Pepperdine Graphic 9-10-2020

THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC VOLUME L |

ISSUE 4 | September 10, 2020

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SGA candidates open up about what matters to them Addiso n w hit en n ew s As si stan t The Pepperdine Student Government Association’s elections will take place Wednesday and Thursday.

Many candidates said both the COVID-19 pandemic and this summer’s reinvigoration of anti-racism activism influenced their decision to run for office and the issues they care most about.

While many of the students running for SGA this year are first-time candidates, some, like Presidential Candidate Chase Johnson, have served before as a representative. Johnson has two years of prior SGA experience and plans to bring that knowledge to the role of president.

“As SGA president, I [would] have the opportunity to reevaluate how we operate and implement changes to make our goals more achievable,” Johnson said.

One topic many candidates said will be an important area of focus this year is diversity and inclusion.

Johnson said this is an issue he’s passionate about, which is why he has plans to introduce new solutions as SGA president.

“There should be a student-led organization that focuses on educational programming for diversity and inclusion,” Johnson said. “It could be similar to the model SGA used when creating SWAB — which focuses on well-being programming — just a few years ago. SGA would be capable of providing funding for this organization, and eventually, it could receive a portion of the Campus Life fee.”

Karese Frizell, a candidate for junior class senator, also plans to highlight diversity and inclusion this year. She said last year, she was the only Black woman in SGA, and this year, she would like to continue to be

a voice for students who feel underrepresented.

“Having a different person sitting at the table [and] being able to bring in an alternative perspective is something I want to do,” Frizell said.

Stuti Aahana is an international student from India running for freshman class senator. She said she also wants to introduce a new perspective to SGA. “Not a lot of international students are interested in running for SGA,” Aahana said. “I will make sure that it’s not always the people who speak up that get their voices heard but also the people who don’t speak up as much.”

Addy Hardin said she was inspired to run for vice president of administration after seeing the impact SGA can have on the lives of students at Pepperdine. Like Frizell and Aahana, she said she hopes to serve as an advocate for students who feel unheard.

“I feel like lots of students feel disconnected — like they’re not being seen or heard — so I want to focus on not only having conversations but figuring out solutions for students,” Hardin said.

Junior Class Presidential Candidate Loriana Allen said she plans to not only emphasize racial diversity and inclusion this year but also accessibility for students or visitors who have disabilities. She said there is a clear lack of accessibility on campus for those who may use wheelchairs or similar equipment.

“If we want to make our campus a place of inclusion, we have to make it fit for everybody as best we can,” Allen said.

Roline Attia is running for vice president of finance and said she wants to create strong connections between SGA members and students this year while also focusing

ashley mowreader | news editor Virtual Voting Booth | The Student Government Association Election for 2020 will be held virtually in light of COVID-19 and remote classes. Students have voted via email in the past, however, candidates were also able to campaign in person. on the duties specific to her future role.

“As vice president of finance, I want to make sure that our SGA budget is used in a meaningful way even though we’re in an online format,” Attia said.

Another issue many candidates have prioritized this year is community and connections with peers while students are away from campus. Alessandra Gesiotto, senior class senator candidate, said this is an aspect of the Pepperdine experience that inspired her to run for office and is a central piece of what she wants to work on.

“Pepperdine is such a unique place in a way that it has this incredible community, and I strongly believe that this community is one of the main things that helps Pepperdine students become successful,” Gesiotto said.

For many of the freshman candidates, the idea of community is of the utmost importance while they spend their first semester of college away from fellow firstyear students. Freshman Class Presidential Candidate Fransheska Companioni-Daroch said she hopes to make the best out of the current situation for firstyear students and create a sense of connection between them despite the physical distance.

“We’re all stuck at home and kind of bummed out, and I want to make sure that we can get the most out of our college experience — and even from home, that we feel more connected to each other,” Companioni-Daroch said.

Companioni-Daroch’s opposing candidate for freshman class president,

Lidia Qaladh, also said forming bonds among the class of 2024 would be her primary focus if she were elected.

“My main concern as freshman class president would be to bring about a bond, a sense of community and the sense of still being able to feel connected to others even though we’re all at home and feel very much alone,” Qaladh said.

After last year’s impeachment trial, the subsequent impeachment of an unidentified SGA representative and students’ calls for more transparency, one way constituents can stay actively involved with and informed about SGA activity is by attending meetings, Johnson said. “[SGA] is open to everyone; our meetings are public, and we would love for all students to come and partic-

ipate,” Johnson said.

This year, there are no sophomores running for office, and the candidate turnout overall is lower than years past. Students can vote for their respective SGA representatives this year via email, which students recieved Wednesday with a link to make their selections by the 8 a.m. PDT deadline Thursday.

ADDIE.W HITEN@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Pepperdine erects Waves of Flags Memorial on Alumni A S h l e y mo w re a d e r N e w s e dito r 2,977 flags span the lawn of Alumni Park, emulating an ocean as the flags catch the breeze from the Pacific. This sea, however, holds no life.

Pepperdine honored a decade-old tradition of erecting the “Waves of Flags” memorial on Alumni Park to honor victims of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

This year’s display lasts from Sept. 8 to Sept. 22 but is closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“Pepperdine has a long tradition of honoring those who have gone before us,” President Jim Gash said in a Sept. 8, press release. “For nearly two decades now, this community has paused on this day each year to remember, to grieve, and to celebrate the

Photo Courtesy of Pepperdine University Stars and Stripes and More | The Waves of Flags memorial features thousands of American and international flags to honor victims of Sept. 11 2001. The original display in 2008 only featured U.S. flags.

What ’s AHE A D

News A3- Jumpstart shares

new virtual initiatives to continue prekindergarten education.

Pe r s pe ct iv e s A4- Staff Editorial:

Pepperdine communication should extend beyond social media.

administration A5- Students should A6- Seaver cooperate with considers GE requirements and Cultural Competency course.

the thewaves wavesreport report

their professors on learning over Zoom.

Fri: THURS: 3-5 ft 1–2 ft

L if e & A r t s B1- Small businesses

work to stay open despite COVID-19 closures.

Faces: Hear B2- Fresh the stories of three first-year students.

Sat: 3-5 FRI: ft 1 ft

lives of those we lost on that day in 2001.”

Pepperdine’s College Republicans club first began the Waves of Flags display in 2008. Since 2009, the University has overseen the installation of the flags across Alumni. The display consists of 2,887 U.S. and 90 international flags that each represent a life lost in the attacks.

Pepperdine typically funds the display and coordinates volunteers to help install the display on Step Forward Day, but in light of the pandemic, the University made some changes.

Gash shared in his Sept. 2 President’s Briefing that the 2020 display is 100% donor-funded rather than using University money because the memorial is “not cheap to do.”

No volunteers were allowed to help set up the display due to

ASH LE Y. M OW R E ADE R @PE PPE R DI N E . E DU

l is te n to The GR A P H

SP ORTS B5- Sport-related and

activity clubs remain active in Malibu and beyond.

T he g r ap hi c’s Ne ws P o d c ast

B6- Former Pepperdine

baseball player returns to campus to finish his education.

sun: MON: 3-51 ft

safety precautions and campus closure, instead Pepperdine employees led the construction.

Campus closure also means Alumni Park and the “Waves of Flags” are closed to visitors.

“The display’s perimeter will have signs communicating the closure, and the University’s Department of Public Safety will be monitoring the display to enforce COVID-19 protocols,” according to the press release.

The University plans to hold a memorial service Friday at 10 a.m. PDT to honor the lives lost in 2001. Gash and Chancellor Sara Young Jackson will lead the event, which will be held via Livestream.

TUES: Mon: 2-4 2 ftft

Meet the News Team in the first episode of The Graph. Hosts Lindsey Sulliven and Ivy Moore talk to the team about reporting, hopes for the semester and more.

WED: Tue:2–3 3-4ftft

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SE P T E M B E R 1 0 , 2 0 2 0 | N E W S | P E P P E R DIN E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Covid-19

THE DPS REPORTS

by the numbers

Check out pepperdine.edu/publicsafety for the DPS Reports every week

Pepperdine Community:

50 1 two Deaths

1

KNown Cases

9/2/20 4:21 p.m.

Crime: Larceny/ Theft - Theft from building, Burglary Location: Graziadio Business School

2

Malibu:

100 Cases

three Deaths

3

Los angeles county:

PRESIDENT’S BRIEFING & OTHER NEWS YOU MISSED DU I c he c kpoint sc h e d ule d fo r se pt. 11 in ma libu la County’s Malibu/lost h il ls sher iff’s station a nnounced it will set up a du i check point on fr iday from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. The lo cation of the checkpoint is undisclosed.

6,030

Deaths

U.S.: 6.3M

sc ho o l o f p u b li c p o li cy t o host v i r t u a l 2 0 2 0 co ns t itut i o n day le ct u r e SP P p l ans t o hol d t he event S ep t. 1 7 at noon P DT via zoom. G ordon l l oy d wil l s p eak on what t he U.S. has rememb ered and forg ot t en ab ou t t he C onstit u t i on.

T he Je r i cho Cha lle nge e nd e d S e p t. 9 w i t h a p r ay e r s e rv i ce Admi ni s t rat i on’s week -l ong J eri c ho c hal l eng e c onc l u ded wi t h a p ray er event at 9 A. m. S ep t. 9. T he c hal l eng e f oc u s ed on p ray er and act i on f or rac i al i nj u s t i c e and rec onc i l l i at i on.

v i r tu al eve n ts f or the upc om in g w e e k

248,821 cases

Ge orge C a rlse n be ga n h is a ppointme nt a s d ivision a l d e a n of inte rn ationa l stud ie s a nd la nguage s d ivision Car lsen stepped into his new r ole in august, r eplacing mike sugimoto, who served as the iter im divisional dean.

THURS 10

What: BEING BLACK ABROAD When: 6 p.m.

Hosted by: BLACK STUDENT ASSOCIATION What: The gathering When: 7 p.m. hosted by: the well and celebration chapel

FRI 11

What: DJ MEETING When: 6 p.m.

Hosted by: KWVS RADIO What: CROSSROADS MOVIE NIGHT When: 7 p.m.

Hosted by: CROSSROADS

MON 14

What: DEAN’S SPEAKER SERIES: DOROTHY BROWN When: 12:30 P.m.

Hosted by: CARUSO SCHOOL OF LAW

TUES 15

No events scheduled

WED 16

What: DIY STYLE PROJECTS When: 4 P.m.

Hosted by: PEPPERDINE ENGINEERING SOCIETY

What: Business & Technology Virtual Industry Fair 2020 When: 10 A.m.

Hosted by: THe Career Center

cases

week

189K Deaths Worldwide:

27.2M cases

890K

Deaths Malibu reopening phase:

3

Looking for more?

subscribe to the p(S cianxande ls c rolnletowthesbottom l e toftt hee rpage)

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SE P T E M B E R 1 0 , 2 0 2 0 | N E W S | P E P P E R DIN E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Student attention wanes over Zoom A n nab el l e C hil ders Staf f w r i ter As the Pepperdine community treks through an online fall semester, professors and social event coordinators fight to capture student attention in and outside the classroom.

