Name: Tansu Philip
Age: 20
Year: Senior
Major: Political Science & Television Broadcast Journalism
Minor: Honors Program
Hometown: Redlands, CA
Involvements: Gamma Phi Beta, Chapman Senior Legacy Chair, Chapman Radio, NSAC
Describe your Chapman experience in two sentences.
The experience of a lifetime. I can’t think of any place in the world where I could have grown as much as I have at Chapman.
What are your top 3 favorite memories from Chapman?
The opportunity to study abroad in Prague. It wouldn’t have worked out at any other school. Being a part of Greek Life has been memorable. Skit comes to mind. I’ve done skit every year. Winning the spirit of Chapman was also memorable. It was scary, but it was good.
What was it like winning the Spirit of Chapman award this year?
I don’t know how to describe it. It was super nerve-racking up until that moment. Not because I really wanted to win or anything, but because I had to stand up in front of the crowd. That really scares me, which a lot of people don’t know about me. A lot of people think I’m an extrovert but I’m kind of an introvert. It was an honor to be nominated alongside such great people too. I don’t know how it happened but I’m glad it did.
What are you looking forward to about senior year?
I’m looking forward to doing everything for the last time. I’m a super sentimental person-I can make even a bottle of nailpolish seem sentimental. The fact that I’m doing everything for the last time at Chapman is exciting. I thought I would be terrified to leave Chapman, but my time has come to say goodbye and not take it for granted. I think that leaving a legacy is really important, so I’m looking forward to that.
Who are your role models?
My role model is my mom. She’s totally my role model. She is a single mom and she raised two kids all by herself and she divorced my dad right when she came to America and she’s had to deal with a lot on her own. She had cancer, and a whole bunch of other health issues. She is the perfect example of “you can do anything if you put your mind to it”. She’s had every force working against her and still came out strong. She taught me that hard work pays off.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about food. It’s funny because I can’t cook and I don’t technically know a lot about food. A lot of people think I go to culinary school or cook, but I just taste and eat. I’m a super opinionated eater, but I have nothing to back it up with other than what I like or don’t like.
I am also passionate about my career. I am a Political Science major and Television and Broadcast Journalism major and I want to be a political satirist. I know Trevor Noah was the first man of color to do it, so now we need a woman of color. I know it’s a long road ahead, but I’m passionate about making it happen and I really want to do it. I would also settle for Anthony Bourdain’s job. He travels around the world, eats food, and curses at people on camera-which is basically what I do for my friend’s Snapchat stories at Pizza Press.
How did Tasting with Tansu start?
So I was interning for Ryan Seacrest at CHOC and I was talking to the patients about what segments they would want to see on TV. One kid was complaining about the hospital food and so I thought it would be cool if I went out and recorded something so the kids could see different foods other than hospital foods. And so I did one segment and the kids really liked it and I had a lot of fun. So I got a domain and made a Facebook page and just made it into a thing.
What is something people don’t know about you?
I’m more of an introvert than people realize. Like 10 times out of 10, if given the option of staying in with friends rather than going out, I will stay in. But I’m not that much of an introvert where I can only hang out with myself, I would get bored. I definitely need my people. Also, people don’t realize that I have over 15 food allergies!