Pepperdine Graphic 11-12-2021

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THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC VOLUME LI | ISSUE 9 | NOVEMBER 12, 2021 | PEPPERDINE-GRAPHIC.COM | FOLLOW US @PEPPGRAPHIC DESIGN BY ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PHOTOS BY RYAN BRINKMAN | PHOTO EDITOR AND ABBY WILT | PIXEL EDITOR

YEARS LATER

PHOTO COURTESY OF @CAFFEINATEDSERIES INSTAGRAM

Student killed in hit-and-run traffic collision; friends pay tribute

A collage of photos details the series of events Pepperdine planned for the threeyear anniversary of the Borderline shooting and Woolsey Fire.

Pepp remembers the Borderline shooting and Woolsey Fire ABBY WILT PIXEL EDITOR

Nov. 7-10 marked the third anniversary of the Borderline shooting and Woolsey Fire.

This year, Pepperdine remembered the back-to-back tragedies and honored the victims of Borderline shooting with a candlelight vigil, Hope Forward Day and a time of reflection in Stauffer Chapel.

“We gather here to be a community; we gather here to be together and to find comfort in our faith,” University Chaplain Sara Barton said at the candlelight vigil. “My memories of those days of Nov. 7 and 8 of 2018 are that — that’s what got us through

W H AT ’ S AHE A D THE WAVES REPORT

such hard things: We were together.”

The Borderline shooting occurred Nov. 7, 2018 at the Borderline Bar and Grill, killing 12 victims, including first-year Pepperdine student Alaina Housley. Sixteen other Pepperdine students were also present. Hours later, a fire ignited in Simi Valley, eventually spreading to the border of Pepperdine’s Malibu campus, where students sheltered in place.

Pepperdine’s senior class of 2022 is the only remaining group of Seaver students on campus who were present for the shooting and fire.

Senior Hattie Pace is a survivor of the Borderline shoot-

ing, and she said this is her first year being on campus for an anniversary. Pace was abroad her sophomore year and at home due to COVID-19 her junior year.

Pace attended Borderline the night of the shooting with a few of her close friends and said she has been healing with her peers ever since the tragedy.

Another important part of the remembrance events was educating the three underclasses about what happened at Pepperdine three years ago.

Pace said while she was grieving this year, she also wanted to inform the other classes about how these two events shaped their lives.

EMILY SHAW NEWS EDITOR Senior Dev Singh went missing Nov. 3, and family and friends later learned he was struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run collision and later died at a local hospital, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPD is still looking to find the person responsible. Friends share their tributes to Singh.

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“Even though we’re graduating and leaving, it’s still leaving a mark on the community as a whole,” Pace said. “The way Pepperdine thinks about emergency protocol has forever been changed, and the way Pepperdine thinks about student loss has forever been changed,” Pace said.

In addition, the underclass students now have the responsibility to remember these events alongside the Malibu community, even after the senior class graduates, Pace said.

“You’ve come into a community where we’ve endured things, and so we want you, if you’re new, to know what took place just a short time ago, and so we ask you to stand in solidarity and in unity with us,” Barton said.

Pace and Barton both said they got through the tragedies three years ago by being together in community with oth-

er Pepperdine members.

“I am just praying daily that that culture is preserved in our student body,” Pace said.

“When something hard happens, we rally around the people and love and support them — because that’s why I’m still here. I just felt really loved and supported.”

While Pace said the Borderline shooting will shape her life forever, she also recognized it brought her closer to the Pepperdine community and to the people with whom she experienced the night.

“The tragedy is horrible, but it brought so many people together in love and compassion,” Pace said. “It brought hope to people that we can be better than how we have been.”

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NE WS

PER S PEC TI VE S

LI FE & ART S

SP O RT S

Editor Abby Wilt A2- Pixel shares what she’s thankful

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the DJs behind B1- Meet Pepperdine’s radio station,

Pepperdine Cheer B5- The Squad brings school spirit

programs in A4- International Europe and Washington,

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student director finds B3- DIF community and purpose in

Basketball B6- Women’s triumphs over CSU LA in

for in the latest column of Good News.

D.C., continue despite travel regulations.

FRI: 1-2 FT

The Graphic’s Staff Editorial asks Pepperdine to give us a real fall break.

Sports Editor Alec Matulka addresses the rewrite of George Pepperdine’s address during Founder’s Day.

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KWVS.

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the troupe.

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and athletic ability to Firestone.

their exhibition game.

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(DEEPSWELL.COM)

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Good News: Giving thanks

THE DPS REPORTS

CHECK OUT PEPPERDINE.EDU/PUBLICSAFETY FOR THE WEEKLY DPS REPORTS

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ABBY.WILT@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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11/1/21 3:33 p.m.

Crime: Traffic Related Hit and Run Location: Rho Parking Lot

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ABBY WILT PIXEL EDITOR

11/2/21 10:25 a.m.

Crime: Traffic Related Hit and Run Location: Malibu Campus

11/3/21 4:17 p.m.

Crime: Traffic Related Hit and Run Location: George Page Residential Lot

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“DUNNcensored” host Hunter Dunn asks students their opinions on the California recall system and its costs.

Alexander Payne talks to students at The Board’s Hydrate and Paint event in the Seaside courtyard.

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U PC OMING E VE N TS MON

TUES 16

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NO E VENTS SCHEDULED

WHAT: American Red Cross Blood Drive WHERE: HAWC First Floor WHEN: 1 1 a.m.

HOST: The Hub for Spiritual Life

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WHAT: American Red Cross Blood Drive WHERE: HAWC First Floor WHEN: 1 1 a.m.

HOST: The Hub for Spiritual Life

THURS 18

WHAT: American R e d Cross Blood Drive WHERE: HAWC First Floor WHEN: 1 1 a.m.

HOST: The Hub for Spiritual L ife

FRI 19

WHAT: Pepperdine Musical: “Mamma Mia!” WHERE: Smothers Theatre WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

HOST: Center for the Ar ts

WHAT: Pepperdine Worship Summit WHERE: Alumni Park WHEN: 5 p.m.

HOST: University Events

COVID-19 numbers and new guidelines

I know it’s a little cheesy to write a list of things I’m thankful for, especially right before Thanksgiving, but even with the craziness of this semester, I truly am so thankful we are all together and in Malibu.

Maybe you don’t think the Caf food is the greatest, and maybe your legs hurt while walking to the CCB, but we all complained for a year and a half about why we wanted to be here, and now that we are, we should take the time to appreciate it.

So I’ll start my little list, as cliche as it is, and I hope it’ll encourage you to take a moment to think about the things you are thankful for this season.

To begin, I truly am so thankful to write for the Graphic and tell stories I find meaningful to our community.

It might overwhelm me at times, but I am grateful I get to start my dream career at Pepperdine and interact with people I wouldn’t get to meet otherwise.

I’m thankful for the faculty and staff at Pepperdine who were flexible and compassionate with us in the past year. My professors come to class every day with a smile on their face, ready to give us grace when we turn in an assignment late or explain to us how to do a test several times, since we all forgot how to do real school in our time at Zoom university.

Though my roommates might make a mess of the apartment or their alarms might wake me up, I am grateful to be living with girls who support me, love me and let me tell them each detail of my day every time I get home.

I’m grateful for the Student Health Center, which dealt with all of our diagnoses, and for the individuals who sit on campus and watch us spit in tubes all day long.

The shuttle drivers toted us back and forth from where we needed to be all semester, and the Caf workers provided us with food when we needed it.

It was an adjustment to have a bunch of eager students on campus, ready to make up for the past year and a half of missed time, but the staff at Pepperdine was gracious with us, and for that, I am grateful.

There are plenty of things we could say need changing or fixing, but there are also many things we overlook every day that are huge blessings, and we could all spend more time focusing on the positives instead of the negatives.

I know everyone’s tired, and we’ve hit the point in the semester where we might all be getting a little homesick, but ultimately we have so much to be thankful for, and I don’t ever want to be so busy I forget that.

TWEETS AND MEMES OF THE WEEK

Pepperdine

Malibu

California

United States

cases*

cases

cases

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deaths*

deaths

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147 700 4.9M 46.7M ZERO 11 73K 758K 87%

students vaccinated

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TRIBUTE: Students remember Dev FROM A1 Friends and family of Pepperdine student Dev Singh mourn Singh’s death after learning he was the victim of a hit-and-run traffic collision Nov. 4.

Singh was not enrolled for fall 2021 but had plans to return in the spring semester to graduate, University Chaplain Sara Barton said at the Nov. 7 candlelight vigil for the threeyear anniversary of Alaina Housley’s death.

Singh’s mother, Urvashi Singh, posted a tribute to her son on Instagram on Nov. 7.

“My piece of heart with which I was living with and now it’s nothing left with me,” Urvashi Singh wrote. “My life line for which I was proud of.

He touched many [lives]. He will remain in our hearts forever. My family and friends and Dev’s friends are heart broken at this point of life.”

During his time as a student at Pepperdine, Singh was a Psychology and Public Relations double major with an Industrial Psychology minor, and he expected to graduate in 2022.

Singh was a member of the Kappa Omicron chapter of Sigma Chi and Indian Student Association, a former sports reporter and camera operator for NewsWaves 32 and featured as a sophomore in the Instagram account Caffeinated, run by alumnus Nick Donahue (’21).

ISA Vice President Sahej Bhasin, who is also the advertising director for the Graphic, wrote in a statement that ISA will miss Singh dearly.

