The L.A. County fires altered the 2024-25 academic year. After multiple days of remote classes, students returned to campus and the Pepperdine community came together to support one another during a time of uncertainty and adversity.
See NEWS | A5
Students reunite after fires and remote classes
Perspectives Staff Writer Cassandra Barron discusses the complex experience of Queer students and the university’s failure to foster belonging among this community.
The Pepperdine Theatre Department’s winter show features Greek tragedy “Iphigenia
As 2024 is now a blast in the past, 2025 opens up a fruitful spring athletic semester.
Photo by Mary Elisabeth |
Photo Editor
Design by Betsy Burrow | Creative Director
p c o m i n g e v e n t s . . .
Jan. 31
ReelStories Film Festival
Students showcase their talent in the form of independent films beginning with a red carpet at 6 p.m., on Upper Mullin Town Square.
Feb. 1
Men’s Volleyball vs. Lewis University Cheer on Pepperdine’s Men’s Volleyball team as they play No. 12, Lewis University at the Firestone Fieldhouse on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m.
Good News: Art is how humanity endures
Eliot Cox Special Edition Editor
I spent my childhood in places that do not exist, or rather, lost in thought in worlds my imagination would make up. Such imagination served as the foundation for my love of landscape paintings and invigorated my nostalgia for the video game Skyrim and appreciation for the poems of my namesake, T.S. Eliot.
Everybody has pieces of artwork they love. It is definitely the case for me, and I expect for many others, that both what I enjoy and dislike say something important about the person I am.
But whether it’s the echoes of World War I in “The Lord of the Rings” or the experience of a black teenager in Compton as articulated in “good kid, M. a. a. d. City,” our experience of tragedies and the emotions which we feel permeate all we try to create and all we use to understand our own lives.
Feb. 2
Men’s Tennis vs. Texas A&M Pepperdine Men’s Tennis will face off against Texas A&M at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 2 p.m.
Feb. 11
Waves Market
The local farmer’s market is back on campus from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students can purchase food, drinks and artisan goods.
For example, my unwavering love for science fiction epics like “Dune” and “Red Rising” are built directly upon my love of world building and my grand ambitions as a person and a storyteller. Being a storytelling person makes me downright adore Kendrick Lamar’s “Gloria,” a song about his complicated relationship with his own artistry.
What you love helps you establish and understand who you are. There is certainty in art. When the world falls apart and when other people fall short, art is reliable.
Such certainty and structure explain how and why we explore history through narratives. While it’s funny to think of our textbooks as art,
Special Edition Editor Eliot Cox holds a recent favorite book, “Light Bringer” by Pierce Brown. I fell in love with the world and characters and was unable to put it down after finishing the last two books in the series over break.
they most definitely are: we created narratives and imposed them on the past to draw out themes and lessons.
But those narratives are nothing to scoff at. They are not lies we tell ourselves just to be more comfortable in a dark and nasty world; instead, they are glasses that clarify the beauty of the human experience and truths.
One of these truths is simple: as long as we’ve been around, humanity has needed to create art to endure. This isn’t true of every piece of art, of course. Duchamp’s “Fountain” likely never relieved someone of their despair.
Caught you fizzin’!
“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.”
All humans die, but those who decide to write or paint or sculpt what they know and feel continue to live beyond their immediate physical presence. It’s like they added their empathy into a communal chili pot that anyone can dip a ladle into whenever they need to.
Staring at an ancient Roman statue may not solve your problems since art’s answer to the hard stuff in our life isn’t transactional. Instead, art locks us arm-inarm with all the humans who endured and did so loudly as to remind us that we’re not alone and we never have been.
eliot.cox@pepperdine.edu
Email: peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com
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Phone: (310) 506-4311
Address: Student Publications Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy. Malibu, CA 90263
Photo courtesy of Isaac Albaugh
Preliminary hearing in PCH crash to continue
Gabrielle Salgado Managing Editor
The L.A. County Superior Court will continue the preliminary hearing process Jan. 31, in the case of Fraser Michael Bohm v. the People of the State of California.
Local authorities arrested Bohm Oct. 24, 2023 — one week after the deadly PCH crash that killed four Pepperdine students: Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Deslyn Williams and Asha Weir, according to the L.A. County Superior Court criminal case summary.
Bohm faces four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, according to previous Graphic reporting. At his arraignment, Oct. 25, 2023, Bohm plead not guilty to all charges.
Bohm was released on a $4 million bond Oct. 27, 2023.
The court last reconvened Dec. 11, at the Van Nuys Courthouse West, according to
the case summary. The Jan. 31 meeting will mark the eighth preliminary hearing setting for Bohm, with the first setting taking place Feb. 5, 2024.
Throughout the preliminary hearing settings over nearly a year, the defense has given their main arguments, pushed for the discovery of more evidence and asked for the court to be recused.
At the Aug. 28 preliminary hearing setting, Bohm’s defense attorney, Michael Kraut, argued his client was a victim of road rage leading up to the crash. Kraut claimed Bohm was driving 70 mph at the time of the collision instead of the 104 mph reported by George Gascón, L.A. County District Attorney.
Bohm appeared in court for the Oct. 9 preliminary hearing setting, according to previous Graphic reporting. Family members and friends accompanied him in the courtroom — including his parents and sister.
Leading up to the Oct. 9
setting, Kraut sent a letter to Judge Diego Edber, over a concern about discriminatory action toward his client. Kraut claimed Edber did not properly notify him of news outlets being present in the courtroom.
Edber denied the claim for discriminatory action due to the lack of evidence.
The court met once again Nov. 13, according to previous Graphic reporting. Neither Kraut nor Bohm were present at the setting.
Loved ones of the PCH
crash victims sat in the stands.
The court met twice since the Nov. 13 setting — Dec. 11, and Jan. 13, according to the criminal case summary. Both meetings occurred during the Franklin and Palisades fires, respectively.
The Jan. 31 meeting is set to start at 8:30 a.m. at the Van Nuys Courthouse West. It is unclear if Bohm will be present at the setting.
gabrielle.salgado@pepperdine.edu
Malibu locals demand accountability
Nora Moriarty Guest Contributor
Frustrated Malibu residents packed the Malibu High School auditorium Saturday, Jan. 25, for a town hall hosted by the City of Malibu — aimed at discussing rebuilding plans post-Palisades Fire and providing residents with a place to ask their questions.
Residents who spoke during the meeting aired their frustrations, saying communication failures were caused by Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
PSPS occurs when a utility company preemptively shuts off power during fire-prone weather conditions, like high winds, to reduce the risk of power lines sparking a fire. Southern California has experienced these frequently this season, driven by an unusually high number of extreme Santa Ana wind events in January, according to Fast Company.
Malibu resident Lea Johnson said the shutoffs left her in a dangerous situation with little to no information.
“I did not have cell reception,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know where the fires were, how were the fires, if there were fires. We were completely in the dark.”
Malibu resident Bambi Young echoed Johnson’s concerns, calling PSPS a “disaster.”
“The reason it doesn’t work is that we can’t communicate,” Young said.
Amid the frustration, residents emphasized the need for fast action and improvements to Malibu’s infrastructure. The message was clear: help is
needed, and it is needed now.
Malibu resident Brian Goldberg suggested the current closure of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) poses an optimal opportunity for SCE to underground power lines.
“The whole PCH is closed — this is the perfect opportunity to dig a trench and put all the poles underground,” Goldberg said.
An SCE representative replied, “We are looking at undergrounding the lines in those neighborhoods that were devastated and we’re working to accelerate that work utilizing the expedited processes at the federal, state and local level,” she said.
While residents criticized SCE, they also blamed the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).
The MRCA manages and provides ranger services to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The two organizations work together to complete park improvement projects, which residents said are lacking.
“MRCA left vegetation to grow and create fuel for the fire,” Malibu resident Colin Drummond said.
The issue of fuel modification — removing flammable vegetation to reduce the spread of fire — was a recurring demand.
“We need to do fuel reduction,” Malibu resident Pete Weeger said. “And as far as I’m concerned, the MRCA has blood on their hands. How many people died?”
Residents expressed frustration with what they perceived as MRCA’s lack of preparation or support for Malibu
Leaders and representatives from federal, state and local agencies sit
ditorium stage at Malibu High School. They answered Malibu residents’
tions and responded to their concerns about the Palisades Fire.
during the Palisades Fire.
“Is there anybody here [from MRCA]? No? Why not? You caused the fire by not allowing the area to be cleared of brush,” Malibu resident Ted Vail said.
Resident Wade Major, along with other residents, called for the management of the Santa Monica Mountains to be switched from MRCA to the national parks.
“The MRCA has had its day and it’s time to turn over the Santa Monica Mountains to the national parks,” he said.
State Sen. Ben Allen of District 24 attended the town hall.
“I’d like to see them [MRCA] trans-
fer the land over to the state parks,” Allen said, noting that he has been advocating for such change for years.
As the Malibu community grieves the devastating losses caused by the Palisades Fire, they remain determined to build back better and ensure the city is better protected from future disasters.
“This town is a community of love, and we have the smartest people in the room to put it back together,” resident and former City Council member Skyler Peak said.
Photo by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
The L.A. County Superior Court is set to continue the preliminary hearing setting in the case of the
October 2023 PCH crash that took the lives of four Pepperdine students. Fraser Michael Bohm, the driver charged with four counts of muder in the crash, last appeared in court October 2024.
Photo courtesy of City of Malibu
on the au-
ques-
Pepp senior receives Rhodes Scholarship
Alicia Dofelmier Assistant News Editor
Seaver College senior Sean Wu is the first Pepperdine student to receive a Rhodes Scholarship. The Rhodes Scholarship is an opportunity for a select group of Americans to study at Oxford University, Wu said. The program began in 1902 and fully funds a graduate school education.
