Peng Wang memorial fund raises money for event, parents’ travel expenses

Following the tragic death of third-year graduate film production student Peng Wang, the Dodge College Graduate Student Council has set up a memorial fund to help Wang’s family with travel and memorial expenses. Photo illustration by DANIEL PEARSON, Photo Editor

The Dodge College Graduate Student Council has set up a memorial fund for third-year graduate film production student Peng Wang as a way to help his family with travel and memorial expenses. Wang tragically passed away April 15 in an off-road vehicle accident when a 2022 Can-Am Maverick crashed into a sand dune and overturned.

Wang was born in 1992 in Sichuan, China. In an April 22 letter released to the Chapman community, Wang’s parents — Hualun Wang and Hua Sun — shared that COVID-19 as well as the tremendous costs of travel are preventing them from coming to the United States to see their son a final time. 

“Our only wish now is to go to the United States and see our son one last time so we can offer our final goodbyes,” Wang’s parents wrote. “However, with the ongoing pandemic, traveling would stretch our financial constraints even further; to an unfeasible degree.”

According to Patrick Skehill, president of the graduate student council, information began to spread quickly after the accident — not all of which was based on fact. 

“This was a senseless tragedy that occurred and that can be hard to deal with,” Skehill told The Panther. “Aside from the practical applications that a memorial fund has for (Wang’s) family, it also provided a more positive outlet for students to channel their grief.”

Skehill notes that any additional funding beyond what would likely be necessary for travel and memorial expenses will be used to honor Wang’s memory. Ideas are still in their early stages, but members of the council have proposed using funds to establish a scholarship for international students.

A portion of the funding raised by the memorial fund will go toward assisting the family with legal expenses resulting from the ongoing investigation into Wang’s death. Skehill declined to disclose the total amount of donations collected so far.

“The Chapman community really rallied behind us,” said Skehill. “Despite the size of our program, not everybody really knew (Wang), but even those people have donated and given their support any way they can.”

According to Hualun Wang and Hua Sun, from a young age, Wang was hardworking and determined to help take care of his family. 

“He was exemplary in both character and duty,” Wang’s parents wrote. “We wanted nothing more than to ensure that he received the education he deserved. We wanted to give him the best education we could, but this required a lot of sacrifices.”

Wang’s parents — a small-business owner and a factory worker in Chengdu — supported their son’s dreams and were “overjoyed” when he was admitted to study abroad in America. However, Wang faced significant financial constraints during his time at Chapman. 

During his second year, financial constraints became so severe that Wang almost had to drop out before Chapman came through with additional funding, Oliver Li, a Chapman graduate student film editor and Wang’s roommate told The South China Morning Post. 

Despite these challenges, Wang remained a passionate, hardworking student. 

“When we started here three years ago after the first semester, around six people dropped out,” Skehill said. “Peng had the willpower to make the craft work and stick with it. He had this blossoming artistic eye that, had it had more time to develop, would have been able to turn into something very lovely.”

Stephen Galloway, dean of the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, announced that Wang will be awarded his Master of Fine Arts degree posthumously. Wang was set to graduate this spring and had already completed most of his coursework. 

Wang's parents said they were looking forward to attending his graduation and congratulating him on his accomplishments. 

“All things he loved with all his heart,” the late Chapman student’s parents wrote. “Our son died pursuing what he loved.”

For members of the Chapman community and beyond interested in donating to Wang’s memorial fund, please visit pengwangmemorialfund.com.