“The first time I received the award was in 1992, and it really blew me away,” she said. “When President (Axel) Steuer announced my name in 2005, it was totally unexpected, and I felt very honored.”

Chapman began her career at IC as an adjunct chemistry instructor, but soon found her home in the biology department. As the chief health professions advisor at Illinois College, she helped launch the careers of hundreds of IC graduates as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, physical and occupational therapists — in nearly every area of healthcare imaginable.

She was named Hitchcock Professor of Biology by Martha Church in 2003 and remained in the role until she retired from full-time teaching in 2016. For many alumni, Chapman tops the list of the most influential people they met at Illinois College.

“I did have a lot of students,” Chapman said. “And I loved working with them. Teaching was really my calling. I felt like a part of the ‘big picture’ of their lives as I watched them grow and reach their goals.”

Chapman recalls getting to know her students very well. In her early days at the College, before the faculty grew and became more specialized, students majoring in biology would take three or four classes with her. She taught them scientific concepts, but also tried to impart practical lessons. “I don’t know how many times I told students: ‘If you are short of time before the test, get a good night’s sleep the night before because at least then you can guess intelligently,’” she recalled.

Preparing students for their professional futures was a big part of Chapman’s role at IC. “Experience is mandatory for admission to many professional schools, so I tried to help students make connections with local health professionals,” she said. “Any type of healthcare experience is valuable for developing a picture of the roles various health professions play in the total picture. For many students the experiences are life-changing. Even at the entry levels of the healthcare totem pole one can learn a lot about how things work.”

Chapman has been a passionate advocate for student-faculty research. She and husband Dennis Backstrom established a summer student-faculty research fund upon Chapman’s retirement from IC. In 2018, they doubled the fund and endowed it so that it will always provide annual stipends for students and faculty to complete research.

Chapman was also instrumental in establishing IC’s MCAT Preparation Program — in her faculty role and as a donor and fundraiser. Many IC alumni who have found success in science and medicine supported the program including Jay Anders ’79, Jim Green ’61, Gary Haynes ’74, Don Hawrysz ’66, Benjamin Katholi ’00 and Matthew Murray ’96. The summer program is an affordable option available on campus for students to prepare for medical school.

Thinking back to her years at IC, Chapman appreciates the work of faculty and their desire to allow students to explore various interests early in their college years. Faculty in every discipline also benefit through collaboration and partnerships, which enhance the experiences of their students. Chapman fondly remembers singing in the symphony chorale with a number of students, and she celebrates the growth of music at IC. Like many of her students, Chapman found a place to satisfy her love of music and science at IC.

“Any student can be involved in a wide variety of activities and disciplines across campus,” she said. “It’s one of the beautiful things about a small liberal arts school like Illinois College.”