Pepperdine Graphic 9-17-2021

THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC V O L U M E L I | I S S U E 3 | S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 2 1 | P E P P E R D I N E - G R A P H I C . C O M | F O L L O W U S @ P E P P G R A P H I C

ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ABBY WILT PIXEL EDITOR 2,977 flags. 2,977 lives.

The annual Waves of Flags display flew over Alumni Park Sept. 11, and 180 Pepperdine volunteers set up 2,977 flags to honor the lives lost 20 years ago in the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

The display attracts individuals from the Pepperdine community and beyond, as people of all ages come to reflect on and remember the tragedies.

W H AT ’ S AHE A D THE WAVES REPORT

do it than in Malibu on Alumni Park, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He proposed the idea to Pepperdine President Emeritus Andrew K. Benton, who told him to start raising money and go for it.

“It took us about two months because this is before Pepperdine was promoting it,” Sawtelle said. “We were just sitting there, slamming all this rebar in by ourselves by hand.”

After graduating in 2009, Sawtelle said he continued to watch how the display grew and how it has impacted indi-

“The flags are so alive,” said Anne Varick Lauder, visitor from Rancho Santa Fe near San Diego. “In a way, the vibrancy of the flags reminds you of the vibrancy of the lives that were lost.”

Pepperdine alumni Ryan Sawtelle and Chris Garcia started the Waves of Flags display in 2008, and it has been an annual tradition since.

Sawtelle said he was inspired to start Waves of Flags because his high school did a similar display, but he thought there wouldn’t be a better place to

Forward Day A4- Step encourages service on

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Staff Editorial A5- PGM’s calls for accountability

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campus among Seaver students.

from admin, faculty and students in the pandemic.

FRI: 1-2+ FT

viduals from Malibu and beyond.

“It’s a larger-than-life memorial,” Sawtelle said. “You can feel the loss of that day, and a lot of people that weren’t alive then can experience it by walking through the flags. It’s powerful.”

Pepperdine volunteers set up the display from Sept. 9 and plan to take them down Sept.

25.

Pepperdine hosted several events on Sept. 11 to reflect on 9/11, starting with a wreath-laying ceremony at

Heroes Garden, where Pepperdine veterans and alumni placed four wreaths to honor the four airplanes that crashed in the attacks.

University Chaplain Sara Barton also hosted a Chaplain’s Prayer Service at the amphitheater, where community members prayed, worshipped and listened to a blessing from Pepperdine Student Government Association.

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staff pick NFL B5- Graphic Week 2 games.

New parking lot on John Tyler Drive to open August 2022.

business and baking B2- Young duo grows reach during

Volleyball faces B6- Women’s University of Washington

SAT: 1-2+ FT

boards in a local Malibu gallery.

pandemic.

SUN: 1-2+ FT

MON: 1-2 FT

and Cal Poly in the Asics Classic Tournament.

TUES: 1-2 FT

ADDISON WHITEN LIFE AND ARTS ASSISTANT Living on campus at Pepperdine is a part of being a Wave that every student should (and, really, has to) experience. You get to live in a community of other students, in Malibu, with easy access to all your classes and everything campus has to offer with views you really can’t beat.

While being a part of Pepperdine’s residential community is usually a great part of a student’s time at Seaver, there can be some issues.

From roommate conflicts to ant invasions, a wealth of challenges add to many students’ experiences living on campus.

Perhaps one of the main perks of being in a residence hall is the opportunity to live in a place with a breathtaking ocean view. For example, I live in first-year housing as a Resident Advisor, and I wake up every morning and see a truly unique view of beautiful Malibu that anyone would envy.

While my view is obviously not one of the best campus has to offer, I’m fine with sacrificing a nice scene outside for the private bathroom I enjoy as an RA. The hardest part of living in most of the residential halls on campus is having to share a bathroom with your suitemates or apartment-mates, especially during your first year. You arrive at college, you’re already nervous and now you have to carefully find times you can shower or pee in peace.

The upside of communal bathrooms is that the custodial staff regularly cleans them for you. Your bathroom stays spotless, while the state of your room is up to you. Most people try to keep their rooms presentable, but at Pepperdine, it doesn’t matter how clean you keep your room; you will share your space with ants.

The ants are a fixture of our residential community, and I firmly believe they’re the most resilient ants in the U.S. — in true Pepperdine fashion — because no matter what you do, they just keep coming back.

If you do have an ant infestation in your home, it’s annoying, but it’s also seasonal, so they usually vacate the premises pretty quickly. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for bad roommates. They usually stick around for a while, and you can’t get rid of them with a maintenance request.

Despite the challenges that come with living on campus at Pepperdine, at the end of the day, you have the privilege of living in Malibu, and that kind of outweighs all the little problems (except for no air conditioning; that one is impossible to overcome).

SE P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 2 1 | N E W S | PE PPE RDIN E G R A P H I C M E D I A

THE DPS REPORTS

1 3

2

9/9/21 1:20 p.m.

Crime: Vandalism Location: Rho Parking Lot

9/11/21 12:52 a.m.

Crime: Individual(s) Drinking or Intoxicated on Campus Location: Seaver Drive Booth

9/11/21 12:40 a.m.

Crime: Possession of Alcohol on Campus Location: Lovernich Student

SGA RESULTS ARE IN President

Senate

Two first-year candidates — Michael Sugimoto and Wyatt Axmann — will compete in a run-off election Sept. 22 to determine a winner.

Alex Clarke First-year Class Senator Kate Ho First-year Class Senator Myers Mentzer First-year Class Senator

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U PC OMING E VE N TS MON

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WHAT: Guest Speaker : Alan Beard WHEN: Noon WHERE: Palm Plaza, Drescher C ampus HOST: Pepperdine Enter tainment, Media & Spor ts Society

WHAT: Jake Shimabukuro Concer t WHEN: 8 p.m.

WHERE: Smothers Theatre HOST: Center for the Ar ts

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WHAT: Step Team Tr youts WHEN: 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Fitness Studio HOST: Pepperdine Step Team

WED 22

WHAT: Founder ’s D ay WHEN: 10 a.m.

WHERE: Alumni Park

THURS

FRI

NO E VENTS SCHEDULED

WHAT: Colin Mochrie and Brad Sher wood Comedy Show WHEN: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

WHERE: Smothers Theatre HOST: Center for the Ar ts

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WHAT: Jake Shimabukuro Concer t WHEN: 8 p.m.

WHERE: Smothers Theatre HOST: Center for the Ar ts

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Pepperdine

Malibu

California

United States

cases*

cases

cases

cases

deaths*

deaths

deaths

deaths

69 631 4.4M 41.4M ZERO 10 67K 663K 84% Sept. 10 | Pepperdine announced its previously released vaccination numbers were false.

students vaccinated

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COVID-19 numbers and new guidelines

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REMEMBER: Community gathers for 9/11 FROM A1 “You want to never forget what has happened in the past,” Barton said at the service. “We want to give honor and remember what took place that still affects so many people today.”

There was also a “United 93” film screening held in Elkins Auditorium. The film highlights the events on United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the 9/11 attacks.

The day of reflection ended with a keynote speech by Gary Sinise, actor, humanitarian and founder of the Gary Sinise Foundation.

Waves of Flags attracts hundreds of visitors every year who stop and walk up to Alumni Park to pay their respects to the victims of 9/11 and reflect on what the observers were doing 20 years ago.

Lauder was in New York City the day of the attacks and

decided to come to the Waves of Flags display after she saw the event featured on the news the morning of Sept. 10.

“It’s wonderful to have this place of refuge,” Lauder said.

“And to have a place to reflect that isn’t directly looking at the images from 9/11.”

Lauder said the events of 9/11 have stuck with her for years. She still has nightmares about the tragedies and thinks about them anytime she sees an airplane flying a little bit low. She said everyone has been touched by the attacks, even if they weren’t directly affected.

“Just to have a moment to reflect and listen to the flags blowing in the breeze — it’s just a reminder of over 2,000 lives that were lost,” Lauder said. “It just feels like a very fitting memorial that is divorced from any political overtones.”

Lauder’s husband, Bernard Malhame, was working in France the day of the attacks and said he reflected on the shock of the events as he

ABBY WILT | PIXEL EDITOR University Chaplain Sara Barton speaks to students and community members at the Chaplain’s Prayer Service the morning of Sept. 11. The event was one of many held to honor the tragedies that occurred 20 years ago. walked through the memorial.

“It’s quite incredible 20 years later to be here, just at this beautiful display,” Malhame said.

Tony and Lynn Terry drove from Simi Valley, Calif., to see the Waves of Flags display and

observed the rows of flags to ponder where they were in 2001 and how they told their kids what happened in the attacks.

“It just brings back all the memories of the number of people who died that day,”

Tony Terry said. “You can really see that displayed here — just the number of people who perished.”