“We are devastated to hear about the loss of Dev Singh, a great friend and a beloved member of the Indian Student Association. Dev will always be remembered for his kindness and ambition, and we ask that you pray for his family’s wellbeing during this time.”

Members of Sigma Chi also wrote in a statement to the Graphic that they will always remember the memories they have with Singh: “Dev was a bright light in our fraternity and possessed an enduring spirit and energy that still lives on with us all today. From his sense of humor to his ability to speak his mind, he was someone who enjoyed every ounce of life and lived it in a truly inspirational manner.

Dev was passionate and proud to be a part of Sigma Chi and wore the White Cross on his sleeve at all times. Dev, our memories of you and with you will never be forgotten, and we miss and love you more than you know. Our prayers go out to the Singh family and every other person impacted by this tragedy. Rest in Peace, brother Dev. You may have passed in this life, but you will always live in our memories. In Hoc.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATE KESSEL

PHOTO COURTESY OF LUKE KNOX

(Left) Members of Sigma Chi, including Dev Singh, erect a cross on a hill over campus in 2019 after the Woolsey Fire. Members of Sigma Chi wrote in a statement to the Graphic that Singh was a bright light in the fraternity. (Right) Dev Singh laughs with his friend, senior Luke Knox, who took a photo of him on campus Feb. 7, 2020. Friends described Singh as a joy and light to be around.

Alumna Chloe Boudames (’21) wrote she met Singh during Singh’s first few weeks at Pepperdine, and she knew from their first conversation that she had made a friend with whom she could always laugh.

“Dev was so funny and charismatic,” Boudames wrote.

“He had such a light in him and a passion for life. He enjoyed making others laugh simply by being himself, and it was evident he would always go out of his way for those he cared about.”

Another friend of Singh, Heet Ghodasara (’20), said some of her favorite memories with Singh include celebrating Holi, the Festival of Colors, at Pepperdine and cooking food together at her place.

“Always cheerful and thoughtful, Dev’s infectious smile spread joy and made everyone feel welcome,” Ghodasara wrote. “In how much I have known him, he was always ready to help people and be there for them. He really cared for people and was so fun to be around. He’s gone way too soon and will forever be in our hearts.”

Ghodasara said one instance she remembers clearly was when Singh came over and learned how to play guitar within minutes after watching a few YouTube videos.

“He just had that quest of life and that enthusiasm and the inquisitiveness or curiousness to learn things and just know more about what life has to offer,” Ghodasara said. “So it’s really heartbreaking to see how he was taken too soon.”

Erin Li was a former student at Pepperdine, and she met Singh her first year. Li said Singh made a lasting impact on her, encouraging her to become more outspoken and express herself and be proud she

can speak another language even though English is not her first.

“Especially Dev, he welcomed us, he welcomed me,” Li said. “I just felt like I could talk to him about anything.

I felt very safe in our friend group because Dev was there.”

Alexandra Enns (’20) wrote in a statement to the Graphic that she was a sophomore when she met Singh and became good friends with him.

“I fondly remember Dev as having a heart full of love,” Enns wrote. “He was never embarrassed or shy about letting people see his emotions. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was proud of it. He loved his friends so deeply, which I am sure his fraternity brothers can attest to.”

Enns’ fondest memory of Singh was when he was there for her during a challenging time in her life, she wrote.

“He was the first person I opened up to and truly felt comfortable opening up to,” Enns wrote. “He made me feel safe and valued and didn’t make me question my emotions. Dev was always this person — putting others before himself and wanting to make sure his friends felt like they had someone to turn to.”

Alumnus John Peterson (’21) and Singh both lived in Eaton Hall their first year.

Peterson said he remembers Singh’s generosity and kindness, including when Singh lent him a suit coat for fraternity recruitment and would sit with and help Peterson with his math assignments late into the night.

“The best way to describe him is that he was unafraid, very unapologetically authentic,” Peterson said.

Fifth-year senior John Claude Marco and Singh be-

came friends their first year as well. Marco wrote that he cherishes the time he and Singh spent together and is forever grateful for Singh’s friendship and love.

Alumnus Mauricio Chapa (’21) met Singh during fraternity recruitment and new member activities for Sigma Chi. Chapa wrote in a statement to the Graphic that Singh cared for and respected the people around him.

“Dev’s radiant smile, youthful giggle and overall charisma were infectious,” Chapa wrote.

“Those of us who were around him on campus were lucky enough to witness him conquer the ups and downs of college life with unwavering courage and growing friendship. He asked questions to try to get a better sense and understanding of people’s ideas, passions and desires.”

Jaibir Nihal Singh (’20) met Singh when he was a junior and Singh was a sophomore.

One distinct memory Nihal Singh has with Singh is when they took a spontaneous trip to New York together over spring break.

“Dev was like a ball of positive energy,” Nihal Singh said.

“He would walk into a room, and he would light up the room.

He was always happy. His happiness was infectious. He used to make everyone smile, and there was never a dull moment when he was there.”

Nihal Singh said Singh was like a younger brother to him, and they bonded over how they were both from New Delhi, India.

“We all were so far away from home, and we both come from the same hometown,” Nihal Singh said. “I felt a sense of elder brother responsibility toward him, and we became really close over the years.”

Alumnus Avneesh Sawhney (’21) was roommates with Singh their first year. Sawhney said Singh was a lively, joyful person with a radiant smile loved by many.

“The thing that makes him so appreciated and why so many people out here are speaking about him and impacted by him, even though we moved on from Pepperdine, is because he will never not be there for you,” Sawhney said.

“If you said I need to talk, he was always there, and he was always giving you the greatest advice.”

Sawhney said Singh’s memory and the love and compassion people have for him will live on forever.

At the candlelight vigil to remember the Borderline shooting and Woolsey Fire on Nov. 7, Barton shared with the Pepperdine community news of Singh’s death.

“Those who knew him said that he was a shining light, that he had a big personality,” Barton said. “He’s very well remembered and well regarded in our community.”

Sawhney said friends of Singh will gather for a pooja, a Hindu prayer ceremony, off campus Nov. 21.

ISA will host an event to pay tribute to Singh on Nov. 23, at 6 p.m., at the amphitheater on campus, according to Bhasin.

Barton said Singh’s father plans to come to the Malibu campus later this week, inviting community members to sign cards at the Hub for Spiritual Life desk for Singh’s family.

Singh was the victim of a hit-and-run traffic collision Nov. 4 at 7:50 p.m., after a vehicle traveling east on Sunset Boulevard and Allenford Avenue in West Los Angeles struck Singh, who later died at a local hospital, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Singh was reported missing a day earlier Wednesday, Nov. 3, after leaving his apartment in Westwood, Calif., to go on a walk, according to Sawhney’s Instagram.

LAPD is still looking for the driver. Drivers must pull over, notify emergency services and remain at the scene if they become involved in a collision, according to the LAPD. There is a reward of up to $50,000 available to community members who provide information about the driver’s identification or help authorities apprehend the offender.

Anyone with information on the case can call the LAPD West Traffic Division at (213) 473-0234, (877) LAPD-247 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222TIPS.

EMILY.C.SHAW@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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HONOR: Students reflect on tragedy FROM A1 Candlelight Vigil Nov. 7, Pepperdine hosted a candlelight vigil on Joslyn Plaza to remember the events that shaped the Pepperdine community. Barton spoke at the ceremony, alongside Alaina Housley’s parents.

Pace said that after the Borderline shooting and Woolsey Fire, Pepperdine hosted a candlelight vigil, so this was a “full-circle event.”

“A lot of our students were there and have that trauma to carry now,” Pace said. “I’m happy that’s mirroring that experience.”

Alaina Housley’s parents, Arik and Hannah, attended the vigil and spoke about how the Pepperdine community has supported them in the past year.

“We’ve been surrounded by so much love,” Arik Housley said. “Knowing that together really helps us all heal.”

Arik Housley encouraged students at the vigil to connect with one another and not forget about how far a simple act

of kindness can go.

The Housleys started the Alaina’s Voice Foundation shortly after their daughter’s death with a similar message — to inspire hope and kindness in communities through education, music and mental health initiatives.

Hope Forward Day On Nov. 8, Pepperdine hosted Hope Forward Day to honor Alaina Housley and provide resources to students who wanted to speak about the anniversary.

Alaina’s Voice had a table at the event, giving away Alaina’s Voice bracelets and the Graphic’s 2019 coverage of the shooting and the fire.

Pepperdine’s Resilience-Informed Skills Education program, Pepperdine Campus Recreation, Student Government Association, Relationship IQ and Student Wellness Advisory Board all had booths at the event as well. In addition, Ben & Jerry’s was at the event, serving ice cream alongside RISE, which served Alaina’s favorite drink, hot chocolate, to attendees.

RYAN BRINKMAN | PHOTO EDITOR Community members gather on Pepperdine’s Joslyn Plaza on Nov. 7, to honor the victims of the Borderline shooting in 2018. This year marked three years since the Borderline shooting and Woolsey Fire back-to-back tragedies.

Time of Reflection in Stauffer Chapel

Thousand Oaks Remembrance Events

Pepperdine also hosted a time of reflection in Stauffer Chapel on Nov. 8, where attendees could write a note of encouragement or a prayer and pin it on a board at the front of the Chapel. Pepperdine also invited attendees to use this time to reflect on the tragedies in silence.

The City of Thousand Oaks partnered with the Conejo Valley Interfaith Association to host a Borderline remembrance ceremony Nov. 7, where Thousand Oaks Mayor Claudia Billde la Peña spoke alongside local religious leaders.

