Pepperdine Graphic 9-3-2020

THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC VOLUME L |

ISSUE 3 | September 3, 2020

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‘The Biggest Story We Tell in Our Lives’:

emily shaw | senior reporter

On the Scene| Class of 2019 alumna Emily Tencer reports on the second night of protests in Omaha, Nebraska, for her station KETV in May. As protests emerged in numerous cities in the U.S., in response to the killing of George Floyd, journalists wore masks while they reported.

Pepp Journalism alumni Remain Dedicated to Covering News for Their Communities Class of 2020 Journalists

Em ily Shaw S eni or R eporte r Amid a crowd of more than a hundred demonstrators protesting in Omaha, Nebraska, on Aug. 24 in retaliation for the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Pepperdine alumna Emily Tencer (2019), a reporter at KETV NewsWatch 7, reports the breaking news as it unfolds.

“When you’re in that moment, and when you’re covering news, you have your mask on, you have your gloves on, but you’re covering the story,” Tencer said. “And so you have to stay as safe as possible but also focus on the moment that you’re in.”

As alumni work to stay safe and cover their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, aspiring journalists from Pepperdine’s class of 2020 are entering the journalism industry.

Alumna Channa Steinmetz (2020) recently found a job near the end of July as an innovation journalist at Startland News in Kansas City, Missouri. She said she feels lucky she got the job.

Steinmetz served as the executive editor of the Graphic in the spring and said this experience helped her navigate the job market after graduation.

“The Graphic has taught me to really work on my feet and be adaptable because we had so much breaking news happen in the past few years while I was working there,” Steinmetz said. “And that is the number one thing with journalism; I think you need to be ready for the unexpected, and the job market was definitely unexpected.”

Another alumna, Madeleine Carr (2020), who was the previous managing editor of the Graphic,

has also been looking for jobs over the summer.

Carr had considered attending graduate school and going into the publishing industry; however, she said she decided to job hunt in Hawai’i, where her home and family are, and hold off on her earlier plans since she wanted to go to school in person.

She said she is now applying for jobs involved with communication and media relations.

“These jobs would be really, really exciting and conducive because they would allow me to explore different elements of journalism — different elements of media relations that I hadn’t necessarily delved super deep into before,” Carr said.

Alumna Kayiu Wong (2020), who served as the digital editor at the Graphic, said she hopes to work an entry-level job at a network and has been actively applying for those

opportunities.

After graduation, Wong went back to her home in California, and she said one of the challenges she faced was feeling guilty for not using her free time to do something productive.

“I felt like that was something that always came up — this guilt I had that I wasn’t doing enough,” Wong said. “Emotionally, I feel like that was definitely the hardest part of the job hunt during this weird time.”

The Journalism Industry In mid-August, Wong attended the Asian American Journalist Association virtual conference and said she found it encouraging.

“It was a huge week of just community, clarity, professional development — everything I needed since graduating, so it was really great,” Wong said.

Wong said being around other journalists, even virtually, is empowering and motivating. Various topics discussed at the conference included rising hate crimes against Asian Americans during the pandemic, the national reckoning of race across the country and in newsrooms and the state of the journalism industry amid the pandemic.

“There were a lot of thoughtful conversations about the state of journalism, how to report on minority communities and how to stand up for journalists of color in newsrooms, which are, obviously, all really meaningful and necessary topics,” Wong said.

Another point of discussion among journalists is the increase in engagement with the news and distrust of the media.

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Provost Rick Marrs shares plans to return to teaching “As a member of the faculty, Marrs was and continues to be regarded as an exceptional scholar of the Old Testament and the literature of the ancient Near East with knowledge of Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, Phoenician, and Ugaritic, and in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls,” according to the Pepperdine Newsroom announcement.

As provost, Marrs is the Chief Academic Officer, making him responsible for administration as well as the coordination and development of all academic activities and functions of the University, such as planning, program development, assessment and the advancement of scholarship. He oversees University Libraries, Student Affairs, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the Office of the Registrar and OneStop, IT, the Center for Faith and Learning, the Institute for Entertainment, Media, Sports and Culture, the Office of Student Accessibility and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

“I have worked closely with Provost Marrs for over 15 years, and he has always led by

Ashely mowreader new s e d itor After serving for six years as Pepperdine provost, Rick Marrs will step down from office at the close of the 2020–2021 academic year, according to a Sept. 1 Public Relations email from President Jim Gash.