ABBY.WILT@PEPPERDINE.EDU

The Return brings together IP alumni, first-years EMILY SHAW NEWS EDITOR Senior Blake Farley said he had the best weekend in Jan. 2020, when he and his friends trailed through the snowy Alps in Lausanne to the mountain peaks called Glacier 3000. There, they took ski lifts to the top of the mountains, walked on a bridge between peaks and visited Gstaad for some hot chocolate.

This is one of the many stories International Program alumni — who studied abroad during the 2019-21 academic year and summer of 2019 — shared with first-year students at the Return on Alumni Park on Sept. 7.

“It’s been amazing that Pepperdine creates community through International Programs in this special way,” Farley said. “We had half of our group of over 80 students show up tonight two years later, and that’s just the kind of experience that you don’t get anywhere else, and it’s been so good to reunite and relive these memories but also to help send the next generation of Pepperdine students abroad.”

Similar to previous years, the Return involved food, a tug-o-war Competition between IP alumni and videos from each

International Program showcasing the students’ time abroad.

In the battle for the cup, Heidelberg and Lausanne went head-to-head as finalists in the tug-o-war competition. The Lausanne program ultimately won the battle, continuing their winning streak from the last Return in 2019.

The Florence program also celebrated winning the title of favorite booth and $500 of program activity funding. Firstyear students voted on their favorite International Program booth to enter into a raffle for a $1,000 IP scholarship.

Greg Muger, director of the Malibu office at International Programs, said with the first-year class being the largest class Pepperdine has had, preparation for this year’s Return involved making sure there would be enough food and more check-in lines.

First-year students at the Return said they felt the excitement from IP alumni in anticipation of applying to experience their own study abroad program.

“I think it’s so cool how much everyone loves everywhere they went and how much they want to talk about it, and they literally just loved it,” first-year Kylie Kowalski said. “It makes me a lot less nervous than I was before.”

First-year Hannah Schendel said she also found the Return beneficial, as it allowed her figure out one of her top choice International Programs, Lausanne.

“Hearing about their experiences first hand has helped me so much, because before, I just read about it or heard about it from one person,” Schendel said.

Farley said he is excited to be “on the other side” of the Return because of how much going to Lausanne meant to him. Farley looks forward to more Pepperdine students being able to learn and grow at their study abroad experience like he did.

Farley was an academic year participant his sophomore year, and he was also one of the Resident Advisors of the program. He said he had never been out of the United States before his experience with IP. Although the Return was mainly for first-year students and IP alumni, some sophomores and juniors also attended.

The junior class was unable to study abroad during the 2020-21 academic year because of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, Return attendee and junior Daniel Moreno said he is considering applying to a summer program in 2022.

DANE BRUHAHN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR (Left) Lausanne program alumni compete in the tug-o-war at the Return on Sept. 7, as students cheer on. (Right) Sophomore Courtney Wisniewski smiles at the camera with her face painted with the Argentine flag at Alumni Park.

“Even though I wasn’t able to go abroad my sophomore year, I’m excited to see all the freshmen get to see the different programs and make the decision, as well as see all the students who were at those programs compete and have fun,” Moreno said.

The last time IP alumni were physically together was in 2020, when they had limited time to say their goodbyes before heading to their respective homes.

After many months apart, Muger said it is good to see everyone connecting again.

“Being in a position where I have not been giving great news to students over the last 18 months, this [the Return] is like — this is why I’m here,” Muger said.

“It’s really filling for the soul.”

At the Return, IP did not have a booth for the recently closed Shanghai program; however, they did show the video of the Shanghai 2019-20 academic year program for the IP alumni.

Shanghai program alumna and senior Karen Yoon said it felt a bit awkward and sad to be at the Return since they didn’t have a booth and Pepperdine closed the program. Some Shanghai alumni did stay until the end of the event to watch their program video.

Muger said going across borders and developing relationships with others has the potential to transform individuals, and during a time when people haven’t been able to freely do so, he believes there’s even more significance placed on taking the opportunity to travel abroad.

“It’s all the more important right now just to get out there, and we’re sending students there now,” Muger said. “We’re gonna continue to send students and we’re not stopping, and we’re just waiting for the demand to come in. We’re ready to send as many students as we can in summer, so we’re just all geared up.”

The applications for academic year 2022-23 and summer 2022 programs are open for students to apply, with a priority deadline of Sept. 27.

EMILY.C.SHAW@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Students serve at Step Forward Day LIZA ESQUIBIAS NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR Pepperdine’s 33rd Step Forward Day took place Sept. 11, with students working on and off campus for 14 different organizations such as Midnight Mission, Jumpstart, Hand in Hand and School on Wheels.

This year’s Step Forward Day was the first time students gathered on campus to perform a day of service since 2019, and although coupled with changes and challenges, students said they felt united with the Pepperdine community.

COVID-19 restrictions and the shift of responsibility to the Hub for Spiritual Life both played a role in how the University planned and promoted Step Forward Day this year, said Olivia Robinson, assistant director of Community Engagement and Service. Still, she said, the mission of the day has been — and always will be — students coming together to serve the community.

“One of the things that personally I just love thinking about is fulfillment of mind, body and spirit,” Robinson said. “And service is one of the few things that fits all of those areas.”

How the Day Looked Different A small gathering in the amphitheater kicked off Step Forward Day, accompanied by a song of worship, remarks from the Hub organizers and a prayer led by the Student Government Association dedicated to those affected by 9/11.

Students, such as senior Anahi Casas Perez, said volunteers traditionally were met by balloons, food trucks, buses and a much larger group of people, rather than a prayer service.

Service has long been the basis of Step Forward Day, said Christin Shatzer Román, director of Community Engagement and Service at the Hub. The smaller group of volunteers stemmed from redirecting funds that could have gone toward taking students around LA for service but were instead spent on the projects and supplies.

“There is a lot of thought about, ‘How do you do largescale days of service to get the most community benefit?’”

Román said. “And sometimes more is not more — sometimes more numbers actually has a diminishing law of return, where more people is actually less helpful sometimes than a smaller group of people.”

Robinson said Pepperdine also limited off-campus volunteer work due to the need for tight COVID-19 safety restrictions like smaller numbers of students, vaccination compliance and mask mandates. For this reason, most organizations

elected to come to campus instead.

“Many of the communities that we would be serving are more vulnerable to COVID,” Robinson said. “We want to be mindful and respectful of that, in realizing that we have a lot more outdoor space than the organizations that we would be sending students to.”

First-year Logan Meachum, who volunteered with Midnight Mission, said he felt the smaller group made it easier to get to know other students.

Senior Tasha Flaten said she did not find out Step Forward Day was happening this year until the day before when a friend who works as a Resident Advisor asked if she was volunteering.

Similarly, senior Rachel Stenz said she did not participate in Step Forward Day this year because she did not know it was taking place and made other plans for the weekend.

“As an upperclassman student, no one has reached out to me — given me information about how I could participate — so it’s been a little bit in the dark,” Stenz said.

Román said although there were tables with QR codes and information about Step Forward Day out to promote it, outreach focused more on first and second-years because the Hub believed upper-level students already were aware of the day from past experience.

Step Forward Day is meant to be a catalyst for students to continue serving community partners throughout the year, Román said. All participating organizations besides one will be offering continued volunteer opportunities, which she said the Hub encouraged students to sign up for by completing exit surveys at the end of the day.

As president of the on-campus club for international organization Days for Girls — which participated in Step Forward Day — senior Stella Zheng said she is happy students were able to sign up individually for a cause they were interested in. In years prior, students volunteered with their housing group or with other clubs on campus.

Zheng said the Days for Girls’ service project required students to be involved in hands-on activities such as cutting fabric to create sustainable period products for people who menstruate, so she feels grateful to the Hub for helping provide a safe environment for that to be accomplished.

PH0TOS BY LIZA ESQUIBIAS| NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR (Top) Students volunteering on Step Forward Day with School on Wheels write cards to put in backpacks full of school supplies for unhoused children.

The Hub for Spiritual Life offered 14 organizations for students to sign up with, which will continue to provide service opportunities throughout the school year. (Bottom) Students write positive messages to be put in supply kits for children and families in need. The directors of Step Forward Day put extra budget money into supplies this year rather than using it to take all students off campus.

(Right): Sophomore Madilyn Henshaw (left) works with other Jumpstart volunteers outside of Seaside Residence Hall on the Malibu Campus to put together school supply kits for preschool and kindergarten students. Students came together on the first in-person Step Forward Day since 2019 to do hands-on service activities. This was also the first year the Hub for Spiritual Life, as opposed to the Pepperdine Volunteer Center, led SEE SERVICE | A8 Step Forward Day.

S E P T E MBER 17, 2021

The Graphic

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PEPPERDI NE- G R A P H I C .C O M

PERSPECTIVES Staff Editorial: Pepp, do not yet extinguish the light at the end of the tunnel AUTUMN HARDWICK | STAFF ARTIST

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fter returning to campus for the first time, students must keep well-being in mind while balancing accountability.

For new-to-campus students, keeping on top of COVID-19 guidelines may get overwhelming.

