Chico State Announces Lantis Endowed Chairs to Accelerate Global and Rural Research
Chico State has named three faculty members as recipients of its prestigious Lantis Endowed University Chairs, a recognition that not only honors their past work but also fuels ambitious new research and student-focused initiatives. The awards, funded through the legacy gift of Professor David Lantis and his wife, Helen, continue a program designed to expand opportunities for students, strengthen community partnerships, and push the boundaries of knowledge on a worldwide scale.
What the Lantis Endowed Chairs Mean
Endowed chairs at Chico State are awarded annually to scholars whose research and teaching demonstrate exceptional impact. The grants—ranging from $20,000 to $40,000—offer release time, travel, equipment, student stipends, or summer salaries to advance proposed projects. This year’s recipients—Angela Gapa in International Relations, Amy Magnus in Criminal Justice, and Matthew Stone in Marketing—will use the funds to deepen research, support experiential learning, and strengthen collaborations with regional and international partners.
Strategic Vision: From Botswana to North State Reforms
The three projects reflect a blend of global inquiry and local relevance, with an emphasis on voices often underrepresented in scholarly work. Each chair recipient will expand their ongoing research while creating pathways for students to participate directly in real-world inquiry.
Angela Gapa: Giving Voice to Botswana’s Development Story
Angela Gapa, an International Relations professor, has long studied Botswana’s resource-driven development. Her new project centers on a feature-length documentary, Beyond the Diamond Glow: Botswana Through the Eyes of Its People, and a companion museum exhibit at Chico State’s Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology. Co-produced with Botswanan filmmaker Mmakgosi Anita Tau, the endeavor aims to spotlight authentic Botswana perspectives and counter traditional Western narratives in academia and media.
Importantly, the work will be co-created with students from Chico State and the University of Botswana, offering hands-on experience in research, storytelling, and cross-border collaboration. Gapa’s initiative aligns with her broader commitment to decentering Western perspectives in international relations scholarship.
Amy Magnus: Advancing Rural Reproductive Health Research
Amy Magnus, a scholar-activist in Criminal Justice, will examine how residents of the North State navigate reproductive health care access amid political, infrastructural, and cultural tensions. Her action-oriented research is designed to supply policymakers and community leaders with data-driven insights to build more equitable rural health systems.
Magnus emphasizes the real-world stakes: rural residents often face a mix of surveillance, service gaps, and political discourse that complicates access to care. The project will involve partnerships with First 5 Tehama, local reproductive health providers, and Chico State student researchers. It also lays groundwork for the Rural Justice Alliance at Chico State, a cross-community initiative to enhance research, advocacy, and university-community partnerships across the North State.
Matthew Stone: Global Benchmarking in Food Tourism
Matthew Stone, a leading authority on food tourism, will expand his influential work to develop a global benchmark study of culinary travelers. His research has helped shape industry understanding of traveler behavior and has elevated Chico State’s presence on the world stage. Stone notes that food tourism is a major driver of travel budgets and cultural exchange, linking local traditions and businesses to travelers’ experiences.
Beyond the study, Stone plans to create a comprehensive teaching guide for food and beverage tourism, enabling educators to integrate culinary considerations into their curricula. His work will equip the next generation of hospitality professionals with a clearer understanding of how cuisine shapes destinations, identities, and local economies.
<h2 Looking Ahead: A Legacy of Teaching, Discovery, and Community Impact
President Steve Perez described the Lantis Endowed Chairs as a testament to Chico State’s dedication to connection, excellence, inspiration, and innovation. The awards honor a tradition initiated by Professor David Lantis and his wife, who endowed chairs to enrich teaching and learning through private philanthropy. As the recipients begin their projects, the university anticipates meaningful student involvement, stronger regional collaborations, and broader global linkages that will benefit communities near and far.
From Botswana’s development story to rural reproductive health policy and global food tourism, Chico State’s Lantis Endowed Chairs spotlight a university committed to research that informs practice, uplifts communities, and educates the next generation of scholars and practitioners.