Marrs had planned to step down at the close of the 2020 school year to return to teaching but agreed to stay for one more year “to help [Pepperdine] navigate these unprecedented times,” Gash wrote. “[Marrs’] wisdom, compassion and experience have assisted me greatly in the past year, and I am deeply grateful that he will continue to serve in the months ahead as we finalize and launch our new University strategic plan,” Gash wrote.

Prior to his role as provost, Marrs taught at Seaver College for 19 years, seven of which he held the title of divisional dean of the Religion and Philosophy Division and then as the Dean of Seaver College from 2008 to 2014.

News

What ’s AHE A D

A3- Students living in the Malibu area build a new community of peers.

A8-

The Office of Student Accessibility offers new accommodations for students during remote learning.

the thewaves wavesreport report

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L if e & A r t s

Pe r s pe ct iv e s

B1- The music industry

Staff Editorial: Practice proper Zoom etiquette.

Editor Caroline Sharpless gives a call to accountability for white Pepperdine theater to address racism and diversity.

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example,” said Lee Kats, vice provost of Pepperdine University and Frank R. Seaver Chair of Natural Science at Seaver College.

“He cares passionately about teaching, research and Pepperdine.”

In 2014, shortly after being named the next provost, Marrs told the Graphic he looked forward to interacting with many different Pepperdine community members.

“In my mind, a lot of what the provost does is figure out what are the strengths of the faculty and different players and make sure you’re maximizing what they’re really good at,” Marrs said.

Now, six years later, Marrs said he has loved serving as provost because the role has given him the opportunity to empower faculty to realize their academic goals and initiatives as well as advance the academic quality of a Pepperdine education.

“However, I am now looking forward to returning to my first love — my own academic career as a faculty member at Seaver College,” Marrs said.

recived a hard hit from COVID-19 and is now sharing music in new ways.

B2- Fresh Faces: Hear

the stories of four first-year students.

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SP ORTS

B4- Baby Waves:

Freshman athletes prepare for next chapter of their careers

Moving On | Provost Rick Marrs will transition out of his role to return to teaching at the end of the 2020–2021 academic year.

Marrs will take a sabbatical before returning to teach for the Religion and Philosophy Division of Seaver College.

To prepare for Marrs’ transition out, the administration will create an internal search committee as well as engage an executive search firm in the coming weeks to begin a nationwide search for a successor, Gash wrote.

ASHL EY.M OW R EADER @PEPPER DINE.EDU

l o o king fo r a po d c a s t?

B6- Pepp alumnus Stacy Davis shares his experiences playing basketball overseas.

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Learn more about the Graphic’s new sports podcast, SportsWaves, premiering this Saturday.

Read more on B4

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SE P T E M B E R 3 , 2 0 2 0 | N E W S | P E P P E R DINE G RA P H I C ME D I A

Covid-19

THE DPS REPORTS

by the numbers

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

Pepperdine Community:

50 1 two 2 Deaths

KNown Cases

8/25/20 6:44 p.m.

Crime: Larceny/ Theft - Petty Theft - Misc.

Location: Lovernich Apartments

1

8/29/20 10:26 a.m.

Crime: Fire/Hazard - Gas Leak Outside Location: Seaside Residence Hall

2

Malibu:

95 Cases

three Deaths

3

Los angeles county:

PRESIDENT’S BRIEFING & OTHER NEWS YOU MISSED Car us o, SP P and S e ave r s har e admis sion numbe rs for 2020 th e th re e de a n s o f the Car us o s c h o o l o f law, school o f Public Po licy a nd seaver c o lle ge s h a re d a dmission n umbe rs fo r fa ll 2020 and c h a n ge s fro m y e a rs past.