“I thought that my finalist interview had gone well and I felt confident but I felt a sense of relief hearing I had won,” Wu said.
The application process begins with an online application and a few essay questions, Wu said. From there, there is the possibility to advance to a finalist round and each of the 16 districts in the United States has about 16 finalists.
Wu said to ensure a well-rounded application, he had participated in a lot of computer science-based research. Wu also needed eight letters of recommendation and received them from various areas of his life such as a Pepperdine professor, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles and his private tuba instructor.
They picked the perfect person to represent this award. I think they made a really wise choice.
Ira Kurtz UCLA professor and chief of Nephrology
Stanley Warford, a professor of Computer Science and Physics at Pepperdine, taught Wu in a data structure class.
“Sean is a dedicated guy who is in the top one percent of his class. He represents us so well with this scholarship,” Warford said.
Wu also went on to be a teacher’s assistant for him in that class, Warford said.
“I was ecstatic to learn that Sean received this scholarship,” Warford said. “He is the first person from Seaver College to get this award, and I’m so extremely happy for him.”
Ira Kurtz, UCLA professor and Chief of Nephrology at UCLA, worked with Wu and his research.
“I met Sean through another professor, Fabien Scalzo,” Kurtz said. “I had been thinking about AI and the future of medicine for many years and wanted to get students involved
with my work.”
Kurtz said they worked on two main projects together. Both of the projects are published in medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine.
“Our main project involved taking multiple choice questions that specialist kidney doctors have to take to recertify themselves and comparing their results to GPT-4 results,” Kurtz said. “The question I wanted to ask was how GPT-4 does on this test compared to human doctors.”
Wu wrote all the software to get the results they needed and assembled a team for their research, Kurtz said. Wu essentially ran the study.
“Our results found that GPT-4 did almost as good on those multiple choice questions as the human doctors did,” Kurtz said. “GPT-4 was able to score about 70% of the questions right.”
Hearing that Wu got this scholarship was amazing, Kurtz said. He said this could not have happened to a better person.
“They picked the perfect person to represent this award,” Kurtz said. “I think they made a really wise choice.”
Wu initiated everyone on his own-developing his ideas and carrying them out, Kurtz said. Kurtz sometimes feels like he’s talking to himself since Wu has many similar traits.
“He has an expertise that I don’t have,” Kurtz said. “I would not have been able to do this work with anyone else.”
Apart from his research, Wu is involved with the Pepperdine Orchestra where he plays tuba. Wu also participates in intramural basketball.
“I believe that everyone should apply for this scholarship because it’s shown me that just by applying, you have a better understanding of yourself and what you really want to do in the future,” Wu said. “It’s a great learning opportunity for yourself even if you do not win.”
Kurtz said he believed Wu is going to be a great researcher. He is highly creative, can easily complete tasks and can write well, Kurts said.
“He is a jack of all trades,” Kurtz said. “I told his father that he does not know how awesome his son is and I told him how blessed he is. Sean is going to do wonderful things in this program.”
Photos courtesy of Sean Wu
Senior Sean Wu gives a talk about Neural Information Processing Systems in December 2024. Wu had two of his research projects published in medical journals.
Senior Sean Wu meets Professor Fei-Fei Li from Stanford at a Vancouver Convention Center December. 2024. As a result of his research, Wu said he was able to meet many different professors.
The smoke clears, the ash settles and the light emerges once again.
In recent years, the Pepperdine community has come together in times of loss and devastation, senior Helena Mekuanint said. The past month hosted a number of wildfires, threatening structures across Southern California.
“Honestly, being a senior at Pepperdine right now, every year there’s been something challenging for the community,” Mekuanint said. “But every single time, people keep track of one another, and it feels like no one is left behind.”
On Dec. 9, many Pepperdine students were led to shelter-in-place due to the Franklin Fire. Just weeks later, on Jan. 9, President Jim Gash announced classes would be held virtually for the week of Jan. 13, due to the Palisades Fire.
”It was kind of scary because I think we all felt it was going to be, not like a false alarm, but we didn’t think we’d actually have to do shelter in place,” Mekuanint said.
Mekuanint, a George Page resident advisor (RA) and student teacher in Santa Monica,
was responsible for evacuating her residents to their shelter in place location during the Franklin Fire and evacuated to Camarillo herself during the Palisades Fire.
“I literally felt like I was protected with a blanket of peace — almost, it felt, from the Lord,” she said. “I was kind of ready to just do the job that needed to be done and that was expected of me in my position.”
Throughout the shelter-inplace process, check-ins and ensuring her residents’ safety, Mekuanint leaned on her senior community for support. For seniors, this experience was just another chapter in a challenging journey.
“Everyone’s first instinct isn’t to think about themselves but to check in on their friends or see how the next person is doing,” Mekuanint said. “We go through this as a whole, as a student body, rather than everyone figuring it out on their own.”
Watching From a Distance
Returning to campus from abroad, in itself, is a unique experience — adjusting to cultural shifts, uprooting routines and settling back into familiar spaces, sophomore Jamir Rolle said. For some abroad students, the fires were a deeply
personal crisis they could only watch unfold from miles away.
Rolle, a political science major who studied abroad in Buenos Aires during the fall semester, found it difficult to witness the devastation from afar.
“It was very stressful keeping up with it,” Rolle said. “I felt like every time I looked, it was just worse and worse. So that was really overwhelming for me.”
Despite the distance, Rolle recognized how these hardships strengthened the community.
“I feel like we are really tight-knit and closer together because our environment was so threatened by the fires,” Rolle said. “There’s a new realization of what’s important.”
For some students, the fires provoked fear and doubt, but they were met with solace from faculty and staff.
“I was afraid, but also I knew that the university was gonna work things out,” firstyear Audrey Mings said. “So I was hopeful, but I was also really uncertain and afraid.”
Community Support
According to a previous Graphic interview with Connie Horton on Jan. 14, vice president for Student Affairs, Pepperdine continues to support
Photo by
Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
Three Pepperdine students converse in Mullin Town Square for the Delta Gamma, Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Clothing Drive on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Pepperdine students returned back to campus Jan. 21, after spending a week virtual learning due to the recent California fires.
those in need. Delta Gamma, in collaboration with the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic, launched a clothing drive Tuesday, Jan. 28, to collect new and gently used clothing for those affected by the Palisades Fire.
“I think when adversity strikes, it’s a unique thing for Pepperdine students and faculty to just immediately do it with other people and ask other people for help or to comfort others,” Mekuanint said.
From donation drives to emotional support, Waves continue to show that in the face of adversity, they stand together, Mekuanint said.
“Everyone is hurting in some way shape or form in different and varying degrees,” she said. “But I feel like the
way everyone’s handling it with such just tenderness for one another and empathy for everyone’s situations has been truly amazing just to be a part of.”
For many students, the struggle now may be finding a sense of normalcy after experiencing such upheaval. Such events, in such a short time, are sure to cause a sense of uneasiness and unpreparedness, Mekuanint points out.
“It really helps to honestly talk about the experiences,” she said. “Telling either yourself or friends about what you went through can really help you process it and then be able to then look ahead and move forward.”
shalom.montgomery@pepperdine.edu
Malibu restaurants serve first responders
Rachel Flynn Senior Reporter
The Malibu Brewing Company and Malibu Farm are serving their community by utilizing their available resources.
If the fire that forced over 30,000 people from their homes wasn’t enough, next came the water shut-offs and the power outages affecting over 200,000 people, according to the World Central Kitchen (WCK).
Malibu Brewing Company is one local restaurant making a difference in the community by serving local first responders through its recent partnership with WCK.
WCK works locally and internationally in providing food to people finding themselves amid humanitarian emergencies, man-made crises and natural disasters, according to their website. Outside of their work in Ukraine and Gaza, they provide meals to families affected by Hurricane Helene and the SoCal wildfires’ first responders.
To date, WCK has provided 380,000 meals to those affected by the Palisades, Hurst and Eaton fires. Through the Malibu Brewing Company’s partnership with WCK, anyone impacted by the recent wildfires can come in and receive a free meal, Adam Alexander, a server at the restaurant, said. WCK covers the cost and the Malibu Brewing Kitchen staff prepares it.
“Every day there’s a new menu, and it gives us a lot of freedom to kind of get food out quick, and to test new menu items as well and to give back to the
Malibu Farms donates raw foods to first responders Jan. 11. The restaurant located on the Malibu Pier has had to close for repairs and is hoping to reopen by Feb. 6.
community,” Alexander said.
In the last couple of weeks, the Malibu Brewing Company has cooked and served 14,000 meals, Alexander said. The need is immediate and right on the restaurant’s doorstep.
“There’s so many firefighters that are all put up in tents, and so many fire trucks and first responders and everybody are all along the PCH,” Alexander said.
One morning, the Malibu Brewing Company pushed out 800 breakfast burritos to the firefighters camping along the PCH, Alexander said.
It doesn’t stop there — the Malibu Brewing Company continues serving hundreds of first responders every single day, Alexander said.
“Yesterday, we just had a ceremony for people getting their fireman jackets, and we allowed them to rent out our
entire space,” Alexander said.
On Jan. 25, around 30 firefighters across the state celebrated getting their coats of armor in a warm environment with free drinks and free food, Alexander said.
Their service to the community isn’t short of obstacles.
“We have lost power a couple times, so we’ve had to close down,” Alexander said.
There have been days when they have had to shut down their restaurant unexpectedly because of a power outage. The company’s water has also been shut off at times.
However, even when the power stopped, their work did not, Alexander said.
“The kitchen staff was still working, even though the power went off, so we were still pumping out meals for first
responders, even without electricity,” Alexander said.