Family members or representatives from each of the 12

Borderline victims were present to each read the victim’s names, followed by a moment of silence. The ceremony took place at Healing Garden at Conejo State Park.

ABBY.WILT@PEPPERDINE,EDU

Students adjust to new abroad policies SAMANTHA TORRE NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR For two months, Pepperdine students have lived abroad at four International Programs, spending time with friends and making memories. Students in Europe and Washington, D.C., engage in a time-honored Pepperdine tradition with new rules and regulations for personal travel.

On Oct. 15, IP published its travel policies to safeguard students’ health as well as preserve their academic performance, Laux said. Students both abroad and within the United States feel the effects of restricted states and countries.

“Like always, the students’ health and safety is our priority,” Dean of International Programs Beth Laux said.

“All of these assessments were done with that in mind. Just like always, the academic experience is the priority as well. And so, those things were at the forefront of the decision-making process.”

IP’s policy went through stages for personal weekend travel, Laux said.

Upon students’ arrival, IP prohibited them from all personal travel — which is a standard process across programs to allow students to acclimate. The second stage of personal travel allowed students to visit areas throughout their host country on weekends, and IP lifted these restrictions Oct. 15.

When IP canceled Education Field Trips outside of Switzerland, sophomore Elle Bui said students traveled within the home country and learned about the nation’s history.

While Bui originally signed the contract to study abroad for only the fall semester, Bui said her experiences at orientation and throughout Lausanne convinced her to remain in Switzerland for the full 2021-22 academic year.

Bui said the locals have been kind and patient with the students.

“I remember the first day trying to find a way to a restaurant,” Bui said.

“And we were completely lost because we had only been here for a few days.

And I remember going up to someone, and we just stopped and asked a lady, and she helped us. She pointed us to the bus stop that we should go to and told us where we should go.”

The third and current stage of travel, Laux said, allows students to travel to approved countries. IP made these approvals after viewing the host countries’ travel restrictions and policies and looking into requirements upon return. IP removed countries that would require a quarantine period from the list.

One week after IP opened travel to other countries, Oct. 22-24, Bui traveled with friends to Milan.

Other abroad program participants face similar challenges. Sophomore Benjamin Ruiz is studying in the London program and said he has primarily been staying within the city. In September, however, he went with the rest of his London group on an EFT up through Scotland, he said.

Closer to Thanksgiving, Ruiz said he will visit Paris with his family, which is a longtime goal of his.

“Of course, there are going to be some restrictions, especially with COVID-19 still dying out, but it still goes up and down throughout the season, especially toward the latter half of the year,” Ruiz said. “So it’s definitely restricted but, all things considered, quite lenient.”

For Washington, D.C., program participants, IP gave students a list of approved states that have been reliably free of travel restrictions, Laux said. If students want to travel to other areas, they must ask Brian Swarts, the D.C.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLE BUI Lausanne students pose at the lakefront in Lugano, Switzerland, on Nov. 4. Due to COVID-19, Educational Field Trips in Lausanne are now within the country, sophomore Elle Bui said. program director, because restrictions fluctuate.

Laux said the D.C. program’s travel policy offers seven states that are in the clear; however, IP has been able to accommodate requests from students.

IP’s international campuses each have 10 to 12 countries students are allowed to travel to without further approval, Laux said. Each of these lists are different depending on the country; for example, Heidelberg and Lausanne students may travel to Belgium while London participants cannot.

When the spring semester begins, Laux said she hopes IP is able to expand the list, particularly for academic year students. The spring semester list will be updated in December.

When traveling within an IP program, Ruiz said, students are responsible for planning the trip and obtaining the required documentation, as well as avoiding prohibited areas.

“If you were to go to any restricted areas on the Pepperdine list, you would actually have to leave for the semester,” Ruiz said.

Although traveling abroad is an

important aspect, Ruiz said going on excursions was not one of the major reasons he applied to go abroad; rather, he is more excited to explore London.

According to the program lists, students in Lausanne and London will be unable to partake in any personal travel over the last week of the term due to finals. Students in Heidelberg will be able to travel through Germany but not internationally.

The U.S. Department of States’ travel advisory level is the main indicator of where students can visit, Laux said. Now, IP looks at both the travel advisory level and what determines this rating — whether it be vaccine rates or other safety concerns.

IP also pays attention to countries where students commonly travel abroad, Laux said.

“We feel pretty good about the list we have right now, but as we go into the spring, we’re aware that students may want a couple more options, and we’re going to do our best to try and accommodate that,” Laux said.

SAM.TORRE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

N OVE MBER 12, 2021

The Graphic

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

PERSPECTIVES

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Staff Editorial: Dear Pepperdine, give us a break

H

ey ed to travel, a Pepstudent really peronly has three dine, your studays to spend dents are tired. with family and We’ve been loved ones. And through midterm not to mention after midterm — the amount of why can’t we just homework the have a break? A student takes real one. with them.

It’s not fair that This just isn’t most universities enough. Why do have a full week we have spring for fall break, and break — but more three-day not a fall break weekends. Pep— when some perdine students of us are still have to struggle adjusting to the without either of fast-paced nathose. ture of college?

Pepperdine’s So, we would Thanksgiving like to propose a break needs an few alternatives. expansion or alMonday teration with more and Tuesday of flexible travel Thanksgiving opportunities for break could take students to allow place asynchrofor a truly restful nously to give experience. students more This past time to travel. year, we learned Alternatively, we how beneficial could also start it is to conduct the fall semester asynchronous earlier so we can SAMANTHA MILLER | ART EDITOR learning to aceither have a commodate our longer fall break A Pepperdine student walks despondently as the turkeys around her take pity on international stuher and her exhaustion. Pepperdine students need longer breaks for their own good. or a full week for dents and those Thanksgiving who live in differbreak. ent time zones.

These soludedicated to cramming knowledge for finals.

For those of us living on the West Coast, it is contions provide students with the ample amount of Whatever happened to taking baby steps? Have venient to leave school, come back and leave again. time they need to travel and spend some quality time we forgotten about having a whole year online and However, for those who live farther, or international- dealing with the stresses of the pandemic? with their loved ones. ly, this dependent travel is not feasible.

Any one of these suggestions are plausible. After We went from complete isolation to immediately Additionally, traveling during Thanksgiving is all, we adapted our academic calendar last year. rushing into campus life. Don’t get us wrong — we more expensive compared to other holiday travel.

Let’s do it again — but stick to it this time. love being on campus and returning to whatever For these students, traveling during Thanksgiving sense of normalcy we can recapture, but a longer break might not even be worth it. break would help us to recuperate from all that we When you account for travel time and expenses, have been through. the three school days used for Thanksgiving break Imagine this: A student leaves school on the become impractical.

Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. That student After Thanksgiving “break” is over, we come back will then travel a certain number of hours to their loto school for two weeks of instruction. This is actucation while fighting through traffic or holiday bustle ally only one week of learning because the other is of LAX. So, if Wednesday and Sunday are dedicatPEPPGRAPHICMEDIA@GMAIL.COM

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 Assistant Liza Esquibias News Staff Writers William Bacon Graeson Claunch Sierra Moses 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 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

Denver Patterson Brandon Rubsamen Art Assistant Editor Leah Bae Staff Artists Autumn Hardwick Brian Zhou Design Assistants Mariah Hernandez Zoe Macarewa Ivan Manriquez 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 Sofia Reyes Gabrielle Salgado Maria Tsvetkova

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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VIVIAN HSIA | STAFF ARTIST President Jim Gash and faculty came together to honor Pepperdine University on its Founder’s Day. George Pepperdine’s dedicatory address was altered, and the speech raised important quesions about trying to change history.

Pepperdine changes its words but can’t change its history

ALEC MATULKA SPORTS EDITOR

S

omething simultaneously minuscule and monumental took place on Alumni Park on Sept. 22. At approximately 10:45 a.m., chair of the Pepperdine Board of Regents Dee Anna Smith read George Pepperdine’s dedicatory address aloud to a crowd of Pepperdine students, alumni, faculty and staff as part of the annual Founder’s Day celebration.

Except, it wasn’t George Pepperdine’s dedicatory address. At least, not exactly.

“In advance of this year’s Founder’s Day, I authorized and approved a small handful of one-time modifications intended to update and modernize the language used — without changing the underlying meaning — so that the listener was not distracted from his original vision,” President Jim Gash wrote in an Oct. 17 email to the Graphic.

The changes made were as follows: • “Man” to “men and women” or “person” in the first several paragraphs • “Conservative, fundamental Christian supervision” to “thoughtful, disciplined, Christian supervision” • “strict Christian living” to “authentic Christian living” • “fundamental Christian leadership” to “disciplined Christian leadership” • “among the children of men” to “in the world” A note on each Founder’s Day flyer alerted attendees that “minor modifications had been made.”

However, there was no note on what exactly these “modifications” were or why they were made.

These changes are significant because they paint a false picture of Pepperdine’s past.

George Pepperdine was, like anyone else, a flawed man. He deserves criticism for his original words, which have set the tone for the University since its inception. Changing George Pepperdine’s words to fit a desired result only serves to make him undeservedly invulnerable to criticism.

“One such example in the Dedicatory Address is the gender-specific reference to ‘...the children of men,’ when Mr. Pepperdine was not intending to be gender exclusive,” Gash wrote.