C hie f D ive rsity Of fic e r Se a rc h update The job descr iption committee finaliz ed its wor k, and the sear ch committee is meeting with national fir ms with plans to finaliz e the fir m by the end of the week.

cases

Deaths

U.S.: 6.09M

THURS

FRI

3

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

4

What: panhellenic recruitment begins When: all day Hosted by: Panhellenic

MON 7

Labor day, no classes

cases

185K Deaths Worldwide:

Pe p p e r d i ne w i ll la u nch a v i r t u a l sy m p t o m che ck e r P hi l P hi l l i p s s hared P epp erdi ne’s p l ans t o l au nc h a vi rt u al sy mp t om t rac k er t o hel p k eep on-c amp u s s taf f, s t u dent s and ot her c ommu ni t y memb ers s af e. t he p l at f orm wi l l rol l ou t s oon.

wav e s o f flags 2 0 2 0 i s d o no r -fu nd e d P ep p erdi ne wi l l p l ac e f l ag s al ong al u mni park agai n t hi s y ear t o honor vi c t i ms of 9/ 1 1 , t hi s y ear, however, t he memori al i s donor-f u nded rat her t han f u nded by t he u ni vers i t y i t s el f.

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

242,521 5,829

Stud e n t a ffa irs s ha r e s “je ric h o c h a lle nge ” student affair s w i l l hos t The Jer icho chall eng e — a week-long pr ayer c hallenge to addr ess rac i al ineq uality that wi l l b eg i n sept. 9.

TUES 8

What: TV Pilot Party — “NEw Girl” When: 8 p.m.

Hosted by: THe BOard

WED 9

What: virtual career fair prep workshop When: 11 A.m.

Hosted by: career services

week

***

25.8M cases

859K

Deaths Malibu reopening phase:

3

Looking for more?

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@Peppnewswaves

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SE P T E M B E R 3 , 2 0 2 0 | N E W S | P E P P E R DI N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Students find community living in Malibu area natal ie hardt new s ass i sta n t

Although the typically bustling Pepperdine campus remains closed for fall 2020, over 200 Pepperdine community members are still Zooming in Malibu and the surrounding area.

Students scrambled for off-campus housing following Pepperdine’s July 9 announcement detailing in-person plans for the semester, notifying upper-level students their housing contacts may be canceled and suspending all international programs for fall 2020. Pepperdine reversed plans July 22, announcing all classes would be remote and on-campus housing would be limited to only those with “a compelling hardship.” Despite these changes, dozens of students moved back to Malibu for various reasons.

“You try to replicate [the college experience] the best you can, but Zoom is Zoom,” sophomore Nick Barron said. “We’re working our hardest to keep ourselves motivated and to keep some sort of community going to make it feel something like college still.”

Senior Rachel Miner said she broke her on-campus housing contract prior to Pepperdine’s July 22 announcement due to uncertainty over whether the contract would be honored. She also worried that, even if it were honored, her roommate group may be broken up. Miner ended up moving into an apartment in Santa Monica with two of her original roommates.

Miner is one of at least 223 students living in the area, according to a recent Student Affairs survey with a response rate of 22%.

Junior Mikey Shahinian chose to live at the Malibu Canyon Apartments in

Jaylene Ramli | staff photographer Spikeball Students | Nick Barron and some of his housemates play Spikeball outside their house on August 26. Barron and his housemates live on Calamigos Ranch with several other Pepperdine students completing courses online for fall.

He’s one of 223 students known by Pepperdine living within 50 miles of campus, according to a Student Affairs survey.

Calabasas after Pepperdine canceled his on-campus housing contract. He said his desire to “get out of [his] house back home and see people again” largely influenced his decision.

Shahinian said moving back to the area has enabled him to reconnect with the community he formed last year in Buenos Aires because a number of students from the program also live in the Malibu Canyon Apartments.

Barron also moved to the area to try to regain a greater sense of community.

“I definitely did want to be out here rather than be home, especially after being home the entire quarantine,” Barron said. “I wanted to see and be around other Pepperdine students taking classes and stuff.”

Barron said he scrambled

I just miss running into people. It doesn’t feel lonely or isolating, but [the community] definitely doesn’t feel as flourishing.

Danielle aro senior

to find housing when the University canceled his semester in Buenos Aires and then again when new plans for on-campus housing fell apart due to Pepperdine’s announcement of solely online classes.

Barron now lives at Calamigos Ranch with five housemates from his first year, which he said “feels much closer to home than it would have been — home being Pepperdine.” He said living in the area has made Barron feel a much greater sense of Pepperdine community.

“The biggest thing that makes this feel much more like college are the people around me,” Barron said.

“I’ve got five of the guys in my house all in my grade.