Malibu Farm located on the Malibu Pier is another business impacted by the recent wildfires. Helene Henderson, the founder and chef, said electricity and natural gas were shut off in many parts of the city.
Gas services have been restored to many local businesses, but Malibu Farm is still working on getting theirs up and running again due to the older infrastructure of the pier, Henderson wrote in an email to the Graphic on Jan. 27.
Henderson said inspections are needed and are taking longer than planned, but they are aiming to be operational again by Feb. 6.
Malibu Farm is doing what it can to support first responders with donations of uncooked foods, such as raw chicken, fish, steak, vegetables and dairy produce, Henderson wrote in an email to the Graphic.
“Our much beloved Malibu West local volunteer fire brigade came to pick up a truck full of items as well as the Hollywood Food Coalition,” Henderson wrote in an email to the Graphic.
There are a few ways for locals to share their support for the Malibu Brewing Company and WCK to feed the first responders in Malibu, including dining at their restaurant off of PCH and Trancas Canyon Road. Another way is to donate through WCK’s website.
Photo courtesy of Helene Henderson
Malibu officials clarify light ordinance
Ordinance Exceptions
Malibu’s Dark Sky Ordinance does not regulate street lighting on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), making the highway become too dark moving westward. Malibu city officials said there is no evidence of accidents caused by visibility on PCH.
“I haven’t gotten any complaints personally about safety on that side of town,” Malibu City Principal Planner Tyler Eaton said.
The City of Malibu enacted the Dark Sky Ordinance in October 2018 to allow for an unobstructed view of the night sky and combat the negative effects of light pollution on the environment. The Dark Sky Ordinance restricts outdoor light types, locations, times of use and Kelvin temperatures, according to the City of Malibu’s website.
Human lighting activities can lead to unintended consequences, Eaton said.
“The Dark Sky Ordinance is aimed at keeping light within your property and not trespassing onto other people’s property,” Eaton said. “But also making sure that light is being used purposefully, not just used for aesthetic reasons.”
Light is a precious resource, worthy of conservation, said Cami Winikoff, a Malibu community member who helped spearhead the movement toward Malibu’s adoption of dark sky restrictions.
“You turn it on when you need it, and you turn it off when you don’t,” Winikoff said.
The ordinance is specifically intended for private properties requiring fully shielded lights –– an onlooker observing light on a horizontal plane will notice the light emitted from dark sky-compliant shielded lamps will only face downward, Eaton said.
Currently, Malibu’s dark sky restrictions and regulations solely apply to gas stations, commercial buildings and residential properties in three separate parts, Winikoff said.
There are exceptions to the ordinance with about eight deviations listed in the chapter, including lights for the public right of way, Eaton said. He said PCH lighting falls under the domain of Caltrans and Southern California Edison.
The Dark Sky Ordinance does not regulate PCH street lamps.
“Lighting, as it pertains to the Dark Sky Ordinance, does not apply to lighting for the public roadways because they want a certain amount of safety lighting,” Eaton said. “The roadways need to be adequately lit so people can traverse safely.”
Marc Bischoff, Caltrans’ public information officer, said safety is their top priority for all of their state highways and freeways, including PCH through Malibu.
“Caltrans is responsible for lighting at the intersections along Pacific Coast Highway through the city of Malibu,” Bischoff said. “These are light poles that generally support LED Luminaire lights, and some have extension arms for traffic signals.”
The roadways need to be adequately lit so people can traverse safely.
Tyler Eaton
Malibu City Principal Planner
PCH street lamps do not need to be fully shielded or have a limit of 3000 Kelvin, Eaton said.
“They have a glass over the bulb, and that glass distributes light in all directions,” Eaton said.
While lamps on PCH intentionally emit more light than lights on private property, Mal-
ibu community members say it feels dark going westward toward Point Dume.
“It can be scary driving home late at night because it is very dark on the roads, especially the parts where it’s open land on either side and there are no houses,” Pepperdine Alumnus Sabrina Krebs said.
It is significantly darker toward Point Dume because the area is more rural. There are fewer street lights and less light pollution, Council member Steve Uhring said.
“On the east side of town,
where it’s more developed, you get the cumulative impact of lights and the shopping centers and the houses that kind of create a glow,” Eaton said. “And, as you get further west, the lots are larger, it’s more rural, so you’re not getting that glow.”
This decrease in lighting westward toward PCH does not technically pose concerns for visibility and safety along the highway, Uhring said.
“I’m not aware of any accidents that were caused by lighting on PCH,” Uhring said.
“I have not had anybody come up and say that is a problem we need to address.”
He has not received any complaints about lighting and PCH safety on that side of town, Eaton said.
In the past year, only one report has been submitted to Caltrans District 7 concerning lighting along PCH through Ventura County, Bischoff said.
“There was a report of street lights out along State Route 1 between Oxnard Boulevard and Las Posas Road in Oxnard,” Bischoff said.
The Dark Sky Ordinance actually promotes better visibility with more consistent low lighting, Winikoff said. Visibility becomes an issue on the
roads when the eye is quickly exposed to bright lights after the pupils have adjusted to low lighting, according to the International Dark Sky Association.
“So, when everything’s light, our pupils adjust to light,” Winikoff said. “When everything gets dark, our pupils adjust to the darkness. So, it must be a consistent low-level light in order for it to be pleasing.”
Possible Expansions on the Dark Sky Ordinance
Expansion to the Dark Sky Ordinance could involve making PCH street lighting Dark Sky compliant, but there are currently no definite plans in place, Eaton said.
“I have heard talks that our public works department is considering looking at making the lights Dark Sky compliant, but I don’t know how far that’s gone, and I haven’t seen any projects in the pipeline for that,” Eaton said.
Photo by Ava Heinert | News Editor
A streetlamp shines on a private residence in Point Dume Club. The lamps are considered fully shielded and meet ordinance requirements.
Ava Heinert News Editor
Photo courtesy of the City of Malibu Residential Dark Sky Workshop
PERSPECTIVES
Staff Editorial: Lean on community
Graphic Staff
Editor’s Note: PGM staff members decide on the topic of a Staff Ed together. The staff as a whole provides opinions and content included in this Staff Ed to provide thoughts about and shed light on solutions for happenings at Pepperdine.
To say the Pepperdine community has been through a lot in the past month and half would be an understatement.
Instead of studying for finals, many members of the community spent Dec. 10 sheltering in place in Payson Library. Many people reposted images of the Franklin Fire on social media asking for prayers for Pepperdine, the community and Malibu.
If that wasn’t enough, the first week of classes for the Spring ‘25 semester was online as the Palisades Fire made it unsafe for students, staff and faculty to return. Now though, our community is back together and it’s times like these where it’s more important than ever to lean on one another.
It’s during times of tragedy that it’s incredibly important for us to find support among those closest to us. Since Pepperdine is such a close-knit community that has experienced many trials we can have confidence that this will bring us even closer than before.
Leaning on each other is not easy because it often requires us to be vulnerable with one another. However, vulnerability can foster strong and rewarding relationships.
May this staff editorial be encouragement that if the beginning of this semester feels uncertain or strange, you’re not alone and
there are others who feel the same. We live in a community that has experienced loss and devastation due to wildfires, and some of our very own have lost their homes and belongings.
May this be a time that we come together and have grace for one another and ourselves as we navigate the uncertainty of this semester and the emotions that come along with it. Sometimes the simple act of listening is the best way to love those around you.
It’s OK if you don’t have the “answers” to your friend’s situations -- they likely are looking for someone to be there and listen. We guarantee they’ll feel loved just having someone to lean on as they process.
It’s during times of tragedy that it’s incredibly important for us to find support among those closest to
This semester may require a little more intentional listening to those around us as we adjust to our normal school schedules. The important thing to remember is that we are never alone because we have each other.
Gratitude is a powerful tool that may seem difficult or even impossible in the current season, but practicing it with friends can put life into perspective.
Art by Sarah Rietz | Art Editor
One way to find gratitude if you’re struggling with it is finding it within the community.
There are so many fun opportunities to get involved on campus and feel a part of the Pepperdine community. One upcoming event is the ReelStories Film Festival on Friday at Mullin Town Square. Every year, dedicated film students pour their time and talents into creating inspiring films for their peers to enjoy. This is a unique opportunity for the Pepperdine community to come together and celebrate their peers’ storytelling and hard work. Not to mention, every week there are opportunities for students to support their fellow peers on the court or field with Pepperdine’s 17 Division I sports. Athletics Director Tanner Gardner said in an August interview with the Graphic it can’t be understated the impact a crowd can have on a game.
As we lean on each other this semester, it’s also important to remember to continue to ask your community for even when we’ve healed. Whether you return to Pepperdine in August or go elsewhere, don’t forget how we helped each other in the midst of these fires so we can continue to support each other when our peers are struggling with issues in their personal lives.
This shouldn’t be the end of Pepperdine leaning on its community for support, rather it should be the beginning.
PGM Staff
Managing Editor
Gabrielle Salgado
Associate Editor
Tony Gleason
Special
Opinion: Sexual policy needs to change
Cassandra Barron Perspectives Staff Writer
Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
Iam not unlike many other LGBTQ+ students at Pepperdine. Months before moving to Malibu, I told myself that as soon as I started college, I would finally come out of the closet as bisexual.
I wanted to explore my identity and celebrate coming out, and I thought I would meet gay people in droves. On the first day of my first year, I realized that being Queer at Pepperdine was not going to be the romantic and thrilling experience I hoped for.
Three and a half years later, the bisexual Pride flag hangs on my wall, and my laptop adorned with a slew of trans and gay rights stickers sits on my desk. Mere days after the 2025 inauguration of Donald Trump, I am experiencing apropos anxiety about the safety of my community after he promised to eradicate federal protections for Queer and transgender people.
