THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC VOLUME XLIX
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ISSUE 16 |
February 27, 2020
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pepperdine-graphic.com
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follow us @peppgraphic
CoronaVirus
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Coronavirus fears escalate worldwide J am es M oore | News Edito R
Florence admin and students respond Brian n a W illis | S taf f writer Kayiu W on g | Digital Edito r
Other Ip programs affected Lin dsey Sullivan | As s is tant News Edito R kyle m ccabe | As s is tant News Edito R
shanghai students on returning Vern ie Covarrubias | News As s is tant em ily sh aw | News As s is tant
See A4 & A5
Solving the mystery of Drescher’s dirt hill Ky l e mccabe As si stant n e ws e dit or Perched atop the Drescher hill sits a recent addition to the graduate campus: a pile of dirt. Students can see this display of modern engineering from most anywhere on campus. It bewilders the Pepperdine community. What is the dirt pile? Why is it there? Who manifested it, and when will it leave us? The dirt pile sits on a piece of land at the intersection of Benton Way and Catalina Drive, uphill and northwest of the Seaver campus. The dirt is on a “balance pad” that originated in the construction of the Drescher campus in 2003 as a potential location for a building, though Pepperdine never had plans to build on it, Lance Bridgesmith — the associate vice president of planning, operations and construction and of the Department of Public Safety — said. The pad holds any loose dirt produced by construction projects or landslides. The current pile mostly consists of dirt from runoff, not the Drescher campus construction 17 years ago. “We have a number of areas that we call ‘debris basins’ on our campus,” Bridgesmith said. “Those are designed to catch the runoff and the flows that come from hills
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regularly.” Those debris basins collected more runoff than normal after the Woolsey Fire, which junior biology major Brandon Grinovich said diminished the root systems on Pepperdine’s hillsides that normally hold soil in place. “Typically, what happens with half of [the plants] is that when the fire burns, it burns the whole top off, but they keep their entire root system [that] goes down 40 feet,” Grinovich said. “If those root systems are damaged, ... you can see basically holes in the ground ... [the fire] burned into the ground.” The rainy season that followed the Woolsey Fire in November 2018 led to mudslides throughout the affected area. The United States Geological Survey mapped the risk of mudslides in the affected area, and some parts of Malibu had an 80-to100% chance of mudslides. Bridgesmith said Pepperdine monitored the campus’ hillsides to mitigate erosion but still prepared for an above-average amount of runoff. “The clean out in the maintenance of our debris basins is what you’ve been seeing added,” Bridgesmith said. “They’re overdue.” The fact that the dirt pile garners attention did not surprise
Milan Loiacono | Photo Editor Talk Dirt to Me | A mound of dirt sits silhouetted against the night sky on the edge of Drescher Graduate Campus. The dirt pile is the product of post-Woolsey Fire runoff, one of several ‘debris basins’ on campus. Bridgesmith. “It is really a unique situation that a lot of people don’t appreciate,” Bridgesmith said. “One, about our restriction from exporting a dirt off of our campus, and two, … what are we going to do with, where can we get and where can we put our dirt.” The California Coastal Commission (CCC) regulates construction on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus. When the university plans to build anything on the campus, it has to get approval from the CCC before it can begin construction. “We have a [CCC] restriction
News
Pe r s pe ct iv e s
Chaplain Sara Barton becomes the first woman at Pepperdine to teach a preaching course.
The term “sexual assault” encompasses a broad range of non-consensual sexual conduct, and people are unaware as to what these actions are.
of street vendors A8- 80% in Los Angeles are women.
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cautious as society A7- Be discreetly replaces
L if e & A r t s
SP ORTS
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Pepp’s opera program highlights the versatility of student vocalists with two one-act operas.
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The annual Songfest kickoff brings new groups to Pepp’s annual musical theater event.
Following a good performance at the PCSC Championships, a swimmer opens up about the tumultuous tenure of former Head Coach Joe Spahn.
professional news outlets with YouTube influencers.
the waves report
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from being able to export [dirt we excavate] off our property,” Bridgesmith said. “We can’t just haul it off.” In 2006, the CCC approved a Pepperdine proposal to remodel and expand Elkins Auditorium. In their recommendation for regulations, the CCC wrote, “All sediment should be retained onsite unless removed to an appropriate approved dumping location either outside the coastal zone or to a site within the coastal zone permitted to receive fill.” Similar language appeared in CCC recommendations for regu-
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K YL E.J.M C C ABE@PEPPER DINE.EDU
this we e k o n the g rap h T he g r ap hi c’s Ne ws P o d c ast
Baseball is off to B6- Waves a stellar 7 – 1 start after a home-opening sweep.
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lations about renovation to the intramural field in 2013 and again in a different proposal for intramural field renovations in 2016. The CCC approved the 2016 proposal, and the university excess dirt stored on the Drescher balance pad to construct the current Enhanced Recreation Area. “[The balance pad is used for] any one of our larger construction projects that really get[s] into the ground, … any of those kinds of projects that create dirt or need dirt,” Bridgesmith said. “We’re constantly thinking of that balance pad and what the next uses are for [it].” The Enhanced Recreation Area construction cleared enough dirt from the balance pad for it to be used as a staging area for the construction of Seaside Residence Hall. An August 2017 construction update from Pepperdine on the Enhanced Recreation Area claimed that the balance pad provided parking for up to 200 contractor vehicles. The university does not have any major projects planned that will use the dirt pile currently on the Drescher balance pad. Bridgesmith said there are many smaller projects that some of the dirt will be used for.
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Finding Coronavirus’ Angles Breaking the news of Florence’s suspension entailed a long night for the Graphic news team. Available anywhere you listen to podcasts.
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F E B R UA RY 2 7 , 2 0 2 0 | N E W S | P E P P E R DI N E G RA P H I C ME D I A
THE DPS REPORTS
REPORTER
THOUGHTS Don’t let elitism intimidate you into silence
Check out pepperdine.edu/publicsafety for the DPS Reports every week
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l i n d s e y sulliva n a s s i s ta n t n ew s e dit or A growing question among younger generations is, who is equipped to lead the country? A study by Pew Research in 2017 found that 46% of respondents, ages 18 to 29, prefer to be governed by experts. The question stems from a much deeper ideological divide in the country — elitism vs. populism. While populists believe that ordinary citizens are best fit to make political decisions through their votes, proponents of elitist ideology argue that important political decisions are best made by a small group of experts. Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, said citizens of the U.K. were ill-equipped to vote on Brexit legislation, urging for an elite group of people in authority to make that decision and others like it. This kind of thinking is not unique to Dawkins. In the past decade, political correctness has demonized populists and left many Americans afraid to speak out with dissent. Politicians, the media and people from both sides of the political spectrum alike do this through ad hominem attacks — assaulting the dissenter’s character rather than answering to their argument. The most common of these attacks is the use of “virtue-signaling” language that calls dissenters backward, uneducated and bigoted. But dissent is exactly what the First Amendment is designed to protect. Dissent is what the country is founded on, and it is the very mechanism of maintaining a free society. Suppressing dissent damages free-thinking and threatens democracy. Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Robert H. Jackson once said, “Those who begin coercive elimination of dissent soon find themselves exterminating dissenters. Compulsory unification of opinion achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard.” Your voice matters in this country. Your thoughts, experiences and background make up the unique perspective that you can and should bring to society and to the political decisions that will ultimately affect you. Don’t let the attacks from elitists keep you from wielding your right to be an active political participant and speak up, even if you may bring dissent.
LI NDS EY.S U LLI VAN @ P E P P E R DIN E . E DU
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This week In SGA
1 2/21/20 2:58 p.m. Crime: Alcohol-Related - Possession of Alcohol on Campus/ Drug-Related - Possession of Marijuana on Campus Location: Richard Rockwell Towers
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2/23/20 12:29 a.m. Crime: Drug-Related/ Non-Criminal - Possession of Drug Paraphernelia Location: Richard Rockwell Towers
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2/23/20 2:31 a.m. Crime: Alcohol-Related/ Non-Criminal - Individual(s) Drinking or Intoxicated on Campus Location: E. Pengilly House
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Passed a resolution to sponsor and host a tailgate basketball game event during the spring 2021 New Student Orientation.
Passed a resolution to fund the purchase of Senior Class of 2020 sweatshirts that will be distributed at the Senior Townhall on March 19.
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2/23/20 8:22 p.m. Crime: Possession of Tobacco Paraphernalia Location: Seaside Residence Hall
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2/24/20 5:56 p.m. Crime: Traffic-Related - Hit and Run, Non-Injury Accident Location: Stotsenberg Track
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Discussed how to raise awareness about how to properly throw away food waste on campus.
UPCOMING EVENTS THIS SEMESTER What: be ach volleyball v s. uc la WheN: 4 /1 wher e: zuma beach
Wh at: pepper dine or chestr a master wor ks concer t Wh e N: 4/2 wh e re : smother s theatr e
Wh at: basebal l vs. s an di eg o Wh e N: 4/3 wh e re : eddy d. f i el d s tadi u m
W hat: p oet ry readi ng and b ook s i g ni ng wi t h el l en rei c h W he N: 4 / 6 w he r e : k res g e readi ng room
W hat: men’s t enni s vs. p ort l and W he N: 4 / 9 w he r e : eddy d. f i el d s tadi u m
c onvo c re dit and othe r e ve n ts next ac ade mic w e e k MON 9
TUES 10
WEDS 11
What: spanish chapel When: 10:10 a.m. Where: stauffer chapel
wh at: Ger man Chapel Wh e n: 10 a.m. Wh e re : Stauffer Chapel
Wh at: wednesday c hap el Wh e n: 10 a.m. Wh e re : fir est one f i el dhou s e
What: the startup toolbox at genesis lab - vr & 3d resources on campus When: 6 p.m. Where: genesis lab
wh at: Italian chapel Wh e n: 3 p.m. Wh e re : Stauffer Chapel
Wh at: Chines e c hap el Wh e n: 11:05 a . m. Wh e re : CCB 3 4 0
wh at: fr ench chapel Wh e n: 4 p.m. Wh e re : Stauffer Chapel
Wh at: commu ni t y c hap el : a conver sation ab ou t ri s i ng anti-semitism i n ameri c a Wh e n: 5:30 p.m . Wh e re : elkins au di t ori u m
Looking// PLUG IN: for more?
subscribe to the Graphic p(S cianxpeppgraphic e l n e w s//l PLUG e t tThe e rIN: and s c rol l to the bottom of t h e page)
THURS 12
What: digital transitions round table When: 9 a.m. Where: surfboard room What: men’s tennis vs. arizona When: 2 p.m. Where: ralphs-straus tennis center
FRI 13
W hat: c el eb rat i on c hap el W he n: 1 0 a. m. W he r e : Amp hi t heat er W hat: Arab i c c hap el W he n: 1 p. m. W he r e : P L C 1 04 What: baseball vs. san francisco When: 1 p.m. Where: eddy d. field stadium
@Peppnewswaves
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Chaplain becomes first woman to teach preaching class l indsey su llivan ass i s tant n e ws e dit or This semester, Chaplain Sara Barton became the first woman at Pepperdine to teach a preaching course in the Religion Division. Barton is an outspoken voice in the community for shared church leadership between men and women, and the class is a reflection of that with eight female students and one male student. The official name of the course is “Ministries of the Church: The Ministry of Preaching.” This is the first semester the university has offered the class to students in several years. Barton said she hopes the class will help the next generation preserve the ancient and sacred art form of preaching. “It’s my hope that we don’t lose
I think it’s just a really special time that people are not only [beginning] to accept but to actually put women into higher leadership roles in the church. daniel perez, graduate student that in the life of the church,” Barton said. “That is what is exciting to me about the class — I am with young people who are willing to
experiment with what I call a new homiletic.” Barton said she brought the idea to teach the preaching course to the Religion Division because she felt that her extensive preaching background equipped her for the role. Barton holds several doctorate-level ministry degrees and has extensive preaching experience. She also authored “A Woman Called,” a book describing her personal journey to understanding her call to ministry. After spending much of her time conversing with both male and female graduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in ministry or religion, Barton said she was excited to begin teaching the course. The course is designed for students pursuing a Master’s in Divinity, Ministry or Religion, but anyone can take the course. Barton said the goal of the class is to provide students with the opportunity to understand the role of preaching in the life of a congregation. She emphasized that all messages must be firmly rooted in scripture. Sierra Perry, who is pursuing her Master’s in Ministry, said she wanted to be able to take a preaching course specifically from a woman’s perspective in her ministry program. “It comes down to just getting your reps in but finding places as a girl to get your reps in, and to be able to speak can be a little bit challenging,” Perry said. Perry said Barton has served as a mentor in her ministerial pursuits. Perry also said she has enjoyed listening to Barton’s sermons and learning from her speaking style as a woman. “Even if I slightly mention another friend who I’m like, ‘Oh this person is interested [in preaching]’ she’s like, ‘How can I move them in? How can I help them?’” Perry said. “And I’m just like, ‘Oh wow, you’re so intentional about this.’”