We have classes, we’re doing stuff together and we know the struggle.”

Living in Malibu has also helped to establish a greater sense of normalcy, Barron said, as he and his friends can still drive past campus, shop at Ralph’s and go to the same beaches they frequented last year.

Senior Danielle Aro lives in the Avalon Apartments in Calabasas — her original plan for the academic year — but said “it definitely doesn’t feel like Pepperdine” without in-person classes and events. She likened the experience to her time studying in London.

“It’s like building a new community here like we did abroad,” Aro said. “I just miss running into people.

It doesn’t feel lonely or isolating, but [the community] definitely doesn’t feel as flourishing.”

For Aro, it’s not a specific event or classroom on cam-

pus she said she misses most but spontaneous encounters with friends and acquaintances.

Miner said she felt similarly.

“I miss seeing Pepperdine people; I miss seeing the faculty in person,” Miner said. “We have such a good community, and there’s just so many happy, smiling faces everywhere. I miss everybody.”

Barron, meanwhile, said he misses in-person classes.

“I’m really missing out on just that in-person connection with my professors and seeing other students with me — just the life that comes from that,” Barron said.

NATAL IE.HAR DT@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Students Stay Connected on Social Media addie whiten New s a ssista n t As Pepperdine students spread out across the globe, many find it difficult to connect with their peers. One way some students are creating community with each other is through social media.

Engaging with fellow Waves online has provided an outlet to both connect and cope during this socially distanced semester — something students are experiencing at colleges across the country, according to the Chronicle at Duke University. Senior Daniela Singleterry said she feels the community she and her classmates have found through social media has helped them to deal with the uncertain circumstances of COVID-19.

“I think we definitely have had to band together because it’s been really stressful to have to move away from school and adjust to online learning,” Singleterry said.

“So I feel like a lot of people are finding relief in social media and humor and finding a way to stay connected.”

This sense of community fostered through social media has allowed sophomore Abby Morrow to stay up-to-date with the lives of her close friends while also making new ones.

There is something to be said for these uncertain sort of situations. I feel like we’re clinging on to each other for hope almost or comfort because we’re all going through the same thing and we understand what it’s like.

Abby morrow, Sophomore

“I feel like with a lot of students who I didn’t really talk to on campus, we’ve sort of all bonded over the experience of everything that’s happened just by making little Pepperdine jokes and memes,” Morrow said.

Morrow said she feels more connected to her classmates online than she did when everyone was on campus together; without a physical gathering place to discuss Pepperdine-related issues, everything has to take place among students’ social media accounts.

“I do feel like I have talked to a lot more people [on social media], whereas when we’re all on campus, people just kind of stay in their little circles and don’t always try to branch out,” Morrow said.

Both Singleterry and Morrow said the social media platform they most often use to connect with fellow students is Twitter.

“Whenever something big happens — whenever we get an announcement or find out new information — everyone automatically goes to Twitter to see everyone’s take on it,” Singleterry said.

“I feel so open to people [on Twitter] whenever I see us all talking about the same thing because I know we’re experiencing the same thing.”

Twitter allows students to eas-

ily interact with each other even if they weren’t already friends or part of the same social groups, Singleterry and Morrow said. “[Twitter] really, really brings people together because you can talk to people you don’t even know,” Singleterry said. “Everyone’s connected.”

Even though students are having positive experiences online and creating community, there is also a sense of pressure surrounding social media and the expectations that come with it.

For Morrow, this pressure stems from the effort it now takes to stay in communication with people.

“Catching up with people and keeping up to date with people’s lives requires reaching out right now,” Morrow said. “All my friends are in different states, and there’s no natural way we can just run into each other, so social media is the best little overview [of their lives].”

With all classes online, students spend a lot of time daily in front of their screens doing work. This can make the socialization that takes place through social media feel almost like an extra virtual task.

“You’re already on a screen all day, and you’re already typing and virtually talking to people all day, so to get on Instagram or Twitter

just feels really draining,” Singleterry said. “So it’s definitely a catch-22 because that’s the only way to stay in contact and connect with people, so you want to do it — but it’s exhausting to have that much screen time.”

Morrow recently went on a social media cleanse to try to reduce her screen time and escape that exhaustion, but she said she found a new problem in her social media life: a lack of connection.

