Doug Chaffee ’65 and Paulette Marshall Chaffee ’71
When Doug Chaffee ’65 and Paulette Marshall Chaffee ’71 attended the University of Redlands, several faculty members made a significant impact on their lives, including Professors Bob Morlan, Judson “Sandy” Sanderson, and Maury Durall.
“There was a great opportunity to explore the liberal arts,” says Doug, who volunteered in the Peace Corps after law school and went on to serve as mayor of the City of Fullerton and chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. “These experiences prepared me to pursue different avenues and created an awareness of the world.”
After U of R, Doug and Paulette were set up by their mothers, who both attended Fullerton Methodist Church. “Our mothers knew best,” says Doug with a smile. “The smartest thing I ever did was marry a Redlands graduate.”
When their son, Marshall Chaffee ’10, selected U of R, the couple was excited to see the Redlands experience through his eyes. “Marshall’s experience was wonderful,” says Paulette, who served on the University’s parent advisory group. Doug recalls his son’s love of Outdoor Programs and his distinction as the outstanding senior in the sciences. “He was able to participate in research at Redlands,” Paulette recalls, “and his work on the mass spectrometer distinguished him among his graduate school classmates at University of Virginia.”
Doug and Paulette feel strongly about the need for environmental sciences in today’s world. In December 2021, the couple gifted the University a percentage of an apartment complex they owned in Orange County. Then, the University, together with Doug and Paulette, sold the property in spring 2022. The proceeds from their generous gift will endow a chair in environmental studies, which will provide ongoing support to the program and carry on their family name in perpetuity.
“Such a discipline requires important policy conversations and science-based decisions,” says Doug. The couple has established an endowed chair, which they hope will not only inspire more students to pursue this field but also help the University recruit outstanding talent.
Says Doug, “We need people who care about their communities and want to make the world a better and safer place.”