In the past 18 months, our staff editorials have urged the community to welcome returning Shanghai students following the February 2020 suspension of the international program, encouraged Waves to unplug and unwind however they are able in the midst of remote learning and pleaded for students to be mindful of health protocols and county guidelines when some were fortunate enough to return to the Malibu campus this past spring.

Here we are, a year and a half later, finally together again at Pepperdine. Soon after the suspension of in-person classes in 2020, President Jim Gash made a promise to keep the lantern on main campus alight until all students were able to return. Many months later, that light is extinguished.

Now what?

Accountability may be one of the most important traits to continue carrying throughout this year because our livelihoods and campus depend on it.

With weekly testing and strict indoor classroom practices, it is understandable if students and faculty feel suffocated over safety protocols — as well as a constant reminder of last year’s sense of administra-

tive missteps in handling and distributing valuable information.

Yet, venting about the inconsistencies we see is not support for a removal of mandates altogether; as Perspectives Assistant Editor Sarah Best wrote last week, complaining about masks is by no means helpful. Although it may feel tiresome, following current LA County requirements regarding COVID-19 is more than necessary to keep healthy and remain on our beautiful campus.

As students navigate self-accountability and levels of comfort when it comes to enforcing rules they may not agree with, Waves should do their best to

keep each other safe.

Faculty, who are also going through in-person teaching adjustments, likewise should not carry the sole burden of enforcing these rules and instead be understanding and flexible during this transition period. This could look like more time for assignments, utilizing hybrid classroom options, encouraging mask wearing or offering classes outdoors.

Everyone on campus should share the responsibility of enforcing these guidelines while trusting the University to help provide the guiding lights.

The Graphic preached compassion and understanding for the returners — from Shanghai students in 2020 to remote learners in 2021 — but every person is a returner to campus now.

Students are bustling in the Caf, professors are adjusting to in-person lectures and the parking lots are fuller than usual — but we must measure the costs, so they do not outweigh the benefits. Here we are as students, stuck in the middle of this health crisis; the pandemic is far from over.

Get vaccinated, mask up, clean up and socially distance when appropriate. There is more than just a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel — there is a flame. Let’s follow it home.

AN INSIDE LOOK Managing Editor Ashley Mowreader Special Edition Editor Rowan Toke Digital Editor Karl Winter Copy Chief Bryant Loney GNews Producer Christina Buravtsova Creative Director Ali Levens Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editors Anitiz Muonagolu Emily Shaw Business Director Inez Kim Advertising Director Sahej Bhasin Head Podcast Producer Kyle McCabe Pixel Editor Abby Wilt Photo Editor Ryan Brinkman Art Editor Samantha Miller

News Editor Emily Shaw Perspectives Editor Anitiz Muonagolu Life & Arts Editor Beth Gonzales Sports Editor Alec Matulka News Assistant Editor Sam Torre News Staff Writers William Bacon Graeson Claunch Liza Esquibias Audrey Mogannam News Design Assistant Lillian Fong Abroad Correspondent Reagan Phillips Perspectives Assistant Editors Sarah Best Emily Chase Perspectives Assistant Sawa Yamakawa Perspectives Staff Writer Christian Parham Perspectives Copy Editor Ryan Bresingham

Perspectives Design Assistant Rachel Marek Life & Arts Assistant Addison Whiten Life & Arts Staff Writers Lydia duPerier Holly Fouche Tim Gay Yamillah Hurtado Stella Zhang Life & Arts Copy Editor Yamillah Hurtado Life & Arts Design Assistant Emilia Lekhter Sports Staff Writers Malia Bambrick Joe Doonan John Jadovitz Jerry Jiang Austin LeDe’ Sports Copy Editor Whitney Bussell Sports Design Assistant Kaitlyn Davis Assistant Photo Editor Dane Bruhahn Mercer Greene Staff Photographers

Ashton Bell Ella Coates Chloe Chan Caroline Conder Denver Patterson Brandon Rubsamen Art Assistant Editor Leah Bae Staff Artists Autumn Hardwick Brian Zhou Podcast Producers Joe Allgood Celine Foreman Anitiz Muonagolu Karl Winter Digital Assistant Editor Ryan Bough Social Team Sofia Longo Abby Wilt GNews Crew Joe Allgood Hunter Dunn Alex Payne Gabrielle Salgado

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor must bear the writer’s name, signature, class standing, major, address and phone number (except in some circumstances determined appropriate by the Graphic). Letters must be fewer than 300 words and will be edited for syntax, grammar and brevity. Letters can be mailed to student publications or emailed to peppgraphicmedia@ gmail.com.

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Petty Perspectives

Petty Perspectives is a column highlighting the rants and thoughts everyone thinks but never gets a chance to put into words.

Wrestling Waves — who is the true mascot?

ANITIZ MUONAGOLU PERSPECTIVES EDITOR

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eing mesmerizing, masterful motivators of school spirit: This is the role of a school mascot.

A mascot isn’t just some random figure; it’s the physical embodiment of hope and what a sports team stands for. Pepperdine has sampled an assortment of mascots over the years — from Roland the Wave to Joe the Pelican — but no one can lay a finger on the all-time best mascot: King Neptune!

I hear some people argue Willie the Wave is Pepperdine’s foremost mascot. Willie is energetic, charismatic and even a little goofy, but Pepperdine needs a true powerhouse as its mascot, and no one can showcase school pep like King Neptune.

Moreover, just to cement who the better mascot is, we will pit these two head-to-head in three categories. Based on intimidation, overall good looks and wow factor, we will once and for all crown who should be the true Pepperdine mascot.

First, intimidation. What is going to strike fear into our opponents? Will it be a funny-looking wave or an all-powerful ruler of the seas? I will admit Willie the Wave may have a jawline that can cut glass, but that is nothing compared to King Neptune. He is covered in muscles and even carries his own trident.

Neptune is not to be played with on or off the field.

Second round: Good looks. Now, this one is tough. King Neptune sports a phenomenal physique that shows he has never missed a day at the gym. However, Willie got a little work done since his first appearance in 1952. His perfectly shaped beard is made out of pure waves, and he sports a

SAMANTHA MILLER | ART EDITOR slimmer, more toned figure.

King Neptune also wears a stunning gray beard, but it’s a little unkept and has a few stray hairs.

Looking at both these gorgeous individuals, the winner has to be Willie the Wave. He uses his youth to his benefit and has perfect hair crafted out of waves. While Willie may not hit the gym like King Neptune, he is no slouch and is easy on the eyes.

This brings us to our final category: Wow-factor.

This is “je ne sais pas,” or the “it factor.” King Neptune is timeless and awe-inspiring to look at. He is a god among others, having full control of the waves and sea. Yet, Willie the Wave has stood the test of time, making multiple comebacks and fashion state-

ments throughout Pepperdine’s history.

Looking at all these factors, it is clear to see that this competition is a …

DRAW! I guess, in a surprising upset, both mascots represent the best of Pepperdine. Hopefully King Neptune can wait for the changing tides and become Pepperdine’s mascot again.

I guess we will have to wait and sea. *wink wink*

AJ.MUONAGOLU@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Elementary school means bagged milk

BETH GONZALES LIFE AND ARTS EDITOR

T

here was a time when milk in cafeterias came in cartons and even glass bottles, but what really made elementary lunchtime enjoyable was the flavored milk that came in bags — sacs of liquid with no distinct shape. But, as we move further into the modern age, kids around the country are forgetting what it means to be a part of the “Mini-Sip” pouch community.

I’m completely pro-bagged milk, and it saddens me when I learn fellow students did not experience this euphoria as they braved their elementary and junior high years. This was a time with Hannah Montana backpacks, Lisa Frank school supplies and Driftwood bagged milk when your mom dropped you off early for school breakfast.

LEAH BAE | ASSISTANT ART EDITOR The bags debuted in the ’90s when schools fancied cutting the budget and creating less disposable waste with these eco-friendly pouches. Apparently, districts desired them since they could be recycled and used as trash liners for schools — they also took up less room in landfills than cartons. I

find this a bit counterintuitive because they are, in fact, plastic.

The student would get their pouch with a pointed end straw. To insert, you would place your finger over the dull end of the straw, so milk would not fly everywhere. Many kids would stick their straws in and shower their

classmates in milk. By kids, I mean myself.

I can only imagine the trauma teachers dealt with when kids came back from recess all sticky and covered in milk — although there are a lot worse things for kindergarteners to be covered in.

There was no feeling like blowing up your empty pouch, making shapes and twirling it around while socializing with friends. No iPhones as “safety nets” from society — just milk bags.

These were simpler times.

So, I’m sorry I didn’t grow up in a part of California where we had access to ordering the Sharpay Evans meal — a tray with flowers and perfectly bottled beverages. However, walking up to my best friend who saved me a seat in the cafeteria with my bagged milk in hand isn’t a time I would have changed for the world.

Don’t worry, we will be accepting statements on bagged milk stances while also allowing comments succeeding this piece.