lindsey sullivan | assistant news editor Sermon Support | Chaplain Sara Barton teaches the art of preaching in her class, “Ministries of the Church: The Ministry of Preaching” Tuesday. While the course is open to anyone, the class is planned for those working toward master’s degrees in Divinity, Ministry or Religion. Daniel Perez, a second-year graduate student earning his Master’s in Divinity, is the only male student in the class. Perez said he was excited to discover that the preaching class was taught by Barton. “I really respect [Barton] as a minister; she is one of the best and most kind-hearted people, but also such a talented speaker,” Perez said. “Historically, leadership in the church has been male. I think it’s just a really special time that people are not only [beginning] to accept but to actually put women into higher leadership roles in the church.” Perez said he would describe the atmosphere of the class as a safe space with no hidden agenda. Perez also said he loves being surrounded by the women in the class who talk about scripture with curiosity and
Campus Recreation introduces new student leadership position v er nie c ovarru bias new s ass i sta n t On-campus residents can take group fitness classes for free in exchange for promoting the classes to other residents in their dorm under the new Recreational Community Leader position, officially launching next semester. The initiative is a part of a collaboration between HRL and Campus Recreation. Recreational Community Leaders will be responsible for inviting their dorm community to workout classes, spreading awareness on Campus Recreation’s programs and attending student leadership meetings. Five students — Dan Chier, McKenzie Henry, Brooke Romine, Janine Bury and Danielle John — took on the position in their dorms early, starting Feb. 19. “If people are hesitant to go to [fitness classes], they’re more likely to go with a friend or somebody they know rather than a staff member telling them to come take this class,” Coordinator for Fitness and Wellbeing Amanda Knight said. Recreational Community Leaders will be able to invite others to try out a fitness class at no cost for either party. Students otherwise pay $75 per semester or $30 per month for unlimited access to the classes, according to Pepperdine’s website. Currently, the five students holding the position represent DeBell, White and J. Penn dorms. Multiple students per dorm can be a Recreational Community Leader.
Each leader can bring up to three residents per fitness class. In first semester of the position, there is no limit on how many times a Recreational Community Leader can bring an individual to a class. “Right now, we are trying
I would just be so happy if someone else found some sort of joy in group activities and being active. brooke romine, freshman and recreational community leader for debell house to keep it less formalized to see if students will actually take part in this program,” Director of Campus Recreation Robb Bolton said. Knight said the goal of the new position is to promote overall fitness and well-being in the student population. “We’re trying to have more student involvement in our fitness classes to encourage healthy minds and healthy bodies just to overcome any stresses that come with student life,” Knight said. Aside from group fitness classes, student leaders will be responsible for informing their peers about outdoor recreation events, excursions and equipment rental opportunities. Pepperdine students can rent camping, surfing,
game and sport gear at no cost through Outdoor Recreation. Brooke Romine, freshman and Recreational Community Leader for DeBell House, said maintaining an active lifestyle is something she enjoys doing and hopes to continue doing in her new position. “I really look forward to hearing about what the kids on campus want from Campus Rec and then trying to transform that into what [Campus Recreation] offers,” Romine said. “I would just be so happy if someone else found some sort of joy in group activities and being active.” Romine said she has already attended the pilates and spin classes and thinks they are tailored to the needs of college students. “[The pilates basics] class is all foundational,” Romine said. “So the better you get at it, the harder it is.” Next semester, the initiative will expand to activities in the dorms. “We might have more opportunities [for the Recreational Community Leader] to host a yoga or a training class,” Knight said. Bolton said they have plans to make the position effective in every dorm on campus. “Hopefully it’s successful and it will grow,” Bolton said. “The plan that we talked about initially was to match what the SLAs are right now. We want to be able to promote wellness and recreation throughout all the houses to make sure everyone is getting the same messaging.” V E RN E T TA .COVA RRU B I A S @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U
authority. “I guess it just inspires me,” Perez said. “They’re going against all norms and they’re making their own path and following the Lord at the same time. I’m just really happy to be in the presence of it.” Barton said some students in the class already feel called to preaching while others are still exploring their interests. “[The first day of class] we went around and shared why each student was taking the class,” Barton said. “It just put all of us at ease.” Every week, students in the course share a message on a topic or theme that Barton assigns them. The first week, students were assigned to an epistle from the New Testament. Barton said she was impressed with the students’ support for one another.
“I thought that was success number one — that we all found it to be fun and not scary,” Barton said. “I’m sure a few people were a little nervous, but overall, we’re all really there for one another.” Barton supplements her teaching with Lucy Lind Hogan’s book “Graceful Speech.” Hogan bases her preaching model on the idea of God being in community with people. “[This] invites us into this experience of God working in history and among humanity — and what it means for preachers to join in with what God is doing in this world and to be proclaimers of what God is doing in this world, which is good news,” Barton said.
L INDSEY.SUL L IVAN@PEPPER DINE.EDU
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CORONAVIRUS outbreak: HOW AN INTERNATIONAL DISEASE HITS HOME for pepp students James Moore New s E dit or The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention escalated fears stateside Tuesday when it warned that a United States outbreak of the coronavirus (officially known as COVID-19) is inevitable. “It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore,” Nancy Messonnier, director for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a news briefing, “but rather more of a question of exactly when this will happen.” Later in the conference, the CDC urged hospitals, businesses and schools to make preparations for the event of a domestic outbreak.
Today, just two days after that warning, participants in Pepperdine’s Florence program prepare to return home, members of other European abroad programs face travel restrictions and the D.C. program’s Educational Field Trip to Spain — which was slated for Friday — was canceled. In Italy on Wednesday, students said they were blindsided by the decision due to several prior reassurances from administration that the likelihood of a suspension was low. However, Florence — a major hub for university study abroad programs — had already played host to six suspensions earlier in the week: Fairfield University, Florida International University, New York University, Syracuse Univer-
sity and the University of Tennessee all canceled their Florence programs leading up to Wednesday. With the Harding University suspension Wednesday morning, it was just a matter of time before Pepperdine followed suit. This suspension arrives four weeks after the postponement of Pepperdine’s Shanghai program. The 34 students who have just returned home from the country of the virus’ origin have faced their own struggles returning to the Malibu campus. The 54 students from Florence, who join the list of students whose time abroad has been cut short, will not be returning to Malibu but will instead take their classes remotely. As Pepperdine administrators weighed on the decision to sus-
pend the program, President Donald Trump held a news conference addressing his administration’s handling of the disease. During the meeting, the president downplayed the potential spread of the virus, saying the outbreak “may not get bigger at all.” Later in the conference, Trump appointed Vice President Mike Pence as leader of the administration’s response to the outbreak. Previously, the Trump administration proposed to spend at least $2.5 billion to fund defense of the virus. Also on Wednesday, reports surfaced of a Northern Californian patient with the virus who had no travel history or contact with individuals with the virus. If confirmed, this would be the first iso-
lated patient to catch the virus in the United States. COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 2,804, with 82,166 reported cases in 37 countries worldwide as of Feb. 26. Economists believe the growing fears of the virus’ effect on the economy have sparked a nearly $1 trillion falloff of the S&P 500 at the beginning of the week. Wednesday marked the fifth-consecutive session that the market continued to fall. Florence’s suspension casts light on a wider issue: this disease, and especially the fear it has struck in people, has affected nearly every aspect of American life.
JAM ES.M OOR E@PEPPER DINE.EDU
Europe, D.C. programs banned from international travel K yle McCabe Lindsey Su llivan As si sta n t n e ws e d itors As a result of the spreading coronavirus, Pepperdine students studying abroad in London, Lausanne and Heidelberg are being asked to stay put. An email sent Wednesday night to students in the three programs explained that students will remain in their host cities, ceasing all outside travel. In a separate email to the Washington, D.C., program, the office informed participants that their Educational Field Trip (EFT) to Spain, previously scheduled for this weekend, is now canceled. In an additional email to the entire Pepperdine community, the Public Relations Office wrote that the university will decide in the coming weeks whether to resume operations in Florence this summer. The email also stated there are no changes to any of the other abroad summer programs. Washington, D.C., U.S.A. Brian Swartz, the D.C. program director, said the program’s priority is to ensure that the students feel supported. The program’s decision to cancel the EFT was in line with other universities’ travel cancelations abroad. As for what will replace the EFT, Swartz said they are considering local options or allowing students to travel elsewhere. Junior Shaeli Funk, who is in D.C. this semester, said she was shocked to hear that the outbreak would be affecting her program as
well. “It’s obviously very weird, especially because we were supposed to be leaving 48 hours from now to go to Spain,” Funk said. “Suddenly [it’s] like, ‘Oh, that’s not happening, and the reason it’s not happening is [because of] the coronavirus — this global thing that’s going crazy,’” Funk said she sympathizes with the Florence program, citing feelings of fear and shock that students and their family members must be experiencing. “Abroad is such a central part of the Pepperdine experience for a lot of people — it’s highly marketed, it’s one of the reasons I chose Pepperdine,” Funk said. “So to have that taken away [from them] is kind of a blow.” Buenos Aires, Argentina International Programs has not put any restrictions on the Buenos Aires (BA) program related to the virus. When Public Relations sent the Florence suspension email, BA sophomore Jacob Resendiz read it while studying with classmates. “We were all kind of surprised and kind of shocked,” Resendiz said. “I think it kind of fell off our radars. We just figured that Shanghai would be the only program [to be canceled].” BA sophomore Nicole Wong said she felt sympathetic for the Florence students. “Especially after last year with the Borderline [Shooting] and the [Woolsey] Fire, this year to have [tragedy] hit them again, there’s a lot of uncertainty going on,” Wong said. “I feel so upset that they [have to] go through some-
thing like that again.” Wong said she and other BA students talked about the coronavirus before they heard about Florence’s suspension. “I think in the beginning, [there] was definitely disbelief that it was going to happen,” Wong said. Resendiz said the initial BA response also included the hope that the Argentinian program wouldn’t be the next one to be shut down. “Some of us were reacting to the fact that Brazil has a confirmed case in Sao Paulo,” Resendiz said. “Many of the students just returned from traveling abroad in Rio de Janeiro.” The coronavirus threat in Brazil is dwarfed by the threat in Italy, with only one confirmed case. Even though Wong said BA students are not taking the threat of the virus spreading into Argentina too seriously, she does not think that the students would be surprised if the virus reached them. Heidelberg, Germany Sophomore Katie Kennedy woke up Thursday morning to one of her roommates reading the International Programs email about Florence’s closure. She said the roommate apologized for waking her up, but the news was too shocking to keep to herself. “It’s insane to me that this is happening,” Kennedy said. “When Shanghai was sent home, that was even really surprising, and they were in China, where it’s really, really severe.”
Kennedy said Heidelberg students always had the thought of another suspension in the back of their minds but saw it as a slight possibility. “Last week, when it got really bad in Italy, was when we started to [think], ‘Oh, maybe this is a little more serious than we thought,” Kennedy said. Kennedy cancelled plans to go to Florence this weekend. She said last week, she changed her destination to London, but with the travel ban, she will not be going anywhere. “Realistically, it’s not going to get better by the time we come home,” Kennedy said. “They’re not going to have a vaccine for it for a while. I don’t see them lifting the travel ban.” Lausanne, Switzerland Sophomore Alicia Yu, who is in Lausanne, said she awoke to people yelling in the halls and reacting out of panic to the news in her house. Yu said many of the program members feel distressed because of having to cancel travel plans. “To see that the rest of [the programs] were getting quarantined in our cities — it felt dramatic,” Yu said. “Especially how much we’re getting confined — we can’t even take the train five minutes away.” Students in London could not be reached for interview before publication. K YL E.J.M C C ABE@PEPPER DINE.EDU L INDSEY.SUL L IVAN@PEPPER DINE.EDU
Shanghai students adapt following program suspension V er nie C ovarrubias New s assista n t Em ily Shaw new s assista n t Fewer than two weeks after returning home from Shanghai and just a day before his scheduled return to the Malibu campus, sophomore Mason Chin wanted to attend the biggest game of the year Feb. 15: Men’s Basketball vs. Gonzaga. Chin, who works as a media coordinator for International Programs, called his office to ask for permission to visit campus one day earlier than they had specified. He did not receive a straightforward response. “They just said, ‘Please be on campus on Sunday [the scheduled return day],’ but they didn’t really tell me yes or no,” Chin said. Many of the Shanghai students, including sophomore Megan Villaverde, said they felt confused and unsure about how to navigate being unexpectedly back in Malibu, particularly after months of envisioning what their sophomore year would be like in Shanghai. “It definitely was pretty devastating to think of the whole situation moving so fast, but in very different directions, because not everybody was around us to re-
ally focus on what was next,” Villaverde said. Shanghai participants received an email Jan. 28 from Executive Director of International Programs Beth M. Laux informing them of the suspension of their program and to spend two weeks at home with their families upon their arrival to the United States. Most students were out of the country for their one-week travel break when they received the news. It was the first time Pepperdine has ever had to cut an international program short. With the threat of the coronavirus, Pepperdine has so far suspended two programs this year: Shanghai and Florence. Thirty-eight students in the Shanghai program returned to Malibu on Feb. 15, while 54 students in the Florence program are in the next several days expected to fly back to the United States. “The experiences that we had with Shanghai and the Shanghai students certainly help us understand student needs during this process [the suspension of the Florence program],” Laux said. “So that has been very helpful as we make decisions moving forward.” Villaverde said it has been challenging being back and settling into Malibu.