But, Pepperdine — intentionally or not — has been gender exclusive. This is evidenced by the make-up of its administration throughout history: All seven of its presidents have been men.

Further evidence of Pepperdine’s gender exclusive nature lies in the University’s relationship with Title IX. William S. Banowsky, Pepperdine fourth president, applied for an exemption from Title IX in 1976.

The exemption — which targeted women and members of the LGBTQ+ community on campus — was granted in 1985, and only became inactive in 2016.

“There are two principal religious tenets which are inconsistent with the Title IX Regulations,” Banowsky wrote in the exemption application. “The first such tenet is the belief that women should not serve in positions of authority or leadership over men in public worship, religious instruction, or in the home. The second such tenet is the belief that God approves sexual relationships only between male and female in holy wedlock.”

In a similar vein, there were allegations of sexual misconduct within Pepperdine’s Department of Public Safety in April 2020. The allegations also detailed a significant mishandling of the investigation into the incident.

“In advance of this year’s Founder’s Day, I authorized and approved a small handful of one-time modifications intended to update and modernize the language used — without changing the underlying meaning — so that the listener was not distracted from his original vision.”

JIM GASH, President Another example: changing “conservative, fundamental Christian supervision” to “thoughtful, disciplined, Christian supervision” ignores Pepperdine’s history as a conservative Christian institution.

Pepperdine’s history as a conservative, Christian university has been discriminatory, regardless of its intent.

As was characteristic of Church of Christ schools at the time, students of color were not allowed to live in the same on-campus housing as white students when the University was established. This policy was in place until 1944.

Pepperdine continuously upholds a doctrine of Christian conservatism both in academia and in student life. The Dean of the School of Public Policy, for example, shared a Pepperdine-affiliated petition Oct. 12, 2020, accusing the “far left” of “indoctrinating students for decades” and condemning The 1619 Project.

Pepperdine maintains its policies of gender-segregated housing because of its Christian, conservative basis, as it does with its harsh alcohol and drug policies.

Pepperdine, as a private institution, is allowed to do these things. But, changing the words of its past to

reflect anything other than a conservative Christian institution is dishonest.

These events indicate a history of discrimination at work on Pepperdine’s campus. To alter George Pepperdine’s rhetoric is, in a sense, to erase the suffering and discrimination women, the LGBTQ+ community, students of color and other consistently marginalized communities face because of Pepperdine’s actions; it is to hide Pepperdine’s past and present shortcomings behind a veil of revisionism.

“As is the case with many historic documents, the understood meaning of certain words in their original context, along with writing conventions, can change — potentially leaving the audience with a misimpression of the speaker’s intent,” Gash wrote.

George Pepperdine’s “intentions,” as used in this context, are irrelevant. His words and actions in the University’s founding paved the way toward the exclusionary tendencies rooted in Pepperdine’s framework.

If the administration’s goal is to be more gender-inclusive and more inclusive in general, that is admirable and should be encouraged. But, growth is never achieved through airbrushing the past. Recognition and reconciliation are the first steps in the path toward progress.

The best way to understand and critique George Pepperdine is analyzing his original words — not hearing them through a second-hand, doctored account.

Pepperdine, in this case, has resorted to the rhetorical equivalent of escapism: It has used its words to avoid a complex discussion on its own shortcomings. This has been a pattern at Pepperdine; it is not a one-off incident.

The solutions to this problem are both specific and extensive. In the short term, avoid changing the words of George Pepperdine’s original dedicatory address. In the long term, Founder’s Day may need to be recontextualized as a learning opportunity as opposed to a celebration.

To a certain extent, at least, it seems like Gash agrees.

“I have come to believe that the better approach would be to set the context in advance of its reading, rather than modifying the text itself. This was an error in judgment on my part, and one that I will not repeat.

For the remainder of my presidency, and hopefully into the indefinite future, the Dedicatory Address will be read in its original form each Founder’s Day,” Gash wrote.

It’s important to remember that minuscule changes can have monumental impacts.

ALEC.MATULKA@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Petty Perspectives

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

In-N-Out — Enjoy the finer fries in life LIZA ESQUIBIAS NEWS ASSISTANT I had never tasted fries I did not like — until I tried McDonald’s.

As someone born and raised in California, I grew up eating In-N-Out. I did not realize it at the time, but this set my expectations high.

I figured all fast-food fries were good. I thought I could count on any drive-thru to satisfy my craving for a salty snack on a road trip. I was wrong.

I very rarely ate at McDonald’s as a kid — I hadn’t even tried their ice cream until this past week. I sometimes would go to get a Happy Meal, but that was solely for the purpose of opening the

little gift that came with it.

One day, I was on a road trip and decided it was time to switch things up. Despite feeling like I was betraying In-N-Out, I wanted to take the plunge and try McDonald’s fries — just once.

Well, “just once” turned out to be one time too many.

I did not expect the sogginess and blast of salt that came my way. The texture was rubbery, they were falling apart as I picked them up and there was barely even any potato inside — the very ingredient that makes them fries.

In-N-Out makes fries for the perfect bite — with a balance of crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside — so you do not have to chew too much, and there’s just the right amount of salt without leaving you feeling parched.

In-N-Out’s fries also only have three ingredients.

McDonald’s fries have 19, including Dimethylpolysiloxane. You know what they say: If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. And if you can pronounce it, you are probably smart enough to know not to eat it.

I never need condiments with my In-N-Out fries because they are flavorful enough — seasoned with both salt and pepper. Every now and then, though, I have a fry or two with some ketchup, and it is never an overload of flavor. They also pair well with an occasional dip in a vanilla milkshake, but that’s a conversation for another day.

The point is, McDonald’s fries are unable to be saved. Any attempt to make them taste better fails — I have tried sweet n’ sour sauce, ranch, ketchup and BBQ. The only way to fix the fries is to dunk the entire thing in the sauce, and, in that case, what’s the point?

Long story short, In-N-Out is superior. Anyone who thinks In-N-Out’s fries aren’t good clearly has no taste. And if you aren’t convinced, watch that TikTok of an employee showing how dirty the McDonald’s fryers are, full of salt and grease — which is not surprising. With that, I rest my case.

LIZA.ESQUIBIAS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

A parody of the “Mortal Kombat” fight scene prepares for a fry showdown between In-N-Out and McDonald’s.

Anything is better than In-N-Out fries

ABBY WILT PIXEL EDITOR Everyone raves and raves about InN-Out, making it seem like the best burger joint in the country. People wear shirts to promote it and make it their first stop when they fly into California. Before I moved to California, I thought I was really missing out.

But then I tried it — and I was disappointed.

While the burger might be decent, the fries are horrid. They are dry, crumbly and sometimes soggy. One might ask, how is a fry soggy and dry at the same time? Truthfully, I don’t know, but somehow In-N-Out fries are.

While I wouldn’t consider myself a fry connoisseur, I do think of myself as someone who knows what good food tastes like, and In-N-Out fries do not make the cut. McDonald’s isn’t the best fry place in town either — check out Chick-fil-A for that — but at least I can eat edible fries from McDonald’s.

McDonald’s fries are salty, crunchy and taste like a solid potato. There is enough in the box to make you full, but not enough to make you feel stuffed. They are the perfect size to dip in ketchup, and they aren’t floppy like the In-N-Out fries.

The In-N-Out fries aren’t even somewhat good. They taste like cardboard, don’t have any salt and sometimes don’t even taste cooked. After a good burger, you’d expect some good fries, but you can’t get that with InN-Out. Those fries go straight in the trash.

In addition, McDonald’s fries are cheaper for students on a budget.

Medium fries from McDonald’s are

$1.79, while medium fries from InN-Out are $1.95, according to the McDonald’s and In-N-Out websites.

Not to mention, to drive to In-N-Out, you have to go at least 30 minutes, but McDonald’s is right down the street.

While In-N-Out might be popular in California, McDonald’s is popular everywhere. If In-N-Out starts making tastier fries, then maybe they could expand all over the world. But, for now, if I’m ever looking for a good meal of french fries, I’ll be saving the gas money and heading to McDonald’s.

ABBY.WILT@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Students look to OCB for advocacy LIZA ESQUIBIAS NEWS ASSISTANT After calls for more diversity and inclusion initiatives at Pepperdine and the hiring of a chief diversity officer in March, students are hopeful the new Office for Community Belonging will fulfill its goals.

The OCB, which opened June 1 and is located in the Thornton Administrative Center, intends to create a safe place for students to come together with faculty and staff and find a sense of unity and inclusion on campus. J. Goosby Smith serves as the vice president for Community Belonging and chief diversity officer, and April Harris Akinloye is assistant vice president for Community Belonging.

After Pepperdine announced the appointment of Smith and Akinloye, student leaders shared their hopes for the office.

“An office that is really dealing with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts is long overdue,” said senior Jerry Calderon, SGA senior class senator and ICC president.

“In my tenure here as a student leader — whatever leader position that may be — it’s hard because you’re the ones that have to map out what approaches to take, what lanes to take, how to get seen by the administration. Now there is a place where you go to be like, ‘I have this concern.’”

The Mission of the OCB

MISSION STATEMENT

Pepperdine’s job description for the chief diversity officer position during fall 2020 listed expected responsibilities for the new position, including reporting to and advising the president.

The chief diversity officer job description includes developing a center for community belonging, working with the five schools and Human Resources to recruit and retain diverse students, staff and faculty, increasing a sense of belonging for underrepresented groups, reviewing scholarship information and assessing diversity efforts through climate surveys and focus groups, ac-

cording to the fall 2020 job description.