BETH.GONZALES@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Stop shaming others into sustainability SARAH BEST ASSISTANT PERSPECTIVES EDITOR

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hough contributing to fast fashion isn’t ideal for promoting eco-friendly consumerism, shaming others for being unable to shop entirely sustainably is an elitist perspective and ignorant to the financial freedom that goes into buying exclusively sustainable products.

Just behind oil industry pollution, the fast fashion industry is the second-largest polluting commerce source in the world, according to the United Nations. This astounding statistic is the driving reason behind the increase in demand and popularity for sustainability. However, this new rise in pushing for environmentally friendly products comes at a staggering cost.

For SHEIN, one of the world’s leading fast fashion brands, a black longsleeve top costs $7, whereas essentially the same shirt at Reformation, a sustainable clothing brand, costs $58.

With growing advocacy, particularly among younger generations who are concerned about climate change, it often comes alongside a simultaneous ridiculing of those who don’t shop entirely environmentally conscious.

Having the luxury of being able to shop sustainably is a privilege in itself that many advocates fail to realize.

Typically among college students who are financially dependent on their parents, it becomes far easier to shop sustainably when day-to-day expenses are paid for by another person.

Seldom do college students possess the jobs that warrant the financial freedom of living a 100% environmentally conscious lifestyle.

For the 37% of college students who are financially independent from their parents — according to the Association of American Colleges & Universities — paying for expenses like rent, tuition, gas, car insurance and a plethora of bills doesn’t allow for much financial breathing room. Paying $75 for a simple shirt just because it is sustainably made is not an option the majority of people, especially students, have.

It’s difficult to find comfort in helping the environment by paying for an expensive product or article of clothing when that same price tag could potentially cover multiple months of living expenses like utilities.

Yes, fast fashion is one of the leading sources of detriments to the environment, but avoiding fast fashion brands is not the sole way to promote sustainability. Reducing carbon footprints on a daily basis, especially for college students who can’t afford to live an entirely sustainable life, can be as easy as replacing certain foods and drinks with more eco-friendly options.

For example, being more conscious

LEAH BAE | ASSISTANT ART EDITOR of milk choices is a small substitution with large benefits. Cow’s milk requires 628 liters of water to produce one liter of milk, whereas only 28 liters of water are needed to return one liter of soy milk — according to a 2018 study from Statista. Moreover, despite the popular shift to almond milk from cow’s milk, many neglect to realize 371 liters of water are necessary to produce a single liter of almond milk in comparison to a mere 28 liters per liter of another milk alternative like oat milk, according to the same study.

As far as fashion is concerned, thrifting is a great way to live a more eco-friendly and budget friendly lifestyle. There can be negative connotations surrounding thrift stores and buying things secondhand, and sustainable brands want the average consumer to feed into those misconceptions and

believe their overly-priced products are the only way to live sustainably.

Those devoted to a fully environmentally conscious lifestyle should instead advocate for everyone to make smaller changes rather than pushing an elitist way of living down the throats of those who don’t have the luxury and privilege to do so.

SARAH.BEST@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Asian Americans and Black Americans need solidarity

ALICE HAN GUEST CONTRIBUTOR Since the onset of the pandemic, crimes against Asian Americans rose by almost 169% across the largest citieas in the United States during the past year, according to the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism.

In March 2021, a 21-year-old white man became the face of violence against Asian Americans when he shot eight women at three different spas in Atlanta — six of the victims being Asian Americans.

Although many perpetrators of hate crimes against Asian Americans are white, a handful of the attacks featured Black assailants, which escalated the tension between Black and Asian American communities this past year.

The subtle hostility that has long existed between these two groups is ultimately due to two reasons: white supremacy and the model minority myth.

For instance, tensions rose between Asian Americans and Black Americans when four white policemen threatened and brutalized Rodney King, a Black American man, in 1991. A bystander caught the event on camera, and the video was soon broadcasted around the nation.

Consequently, an uproar broke out all across Los Angeles in the spring of 1992, yet the fury over the acquittal was inexplicably directed toward Asian Americans rather than the white community.

Eventually, some members of the Black community decided to direct their anger toward the Asian American population when violence erupted in Los Angeles’ Koreatown — which already was a place of tension between Korean merchants and Black customers — and other POC communities.

Those participating in the riot destroyed more than 2,000 Korean-run businesses during the riots, estimating to be about $400 million in damages.

With its vast damages, the model minority myth hides anti-Asian-American racism while vilifying other minorities. Created by William Petersen in 1966, this harmful stereotype paints Asian Americans as financially successful

BRIAN ZHOU | STAFF ARTIST and problem-free, which ultimately kept the story from becoming a big deal.

Consequently, the riots caused many Korean victims to become bitter and alert, and tensions slowly began to build between the two communities throughout the following years. The United States’ white ruling class emphasized the discord between Asian Americans and Black Americans and used stereotypes about both groups to hide white supremacy’s harmful nature.

White-led media helped fuel the flames by priming these two groups to mistrust each other, as explained by Vox. By watching U.S. media, Asian Americans internalized the racist characterizations of Black Americans as violent and poor, while Black Americans were made to believe that Asians were altogether deceitful.

Both entertainment and news media ultimately reinforced the racial hierarchy revolving around white supremacy, where the white community is placed on top and the Black community is placed on the bottom, while “other minority groups,” including Asian Americans, are situated in the middle.

White supremacy ultimately induced Asian Americans into thinking that the further they distance themselves from Black Americans, the greater the opportunity to become as rich and privileged as whites.

On the other hand, the white community convinced Black Americans to view the Asian American community as an obstacle or hindrance to reaching the same social standing and obtaining privileges equal to that of the white

community.

In reality, no one can win.

The hierarchy is based upon an unfair system that will always favor and choose to only place white people at the top.

Although both the Black and Asian American communities are slowly coming to this realization, there is still a lot of damage to undo in both groups. A large portion of the Asian American community still retains anti-Black sentiment due to U.S news media. Meanwhile, the widespread model minority myth continues to distort and stereotype Asian Americans as barriers to success for Black people.

It is time for both communities to renew their understandings of history and start looking for moments of solidarity they have shared with each other in the past. There is a process of unlearning and relearning that needs to occur on both sides — whether it’s through social media, scholarly research or even having meaningful conversations.

Both the Asian American and Black communities need to recognize the racism experienced by both groups is a form of white supremacy and accept the moral responsibility to continue to indisputably stand with each other like they did during the Black Lives Matter protests to curtail this problem.

ALICE.HAN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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SERVICE: Students continue Pepp traditions FROM A4 The Regents’ Scholars also had their own service project with Food Oasis, which involved making phone calls and researching to help fight food insecurity in LA County. Alexis Olmstead, senior and co-president of the Regents’ Scholars Student Board, said she is proud of the University’s dedication to making acts of service accessible even in a pandemic.

Olmstead said she served on the executive board of her high school’s service organization. After participating in Step Forward Day as a first-year, however, her perspective on service deepened, and it became a constant in her life.

“It’s reciprocal — where you are giving back to somebody not just for the purpose of feeling good about yourself,” Olmstead said.

Connecting Step Forward Day and 9/11 This year, Step Forward Day fell on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. To commemorate the day, Robinson said the University held a remembrance ceremony after Step Forward Day activities concluded and brought in organizations that benefit veterans and

members of the military.

“We also realize that, ‘OK, well, how can we participate in commemorating that day?’” Robinson said. “Realizing that there are children of many veterans on campus, as well as children of people who are deployed, that was an immediate need where we were able to say, ‘OK, we can do something there and make an impact.’”

Students, like Hicks, said the connection 9/11 and Step Forward Day both have to service made the day even more special.

“I do love that they are doing something specifically for veterans on this day, since it is 9/11,” Hicks said.

When thinking about the day sharing both the 9/11 commemoration and volunteer activities, Stenz said she thinks the two should have been separate so each could be given the proper recognition for their different purposes.

“I feel like it diminishes the purpose of Step Forward Day by almost hitting two birds with one stone,” Stenz said. “It feels like it makes each event less important because of just trying to multitask it, which feels ingenuine [sic] toward the purpose of service.”

Carrying on the Legacy of the PVC

In May 2021, the University shut down the Pepperdine Volunteer Center and relinquished its responsibilities to other departments, one being the newly created Hub for Spiritual Life.

Robinson said students who previously worked with the PVC have spoken to the Hub about feeling excluded from service opportunities because they are not religious.

“We are making sure that our staff is representative of many different people from across different faith backgrounds,” Robinson said. “We have been welcoming into our office and inviting people who are from different countries, different perspectives and philosophies and inviting them to be part of our team to be student leaders in a way where they might not be from the traditional, cliche Pepperdine background, but their heart is invested in service.”

Despite the Hub being a faithbased place on campus, Robinson said students who want to do service do not have to be tied to any religious ideals.

“Service transcends religion — service transcends philosophy, creed and beliefs,” Robinson said.

