Hope University, AnaheimBoth Howard Vipperman & VIP Rubber support Hope University, Anaheim.

Hope University
800 S Lemon St
Anaheim, CA 92805

714.778.4440


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About Hope University of Anaheim

Mission Statement
Hope University transforms the lives of adults with intellectual disabilities through the arts.

Hope University History
Paul Kuehn’s voice was the spark that ignited Hope University. One day during his high school music class, special education music teacher, Doris Walker, was thinking out loud, trying to remember what key a particular song was in. The quiet, shy, blind young man with autism at the back of the classroom spoke up, “that would be the key of ‘G’ Mrs. Walker.” That made Mrs. Walker take notice of the young Paul Kuehn, and she wondered what else he was capable of. She asked him to sing, and the rest is history. She formed a band called the Hi Hopes around Paul, and they developed a repertoire of songs. When faced with the fact that these talented band members would have nowhere to continue playing once they graduated from high school, she rallied around the families and asked for their support to create what we now know as Hope University. The program began with 8 students, all Hi Hopes members, and met in two rooms in the rear of a strip mall shopping center in Anaheim, California, and in 1979, Hope University became the first organization of its kind to provide arts programming to adults with intellectual disabilities. Today, Hope University’s offerings have expanded to include all art forms, and we serve 66 adults with intellectual disabilities. The Hi Hopes continue to perform, and just like any professional band, they have their own trailer with their name on it, and they have recorded countless albums. Hope University’s students participate in art exhibitions, perform in the hand-bell choir or vocal choir, perform dances and dramas, and learn to play instruments, and more. There are many very talented artists and performers here at Hope University, but opportunities are available to anyone who is interested in or motivated by the arts.

We thank you Paul Kuehn, for your voice, and thank you Doris Walker for your vision.

Hope University Programs and Services

At Hope University, our goal is to provide a well-rounded program that develops all aspects of each individual artistically, academically, behaviorally, and socially. To achieve this goal, we offer the students a wide range of classes including: art, choir, hand-bells, music therapy, dance, drama, computer skills, academics, yoga, and much more. Through these classes, we strive to help each student reach their fullest potential. They gain a greater sense of self-worth by developing their talents and capabilities and using them to give back to the community in a variety of different ways. Through public performances of music, dance, drama, and exhibitions of art, Hope University showcases the remarkable talents of its students and demonstrates their potential to contribute to and assume integrated roles within the community. Hope University students inspire the human spirit and render hope to those whose loved ones may have similar disabilities. In concert with our outstanding course offerings, Hope University’s nurturing environment is clearly the most essential part of the program. We are proud to have gathered a strong team of highly-qualified and dedicated staff that works hard to provide a caring and personalized environment for each student. The direct-care staff is highly educated; most have degrees in the arts, psychology, or a combination of the two. More impressive than their educational background, however, is their incredible drive to provide the best program for the students. They motivate, encourage, and challenge each individual to be successful, and work together as a team to foster each student’s talents and strengths. In addition to classes, performances, and art exhibitions, students are given an opportunity to participate in a number of social and educational activities throughout the year including field trips, on-site guest artist performances and workshops, and seasonal parties.

Our programs include:
Visual Arts
Studio Arts

Studio Arts offer students the opportunity to explore a wide variety of art mediums. They explore drawing and painting, computer art, printmaking, collage, papier maché and more. Artworks that are created in studio may end up going to exhibition, or may be featured on a greeting card or calendar page, as just a few examples. Often, studio artists become the behind the scenes support for performances, designing and creating props and sets.

Hope Handmade

Artists in Hope Handmade learn and practice such skills as knitting and hand stitching and beading, among other things. There is something for every skill level, so just about everyone pitches in to support our greatest source of social enterprise: the making and selling of fine crafts. Products include hand-felted beaded jewelry, knitted and felted handbags, hand stitched and beaded stuffed characters, mosaic mirrors, just to name a few.

Special Projects

We actively pursue professional level visual arts projects for the students of Hope University. One such project just completed is our Integrity House Mural Project. This 15 foot high by 70 foot long painted and mosaic mural is on the outside of the building that houses the Integrity House program for adults with cognitive disabilities, located in Santa Ana, CA.