Smith said the OCB will reach out to student organizations to hear from members about their experiences and suggestions they might have.

The OCB works with all departments at the University to encourage acceptance of those who come from different backgrounds, Akinloye said. The mission of the OCB, she said, is to listen to student voices and learn from mistakes of the past.

“If I only keep looking at the past and what that trauma is, I’m not charting out a future,” Akinloye said. “Right now what we’re doing is we’re asking, ‘What future do you want to create?’ And we are here to get behind that.”

Smith said there are many areas the office can grow in.

The students, she said, will be the governing voices in what the OCB becomes.

It’s a welcome change to me to see the University is trying to at least address some of the historic behaviors we’ve had on campus in regards to the treatment of marginalized students.

HOPE LOCKWOOD, junior “We want to hear from you — the good, the bad, the ugly and your dreams,” Smith said.

One of the office’s first programs is the Community Belonging Concern form for students to share their concerns with the office. The OCB links to the form on its website.

“It’s essentially a one-stop shop,” Smith said. “That was one of the biggest complaints that students had — they were saying, ‘We don’t have anybody to talk to. Do we talk to this person, should I talk to my

ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR The Office for Community Belonging aims to provide a safe space to make all Pepperdine students feel at home. teachers, should I talk to Student Affairs, should I talk to the chaplains, talk to whoever or whatever?’ What we’re doing is having everything in one place.”

Many students at Pepperdine have shown to be inclusive, Akinloye said. Still, the OCB recognizes that students experience injustices — both large-scale and small-scale — on campus. The OCB also has a statement against hate on its website.

While the OCB welcomes people from all religious backgrounds, Smith said, faith is a key part of the office.

“We want to create a center that is unique in what it does and that is very situated within a firm Christian focus,” Smith said.

The word “Dunamis,” which is a Greek word that means power of God, represents the intentions of the OCB, Smith said. The acronym for this word lays out the office’s objectives: Dialogue, universitas, neighbor, agility, mindfulness, imagination and service.

Student Leaders Hopes for the OCB

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Student leaders such as Calderon, Black Student Association President and senior Paige Singleton and Crossroads GSA President and ju-

nior Hope Lockwood said they hope the OCB can help make Pepperdine a more inclusive and equitable community.

Calderon said he wants the OCB to keep its promises after seeing the University struggle to do so in the past.

“I am hoping that they’re able to continue listening but simultaneously be able to have tangible action — a mini-strategic plan once a semester or once a year is what we hope to get done by the end — just to show in real time that the work is happening,” Calderon said.

Accessibility, mental health, racial and ethnic diversity in admissions and diverse course teachings are all issues the OCB must address to truly cultivate a sense of belonging at Pepperdine, Calderon said.

“I’ve been here for years, and it still doesn’t feel like home for everyone,” Calderon said. “You can’t neglect also the struggles that students have faced — those moments where they were like, ‘Maybe this isn’t for me.’”

As an advocate for students, Lockwood said they appreciate any response from the University to address lack of belonging on campus. Nevertheless, they said they are “cautiously optimistic” about the impact of the OCB on students who contribute to the uncomfortable aspects of Pepperdine.

“There’s still a lot of sexism

“Pepperdine Graphic Media (PGM) is an editorially independent student news organization that focuses on Pepperdine University and the surrounding communities. PGM consists of the digital and print Graphic, a variety of special publications, GNews, Currents Magazine, social media platforms and an Advertising Department. These platforms serve the community with news, opinion, contemporary information and a public forum for discussion. PGM strengthens students for purpose, service and leadership by developing their skills in writing, editing and publication production, by providing a vehicle to integrate and implement their liberal arts education, and by developing students’ critical thinking through independent editorial judgment. PGM participates in Pepperdine’s Christian mission and affirmations, especially the pursuit of truth, excellence and freedom in a context of public service. Although PGM reports about Pepperdine University and coordinates with curricula in journalism and other disciplines, it is a student (not a University) news organization. Views expressed are diverse and, of course, do not correspond to all views of any University board, administration, faculty, staff, student or other constituency.”

on campus,” Lockwood said.

“There’s still a lot of racism and general ignorance toward people who aren’t white, who aren’t Christian and born straight, who aren’t cis. It’s a welcome change to me to see the University is trying to at least address some of the historic behaviors we’ve had on campus in regards to the treatment of marginalized students.”

Singleton said she is also skeptical of the OCB’s ability to fulfill its promises. The OCB is still new, Singleton said, and there is a lot of opportunity for it to change the culture of Pepperdine.

Having the space is one thing, Singleton said, but getting students to engage with it is another.

“What I’m hoping for this office is that students know they belong here, and they know they have a special purpose here and they know the space they can go to, to feel all those things,” Singleton said.

“Given a lot of people at Pepperdine live very busy lives, it’s really easy to keep running and not give yourself time to process how you’re feeling. I’m hoping that this space allows people to sit and process and be however they want to be.”

EMILY.C.SHAW@PEPPERDINE.EDU LIZA.ESQUIBIAS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Email: peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com

CONTACT US

EMILY SHAW NEWS EDITOR

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The Graphic

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

LIFE & ARTS

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KWVS DJs get creative in the studio

PHOTO BY RYAN BRINKMAN | PHOTO EDITOR DESIGN BY ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR The KWVS radio station Tuesday, Nov. 9.

HOLLY FOUCHE STAFF WRITER Inside the CCB is a small hub filled with records and news articles, telling some of the most famous stories from KWVS (FM 101.5) history. From interviewing Dinner and a Suit to battling with punk band, Alkaline Trio, KWVS has a vivid life story — and it continues to inspire students to get involved and share their voices with the world.

Since 2002, KWVS has represented not only experiential learning at Pepperdine but also the school’s diversity, as it showcases the broad spectrum of perspectives and ideas across campus through shows such as Kickface and On the Whim. Through the station, DJs speak their minds while also relaxing and enjoying a few engaging hours with the KWVS audience, according to the KWVS website.

“I think it’s helped me learn to better express myself; I’m not always as outgoing as I am on air, but it’s given me a good opportunity to exercise that part of me,” said Abby Morrow, junior Director of Events and DJ. While on air, students create their own shows, play their favorite songs and experience first-hand the world of radio journalism. From conducting interviews to hosting online concerts on

the station’s website, the job of a DJ expands beyond playing songs across the airwaves, accordingn to the KWVS website.

Junior Station Manager and DJ Mharie Brigham said working at the station has helped her emerge from her shell and learn how to manage logistical issues in business and event management.

“I suffer from extreme stage fright; this has helped a lot with being able to express myself and communicate better,” Brigham said.

Brigham said the station manager’s job is flexible and acts similarly to a CEO position. From day-to-day, she often organizes shows and promotes them on the station’s website. Although she doesn’t enjoy all of it, she loves the number of DJs interested in creating new shows for the KWVS audience.

Through submitting an online form and talking with Brigham, students can not only learn the ropes about radio broadcasting but also create their own show, using some of the station’s resources to both produce and manage it in an effective way.

“The best part is all the wonderfully interesting people that come in and out of this room and put their shows on air — the little community that we have here and all the little quirks that it has,” Brigham said.

Being a DJ has its perks, as Pepperdine provides students with opportunities to see their favorite acts in concert, junior DJ Serena Woon said.

“I didn’t even think that was possible — I feel so incredibly lucky because there are people that I would love to see, but because I’m a broke college student I can’t afford to see all of them,” Woon said.

Woon said being a DJ allowed her to voice her thoughts and share topics she typically only talks about with close friends.

“It kind of provides a gateway for me to share more of myself with people besides my inner circle,” Woon said.

Woon summed up her role as a “chummy old-time” because she plays music and talks with her friend for the duration of her show, she said.

Morrow said that she hosts a weekly talk/music show on Mondays at 7 p.m., along with her best friend, junior Lauren Chivers. Morrow said her job consists of planning meetings, organizing show schedules and assisting with events.

The station gave Morrow the opportunity to experience broadcasting, an interest she would’ve never explored otherwise, she said. She enjoys listening to podcasts and always wanted to create her own.

“I’ve always wanted to have some-

thing along those lines or do something in entertainment, but we definitely didn’t have something like this at my high school, and I don’t know what other situation in my life where I would have an opportunity like this,” Morrow said.

Working at KWVS helps Morrow, she said, venture deep into broadcasting, something she was too scared to pursue in the past.

“And it’s low enough stakes where I can do it and if it doesn’t work out, I’m glad I had that experience,” Morrow said.

For Morrow, she said, the best part of working for the station is running and hosting her own show.

“I think it’s so fun and it’s the highlight of my week — listening to everybody’s else’s shows as well because I can tell when I listen to everybody else’s [shows], I can tell they’re having just as much fun as we do during ours,” Morrow said.

KWVS has served as not only a learning opportunity for students interested in broadcasting but also a cathartic outlet for those who wish to share their music taste with the world, the KWVS website said. Students can tune in on FM 101.5 or go to the KWVS Instagram to listen and learn how to get involved.

HOLLY.FOUCHE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Off-campus jobs connect students to community LIZA ESQUIBIAS NEWS ASSISTANT Sophomore Alondra Mendoza found a new community moving to Malibu this fall — her coworkers and local customers at Point Dume restaurant Thaia.

Breaking out of the Pepperdine bubble by finding work off campus allows students, such as Mendoza, to cultivate relationships with locals and find their independence. Mendoza said she is excited that her job has connected her to a community she missed out on during the pandemic.