“And it’s a human connection that anyone can participate in, no matter where they stand on any reli-

gious or philosophical spectrum.”

Zheng said she feels the shift in departments does not change the purpose of Step Forward Day, but she said she understands why some students may feel excluded.

“To have the service opportunities with organizations on campus — that’s a really great way to build community within our Pepperdine community,” Zheng said.

“However, I do realize that having a spiritual organization run service could be a little bit discouraging to some students.”

With so much confusion surrounding the Hub replacing the PVC, said Olmstead, it upset her that Pepperdine did not consider the emotions students would feel after finding out such an important part of their college experience was being taken away.

Olmstead said while she identifies as Christian and does not personally mind the Hub running service events such as Step Forward Day, she has many friends who she said now feel deterred from engaging in those activities due to a lack of clarity on the reason behind the sudden shift.

“I would, I think along with a lot of the student body, prefer to have more communication or just an explanation as to why PVC even closed,” Olmstead said.

As a first-year, Waldon Hicks said he was disappointed he would not have the PVC to volunteer with because that was an appealing part of the University.

“I sometimes wish that service here would not always be connected to spirituality,” Hicks said. “I don’t mind doing it; it’s just that it would be cool to have an alternative.”

Step Forward Day beginning with a religious undertone reminded Hicks of why he might hesitate to volunteer with the Hub in the future, he said.

Senior Maria Chavez has a Non-Profit Management minor and has participated in Step Forward Day every year it has been in person. This year, however, she felt the sadness of the PVC no longer existing.

“I had a lot of friends that worked there and ran it,” Chavez said. “So it’s sad to not see them at all on campus this year because I would have hoped that they would have transitioned from that to the new way they’re doing it.”

LIZA.ESQUIBAS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

New parking lot in the works on John Tyler Drive ASHLEY MOWREADER MANAGING EDITOR Driving up John Tyler Drive, Pepperdine community members are faced with an unsightly project — the beginning stages of Pepperdine’s newest parking lot.

With dozens of metal storage containers and delineators lining the street, Pepperdine embarked on another step to continue the slow climb toward The Mountain student center.

June 25, the University notified community members of the on-going construction on John Tyler and the sound barrier set up. The construction, officially titled the Enhanced Parking and Storage Project, will replace lots M, N and O — the Stotsenberg Track lot, the Eddy. D. Field Baseball Stadium Upper and Lower Lots, respectively.

The administration planned to have the parking lot finished by August 2021, but due to COVID-19 budgetary setbacks on capital projects, Pepperdine delayed the project until 2022.

The location is uniquely positioned to expand parking opportunities for students living in Seaside Residence Hall as well as provide alternate parking when the University has to close Rho lot for The Mountain’s construction. “[Mountain] construction will take two years, and [Rho] parking lot will have to be closed at least a year,” Chief Operations Officer Phil Phillips said in a March 10 interview with the Graphic.

“So where does everyone park?”

The University’s solution: The new lot on John Tyler.

For now, the construction restricts street parking along both sides of the

street due to the sound barriers lining one side of the road to allow space for the shuttles, according to the June 25 Public Relations email.

The sound barriers, recognizable as the line of a dozen plus metal storage containers, are noise impact measures.

“Part of the project is we have to identify any impact measures and noise is a big one for our neighbors,” Phillips said.

The neighbors in question are the ones across the street from the project in multimillion-dollar homes on Malibu Country Drive.

Additional features of the project include installing a new underground storage vault infrastructure to capture and filter stormwater, as well as landscaping improvements and new pedestrian access.

The University opted to use storage containers as sound deterrents because they’re not too tall and are able to withstand the wind, Phillips said.

The storage vault will store a variety of items, Phillips said, including athletic equipment (like goal posts), parts for the University’s central plant and other construction materials like wood and sheeting. The storage will help consolidate some materials currently stored at the Calabasas campus or in off-site units.

In a stroke of sustainable genius, the University will use dirt stored on Drescher campus to cover and cool the underground storage, Phillips said. This allows Pepperdine to reuse old dirt and reduce its environmental impact while also saving money on cool storage because it will not require air-conditioning.

RYAN BRINKMAN | PHOTO EDITOR (Top) Construction is underway on the new parking lots next to John Tyler Drive. The project launched in August and will expand the current lots to add 200 spaces approximately, according to a Sept. 7 email from Director of Public Safety Dawn Emrich. (Bottom) A map from Pepperdine Public Relations details parking restrictions and sound barrier wall lining John Tyler Drive.

MAP COURTESY OF PEPPERDINE “It’s a very novel idea and super sustainable,” Phillips said, attributing the vision to Ben Veenendaal, associate vice president of Planning, Operations and Construction.

The lot is expected to open in August 2022, 13 months after its start, but the return of street parking along John Ty-

ler has yet to be determined. The sound barriers will stay up until they’re no longer required to mitigate construction noise, according to the June 25 PR email.

ASHLEY.MOWREADER@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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LIFE & ARTS STOKED SURFBOARDS COURTESY OF BOBBI BENNETT ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Local business takes art to the beach STELLA ZHANG STAFF WRITER Bobbi Bennett, the creator of Stoked Surfboards, is a California-based photographer who dedicates herself to painting and shaping surfboards. Bennett combined her passions for photography and surfing when branding her company.

Exhibiting her art for over 25 years, Bennett recoats the front of the surfboards with epoxy resin. Stoked gives a percentage of each surfboard sale to various non-profits, such as Surfrider and Hospice of Santa Barbara.

The company’s headquarters are located in Ojai, Calif.

There is also a showroom in the Malibu Contemporary Fine Art Gallery, located above Cafe Habana.

Bennett said the idea of starting the company came to her when she was doing an art piece for a gallery that she had on Zito, a non-profit gallery in New York. She put together a

proposal for a hotel project and hung it on the wall in the gallery. It sold for $10.5k in about half an hour.

“I thought this could be a fluke or not,” Bennett said. “So I decided to make more, and they really just took off. Then I just started getting commissions from celebrities.”

Bennett makes two kinds of surfboards — rideable surfboards and art boards.

“Essentially, I made the rideable boards because people keep asking me to do them,” Bennett said. “I’ll only make 25 of one board in a limited edition.”

Bennett’s business-forward creativity helps make her company more well-known to both local residents and celebrities.

Bennett said there have been a few interesting occurrences that happened in her store, such as when one of the Beach Boys, Bruce Johnston, came into the Malibu gallery.

Bennett said he opened the

book of Guy Webster — a photographer that Bennett represents, and he said, “That’s me.”

“Bruce Johnston had a surfboard that he had surfed on as a young man, and he’s now 80 years old,” Bennett said. “They decided to have me do images on the board and then he signed it. Now we’re donating the money to the Surfrider Foundation to help clean our oceans.”

The company, however, has met some challenges. Bennett said doing the rideable boards has been extremely challenging because learning how to shape the boards can be hard. Also, the whole surf industry, in general, is a real “boys’ club,” she said.

“I’ve been challenged as a woman,” Bennett said. “All of a sudden, I had to step up to these guys and say, ‘Hey, I own this company,’ and I found that I’m the only female surfboard company in the U.S.” As for shaping a surfboard,

Bennett said preparation includes buying shape tools and taking photos to add to the shaping process. It is important to define the outline, size and thickness of the surfboard when making one from scratch.

Because of COVID-19, Bennett ended up shaping more boards because she had more time, but the pandemic negatively affected many businesses due to the shutdown. She launched her store in July, but it is not always smooth sailing, Bennett said.

“People get really nervous about buying expensive items,” Bennett said. “My production costs are really, really high. It makes me nervous.”

Despite the impact of COVID-19, Bennett remains hopeful for the future of her company and the ties that have brought her to the Malibu community. Bennett said she just felt a pulse to go to Malibu two and a half years ago and the first thing she did was a surf swap,

which is buying, selling or trading surfboards.

Bennett had all her art boards out in the City Hall parking lot in Malibu. Bennett said she has become friendly with the community and has been super supported in Malibu.

Bennett said Porsche is sponsoring her to do an event, and she is also doing a big fundraiser for an animal shelter in Malibu. Bennett is donating one of her animal surfboards, which should help her raise a few thousand dollars.

“The moment I decided to shape my own boards, I would say I was ‘stoked’ all the time,” Bennett said.

To see more of Bennett’s surf art, please visit bobbibennett. com.

STELLA.ZHANG3@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Body and Soul: A love letter to the beach YAMILLAH HURTADO LIFE AND ARTS COPY EDITOR The beach is my happy place. It’s where I feel free.

Being so close to the beach is how Pepperdine won me over, so it was only fair I commemorated the end of my chaotic first week of school to where I feel most at peace.

As the busyness of Labor Day started to unwind, I decompressed at Point Dume State Beach — a beach with spectacular views and one that holds a special place in my heart.

The beach was packed with locals and tourists alike, even including a chocolate Dachshund who sniffed around the sand as if he were searching for gold.