Luckily, I have cultivated a community of Queer friends and allies at Pepperdine who have found ways to support one another in this challenging socio-political moment.
I currently serve as the President of GSA Crossroads. After meeting dozens of LGBTQ+ students on campus who echo my experience of isolation, I realize that Pepperdine needs to address this issue.
In 2023, Pepperdine alumna Danica Christy (‘23) conducted a study on LGBTQ+ students at Pepperdine regarding their vulnerability to mental health issues at a non-affirming religious institution. She concluded that sexual and gender minorities at Pepperdine reported higher levels of suicidality and psychological distress than cisgender-heterosexual students.
Her findings illustrate an alarming issue that Pepperdine can and must address to truly foster belonging on campus among all members of the Pepperdine community.
My first year, in April 2022, SGA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council created Resolution #11S22 to remove Seaver College Sexual Relationships Policy in the Student Code of Conduct.
Pepperdine’s Sexual Relationships Policy states, “Pepperdine University affirms that sexual relationships are designed by God to be expressed solely within a marriage between husband and wife. This view of sexuality and marriage is rooted in the Genesis account of creation and is maintained consistently throughout scripture.”
SGA’s Resolution #11-S22 states, “Whereas, this statement should be removed entirely due to creation of division among the community and its lack of intentionality and, Whereas, this official statement creates an environment that goes against the inclusive environment our University strives to create.”
Several students provided written statements in
support of Resolution #11-S22. The Resolution passed after receiving 80% of the Senate’s vote, with 12 in favor, two opposed and one abstaining. After the Resolution passed, the university’s administration did not change the Student Code of Conduct.
Since the unsuccessful 2022 Resolution, Pepperdine has hosted a slew of openly homophobic speakers. On Oct.10, 2024, The Well hosted Rebecca McLaughlin, a Christian author and speaker known for her book “The Secular Creed: Engaging Five Contemporary Claims.” McLaughlin spoke to a large crowd of students in the amphitheater on campus about respecting Queer identities without fully embracing them.
While I received messages from members of GSA about their discomfort with the remarks made by McLaughlin at this event, a friend and I sat on the couch watching “Will & Harper.” As I watched Will Ferrell and Harper Steele make large progressional strides toward supporting transgender identities, I simultaneously witnessed my direct community grow more anxious about their place on campus.
While I could continue to list examples of the ways in which Pepperdine is becoming more hostile toward its LGBTQ+ students, I think it would be more productive to point to a statement from the Sexual Policy. It states, “Regardless of one’s viewpoint, Pepperdine affirms the dignity and worth of every person and seeks to create a campus culture where each person is treated with love and respect.”
If Pepperdine truly seeks to create a campus culture where students are treated with love, dignity, respect and affirmation, the university would not ignore the voices of its students.
Whether or not the university decides to make changes to the Sexual Policy, the Queer community and its allies at Pepperdine will continue to stand strong in the face of adversity, as we always have.
cassandra.barron@pepperdine.edu
Opinion: Find Jesus through L.A. fires
Tim Gay Perspectives Assistant Editor
Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
Seeing what has happened in Los Angeles is absolutely devastating and I understand the pain that many are experiencing. According to CalMatters, more than 16,000 homes have been lost in the Palisades, Eaton, Hughes and Sunset fires.
I can’t imagine being excited to ring in a new year only for your home to be lost a week in. There are many people who have no idea where to go, and it’s times like these when it’s really important to turn to God.
I understand if many wonder why God would let something like this happen to their house when there were other homes that were spared. However, I think there is another way to look at it.
I don’t think God is up in heaven picking and choosing who he’s going to test. I do think that when a trial like this happens, people affected may realize how faith can impact their lives.
A Bible verse that comes to mind is James 1:2-4, which says, “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance
finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
I think an event like losing your home can be a wake up that redirects you to what’s more important — one’s relationship with Jesus. One shouldn’t put their faith in a home because any material possession can be gone in an instant.
It’s hard to accept, especially if someone has spent years working hard at their job to buy a home for their family only for it to be burnt to the ground in the end. But I think it’s an opportunity to gain perspective.
It’s better that one’s life was spared instead of their home. And there’s no forgetting the fact that this disaster killed 28, according to CalMatters.
This world is full of natural disasters. Other recent disasters were hurricanes Helene and Milton that also destroyed thousands of homes in the southeast part of the U.S. last year.
Jesus says in Matthew 5:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Nothing is certain or secure on this planet. That’s why faith in Christ transcends faith in anything on this earth.
Jesus says in John 14:1-3, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me.”
This was never supposed to be our home. I do pray and hope that those who are homeless from the fires are able to recover with help from their community.
However, most importantly, I pray and hope that people turn to Jesus in the wake of all of this.
timothy.gay@pepperdine.edu
Art by Tim Gay | Assistant Perspectives Editor
Comic by Faith Oh | Comic Writer and Artist
Art by Sarah Rietz | Art Editor
LIFE & ARTS
Instagram page features local businesses
Malibu is home to a variety of shopping centers and retail establishments, many of which are owned by local vendors. The Instagram account LikeAFriendSaid (LAFS) gives local small businesses in Malibu a platform to grow.
Pepperdine alumna Sabrina Canario (‘20) started the blogstyle account a mere seven months ago, and with its growing success, her purpose for the account stays unwavering.
“We have a distinct purpose to support small business owners,” Canario said. “We want to help give them inside perspective and formulate a community.”
The
Start of LAFS
Canario, who abruptly left Malibu when the COVID 19 pandemic started, came back in 2021 after graduation with the idea of starting her own marketing agency, Canario Agency. She said that with her experience in the marketing world, she saw an opportunity to help struggling small local businesses who had been affected by COVID-19.
“I decided to offer marketing services to small businesses only in Malibu,” Canario said. Eventually, as the company gained traction and bigger clients, she was able to dedicate more time to her passion project: LikeAFriendSaid.
LikeAFriendSaid is an Instagram newsletter that highlights local spots in Malibu, delivered to the audience in the form of a short reel. Canario said that at its core, her purpose is to create a space where small local business owners can reach a bigger audience and community.
“I’ve always felt really attached to small businesses and Malibu,” Canario said. “I’m an authentic customer, so I try to find angles that are newsworthy.” Canario has made the decision of keeping her identity
separate from the account, as she says that LikeAFriendSaid is a project separate from her other businesses, with its own purposes and goals.
“Canario Agency is definitely my background,” Canario said. “But I really want them to be separate brands, different living pieces.”
Expanding LAFS
With the growing success of the account, people from neighboring cities started noticing and asking for recommendations on local businesses to support in their area.
“When it started growing, we had more demand in Topanga,” Canario said. “We want to make sure that when we expand, it makes sense to our audience.”
Sophomore Pamela Martinez, who recently stayed in Topanga with her family, said she used the reels posted on LikeAFriendSaid to find local businesses to support during her time there.
“I took my family to the best places in Malibu where I live, and Topanga where we stayed,” Martinez said. “Casita Basqueria and Canyon Gourmet are some of the places we visited thanks to the reels in the
LikeAFriendSaid account.”
Before the Jan. L.A. County fires, the account had been working on their plans to expand and begin covering the Pacific Palisades.
Canario said the future of that reporting is yet to be determined.
“Hopefully we’re eventually going to cover the whole city,” Canario said. “But we have specific focus on hyper-niche neighborhood news, with a distinct purpose to support small business owners.”
LAFS Response to Fires
Although the account intends to remain a newsletter and has no intention of being a news source, as part of the affected community, Canario said she felt the need to step up and use her platform to help during the L.A. County fires.
“We became somewhat of a news source for the fire,” Canario said. “It was challenging to make sure that information was accurate and we were posting the right stuff.”
LikeAFriendSaid remained as a source of information throughout the weeks as the fires unfolded, posting updates, sharing victim relief locations, highlighting volunteer
opportunities and creating a compilation of ongoing GoFundMe pages.
Senior Sofia Hernandez, who said she knew many who lost their homes, reached out to the account in hopes of getting her friend’s GoFundMe page on the ongoing list to get more help.
“One of my friends lost her home and I decided to create a GoFundMe page for her,” Hernandez said. “I reached out to the account because I know how much people in the community leaned on them for information.”
The account itself also began their own fundraising efforts by creating two crewneck designs that feature maps of Malibu and the Palisades.
“We were on Google Maps, tapping into streets and making sure we had all the roads in the right spot,” Canario said. “Trying to step up and do it in the right way and in a timely manner was really challenging.”
Canario said that 100% of the proceeds made from the Malibu sweatshirt will go toward helping small businesses in Malibu, and the proceeds from the Palisades sweatshirt to small businesses in the Pacific Palisades.
“It can be worrisome to
fully trust GoFundMes,” Canario said. “I was donating to the animal shelters and the LAFD so with the crewnecks, I know where the money is going.”
Future of LAFS
The account has big plans for the future, especially trying to focus on event planning, which Canario said has posed some of their biggest challenges.
“It is very hard to get licensing to do anything in Malibu,” Canario said. “That is why a lot of small businesses suffer.”
The brand is also adding a 501c3 non-profit organization under the Canario umbrella, which will allow them to organize more events, as per Malibu’s regulations.
LikeAFriendSaid has hosted multiple successful events in Malibu already, among them a pickleball tournament in partnership with SunLife Organics and a beach event sponsored by Poppi.
“Once things start to feel a little bit better, we’re going to do some more events,” Canario said. “We’ve definitely had demand to keep doing them.”
In hopes of expanding further, the account has plans of sharing with its audience a closer look into the experiences of small business owners.
“We have had a few viral videos,” Canario said. “There will be a video up soon with an account of five different testimonials of the business owners we had those viral videos with.”