It’s hard to talk to people from Malibu about it simply because it was such a strange and unique experience in a way that it’s hard to articulate exactly what we’re going through to people who didn’t go through it. genevieve rogers, sophomore “I know a lot of us really miss Shanghai,” Villaverde said. “And now that we’re back, we’re just trying to get settled in.” Although sophomore Genevieve Rogers said she felt she was warmly welcomed after com-
ing back to campus, many other Shanghai students have not experienced the same response to their arrival. “[Shanghai students] were moving in with people who most likely were living in a single room and thought that they would be living in a single room for the remainder of the semester, so that is what primarily caused a lot of turmoil and conflict,” Rogers said. Sophomore King Uchekwe said he felt that his roommate was unprepared for his arrival back on campus, which Uchekwe said was an “unpleasant surprise.” Many Shanghai students, including Chin, said they have heard others target jokes about the virus toward them. Some of the jokes Chin has heard are in reference to the origins of the disease or Shanghai students having the virus. “I don’t have a big quarrel against [the jokes], but I can understand why that can be offensive to a lot of people from the program or [to people of] of Chinese descent,” Chin said. Rogers said another challenge she encountered is being able to talk to Malibu students about her experience. “It’s hard to talk to people from Malibu about it simply because it was such a strange and unique experience in a way that it’s hard to
articulate exactly what we’re going through to people who didn’t go through it,” Rogers said. Chin said a lot of the Shanghai students are experiencing “reverse culture shock” — a term Shanghai Program Director Charlie Engelmann taught them — since returning to Malibu. “We’re trying to readapt and reevaluate ourselves in this kind of setting [the Malibu campus], which is a bit of a challenge as China’s pretty drastically different than Malibu,” Chin said. Rogers echoed Chin’s comment about the challenges of unexpectedly having to assimilate back into Malibu culture after becoming accustomed to living in Shanghai. “I wouldn’t wish the adjustment and all the stress that I’ve gotten from having my program be canceled upon anyone else,” King said. “I have sincere thoughts toward [Florence students] because I know they have a lot to encounter in the near future with getting stuff done and situated for the rest of their semester.”
V ER NETTA.C OVAR R UBIAS@PEPPER DINE.EDU EM ILY.C.SHAW @PEPPER DINE.EDU
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Florence
Buenos Aires No impact; classes and operations remain as normal
Program suspended for spring 2020 session (feb. 26); students will return to homes for remote classes
Lausanne, London & Heidelberg Classes continue; all travel outside cities ceased
Shanghai Program suspended for spring (jan. 28) and summer (Feb. 17) 2020 sessions; Students attend classes at pepperdine after two weeks at home
Washington, D.C. Classes remain as normal; EFT to spain canceled (feb. 26)
Ali Levens | page designer
Admin decides to cut Florence program short B r ianna Willis s taf f w rit e r kay iu wong di g i tal editor Pepperdine students abroad in Florence, Italy, must promptly return home to the United States as the university suspends the international program for the remainder of the semester. Pepperdine sent a university-wide email Feb. 26, announcing administrators are scheduling flights for Florence program participants to travel back to their respective homes as health officials confirm over 400 cases of coronavirus in Italy. The students will complete their courses remotely through online technology instead of returning to the Malibu campus, according to the press release. The email also contained updates related to the London, Heidelberg and Lausanne programs. Students in Florence received a separate email from International Programs about the university’s decision at 3 a.m., their time. Sophomore Emily Lucente, who has been in Florence since the start of the school year, said her roommate woke her up immediately when the news broke. “I was shaking because it was like, ‘This isn’t true — there’s no way that this could possibly be happening,’” Lucente said. The announcement came as a shock to Lucente and other students because they were told the possibility of leaving Florence was slim just two days ago during the program’s weekly convo. “[Program staff] said while there have been cases in Italy, it’s more north than Florence,” Lucente said. Hannah Coates, another Florence program participant, said she also did not expect
the suspension of the program to come so suddenly. “My director assured us we wouldn’t need to [come home] on Tuesday,” Coates said. The Graphic spoke with Florence Program Director Elizabeth Whatley on Feb. 25, one day before the suspension of the program was announced, to ask what preparations were being made as confirmed cases of the coronavirus surged in Italy this week. Whatley expressed in the interview she did not foresee the program coming to an end. “I did say to my students that things can change from one minute to the next, but for as far as I can see, I feel like we’re going to be able to complete our journey as scheduled,” Whatley said. “I think that we’ll be able to stay together here in Florence until the end of our semester.” University administrators say suspending the program was not a decision made lightly. “This is not an outcome that we wanted for students,” Seaver College Dean Michael Feltner said. “We know it’s not
I’m definitely not ready to go home. emily lucente, sophomore the outcome students wanted. It’s disappointing for us to make this decision.” Feltner said university administrators considered
La Vita (non) è Bella | The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly referred toeditor as the milan loiacono | photo Duomo, stands in the center of Florence. The Florence international program was suspended Feb. 26. a multitude of factors when weighing whether the 54 Florence program participants could return to the Malibu campus to complete their courses. “It was not only bed space — it was classroom space, it was getting faculty for a short term period to deliver [the classes],” Feltner said. “Based on our consideration of all of those factors, we determined that continuing with the Florence faculty delivering online is the best solution we can implement in a timely fashion.” Beth M. Laux, executive director of International Programs, said this was a collaborative decision from upper management. “It involved a lot of levels of university leadership, but more specifically, it included [International Programs], Seaver College, members of our emergency operations committee and the Infectious Disease Task Force,” Laux said. Feltner said the university is purchasing the students’ flights home from Italy, but ad-
ministrators have not reached a decision regarding reimbursing students for abroad fees. “They sent us an email with our address that they have on file,” Lucente said. “[The email says] confirm this is your address by noon today so we can get you a flight,” Lucente said. Now that her abroad experience is cut short, Lucente is trying to see if she can possibly stay somewhere in Europe to take her remote classes, instead of returning home to Oregon. “Currently, it’s a lot of emotionally processing all of this, but also seeing what my options are — I’m definitely not ready to go home,” Lucente said. The last day of classes in Florence is Thursday, Feb. 27, and students will begin leaving Italy on Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, Feb. 29. Students say the quick turnaround to leave is heartbreaking. “I don’t know how much time we’re even gonna have to
walk around for one last time because we have class until 6 o’clock,” Florence program participant and sophomore Camryn Moss said. Since the announcement was sent to students in Florence overnight, Moss said she woke up to texts from her friends in Malibu before reading the university’s email. “It’s like everyone knew everything before me,” Moss said. Moss and Lucente said they would have preferred to hear the news in person rather than through digital means. “It feels like there was no emotion with it from Pepperdine,” Lucente said. These are the same students who experienced traumatic events during their first semester of college last year when the Pepperdine community faced the back-to-back tragedies of the Borderline Bar and Grill shooting and Woolsey Fire in Nov. 2018. “The running joke is that our class is cursed, mostly because each year there’s always
something, as of right now,” Lucente said. “For me, I take it day to day.” With only one day left, students in Florence are feeling the pressure to make their final moments count. Moss said she will spend her final day packing her room and washing her clothes after going to class, but she really hopes she can go to some of her favorite places in Florence one last time. “Me and my friend Sarah would go to this store that’s really close by the house — we call it ‘The Little Man Store’ just because it’s literally a tiny store with a man in it,” Moss said. “Then I would go to my favorite restaurant, eat spaghetti carbonara with truffle. It’s my favorite.” Although the coronavirus outbreak continues to sweep the globe, students are not ready to return home. “I don’t think we’ll really get a goodbye,” Moss said. BR IANNA.W IL L IS@PEPPER DINE.EDU K AYIU.W ONG@PEPPER DINE.EDU
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STAFF LIST
Madeline Duvall | Art Editor
STAFF EDITORIAL
Students want clarity about assault alerts In light of the recent events that took place at an off-campus apartment, where a transient man sexually assaulted a student, community members are expressing some confusion about the university’s use of the term “sexual assault” in cases like this and others. Pepperdine’s Timely Warning notification contained terms that, without proper context, may leave room for students to have misconstrued interpretations. Some students were shocked Feb. 17 when they received a notice from Pepperdine’s Public Relations Office displaying the subject line “Security Alert: Off-Campus Sexual Assault.” The email described the details of the occurrence, urging Pepperdine community members to take the necessary measures to ensure their safety. The email cited the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Lost Hills Station’s community alert stating, “the suspect entered an unlocked
apartment and awoke the resident by sexually assaulting him or her.” The term “sexual assault” encompasses a broad range of non-consensual sexual conduct. Oftentimes, however, people are unaware as to what exactly these actions are. In this situation, the term proves vague. A notice seeking to inform students of an incident of such magnitude should define the terminology to avoid confusion. Given the gravity of these situations, it is important that officials are clear with their use of terminology when issuing statements so that students can be aware of the actual degree to which their safety is affected. All official communication dealing with subject matters prone to such confusion should be sent out to students with a definition of important legal terms. The U.S. Department of Justice defines sexual assault as
“Any non consensual sexual act prescribed by Federal, tribal, or State law, including when the victim lacks capacity to consent.” Pepperdine’s Sexual Misconduct Policy uses the term “sexual assault” as a general term to describe a broad range of inappropriate and unlawful conduct, including rape, sexual battery and sexual coercion. The term “sexual assault,” regardless of its legal definition, inevitably carries a heavy connotation. Using it in a university-wide email may incite confused reactions from students rooted in the common perception of the word, should the terms be used without an explicit definition. Director of DPS Dawn Emrich said university officials, including DPS, closely monitor incidents and emergency situations that both directly and indirectly impact Pepperdine students and employees, on and off campus.
THE 'BU YORKER
“We are intentional to create and maintain cooperative working relationships with leadership within local law enforcement, the fire services, and other first responders to ensure effective communication during critical incidents,” Emrich wrote in an email. Prompt and effective communication on behalf of the university is vital and should not, under any circumstances, be taken lightly. If we are to emphasize the need for communication, however, we must emphasize the need for clarity, too. If you are a survivor of sexual assault or have questions, comments and concerns regarding sexual assault, contact RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline, accessible 24/7 by phone (800.656. HOPE) and online (online. rainn.org).
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Madeline Duvall | Art Editor
ex ec u ti v e ed i to r C h a n n a Ste i n m e tz M anag i ng Ed i to r m a d e l e i n e ca r r d i g i tal ed i to r k ayi u w o n g c o py c hi ef B rya n t L o n e y c r eati v e d i r ec to r n ata l i e r u l o n New s Ed i to r James Moore Ass i stant new s ed i to r s K yl e M cC a b e l i n d se y su l l i va n New s as si s tants v e r n i e c ova r r u b i a s e m i ly sh aw L i fe & Ar ts Ed i to r Sava n n a h W e l c h as si s tant L i fe & ar ts ed i to r M a r i a B e l e n I tu r r a l d e L i fe & Ar ts as si s tant Lauren Chivers l i fe & ar ts c o py ed i to r G r ace W o o d S p o r ts Ed i to r K a r l W i n te r s p o r ts ass i stant Tayl o r Gath e r P er s p ec ti v es Ed i to r Ca m ryn G o r d o n P er sp ec ti v es ass i stant A n i ti z M u o n ag o l u P er s p ec ti v es c o py ed i to r Makena Huey pag e d es i g ner s hannah lee Ali levens ellia melin Da n i e l l a Si n g l e te r ry p o d c as t P r o d u c er Kaelin mendez Ar t Ed i to r M a d e l i n e D u va l l as si s tant ar t ed i to r s A l ly A r m str o n g Ca i tl i n R oa r k ar ti s ts e l i z a b e th b r u m m e r ga b by d i g i ova n n i p ho to ed i to r m i l a n l o i ac o n o G New s p r o d u c er m a r i sa d r ag o s P i x el Ed i to r G i a n n i Co cc h e l l a p r o m o ti o ns d i r ec to r hadley biggs adv er ti si ng D i r ec to r so n i r u saga r a Adv er ti s i ng m anag er m aya m cd o w e l l Ad r ep r esentati v e b rya n m u n g u i a 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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It’s time to Choose Ethical Fashion
University decisions are yours too
N ico le Wit t Staf f W r iter
alexis scanlon staff writer Ethical fashion is a buzzword in pop culture progressivism, but how much do people really know about sustainable ethics in the industry? It has become easier for companies to greenwash — to convey a false impression of environmentalism — their products in order to maintain a sustainable and ethical appearance. This current generation of college students appears to have a keen eye for authenticity and forces companies to be transparent. Yet if students look no further than the greenwashed surface level, the ethical component of factory workers’ rights can remain obsolete. The 2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse in Bangladesh is a prime example of how the capitalist demand for profit destroyed the lives of hundreds. The factory illegally constructed the top floors that led to its collapse, injuring and killing over 2,000 workers. Its collapse drew attention to the unsafe working conditions and inhumane wages. In her book “Just Water,” Christiana Zenner writes, “Capitalist systems of social, economic, and political power rely on the ongoing oppression of an underclass.” This idea of capitalism is highlighted in the oppressive working conditions of the fashion industry. This, of course, is not to say that all sustainable fashion companies solely produce environmental clothing but disregard their employees.