I stepped barefoot on the cold, wet sand, reconnecting with the earth once again. Little grains of sand snuck their way in between my toes and the cuffs

of my jeans. As I inched closer toward the sea, my feet dug deeper, leaving footprints in the sand.

Flocks of seagulls soared through the sky as the cool breeze tangled my hair and the mist of the ocean kissed my skin. The taste of salt and the smell of seaweed calmed me, as they’re remnants of beach days with my family.

The sun was a hazy orange hue hidden behind the heavy marine layer. Every few minutes, the sun would come out in between the clouds and then retreat into its hiding place, as if it were playing a game of peekaboo. Although gray clouds hovered over the Santa Monica Mountains, the sun’s reflection sparkled among the ocean waves.

The rise and fall of the tide enchanted me, and the roaring of the waves as they crashed onto the shore left me in a state of serenity.

As I breathed in the fresh air and watched the sun set, I became emotional. I couldn’t believe I’ll get to see

YAMILLAH HURTADO | LIFE AND ARTS COPY EDITOR The orange sun sets recently at Point Dume State Beach, leaving an array of colors throughout the horizon. The waves crashing on the seashore enamored me and transported me to a place of tranthis view every day that I’m here in Malibu.

The beach has always felt like home, but now, it actually is.

YAMILLAH.HURTADO@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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‘Maddy Bear Bakes’ is fresh out of the oven BETH GONZALES LIFE AND ARTS EDITOR RACHEL MAREK DESIGN ASSISTANT

Maddy Bear Bakes is a predominantly online cookie and sweets business run by Maddy and Mariah at just 12 and 13 years old. After Maddy was diagnosed with a milk allergy, she wanted to create sweets that everyone could enjoy. The company offers dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan options for its customers. The duo’s mother, Abi Smith, is a Communication professor and coach of the debate team at Pepperdine University.

Maddy and her sister Mariah — the business manager — got their start in December 2020 when they began to bake cookies to give back to their community.

COVID-19 quarantine orders left the sisters more time for whisks in their hands and flour in their hair — and now they have a business license.

“It was a really hard time, and we thought it would be something great to make people smile,” Mariah said. “People really loved our cookies, and they wanted to start buying them to support us so we could get cookies out to more people.”

These girls are not only reaching massive accomplishments early on, such as recently signing the lease to indus-

trial kitchen space, but local support has also been flowing through.

They received a grant from the JLH Foundation, a nonprofit organization that donates to local businesses, and they have their cookies in stock and ready for sale at the Waterlily Cafe in Topanga, Calif., Mariah said. The girls are recognized as a 2021 Black Plate Finalist, a voters-based award that highlights the best Blackowned food and drink crafters in the area.

Even with the outside accolades and awards, Maddy finds the most enjoyment in the simple and sweet.

“I like to bake with Mommy.

That’s my favorite part of it,” Maddy said.

Pepperdine’s Student Government Association was the first client to place a big order — over 20 dozen cookies for a social media giveaway.

This eventually led to Maddy Bear Bakes catering two large Pepperdine events, including one at the Year 2 Welcome. The University partnership aided them in launching PayPal and other financial accounts for their business to progress.

“That’s when Mariah set everything up online for people to start ordering, so it really is because of Pepperdine that it became a real business,” Smith said.

Pepperdine involvement led them to eventually perfecting their gluten-free recipe, Ma-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADDYBEAR.COM Maddy (left) and her sister Mariah (right) bask in the success of their newfound cookie business they started in December 2020. The pair now sell in a local store, have a booming online presence and just started factory manufacturing. riah said, due to the fact that ingredients were expensive and timely to fashion.

To make her cookie dough unlike any other, Maddy said she cuts the butter smaller with no chunks and then lets it sit in the sugar mix for a while, as well as experiments with recipes.

Maddy’s current goal is to expand her menu and provide cookies that accommodate the top eight allergies. She spends about 40-plus hours a week baking.

Maddy said one of her favorite customers is her local church, Freedom Church in Chatsworth, Calif.

“We will make over 100 dozen cookies just to give out to the cars waiting in line to get food from the pop-up pantry,” Maddy said.

When Mariah isn’t busy solidifying the next big order or helping Maddy brainstorm new flavor ideas, she enjoys most people’s favorite part of baking — especially when Maddy is whipping up a jar of her favorite edible cookie dough.

“I love to taste-test Maddy’s creations,” Mariah said. “That is my favorite part.”

Next up on the sisters’ to-do list is perfecting their upcoming sugar-free cookie recipe and maintaining their promise to their customers of being affordable, using sustainable packaging and baking only with the highest quality ingredients.

“This was not a path we even saw for ourselves,” Smith said. “Now, all of the sudden, we have this business and an amazing community of support around it as well.”

See infographic to the left for reporters’ Beth Gonzales and Rachel Marek’s ratings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADDYBEAR.COM Maddy Bear Bakes offers many different flavors of cookies such as Fruity Loopers, S’mores, Chocolate Chunk and more. Maddy said her biggest baking inspiration is the memories she has made spending time in the kitchen with her mom.

BETH.GONZALES@PEPPERDINE.EDU

ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

RACHEL.MAREK@PEPPERDINE.EDU

PHOTO COURTESY OF MADDYBEAR.COM

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Tide Pools club fair returns to campus LYDIA DUPERIER STAFF WRITER The student clubs of Pepperdine returned in waves at the annual Tide Pools event on campus Sept. 8, from 1 to 5 p.m. Last year, students attended the event on Zoom, but this year they were able to get a glimpse of each club in person.

The Inter-Club Council hosted over 90 different student clubs and organizations to help students get connected to campus life after a year of online schooling. There were four main categories of clubs for students to get involved in: student-led ministries, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Intercultural Affairs and service and social action.

Pepperdine offers a wide variety of student-led organizations to connect students with peers who have similar interests. The various clubs set up tables in Mullin Town Square, where members were able to welcome and give information to interested students.

“After being online for so long, coming to this event and seeing all the clubs in person really helped me find a sense of community and helped me find all the little communities inside the big community itself,” sophomore Kaitlyn Lingis said.

One club new to campus this year is the Women in STEM Club. STEM is an ac-

ronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Junior Jessica Velicer, club founder and president, said she started the club in response to the lack of support for women specifically in STEM. “We really want to be the backbone for females at Pepperdine who might not otherwise have that,” Velicer said.

“We really want to provide a safe place that encourages women in STEM.” As a Chemistry major, Velicer is a woman in STEM herself and said the club introduced her to a multitude of new experiences. She hopes it impacts others the way it impacted her.

The Feminist Club was new to Pepperdine this past year.

Senior Feminist Club President Ivy Leroux said its main goal is to educate others about feminism and find ways to help outside organizations spread awareness. The Feminist Club also partners with different fraternities and sororities to speak with members about what feminism is and how they can support it.

Students said they look forward to being a part of clubs that are making a difference for women on and off campus.

“The idea is to empower women and men on campus and to get rid of some of the negative connotations that surround feminism,” Leroux said.

MERCER GREENE | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Members of the Art History Student Society smile in picture frames at the club fair Sept. 8. Students visited the table to learn what it means to be a member of the club and the many others featured at the Tide Pools event.

Food Recovery Network had a table at the club fair as well.

Dawnielle Wright, president of the Food Recovery Network chapter at Pepperdine, said the club is a campus outreach organization that recovers food waste from places on and off campus. The club partners with organizations like Malibu C.A.R.T. and local churches who then distribute the recovered food to people experiencing homelessness. Wright said the club is a national organization, allowing for other groups nationwide the chance to offer unique volunteer opportunities for students in the club.

One of the more philosophical-based clubs on campus is the Veritas Club. Senior Daron Excel, vice president of Veritas, said the club’s name means “truth” in Latin. Fittingly, Excel said most meetings consist of the students debating topics related to truth. The members usually discuss philosophical questions like, “How can people know God exists?” or “Are science and religion compatible?”

“We can explore truth together and discuss questions of faith,” Excel said. “Our ultimate aim is to understand what truth is, what it is we are striv-

ing for and what is the meaning of all this.”

The Tide Pools event showcased the organizations that are available for students to join at Pepperdine. Students can join the clubs by contacting their mailing list or through The Peppervine. On the website, students can find information about the many organizations Pepp has to offer — students can sign up, find important dates and get a summary of each club.

LYDIA.DUPERIER@PEPPERDINE.EDU

‘Environmental Reflections’ invites nature inside the Weisman ADDISON WHITEN LIFE AND ARTS ASSISTANT In-person art exhibits are back at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, Pepperdine’s on campus art museum, as it presents the first art exhibit of the 2021-22 season, titled “Environmental Reflections.”