While both the academic and social spheres of Seaver College work to promote greater engagement, student activity groups face one primary obstacle: student attendance.

“I think virtual social events are good ideas in the sense that they mean well,” first-year Mary Paige Rowsey said. “They’ll help me know familiar faces when I get to campus. They can make you not feel so alone after being in your room all day, but I personally just don’t think you can truly get to know people through Zoom.”

Rowsey said she did not attend ICC’s Tide Pools club fair or the Student Programming Board’s events but participated in Panhellenic Recruitment. She said she felt hesitant to attend other virtual activities.

“Everything is still so new to me as a freshman, so meeting people, in general, can make me nervous,” Rowsey said. “Plus Zoom fatigue is real, and having to Zoom for social events after using it for class all day can be tiring.”

JD Arevalos, a member of The Board, said he understands the challenge in motivating students to attend online events. Unlike past years, the attendance for Board events this semester is smaller, averaging around 15 to 30 students.

“It’s different from last year due to the online format, but we are still try-

ing to create community,” Arevalos said. “The numbers from last year were higher than the fall 2020 semester, but we realize this time is hard for everyone.”

The Board held online events over the summer, and Arevalos said its leaders prepared for an online fall semester. The team uses Peppervine, Instagram, Twitter and a newsletter to send invitations and information to students.

Zoom fatigue is real, and having to Zoom for social events after using it for class all day can be tiring.

Mary Paige Rowsey first-year student The Board is not the only organization evolving its plans for the semester. The Panhellenic team decided to conduct Recruitment virtually with the assistance of the National Panhellenic Conference. Senior Cienna Lagana, vice president of Recruitment, said 230 potential new members signed up to participate. Normal enrollment ranges around 270 to 300 potential new members for the fall semester, Lagana said.

“I think the biggest difficulty in online recruiting

leah bae | artist Logged In|A computer sits open, showing an active Zoom call. Student activity groups have found it difficult to keep student attendance up for virtual events. Professors, however, have found Zoom attendance to increase participation from students. has been trying to reach those students on the fence because most of our promotions were done online via Instagram stories and the Panhellenic page,” Lagana said. “It’s harder to reach students not following those accounts.”

Lagana said she has been impressed with the smooth transition from in-person to online Recruitment.

“If I were a [potential new member], I’d be grateful I had an opportunity my first semester to get connected to a chapter right away,” Lagana said. “It can help them get connected to Pepperdine as more than just a place to log in to class.”

Psychology Professor Cindy Miller-Perrin said she finds it easier to reach students because they are determined to keep up with coursework.

Miller-Perrin teaches her Psychology 200 class in an asynchronous format, giving students the opportunity to watch lectures at their own pace. She also offers students a synchronous session to ask questions and receive clarification on course material. Miller-Perrin said the attendance she has seen online is consistent with typical numbers on the Malibu campus.

“I would say that attendance is probably less than 50%, probably more like one-third — but as any Elkins [Auditorium] teacher will tell you, that’s what you get when you have in-person classes too,” Miller-Perrin said.

Although the class is offered asynchronously, Miller-Perrin said she believes student engagement is at a high.

“I’ve been impressed, based on the emails I’m getting and the conversations I’m having, that the students seem to be really engaged,” Miller-Perrin said. “I would say students are probably more engaged with me than in the past. They’ve not lost motivation — they seem to want to do well.”

Communication Professor Christopher Stivers felt prepared for the transition online after teaching remotely during the Woolsey Fire. When Pepperdine sent students home during the spring 2020 semester, Stivers saw a silver lining.

“First of all, I’m not going to say that there’s any good news in this,” Stivers said. “However, for what’s happening right now, it was good that a year ago, the school had to close because of the fires toward the end of

the fall semester. Those unfortunate events have facilitated our gradual exposure to this environment.”

Stivers said he has seen more silver linings to Zoom instruction as his online experience continues.

“There are some aspects of it that are better,” Stivers said. “I get participation from some people — some students — who normally would not participate.”

Professors and social event coordinators said they will continue to adapt to the online format and create new strategies for reaching students.

ANNABEL L E.C HIL DER S@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Jumpstart works in new virtual format emily mo r t o n S taf f w r i ter Six schools, 12 classrooms, 85 to 100 Pepperdine workers and an estimated 240 preschoolers.

These are the rough numbers for Pepperdine’s Jumpstart program this year.

As schools moved into an online format, Jumpstart shifted to connect with the preschoolers learning virtually. Jumpstart is a program that prepares preschoolers for kindergarten with a focus on low-income areas where students are not exposed to as much vocabulary, according to the Jumpfstart website. The program has a strong focus on building language skills for the students to move into kindergarten.

Pepperdine Jumpstart Coordinator Savanna Davenport explained the strategies the team uses to engage with young students.

“We always want to be a resource to our program partners,” Davenport said.

As well as working with the program partners, the team is working on creative ways to get materials out to the students they help.

“We’re making what we’re going to call ‘Jumpstart in a box,’” Davenport said. “It can go home to every student, so when they’re on Zoom with their Jumpstart team, their Jumpstart friends, they can pull out special things — special ma-

terials — to go along with the content they are learning.”

Pepperdine’s number of preschoolers for 2020 does not fall far off from the regular count of 320, with reduced enrollment due to COVID-19 for the 2020– 2021 school year.

Photo courtesy of jumpstart

I feel like we’ve had a lot of good turnout regarding applications, even with everything being remote and not being able to see people in person.

Kaitlyn Ishii Jumpstart volunteer Pepperdine Jumpstart interns Derek Pinto and Kaitlyn Ishii spent the summer and beginning of fall semester working on recruiting

A Silver Celebration|2019 marks 25 years since Jumpstart began. Jumpstart has partnered with Pepperdine since 2002 and while this school year looks different for both Pepperdine and its Jumpstart partners, volunteers will continue to teach pre-Kindergarten students virtually. new student employees.

“We couldn’t have done that without [Pinto and Ishii’s] efforts of coordinating all the first-year seminar presentations, Instagram live sessions, creating a vision for our Instagram with a style guide and all of that,” Davenport said.

Davenport said Pinto and Ishii reworked the Jumpstart Instagram to catch the attention of students interested in participating.

The Pepperdine Jumpstart application has only three requirements: an accommodating schedule, federal or Pepperdine work study and a commitment to a year of service.

“I feel like we’ve had a lot of good turnout regarding applications, even with everything being remote and

not being able to see people in person,” Ishii said.

Pinto said he and his coworkers hope to be in person next semester but are using the changes to build what the program looks like in person as well. The team used the new online format to make adjustments for future semesters, including pre-recorded sessions.

The team is coordinating how supplies will be sent to the schools and families in addition to finalizing content and scheduling the online sessions. Davenport said Jumpstart aims to help the program providers while completing the typical Jumpstart activities.

Not only does Jumpstart help program providers, but it also benefits Pepperdine students who participate,

Pinto said.

“People should know that because you are a part of an AmeriCorps program through Jumpstart, you do get on the radar for AmeriCorps,” Pinto said.

“And even personally, that’s brought up a lot of future opportunities and aspects of work [such as] education or community service outreach and [combatting] homelessness and stuff like that. So just even being part of this program while at Pepperdine can bring those future routes.”

Jumpstart applications are open for the 2020–2021 school year. Although the program is run through the Pepperdine Volunteer Center, it is a paid job.

“When someone is participating and working for

Jumpstart, they are taking part in national service,” Davenport said. “That’s a really big deal.”

Jumpstart members said they hope the new virtual format will provide the needed services to the schools and the students.

EM ILY.M OR TON@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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The Graphic

PERSPECTIVES pepper di ne-g r aphi c.com

S ept e m b e r 10 , 2 0 2 0

STAFF LIST

MADELINE DUVALL | ART EDITOR

STAFF EDITORIAL

Communication is more than social media posts Pepperdine is known for its Instagram-worthy views and photo opportunities, leaving no wonder why the University’s @ pepperdine accounts stay an active resource for community members. Students, however, find Pepperdine’s social media pages confusing when the account shifts from sunset photos to important notices and back again.

In the era of online classes, it’s paramount that the administration finds effective ways to communicate with its students outside of social media.

Virtual classes force many students to engage in online communication more than ever before. Students now use their electronic devices for everything from school and work to entertainment and social interaction.

This juggling act is difficult for Pepperdine students, whose reliance on online resources is made even more challenging by the University’s inconsistent digital communication.

Pepperdine has maintained a social media presence for over a decade, with active Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

These public profiles are regularly updated with highlight videos, event promotions and informative reminders about deadlines for International Program applications, housing contracts and more.

In the age of remote instruction, Pepperdine uses its social media profiles to connect with students by being more active online. While shifting the line of crisis communication to include and prioritize social media seems like it would more directly involve students in Pepperdine’s affairs — since some students spend more time on social media than they did before social distancing — it has backfired, as more community members find Pepperdine’s online presence confusing

and contradictory.

The University’s level of communication continues to falter, with a lack of clear information on essential topics such as employment, COVID-19 policy and other updates that are unavailable outside of one-time events such as the President’s Briefing.

Information previously spread through word of mouth, posters and student organizations is now delivered virtually.

Despite the difficulties of communicating online, Pepperdine still has a responsibility to stay in contact with students beyond its social media presence, and administrators cannot expect that all students will see and read all posts.

Beyond Pepperdine’s official pages, University-related information is also delivered to students through profiles run by Pepperdine International Programs, Student Employment Office, Housing and Residence Life and the Counseling Center; this information is typically not communicated on the Pepperdine website or through email notification.

There are also dozens of Pepperdine-related profiles run by students that could create further confusion and misinformation.

The only distinction between these student-run accounts and the official @pepperdine account is a small blue check mark, which can be easy to miss for students scrolling on social media.

Additionally, Pepperdine only shares some of the information discussed in weekly President’s Briefings via social media. While we acknowledge and appreciate the administration transitioning the briefings to Wednesday mornings so all students can attend, the lack of transparency regarding information disclosed in the President’s Briefing, such as

THE 'BU YORKER

Pepperdine financial statements and enrollment numbers that are not publicly available, poses a problem for students trying to stay informed.

Because the President’s Briefing provides a unique avenue of two-way conversation between students and administrators, it needs to remain open and accessible for all — including students who have questions left unanswered during the meeting. This form of access is also essential because, despite increasing its social media presence, Pepperdine does not respond to comments left on social pages, meaning the question and answer portion of the briefing is one of the few ways students’ voices are heard.

First-year students participated in fall 2020 New Student Orientation activities primarily through social media or through the Pepperdine app. When the app initially launched NSO, troubles with location tracking caused many students to fall behind, and this delayed access kept many out of the loop throughout orientation.

As a result, some first-years did not receive notifications about the changes made to their schedules, opportunities to join clubs or meet their peers, and access to language placement exams.

Pepperdine’s move to social media as the front-line of University communication shows a lack of responsibility for the messages shared as well as a misunderstanding of the medium.

Social media itself is an unreliable form of communication, as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter algorithms decide which posts will appear on each user’s feed.

Neglecting to interact with all of Pepperdine’s social profiles can skew the algorithm against a student’s favor and prevent them from seeing the University’s updates.