Canario said they are looking forward to adding an interview-style series to the account, where small business owners will be able to tell their stories more personally.
Photo courtesy of Pamela Martinez
Sophomore Pamela Martinez enjoys breakfast with her family at Cafe on 27 in Topanga. Martinez said she found the place while scrolling on the @LikeAFriendSaid Instagram page.
Karla Suzuki Life & Arts Assistant
Music biopics emerge in the film world
Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Editor
From “Bohemian Rhapsody” to “Rocketman” to cinema’s most recent “A Complete Unknown,” musician biopics have been on the rise in the film world. Yet, this genre goes back further than our recent portrayals by Timothée Chalamet or Austin Butler, including “Selena” from 1997 and “Amadeus” from 1984.
Biopics centered around musicians are no stranger to the screen, but seem to be making a more steady appearance each year. In 2024 alone, “Back to Black,” “One Love” and “A Complete Unknown” screened the modernly-told stories of Amy Winehouse, Bob Marley and Bob Dylan.
Junior Lucy Schene said she saw “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which dives into the story of British rock band Queen’s lead singer, Freddie Mercury. Schene described the film as a perfect balance.
“I thought that it was the perfect amount of emotional, yet funny, yet informative, and definitely walked that line between the Freddie Mercury we know and love and also understanding a deeper side to him that wasn’t just performative,” Schene said.
Echoing Schene’s senti-
ments, junior Isabelle Titzer said “Bohemian Rhapsody” is one of her favorite movies centered around music. Titzer said she thought Rami Malek‘s portrayal of Freddie Mercury perfectly captured the essence of the music sensation.
Titzer said these films allow audiences to look into the story behind the glitz and glamour that is being a music star, while still keeping audiences engaged.
“These types of films offer a great way to give insight to a lot of the hard work that goes into creating music,” Titzer said. “It also gives insight to some of the most influential figures in music and parts of the industry that I think are really intriguing to peer into.”
As a student studying screen arts and theater, Titzer said she has a special place in her heart for movies and music. With films that focus on influential artists and bands, she can find her two passions combined into one.
“I think it’s just a powerful combination of two art forms that tell stories that should be told and people are really interested in them,” Titzer said. “I am happy that their presence is becoming stronger.”
Senior Lorenzo Mars is a Screen Arts major and the director of events for KWVS —
two of his biggest passions are film and music.
Despite this deep love for film and music, Mars said he doesn’t usually watch music biopics.
“I think that music is one of the most important parts of a film, just because of how much it will influence the emotion of your audience — it really sticks with people,” Mars said. “The thing with music biopics is that I think it changes some of that feeling, just because you’re only getting like the greatest hits from one artist.”
Mars said he would love to see a biopic made about Prince
‘Iphigenia Among the Taurians’ isn’t so tragic
Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Editor
To be taken back into a world of Greek mythology and unique tales, look no further than the Pepperdine Theatre Department‘s winter production of “Iphigenia Among the Taurians.”
The production, directed by Bradley Griffin, divisional dean and professor of theatre, opens Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. in Lindhurst Theatre.
The show is a lesser-known Greek tragedy which takes audience members on a journey in which Iphigenia, the priestess of the Taurians, must kill any Greek sailor who lands on the shores of her land. Iphigenia has a dream that her brother, who was an infant when she left, has died — yet soon enough, the audience discovers he is alive and has just landed upon the shore.
“It’s an interesting play because it is a Greek tragedy, but it basically has a happy ending,” Griffin said.
Griffin has directed several plays in the winter slot and said he is used to the tight turn-around that comes with it. Due to this, he proposed three Greek tragedies with shorter run times, as he has a positive history with the genre.
“This is the third Greek tragedy I’ve directed at Pepperdine, and I just really enjoy kind of bringing that style back
every couple of years for students to get a chance to work in,” Griffin said.
The production features first-year Skyla I’Lece as Iphigenia, the show’s lead, as well as juniors Nathan Skenderian and Josh Wilson as Orestes and Pylades. Juniors Lucy Schene, Zoe O’Donnell and Isabelle Titzer make up the chorus.
“Iphigenia may come off as a woman with a hard exterior, but really she’s just a girl who was utterly traumatized by her father’s betrayal and longs for camaraderie and friendship,” I’Lece said.
Griffin said the winter production’s rehearsal process typically begins after fall exams, pauses for the holidays, then immediately resumes after New Year’s Day. However, this year posed unique challenges.
Due to the spring semester’s later start, the cast and crew began rehearsals Jan. 2. The Palisades Fire ignited shortly after Jan. 7, and rehearsals were put on pause for several days.
“It’s really been kind of amazing that we’re ready to open next week after all the disruption,” Griffin said. “I’ve just been so appreciative of the ensemble cast that we have in this production. They have worked together so well under really challenging circumstances.”
I’Lece said she believes the show has something for everybody, regardless of
or David Bowie, as he believes the films could be done in a dynamic manner.
“I think the music of David Bowie or Prince would lend itself well to something more experimental,” Mars said. “But it has to be interesting, because I don’t think that David Bowie or Prince would want their music to be anything like any of the others.”
Despite his unfavorable attitude toward music biopics, Mars recognizes them as a growing genre. He said that if directors approach with a creative take on the films, there is still the possibility for unique
qualities within the genre.
Though Mars hopes to see the stories of stars like Bowie and Prince hit the screens, he said he believes pop queens Taylor Swift and Beyoncé will inevitably someday have films centered around them.
“I think those are just kind of inevitable from the level of stardom that those people are at,” Mars said. “I think movie studios would sign off on those because they know that they’re going to have a huge guaranteed audience.”
amanda.monahan@pepperdine.edu
Photo by Kasten Grimm | Staff Photographer
what you hope to gain from it.
“It showcases a strong, resourceful female protagonist who actively fights for what she wants,” I’Lece said. “The show also contains many allusions to faith and religion, which is something that is important for students — especially Pepperdine students — to hear and hopefully connect with.”
Griffin said he believes any Greek tragedy can be an exercise of empathy for audiences.
“You would never want to experience what the characters are going through, but by watching them go through it, you develop a greater sense of compassion, a greater sense of care for your fellow human beings,” Griffin said.
Though the story was written 2,400 years ago, Wilson said he believes people can connect with the show’s themes
of loyalty, family and perseverance even today.
“This cast has worked so, so hard and with how chaotic the end to last semester and the beginning of this semester have been, we really want to give the audience something that they can enjoy and relate to for a night,” Wilson said.
Audiences can see the production until Feb. 1 in Lindhurst Theatre. Tickets cost $18 for the public, $13 for students and $15 for faculty and staff.
amanda.monahan@pepperdine.edu
Art by Cara Tang | Assistant Art Editor
First-year Skyla I’Lece (left) and junior Isabelle Titzer (right) perform a scene together at a dress rehearsal in Lindhurst Theatre on Jan. 26. Director Bradley Griffin said the cast has been resilient in rehearsing the production through the L.A. County wildfires.
TikTok on pause: The 12-hour ban that shook America’s social sphere
Alexa McGlathery Life & Arts Staff Writer
On Jan. 19, the federal government banned TikTok, leaving millions wondering how they would now procrastinate.
The federal government, citing national security risks, banned TikTok due to its ties with China, according to NBC News. The ban lasted only 12 hours but caused panic as TikTok was the most downloaded app in 2024, according to Statistica.
First-year Gabi Garmon found the ban challenging because TikTok was her main source of entertainment and news.
“I tried to go on TikTok about 20 million times, but I couldn’t open the app and it just made me sad,” Garmon said.
Responses from Influencers
When the ban took effect, alternative social media platforms filled the TikTok void.
Many users installed Rednote, a Chinese counterpart
to TikTok, during the 12-hour outage.
Lifestyle Influencer Karolina Andarza downloaded Rednote a week before the ban to maintain contact with her 25,000 followers.
“The hardest part was having to rebuild my platform, because I never thought TikTok would get banned,” Andarza said.
After the Ban
The ban ended Jan. 20, when users were greeted with a message, as reported by TikTok saying, “Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Donald Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”
While President Trump appears to have reinstated TikTok, he merely suspended the ban. For 75 days, Trump will not enforce the ban until his administration determines how to protect national security while avoiding a shut down, according to the Associated Press.
This decision leaves many
users like first-year Deniz Ketenci in a state of surprise.
“When TikTok came back up, I was honestly very shocked. I thought Trump would bring it back, but after a few months or weeks,” Ketenci said.
In the 2024 election, a shift of young voters toward Trump raised questions about whether his decision to postpone the TikTok ban was strategic in maintaining his appeal among younger adults, according to Tufts Now.
What if the Ban Returns?
For the average TikTok user, a permanent ban would mean being unable to watch and post content for entertainment. Yet, for influencers, it could mean losing a paying job.
“A lot of people have been able to make a job out of [TikTok], including myself,” Andarza said.
Andarza, who specializes in makeup and skincare content, said she worries that a permanent ban would mean losing her job. She plants to highlight her TikTok page on resumes.
Manifestation turns dreams into reality
Bohuen Tong Life & Arts Staff Writer
Manifestation is the belief that thoughts can create a reality, and that things can be brought into existence using the power of the mind, according to BBC.
Manifestation, in all its forms, proves to be a powerful tool for achieving goals, cultivating a positive mindset, and attracting the things we desire in life. Students said practices of manifestation have not only helped them stay focused on their aspirations, but also empowered them to stay focused on and make steady progress toward their goals.
Junior Inara Ali said manifestation helps her actively seek opportunities that align with her goals.
“I believe that the set up of manifestation can improve mindset,” Ali said. “It encourages consistent gratitude and that always improves quality of life.”