“Honestly, I don’t have anything else to do here other than do homework,” Mendo-

za said. “For me — if I didn’t have a job — I feel like I would be bored half the time. And I think it does help people gain connections and be able to get out there with people that you don’t go to school with.”

On the Job Junior Oliver Westover works at Malibu Yogurt and Ice Cream, which he said is locals’ go-to frozen yogurt shop. Westover applied for a job there his first year at Pepperdine and was hired on the spot, he said, despite not having much prior experience on his resume.

Westover said many of his friends work at bigger chains

in Malibu, but he personally appreciates the quaint feel of Malibu Yogurt. The store — a “mom-and-pop” type location — feels like family, Westover said, which was especially valued when he worked through COVID-19, starting June 2020.

“My boss is super understanding, and it’s not so regimented with the schedule or super uptight,” Westover said.

“It’s such a good environment.

Everyone’s super friendly, nice and calm — everybody who goes there is a local and they’re just happy to be there.”

LIZA ESQUIBIAS | NEWS ASSISTANT Andres Benson organizes clothing in Faherty, a local retail shop. Benson said he started working there during his first year at Pepperdine and appreciates SEE JOBS | B3 the workplace and friendships he has made.

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Paris Baguette brings back sweet memories EMILY SHAW NEWS EDITOR

Memories of eating sugary pastries with my mom while waiting for my siblings to return from school flood my mind as I walk toward a Paris Baguette in Encino, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 31.

I had missed hanging out at one of my favorite places as a child, so I had decided earlier in the week to go with a friend.

As soon as I walk through the door, soft, upbeat music and a nostalgic, sweet scent greet me. My eyes are immediately drawn to the French and Asian-inspired pastries, and my hands reach for a tray and a pair of tongs so I can choose which ones I want.

I search for my favorites: a sugar-covered, twisted donut and a chocolate cream bread. I have eaten these since I was six years old, living in Seoul, South Korea, then in Leonia, New Jersey, and now in Los Angeles.

Every year for my birthday, my parents would pick up a strawberry soft cream cake from Paris Baguette, and we would sometimes even buy it on non-birthday days.

I gather my carefully selected pastries, and I am met with stunning rows of cakes by the register, and even though it’s noon on a random Sunday, I cannot refuse a slice of cake.

The lightness of the cake, the fluffiness of the cream and the freshness of the strawberries are unparalleled and beat any other cake I’ve ever had. As a girl who loves all things chocolate, that is saying a lot.

I sit down at a table with my selection of goodies: a slice of cake, chocolate cream bread, a matcha mochi donut, two twisted donuts, a hashbrown ham and cheese bread and a vanilla latte.

I used to wait for my siblings to return from doing schoolwork at the tutoring center down the street; I remember feeling excited to share my treats with them. After they finally arrive, however, my siblings and I would always fight over the last twisted donut.

As I sip on my hot drink, I am reminded of being younger and sitting with my mom at a Paris Baguette in New Jersey.

She would let me try her coffee.

It tasted bitter back then, but now, all I taste is sweet.

The comforting blue color palette and patterned tiles on the walls surround me as I enjoy my food. Perhaps the charm of chain businesses is that the consistent design brings up feelings of nostalgia, no matter which location I’m at.

Paris Baguette is a place that allowed me to further bond with my family but has also helped me feel connected to my

A variety of pastries are PHOTOS BY EMILY SHAW | NEWS EDITOR arranged on the table.

These foods were some Rows of colorful cakes draw customers’ eyes before of the author’s favorites they pay for their food. Paris Baguette’s certified bakers made these cakes for customers to enjoy for growing up. any celebration.

Korean heritage, even if I’m not physically in South Korea.

Moving from South Korea to a predominantly white area in New Jersey, I cherished the times my mom took me and my siblings a few towns over, where Paris Baguette and many other Korean restaurants and businesses existed.

Sweets have definitely become my love language. I am forever grateful to Paris Baguette for my beloved, childhood memories.

EMILY.C.SHAW@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Paris Baguette displays its pastries, ready for customers to purchase. The array of pastries included both French and Asian-inspired sweets for customers to enjoy.

Spend a fall day at Disneyland park ADDISON WHITEN LIFE AND ARTS ASSISTANT Every fall, Disneyland displays bright orange pumpkins and other autumnal trimmings to celebrate Halloween and the changing seasons. My family and I spent a day in the park this fall and enjoyed the special atmosphere these seasonal decorations fostered.

When we walked into the park, we saw a giant pumpkin in the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head, sitting in front of the street that leads to the park’s focal point, the Sleeping Beauty Castle.

My family has been to Disney World multiple times, and we love that park. This trip to Disneyland was my second but the first for my mother and sister. They were impressed by the castle’s dreamy, soft-pink color — a stark contrast from the white walls of its Florida counterpart.

Our first stop after admiring the entrance area was Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, a staple of the park. No one in my family is particularly fond of Pinoc-

chio, so this strangely dark ride was a funny way to kick off our day. The ride’s small cars threw us around, roughly slinging us from scene to scene as blacklight murals and blaring music told the story.

After getting off the ride, we walked around and took in the scenery of Fantasyland. We looked at the Matterhorn for a while, in awe of the mountain’s height and realism, complete with glittery white snow topping its peaks. We watched cars of screaming riders rush by, disrupting the picturesque scenery, and laughed at the people yelling onboard.

Later in the day, we wanted churros, and as we stood in line to buy them, we could smell the deep-fried sugary snacks. Our wait felt much longer than it really was because we were hungry and they smelled so good — but once we finally got our treats, the wait was worth it.

My favorite Disney ride is the timeless It’s a Small World, so the highlight of the day was when we finally arrived at the ride’s sparkly white-and-gold facade. Once we sat in our bright-

ly colored boat, we went on our way. Onboard, we enjoyed the ride’s signature soundtrack, sung in multiple languages and in varied styles as animatronic children from around the world danced around us.

The big finale of our fun day at Disneyland was The Haunted Mansion. Every year, the ride gets a special “The Nightmare Before Christmas” theme for the holiday season, so we were there at the perfect time for a festive experience. We stood in line for an hour, so we had plenty of time outside to notice all the whimsical holiday decorations on the big old house. By the time we got inside to get on the ride, our feet hurt so bad that we were ecstatic to sit for a while.

My family’s day at Disneyland was a refreshing, much-needed break from my usual life on campus at Pepperdine. It was a colorful, tasty and, at times, sore day that I won’t soon forget — spent with the people who matter most.

ADDIE.WHITEN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

ADDISON WHITEN | LIFE AND ARTS ASSISTANT The exterior of The Haunted Mansion is specially decorated for the holiday season. The seasonal “The Nightmare Before Christmas” theming of the ride was something my family had never experienced before, so we enjoyed seeing it together.

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JOBS: Students enjoy working in the community FROM B1 Being the sole business location, Malibu Yogurt, Westover said, is unique to the city and not well known by those who do not live in Malibu. Westover said he always appreciates that the customers come in excited to support a local business and that he can contribute to running it.

Junior Andres Benson said his off-campus work at retail store Faherty, located in the Malibu Country Mart, gives him the opportunity to see a glimpse into the lives of people outside of Pepperdine.

In Malibu, there’s a lot of successful people that you can talk to and get tips from.”

ANDRES BENSON, junior “It’s been awesome,” Benson said. “You get to talk to tons of different people — ob-

viously in Malibu, there’s a lot of successful people that you can talk to and get tips from.

I guess over time, I have had a chance to grow within the company.”

The work environment at Faherty, Benson said, is relaxed and laid-back. Benson said he values the friendships he has with his coworkers, and they are excited to be together after separation.

During his time at Faherty, Benson said he has become more educated on sustainable products and Indigenous culture through the Native American designers the store partners with. Benson said working at the store has ignited an interest in things he did not previously think about when applying for a job.

“When I walked into Fahrety for my first interaction with them, I had no idea what the brand was about,” Benson said.

“But over time, I have learned that they are all about sustainability and making good impacts on the world.”

Mendoza said she knew before coming to Pepperdine she wanted to work off campus to help her acclimate to the Malibu area, so she applied over the summer.

Once she got the job at Thaia, a Thai food restaurant, Mendoza immediately appreciated the outlet it gave her to spend time away from campus and explore an area she had no

LIZA ESQUIBIAS | NEWS ASSISTANT Malibu Yogurt and Ice Cream displays its flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt and shaved ice for customers. A family-owned business, Malibu Yogurt is a longtime favorite among locals and Pepperdine students. other reason to visit before.

“Because it is about 10 minutes away from here down the opposite side of it PCH — and everybody usually goes down the other side because of Santa Monica — it does make me love it here even more,” Mendoza said. “The drive down is beautiful and it helps me connect more with Malibu.”

For the past two months, Mendoza has been a host.

She is training to be a server, and Mendoza said she hopes

she can continue that position throughout the rest of her time at Pepperdine.

Mendoza’s job helps her explore Malibu and learn her way around town, she said. Most of her coworkers are not Pepperdine students, so she meets people who can show her a different perspective — which she said is important to her college experience given her first year of classes were online.

“All my coworkers are locals too,” Mendoza said. “So they

all tell me all the places that I should go. Even the customers that come in are always talking to me about, ‘This a really good Italian restaurant — you should go.’ Or, ‘I have a Pilates gym over here.’ It’s really interesting that they connect me more to the town.”