Students already face problems managing the increased demand for online engagement in classes and student organizations without having to worry that their University’s social media pages are announcing vital changes without notice.

As everyone — including administration — adjusts to online life, the best way to move forward is to send essential information in the form of comprehensible weekly email updates that tell students what they need to know about Pepperdine life.

Pepperdine does not require students to maintain social media profiles, but they do mandate that students maintain a Pepperdine email account. Administration utilized this function to great effect in the past, even going so far as to send everyone with a pepperdine.edu Gmail account a prayer every day for 100 days following President Gash’s inauguration.

Using email will ensure every member of the Pepperdine community receives updates — not only those who like the University’s pictures on Instagram.

For clubs, student groups and other Pepperdine niches, students should be able to subscribe to newsletters or view website resources for more information.

Peppervine is a resource clubs and other student groups neglect that could be optimized for student use and accessibility beyond following dozens of Instagram pages.

Continuing President Gash’s theme of belonging, students will find a stronger sense of belonging to their University and their community when their school invests in communication not through snazzy Instagram stories but through critical information distribution.

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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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M ANAG I NG ED I TO R M AK E N A H U E Y D I G I TAL ED I TO R B R IAN N A WIL L IS C O PY C HI EF B RYAN T L O N E Y NEW S ED I TO R AS H L E Y M O WR E AD E R NEW S ASS I STANT ED I TO R G R ACE WO O D NEW S AS SI S TANTS U M E E S H A D’ALWIS N ATAL IE H AR D T AD D IE WH ITE N S eni o r R ep o r ter E m ily S h aw L I FE & AR TS ED I TO R R O WAN TO K E L I FE & AR TS ASS I STANT ED I TO R S O F IA L O N G O L I FE & AR TS AS SI S TANTS AL E X A B O R S TAD CH R IS T IN K AR R S am an t h a T o r r e L I FE & AR TS C O PY ED I TO R N ICO L E WIT T S P O R TS ED I TO R KAR L WIN T E R SP O R TS AS SI S TANT ED I TO R PAX TO N R ITCH E Y S P O R TS ASS I STANT J U S T IN T O U H E Y S P O R TS D ES I G N AS SI S TANT IN E Z K IM P ER SP EC TI V ES ED I TO R CAR O L IN E S H AR PL E S S P ER SP EC TI V ES ASS I STANT ED I TO R AJ M U O N AG O L U P ER S P EC TI V ES C O PY ED I TO R TIF FAN Y H AL L L EAD D ESI G NER M E L IS S A L O CK E HEAD P O D C AST P R O D U C ER KAE L IN M E N D E Z P O D C AST P R O D U C ER S IV Y M O O R E L IN D S E Y S U L L IVAN AR T ED I TO R M AD E L IN E D U VAL L AR T As si s tant ED I TO R AL LY AR M S T R O N G AR TI S TS L E AH B AE GAB BY D IG IOVAN N I S AM AN TH A M IL L E R P HO TO ED I TO R AL I L E V E N S AS SI S TANT P HO TO ED I TO R J AY L E N E R AM L I P HO TO G R AP HER S CH AR L O T TE WAL K E R V I D EO P R O D U C ER M AR IS A D R AG O S P I X EL ED I TO R B ryan t L o n e y B U SI NESS D I R EC TO R H AD L E Y B IG G S ADV ER TI SI NG M ANAG ER PATR ICK H AR L E Y MISSION STATEMENT “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.”

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Protect the election: Our democracy is rigged

c a roline Sharpless pe rspe ctive s E dit or For decades, the U.S. has proudly flaunted the title “Leader of the Free World.” The single most important qualifier of this is the right to fair elections.

Between assaults on the Voting Rights Act, defunding of the U.S. Postal Service and Russian interference, our right to fair elections is in jeopardy.

Since the U.S. continues to navigate racial tensions, a deadly pandemic and questionable leadership, the 2020 presidential election is arguably the most critical election in generations.

There is substantial evidence the Trump Administration is doing everything it can to rig the election. Despite many confirmations of President Donald Trump’s voter manipulation, he insists it is the Democrats who are attempting to defraud the election with universal mail-in voting.

In general, there is little proof of mail-in voting fraud.

Trump even refused to supply evidence of alleged fraud when a North Carolina judge asked it of him in court. If he genuinely believed mail-in voting were destructive, he wouldn’t have requested his own mail-in ballot for the upcoming election.

Trump did, however, encourage supporters to defraud the election by voting twice, which is illegal.

The only fraud people should fear is Trump.

During an appearance on “Fox & Friends,” Trump admitted that if voting were altered to make it easier for more citizens to participate — by expanding early voting, mail-in voting and voting rights — then Republican government officials would never be “elected in this country again.”

On Aug. 13, Trump again stated his opposition to a fair election, saying he is intentionally blocking Post Office funds because money is necessary to deliver “millions and millions of ballots.”

“They can’t do the universal mail-in vote,” Trump said in a Fox Business interview with Maria Bartiromo. “It’s very simple. How are they going to do it if they don’t have the money to do it?”

Since the U.S. has over 6,075,384 COVID-19 cases — far more than any other country — the ability to vote by mail is crucial.

In June 2020, Trump appointed Louis DeJoy as the new Republican Postmaster General. After implementing operational changes, at least 20 states sued USPS over an increase in delays.

The USPS reported a significant decrease in on-time mail performance following DeJoy’s changes, according to documents recently submitted to Congress.

Though DeJoy said he would postpone any additional changes until after the election, the alterations already made will not be reversed.

The USPS also informed 46 states their vote-by-mail requirements are “incongruous” with mail service, meaning millions of ballots are in danger of being late or lost.

Additionally, DeJoy did not comply in turning related documents over to Congress, which they will now subpoena him for.

DeJoy’s administration sold expensive, fully-functioning mail sorting machines as scrap metal, removed mail drop-off boxes from neighborhoods and instructed postal workers to start their routes five minutes early — even if the trucks were empty. People even received messages stating they requested delays on their shipments when they did not.

samantha miller | Artist These actions not only harm voting abilities but also keep people from receiving Social Security checks, medicine and even Holocaust reparations.

DeJoy is the first postmaster general in 20 years to be hired from outside USPS ranks; his prior job was an organizer and fundraiser for the Republican National Convention.

What qualified DeJoy for this essential position? Probably his close relationship with Trump; he has donated over $2 million to the Trump campaign and Republican causes since 2016 — much of which was in the first half of 2020 — according to the Federal Election Commission.

DeJoy is not the only USPS leader with suspicious financial links to the Republican party; the Head of the USPS Board of Governors also serves as director of Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s Super Political Action Committee. This means he is in charge of raising unlimited sums of money to help keep McConnell in office.

McConnell has blocked efforts to aid the USPS and improve the Voting Rights Act for months.

This is not a coincidence; it is yet another example of corruption under Trump.

Let’s not forget that several of Trump’s associates, including former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, former Trump Campaign Official Roger Stone and former Trump Attorney Micheal Cohen, have all been charged with crimes like lying to Congress and U.S. intelligence agencies, colluding with Russia on behalf of the Trump campaign and defrauding donors. Several received lengthy sentences that Trump pardoned them from serving.

While it might be easy to forget considering the current global climate, Trump himself was impeached last December for his efforts to interfere with the 2020 election. Special Counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice Robert Mueller testified before the House Judiciary Committee saying he did not indict Trump because of a rule that forbids a sitting U.S. president from being indicted, therefore implying that Trump was indeed deserving of criminal charges.

Further, the Republican Party has a disturbing association with voter suppression techniques like gerrymandering, voter-ID laws and banning early voting.

Trump endorsed these harmful tactics yet attacked mailin voting 70 times without supporting evidence, according to Washington state’s lawsuit.

“MAIL-IN VOTING WILL LEAD TO MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE,” Trump wrote in a May 28 tweet.

“IT WILL ALSO LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY.” While Trump tweeted about — again, almost nonexistent — voter fraud, Americans faced unprecedented voting barriers. During local primary elections, some polling sites

never opened, voting machines were never delivered or installed and people who applied for absentee ballots never received them.

It is important to note that these actions disproportionately affect marginalized communities, which are often composed of Democratic voters. For example, before Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was elected, he used his position as Secretary of State to place 53,000 voter registration applications “on hold.” At least 70% of these applicants were Black. Additionally, Jim Crow era felony disenfranchisement laws prevent millions of Black and Hispanic citizens from voting.

Unfortunately, the only voting method conducive to social distancing without using the USPS — dropping absentee ballots in ballot drop boxes at polling sites — is also in danger. Trump unsurprisingly called these boxes “a big fraud,” an allegation that Twitter labeled as false information, and his campaign filed lawsuits to remove them from certain areas. Since there is no validity in the “fraud” claim, states are rightly fighting to keep the boxes.

So, what is the safest way to vote?

It depends on the location. For those looking to avoid lines and COVID-19 risk, check to see which polling sites offer ballot drop boxes. Requesting an absentee or mailin ballot and placing it in the box, rather than mailing it, should be the safest bet.

For individuals comfortable with wearing a mask and social distancing, attend early voting — if available — or arrive on Election Day early and prepared to wait in line.

Otherwise, request a mail-in ballot today, and fill it out as soon as it arrives. To prevent fraud, ballots’ signatures are compared with ID signatures, so make sure they match before mailing it back. Then, track it online to ensure it arrives on time.

Though the security of this election is not guaranteed, voting is more critical now than ever.

In the 2018 midterm elections, several states produced senate and governor results with margins around .2% and .3%, well under the 0.5% margin that automatically triggers machine recounts. In Florida, Republican Senator Rick Scott beat Democrat Incumbent Bill Nelson by approximately 10,000 votes. There are 6,096 precincts in Florida, so if just two more people had voted for Nelson at each location, he would have won. Similarly, in 2016, a few more votes in each precinct would have landed Hillary Clinton an electoral college win — on top of the popular vote win she secured — giving her the title of Madame President.

With a nation this divided, every vote makes a difference.

Volunteering to work at local polling sites is a great way to help maximize the number of people who get a chance to vote.

Senior citizens typically operate polling sites, so pandemic-related health concerns have created an unprecedented shortage in volunteers. Organizations like Power the Polls and Civic Alliance aim to recruit 250,000 volunteers, urging young people to rise to the occasion since they are less likely to die from COVID-19. Without volunteers, some sites may not open.

Attacks on our democracy should not be partisan; whether you support Trump or not, his hand in suppressing voters is undeniable.

Don’t forget about this when filling out the ballot. Should someone who wants to cheat their way to the top be trusted with leading the “free world?”

This is an attack on both the institution of democracy and the United States Constitution. Make noise about this issue and vote because the more votes there are against Trump, the harder it will be for him to get away with rigging the 2020 election.

C AR OL INE.SHAR PL ESS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Cooperate, not clash, with professors on Zoom classes

AJ Muonagolu Perspectives A s s i s ta n t E d i t o r Students accepted a dismal reality when classes became fully online and Pepperdine’s tuition increased.

They are responsible for learning and performing at the same quality as an in-person semester while doing asynchronous and synchronous Zoom instruction, but this isn’t the best way to learn for everyone. The popular opinion among students is that they struggle with online classes more than teachers.