“I felt so out of the loop,” Morrow said. “I never realized [social media] is how my friends and I keep in touch all day. We send each other memes, and I read their thoughts on Twitter or see pictures of them on Instagram.”

Despite many students’ socialization currently taking place online, there is still something powerful about the Pepperdine community coming together to get through this tough time, Morrow said.

“There is something to be said for these uncertain sort of situations,” Morrow said. “I feel like we’re clinging on to each other for hope almost or comfort because we’re all going through the same thing and we understand what it’s like.”

ADDIE.W HITEN@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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P E P P E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | N E W S | S E P T E MB E R 3 , 20 20

ALUMNI: Pepp Journalists share experiences post-graduation Covering Black Lives Matter

F R OM A 1 “What is encouraging about all of this is that now more than ever, people are relying on journalists for information,” Tencer said.

“With the pandemic, with protests, people are going to their news source to watch what is going on.”

Tencer and fellow alumni in the journalism industry Araceli Crescencio (2019) and Logan Hall (2018) all said they have been even more intentional about double-checking data in their respective roles — especially to make sure it’s not getting lost within the flood of information they have handled.

Crescencio is a reporter and producer at WLNS-TV in Lansing, Michigan, and Hall is a producer at Spectrum News 1 in Southern California.

“You hear all the time that journalism is a dying industry, and times like these show that it’s exactly the opposite,” Hall said. “When people need to know what’s happening, we’re there for them, and we’re dedicated to giving them the news.”

LOGAN HALL | Alumnus A New Type of Newsroom | Journalists had to adapt and overcome new obstacles due to COVID-19, such as the inability to work in their newsrooms like usual. Alumnus Logan Hall is a producer at Spectrum News 1 in Los Angeles, and he recently returned to the control room after producing shows from his home for several weeks.

Change in Operations Growing up in a military family and moving every two years, Tencer said she has learned to become adaptable, which prepared her for being a journalist during a pandemic. Tencer’s 10 o’clock newscast is a consistent part of her job that she has found some comfort in throughout all the other changes.

“That will not change — at the end of the day, there will always be a 10 o’clock newscast, and that is the only constant that I have,” Tencer said. “But that is what keeps me sane; as crazy how things have changed, there are constants, and that constant is still doing the work, meeting the deadline.”

Crescencio has also been on the front lines, covering rallies that supported a barber shop remaining open during Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order.

“I obviously wore my mask, but people were yelling at me, ‘Why are you wearing a mask?’” Crescencio said.

“But other than that, I think for the most part, my experience has been pretty positive with my sources or my interviewees being accommodating.”

Crescencio said at WLNS, the gear for reporters changed to follow social distancing guidelines. Reporters now use a long stick mic when speaking with their interviewees to avoid putting the mics close to sources.

Wiping equipment down and hand sanitizing has also become a more frequent practice.

The newsroom at WLNS has also changed, with staff restricted to certain shifts and plexiglass enveloping cubicles.

Hall said in early March, his news director told him and some of his co-workers that a previous guest on the show had tested positive for the virus and that they had to work from home. The next week, Hall produced newscasts from his couch.

You hear all the time that journalism is a dying industr y, and times like these show that it’s exactly the opposite.

When people need to know what’s happening, we’re there for them, and we’re dedicated to giving them the news.”

Logan hall spectrum news 1 Producer and Pepperdine alumnus “It’s tough not being in the control room when you’re live or when you’re recording your segments,” Hall said. “It’s hard not being right in your anchor’s ear or feeling like you have that sort of control over everything, but it’s been an adjustment for sure.”

Hall, Crescencio and Tencer said their day-to-day jobs have changed significantly.

“What used to be a crowded and loud environment is now half empty, and every desk is separated with plexiglass, and control rooms are sanitized between every recording — it’s a real-

ly different place,” Hall said.

“It’s caused us to change the ways that we communicate with each other, in the ways we produce our shows. Every aspect of life in the newsroom is different than it was six months ago.”

As a broadcast reporter, Tencer said working from home has been especially difficult because many of the stories revolve around visuals.

“It is so hard,” Tencer said. “As a reporter, your day is just go, go, go; you are driving around town, you’re meeting so many people. For a pandemic to hit when your job is literally to interact and meet other people was very odd.”