Elizabeth Brummer |Artist Companies like Everlane have goals of transparency and ethical factory work. They go above and beyond claims of sustainable fashion and prioritize the lives of those creating their clothing through fair wages, personal relationships and positive working environments. It can feel overwhelming to think for too long about the ethics that go into the clothes students wear daily. But there are ways to practice greater awareness of the companies they support. A common critique of sustainable and ethical fashion is that it is unaffordable for students. Luckily, Pepperdine students live close to Los Angeles, where there are numerous locations to buy second-hand clothing. Purchasing second-hand clothing keeps old clothing out of landfills and allows new owners
to honor those who created the clothes by extending their usecycle. These clothing items are often much cheaper than buying something new and are unique additions to anyone’s closet. Companies are also beginning to recognize the value in creating quality pieces that last longer versus cheap pieces that wear out quickly. Students can be mindful of buying less clothing of greater quality to promote sustainable fashion habits. While the ethics behind the fashion industry seem like an issue that students can do nothing about, demanding transparency is essential for creating better working conditions. As consumers, people have the power to prioritize ethics over capitalism. If people do not want to consume unethical products,
companies have no choice but to be honest about their factory conditions and make them better. The hands that work to create the clothes people wear every day deserve to be honored and treated humanely. It is time for students to challenge the status quo of the capitalist fashion industry and protect the rights of factory workers. It is essential to weigh the cost and convenience of fast fashion clothing. Begin by asking questions about the companies people are investing in, and see what can be done better and more ethically.
L EX I.SC ANL ON@PEPPER DINE.EDU
YouTube’s growing influence is concerning
C ar ol ine Sha rpl es s s S ta f f W r i t e r
Half of teenagers now get their news from YouTube, a well-known video-sharing platform, according to Common Sense Media. The rapid transformation of American media consumption is no secret, but is it cause for concern? People jump at new platforms, influencers and lingo, while credibility, transparency and honesty become lost in the transition. Additionally, the media’s focus on ethics at CNN and Fox News allowed YouTube to quietly feed teenagers a different type of “fake news.” It is time to bring the implications of YouTube’s increasing influence in the news world to the forefront of the ethical news debate. YouTube gives people a voice to share their opinions, talents and knowledge with billions of people around the world. That, however, does not qualify it as a trustworthy news source. Credible sources like The New York Times, Business Insider and Al Jazeera have YouTube channels, but the majority of teenagers are looking elsewhere for information. According to Common Sense Media, 71% of the teens who get their daily news from YouTube get it from influencers. Some influencers are educated professionals, but many of the most-followed creators such as Felix Kjellberg (PewDiePie) and
Casey Neistat are highschool or college dropouts. Their success is inspiring others to opt out of school for a chance at YouTube stardom. With 75% of 6 to 17 year olds aspiring to find a career in online videos, it is likely that the next wave of influencers will be even less educated. Why would a teenager be motivated to stay in school when an 8-yearold YouTuber made more money in 2019 than prestigious journalists such as Diane Sawyer and Anderson Cooper? These influencers are not inferior because of their lack of formal education or experience, but the quality of their information cannot compare to that of traditional news sources — especially when all credible outlets require their reporters to have at least an undergraduate degree.
Ironically, influencers’ lack of professionalism is what made them popular in the first place. Viewers see them not as robotic or corrupt news anchors but as friends who they relate to. During a time when skepticism of news is increasing, people find solace in YouTubers. Unfortunately, the personal attachment that fans form for their favorite YouTubers hinders their ability to think critically and distinguish fact from opinion. Since YouTube is an avenue for free speech, there are few regulations. Because of this, influencers can easily spread false or biased information. YouTube personalities are under no obligation to disclose the amount of research behind their videos. Even though YouTubers are rising to the top of society, they do not have access to the same
Ally Armstrong | assistant Art Editor
resources as established journalists. YouTube’s lack of regulation allows conspiracy theory channels to be mistaken as legitimate news sources. “Next News Network,” for example, is a right-wing conspiracy channel that disguises itself as an official breaking news channel. Despite its history of posting videos with fake news, it still has over one million followers. Posts about the channel on other sites indicate that many believe its information is factual. Teenagers’ actions today show a glimpse into the trajectory of the future. Most Pepperdine students are no longer teenagers but adults preparing to enter the workforce. Growing exposure to inaccurate information is cause for concern in every industry. Students should not allow principles such as credibil-
ity and integrity to disappear in this ever-changing social landscape. In some cases, teenagers are trusting high-school dropouts over journalists with 30-year tenures. If this pattern continues to grow, the value of a Pepperdine degree will decrease. Ultimately, platforms for free expression are positive additions to society and, as a bonus, YouTube solved a massive issue by getting teens engaged in news. That said, retrieving information from influencers cannot be viewed as an honest form of news consumption. Hold YouTubers to the same ethical standard as traditional news sources and be as critical of them as everyone is of CNN and Fox News.
C AR OL INE.SHAR PL ESS@PEPPER DINE.EDU
People are concerned about the state of the environment much more now than they were 20 years ago. However, it is difficult to decide when someone is being sustainable enough. It seems as of now almost every business, corporation and school has some type of sustainability policy in place. Businesses have become nearly perfect at saying the correct jargon, using phrases such as “reducing our environmental footprint” and “working toward sustainable goals” to convince customers that they authentically care about the world and not just about the money in their pockets. Pepperdine University is no different. As attendees of the school, it is imperative that students have a say in its decisions. A poster that criticized Pepperdine’s lack of sustainable measures was hung up on the Freedom Wall on Feb. 14. The primary attack was on the university’s current food contractor, Sodexo. That day was also the set date for Sodexo’s foodtasting, as it is one of three competitors in the race to win the new food contract, which will likely last for the next 10 years. The wall was divided into two sections: what Pepperdine allows and what Pepperdine does not allow. It pointed out the dichotomy in what the university deems important enough to ban or too inconsequential to fix. Some of the statements on what the school allows were: deforestation, mass extinction of species and unlivable wages for food laborers. The wall included some quotes from the sustainability section of Pepperdine’s website, with words crossed out and comments coming out from the sides. The following quote was taken from the website: “As an educational institution, Pepperdine University has a unique obligation to not only engage in sustainability but also to educate our students.” The word “educate” was circled with a comment next to it that said, “But there is no sustainability GE requirement?” Since there is a considerable amount of required general education courses, it is strange that not one of them covers climate change, environmental concerns or sustainability. Students must learn the history of humankind, but they are not required to learn about how their actions will impact the future of mankind. A large message on the bottom of the wall read, “Sodexo needs to go!” However, a message with possibly more significance was written above it, reading, “Pepperdine is choosing a new food service. Have an opinion!” All students should care about where the food in their cafeteria is coming from. With the initial product being so different from the end product, it is easy to forget about the journey food takes to get on people’s plates and even easier to forget about the harmful impacts it leaves along the way. The majority of the meat that Sodexo uses comes from unsustainable sources, which leave a dangerous impact on the planet. Merely looking at Sodexo or Pepperdine’s websites, a person could assume that they are both extremely sustainable, but it is important to remember that they are a part of an assembly of businesses that have become extremely skilled at the art of persuasion. The new food service provider, which is supposed to be chosen at the end of the month, is something that every student who attends Pepperdine should have an opinion on. Even though it is a decision that primarily comes down to higher administration, students can still speak out, just like they have done on the Freedom Wall. Even if it seems small or ineffectual, every voice matters. NIC OL E.W ITT@PEPPER DINE.EDU
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Despite new act, costs remain for street vendors Anas tassia kostin g u est con trib ut or The street vendors of Los Angeles are a community of entrepreneurs selling everything from churros and Tajin-sprinkled fruit to street tacos and hot dogs. Their mobile food carts go by different names — Tacos Sin Karma, La Esperanza, Hijo De Su Madre — but many of the vendors are bound by their low-income immigrant statuses as they survive on informal livelihoods. Just a year and a half ago, illegal street vending meant street vendors ran the risk of getting citations, fines and even misdemeanors. Street vendors, who according to the Los Angeles Public Counsel office are made up of approximately 80 percent women, work in the shadows to make ends meet. Their resiliency and work ethic ultimately paid off — not only was street vending a $504-million industry in Los Angeles alone in 2015, according to Economic Roundtable, but the city finally decided to make vending laws more lax in an effort to protect its immigrant population. In September 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill SB 946, also known as the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, to decriminalize street vending. The law went into effect January of this year. Before SB 946, there was no state legislation on sidewalk vending, meaning every local city or county created their own system for vending. As a result, almost all cities in California criminalized and prohibited vending, said Doug Smith, supervising staff attorney at the Public Counsel. For example, Los Angeles, Malibu and Glendale all had their own separate ordinances, but most did not allow sidewalk vending at all. “And [city governments said] if you do vend, we’re going to charge you . . . in some cases with a misdemeanor criminal penalty,” Smith said. “That was sort of the situation that motivated the state to come in.” What SB 946 Changes Now that SB 946 is in place, it restricts how local cities will adopt their ordinances. The bill essentially has three pillars. First, cities in California can no longer charge vendors with criminal penalties for violating local vending rules. Second, the law creates retroactive release pro-
visions, a system where vendors with current pending charges or prior convictions related to street vending can go through a process to have them dismissed and cleared from their record. The decriminalization aspect of the bill is especially important from an immigrant’s rights perspective, Smith said. “Being charged with and prosecuted with misdemeanors has an enormous effect on immigration and citizenship status, and we were seeing vendors who were being prevented from accessing citizenship programs and in some cases actually at risk of being deported because they were cited for sidewalk vending,” Smith said. The third pillar of SB 946 is local cities and counties now have to abide by certain standards if they are going to impose rules on sidewalks. This is intended to strike a balance between allowing cities some flexibility in writing the rules that are unique to local dynamics while making sure that any regulations the city creates are based on objective health, safety and welfare concerns, Smith said.
anastassia kostin| guest contributor
Remaining Concerns of Street Vendors
Food To Go | A street vendor pushes a cart with a health department sticker near Santa Monica State Beach. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act that decriminalized street vendors in September 2018.