Professors still work, provide daily lesson plans and deal with the day-to-day struggles that come with COVID-19. So who truly has it worse: students or professors?

“Students are the ones who are paying,” sophomore Donna Thompson said. “I know that some professors are assigning even more [work] than normal because they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re at home.’”

Attending college from a living room isn’t worth the high prices

and added efforts. This quality of education negatively impacts many students.

For instance, Zoom glitches cause unnecessary interruptions in class, and there is little-to-no social interaction between students and professors. Zoom doesn’t allow for discussions in Payson or class participation with understandable body language.

“The big thing that’s missing from being face-to-face is the small reactions (nods, smiles, etc. ) when we are all in class together,” Biology Professor Krista Lucas wrote in an email.

Personal connection and in-person communication are crucial in fostering a suitable environment to learn and absorb information.

After reflection, some students found the first three weeks of class to be challenging. Sheldon Fraley, sophomore, said he lacks “motivation,” while Thompson said she feels her classes “blend together.”

Teaching over Zoom, however, isn’t as laid back as students may believe. Many of the issues that apply to students also affect professors.

Professors rely on classroom interactions to gauge student understanding and promote participation.

“It’s hard for me to tell if students are getting it or are lost – if they’re bored or finding the content fasci-

Leah Bae | Artist nating,” Lucas wrote.

Now, professors compete with family and excess technology for students’ attention. For example, Professor Pierre Tang, who teaches music, said he finds it difficult to elicit active participation.

“It’s hard for me to know if [students] are waiting for me to invite themselves to be more attentive,” Tang said.

Furthermore, many of Tang’s classes — like other music classes — were canceled, prohibiting him from teaching the subjects he is most passionate about. Tang said this has made it “discouraging to teach.”

Some professors also have fam-

ilies, which means they aren’t just teaching Pepperdine students but also their younger children due to school closures.

“Sometimes, one of my kids will get kicked off and be struggling to get back into their classes,” Communication Professor Abi Smith said.

“In those moments, I feel like an awful educator because I know I am distracted from the Pepperdine students who need me to be at my best and like a failure as a parent because I am not helping my kid who needs my attention.”

Like students, professors experience mental health problems.

Juggling personal lives and navigat-

ing an unfamiliar way of teaching puts new pressure on professors to succeed.

Everyone is frustrated with Zoom University, but only entertaining selfish perspectives isn’t going to improve remote learning.

Practice patience and do not compare struggles because everyone is trying to make the best of unforeseen circumstances. Stand with professors and peers through the ups and downs of the semester. Finally, remember that the debate should not be students versus professors but students and professors working together to promote quality education.

AJ.M UONAGOL U@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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Admin considers Potential Changes to general education Requirements KY LE M C C A BE STAF F W R I TE R Seaver College faculty will soon consider potential changes to the General Education program. A faculty committee plans to submit a report in the next month that reviews the current GE program as a whole, while professors Chris Doran and Sarah Stone Watt will submit a proposal in one to two months for the creation of a Cultural Competency GE requirement.

Dean of Seaver College Michael Feltner said the GE program takes up half of an average Seaver student’s credits — but for good reason.

“We’re sending students out into a world that we know is changing,” Feltner said. “It’s changed dramatically in your lifetime, and it certainly changed dramatically in mine. The liberal arts foundation of our education gives students a platform to adapt to change.”

Whether students agree with Feltner on the importance of GE classes, many believe there are too many GE requirements. Sophomore Dawson Storrs, a spring admit last semester, said the specialized nature of the GE courses and sizable unit requirement surprised him.

“One of the biggest things I noticed in high school was that almost everything leading up to college is a test of your knowledge, and then you learn your fundamental skills for your field of study in college,” Storrs said.

Storrs said he thinks general education requirements contribute to students not making it through their undergraduate programs because they just want have classes for their majors.

Paul Begin, interim associate dean of Curriculum and General Education, leads the committee reviewing the GE program and said he holds some of the same concerns as Seaver students.

“I think anybody you ask about GE says something’s got to change,” Begin said. “Two years ago, I had 106 advisees. They

ally armstrong | staff artist

reviews it before it is sent back to the Seaver Dean’s Office for final approval. “[The speed of the review] depends entirely on how the report that is still being generated is received,” Feltner said. “I think it depends on how the faculty choose to act on it; I think it depends on the scope and the scale of whatever change, if any, the faculty propose.”

The other GE proposal recognizes the call for diversity in Seaver’s GE program that started with student-led, sit-in protests in 2015. Students then called for the addition of a GE course that “focuses on diversity and inclusion,” according to a Graphic article.

The 2015 protests led to the removal of a Christopher Columbus statue from campus and influenced Seaver faculty in 2017 to commit to giving “serious consideration to the request of a diversity general education course,” according to another Graphic article.

In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, a Change.org petition with nearly 4,000 signatures called for the addition of a Diversity and Inclusion GE requirement at Pep-

Juggling Act | Students juggle the University’s large number of General Education requirements. The GE program is undergoing review for the first time in 20 years, and a new additional Cultural Competency requirement is being considered as well. come to my office and they’re trying to graduate on time, and they’re trying to figure out when to take which classes and what they have left. And they never refer to GEs as something they’re excited about. They refer to them as ‘How can I knock this off my list?’”

The existence of this GE review, however, does not guarantee changes. Feltner said the program has not significantly changed in 20 years.

“We assess the General Education program regularly as a part of our reaccreditation program,” Feltner said. “This intentional review would have started when Dr. David Holmes began his initial term as associate dean for Curriculum and General Education.”

Holmes held the position from its creation in 2018 until he left Pepperdine for Lipscomb University at the start of 2020.

Feltner said there is a lengthy review process the report would need to go through before any changes would be made to the curriculum.

The Seaver Academic Council reviews the proposal first. Begin chairs the council, and Seaver faculty make up its members. Then the University Academic Council reviews the proposal. Faculty from each of the University’s schools comprise that council. The provost, which is Rick Marrs until he steps down at the end of the academic year, reviews the proposal next, and then President Jim Gash

We’re sending students out into a world that we know is changing.

The liberal arts foundation of our education gives students a platform to adapt to change. michael feltner seaver dean

perdine. It also requested the University to hire a Chief Diversity Officer, which Pepperdine is in the process of creating and hiring.

Doran said there are many reasons for the proposal’s delay, one being the daunting task for the faculty of overhauling Seaver’s large GE program.

The possibility of a diversity requirement adding one or more classes to students’ schedules also brought up concerns that delayed the proposal. To take care of those concerns, Doran and Stone Watt’s proposal would require Seaver students to take classes that already exist in the school’s catalog.

Doran estimated there would be 50 to 75 classes in the Seaver catalog that would fit enough of the five qualities of cultural competence he and Stone Watt identified, meaning they would count toward the Cultural Competency requirement.

“What we think is, there are enough classes on the books that people are already taking,” Doran said. “[Requiring too many classes] is going to be a far less significant complaint because you’ll be able to pick a class […] that you’re most likely either taking or you were thinking about taking anyway.”

The Cultural Competency GE could be implemented by next year at the earliest, Doran said.

“I think what Dr. Stone Watt and I would hope for is that [in] next year’s course catalog — so next year’s freshmen — there would be a requirement of it, and that we could figure out a grandfather clause for sophomores or juniors,” Doran said.

Grace Wood and Julie Lee contributed to the reporting.

K YL E.M C C ABE@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Students continue to socialize during COVID-19 pandemic daw nielle wright s taf f write r Over 200 Pepperdine students live off campus in Malibu while taking online classes. A recent Graphic article found the most common reason for coming back to Malibu was to continue socializing with classmates and friends to simulate the typical college experience as much as possible.

As of Sep. 6, there were 100 COVID-19 cases in Malibu, and with Pepperdine students regularly socializing, this number could increase. Students, however, said they are motivated to continue to socialize since Pepperdine announced that classes would be offered completely online for the fall semester. Students also received news that all abroad programs were suspended for fall.

According to a Graphic article, this caused the sophomores to scramble for off-campus housing.

“We’re so young, and we’re only this young once, and college is supposed to be the best experience of our lives,” said sophomore Mia Zendejas, who moved back to Malibu after learning the Florence program was suspended for fall 2020. “[By moving back to Malibu,] I could try to emulate the college experience that we’re not really getting right now.”

In addition to an online semester, students received news that all abroad pro-

grams were suspended for fall. Zendejas said this caused the sophomores to scramble for off-campus housing.

Zendejas said she socializes outside of her roommate group but is selective about the people she comes into contact with. If she is skeptical about whether someone is being safe, she will go surfing, as this allows her to maintain distance and be outdoors.

Living with roommates who are also socializing, Zendejas said she is extra cautious about disinfecting common spaces. She also emphasized that communication is key; her roommate group decided on house guidelines when they first moved in to ensure everyone was on the same page with how to stay safe.

Jorge Moreno, a junior, said he also had conversations with his roommates about how they would stay safe as a group to protect the high-risk mother of one of their roommates. “[It is important] that we are all hanging out with people who we know are also being responsible,” Moreno said. “There’s a security that if somebody does test positive, they will let you know and then be able to contain that or mitigate the risk of spread.”

Moreno said he is socializing by doing homework at friends’ houses, going on hikes and hanging out with a smaller circle of friends than he would be if campus were open.

Senior Sydney Griffith said spending time with her friends is more important to her in her final year. In her free time, she interacts with friends by staying in smaller groups and doing a lot of outdoor activities.

“I don’t think there’s one right way to do things,” Griffith said.

Griffith is not the only Pepperdine senior looking to make her last year memorable.

Senior Lindsey Coffman shared similar sentiments and said it is crucial to her to make this “year of lasts” as fun as possible.

“Since it’s my senior year, I want to be with my friends and do virtual senior year together,” Coffman said.

Coffman has been socializing by doing lots of outdoor activities like going to the beach or outdoor restaurants. She said if people are not being safe, she will not be as inclined to come into contact with them.

While many Pepperdine students choose to interact with others responsibly, there have been incidences where this is not the case. Communication Professor Jon Pfeiffer said he has witnessed occasions of Pepperdine students throwing large parties in his Malibu neighborhood. “[It is upsetting] to see somebody just breaking the rules, especially when Pepperdine has gone as far as they have and going online for everything,” Pfeiffer said.

Pfeiffer said the students are throwing indoor parties with 20 to 30 people with no

masks or social distancing. While Pfeiffer said he does not feel individually affected by the lack of social distancing, he is concerned that these students will put the community at risk.

“All of these students, I assume, have families they are going back to visit, and some of them are probably in risk groups,” Pfeiffer said.

Pepperdine administration continues to encourage students to social distance in light of many community members returning to Malibu. Connie Horton, vice president for Student Affairs, reminded students of state and county guidelines in an email sent to the Pepperdine community Aug. 27.

“Because we have had reports that our students have been gathering locally in large groups at the beaches or in house parties, I also want to take a moment to remind you that students are expected to comply with all state and county guidelines wherever they currently reside,” Horton wrote. “This means that while off campus, even at outdoor spaces, including beaches, you should continue to wear face coverings, practice social distancing, and not be in gatherings or at parties. Please commit to following these guidelines to keep yourself and others safe, and so you can be a good neighbor to those around you.”