LIZA.ESQUIBIAS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Dance in Flight student director fulfills dreams STELLA ZHANG STAFF WRITER Annabella Nordlund, a junior English and French major, has been researching Dance in Flight, a student-run dance company at Pepperdine, since high school.

She joined DIF during her first year and is now the assistant student director.

“Dance in Flight was one of the best experiences during my freshman year,” Nordlund said. “I made some of my best friends there, and it was just a really great space to connect and to get exercise but also to be creative, dance and be artistic.”

Looking back at her dancing journey, Nordlund said she started dancing at 2 years old and grew up as a competitive dancer in British Columbia, Canada. Nordlund’s memories from the dance studio back home include year-end recitals and long 10-hour practices during dress rehearsals.

Nordlund practiced an average of 15 hours per week and traveled across Canada for competitions and festivals, she said. She competed at the BC Provincial Festival of Performing Arts for five years in a row among some of the best con-

temporary dancers in British Columbia.

Dance in Flight attracted Nordlund because it is a creative, performance-based company instead of competition-based, she said.

“For over 25 years, Dance in Flight has provided a safe environment for emerging student dancers and choreographers to cultivate creativity, physical expression and teamwork in a professional performing atmosphere,” according to Pepperdine’s website.

Nordlund said she did some research on Dance in Flight before coming to Pepperdine because she wanted to keep dancing after graduating high school. After seeing the show during her first year, Nordlund said it inspired her, and she immediately wanted to be a part of it.

Now, as a student director who is in charge of rehearsals and shows, Nordlund has more responsibilities. Working alongside director Reagan Zimmerer, Nordlund said the company has rehearsed every Saturday since September for DIF’s annual show in February at Smothers Theatre.

“We do a variety of styles — ballet, jazz, tap contemporary, modern musical theater,” Nor-

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNABELLA NORDLUND Members of the 2019-20 DIF company dance as a team at Ralphs Beach in November 2019. Annabella Nordlund (second from left) said joining DIF has been one of the highlights of her time so far at Pepperdine. dlund said. “With freshmen coming, we had good additions a month ago, and now there are 34 people in total for the show.”

Trying to fit rehearsal times on everyone’s schedules and making sure everyone is communicating has been hard, she said.

“I’m making sure everyone is coming to practice at the right times,” Nordlund said. “I have also had to take on challenges whilst staying creative and choreographing nonstop.”

Nonetheless, Nordlund said it is “totally worth it,” and she is excited for the show in February.

“Being in a leadership position means I need to plan the whole show, which is challenging but also really exciting,” Nordlund said.

The team is excited to be back in the studio in person again, Nordlund said. They made an online version of the show into a documentary last year — students practiced on Zoom and learned dance pieces from choreographers.

“It’s definitely just way better to be able to dance in the studio with other people, instead of alone in my bedroom with a camera,” Nordlund said.

“It’s nice to be in a group again to make new friends and to be

all together in the studio.”

This year, the show will explore the idea of normality and how everyone is adjusting to life again after COVID-19 closures.

“I hope the show turns out well, and I think it really will,” Nordlund said. “We are feeling really inspired by all the dancers because we have a lot of amazing dancers this year and we’re putting a lot of work in.

We’re definitely trying to put together a really, really good in-person show.”

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The Graphic

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

SPORTS

BRANDON RUBSAMEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Squad captain Imani Barbary (center) leads a cheer at a Women’s Basketball game Nov. 5. Cheerleading returned to Pepperdine in 2019 and has yet to have an uninterrupted year of activity.

LIZA ESQUIBIAS NEWS ASSISTANT Every home Men’s and Women’s Basketball game, there are two sports occurring — one on the court and the other on the sideline.

Pepperdine’s Cheer Squad restarted in 2018 due to the efforts of alumna and squad coach Kaitlyn Garrison (‘20). Garrison said the team of 12 feels like family and their goal is to carry enthusiasm of the Cheer Squad from the court to campus.

“One of the big things this year that I really want to emphasize is being there for not just the students, but those that are passionate about Pepperdine and the community around us,” Garrison said. “So I’m hoping to expand that.”

The Evolution of the Cheer Squad Garrison began brainstorming the idea of starting a new cheer squad — after the previous one ended in 2012 after the University replaced it with a dance squad — during her first year at Pepperdine, she said. Having been a cheerleader in high school, Garrison said she felt there was a lack of school spirit on campus that a cheer team could bring.

The following year, Garrison studied abroad in London, but said she used that time to prepare her plan. When she returned to the Malibu campus in fall 2018 as a junior, she landed a meeting with the Athletics department.

“I had pitched this concept — I don’t know how this happened — they were like, ‘OK.’ I did come in with a full presentation and budget sheets,” Garrison said. “I came in with everything ready.”

In October 2018, Garrison said the University gave her the go-ahead to start tryouts, but the Woolsey Fire sent

everyone home shortly after. Still, Garrison said she was determined to get the squad up and running, so she held virtual practices.

“I did a full tryout and put together a really great squad, and they actually had to practice on Zoom and with videos over winter break,” Garrison said.

“They practiced all through the winter and we showed up after winter break and had the first game.”

After graduating, Garrison transitioned her role from squad captain, student and coach to just coaching. She said this transition was smooth, and now she enjoys mentoring and watching the team grow.

“I’ve been blessed to be on the squad that I am now coaching, and one of the things I really valued was that family aspect,” Garrison said. “This is who you spend all your time with, so being able to get to meet everyone and put that community together was important to me.”

One of her favorite parts of coaching, Garrison said, is building relationships with her team.

“We do monthly meetings, just so I can check in with them, because I want to have that time to actually be with them to set goals,” Garrison said.

Being on the Squad Junior Elizabeth McLaughlin said she met Garrison as a first-year student.

McLaughlin had been cheering for 10 years before coming to Pepperdine, and once she got onto the Cheer Squad, she was grateful the community helped her transition to college life, she said.

“We want to support this school and are really passionate about staying involved in the sport,” McLaughlin said.

“This is our last opportunity to cheer

forever — there’s no career that supports cheerleading or represents cheerleading in the way that school and competition do.”

Senior Imani Barbary is the captain of the Cheer Squad and joined in 2018 — her first year — when Garrison was still in the building process.

The team is still new and each season has been interrupted so far, Barbary said. Now that the Cheer Squad is able to be on campus, Barbary said she hopes it will gain attention from students.

“I feel like if more people know about the team, more people would try out and be interested in going to basketball games,” Barbary said.

The 12 squad members practice tumbling and cheer routines for two hours twice a week at Firestone Fieldhouse and the on-campus fitness studio. McLaughlin said she hopes, as the squad becomes a more recognized part of Pepperdine’s campus, they can expand to stunting — which is when cheerleaders lift or throw one another as a team.

Right now, the team is only certified to tumble — meaning they can do flips, cartwheels and handsprings, Barbary said. Barbary recognizes the risk of stunting and thinks they should establish their skills throughout the year, she said.

“We’re newer and they want to make sure that our tumbling solidified,” Barbary said. “Stunting is very dangerous because when you start you don’t have a mat, you don’t put on any extra pads or anything, it’s just your body and the people that hold you on their body.”

Insurance is needed for cheerleaders to stunt because of the high rates of short and long-term injuries from stunting accidents, according to Geisinger.

Studies on the Geiginger website show cheerleading is one of the most dangerous sports for women due to being thrown into the air unprotected.

“There are certain things that we can’t do yet because we don’t have insurance to stunt — but that’s something that I’m really great at,” McLaughlin said. “I am one of those people who can toss people up and hold them all by myself, but I’m not allowed to do that because we don’t have the mats or insurance.”

Garrison plans on getting approval for the Cheer Squad to stunt soon, she said, but the team must demonstrate their full potential first.

During tryouts, Garrison said she looks for well-rounded individuals.

“I want to make sure that we enable all different talent,” Garrison said. “We can’t just have a whole team of tumblers tumbling at once; we also need people dancing, and I want to make sure that we have the best of the best.”

As captain, Barbary said she appreciates the various skills each team member brings to the table given their unique experiences. There are gymnasts, dancers, a color guard, trained cheerleaders and those with no history in any of these fields.

“Yes, we cheer now, but that doesn’t mean we’ve always been cheerleaders,” Barbary said. “I think that it’s cool that we are different.”

The Cheer Squad performs during media breaks and at halftime at every home Men’s and Women’s Basketball game throughout the season. There are upcoming home games Monday, Nov. 15 and Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m., at Firestone Fieldhouse.

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Men’s Basketball manager seeks to build community JERRY JIANG STAFF WRITER When fans roll into Firestone Fieldhouse on a Men’s Basketball game day, few think about the time it takes to prepare for a regular season game.

For senior Sports Administration major Ryan Williams, arranging for practices and games is something he’s been passionate about since he moved to Malibu as the head manager of the Men’s Basketball team.

“I was pretty nervous. I didn’t know what to expect,” Williams said. “I was really hoping and praying to God that I was going to get the same experience [as] in high school.”

Finding His Stride at Pepperdine Williams’ decision to major in Sports Administration came to fruition with the help of his high school Head Coach Reggie Kohn. Kohn got Williams a one-on-one conversation with Head Coach Lorenzo Romar, who was returning for his second stint at Pepperdine.

With a fresh coaching staff and Williams taking the initiative, Romar quickly welcomed Williams to the staff. During his first meeting with Romar, Williams said they connected on a religious level, both expressing deep Christian beliefs.

Romar gave Williams the head manager title his first year. While still adjusting to schoolwork and balancing a personal life, Williams said his first year became quite hectic.