Kath Rogers, executive director of the National Lawyers Guild of Los Angeles, wrote in an email that street vendors still face unlawful harassment. Even though street vending is no longer a crime in California, some jurisdictions are trying to evade the state decriminalization law by employing criminal enforcement against vendors using other code sections for the same activity, Rogers wrote. As street vendors, a largely Spanish-speaking population, continue to face threats to their livelihoods, they must also learn to navigate the new permit process. Groups that work with street vendors conduct trainings primarily in Spanish, and flyers and pamphlets are in both English and Spanish — with more languages necessary for the Los Angeles community to come, Smith said. A sidewalk vending permit is not required by SB 946, leaving the decision up to each city. Since the City of Los Angeles decided to require vending permits, street vendors have to abide by legal requirements that apply to all businesses involved in the sale of goods and apply to get a state seller’s permit. In addition to any local permits for vending,
any vendors that sell food, including restaurants and “mobile food facilities,” need to get a health department permit from the LA County Department of Public Health. While it is important that vending happens in a way that ensures public health and public safety, challenges remain because of the fact that street vending has been illegal in most of California for so long. “The LA County Department of Public Health doesn’t really have standards in place for smaller-scale street vendors,” Smith said. To meet the county health requirements, a street vendor needs to buy new equipment from a manufacturer that can, depending on what they’re selling, cost upward of $10,000, Smith said. On top of navigating the permit process itself and the financial challenges that come with upgrading equipment, there are the fees for the permits themselves. This year, street vendors — some of whom were not provided translation services — and community organizations fought for lower permitting fees ranging from $50 to $200 at committee hearings with the Los Angeles City Council, according to Curbed LA. Their efforts
were in vain. In Nov. 2019, the Los Angeles City Council specified that a vendor permit fee will cost $291 until July 1, 2020 and will increase to $541 after July 1, 2020. “I think that $541 is too expensive,” Smith said. “This is an economy that’s been informal for so many years, so the idea of formalizing is kind of this fragile moment, right, where you want to make sure that we are inclusive as possible and eliminating barriers so that people come in and formalize their business.” Public Counsel is working with the city council office to adopt a program where if a vendor can demonstrate that they’re low income, then the fee amount would be reduced to somewhere between $50 to $200 a year for the city permit. The subject of street vending remains touchy, and multiple street vendors declined to comment on how they personally navigate the permit process. Angelenos can support registered street vendors by locating them on Street Food Finder or by simply finding them around the tourist areas of Los Angeles. PEPPGR APHIC M EDIA@PEPPER DINE.EDU
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Pepp opera presents dynamic multi-show performance C aroline Sharp less sta ff write r s avannah welch li fe & A rts E d itor Pepperdine’s spring opera highlights student talent with a dynamic string of two one-act performances opening Feb. 27. Presented by The Flora L. Thornton Opera Program, the two works, the Baroque “Dido and Aeneas” and comedic Italian opera “Gianni Schicchi,” showcase the range of the Pepperdine opera program. “Come for the drama, stay for the comedy!” sophomore Jack Gerding said. “The first show is 55 minutes, the second show is 55 minutes — then you’re out of there with a really great experience.” Gerding, a Music major, plays the titular character Gianni Schicchi. “Schicchi” is his second opera performance, as he previously appeared in last year’s on-campus production of Die Fledermaus. Set in 1950s Italy, “Gianni Schicchi” is a fast-paced, comical tale following a family in turmoil after they realize their deceased relative left his fortune to the church. “It’s really interesting to see a situation which, theoretically, could happen today, but set in a different time period,” senior and ornamentation coach Emma Ujifusa said. “Gianni Schicchi” stands out from other shows because of its lack of an ensemble. Ujifusa said almost the entire cast of “Schicchi” is on stage for the majority of the show, providing an extensive learning experience for students. “Every character has their own nuance and their own backstory — there’s no one who’s really forgettable,” Gerding said. The more dramatic of the two, the Baroque opera “Dido and Aeneas” follows the marriage between two Greek monarchs. Based on Virgil’s “The Aeneid,” sophomore Voice major Clara Darlington said “Dido” is fit with a larger cast and a heavier storyline. “[‘Dido’]’s really intense,” sophomore Clara Darlington said. “It is interesting because the two casts are very different. I think [the cast of] ‘Schicchi’ had the chance to be close just because it’s smaller. ‘Dido’ is very much drama. ‘Dido,’ it’s gonna be your classic opera. When people think
PHOTOS BY MILAN LOIAcono | Photo Editor Sinister Sorceress | The Sorceress, played by junior Haily Watson, sings a dramatic number while surrounded by her evil entourage during the first opera, “Dido and Aeneas.” The opera opens Thursday, Feb 27. about opera, they think of shows like ‘Dido.’” The process for selecting the works begins a year before opening night. Opera Director Keith Colclough said he narrows down pieces to find works that will highlight the skillsets of the students. This performance, Colclough said, has focused mainly on student collaboration. “It’s been a lot less one-on-one or, like, it’s a duet coaching and a lot more ensemble work,” he said. “We also have a student choreographer, a student chorus master, and then we even have a student who’s working as our ornamentation coach ... adding ornaments is an expected part of the genre, and it’s very specific vocabulary for English baroque opera.” Ujifusa said Pepperdine shows are unique because of their excellent production quality. “You remember what you see, maybe even more than what you hear, so the fact that we have such incredible people working behind the scenes really helps to elevate the quality of the whole production,” Ujifusa said. Senior Bethany Adamski, a lead in “Dido and Aeneas,” said it is important for Pepperdine students to experience opera. The student performers in the show spend months of preparing and working to bring the show together. “We have spent this semester on our feet and learning the history behind the music, the composer and the story,” Adamski said. “I think going to see opera, in general, is part of being a well-rounded, cultured individual.” Opening night for the opera is Thursday, Feb. 27, followed by a second performance Saturday, Feb. 29. Tickets cost $20 and are available online and at the box office.
Love and Loss | Above: Dido (Kaytlin Withers) and Aeneas (Joe Hebel) struggle between love and prophesy. Below: The cast of “Gianni Schicchi,” an opera set in 1950s Italy, gathers around Zita (Hannah Miller) as she reads the will of their recently deceased relative.
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WHAT OUR READERS ARE LISTENING TO: WE ASKED STUDENTS ON CAMPUS WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF THEIR PLAYLIST THIS WEEK
“Listen to the music” The Doobie brothers
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“sugar” brockhampton
“It gets better” rex orange county
“night drive” part time
“drive” Oh Wonder
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New student groups join Songfest 2020 marisa dragos G NE WS Prod uce r Upbeat music, bright posters and loud cheering long after the sun has set … welcome to Songfest! Pepperdine Student Activities kicked off this year’s Songfest season Feb. 20 in Elkins Auditorium. Songfest is one of Pepperdine’s most longstanding traditions where students compete to put on original and high-spirited, medley-style performances complete with costumes, harmonies and synchronized choreography. Junior and second-year Songfest host Becca Brackett said she is excited to once again dive into her theater background to have some fun with this year’s theme, Happily Ever After. “I love the fairy tale theme because I think it makes it really easy to be unique from group to group, but also easy to follow a storyline which is showing up in our host songs as well,” Brackett said. “Fairy tales are so familiar, but also there’s a lot of room to still create your own kind of story.” Five is this year’s magic number, with five student groups and five hosts performing a total of five shows. While historically Songfest has mainly featured Greek groups, this year, only the group Alpha Omega and Company is affiliated. Two groups — Pepperdine Step Team and Eudaimonia — are entirely new to the scene. “[The annual step show’s] kind of hard to book,” Wilkins said. “It’s kind of hard to get everybody to, you know, come and participate. So Songfest, we felt like was an opportunity. It’s really huge already. We have help with production, booking things like that are already taken care of. So we said, why not just make songs.” Wilkins drew from her teammates’ big personalities when writing the script. She
Senior Spotlight: Jaime Del Barrio l au r en c hi v er s L I FE & A R T S A SSI STA N T E D I T O R
Photos by Marisa DragoS | GNEWs Producer A Great Kickoff | Senior Devyn Duke encourages students join the new marisa dragosto | staff writer Great Books-inspired group, Eudaimonia. New Songfest participants selected their group at the kickoff in Elkins Auditorium on Feb. 20. said she is confident that her group will have fun with the performance, even if it’s not the Step Team’s usual genre. “We’re all primarily hip-hoppers and steppers,” Wilkins said. “Musical theater is very, very different for us, but a lot of us are really into it. We got a couple of theater people on our team, quite a few dancers on our team. So you know, they love it anyway.” “I’ve always wanted Great Books to be more than a class, and apparently a Great Books frat isn’t a thing, so here we are,” Held said. “This group was honestly just a dream
last year. I never thought it would get this far.” Overall, students emphasized that existing friends and the potential for a new community were the main reasons they planned to participate. When junior Natalie Castle first joined Songfest during her freshman year, the only other person she knew was her roommate. Now, as a director for the group GGS, she credits the late-night rehearsals for the close friends she has made. “They’re killer because they’re 10 to 12 [at night], but also the craziness comes out,” Castle said. “It really bonds all of us.” Sophomore Clara Fermanian also made new friends last spring performing with Eta Theta Tau, also known as HOT. This year, she decided to join leadership for the group as a co-choreographer. “We are making people dance — do some crazy moves — and putting on a show,” Fermanian said. Songfest performances will run in Smothers Theatre from Wednesday, March 18 through Saturday, March 21. Tickets cost $10 for Pepperdine students and $20 for non-Pepperdine students, with discounted prices of $7 and $15 for the Wednesday evening performance. Tickets can be purchased at the Smothers Theatre Box office between noon and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and online at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts website.
Reigning Champions | Gamma Ghkkkkket Sigma (GGS) members celebrate the start of Songfest season in Elkins Auditorium. GGS was the winning group of Songfest 2019.
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The Farmers Market has a new addition: Pets! NIC O LE wITT S TAF F W R ITE R For Pepperdine students with furry companions at home, it can be easy to miss having a pet around while in college. What some might not realize is that there is a way to connect with pets right here in Malibu. Not only is the Malibu Farmers Market a hangout for taste testing organic superfoods, it also has become a space for community members to view dogs up for adoption. 4 Paws Kiddo Rescue (4PK Rescue), an organization that helps rescue dogs find a home, appeared in the Malibu Farmers Market for the second time Feb. 23. Co-founder of 4PK Rescue, Ed Alexander, said the organization was founded out of his outlook on animals. “My partner and I have been working in animal rescue for a very long time in a lot of capacities,” Alexander said. “We realized we have similar philosophies about animals,
so we started our own rescue almost two years ago. Since then, we’ve placed hundreds of dogs.” Alexander said they resocialize dogs with behavioral difficulties, treat dogs with medical issues and free dogs out of shelters who have been there for too long. He said they will continue to return to the Farmers Market as often as they are invited. Junior Julia Kraus said she frequently attends the Farmers Market and looks forward to seeing the dogs there. “I really miss my two dogs back at home, so it’s really exciting to see all the puppies when I’m there,” Kraus said. “You would never be able to tell the kind of environments they come from because of how happy, excited and playful they are.” Securing a place in the market is not free. A donor made it possible for 4PK Rescue to participate. “The reason we’re
To have any and all questions answered about the Heidelberg experience, ask Jaime Del Barrio. Del Barrio, a senior from Mission Viejo, California, has concentrated on his Business Administration studies while serving as the Spiritual Life Advisor of Eaton House. In an interview with the Graphic, Del Barrio spoke about his unique travels abroad and connection to the Pepperdine HRL community. What was your experience like studying abroad in Heidelberg? Jaime Del Barrio: Because I was an RA, my experience was slightly different from most courtesy of sony pictures people, but I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything — it’s the best program. It’s a small enough town but still felt big enough to explore. I found that as the RA, I loved the role in the sense that I was able to help build the community alongside my co-RA. You can really explore all of Heidelberg within three hours, but it’s the people that you’re with that make the program amazing. For me, I didn’t have to work as hard to build a community because people already wanted to, they were the ones wanting to do worship nights and dinners together; that made my job a lot easier. I gained the skills of learning to be a good listener or being compassionate and kind, which prepared me for freshman SLA. What were some of your favorite places you visited while you were in Heidelberg? JD: I was able to spend time in Spain with my aunt and uncle who live there during winter break — seeing places in rural Spain that aren’t really put on the map by a lot of tourists. We took a field trip to Seville, which was so much fun. During our trip, we stopped in Madrid at a museum where I actually met my grandma. It was random — I wasn’t expecting her to be there, but there I am, meeting my grandma for the first time since I was a baby, with the entire Heidelberg program. That was a cool experience that otherwise, without Pepperdine, I wouldn’t have been able to plan that. Another fun trip was Greece during spring break. It was cool being able to see where the “Heroes of Olympus” from Percy Jackson was set, I was geeking out a lot. You have been an SLA for freshmen the past two years. What has this role meant to you? JD: I love it. It’s different being an RA among your peers versus an SLA for freshmen. This year has been incredible with my triad, Logan Wood and Luke Seidman. Being able to work with them has been a lot of fun, as I re-live a lot of freshman year, all the events of NSO, Frosh Follies, but also as an upperclassman and have the experiences I didn’t have as a freshman and being able to lay out the wisdom for others. What are your plans for post-grad?
nicole witt | Staff writer Puppy Love | Rescue dog yawns at the Malibu’s Famers Market. The Farmers Market took place on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. here is because Coldwell Banker is sponsoring us,” Alexander said. “They paid all the fees so that we could be there.” Students can come to take photos or even hold the dogs, but there are additional ways to get involved outside of a few minutes of interaction. The organization is based in Woodland Hills, so it is even easier for stu-
dents who live through the canyon to help out. Alexander said volunteering is not difficult. “Mostly watching dogs, walking dogs, that’s the kind of help we need,” Alexander said. As of now, the team does not know what their schedule will look like in Malibu, but they do regularly show at the Woodland Hills PetSmart every oth-
er Sunday. Alexander said they would be delighted for anyone who wants to volunteer, at any capacity.