DAW NIEL L E.W R IGHT@PEPPER DINE.EDU

S eptember 10, 2020

The Graphic

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LIFE & ARTS

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Small businesses power through COVID-19 So fia Lo ngo li f e & Ar ts A s si stant Edi tor The pandemic closed restaurants, cafes and bakeries, and even though these businesses are now permitted to open, they still must adhere to regulations.

In Los Angeles County, indoor dining is still not permitted because the risk of contracting the virus is higher indoors.

On Aug. 28, California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a Blueprint for a Safer Economy that outlined a color-coded system for California counties to follow. Restaurants in Tier 1 counties can only offer outdoor dining, whereas those in Tier 4 counties can offer limited indoor dining at 50% capacity, according to an article in Eater.

Small businesses are important because they form the backbone of many communities and bring people together, according to an article in McKinsey & Company. COVID-19 continues to hurt the economy, with businesses only being able to operate at a certain capacity or having to be completely closed.

Despite the risks, new businesses have opened during COVID-19. One small business was especially successful after focusing its operations on delivering straight to customers’ doorsteps.

Little House Confections, which Liz Roth created in April, first offered at-home deliveries for its internet-famous olive oil cake. A couple of months later, Roth moved into a

Courtesy of chase johnson

Cake Boss| Junior Chase Johnson (right) and his coworker Ashling Sugarman (left) stand behind a plethora of baked goods at the Little House Confections pop-up shop in Century City, California. They have displayed their specialty cake, the Bomb Ass Olive Oil Cake, which has gone internet famous. pop-up shop in Culver City.

When she first started, she used the proceeds of her business to donate to the Covenant House of California. Now, she donates a portion of the profits to a new charity each month.

Junior Chase Johnson said he heard about Little House Confections from a fellow Pepperdine student who recommended he work there. Johnson and other employees started working as delivery drivers and customer service agents, and Johnson now works at the pop-up shop as well. “[Working at Little House Confections] just sounded like a dream,” Johnson said.

The bakery continued to grow as celebrities such as the Kardashians — who promoted the business on their social media accounts

— fell in love with its specialty cake called the Bomb Ass Olive Oil Cake. Poosh, Kourtney Kardashian’s lifestyle blog, even collaborated with Little House Confections.

Johnson said Little House Confections succeeded as a new business during COVID-19 because it didn’t start as a brickand-mortar store, instead utilizing the surge in delivery services.

“It’s just grown right before our eyes, which is really cool,” Johnson said.

Pepperdine students have also had a taste of inspiration during the quarantine and created their own start-up businesses from the comfort of their homes.

Senior Natalia Escobedo said she and her older sister noticed a gap in the market

samantha miller | artist for healthy snacks that actually taste good. Since they are of Mexican descent, they also wanted to find snacks that were similar to what they ate growing up.

Escobedo said they found the perfect wholesaler in Mexico City that fit their brand, and after falling in love with their snacks, Delixias was born.

“We started out small, [selling to] friends and family, and then we started branching out to our community,” Escobedo said. “[There was] kind of a boom when a local blogger reposted a purchase from us. From that moment on, we were drowning in orders.”

Courtesy of Natalia Escobedo

Cookie Monster|Obleas are one of the most popular healthy snacks at senior Natalia Escobedo’s business with her sister, Delixias. The traditional Mexican wafer cookies come in different flavors such as matcha, chocolate and strawberry.

SE E b u si n e sse s, B 3

Theatre Department perseveres through a season on screens BETH GONZALES STAFF WRITE R When President Jim Gash announced in a university-wide email July 22 that Pepperdine would be holding an online semester, the Theatre Department had to make adjustments.

While Zoom classes continue all over the Pepperdine campus, the members of the Theatre Department said they want everyone to know they will never stop delivering momentous stories through art.

Pepperdine’s Fine Arts Division provides students with experience and education in subjects such as studio art, art history, music and theatre arts. With the fall 2020 semester being held virtually, this poses some challenges to every department, especially the art of performance.

Bradley Griffin, theater professor and divisional dean of Fine Arts, said the department spent time throughout the summer preparing for the possibility of online instruction.

“We initially planned a season that could be livestreamed as well as outdoor performances when we thought we were going to be on campus,” Griffin said.

The Theatre Department said for actors, live-streaming involves performing from home with studio kits as well as green screens, props and microphones to make it feel as real as possible. Griffin said this semester will include lots of these performances and rehearsals on Zoom.

Griffin said the Theatre Department planned a firstyear showcase that will feature all incoming Theatre majors. It will be live-streamed Sept. 18 and 19.

Griffin said “Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids” — the play that was supposed to be performed in the Lindhurst Theatre this fall — will be performed virtually.

Although this play was chosen before COVID-19, Griffin said it will speak even more significantly to the current social movements because it explores performative activism.

“It is a play by Vincent Terrell Durham — a Black playwright living here in Los Angeles,” Griffin said. “It is told with a lot of humor, but it also has a really powerful message that comes through.”

Griffin said the play begins with a white woman who takes up a number of causes for racial equality and social justice.

“Throughout the play, the story will begin to question how effective her methods are,” Griffin said. “She is trying to look like someone who supports these causes without knowing the personal impact of what her support ought to look like.”

“Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids” will be live-streamed Oct. 1, 2 and 3, Griffin said.

This semester, the Theatre Department will be full of entertainment. Griffin said they have also planned anoth-

madeline duvall | art editor er production in addition to the first-year showcase for the musical theater talents.

“Without being here in person, we cannot do a full musical,” Griffin said. “So Musical Theatre majors in the sophomore, junior and senior class will do a musical theater cabaret where they will each perform songs from the musical theater world.”

The dates for this production are Nov. 12, 13 and 14.

The Theatre Department plans to use the Center for the Arts to help with the advertising, and all of these productions will be streamed and ticketed with no cost, Griffin said.

Lauren Burton, a senior Theatre and Music major, has worked on and off stage in Pepperdine’s mainstage theater and opera productions. Burton said she chose Pepperdine because it offered a great program designed to teach both acting and classical voice. With class online, she said she is still enthusiastic about new experiences.

“It has been so special seeing everyone online and continuing working,” Burton said.

“This fall, I am most looking forward to the cabaret

performances in November,” Burton said. “After learning more about the project during our first rehearsal this last Tuesday, I am really excited to see what all of the cast members will bring to the production.”

Burton said she is also learning how the new features on Zoom foster acting on different levels.

“My classes have begun to use different Zoom features that will make it easier to do scene work without seeing the other students not involved in the scene, creating projects that students can self-tape to submit,” Burton said.

Burton also said her home environment keeps her dedicated to her craft.

“Luckily for me, I am living with three other actors this semester, and we are hoping to write a short film or two for all of us to film together,” Burton said.

Theatre Coordinator and Edinburgh Program Director Cathy Thomas-Grant said she loves teaching and misses seeing her theater students in person.

SE E T H E A T R E, B 3

B2 Artist prepares to make waves in the LA creative scene

PEPP E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | L IFE A N D A RTS | S E P T E MB E R 1 0 , 20 20

a l e xa bo r s ta d L ife & A r tsassi stant

Fresh Faces features first-year and transfer students to unite Pepperdine students, regardless of where they are

Photos Courtesy of Brianna Cannon Photos Courtesy of Brandon Llewellyn Play Ball | First-year baseball sensation Brandon Llewellyn smiles wide for the camera on a bench in Fort Worth, Texas. Llewellyn attended his local high school for the first twoCourtesy years before attending Photos of Brianna cannon IMG Academy as a junior and senior.

Baseball star hopes to make his dreams come true al exa borstad li f e & ar ts assista n t

Brandon Llewellyn is a baseball star from the suburbs of Colleyville, Texas.

During his last two years of high school, he attended IMG Academy as a pitcher for the school’s national team.

As a junior at IMG in 2019, Llewellyn helped lead his team to a national championship, and USA Today ranked the team as the No. 1 baseball team in the country.

That year, he said six of his teammates were drafted directly into the MLB, with three being drafted in the first round.

“Being a part of that was one of the best moments of my life,” Llewellyn said. “It was an insane year — I would do it a million times over again.”

Llewellyn said winning a college world series has been his dream since he was 8 years old.

“I have chills thinking about Omaha,” Llewellyn said.

At the end of high school, Llewellyn said he was ranked 250th nationally and 73rd as a right-handed pitcher.

Llewellyn said he originally committed to play baseball at Notre Dame, but he reopened his commitment status earlier this year. After meeting with Pepperdine staff and coaches before the pandemic ended the spring 2020 season, Lewellyn chose to attend Pepperdine over the other schools actively pursuing him.

“Pepperdine just sounded like home to me,” Llewellyn said. “I love LA and I love coming out here all the time — the coaches have some good stuff to tell me, and Pepperdine was a really good team last year.”

Outside of baseball, Llewellyn said he loves the outdoors and staying active by playing beach volleyball, hanging out with friends and hiking.

Along with winning a world series, Llewellyn said his ultimate goal is to be drafted right out of college with a degree.

In the meantime, Llewellyn is looking forward to adjusting to on-campus life and hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains with friends.

“It’s a dream come true for me to be out here,” Llewellyn said. “I’m ready to see everyone else on campus and finally meet the rest of my teammates as well as experience how awesome this place normally is.”

ALEXA . B O R STA D@ P E P P E R DIN E . E DU

Dreaming Big |(Above) Brandon Llewellyn poses in his uniform.

He said winning a College World Series has been his dream since he was eight years old. (Below) Llewellyn holds his team’s 2019 national championship trophy and his MVP award for the best pitching performance of the tournament. He originally committed to play at Notre Dame but had a change of heart.

First-year Jeni Keung is an international student from Hong Kong. Despite never physically visiting Los Angeles or the Pepperdine campus, Keung said she has wanted to attend a college in the United States since she visited the East Coast growing up.

“I just always wanted to live in the LA area, and that’s really one of the reasons why I chose Pepperdine,” Keung said.

Due to the Hong Kong protests, COVID-19 and the cancellation of the International Baccalaureate examinations, Keung said her life has felt like summer since mid-March. To pass the time, Keung and her friends have kept themselves busy by painting and safely traveling around their home country.

“Hong Kong has a lot of mountains and beaches everywhere, so we just went there all the time,” Keung said. “We would do crazy things because we had all the time in the world.”

Along with painting, Keung said some of her other talents include songwriting and playing the piano.

Although she is majoring in Computer Science, Keung said she hopes to someday build a freelance career with her art and music. She believes the LA community is the perfect place to make her freelancing dreams a reality.

Due to the difficult 15hour time difference between Hong Kong and California, Keung said she goes to sleep around 5 p.m.

Photos Courtesy of Jeni Keung California Dreaming | (Above) First-year artist Jeni Keung smiles in front of a carnival in Hong Kong. Keung said she chose Pepperdine because of her lifelong dream to study in Southern California. (Below) Keung paints an original portrait. During the summer, Keung and her friends painted and traveled throughout Hong Kong.