“Environmental Reflections” is a collection of contemporary art pieces celebrating the beauty and power of nature, which Billie Milam Weisman, director of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation in LA, organized and curated. The exhibit opened at the Weisman Museum in Malibu on Sept. 1. “‘Environmental Reflections: Contemporary Art from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation’ exemplifies

ART COURTESY OF KELLY BERG A volcano erupts as a storm strikes land in the background in a photo of Kelly Berg’s “Ring of Fire,” distributed as part of the Weisman’s press release about the exhibit.

how we continually explore the natural world, from the depths of the oceans to the farthest reaches of space, calling to mind how early humans would trek through the landscape yearning for knowledge of the unknown,” according to the exhibit’s webpage. “Nature has the ability to reflect our humanity— there is beauty, destruction, depth, and vast expanses yet to be discovered.”

The pieces in this exhibit reference many different aspects of nature, representing its depth and diversity. Kelly Berg’s painting, “Ring of Fire,” showcases a volcano erupting amid stormy seas, highlighting nature’s power and ability to transform.

“Nature is constantly shifting and changing, sometimes in minuscule ways that are often overlooked, such as how the sky shifts with sunrise and sunset, or the way flowers and plants sway in the wind and rotate in the direction of the sunlight,” according to a press release from the Weisman Museum. “Then there are the grand changes due to natural and man-made disasters of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, droughts or the depletion of natural resources. This exhibition brings a broad spectrum of approaches that reflect a reverence for nature and its complexities.”

Junior Psychology major Ava Avolio recently attended “Environmental Reflections.” She said she connected with the theme of the exhibit and that the staging of the pieces helped illustrate the exhibit’s message.

“Each room is subtly color-coordinated in a way that all the pieces work together to catch your eye and tell a story while also being their own pieces,” Avolio said.

MERCER GREENE | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Two students view an “Environmental Reflections” piece at the Weisman Museum. Students can access the exhibit for free.

“Environmental Reflections” is the first in-person art experience at the Weisman since campus closed March 2020, and it follows last summer’s exhibit at the Weisman, titled “On Location in Malibu 2021,” a series of paintings highlighting the many scenes of Malibu. While this exhibit also focused on natural scenery, it was only open to the public online.

“After a long time apart, we are excited to once again host an in-person exhibition at the Weisman Museum,” said Rebecca Carson, managing director of the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts. “We are grateful to Billie Weisman and the Weisman Foundation for their many years of partnership and for their support of the many artists whose work is showcased in this stunning exhibition.”

The exhibit is free to attend and

open to the public until Dec. 5, but requires an advance ticket reservation, which can be made online. While “Environmental Reflections” is already open, there will be an opening reception on Oct. 3, at the Weisman Museum from 2 to 4 p.m. This reception will be free to attend, and tickets can be reserved online.

ADDIE.WHITEN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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S E P T E MBER 17, 2021

The Graphic

PEPPERDI NE- G R A P H I C .C O M

SPORTS Pepperdine shuts out UC Santa Barbara 3-0 JERRY JIANG STAFF WRITER Pepperdine Women’s Soccer took care of business Sunday afternoon versus UC Santa Barbara with an impressive display of defense and a well-balanced offensive attack. Pepperdine quickly gained control of the game with two quick goals in the first half followed by a third goal minutes into the second.

Pepperdine’s largest margin of victory against UC Santa Barbara was a 1-0 win back in 2018 and has posted an overall record of 2-2 since 1996.

This was Pepperdine’s first matchup against UC Santa Barbara since 2018, and the team was still able to prepare and execute their fourth shutout of the season.

“I think our preparation is very similar to non-conference games and conference games,” redshirt freshman goalkeeper Tia Harrison said. “At the end of the day, we’re all on a mission and we all have standards and goals, but every game presents a new challenge, and I thought the other team did a very nice job today so we’re ready and we prepared well this week.”

What was suppose to be a close, competitive game quickly became the opposite, as Pepperdine took control early with two quick goals within the

MERCER GREENE | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR GRAPHIC BY KAITLYN DAVIS Pepperdine completes its fourth shutout of the season against UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 12, at Tari Frahm Rokus field at Pepperdine. The Waves took control of the game early and continue their hot start to the season.

first 15 minutes.

The first goal was scored by the senior defender Trinity Watson on a free kick from the left corner. Pepperdine drew a foul, and Watson was able to take advantage of the moment.

Sophomore midfielder Tori Waldeck set up redshirt senior midfielder Joelle Anderson for the second goal a minute later. Pepperdine found themselves in a quick transition opportunity, and as Waldeck raced down the field, she set up Anderson, who passed the goalie and found the bottom of the net.

“I just saw Tori get the ball wide,” Anderson said. “I kinda faded away because I saw my player going towards the goal, and she played an amazing cross across the goal line, and I had to put it in the back of the net, but it was an awesome job by Tori.”

Pepperdine never looked back as the Waves remained aggressive on offense, registering a total of 17 shots and keeping the Gauchos defense on their heels all afternoon.

“I’m so proud of how we came out and scored our goals and showed what it was like to be part of this program,” Anderson said. “I think we’re doing an excellent job starting off strong, and I think we’re going to keep on rolling and have a strong start to the season.”

The third goal came in the 55th minute, when redshirt senior defender

Calista Reyes received the pass from Anderson and was able to find the opening in the middle, effectively finding the bottom of the net.

Pepperdine continued to put the pressure on the Gauchos throughout the second half, as they attempted 14 shots.

The fast-paced offense set the tone for the rest of the game. Pepperdine utilized what’s known as a 4-4-2 offensive formation, which stretches out the field and gives the strikers more space to maneuver.

Pepperdine’s defense played a major role in the victory, as the Waves limited the Gaucho’s offensive attempts to just two shots the entire afternoon with redshirt senior goalkeeper Zoe Clevely and sophomore goalkeeper Ellie Sommers making the critical saves.

Throughout the game, the Waves were able to control the ball on the offensive side and never allowed the Gauchos to get into its offensive rhythm by limiting their movement to just beyond the midfield line.

“Sometimes the best defense is the ball,” Head Coach Tim Ward said.

“You keep the ball and the other team can’t hurt you, but even when we made the changes, I think people will see that we have one philosophy and that no matter who comes on the field, everyone is sort of pouring in and playing to

that one vision of the game.”

The Waves are riding a five-game winning streak with an impressive 7-10 start to the season.

This has been the program’s best overall start since 2012, and with the past year’s shortened season due to the pandemic, players now have a full season to look forward to and take full advantage.

“We’ve gone through so much together, as a team,” redshirt freshman defender Kam Pickett said. “I’m so glad because we all have each other’s backs, we’re all sisters, we’re family and through COVID, even injuries, all the above, we’re just pushing through together.”

The Waves will travel to Texas for a two-game road trip against the powerhouse TCU Thursday, Sept. 16 and Texas A&M Sunday, Sept. 19

JERRY.JIANG@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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SE P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 2 1 | S PO RTS | PE PPE RDIN E G R A P H I C M E D I A

Opinion: PGM picks NFL week 2 JOE DOONAN STAFF WRITER Week 1 of the NFL season was eventful, with many surprising results and interesting storylines. Many of the games didn’t go the way most viewers expected, as every team is much different from last year and expectations can be erroneous. Due to this, the desk struggled a bit with their picks.

The season kicked off Thursday, Sept. 9, with the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeating the Dallas Cowboys — to the delight of the staff, who all took Tampa Bay. If this game was indicative at all of how this season will be, we’re in for a good one.

The staff thought similarly for many of their picks in Week 1. In addition to picking the Bucs, all five participants correctly chose in favor of the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks.

The entire staff also came up on the short end of numerous games as well, picking teams who lost such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.

Some different results for the staff came from the Arizona Cardinals versus Tennessee Titans game, as staff writers Austin LeDe’ and Joe Doonan successfully chose the Cardinals. Likewise, Creative Director Ali Levens chose the Los Angeles Chargers over the Washington Football Team along with Digital Editor Karl Winter.

To see the rest of the picks from last week, read our Week 1 article.

Week 2 has some exciting divisional matchups, starting

with the Giants versus the Washington Football Team on Thursday in the first NFC East battle of the season. The Bills will meet the Dolphins in Miami for a battle between AFC East teams, who both won double digit games last year.

The Chiefs are locked in a potential playoff preview with the Ravens, and the Titans will travel to Seattle for a showdown featuring two playoff teams from last season.

The 49ers and Eagles will also meet in a game between two offenses who put up over 30 points last week.

