “This week we learned of the passing of Dr. Julius Chapman. He was a transformational figure for the university. His leadership laid a foundation for the inclusive community that is now the hallmark of a TU education. Our work continues everyday to build upon and honor Dean Chapman’s legacy for generations to come.”
Towson University expressed their love and appreciation for Dr. Chapman in 2018 when a park bench placed near his former office was dedicated to him during homecoming. In the fall of 2019, TU dedicated a bronze bust to Chapman.
In October of 2021, the lawn between the TU Media Center and Stephens Hall was officially renamed the “Dr. Julius Chapman Quadrangle.”
Chapman’s son and daughter-in-law, Alfred B. and Melissa Ellington, reside in Kellyton. To read more about Julius Chapman, go to Google.com and type his name.