The managing department was short-staffed, and Williams had to take on more responsibilities.

“I really took pride in being the glue guy,” Williams said.

“We can control the attitude we have.”

If you want to be an asset for a team or a company, knowing exactly what you have to do before it comes your way [is critical].

RYAN WILLIAMS, Men’s Basketball head manager

Being the head manager means taking care of equipment, setting up drills and cleaning up after practice, Williams said.

Williams is responsible for scheduling practices and assuring the team doesn’t run into scheduling conflicts with the other teams that use Firestone.

“It got a lot easier for me to be proactive and knowing what I have to do before I have to do it,” Williams said. “If you want to be an asset for a team or a company, knowing exactly what you have to do before it comes your way [is critical].”

The team follows a point system in practice that reflects their core values — to defend, compete, share the ball and rebound. On defense, plays such as steals, defensive rebounds and blocks are all plus points as well.

The system is also balanced with negatives such as turnovers and taking unnecessary fouls.

The graduate managers keep track of plusses and minuses for every category, and the player with the most points get a special practice jersey.

The player also gets a free pass to skip running sprints, but Williams said most of the time the players participate in the drills anyways.

“They can look back on the points they got for this week and say, ‘OK, here’s areas I need to work on and here’s areas I’m doing really well, and I can keep executing on,’” Williams said.

Williams said he carries his basketball experiences with him to practice. While being the “glue guy” from high school, he said he couldn’t see himself remaining quiet and being told what to do in the background.

“I really make it a point in practice to be vocal and to bring an energy and whatever aspect that I can so I’m always trying to have fun,” Williams said. “Whenever I’m in the gym, I’m hyping up the guys, I’m saying ‘Let’s have a good day,’ just to get them going and providing that positive environment knowing that it’ll help our team flourish.”

The responsibilities don’t stop because the team is traveling. Williams said some tasks on the road include doing the laundry, making sure the team has extra gear just in case something happens in practice and keeping track of all the team’s bags.

“We’re there to help out the coaches and players in every way that we possibly can so any task that they give [us] we’ll be ready to go,” Williams said.

Helping Out at Practice

Making Connections with the NBA

Williams said he gets to Firestone Fieldhouse early to make sure everything is prepared before the team arrives.

One of the more unique aspects as the head manager is connecting with NBA teams.

Scouts are interested in

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RYAN WILLIAMS Ryan Williams poses with the coaching staff of the Men’s Basketball team at his first WCC Tournament. Williams said his first tournament was his favorite memory being the head manager of all four years.

Head Coach Lorenzo Romar demonstrates a drill during practice. Williams said their practices are intense and competitive. the players’ tendencies off the court — how they treat their teammates and coaches and their character — to paint a full picture. These types of behaviors are only noticed by those working closely with players, such as the head manager.

When then-senior guard Colbey Ross and then-junior forward Kessler Edwards declared for the NBA Draft back in April, Williams was contacted by a variety of teams such as the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and the Milwaukee Bucks. Edwards later got drafted in the second round 44th overall to the Nets.

“They wanted to hear my perspective on those two guys and how they were as players on the court and how they treated everyone off the court,” Williams said. “It was a really cool opportunity for me just to connect with those NBA personnel guys because one day I have a dream of possibly working in the NBA.” Reflecting on His Time at Pepperdine When looking back at his time as head manager, Wil-

liams said his favorite memory was his first experience with the WCC tournament.

Coming from a smaller high school, Williams did not get experience these high-stake games up close and personal, besides the championship game in his senior year.

“The vibe is different,” Williams said. “Like, it’s time to go. We’ve been through a whole season, playing our conference games, and this is just the time [to] really lock in and focus on getting your wins, and we’re focused with getting a shot for the NCAA tournament.”

Williams also got to bond with the players on the road.

Being on the road is challenging, because there’s an arena full of spectators and usually not a lot of Pepperdine supporters. The only family the team has is each other, which draws the team closer.

“A couple of the guys knew that I can rap a little bit,” Williams said, of a time he bonded with the team. “So it’s kinda funny when they put me on the spot like, ‘Ryan, I got an instrumental; I know you’ve been writing some stuff so go ahead and showcase a little bit of what you can do.’ I rapped

for them for like a minute, and it was a lot of fun.”

Williams said his favorite Pepperdine basketball player of all time was Edwards due to the fact that Edwards was one of the funniest people he’s ever been around.

In terms of his future goals, Williams said he wants to step up and increase his responsibilities as a graduate manager.

As someone who is surrounded by the game of basketball, Williams hopes his knowledge of the game will take him further in his professional life.

“If I’m going to step into that role, I want to be prepared for it,” Williams said. “I want to do as much as I can this year to prepare myself for it and start doing some things that a graduate assistant would do just so I can get a better feel for it when I step into that if I get that opportunity.”

The Men’s Basketball team starts their season Nov. 9 versus Rice University on the road. Fans can return to Firestone Fieldhouse on Nov. 12 versus Idaho State.

JERRY.JIANG@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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W. Basketball defeats CSU LA in exhibition game JERRY JIANG STAFF WRITER Pepperdine Women’s Basketball defeated CSU Los Angeles on Nov. 5 by a final score of 66-41 in their lone exhibition game of the season.

After a disappointing 202021 season that saw many players fall to injuries, the squad received some much-needed reinforcements with the return of 11 players.

“It’s nice to have a lot of returners for this season because we already have a builtin chemistry from the previous years,” redshirt junior guard Jayla Ruffus-Milner said. “I think having people who are vets, we can help the newcomers, we can help build new chemistry because we’re developing a new culture this year.”

The team also added three new freshmen to the fold. The freshman class features guard Ally Stedman, guard Helena Friend and forward Meaali’l “Mea” Amosa who all saw important minutes during the game.

“I think the three freshmen are going to bring lots of energy and help us in just any way possible,” senior guard and Graphic staff writer Malia Bambrick said. “Both Ally and Mea have helped tremendously just by stepping in and kind of blending well with what we’re already building off of, and they bought in from the day they got here.”

The game took a while to get going, as both teams struggled to find their rhythm offensively. The Eagles set the tone defensively by implementing a full-court press.

The Waves adjusted to the defensive aggressiveness from the Eagles and countered with their own offense. Ruffus-Milner scored on a layup and Bambrick nailed a jump shot in transition with the score at 6-4 with 7:13 on the clock.

“We just like pressing,” Head Coach Kristen Dowling said. “The other team pulled it off because they were getting some open threes and we didn’t want them to get hot.”

The Waves remained aggressive offensively with sophomore forward Kendyl Carson and senior guard Cheyenne Givens both nailing threes to give Pepperdine a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“Part of pressing for us is that we’re trying to instill a very defensive, active [and] aggressive mentality,” Ruffus-Milner said. “And with the press, it just encourages us to be very active and to be looking around. Searching for traps, slowing down the offense. I think we need to rep that in even more.”

The second quarter saw a change in the Waves offense, as they found success in the post and started to feed the ball to redshirt junior forward Becky Obinma.

BRANDON RUBSAMEN | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Redshirt junior Jayla Ruffus-Milner attacks the basket during the game against CSU Los Angeles on Nov. 5. Ruffus-Milner finished the game with 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Obinma scored five of her total 17 points in the second quarter. Dowling said this would be a main focal point of the offense moving forward.

“That’s something we’re trying to take advantage of,” Dowling said. “It’s hard to stop our post. We feel like [with] not just Becky but Mea we feel like we have very strong post, and we’re hard to stop.”

Obinma sat out last season due to transfer rules and Amosa was still in high school at Mater Dei so the Waves were very limited on offense. Instead, the Waves ran a lot of their offense on the perimeter through guards like Bambrick and Carson.

“Becky is a baller,” Ruffus-Milner said. “This game allowed us to instill the confidence in her to show her like, ‘Yo, you have that! Put that in, it’s there.’”

Ruffus-Milner also got going in the second quarter, contributing with 6 of her 10 points on a variety of layups.

The Waves took a comfortable 33-25 lead at half.

The Waves turned up their defensive intensity in the third quarter and limited the Eagles to seven points.

The defensive effort translated into offensive success, with the Waves finding their rhythm through a 10-0 run.

The Waves forced a total of five turnovers and never allowed the Eagles to find their footing.

“The better your defense, the better your offense,” Dowling said. “One of the things I’m proud of [is] we kept them to seven points in the third and nine points in the fourth and nine in the second too.”

Senior guard Malia Bambrick drives to the basket versus CSU LA. Bambrick finished the game with nine points.

The Waves dominated the paint, outscoring the Eagles 46-12 and getting easy layups while making an effort to look for Obinma and Amosa. The Waves got major contribution from their bench as well, winning that category 21-6 as everyone contributed to the win.

Obinma led the Waves with 17 points. Ruffus-Milner contributed with 10 points and redshirt junior forward Eve Braslis led the bench scoring with seven points.

“Honestly, we have a lot more weapons. Just taking advantage of them, pounding the ball inside and defensively locking down,” Dowling said.

“I think we had some weapons that we didn’t have in the past.

We have a great post player

in Becky, and I think we got some stud freshmen.”

The Waves opened the season against UCLA on the road Nov. 10, with a 78-69 loss.

Pepperdine returns to Firestone Fieldhouse versus Eastern Washington on Nov. 14.

JERRY.JIANG@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Sophomore forward Kendyl Carson looks for a way through the CSU LA defense. Carson played 23 minutes in the Waves win.