HKT and wakes up around 1 a.m. to start online classes. Although international students have the option to watch prerecorded classes, Keung said she prefers attending live classes because she enjoys the feeling of being a part of class.

“I’m basically nocturnal now,” Keung said.

Keung said once COVID-19 is no longer a threat, she is excited to be

on Pepperdine’s campus and create real and lasting friendships with other students. In the meantime, Keung plans on joining a club or rushing a sorority to find a sense of belonging and community during the virtual fall semester.

AL EX A.BOR STAD@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Singer-songwriter finds her voice at Pepperdine A l e xa b o r s ta d L ife & A r ts assi stant Diamond Longs is from Santa Clarita, CA, so she said the idea of attending Pepperdine was always in the back of her mind when she visited the beaches in Malibu.

“I feel like everyone has an influence from ‘Zoey 101,’ but I think every time I would go to Malibu and pass [Pepperdine], there was just something that always caught my eye,” Longs said.

Longs said she thinks it’s essential to keep God involved on a university campus with everything going on in the world.

Having a Christ-centered education is something both new and important to her.

“We started class with worship the other day,” Longs said. “It’s really cool to be around people who have the same convictions and morals.”

Although she transferred to Pepperdine in fall 2020, Longs said she has already participated in a variety of communities on campus to meet new people and build lasting connections. She joined student-led organizations such as Word-Up, Alpha Omega and the Black Student Association.

Longs is majoring in Business Communication, and although she already has a variety of interests, she said she hopes to someday found her own record label.

“I want to be an independent artist,” Longs said. “I want to learn the backgrounds of the industry so I don’t have to get a record in exchange for owning my work.”

Longs already has three singles on Spotify and Apple Music. Her most recent release, “Love X 25,” and her first single, “It’s Not Me, It’s You,” are reminiscent of some of her favorite artists — SZA, Moses Sumney and Adele.

“I would describe

Flash a Smile | (Above) Transfer Diamond Longs poses for a portrait during a photoshoot for her new song “Love X 25,” which she released Aug. 28. (Below) The cover art for Longs’ first single, “It’s Not Me, It’s You” shows her smiling in front of mountains.

my music as a pop singer-songwriter kind of vibe,” Longs said. “A lot of my songs sound different, so I wouldn’t base them all in one genre; some are more R&B and some experimental.”

Regarding continuing the fall semester virtually, Longs said she wants to meet new people outside of her hometown. Once the University resumes in-person instruction, she

said she hopes to become a member of the Step Team and make the most of her time at Pepperdine.

Whether it is making new friends or building connections to achieve her dream, Longs said she is excited to have a traditional college experience once in-person instruction is safe.

AL EX A.BOR STAD@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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Businesses: companies grow despite COVID-19 F R OM B 1 One of the most popular snacks from Delixias is a traditional Mexican wafer-cookie called obleas, which comes in flavors like chocolate, matcha and strawberry. The wafers are gluten-free, vegan and kosher.

Delixias offers shipping throughout the U.S. as well as contactless delivery for those who request a local drop-off in San Diego. Customers primarily make purchases on the brand’s Instagram page through direct messages or on its website.

“Since it’s just the two of us, we’ve taken up literally every role in a business,” Esobedo said.

“Photographers, business administration, managing the numbers [and] talking to distributors in Mexico City.”

Escobedo said because of COVID-19, she is particularly careful about handling her products and uses gloves when packaging orders so there is no direct contact with the food. She wants to expand her business further into the community but remains aware of COVID-19.

“We wanted to start getting involved in farmers’ markets, [but] with COVID, [...] we still don’t feel 100% comfortable going out there,” Escobedo said. “We’d rather just wait it out a little bit.”

Local Malibu businesses have had to adjust their daily operations as well but continue to stay strong during tough times.

Pepperdine alumnus Luke Vorster, an associate at SunLife Organics in Malibu, said operations had to close at the beginning of the pandemic. Now with new Los Angeles County guidelines, business has almost returned to normal but with a few adjustments.

“We have plexiglass and masks and everything, but [SunLife Organics] is still really functioning well as a business,” Vorster said.

Courtesy of Kendall Ross

Courtesy of universal music group

Photos Courtesy of Natalia Escobedo

Heathly Treats during COVID-19| (Left) A close up Obleas show their texture. Obleas are traditional Mexican wafer cookies and are one of Delixias’ most popular snacks. (Right) A Delixias’ representative poses with various healthy snacks displayed in a Delixias gift basket. Senior Natalia Escobedo and her sister started their healthy snack business during the pandemic in hopes of providing people with tasty alternatives to classic snacks.

Vorster said associates are screened every day at work to ensure they do not have symptoms.

Additionally, dining-in is no longer an option for customers.

Even though the traditional dining experience is on hold for now, COVID-19 hasn’t stopped students or local businesses from being successful during a difficult time. For now, students are eager to dine-in at their favorite restaurants even though it will require patience as Los Angeles county, under Newsom’s new guidelines, remains in Tier 1.

Courtesy of position music Infographic Courtesy of eater la S O F I A . L O N G O @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

Graph |The tier system for California dining is displayed above. It outlined which restaurants can allow outdoor dining and which cannot within a given region.

Theatre: faculty and students unite while online FR OM B 1 “I love my Theatre majors and can’t tell you how good it was to see them on Zoom yesterday — I got choked up,” Thomas-Grant said. “It was just so beautiful just to see their faces.”

Thomas-Grant is in her 25th year of teaching, and she said her favorite things are to teach her students, direct them in shows and take them aborad to Scotland.

“Those are the things I live for,” Thomas-Grant said.

Despite the theater leaders attempting to make this the best semester given the circumstances, Thomas-Grant said they still face a lot of challenges.

“Theater is an in-person experience,” Thomas-Grant said. “It’s a challenge to have to pull all that in-person acting and production values and put it all on Zoom.

Our directors are really being thoughtful about how best to do that.”

George Preston IV, a senior Theatre major, has been acting since high school.

He said he hopes to perform on Broadway and start his own theater program.

When Preston heard school would be online, he said he was upset for many reasons. Senior-year workshops and courses designed to send students into their real-world careers will be modified, and he is now left to figure out how performances will work this fall.

“My first thought was, ‘Wow, OK, I’m in this revolutionary show this year that’s meant for theater, and now we have to adjust our stage acting to on-camera acting,’” Preston said.

Senior Theatre major Clayton Mattingly moved to California at 8 years old to pursue acting. He said he fell in love with Pepperdine’s program and understands the sacrifices the division is making this year.

“I think [the theatre faculty members] are giving it their best shot, and it is such a hard situation,” Mattingly said. “They made the musical exclusive to the music majors.”

Due to the major-specific shows, Mattingly will not get to participate in a show in one of his last semesters as a Pepperdine Wave. He said he can’t fault the faculty for making some productions major-specific but believes some people are going to get

Photo Courtesy Of Georgr Preston Iv

Showtime| Pepperdine theater students participate in the production of Terrence McNally’s “Ragtime” in November 2019. Senior George Preston IV played the character Coalhouse Walker, Jr.

Courtesy Of george preston iv

Center Stage | Pepperdine students participate in a production of Terrence McNally’s “Ragtime” in November 2019. Senior George Preston IV played the character Coalhouse Walker Jr. Bradley Griffin, divisional dean of Fine Arts, said the department prepared for an online semester during the summer. left out.

With Pepperdine’s spring 2021 plans still in flux, Griffin said the department is already planning for next semester’s productions.

“We will do a smaller production — a play called “Ugly Lies the Bone,” a beautiful play about a female veteran,” Griffin said.

All casting is complete for this fall, but if students are interested in being involved in a spring production, Thomas-Grant said every Seaver student is always welcome to audition for a show.

Despite theater taking place online this semester, Mattingly said the Theatre major at Pepperdine is one of the most rigorous on campus, just in a different way than the rest.

“There are times when I have to be a math professor or a surfer dude who doesn’t know any math formulas — it’s a study of the entire psychological track,” Mattingly said. “To me, that takes a lot more time and vulnerability than any major does.”

As the fall semester unfolds and students involved in Pepperdine Performing

Arts continue to work as hard as they can, they are hoping fellow students will show their support.

“We certainly hope that everybody will be interested in attending these performances online, and of course we hope everyone can attend these performances when we come back in spring,” Griffin said.

Thomas Grant said she wants to remind the Pepperdine community why we need music and performance art at all times but especially right now.

“Music and theater have the ability to address not only what’s going on in society at any given moment but also what’s internally going on in a human being,” Thomas-Grant said. “Theater, in general, is about creating and portraying human stories.”

BETH.GONZAL ES@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Courtesy Of clayton mattingly Laugh Out Loud |Senior ClayCourtesy Of Clayton Mattingly ton Mattingly performs stand-up comedy at an open mic night at Bert’s Backroom on Melrose Avenue. He has written his own material for his two-year stand-up comedy stint while also performing in productions at Pepperdine.

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The Graphic

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SPORTS

Where are they now?: Kelley Larsen eyes the Olympics Paxt o n r it c h ey a s s i stant s por ts e dit or When Kelley Larsen arrived at Pepperdine as a student-athlete in 2010, she hoped, like many student– athletes, to achieve individual success and be able to lead her team to a national championship. As it tuns out, she did — just not in the sport she anticipated.

Originally an indoor volleyball recruit, Larsen joined Pepperdine’s Beach Volleyball program — then known as sand volleyball — in its inaugural season. After five years at Pepperdine and four years in the sand, she left Malibu as a two-time All-American, the program’s all-time winningest player and an integral part of two AVCA National Championship winning teams in 2012 and 2014.

Professionally, Larsen has won six career events around the world, including three on the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tour.

Along with current partner Emily Stockman, Larsen is ranked No. 11 on the AVP tour and No. 15 in the world, according to the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) rankings.

In the second installment of a Where Are They Now? series featuring former Pepperdine student–athletes, the Graphic caught up with Larsen, who said she is enjoying life as a newlywed and hoping to make a run at the Tokyo Olympics. The first installment covered Men’s Basketball all-time leading scorer Stacy Davis.

More than five years after leaving the school, Larsen said she has fond memories of her time at Pepperdine.

“I was so grateful to have spent that much time at Pepperdine,” Larsen said. “I absolutely loved Pepperdine, even outside of sports.”

As an indoor player, Larsen appeared in 16 matches with three starts as a freshman, but she suffered a knee injury that forced her to redshirt her second season.

That year, although not yet officially sanctioned as an NCAA championship sport,

photo courtesy of kelley larsen

Winningest Woman | Kelley Larsen (left) celebrates a podium at a tournament with her teammate Emily Stockman (right). After a decorated career at Pepperdine, Larsen became a consistent performer on the U.S. and international pro circuits. sand volleyball became a collegiate sponsored sport for the first time.

Pepperdine won the first American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Championship in 2012 and won again in 2014, with Larsen and partner Kellie Woolever as the Waves No. 1 pairing. Larsen earned All-American honors on the sand in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Larsen achieved all of this success despite never playing beach volleyball until college.

“I loved it; it was new to me,” Larsen said. “I think my skills on the indoor side complemented my beach game a lot. I ended up sticking with beach, and [I’m] still playing.”

