$1-Million Gift Boosts Chapman’s Growth Plans

A $1-million gift from a Newport Beach couple will help Chapman University build a technology center.

Half of the gift from hotelier Donald Sodaro and his wife, Dee Dee, will also help the university meet a “challenge” gift of $5 million given by an anonymous donor last month.

That money, if it is matched by another $5 million within the next year, will go far toward building a business school, projected to cost about $15 million in construction and endowed programs, officials said.

While the donor of the challenge gift wished to remain mysterious, the Sodaros are well-known at Chapman University and in Orange County business circles.

Sodaro, chairman of the Newport Beach-based Hanford Hotels Inc., previously called the Accord Group, has been a university trustee since 1988. He also is the chairman of the committee that is raising money to build and endow the Business and Information Technology school.

“Together, Dee Dee and I want to help Chapman shape higher education and prepare our students to face tomorrow’s challenges while responding to the needs of Orange County businesses,” he said after the gift was announced last week.

Inside of that new 80,000-square-foot business school will be the Sodaro-Caine Information Learning Technology Center, university officials said.

The center will be named after Joseph C. Sodaro, Donald Sodaro’s father, and William A. Caine Sr., Dee Dee Sodaro’s father.

“The Sodaros’ wonderful gift will help support Chapman’s mission through a building designed to promote individualized learning through the use of information technology,” said James L. Doti, Chapman’s president.