By focusing on gratitude and positive intentions, Ali said she finds that manifestation not only boosts her confidence but also strengthens her determination to turn her aspirations into reality.
Junior Natalia Vivas said manifestation can be transformative and has seen firsthand how it can create positive change.
“It has the power to change your life,” Vivas said. “If you really believe it [your aspirations] and picture it, and work to achieve it you can most definitely change your life.”
By focusing one’s energy and intentions, manifestation helps turn dreams into achievable realities, often in ways that feel empowering and inspiring, students said.
Vivas said the power of manifestation has helped her attract many desired opportunities by aligning her mindset with her goals.
“It has helped me get many opportunities like a job I wanted, a goal I wanted to achieve and a trip I had in my bucket list,” Vivas said.
Many students said they like using visual boards as they provide a tangible representation of their goals. Creating Pinterest boards has become especially popular among students for this reason, as they said it allows them to easily curate images and ideas that inspire them and align with their aspirations.
“I use Pinterest because it gives me a visual image,” Vivas said. “I can make multiple boards that help me visualize different goals. A lot of the pictures I find are very motivating and inspirational because they represent my aspirations.”
By collecting and curating photos, quotes and ideas that resonate with their dreams, students create a visual representation of their aspirations, which not only sparks creativity and inspiration but also serves as a constant reminder of the path they’re working toward.
Junior Fabiana Ronda said she enjoys the use of daily affirmations as a form of manifestation, believing they
Varied Responses
As popular as TikTok is, reactions to the ban varied.
“Honestly, I was sad about the ban for a few hours, but I thought maybe it would be a good thing because I’m so glued to TikTok,” Garmon said.
Similar to Garmon, firstyear Sienna Vassilev said she found the ban to be beneficial because the app is addictive.
“People spend too much time on the app,” said Vassilev.
Echoing Vassilev’s concerns, TikTok extends into users’ daily routines.
“I get lost in scrolling before bed, and time just passes by so quickly,” Ketenci said.
The TikTok ban might have helped curb addiction. Nevertheless, users were unhappy over the suppression of content creation.
“I felt sad and upset about the ban,” Ketenci said. “I enjoy using TikTok to document fun memories that I make with friends.”
The brief ban on TikTok elicited various reactions. During the 12-hour downtime, users strived to find alternate solutions. With the recent inauguration of President Trump, it is unclear whether his administration will permanently ban TikTok or not.
alexa.mcglathery@pepperdine.edu
help set a positive tone for her day and reinforce her goals.
“Not only do I manifest getting a better grade, but it also just calms me down and that helps me get a good grade,” Ronda said.
By consistently practicing affirmations, Ronda said it improves her mindset, which ultimately helps her approach challenges with a more focused and confident attitude.
Ali said that practicing affirmations, whether it be saying them out loud or writing them down, overall reinforces a positive mindset.
“It encourages consistent gratitude and that always improves quality of life,” Ali said. “More good comes to those who are grateful, and I genuinely believe that.”
This consistent practice reinforces
Ali’s self-belief and practices a more optimistic and grateful outlook. She said affirmations help her approach each day with greater purpose and confidence, which ultimately leads to more positive experiences.
By tapping into the power of manifestation, students said they have discovered a path to greater clarity, confidence and success in their personal and academic journeys.
First-year Gabi Garmon opens TikTok after the Jan. 19 ban. Garmon said TikTok is her primary social media platform for scrolling and news.
Photo by Alexa McGlathery | Life & Arts Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Inara Ali
Junior Inara Ali’s collage of photos made on Pinterest creates a vision board Nov. 2. She said the images she curates are motivating and inspiring, as they align with her aspirations.
Athletes pick up pace with energy drinks
Megan Harkey Sports Staff Writer
Pushing through a threehour practice and one-hour lift on a Monday after cramming for an exam the night before has proven difficult or even dangerous for some athletes. However, Pepperdine student-athletes have found a way to keep their energy high even when they are not completely rested.
Energy drinks like Celsius, Monster or Reign provide a heavier kick than the average cup of coffee. These beverages contain anywhere between 200 and 300 mg of caffeine per serving, which is about two to three times more than an eightounce coffee.
“It’s just when I need that extra kick of energy, that’s when I can see the benefits of it,” sophomore setter Tyler Stewart said.
Caffeine is listed as a stimulant drug under NCAA banned substances, but only in extreme amounts. Athletes are allowed to drink caffeine, but they cannot surpass a urinary caffeine concentration exceeding 15 micrograms per ml, which is about 500 mg of ingested caffeine, according to SportsRd.
“If you’re having two coffees in the morning, plus an energy drink, plus pre-workout, you may pop positive on an NCAA drug test,” Pepperdine Athletic Trainer Courtney Rydholm said.
Although 500 mg seems like an unreachable amount, that is only one Celsius and one Reign combined.
“If I drink more than three
or four, it gets excessive,” Stewart said. “It just makes me anxious, and my body starts to shake.”
Stewart said he uses energy drinks when he needs to stay up at night to study for exams but tries to avoid them for athletics since they make his body so jittery. In fact, he prefers coffee as it benefits his mind rather than only stressing out his body.
“I was not wanting to be so reliant on energy drinks, but the more I started to drink energy drinks, the more I didn’t see it as an issue,” Stewart said.
In moderation, caffeine can be a boost for athletes in their packed schedules. The sweet and carbonated taste of energy drinks could be more appealing than coffee, and they can be brought on the go between class and practice.
“There’s obviously a wide variety of energy drinks, and so some have more caffeine than others, some taste better than others and some have more artificial flavors or other junk than others,” Rydholm said.
The list of chemicals and sweeteners on the back of energy drink cans can be daunting. For example, Monster includes 28 grams of sugar, added colors, citric acid and preservatives, including sorbic and benzoic acid.
“It’s not like a Monster drink or any of that. I feel like that has a lot of other chemicals in it,” sophomore defensive specialist Laine Briggs said.
Briggs occasionally drinks energy drinks when she needs an extra boost for a big game or practice.
Some energy drinks are advertised to be healthier, like Celsius, which includes vitamins and green tea extract, but they have some added color. Despite these differences, caffeine is still an addictive substance that the NCAA can look for in drug testing.
“I just feel like there’s healthier ways to get energy,” Briggs said. “Maybe to get more sleep, first of all, and then like matcha or coffee.”
Drinking caffeine in moderation with supplemental hydration and food is the best way to intake large amounts, Rydholm said.
“There are so many athletes here that use energy drinks excessively in a way that is impacting their performance negatively,” Rydholm said. “I think a lot of athletes struggle in general with hydration and good nutrition— that’s like a baseline.”
The range of drinks to choose from provides athletes with different potions to help keep them up for an all-nighter studying for an exam or energize them for a great match against a rival team, but their caffeine intake is truly up to them and their bodies.
“At the end of the day, it’s an athlete’s decision,” Rydholm said. “I think any time you try to restrict something like that from an athletic population, they’re probably just not going to tell you that they’re consuming it anyways.”
megan.harkey@pepperdine.edu
Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker James Eadie yells after a point against Long Beach State on Jan. 26, at Firestone Fieldhouse. Energy like this can be boosted by caffeine, and Pepperdine athletes have been known to use energy drinks to fire their fuel.
Pepperdine Women’s Volleyball celebrates a point against Portland on Oct. 19, at Firestone Fieldhouse. Athletes like sophomore defensive specialist Laine Briggs sometimes rely on energy drinks to keep them moving through matches.
A day in the life spent with a DI athlete
Christine Park Sports Staff Writer
The life of a Pepperdine athlete is not one that brings many easy days, but often difficult ones that each athlete learns to embrace and endure.
Three of Pepperdine’s own athletes — Mahanth Chirravuri, junior Men’s Golf athlete, Makena Mastora, senior Women’s Basketball guard and Hannah Miller, sophomore Track Distance runner — each delve into their daily life as an athlete in their respective sports, engrained with discipline, passion and resilience.
“Just like the community of the athletes here, it’s very uplifting to be around such hardworking and driven people,” Miller said. “Everyone’s worked so hard to get to this point. That’s a big thing that I love about Pepperdine — it’s just very tight knit, and we’re all very close.”
Mahanth Chirravuri: Being a Good Person, Being a Good Teammate
At Pepperdine, Men’s Golf has continued to solidify their place as one of the elite programs in the country, competing against top teams each year. This season is no different.
Chirravuri is currently in his second year at Pepperdine after transferring from The University of Southern California when recently, he received the PING All-West Region First Team 2024 and the All West Coast Conference First Team 2024.
His collegiate journey took a different direction during his sophomore year when he decided to transfer to Pepperdine to continue his athletic career. Chirravuri explains his decision to choose Pepperdine as his next home, emphasizing all it has to offer.
“Pepperdine’s such a unique place,” Chirravuri said. “You need to have like a certain fit to come here to begin with, and I really enjoyed the team. We have such a great group of guys. And the coaching staff at Pepperdine is one of the best, so that also exceeded my expectations.”
Despite his willingness and gratitude for this opportunity to play, Chirravuri cannot deny the day-to-day expectations that are set on athletes when it comes to performing at a very high-level institution, he said.
“It’s definitely a full day, whether it’s workouts in the morning to classes all throughout the morning, and then go to the course, which is like a 30-minute drive, and basically there until dark,” Chirravuri said.
Yet, he expressed how once some time of adjustment passes, each day’s schedule becomes enjoyable. His optimistic attitude carries on to how he deals with both sides of being a student-athlete.
“Whether sometimes you spend too much time in athletics or then you spend too much time in academics, it’s really hard to find that balance,” Chirravuri said. “But, over the course of your time here, you learn some techniques, and you get better at it.”
Being a golf athlete in a premier program brings the additional commitment of investing time in traveling around the country to represent Pepperdine, he says.