Larsen said she wasn’t planning on playing after

college until the last semester of her fifth year, but that all changed when she tested the waters of an AVP tournament with her first partner, Betsy Flint.

At AVP Cincinnati, Larsen and Flint stormed through the field, defeating four of the top six seeds to win the tournament. At the time, their combined age of 46 years, 4 months and 27 days made them the youngest ever team to win an AVP title.

“It was at that point where I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll keep going and see where this volleyball takes me,’” Larsen said.

Larsen plays on both the AVP tour, which is in the U.S., and the international FIVB tour. Only the top four American teams qualify to take part in internation-

al competition, Larsen and her various partners have cracked the top four the past three seasons.

“It’s a completely different level on the world tour,” Larsen said. “You’re playing the best teams in the world.”

Another perk of qualifying for the world tour means the ability to travel to picturesque locations across the globe. Larsen said her favorite tour stop is Gstaad in Switzerland.

“You’re basically in the Swiss Alps; you’re in the mountains, and it’s just beautiful and breathtaking,” Larsen said. “It feels like you’re in a painting.”

The main goal of the international tour is to acquire points that are used to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Larsen said qualifying for Tokyo in 2021 is “definitely

ali levens | staff writerphoto courtesy of kelley larsen

the goal.”

“The U.S. gets two bids [into the Olympics],” Larsen said. “Right now, me and my teammate are No. 4 [in the country]. So, we would have to pass two other teams to be able to get in. But it’s a pretty close race between the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 U.S. teams.”

Due to COVID-19, however, the Olympic qualifying process has been delayed.

“Obviously, this year was a little different – everything got canceled and the Olympics got postponed,” Larsen said. “But next year will be a big year if everything goes back to normal.”

The pandemic break has been significant for Larsen off the sand as well.

“I actually got married literally the weekend before everything shut down,” Larsen said. “So, I was lucky enough

to not have my wedding be canceled or anything, so I was super grateful for that.”

Larsen is now married to fellow AVP tour pro Bill Kolinske. Starting with the upcoming season, Larsen will be known on the AVP tour as Kelley Kolinske, though the international world rankings still list her as Kelley Larsen.

Larsen has been playing with current partner Emily Stockman since 2018. Larsen said the partnership is extremely important in beach volleyball — a 2-on-2 sport.

“It’s like being in a relationship, and when you split up, it’s like going through a breakup,” Larsen said.

Larsen said that while volleyball chemistry is important, partnerships are also chosen with spending weeks at a time on the road together in mind.

“You spend so much time with this person,” Larsen said. “So, you want to find someone that would be a good fit for you on the court and personality-wise.”

While Larsen said she hopes to become more involved with the Pepperdine beach program, she still follows the team on social media and keeps in touch with Beach Volleyball Head Coach Marcio Sicoli, who was an assistant coach at Pepperdine when she played.

Even though she is busy with her new marriage and continuing pro career, Larsen is grateful for her time at Pepperdine. Larsen said that while in high school, her club coach advised her to go to a school she would still love if she got injured — advice that rang true once Larsen missed her sophomore year due to her knee surgery.

“Pepperdine, [in addition to] the athletics, was such a good experience for me,” Larsen said. “I loved all the people there, the professors [and] the classes.”

PAX TON.R ITC HEY@PEPPER DINE.EDU

photo courtesy of kelley larsen

Dynamic Duos | Professional beach volleyball player Kelley Larsen serves the ball during a match in Austria (left) and walks down the aisle during her March 2020 wedding to fellow volleyball pro Billy Kolinske (right). Larsen and Kolinke got engaged oncourt at a tournament in 2019.

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Sport and activity clubs remain active in Malibu and beyond tay l o r gat her s taf f w r i ter Although classes are remote this fall, sports-related clubs are keeping their members engaged and active, both remotely and in the Malibu area.

Some students believed they would have anything but a normal experience when classes went online.

Several sports-related clubs on campus ensured that this wouldn’t be the case.

While COVID-19 forced students to learn remotely, the leaders of Climbing Club, Scuba Club, Esports and Running Club said their teams seek to build community despite their inability to meet in person.

“COVID kind of put a damper in our plans for this semester,” senior Kyla Lucey said. “I’m super honored to be president for both Climbing and Scuba Club and hope to use my time as leader to foster some sense of a Pepperdine community as best as I can under the circumstances.”

Climbing Club Senior Kyla Lucey, Climbing Club President, said she never imagined her love for rock climbing would lead her to a newfound community of Pepperdine students.

Although there are many amenities available to students on campus, Lucey said she wanted to introduce students to an alternative way of getting out in nature.

“When I came back to Pepperdine [from abroad], I realized there was a community of climbers, but we weren’t all together,” Lucey said. “We all didn’t know the other climbers on campus, so because of that, I really wanted to create a community where climbers could really have fun.”

Since its inception last fall, Lucey assembled an executive board of climbers to aid in introducing the Pepperdine community to the sport of rock climbing.

The club organized numerous events for people of all levels of rock climbing experience while school was still in session, including frequent trips to the local climbing gym Boulderdash.

“We got to teach people how to climb and created an afffordable way to get people climbing,” Lucey said.

Lucey also led a Rock Climbing Club convocation that allowed club members to meet and discuss God in nature. Lucey said it con-

Photo Courtesy of Zach Dalzell

Photo Courtesy of Kyla Lucey

Still Going | Sophomore John Palmer (left) climbs the espresso route at Echo Cliffs, California, in the summer of 2020. Climbing Club is continuing through the fall 2020 semester. Running club members (right) pose after completing an organized run. President Zach Dalzell said he created the club to foster a community of runners on campus.

nected club members on a deeper level.

“The convo last year was based on John Muir and his meditations in nature and how that relates to the Bible,” Lucey said.

Like other clubs on campus, Lucey said she had planned climbs before classes moved online. Despite the uncertainties of the future, Lucey said she still had things in the works for members to stay involved and active.

“We can’t organize climbs, but there’s a lot of amazing rock in the Malibu area,” Lucey said. “There’s a lot of people living with their belay buddies — that’s the person you can go climbing with — which is really lucky because members have been reaching out about how they’ve been really lucky to have a buddy in their home. A lot of us go climbing in Point Dume or just around Malibu.”

While new regulations demand that everything be virtual, Lucey said she still has high hopes for the club and member involvement throughout the semester.

“We’re going to focus more on creating opportunities for people, whether it be finding some way to do remote at-home workouts for climbing or strength training to increase grip strength,” Lucey said. “We’re just finding different ways that we can prepare for the time that we are back together.”

Lucey said she encourages new members to get involved this semester, whether it be by reaching out to her via email or by following the Climbing Club Instagram.

Scuba Club Lucey became the perfect candidate for Scuba Club president after being the only recipient of the club’s schol-

File Photo

arship during her junior year.

Lucey said she inherited the club this year after former President Jon Santini graduated. While Lucey became scuba certified only last year, she said scuba diving consumed a large part of her time in 2019–2020.

“I really invested a lot into [scuba diving],” Lucey said.

“I think that’s kind of how I got the ball rolling on becoming president. I’ve also always been really interested in the scuba culture and community for awhile.”

Lucey said she hasn’t been able to set up club events or help members become scuba certified due to COVID-19 restrictions barring social gatherings. Since restrictions are starting to lift in the Southern California area, Lucey said she still wants to follow through with getting members diving certified.

“Even though things are weird, I’m hoping to offer the scholarship,” Lucey said.

“We work with Malibu Divers to help some students get their full certification for their open water diving. The club also pays for it in full.”

Through social media, Lucey said she has also been able to get in touch with new members and post about ocean safety. Since much of training is online, club members are able to learn about the water and tides remotely.

Lucey said she encourages new members to follow the Scuba Club on Instagram, join the club on Pepperdine or email her for updates on club activities.

“It’s an amazing community,” Lucey said. “Scuba is just something that I know a lot of people don’t get to do, and it’s really cool that we’ve created opportunities for students to do it affordably.

You can go to the beach, you can see the waves, but we get

Photo Courtesy of Kyla Lucey

New Opportunities| The Pepperdine Esports team (left) was created in the fall of 2019. The team continued to compete throughout quarantine, bringing home the win at the WCC Gaming in Place Challenge. Senior Jonali Feher (right) swims with a levens | staff writer sea turtle during a scuba diving trip while in Mexico. Scuba Club are in the process of getting members scuba certified while scuba trips are suspended.

to see what’s underneath.”

Esports

Last fall, the Esports team excelled in the West Coast Conference championship, winning both the League of Legends and Overwatch competitions.

Senior manager Grace Ramsey said they have no intention of slowing down.

Last spring, the team introduced a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team before COVID-19 shut down operations.

“What’s really, really nice about esports is that COVID didn’t affect it as much as it could have,” Ramsey said.

“The collegiate leagues did suspend in the spring, mostly out of consideration for the students whose lives upended and had to go home. They were also worried about internet and accessibility issues and stuff like that.”

While the transition to online halted some competitions, Ramsey said Pepperdine Esports took home the win at the WCC Gaming in Place Challenge, a final tournament for the students who would have gone to the playoffs.

Ramsey also said Esports Discord hosted a campus-wide Survivor event, where 21 students played over the course of several weeks.

“We were able to really keep the community alive, alive online, which I’m really, really happy that we were able to do,” Ramsey said.

“We’ve just tried to keep that going through the year.”

While quarantine protocols don’t allow for in-person gaming competitions, Ramsey said the team hosted tryouts and is planning matches between team members and other Pepperdine students.

“We want people to connect online,” Ramsey said.

“We’re taking the time and looking toward the future and how we can build things out and how we can develop. I’m really, really excited that we’re taking this opportunity we have to focus on the future a little bit instead of having to do such a mad turnaround in daily life.”

Ramsey said they encourage all levels of gamers to get involved recreationally or by competing on the Esports team.

“If you’re just looking for a community of gamers, if you want to just go to a watch party for the League of Legends Worlds or something coming up, or even just have a casual game night, you can go there and find

Photo Courtesy of Kyla Lucey Still Going | Senior Jacob Walker climbs the Bishop route at Buttermilk Boulders in the summer. Walker continued to climb in the Malibu area during the school year. some sort of community,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey said they hope that esports not only leaves a legacy within the gaming community but also creates a platform for all of the Pepperdine community.

“I want Pepperdine Esports to become this amazing, wonderful thing that people come to Pepperdine wanting to participate in or want to be a part of, even if they’re not on the team,” Ramsey said. “So, lots of big dreams but I think they’re achievable. I know that the next generation of people will be able to continue that dream, and that’s what I want to see.”

Running Club

“Running is kind of a solitary thing,” Dalzell said.

“I’ve kept in touch with people doing their own different types of training for different events, but obviously there’s no races you can really do.”

Dalzell said he’s keeping club members running through a reward program.

“For this semester, if you train with us for six weeks for a 5K and complete our training each week, you get a prize or a reward,” Dalzell said. “I think that’ll be a raffle of $150 of running gear.”

Dalzell said the best way to get involved with the club is to email him or join the Pepperdine Running Club group under the Strava app.