After seeing all 32 teams for the first time, let’s see if the staff can improve on their records from Week 1. Without further delay, here is Ali, Karl, Joe, Alec and Austin with their Week 2 picks!

son looked decent in his first start, but young quarterbacks don’t have a good track record against Bill Belichick.” — Joe

New York Giants (0-1) at Washington Football Team (0-1) (Thursday, Sept. 16 at 5:20 p.m., PDT)

Cardinals: Joe, Karl, Alec, Austin, Ali

Washington Football Team: Joe, Karl, Austin Giants: Alec, Ali “I was embarrassed to choose this team last week, and that certainly doesn’t change for this week; I just hope the threat of losing to a divisional rival will get Daniel Jones’ butt in gear.” — Ali New England Patriots (0-1) at New York Jets (0-1) (Sunday, Sept. 19 at 10:00 a.m., PDT) Patriots: Joe, Karl, Alec, Austin, Ali “The Patriots are better on almost every level. Zach Wil-

Buffalo Bills (0-1) at Miami Dolphins (1-0) (Sunday, Sept. 19, at 10:00 a.m., PDT) Bills: Joe, Karl, Austin, Ali Dolphins: Alec “I’m gonna overreact from Week 1 and say that the Bills are gonna to have a slow start to the season. I think they’ll ultimately overcome it, but they’re working through some things right now.” — Alec Minnesota Vikings (0-1) at Arizona Cardinals (1-0) (Sunday, Sept. 19, at 1:05 p.m., PDT)

“It’s a no brainer, Cardinals for sure. Kyler is looking like he could be MVP runner-up behind Matthew Stafford of course. They have crazy weapons on that team.” — Austin Tennessee Titans (0-1) at Seattle Seahawks (1-0) (Sunday, Sept. 19, at 1:25 p.m., PDT)

GRAPHIC BY ALI LEVENS

Seahawks: Joe, Alec, Austin, Ali Titans: Karl “This is my upset special of the week, I have the Titans.

I don’t want to overreact too much from Week 1. The Seahawks are often good early in the year, but they also tend to lose head scratching games.”

— Karl

Detroit Lions (0-1) at Green Bay Packers (0-1) (Monday, Sept. 20, at 5:15 p.m., PDT) Packers: Joe, Karl, Alec, Ali

badly. The Lions suck, so the Packers would have to try very hard to lose.” — Ali “Go Lions. How funny would it be if the Packers lost to the Lions on Monday Night Football?” — Austin

Lions: Austin “I hope the bad man (Aaron Rodgers) stops playing

JOE.DOONAN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

UP C OMING ATHL ETIC E VE N TS SUN

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WHAT: MTEN & W TEN @ BAT TLE IN THE BAY WHERE: SAN FR ANCISCO, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY WHAT: MGOLF @ OFCC/FIGHTING ILLINOIS INVITATIONAL WHERE: OLYMPIA FIELDS, ILL .

WHEN: ALL DAY WHAT: WSOC @ TE XAS A&M WHERE: COLLEGE STATION, TE XAS WHEN: 11:30 A .M, PDT

WHAT: WGOLF @ BADGER INVITATIONAL WHERE: MADISON, WIS. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: WGOLF @ BADGER INVITATIONAL WHERE: MADISON, WIS. WHEN: ALL DAY

NO GAMES :(

WHAT: W VB @ SAN FR ANCISCO WHERE: SAN FR ANCISCO, CALIF. WHEN: 7 P.M., PDT

WHAT: MTEN & W TEN @ NORTH R ANCH INVITE WHERE: WESTL AKE VILL AGE , CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: MWP @ MP SF INVITATIONAL WHERE: BERKELEY, CALIF. WHEN: ALL DAY

WHAT: XC @ ROY GRIAK INVITATIONAL WHERE: FALCON HEIGHTS, MINN. WHEN: 8 A .M., PDT

WHAT: XC @ THE MASTER’S INVITATIONAL WHERE: SANTA CL ARITA , CALIF. WHEN: 7:30 A .M., PDT

WHAT: MWP VS. PACIFIC WHERE: BERKELEY, CALIF. WHEN: 3:20 P.M., PDT

WHAT: W VB @ SANTA CL AR A WHERE: SANTA CL AR A , CALIF. WHEN: 1 P.M., PDT

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SE P T E M B E R 1 7, 2 0 2 1 | S PO RTS | PE PPE RDIN E G R AP H I C M E D I A

Ahrens shines, Waves battle in Asics Classic ALEC MATULKA SPORTS EDITOR Senior outside hitter Rachel Ahrens reached the mark of 1,000 career kills over the weekend, as Pepperdine Women’s Volleyball took mixed results from the 23rd annual Pepperdine Asics Classic.

The Waves fell to University of Washington (25-16, 22-25, 25-12, 25-19) on Friday, Sept.

10, before grinding out a victory against Cal Poly in a nail-biting five-setter (15-25, 25-8, 25-13, 17-25, 16-14) Sunday, Sept. 12.

“Our team stuck together,” Head Coach Scott Wong said.

“Our team just hangs in there, and makes the right plays at the right time.”

The Waves came into their game against UW riding high with a 6-0 record. But they struggled early from self-inflicted errors, particularly off the Huskies serve. Two of the Huskies’ first three serves of the match were aces, as they raced off to a 7-3 lead in the first set.

The Waves chased the Huskies the rest of the set but couldn’t climb out of the early hole. The UW block was stellar, and they were able to find room for kills all around the court, which led to a 25-16 first set win.

“We were not happy about our performance,” Wong said.

“Every match you learn, and if you’re not learning, then teams are bypassing you. I feel like we learned a lot.”

The second set was a backand-forth affair. With the Waves down 11-12 and the set in the balance, Ahrens took over, getting a big kill and a service ace to put the Waves ahead.

“She was unstoppable,” Wong said of Ahrens’ perfor-

mance against the Huskies. “[Ahrens] has got a lot of different weapons, and she comes through big in critical moments.”

Ahrens put on a show for the rest of the set, hitting nine kills from the outside, including one off an arching, long-range bump set from senior libero Madison Shields that put the Waves up 21-18. Shields led the Waves in digs both games, finishing with 34 in the tournament. A short time later, the Waves took the second set 2522.

UW bounced back superbly from their second set loss, leaping in front 9-4 and then 13-5 while the Waves used several timeouts to try and catch their breath. The Waves relied heavily on Ahrens, who kept launching kills from all over the court.

But the Huskies went on a tear offensively, with outside hitters Claire Hoffman and Samantha Dreschel and middle blocker Sophie Summers each pitching in for kills.

The Huskies started the fourth set fast as well, swiftly reaching a 10-4 lead. The bright spot for the Waves was when, down 15-10, Ahrens slammed a kill past the UW block for her 1,000th as a Pepperdine player.

The crowd stood to applaud, recognizing the gravity of the moment.

“I’m just really grateful,” Ahrens said. “It’s amazing. I couldn’t have done it without my team, and so I’m really proud of them. I’m grateful that I get to play with this amazing group of girls at this amazing school.”

UW won the fourth set 2519, and with it, the match.

Ahrens finished the match with 27 kills, tying her career high for a single match. UW went on to beat Cal Poly 25-17, 25-

ASHTON BELL | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The Waves cheer after a point versus University of Washington in Pepperdine’s first game of the Asics Classic in Firestone Fieldhouse on Sept. 10. After a loss to Washington, the Waves fired back to win against Cal Poly, 3-2, on Sept. 12.

15, 23-25, 25-14 on Saturday, Sept. 11, and claimed the Pepperdine Asics Classic title.

Pepperdine looked to avenge their defeat when they played Cal Poly on Sunday but got off to a slow start. By the time the Waves got into their groove, Cal Poly sprinted to a 10-3 lead. Attack errors were deadly for the Waves again, as they finished with 12 in the first set, which they dropped 25-15.

“There’s no big changes,” Wong said. “We’ve shown and we’ve played really good volleyball. That was the message: ‘We’ll go back to work. We’ll be fine.’”

The Waves were able to reverse the momentum in the second set. After a tightly contested 5-5 start, the Waves went on a 20-3 run to close out the set quickly. A big part of this effort came from freshman outside hitter Grace Chillingworth, who came up with 17 kills and 3 blocks in the game.

In a similar pattern, the third

set got to 5-5 as well, before the Waves went on 11-3 run to put it out of reach. Ahrens stepped up again, racking up kill after kill and pushing her total number to 21 for the game. Sophomore middle blocker Meg Brown also made a big impression, as she finished the game with 17 kills, 3 blocks and 1 ace.

“Good teams figure out opponents,” Wong said. “Sometimes all it takes is one play, and that snowballs into a lot of points.”

Cal Poly came into the fourth set more organized. Led by outside hitter Jamie Stivers, who had 17 kills on the night, the Mustangs found their rhythm offensively, and they took the fourth set 25-17.

It all came down to the fifth set. Cal Poly held a slight lead until 12-11, but after two attack errors by the Mustangs, the Waves overtook them 1312. Then, with the match in the balance at 14-14, a Cal Poly

bump hit a light of Firestone Fieldhouse, giving the Waves a match point.

It was a gift the Waves would not pass up, as Chillingworth stepped up to provide the winning kill.

“It’s definitely nerve-racking,” Chillingworth said. “But I know that I have all of them behind me, and they’re all there for me. We have a lot of trust in each other, and as long as we play our game, we know that we’ll be able to do anything.”

Ahrens and Shields were both named to the team of the tournament. They were joined by UW stars Hoffman, Summers and setter Ella May Powell, who was named tournament MVP. The Waves moved to 7-1 on the season, and will look to continue their hot start to the season Thursday, Sept. 14 against VCU (4-5).

ALEC.MATULKA@PEPPERDINE.EDU