“Traveling makes it hard because you’re missing classes,” Chirravuri said. “So, you’re already behind, and then now you’re even more behind.”
Yet, he finds the enjoyment through all this process — it’s his favorite part, Chirravuri says. Traveling with his coaches and all his friends while still playing in a competitive environment is an experience that he would never trade for anything.
He expressed the importance of discipline, a universal trait that student-athletes often have to learn and hone to succeed in all aspects of their collegiate life.
“Staying disciplined is really big,” Chirravuri said. “If you start falling behind, it just doubles and just harder to catch back up. If you can stay on track in your classes and athletically, the stress level is just a lot lower.”
However, he said he believed the key to navigating the stress comes from his personal
ability to enjoy the game.
“I truly enjoy the game so much, and I feel like I play it for the right reasons that the burden is less,” Chirravuri said. “You kind of tend to have that [burden] more when you’re focusing more on the outside noise rather than what’s within your control.”
Makena Mastora: Levelheaded Confidence
Women’s Basketball has experienced new highs and lows as they have undertaken another season under the guidance of the new head coach, Katie Faulkner.
Mastora embraces her year with seasoned familiarity. Her previous school was Saint Mary’s College, where she earned the 2021-22 West Coast Conference All-Freshman team. Spending her final year with Pepperdine, she has a career high of 15 points against the University of San Diego so far.
By now, her day-to-day routine is established as a student-athlete. She expressed how a typical day could look like for her.
She usually has morning classes from 8 a.m. to noon. After classes, she goes straight to practice from 12:30 p.m. to around 3:30 p.m., then, straight to lift for about 45 minutes to an hour and ends the day with class or schoolwork, Mastora said.
Mastora said staying on top of the workload and having discipline means having an organized schedule and making sure with all the craziness she has to go through, she has clear to-do lists to get everything done.
Something else she notes is the support Pepperdine provides the athletes as they deal with busy schedules that often lead to missed classes and being behind on work.
“Just talking with a lot of professors when we’re traveling — they’re always very attentive to the things that I’m asking for, able to give me help where I need it,” Mastora said.
Through it all, she understands feeling drained as athletes due to their repetition within their everyday schedules, she says.
“For me, is just understanding that this doesn’t last forever,” Mastora said. “Trying to appreciate every second of it, even the highs and the lows of it. I’m really appreciative that I get to do this.”
As for dealing with all the internal and external pressure that comes with it, she lives by this mantra and understands that she is human at the end of the day, Mastora said.
“No one’s perfect, and no one will ever be perfect,” Mastora said. “So, just making sure that I’m able to give
all that I have in that day and each moment.”
Mastora expresses how living a Division I athlete life has taught her valuable lessons that she carries over in her leadership and personal attitude. She’s cultivated the ability to understand conflict and how to resolve it through healthy communication and how important it is to lean on one another within the community, she said.
A last piece of advice that she would give to her younger self is that everything isn’t as big of a deal as she thinks it is.
“Things can be overwhelming and challenging and feel like you need to fix it right there in the moment, but it takes time and experience,” Mastora said. “You need to be level-headed and can’t be so enraged with emotions to make good decisions.”
Hannah Miller: Hope and Faith
As Pepperdine Women’s Cross Country season came to a close, Pepperdine Women’s Track had already kickstarted by debuting their indoor track season.
Miller has been diligently working hard alongside her team to prepare for their exciting season. Throughout her two years at Pepperdine, she has already accumulated accolades: West Coast Conference All-Academic Honorable Mention 2024 and West Coast Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll (Silver) 2023-24. Recently, at the Waves Invite, she placed third with her four-kilometer time of 14:18.0.
Miller’s daily athletic schedule is robust and consumed with hard training days that can lead to fatigue and yet, fulfillment, she says.
“It’s really different every day because we have different workouts,” Miller said. “On recovery days, those are usually practices off campus with earlier wake-ups, like before 6. We’ll usually be driving to either Zuma or Malibu Creek to do five to six miles. For Tues-
days and Fridays are speed workouts.”
But the work doesn’t end, because it is not even including team lift and recovery stretching after, a vital aspect of keeping runners healthy. Miller said that she goes through a day of practice while managing classes all day and schoolwork.
“You’re just tired all the time,” Miller said. “It can be harder to focus sometimes because you’re just exhausted.”
For her, like many others, time management is crucial and keeping track of everything she has to do. Yet, she finds comfort in her teammates and building a social life through her team and friends from her classes.
Mental health is prioritized within her sport. Pepperdine offers athletes free counseling through the Pepperdine Counseling Center and an emphasis on a healthy mind and body to perform to the best of their abilities.
Miller expressed the challenges she particularly struggles with in regard to balancing her student-athlete life.
“It’s definitely a challenge to not have as much time to study as everyone else,” Miller said. “We don’t get to stay up late because we have to wake up so early. A lot of social things are also sacrificed.”
Nonetheless, Miller doesn’t take anything for granted as she continues to be inspired and driven within the Pepperdine community, working toward her purpose, Miller said.
“No matter how hard a moment of your life might be, it’s always going to go up,” Miller said. “I would say to have hope and faith even when things may seem really dark.”
Within Pepperdine, students can understand their peers’ daily lives better through the lens of a multifaceted community of athletes, many carrying the pressures and expectations that come with the privilege of being a Pepperdine athlete with strength and humility.
Photo courtesy of Makena Mastora Senior guard Makena Mastora attacks the rim at Firestone Fieldhouse against Santa Clara University on Dec. 21. Mastora is one of the many competitive student-athletes that make up the Women’s Basketball team, expressing her determination to finish her last season strong.
Photo courtesy of Hannah Miller
Sophomore track distance runner Hannah Miller competes at Alumni Park, running at the Waves Invitational on Aug. 30. Miller managed to secure the top 20 against other top competing schools.
Athletes look back on Fall 2024 sports
Nick Charkhedian Assistant Sports Editor
As the new spring semester is now underway at Pepperdine, fall sports have been in the offseason for two months.
Women’s Soccer, Men’s Water Polo and Women’s Volleyball all saw eventful seasons, highlighted by their dominant conference records.
Women’s Soccer’s regular season ended with a WCC Championship, but the team is hungry for more. While Men’s Water Polo and Women’s Volleyball didn’t achieve a title like Women’s Soccer, team growth and learning are still active.
Adam Csapo, Men’s Water Polo junior attacker, spoke about how momentum and improvement roll from season to season.
“We’re still in the process of trying to figure out what things we have to change, but we’re starting it right now and hopefully this trend of improving year by year keeps going,” Csapo said.
Women’s Soccer
Women’s Soccer kicked off the first five games of their season with two wins, two draws and a loss. The next game was their biggest yet; their first ranked matchup of the season against No. 3 University of California, Los Angeles at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. In a close battle, Pepperdine prevailed 1-0 after sophomore defender Peyton Leonard headed the ball into the back of the net during the second half.
Junior midfielder/forward Tatum Wynalda believes the win against UCLA showed the squad what they are capable of.
“It kind of served as a way that we proved to ourselves that, you know what, we’re just as capable and able to do this as anybody else,” Wynalda said. “It just kind of invoked
this fire within us. Coming off of that win, we gained a lot of confidence, kind of gained our rhythm and were able to go into WCC riding a high.”
The team’s win was the second match in a 10-game undefeated streak that dominated the bulk of the Waves’ schedule. By the end of that undefeated streak, Pepperdine entered their matchup against Loyola Marymount University as the No. 13 ranked school among NCAA Women’s Soccer teams.
The game against LMU was a bump in the road, a 3-0 loss against a conference rival, but Leonard talked about how it was useful for the Waves to remember how hard they need to fight.
“That game was like a wakeup call — we need to step it up if we really want to win,” Leonard said. “We knew we could win conference. We kept playing to the ability we knew we could, but we all had to be in it together.”
The Waves closed out their next five games with three wins and two losses. Their final regular season win came against the University of San Francisco, where the Waves clinched their first WCC title since 2017 and the fifth in team history, along with a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Women’s Soccer finished the regular season with a 123-5 record and a 6-1-3 conference record.
Pepperdine’s season ended during a home matchup against the University of California, Berkeley. The Waves lost 1-2 against the Golden Bears in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
As the Waves prepare for the upcoming season, one thing is on their mind: more.
“We’re always looking for more — we’re always digging for more,” Wynalda said. “It’s only made the hunger even stronger. We want to go back to back with WCC. We think we can, and I know we will.”
Wynalda said the team is looking for a deeper NCAA run.
“The first round has been always so tricky for us, so I think it would be a really massive thing for us to just surpass that first round and take it as far as we can,” Wynalda said. “Coming off of the season we just had, we’re so grateful. No one can take that away from us, but we’re looking to always improve and keep moving forward.”
Men’s Water Polo
Men’s Water Polo started off hot.
In the team’s first five games, the squad won all five, including two against ranked opponents. By the time the Waves geared up for their sixth game of the season, they were one half of a juggernaut matchup: No. 3 University of Southern California vs. No. 4 Pepperdine.
The Waves lost against the Trojans but kept rolling through opponents. By the time they reached the halfway point of the season, the Waves were 11-2 through 13 games, with their only losses when they faced USC and Stanford, both of which were ranked third when the Waves matched up with them.
At that point in the season, when the Graphic recapped the first half of Water Polo’s schedule, Csapo said, “If we’re not there at the NCAA tournament at the end of the year, I view it as a failure, and I feel like everyone else on the team does as well.”
The second half of the Waves’ season saw less wins than the first. Pepperdine went 9-5 through 14 regular season matchups, with four of the five losses against top ten teams, while the other came against No. 11 Princeton University. Pepperdine prepared for the WCC Tournament while remembering their upset loss
against California Baptist University just one year prior.