“We’d love to have more people come out and run with us — virtually run with us,” Dalzell said. “We have some pretty cool stuff and some pretty cool prizes for this semester. Running is one of the few ways to stay healthy and happy, and it’s really good for you.”this semester. Running is one of the few ways to stay healthy and happy, and it’s really good for you.”

Senior Running Club President Zach Dalzell said he knew he shared a love for running with other Pepperdine students; he would just have to find them.

Dalzell said he started running in middle school and has continued to present day. He said he wanted to find other runners on Pepperdine’s campus, or at least introduce the student to runEMAIL: TAYLOR.GATHER@PEPning recreationally.

PERDINE.EDU Since its creation last fall, Dalzell said his club has amassed about 25 members.

He, along with 17 members, signed up and paid the entry fees to the The Great Race of Agoura Half-Marathon before COVID-19 shut down the event.

“We were scheduled to run a couple of runs together but all that got canceled,” Dalzell said. “So we got nothing off the ground last semester, unfortunately.”

Despite club members being in different states across the nation, Dalzell said he still keeps his members running and connected through GroupMe and Strava.

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Former Pepp infielder d’Arnaud leaves diamond to complete degree aust in hall staf f w r i te r With the No. 144 pick in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Chase d’Arnaud.

The shortstop and third baseman from Torrance who lettered at Los Alamitos High School wasn’t the most tantalizing prospect; a 6-foot-1-inch, 187-pound infielder with decent strength, quick hands and average power in the batter’s box. Nicknamed “Cheetah,” d’Arnaud possessed elite base-running speed and a knack for stealing second.

The fourth-round draft pick also had an incomparable love of the game that was visible whether he was in the bigs or in Triple-A. “Everything that I’ve done in baseball and in life, I try to accomplish two things: to bring people together and to lift people up,” d’Arnaud said. “That’s my checklist for everything that I pour my heart into.”

D’Arnaud said this over a Zoom call before his son Jagger ran into his bedroom and climbed onto his lap. He’s a father of two who stopped playing baseball after 12 professional seasons to return to Pepperdine and complete his degree in Integrated Marketing Communication.

High School Career Although the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted d’Arnaud out of high school in the 44th round, he made it a point to tell the teams scouting him that he wanted to live the college experience and round out other parts of his game.

D’Arnaud said he would forfeit his NCAA eligibility only under one extreme circumstance.

“Behind the scenes, there were a couple of teams that wanted to draft me in the third round out of high school,” d’Arnaud said. “I told the teams that it was going to take $1 million to sign because I wanted to go to Pepperdine. A couple of teams offered me $500,000, but I stuck to my guns and went to school.”

D’Arnaud played three seasons at Pepperdine before becoming eligible once again for the MLB Draft.

Many high-level baseball prospects struggle with leaving their university one year early to pursue a professional career.

D’Arnaud said he worked into his initial contract with the Pirates that they would pay for him to finish his education.

“Teams are happy to do that if you’re drafted high enough,” d’Arnaud said. “They think it’s gonna move the needle and upgrade their signability. For me, that was a no-brainer. It had to be included in my first contract.”

The young rookie and the Pirates decided on $50,000 to give to d’Arnaud for whenever he decided to come back to Pepperdine. Little did he know that it would be after a decade of going through the professional baseball ringer. Due to inflation, he said that it wasn’t enough to cover the full year, but he and the University worked out a deal to where he would work with Pepperdine Baseball and be a parttime consultant for the team.

The Highs and Lows of the Pros D’Arnaud spent his first three seasons with the State College Spikes, located in Pennsylvania, followed by the West Virginia Power, Lynchburg Hillcats and back to Pennsylvania with the Altoona Curve.

He was called up to the majors by the Pirates on June 24, 2011.

On the same day, d’Arnaud recorded his first hit. Nine years later, he remembers every detail of what he saw in the batter’s box.

“It’s impossible to not smile even now,” d’Arnaud said. “I was going up against a godly defense.

Ellsbury, Manny Ramirez, Big Papi [David Ortiz]. It was the OG Red Sox, guys that I played with in video games. Jon Lester threw me a cutter high and inside, I got the barrel to it and hit what looked like a double that short-hopped the left field wall. I was rounding second base thinking, ‘I can’t believe it’ before realizing I could make it to third, and I got there.”

photos courtesy of chase d’arnaud Back to School | (left) Former Waves infielder Chase d’Arnaud smiles while playing catch. D’Arnaud returned to classes this fall to complete his degree, following 12 seasons in professional baseball. (right) d’Arnaud bats at a game when he was playing for the San Francisco Giants. One of d’Arnaud’s fondest big league memories came when he pitched a scoreless inning for the Giants in 2018.

D’Arnaud, who hit the triple in front of his entire family and a number of friends, said it’s a pivotal experience for any young ball player.

“There’s a euphoria in that brief moment in time,” d’Arnaud said.

“You only have a little bit of time to celebrate because you have to get your head back in the game as a baserunner 90 feet away from scoring. It was one of the highlights of my career, and the same can be said for anyone who experiences their first.”

D’Arnaud spent the next three years with the Pirates with periodic stints in the minor leagues. In Nov. 2014, he became a free agent and signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and minor league affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Over the next five seasons he spent time with the Braves, Red Sox, Padres, Giants, Rangers and Royals.

One of the most notable games from d’Arnaud’s career was when he was played for the Giants on Aug. 19, 2018.

After going up 1–0 in the second inning, the Giants gave up seven runs in the third inning and longtime manager Bruce Bochy knew that the game was out of hand. Instead of reaching deep into his bullpen and running the risk of getting quality arms tired in a meaningless

summer game, he decided to put a position player on the mound and d’Arnaud was the first name that came to mind.

“I happened to be the lowest guy on the totem pole,” d’Arnaud said, laughing. “Bochy came up to me, very curious and asked, ‘Have you ever pitched before?’ And I said yes because I pitched an inning in Triple-A a while back and it was scoreless. So later that inning he put me in the game to hit because I didn’t start that day. I hit a double and found myself on second base when the inning ended. I heard him yell my name and then point to the mound.”

D’Arnaud couldn’t hold back laughter describing his final scoreless inning.

“Nick Hundley was catching,” d’Arnaud said. “He goes, ‘What are you throwing?’ I told him I’m throwing 75% cutters and the rest two-seamers. It worked well cause I allowed no runs and one hit.”

As a pop-out to right field that was caught by Austin Slater, longtime Giants analyst Mike Krukow let out a proud, “Remember where you were” as the inning concluded.

Although d’Arnaud stepped away this season for personal reasons, the 33-year-old said that he wouldn’t rule out returning to baseball.

“I still don’t even know if I’m done with the game,” d’Arnaud said. “I stopped because I wanted to spend more time with my family.

It would break my heart being gone for two weeks to get home and see that my son had changed so much.

But I still have withdrawals all the time, it kills me watching baseball on TV. I know that I’m healthy and I can still play and I’ve even talked to a couple teams about coming back.”

On the side, he runs chasedarnaud.com, a media company that he founded based off a love for film and production he developed at Pepperdine.

D’Arnaud said his three-year plan is up in the air, but he believes Pepperdine will help him with the process.

“I’m back at Pepperdine so that I could make the right decisions moving forward and pick up where I left off,” d’Arnaud said. “When I set out on that professional baseball journey, Pepperdine was often in the back of my mind. Depending on how things go this year and where my head is at once I graduate, it’s really going to dictate my future.”

AUSTIN.HAL L @PEPPER DINE.EDU

Opinion: Sports desk picks NFL Week 1 kar l w int er s por ts edi tor The 2020 NFL season is set to kick off Thursday, with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs taking the field for the first time since the Super Bowl — as the league canceled the entire preseason schedule. The season will bring something new across the board.

The Rams, Chargers and Raiders all have sparkling new stadiums. The Raiders franchise has an entire new city, relocating for the third time in the past four decades. The Rams are sporting new uniforms and logos, which have proven not to be a fan favorite. The team from Washington changed its name to — wait for it — nothing. The Bengals, Buccaneers and Patriots, among others, boast new quarterbacks, some young and some veterans. The reigning MVP, Patrick Mahomes, sports a new contract worth nearly $500 million.

The Dolphins, Colts, Jaguars, Chiefs and Cowboys plan to allow some fans to enter the building for their home openers. All other stadiums across the league will be empty.

At least one thing remains the same: America

madeline duvall | art editor loves its football, and so does the sports desk at a school without a football team. Graphic Staff Writers Austin Hall and Kyle McCabe, Photo Editor Ali Levens, Assistant Sports Editor Paxton Ritchey, Sports Assistant Justin Touhey and Sports Editor Karl Winter have each committed to picking each and every NFL game in the 2020–2021 season.

Each of us have biases: Justin and Ali prefer the Giants, Karl likes the Bears, Kyle is a Broncos fan, Paxton is a member of the Seahawks’ 12th Man and Austin prefers college football. However, we all attempt to justify our picks with a bit of knowledge and a sprinkle of humor.

Without further ado, let the games begin.

Keep in mind, these are simply a select few key games in Week 1. Our picks for all 16 games are avaialable online at pepperdine-graphic.com.

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (Thursday, Sept. 10 at 5:20 p.m.

PDT) Justin: Chiefs Paxton: Chiefs Austin: Chiefs Ali: Chiefs Kyle: Texans Karl: Chiefs “I think that [Houston] will spoil the banner ceremony. I think the Chiefs are still chokers.” — Kyle “I’m taking the Chiefs for two reasons: [Reigning Super Bowl MVP] Pat Mahomes and Bill O’Brien [who is the Texans head coach and general manager].” — Paxton Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1:25 p.m. PDT) Justin: Buccaneers Paxton: Saints Austin: Saints Ali: Saints

Inez kim | sports design assistant Kyle: Saints Karl: Saints

of the bottom third in the NFL last year.” — Austin

“Although [new Bucs quarterback] Tom Brady is on the decline in his career, he’s still less likely to throw interceptions than [new Saints backup quarterback and former Buccaneer] Jameis Winston is. Plus, the Bucs’ defense was very good last year, and they’ve added a bunch of new offensive weapons.” — Justin “I think it’s going to be a huge learning curve for Brady. Everyone looks at the skill positions and they think ‘skill positions go 16–0.’

That’s not what happens — [The Bucs’] o-line is atrocious, defense was one

Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (Monday, Sept. 14 at 7:20 p.m.

PDT) Justin: Broncos Paxton: Titans Austin: Broncos Ali: Titans Kyle: Broncos Karl: Broncos “[Titans quarterback] Ryan Tannehill is overpaid and [Titans running back] Derrick Henry probably won’t be very good in two or three years, but for right now, all Tannehill has to do to get paid like a king is

hand off to Henry 30 times a game. I don’t know that the Broncos have a way to stop that. Also, [Broncos General Manager] John Elway recently said Drew Lock reminds him of himself and, given John Elway’s career as a GM, that’s the worst thing to happen to Drew Lock.” — Paxton “The most important acquisition [for the Broncos] will be defensive lineman Jurrell Casey. He is going to keep them from having any running game, and I don’t think that Tannehill is going to be able to out-throw [Broncos quarterback] Drew Lock.” — Kyle K AR L .W INTER @PEPPER DINE.EDU