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JD: I think that is the question I am trying to answer myself. I am currently working for City Hall of Malibu in the Parks and Rec Department. I really enjoy, as an RA and SLA, planning events, and I think that is where I realized one of my strengths — from the beginning of an idea to the execution of events, I am good at planning. To do that on a larger scale for a city is something I enjoy. Another job I was looking at is in interior design. I love HGTV and I’ve always been a fan of architecture. What advice can you give to younger students? JD: Freshman year is definitely the best year to try new things, but it’s not the final year. After sophomore year, or after abroad, it’s a reset — you’ve changed and grown from the first two years — you can continue what you were doing freshman year or change it. At Pepperdine, you have the ability to change who you are. Get involved with as much as you can freshman year, but then pick what you genuinely want to do.
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photos by milan loiacono | photo editor Student Talent | (left) Senior musician Valentine Douglas, center, performs between sessions of Pepperdine TEDx on Jan. 30. Douglas led a student band in popular covers outside Smothers Theatre while a collection of on- and off-campus organizations provided snacks and booths for event-goers.
Artist Spotlight: Valentine Douglas c ar o line sharpless staf f writ e r
“Art, in general, is the most beautiful thing ever,” senior Valentine Douglas said. Douglas is a singer, pianist, guitarist and filmmaker. In pursuit of the ability to expand his mind, he chose to study Film Studies at Pepperdine. “Storytelling is the pinnacle of our society — it’s about stretching the imagination and changing people’s minds about what’s possible,” Douglas said. When Douglas first came to Pepperdine, he planned to pursue a career as a baseball player. During his sophomore year, he stopped playing baseball, which gave him the opportunity to build on his passion for music. Originally, he wanted to take Pepperdine’s introductory piano class, but there were not enough spots available. Instead of accepting defeat and moving on to a different dream, he purchased the class textbook. With the help of a friend, he taught himself how to play in the Sandbar.
“Once I figured out the basics of it, I started writing songs,” Douglas said. “I found it really exciting that just three chords can make a really incredible song — if you really work at it.” Campus Ministry gave Douglas his first opportunity to showcase his talents. Performing at events like Celebration Chapel made Douglas fall in love with music, he said. Outside of ministry, Douglas performed at coffeehouses, Pacific Sounds Festival and other events for the Board. Douglas said he wishes there were more opportunities for instruments and musicians on campus. “Outside of the worship space, it’s been hard for myself and students who aren’t spiritually driven to have opportunities to pursue music on campus,” Douglas said. To Douglas, music is about connection. He described it as one of the few ways to break down barriers, take a person outside of themselves and become grounded in a moment. “For me, it’s always about what’s most truthful,” Douglas said. “Different genres
express different emotions, whether it’s sorrowful, joyful or liberating, in different ways.” Douglas said honesty stands out to Douglas as the most important factor in art. Above all, he said he hopes his pursuit of music will create moments of truth for people. “Art is about speaking truth into people’s lives, not about making a profit,” Douglas said. “Art that is not truthful — it can be hurtful.” Racism is one subject often portrayed dishonestly, Douglas said. “American entertainment is rooted in the destruction of Black bodies and Hollywood does not own that truth,” Douglas said. “Because of this, the way Hollywood portrays heroes and love is biased.” After Douglas graduates, he said he would like to make the industry a more honest place. “The plan is to create as much content as possible, and enjoy the freedom of that,” Douglas said. “I think I really want to focus in on my craft as a musician and as a song-
writer, and allow that to take me where it takes me.” Douglas said he believes his ability to make truthful and powerful art will connect him to the right people. Douglas’ advice to students curious about art is simple. “Just write a song!” Douglas said. “Or grab your phone and make an iMovie.” Douglas said there is no shame in starting small: Art can be whatever the artist wants it to be — it does not have to be successful to be beautiful. After his songwriting debut at a Coffeehouse on campus, Douglas said he felt proud, excited and motivated. He attributes those feelings as driving factors that keep him creating content and urging others to do the same.
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Review: Tacos 1986’s new location brings flavor and energy to Westwood MAR IA B ELEN ITURRALDE LI F E & AR T S ASSISTAN T E DITOR Tacos 1986 is hard to miss. Whether it’s by the customary line spanning the entire block or the irresistible smell of carne asada sizzling on the grill, the taqueria’s energetic presence in Westwood’s string of eateries is unlikely to go unnoticed. Jorge Alvarez and Victor Manuel Delgado, the duo behind the hit chain, recently opened a new branch in Westwood following the wild success of their previous two locations. Their other restaurant — a perennially-busy, one-and-ahalf-year-old spot in Downtown
Our first day we sold $16.38. Later there was even a line [to order]. It’s a dream come true. jorge alvarez, owner and taquero
— and its predecessor, a famous street stand on the corner of Highland and Lexington, were neighborhood favorites. “Our first day we sold $16.38,” Alvarez said. “Later, there was even a line [to order]. It’s a dream come true. Alvarez, a San Diego native
raised in Tijuana, said he learned his craft traveling the world and working alongside the industry’s most prominent chefs. It was during his time in New York, though, that he discovered his talent as a taquero. Alvarez was one of the names behind the city’s ever-crowded “Los Tacos No. 1,” famous for their coveted Mexican eats. “When I left Los Tacos No. 1, I left with a lot of frustration for my career,” Alvarez said. “I was confused and I didn’t know what to do with my life. Victor Manuel Delgado, the other half of this business, called me and said he wanted to develop this project. He believed in me and gave me the opportunity to fulfill my dream of being a great taquero for the community.” The partnership between Delgado and Alvarez is but one in a list of things making all their restaurants wildly successful. Alvarez said they met when they were kids in Tijuana. “We grew up together,” Alvarez said. “We went to the same quinceañeras!” He said they sought to create something with a completely new concept. “My entire career as a cook is [summed up] here in Tacos 1986,” he said. “It is a taco spot focused on providing the best quality and execution and it has been like this from day one.” Tacos 1986 stands out because it’s more than a restaurant — it’s an experience. The amicable interactions between cooks and Alvarez’s never-ending energy as he swiftly crafts tacos or carves adobada (slow-cooked, marinated pork), make patrons feel less like customers and more like long-lost friends. “The concept is not only friendly for customers but also for employees,” Alvarez said. The cooks work seamlessly as they assemble a plethora of tacos
in seconds, moving swiftly as if participating in a choreographed dance paced by the lively Mexican music that dominates the space. The restaurant’s carefully-curated menu offers the traditional carne asada and adobada fillings alongside chicken and a vegetarian mushroom taco, aiming to cater to the LA crowd. A great taco, however, starts with a great tortilla. Behind the counter of Tacos 1986 is a cook carefully pressing each corn tortilla moments before it is cooked and served to customers, doused in guacamole, rich meats of choice, onions, cilantro and salsa (should one choose to get them “con todo”). At only $3.75 apiece, each taco is served fresh and warm and humbly wrapped in a piece of paper, cradling a world of flavor and filled with years of stories and experience. It is not uncommon to find oneself standing in line for seconds after devouring the first plateful. Alvarez’s illustrious, no-nonsense tacos have merited a multitude of stellar reviews, with several placing them among the best in LA. The restaurant’s multiple locations stand as tangible proof of a dream fulfilled. What started as a mobile street food stand has quickly become an LA mainstay, praised by big names in the industry like LA Times critic Bill Addison and featured in Eater’s list of the “16 Best New Restaurants in America.” In a state so abundant with self-proclaimed “authentic Mexican restaurants,” another taco spot may seem commonplace; Tacos 1986, however, is all but ordinary. Before they became nearly ubiquitous in the U.S., Alvarez was already crafting flawless tacos with unmatched dexterity and talent. In the future, he
photos by maria belen iturralde | assistant life and arts editor
Foodie Paradise | (above) A trio of carne asada and chicken tacos moments before being devoured by a hungry customer. (below) A taquero at Tacos 1986’s Westwood location carefully carves “adobada” from the “trompo.” said, he hopes the restaurant will become the In-N-Out of tacos. Alvarez and Delgado are ready to conquer LA, one restaurant at a time. They are opening yet another location in 10 days as Angelenos wait impatiently to see what the prodigious taquero cooks up next.
10874 Kinross Ave, Los Angeles, (310) 824-2000, www.tacos1986. com, Instagram: tacos1986la
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The Graphic
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SPORTS
swimmer opens up about spahn era a coach, but the swimmers also do not get scholarship funding from the university. After a dramatic season “There’ve been times for the Pepperdine Swim where I’ve not felt motiand Dive team, the Waves vated to go to practice just competed at the PCSC Rebecause we’re not getting lays and placed second with scholarship,” Ishikawa said, 1,311.5 points behind Cal “and there’s really no end reState East Bay. sult for our team. It’s kind of The team broke five sad to see every — or 90% school records: freshman — of our teams on campus Emily Morton in the 200get scholarship and repreyard backstroke (2:02.01) sentation within the proand the 400-yard individual gram, but we’re just kind of medley (4:27.11); the 400left behind.” yard freestyle relay (3:28.32); The 40-person Swim and the 800-yard freestyle reDive team has an operatlay (7:33.84); and the 200ing budget of $104,340, the yard freestyle relay teams smallest of any Pepperdine (1:34.43). team (ope.ed.gov). Interim Head Coach Jana In 2013, the Malibu Times Vincent was also named the published a story about an PCSC Women’s Coach of the anonymous $1.6 million doYear. nation made to the Swim and The qualifiers compete in Dive team to keep it afloat the CSCAA National Collefor the 2013–2014 season. giate Invitational on March Potts confirmed there was 12–14 at Cleveland State Uni“an investment” but could versity. To qualify, the folnot comment on its source. lowing swimmers won their Athletics is unable to fund event: the 800-yard freestyle every sport to the maximum relay team (junior Sammie scholarship amount that the Slater, freshman Nohea LilNCAA allows, according to eikis, junior Paige Brackett Potts. and Morton), the 400-yard Title IX, a federal law that freestyle relay team (freshprohibits exclusion from a men Jasmine Williams, Jufederally-funded educational lianna Birlin, Jenna Sanchez program based on sex, reand junior Amy Griffin), and stricts the amount of scholSlater in the 200-yard freearship each team receives, style. depending on the equip“I am so proud of our ment cost and participation, INFOGRAPHIC BY ALI LEVENS | page designer according to ncaa.org. swim and dive team on their Courtesy of Pepperdine second-place finish in the Tumultuous Tenure | This timeline shows major events in Joe Spahn’s With law, theWood athletic andthis Calvin head coaching tenure atAthletics PepPCSC Championship,” Ath- perdine. The Spahn era officially ended Monday when he and the University parted ways. department decided to fund letic Director Steve Potts 12 or 13 of Pepperdine’s 16 wrote in an email. “The team tailed four accusations well.” swimmer will do that for letic Department’s attempts sports teams to the maxipersevered in an amazing brought against Spahn: abuWhile the report found no them. to advise Spahn on how to mum set by the NCAA, Potts way through a season of sive behavior, sexual assault, evidence Spahn sexually as“It kind of takes away unify and be positive with said. adversity, and I am excited inability to control emotions saulted swimmers, Ishikawa from having a place on the the team. The NCAA’s maximum about the future of our Swim and allowing a swimmer to said he did make comments team,” Ishikawa said. Spahn’s behavior did not for Division One swim teams and Dive program.” practice without clearance. toward swimmers that were Ishikawa said she thinks change, so the accusations is 14 scholarships, according The team underwent a The university found no considered inappropriate for the team’s divide in opinions were sent to administration. to ncsasports.org. coaching change halfway evidence that Spahn had the pool deck, Ishikawa said. mostly came as a result of The team continued to have Along with Swim and through the season after abusive behavior or engaged “Just kind of remarks — the first Swim and Dive re- meetings with Potts but Dive, both Women’s Cross Head Coach Joe Spahn de- in sexual assault, but the as if the girls were hitting cruitment class, since Spahn grew increasingly frustrated. Country and Track as well as parted from the university other two were proven true. on him or saying odd things and the university actively “When we were discuss- Men’s Track receive little to following a university-led inJunior and third-year about his wife to the girls,” brought these athletes as op- ing it [with] Potts, it really no scholarship funding. vestigation. Assistant Coach swimmer Trinity Ishikawa Ishikawa said. posed to the previous walk- felt like he wasn’t listening,” Three of the four teams Jessica Mosbaugh also de- experienced Spahn’s temper The document also stated on process. Ishikawa said. “I felt like that that do not receive finanparted in the fall. Vincent, in front of supporters and a the team was not unified and “The way he started treat- meeting [the first meeting cial aid are women’s teams, who was a volunteer coach, visiting team after the Waves that Spahn had favorites. ing the swimmers changed,” about the swimmers’ issues yet Athletics is out of combecame the team’s interim lost to a rival. Comparative remarks Ishikawa said. “I felt as with Spahn] was really when pliance with Title IX for for the remainder of the sea“[Spahn] ended up throw- from Spahn contributed to though he did have a little it started to spiral and ev- awarding too many women’s son. ing a couple of items and us- the team divide between bit of bias. They didn’t re- eryone was just all over the scholarships, according to Athletics released a Swim ing profane language, which the upper- and underclass, ally see what had happened place.” Potts. and Dive coaching update on deck is not appropriate,” Ishikawa said. For exam- in the year prior. They only Ishikawa said the team Pepperdine’s men receive Feb. 24 stating Spahn and Ishikawa said. “It was in ple, Spahn would tell the just saw us at swim meets, was not told what to do $3.6 million in financial aid, Pepperdine Athletics have front of everyone, which was upper-level swimmers that like, super happy and cheer- when contacted by the me- while the women are allot“mutually agreed to part quite embarrassing. It’s hard they do not put in enough ef- ing on each other, but there’s dia, but they considered how ted $4.9 million, for a 42–58 ways.” to be supportive of a coach fort and not to worry about an underlying thing that just it would reflect on the team ratio, according to ope. A leaked document de- who doesn’t take losing very placing because another wasn’t going well for us, and before Conference. They ed.gov. we were all suffering from also chose to remain silent “It’s created a Title IX isit.” until now as to keep peace sue there that we’re workAccording to Ishikawa, within the team. ing to resolve,” Potts said. “I Spahn’s unfair treatment “Our policy is to not re- wish we could fund every did not start this season. strict or prevent our stu- single program. Every single When Spahn first arrived as dent-athletes from speaking sport. I wish we could fund the head coach in the fall of with any members of the it to the NCAA maximum 2018, the team “embraced media,” Potts wrote. “They in terms of scholarships. We him.” Then the team-coach can choose to speak with just are not in a position to relationship started to head members of the media or do so because of our budsouth in spring 2019. they can choose to not speak get.” “We overlooked a lot of with members of the media. Other swim teams in the red flags,” Ishikawa said. It is entirely up to them. I am area also do not have large “Eventually, we started see- not aware of any information budgets. ing more in spring semester that was conveyed to memSan Diego State Universiand eventually this past fall bers of our Swim and Dive ty has a budget three-times semester that weren’t nec- team that was inconsistent the amount of the Waves’ but essarily OK, especially with with our policy.” has 10 less swimmers (ope. NCAA, because Athletics Although the team strug- ed.gov). Loyola Marymount is supposed to protect our gled for outside support, the University, a member of the athletes, and we didn’t feel team met multiple times to West Coast Conference, has as though we were being focus on unifying. The fu- a budget of $120,000 with heard.” ture of the Swim and Dive only 24 swimmers. Azusa Ishikawa said she believes team is unclear at this point Pacific University and the the accusations started go- since personnel or team- University of San Diego are ing to Potts at the end of the mate changes have not been on the opposite side of the ali levens | staff writer spring 2019 semester or the disclosed at this time, ac- spectrum, with budgets around $65,000 and 20-24 Talent Pool | Five swimmers encourage a teammate after she completed a beginning of fall 2019. Then cording to Ishikawa. the team had meetings with Not only did the Swim swimmers. race at their home invitational against Pacific. Athletics The team will travel to Courtesy of Azusa Pepperdine Potts around October and and Dive team have a tumulCleveland in March for the CSCAA National Collegiate Invitational. AL I.L EV ENS@PEPPER DINE.EDU November about the Ath- tuous tenure with Spahn as
