Reverend Rafael Luévano, PhD ~ Chair & Co-Founder

May 10, 2015

Father Rafael Luévano is the son of Ralph and Maria Luévano, Mexican immigrants in California, who always prioritized education for their children. In 1981 Luévano was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for service in the Diocese of Orange, California. He joined the Chapman University faculty in 1998, teaching in the Religious Studies Department and other fields of the humanities. Also, Luévano serves as Catholic Chaplain on the university campus. Luévano researches and publishes on violence in as well as migration from Mexico, Central America, and South America. In 2024 Luévano was named the Chapman University Griset Chair in Bible and Christian Tradition.