The Waves took the win in the first round against LMU, 19-15. Pepperdine met San Jose State University in the next round, a team they had beaten 13-10 just two weeks prior.
The Waves fell to the Spartans 10-14, failing to win a WCC Title or secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Men’s Water Polo’s 2024 season had ended with a 21-8 record, including a 5-1 record in the conference.
As Water Polo prepares for a new season, Csapo returned to his quote from the halfway point of the season.
“I still agree with that quote,” Csapo said. “Looking back, obviously, you have to learn from stuff. So now I can see, obviously, the positive side of last season, and I can see things that we can learn from. You can’t just view something like you’re a failure or a success. We did fail — but we did learn too.”
Women’s Volleyball
Opposite to Men’s Water Polo, Women’s Volleyball took some time to get going. In the Waves’ first 10 games of the season, the squad went 3-7.
As the team prepared for their eleventh game, they also prepared for a new part of their schedule: conference. They first matched up with Oregon State University, and from that point on, the Waves found their groove. Their win against Oregon marked the beginning of a 9-1 run in the conference.
Pepperdine handled conference play in dominant fashion, finishing the regular season with a 17-11 record, including a 14-4 conference record. However, the Waves didn’t crack the playoffs.
Women’s Volleyball might not have reached the same heights they had just a season before, including a WCC
Championship, but junior setter Brynne McGhie doesn’t view the season as a failure.
“I like to look back positively on this season and think that we had a great season,” McGhie said. “Even though it didn’t end up the way we wanted, it’s not something to look back and be upset about or feel ashamed of.”
As Women’s Volleyball gears up for another season, they prepare for the potential departure of multiple seniors, including outside hitter/opposite Grace Chillingworth, graduate outside hitter/opposite Birdie Hendrickson and libero/defensive specialist Trinity Stanger. Chillingworth achieved WCC Freshmen of the Year in 2021 and WCC Player of the Year in 2023, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
With the departure of these seniors, Pepperdine still has young players on the roster who were a significant part of the team last season, including freshman middle blocker Ella Piskorz and junior setter Rosemary Archer, who both started every match for the Waves this season. Piskorz achieved AllWCC first team and All-WCC freshmen team honors, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Photos by Colton Rubsamen | Assistant Photo Editor
Pepperdine Women’s Soccer celebrates against California State University, Fresno on Sept. 20, at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Pepperdine scored a season high of five goals during their win against the Bulldogs.
Pepperdine’s bench celebrates during a win against No. 15 California Baptist University on Nov. 3, at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. The Waves’ 17-16 win against the Lancers contributed to their 5-1 conference record during the regular season.
Up-and-comers: Spring blooms new stars
As the 2024 athletic year drew to a close, a new trio of “up and comers” emerged for the 2025 athletic year, and more specifically for the spring semester. The highlighted athletes are: Vivian Yang, sophomore Women’s Tennis player, Ryan Graves, sophomore Men’s Volleyball setter and Chloe Sotell, freshman Women’s Basketball guard.
“I want to win a WCC Championship,” Sotell said. “I honestly want to rebuild the program, have a winning record and take it [the program] somewhere that hasn’t been seen before.”
Vivian Yang: Tennis Phenom
Yang is a native of Auckland, New Zealand, and tennis has been a part of her life since she was 4.
She said her father loved tennis and decided to get her into the sport to help build her strength, and her skills came naturally. She went from trying out for the club team to her coaches urging her to try out for the national team, making the New Zealand teams in 2022 and 2023.
For 16 years, Yang has been a tennis player, however, her commitment to the game hasn’t always been strong. Yang said she looks back at her career and can’t believe she has made it this long, saying there were many times she almost walked away.
On the one hand, she said she was too competitive for her own good, damaging her self confidence as a result. She hated losing, and to her, it felt like her ego suffered.
“You feel like you put in all this work, then you lose, and then you’re like, ‘Wow, I feel useless because I’ve been doing this my whole life, and now I feel like I’m not good,’” Yang said.
And on the other hand, dealing with the multiple injuries was difficult, even for her today, she said.
“As I grew older, I realized it’s not all about performance,” Yang said. “You have to deal with injuries off court, and then as I started to get injuries, I was like, ‘Wow, this is scary.’”
These injuries followed her to Pepperdine. A previous minor shoulder injury she experienced turned into a major injury requiring surgery to fully heal. She said it was the toughest moment of her career so far.
Yang said if she didn’t get
the surgery, her shoulder would be weak and unable to generate enough power for a strong stroke, but if she got the surgery, she would be out for one whole athletic year. She decided to forgo the surgery and do rehab to rebuild her back to full health, and it was ultimately the best decision she could have made.
She eventually made it back for the end of the season, just in time for the team’s NCAA run, making it all the way to the semis, she said. Yang finished her freshman season with a 12-5 record and an 11-4 mark in dual match play, all while clinching Pepperdine’s 4-0 sweep over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for a first-round NCAA Tournament win, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Yang celebrates during a match at the WTA 250 maindraw Dec. 31. Yang has represented the New Zealand National Team two times (‘22, ‘23).
She said she credits the success of her rookie season to the coaching staff and her teammates. She said they helped her grow not only as an athlete on the court but also as a student off the court, pushing her to do well in her classes first.
Since tennis is an individual sport, it’s rare to hear a tennis player tell another tennis player how good they are.
“Because why would you tell someone else they’re good?” Yang said. “You’re just giving them confidence.”
But the healthy team environment is what helped turn her game to the next level. She
said she has never heard anyone besides her coach tell her something about her game being good, but hearing it from a player’s perspective is different because she knows they mean it.
As Yang dives into her collegiate career, she said her dream at the moment is to become a professional tennis player and play in the Wimbledon Championships.
Ryan Graves: Setting Up His Team For Success
Graves is a local kid, growing up in Irvine, California. He struck up his passion for volleyball after watching his sister play.
From there, it grew into a widespread family sport.
“Me and my brother, who attends here as well, kind of grew up playing together,” Graves said.
For Graves, he said Pepperdine was the perfect fit for this collegiate career, specifically in terms of the school’s beliefs and overall character. It was also a major upside to have played alongside a strong, bonded team that highly regards the same values.
“Having the opportunity to be a part of a team and a culture that’s so special and really values character, academics and athletics, it’s just a good combination of all those things,” Graves said. “I think any time you can enjoy the team with the guys that are just such great human beings as this team is — it’s a no-brainer.”
In his freshman year, Graves played in 24 tip offs for the Waves, starting in 14. He recorded a season and career high of 53 assists against the Master’s University on April 4, according to Pepperdine Athletics. He nearly reached the 600 assists mark to end the year, totaling 596 assists for his freshman season.
As his sophomore season begins, Graves said he wants to focus on his aggressiveness at the net and continue to hone in on his strengths, such as setting location. Beyond just ingame skills, Graves values the relationships he builds off the court.
“As a setter, so much of your
job is putting other people in a position to score,” Graves said.
“The more you can build relationships with your guys and really understand what they like and how to utilize their strengths, you can put them in situations where they can succeed.”
He said the goal of professional play is the current path, but he understands the road to get there is tough. In the meantime, Graves wants to bring back Pepperdine Volleyball to its winning ways as a top team in the NCAA.
“We belong as a top team in the NCAA, and a lot of the guys on this team truly do believe that we should be in the mix this year,” Graves said. “It’s super important just to build that confidence with one another, and really, our goal is to bring Pepperdine back to where we’ve been.”
Chloe Sotell: The Start of a New Era
Rounding out the spring stars is Sotell, the youngest member of the Women’s Basketball team.
Sotell said basketball was always her family sport, as her father played and her brother is currently playing at the University of Maryland. However, basketball wasn’t the only sport she participated in.
She said she played soccer, volleyball, lacrosse and baseball when she was very young.
“When I got to high school, I had to decide which one I wanted to continue,” Sotell said. “Basketball — I just always loved how competitive it was.”
At that point, she said she knew she wanted to pursue collegiate sports, labeling it a past dream.
Her career brought her to Pepperdine, where she said the rebuilding process of Women’s Basketball intrigued her.
“I trust in what the coaches have in store for this team and what their vision is for the program,” Sotell said.
To Sotell, she said being able to grow alongside a veteran class this year will help develop her future growth.
Sotell said she has bought into the program, claiming Pepperdine has a unique opportunity to grow the program back into a winning team. But more importantly, setting up Sotell to develop further.
“All their [the staff’s] focus is on me, for freshmen and even sophomores,” Sotell said. “They’re making sure I’m doing every detail right, and they’ve all just been very meticulous with everything. It’s definitely making me into a better player and pushing me out of my comfort zone.”
I trust in what the coaches have in store for this team and what their vision is for the program.
With the guidance of her coaching staff and team, Sotell has been off to a roaring start in her rookie season. Sotell has started in 14 of 19 games, averaging 27.7 minutes a game alongside 10.7 points per game, with still plenty of games left to play in the season, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
“My biggest strength is my shooting, but I honestly don’t think it’s been at its best as of now,” Sotell said.
As Sotell begins her collegiate journey, she said the glory of winning a championship isn’t the only goal she is striving for. She is also pushing to become a leader for future Waves.
“When I’m older, I’m gonna look back at how I was as a freshman and try to just help the incoming freshmen and players that are gonna come in and help this program,” Sotell said. “Just trying to help in whatever way I can and definitely become a stronger leader and voice for the team.”
justin.rodriguez@pepperdine.edu
“It’s been them with a lot of experience helping me through it, especially when I came in the summer,” Sotell said. “They just were like, ‘Whatever you need, we’re here,’ and guided me through everything.”
Photos courtesy of Ryan Graves, Vivian Yang and Chloe Sotell