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F E B R UA RY 2 7 , 2 0 2 0 | S PORTS | P E P P E R D I N E G RA P H I C ME D I A
Esports wins WCC League of Legends Tournament Kar l w inter spor ts ed itor
Bolton, Pepperdine’s Direc“We decided initialtor of Campus Recreation. ly to launch with the two “There’s nothing else I can [most-popular] games,” Pepperdine’s League of think of that could have got- Ramsey said, “which were Legends team is off to a 4–0 ten that many hits for Pep- League of Legends and Overstart in 2020 West Coast perdine, for Campus Rec,” watch — which were also Conference round-robin play, Bolton said. the teams that had the largjust two months after winAlthough esports is con- est number of players — bening the WCC’s inaugural sidered an auxiliary sport in cause we wanted to be able esports tournament. the WCC sphere, as Ramsey to start and include as many The League team, part of a compared it to band or cheer, people as possible.” Pepperdine esports program the conference expanded its The program discovered that is similarly a part of Pep- partnership with ESL Col- an overwhelming interest perdine Campus Recreation, legiate to include the spring in Super Smash Bros. Ultihas only existed since its ini- 2020 season. mate through the Pepperdine tial tryouts in Sept. 2019. The 10-week WCC Gaming Club and added a The team defeated Port- League season, which in- competitive Smash team, land, Pacific and San Francis- cludes six schools, will con- which held tryouts in Nov. co on Dec. 7 and 8 to win the clude with the winning team 2019. WCC Preseason Invitational receiving an automatic bid to The Smash team practicTournament. the top 16 for the official Riot es once a week in the GeneDespite a first-day loss in Games collegiate League of sis Lab and attends frequent a match against Pacific, team Legends league, which op- local tournaments, while captain Paul Kidder was erates through the Battlefy League and Overwatch each brimming with confidence. platform. practice twice weekly for “We’re the best in the con“Through WCC, we now three hours. Each team inference,” Kidder said. “[Soph- have a better inroad because cludes six or seven players, omore] Scott [Hong] really it’s really, really hard to get and practices include mostly stepped up — [freshman] into that top 16 going through scrimmages but also video Tyler [Kim] was great. Our the normal Riot collegiate on demand (VOD) review of players are way better, our route,” Ramsey said. their own performances. coaches are way better.” Additionally, the interest Overwatch will comThe WCC partnered with of the conference in esports pete in the Tespa Collegiate ESL, the world’s largest es- provides name-brand value Championship Series this ports company, to launch its for Pepperdine’s program to season. Though the program first attempt to join the es- prove its success. has a coach for the League ports world. ESL provided As the WCC learns more team, the Overwatch team the conference with a plat- about the booming esports is currently in the interview form to organize and operate industry, Ramsey said they process for their own coach, the first League of Legends believe it may centralize its Ramsey said. tournament. platform or branch out be“I’m looking forward to “When the WCC decided yond League of Legends. getting a real coach because I that they were going to do an “I think the main thing [for feel like we have so much poinitial pilot year for esports, the WCC] is figuring out how tential on our team that just they realized that they had they’ll run it going forward: needs guidance,” sophomore no real experience in this if they’ll continue working Yelim Lee, the team’s capspace,” Pepperdine Esports with ESL, or whether they’ll tain, said. “I think we can be Team Manager Grace Ram- develop their own platform a fantastic team, to rival [the] sey said. “So they decided to and run it themselves, or if League team if we could have photos courtesty of sarah otteman| pepperdine athletics partner with ESL to run the they will stick with League guidance from a professioninitial Preseason Invitation- of Legends, change games al.” al.” [or] add a game,” Ramsey The Smash team currentThe ESL platform allowed said. ly has a student mentor, sethe second day of the WCC nior Michael Kruel, who is Tournament to be streamed The Pepperdine Teams: also the team’s captain. live on Twitch, a major gam- League, Overwatch and “For amateur or the club ing streaming platform. The Smash esports, it is so hard to actufull broadcast received more ally get coaches who are willthan 60,000 unique views Competitive Pepperdine ing to work with you,” Kidand just as many on a later esports began in the fall of der said. “Most of [the other rebroadcast, according to 2019 with only two teams but WCC] teams don’t even have R o b b have since added a third. coaches. The most important
thing, at least for me, is to get [the coaches] here full-time.” Future of the Program Getting the budget for full-time coaching is one short-term goal of Pepperdine Esports, but according to Ramsey and Bolton, the first priority is creating a new gaming center on campus. Bolton said the relationship between the esports program and the Genesis Lab has been “positive,” but esports has outgrown the space and can be disruptive to the surrounding Payson Library. “We’re really trying to get the budget and the space to create a Gaming Center here on campus — one that would be able to be open for extended hours and open to the student body, as well as something that could be available for the teams to use as a practice space,” Ramsey said. Though most of the other esports programs at WCC schools are comparably new, like Pepperdine’s, Loyola Marymount University houses a new Gaming Center on its campus. Not only would a new space allow the teams to practice uninterrupted, but it would also provide a place of community for the greater Pepperdine gaming collective. “We think esports is something that potentially a lot of people at Pepperdine could rally around who maybe don’t find the same sort of resonance with the other sports that we have on campus,” Ramsey said. Esports is simply the competitive pinnacle of a larger gaming community that continues to grow at Pepperdine. Bolton, the faculty advisor of the program, said that “probably a third” of his weekly activities are now focused on esports and gaming. The initial interest in the
courtesy of grace ramsey Head in the Game | The WCC champions pose in the Genesis Lab following their victory over USF on Dec. 8, 2019. The team was formed in Fall 2019. program in 2019 was unprecedented for Campus Rec. “Everything pointed toward this being a very popular, high-demand program,” Bolton said. “We held a student interest meeting in a classroom, and it was standing-room only. That was never something I’d never experienced before.” Now that esports received positive feedback from the Pepperdine administration, including a mention in the 2019 President’s Report, the program turns to expanding its facilities and opportunities. “Fortunately, it’s not a battle of us trying to sell the idea,” Bolton said. “It’s just trying to partner with all these different groups [on campus], now that we’ve proven the concept.” Bolton even suggested that the gaming program is so large that it may need to separate from Campus Rec. This Season Though the West Coast Conference, Pepperdine University and Pepperdine students seem to be on board with esports, there remains no connection between the program and Pepperdine Athletics or the greater
NCAA. Ramsey said the NCAA has shown no interest in the prospect of adding esports, perhaps because a stigma remains against gaming as a part of the sports world. “You have to break the stigma to get schools on board to get enough schools to compete,” Ramsey said. As they continue their inaugural season, Kidder and Lee said they are focusing on team chemistry and improvement with their respective teams. “Short term, [the goal is] just getting a proper team synergy back with five [players] because we’ve been playing around with a lot of different pieces,” Kidder said. “[I] don’t really care if we’re winning or losing just as long as the team is learning together.” The League team continues its WCC season Feb. 29 against Pacific, while Overwatch kicks off its season this weekend as well. The Smash team went to their first official competition at Dreamhack Anaheim on Feb. 22 and had a good showing, Ramsey wrote in an email.
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Pepperdine relies on international athletes paxt o n ritchey staf f write r The journey from youth player to the collegiate ranks for any Pepperdine student-athlete is long and full of hard work. For a growing number of Waves, that path starts thousands of miles away from Malibu. There are over 20,000 international student-athletes competing on NCAA rosters nationwide, according to NCAA research from October 2019. Pepperdine is no exception, as the number of international student-athletes now outweigh American student-athletes in multiple Waves sports, such as tennis and golf. “I think it’s common for people to want to come over to the U.S., just because of how good the structure and everything is,” said junior women’s golf player Megan Dennis, who is originally from Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom. “The tournaments, practice schedule, the weather ... it entices people to come.” These students can face significant transitional challenges, but they bond with their teammates over their common goals and become inspired by the different cultures they encounter. The NCAA tracked trends in participation levels of international athletes, which included measuring the percentage of athletes on NCAA Division I rosters across 16 sports who are from a “non-U.S. country of origin” as part of a 2019 study. Tennis leads the charge by far
with over 60% of both men’s and women’s college players coming from outside the United States. International participation in college tennis has been both an increasing trend and a source of controversy for many years, as some have raised questions as to whether the growing number of international players in collegiate tennis removes opportunities for American players. Pepperdine follows this trend in both its men’s and women’s tennis programs. Seven out of nine players of the men’s roster are international, as well as four out of seven on the women’s roster. For Men’s Tennis Head Coach Adam Schaechterle, the choice to go international was about finding players who want to come to Pepperdine but still align with the program goal of becoming a “top-10 nationally elite program.” “Brand matters a lot more in American recruiting,” Schaechterle said. “In international recruiting, you have more of an ability to sell yourself as a coach, to sell the program and the vision you might have. These guys coming from around the world may not have such a clear idea of what the rankings are, or what football team is better or what program their uncle thinks they should go to.” That’s not to say, however, that convincing international players to come play college tennis is an easy sell. “A lot of good players stay home and try to go pro,” said Lisa Zaar, a freshman women’s tennis player from Sweden. “[In Europe], college had this
reputation of … if you went to college, you’re giving up your tennis career,” Zaar said. “But I think that mindset is changing. Now people think college is a good step in the direction of becoming a tennis player.” For some sports, a U.S. college has always been a good step. Dennis made it a goal from a young age while growing up in the United Kingdom. “I would say from the age of 13 or 14, a lot of the girls who were older than me, I was seeing [come to the United States],” Dennis said. “So I thought this could be a really good opportunity.” In England, Dennis hired an agency to help with her recruitment. “They filmed my swing and put my video compilation together, and then sent that out to the coaches in America,” Dennis said. “Then they attached my contact information so that the coaches could email me if they were interested.” Dennis began her college career at Division II Florida Tech, a program that uniquely won a national title the year it was disbanded. After transferring to Pepperdine, Dennis said the level is certainly a step up from what she experienced in England. “It’s so different,” Dennis said. “You just get more people who want to be good, and there’s more people who take it more seriously.” Dennis said a big factor is the presence of the LPGA, the women’s golf professional tour, in America. Players want to try out the courses at the collegiate level and see how
courtesy of Roger Horne| pepperdine athletics Un-fore-getable | Junior Megan Dennis is one of four international players on the team. Dennis is from England. they do before jumping in. But the transition for all of these athletes is about much more than just competition. “There’s the weather, obviously,” Zaar said of her adjustment from Stockholm to Malibu. “It’s sunny and not cold here. But also, the culture in general [is different], with how people act and social norms.” “America’s huge,” Dennis said. “They’re driving on the other side of the road. Even just the way people greet you and walk past you is different than how they would do it in England. People say things like, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ and I just wouldn’t know how to respond or what to say, really.” While Zaar and Dennis no doubt have learned from their own expe-
riences, they also learn from the cultures of their new teammates, who hail from everywhere from Norway to Peru to New Zealand. The intercultural meshing that occurs in several collegiate sports has a profound impact on even American-born players like Schaechterle. “My experience at Northwestern as a student-athlete was really enriched by [international players],” Schaechterle said. “Just seeing the world from a different perspective, learning about different cultures firsthand … that’s something that heightened my experience, and I’m glad I had that opportunity.”
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P E P P E R DINE GR A P HIC M E DIA | S PORTS | F E B RU A RY 27 , 20 20
Cook’s bat blasts Waves to sweep of Akron aust in h all s taf f w rit e r Unbeaten Waves Baseball improved their season record to 7–0 after a commanding sweep of the Akron Zips. After showing out in the Angels College Classic in Phoenix, the last undefeated team in the West Coast Conference had a one-game-stop at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before their first home series. The Waves dominated from both the mound and inside the batter’s box, winning the three games by a combined score of 23–2. Perhaps the biggest takeaway for Pepperdine was the hitting mirage by junior utility Billy Cook and the performance of the Waves’ top three pitchers: Wil Jensen, Cooper Chandler and Trevor Kniskern. “Our starting pitching continues to perform,” Head Coach Rick Hirtensteiner said. “We had good outings during our first weekend, and those guys came out again and had good attack. They threw a ton of strikes and commanded the ball well with multiple pitches. They all gave us a chance to win.” Waves’ Lineup in Midseason Form On Friday, Pepperdine’s opening game was almost perfect. Jensen retired the Zips’ first three batters in eight pitches. Redshirt junior right fielder Reese Alexiades put the Waves on the board at the bottom of the first with a double to left-center that scored senior first baseman Justin Lutes. That opened the floodgates for the Waves’ batters, scoring another run in the first before Cook smashed a low-hanging fastball for a 389-foot home run over the
palm trees behind the outfield in the second. He scored sophomore shortstop Wyatt Young, who was walked by Akron starter Taed Heydinger at the previous at-bat. On the mound, Jensen was perfect through four innings before giving up one unearned run at the top of the fifth inning. He pitched another two innings and finished with eight strikeouts with only four hits. This was Jensen’s second start after going five innings versus San Diego for game one of the Angels College Classic. Jensen, who is coming off Tommy John’s surgery from the 2018 season, said he continues to progress. “It was a good pick-meup,” Jensen said. “The outing before, I felt a little out of sync, but Friday, I was able to locate all my pitches, and it felt good. This time around wasn’t as bad on my arm as well — instead of trying to throw everything as hard as I could, I dialed it back which helped, even though I threw more pitches today.” After a scoreless thirdthrough-fifth innings, Pepperdine’s batting got back on track with three runs in the sixth and four in the eighth. They won the first game of the series 12–1. Late Execution in Game Two Pepperdine had a much slower start in the second game of the series. While Chandler took a no-hitter all the way to the eighth inning, the Waves’ offense took until the fifth inning to get on the board. Freshman designated hitter David LeBioda singled with a hit past second base. Next, Young singled down the right side, scoring freshman second baseman Ryan Johnson. With Cook at the plate next, he reached on a fielder’s
Photos by austin hall | staff writer Mirror Images | (left) Junior utility Billy Cook winds up for his home run bomb versus Akron on Sunday. Cook finished with six hits and four RBIs across the three-game series. (right) Senior first baseCourtesy Richard man Justin Lutes showcases his powerful lefty swing at EddyPhotos D. Field byStadium. Ali Levens of | Asst. SportsDavis Editor choice to send Young back to the dugout, but a throwing error from second base to first base on an attempted double-play allowed Cook to advance to second, scoring Johnson and Lebioda. The Waves scored a run in the eighth for their last of the day. After 10 strikeouts from Chandler, freshman lefthander Shane Telfer finished the last inning. Pepperdine won game two with a score of 4–0, securing their first shutout of the season. Hirtensteiner said this year’s team’s trust for one another is far ahead of last year’s. “I think the team chemistry is just outstanding right now,” Hirtensteiner said. “Everyone has a good time with each other, and they all push each other to work hard. Whether it’s practice or games, there’s a lot of team bond, and it’s good to see.” Kniskern Establishing Himself as a Reliable No. 3 Game three between the Zips and the Waves was a unique one, as Akron took their first lead of the series at the top of the first inning. With two outs on the board, the Zips recorded back-to-back hits for their
first earned run of the series pect. He’s a grinder.” and their first score since the After two quick groundfifth inning on Friday. outs by the Zips to start the The starting pitcher for game, Akron had back-tothe Sunday contest was Kni- back hits to get on the board. skern, one of the gems of Kniskern only allowed one Courtesy Pepperdine Athletics Pepperdine’s 2019 recruitingof hit for the next five innings class. Kniskern, a West Coast before being taken out. Conference All-Freshman, The Waves tied the game posted a team-high 2.42 ERA at the bottom of the second and was fourth on the team with a hard-hit single from with 37 strikeouts during his left-fielder Mike Malinchak first season in Malibu while that scored Lutes. Lutes, coming out of the bullpen. the transfer from College of In his first start of the year Southern Nevada had himagainst Oregon, Kniskern self a nice series at the plate had a strong start through with three strong hits and an three innings, giving up just on-base percentage of .417. three hits while the Ducks’ The star hitter for Pepperlone run was unearned off a dine was Cook, who smashed sacrifice fly. At the bottom of a ball in the bottom of the the fourth, pitches started to sixth inning that traveled 421 get away from Kniskern as he feet. The solo shot distanced hit three batters and gave up the Pepperdine lead to 5–1, four total runs before being and after two more runs in replaced by freshman right- the eighth, they won 7–1. hander Josiah Castillo, who Cook had a monster segot the Waves out of the in- ries with six hits on 12 atning. bats, three stolen bases, two Pepperdine came back home runs that traveled a and won the game after a combined 810 feet, and a rifour-run inning of their own diculous slugging percentin the top of the ninth to win age of 1.5. 8–5. With the shaky start Cook said he has made behind him, Kniskern was strides to improve his swing ready to bounce back. for this season. “He’s a beast,” Jensen said. “This past summer, I re“Even though he had a rough habbed my shoulder and outing against Oregon with learned a lot about the body one bad inning, games like and mechanics of a swing,” this [Sunday are] what to ex- Cook said. “While you don’t
focus on mechanics when you’re in the box, having a better understanding of the swing in general has definitely helped. [Assistant Coach Danny Worth] and I have worked a ton on power while and Sheridan Davis keeping things simple.” Kniskern, who finished the game with a 1.5 ERA, said the game helped get back to his regular form. “It was a good mental bounce-back,” Kniskern said. “It sets a tone that can hopefully follow the rest of the year. Today, I was able to hone in my curveball and lead off with it, which sets up the rest of my sequence.” Hirtensteiner agreed that this game will help the sophomore pitcher. “Today was beautiful because today, he started with two pitches and two outs,” Hirtensteiner said. “He gave up a quick run but still attacked them and got us into the seventh.” The Waves were beaten The team now travels to Florida today for three games at Florida International and one at Florida Gulf Coast, beginning Friday in Miami.
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W. Basketball loses nail-biter against Portland tay l o r gather as si stant sports e d itor Despite leading for the majority of the game, Pepperdine Women’s Basketball fell in the closing seconds against the Portland Pilots 64–62 on Thursday. The Waves held a 10-point lead going into the final quarter, but the Pilots surpassed Pepperdine at 58– 57 with 2:48 left in the game. Sophomore guard Malia Bambrick hit a three-point shot with 14 seconds left on the clock to tie the score 62–62. “I just wanted to keep my composure,” Bambrick said. “The play was drawn up for me, so it’s just doing what I do well and making sure that I executed our game plan.” Tied at 62 with four seconds left on the clock, the Pilots drew a shooting foul. Portland sophomore guard Haylee Andrews made both foul shots, giving Portland the 64– 62 lead. The Waves sent a half-court heave in the closing seconds, but the Pilots ultimately took home the win at a final score of 64–62. “I think we played pretty well offensively with their full-court pressure,” senior guard Deezha Battle said. “We played solid defense for most of the game up until maybe the last quarter. I think we overall played hard and played our hearts out.” The Waves started off the game strong, scoring two of the first three baskets of the game. Redshirt senior guard Hannah Friend had nine of the Waves’ 14 points going into the second quarter, giving the Waves a five-point lead over the Pilots. “Going in, we were just trying to
focus on ourselves,” Bambrick said. “We lost a close one last time when we played them there [Portland], so we knew we had to tighten up little things, stick to their main scorers and just play our games.” The Waves carried on their momentum going into the second quarter, increasing their lead to nine points 30–21 going into half. Six Pepperdine players scored in the quarter thanks to phenomenal ball movement. “We took our shots whether they were falling or not, which is always important,” senior guard Paige Fecske said. “I think we played with confidence for the most part.” Pepperdine had their largest lead of the night at 15 points at 6:33 remaining in the third quarter after going on a 10–4 run in the first three-and-a-half minutes. “I hoped that we could just finish the game strong and focus on the details,” Battle said. “We got out-rebounded today, so that was probably a big reason why we weren’t able to finish the game strong.” The Waves went cold in the fourth, scoring just nine points on four baskets, whereas the Pilots scored 21 points including a 7–0 run. “In some moments, we had slipups where we could have done a little bit better, which ultimately cost us in the end,” Bambrick said. “I think we just let this small thing slip away.” Both Waves and Pilots dedicated the game to the Play4Kay fundraising campaign, which fundraises money for the Kay Yow Cancer fund. “Coach Kay Yow coached for the USA team and had a big impact on women’s basketball,” Fecske said.
Photos by taylor gather | assistant sports editor Down to the Wire | Senior point guard Barbara Sitanggan drives Thursday at Firestone Fieldhouse. Thursday and Saturday against Gonzaga were Sitanggan’s final home games as a Wave. (below) Sophomore guard Malia Bambrick skies for a three-pointer. “It’s a great way to honor her and everyone who’s survived or experiencing breast cancer.” The Waves sported Play4Kay black and pink t-shirts to support Yow. After a 22-year-long battle, Yow passed away in 2009 to breast cancer. Yow was named national Coach of the Year eight times and received numerous accolades including Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Athletes in Action Hall of Fame and Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. “I think it’s always good to just honor those who have gone through breast cancer and cancer in general — acknowledging that we support [awareness] and support them,” Bambrick said. After falling to Portland, the Waves fell at home to Gonzaga University 64–50 on Saturday. For Pepperdine’s Senior Day, the Waves played Gonzaga closer than earlier
in the season in Spokane, Washington, where the Waves lost 70–36. Top scorers included junior forward Monique Andriuolo with 10 points, Friend with 10 points, senior point guard Barbara Sitanggan with seven points and Bambrick with eight points. After falling to both Portland and Gonzaga, the Waves are more de-
termined than ever to win against Brigham Young University (BYU) today in Provo, Utah. “We just have to be able to handle their pressure,” Battle said. “They’re a bigger team, so we have to focus on boxing out and rebounding.” TAYL OR .GATHER @PEPPER DINE.EDU