Hall said at one point, he and his co-workers had to operate a studio for their entire morning show out of a trailer in the parking lot of their network because it was the only safe place.

“We made that happen; we put information on air,” Hall said. “We did a full show out of a box in a parking lot, and it shows the resilience that journalists have, that producers have, directors, editors. Everybody who’s a part of the team understands how important our mission is and is dedicated to doing it.”

Hall said the biggest challenge in adjusting to this time, however, has been keeping up with the flood of information and identifying the most important stories for viewers.

“What we’re focused on at our station is sort of hyper-local coverage and stories that really impact our community,” Hall said.

Omaha, Nebraska As a general reporter, Tencer said pre-COVID-19, some of the news her station covered included city council meetings, preparation leading up to the Iowa caucus and many agriculture stories, especially with floods impacting Nebraska’s numerous farmlands.

KETV in Omaha covered pandemic-related stories before other areas because a

lot of the U.S. citizens who were in Wuhan, China, when the virus first spread came to Ashland, Nebraska, to quarantine for two weeks and receive medical care, Tencer said. Then more COVID-19 evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan came to the medical center in Nebraska.

“When you think of Nebraska — for most people who are not from here — they do not know what happens here, but we have an amazing medical center,” Tencer said.

Tencer said she was the first reporter at her station to do a COVID-19 story, which covered people arriving from Wuhan and quarantining in Camp Ashland.

“It’s crazy looking back at that first story because, in the moment, it really didn’t hit me that we could be affected,” Tencer said. “I was interviewing people who were in lockdown in Wuhan and now in quarantine at Camp Ashland, and it was so surreal to me. In that moment, I could not fathom that the United States would eventually be going through something similar.”

Another angle unique to Nebraska and some other Midwest states has been the COVID-19 outbreaks in meatpacking and meat-processing plants, Tencer said.

These outbreaks have led to higher unemployment rates and meat shortages.

“Our South Omaha community has been hurting a ton and has been leading our cases in the city because a lot of the people who work in South Omaha work in meatpacking plants,” Tencer said.

Omaha did not have a mask mandate until early August. Tencer said it was one of the last cities to have an ordinance on masks, and it was a big deal when the city council passed it.

Lansing, Michigan WLNS-TV started to report on COVID-19 by mid-February, and by March, it became the station’s primary focus.

Michigan had a massive

protest April 15 in response to Gov. Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order. Crescencio said Michigan has played an important political role during the pandemic because it is highly polarized.

“Throughout the whole pandemic, it’s been a big fight in terms of what gets to stay open: ‘What are the governor’s powers? Can she extend the state of emergency for so long?’” Crescencio said.

As a bilingual reporter, Crescencio has also started a new digital segment at WLNS-TV that provides local news to Spanish-speaking communities in the area. She said she worked overtime to help make sure everyone in mid-Michigan had access to the latest COVID-19 updates, and the Spanish speaking community received the segment positively.

Crescencio said some of her favorite stories have been the lighthearted feature stories that show people and businesses doing their part to help others — especially those in the front lines in health care.

With Michigan State University being one of the largest public universities in the nation, Crescencio said she also wants to understand the back-to-school angle in her local community.

“I think reporting during the pandemic has emphasized the importance of local news and just how essential the truth really is,” Crescencio said. “It’s been such a learning process to see this is going to be the biggest story we tell in our lives.”

Crescencio said she believes a topic that needs more coverage is the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on minority populations.

“Even here in Michigan, African Americans and Latinos are more likely than other races to get the virus as well as die from the virus,” Crescencio said. “So I think that’s something […] I’ve been drawn to: trying to understand the racial gap and why it’s happening and what are the resources that are being given to prevent that.”

Coverage shifted fairly quickly from COVID-19 to Black Lives Matter protests in late May and early June.

Hall said it was difficult to figure out how to make sure reporters stay safe while covering the protests; however, reporters at Spectrum News 1, among many other news stations, ultimately wanted to be at the heart of the demonstrations while taking necessary precautions.

“We told some incredible stories of people who are trying to create change in this world, and it was challenging, given the time that we’re telling these stories,” Hall said. “It’s a protest in the midst of a pandemic, but I think that in times like this, we see the best in humanity.”

In Omaha, Tencer was one of the reporters out in the streets and in the crowds covering the protests that emerged in response to the killing of George Floyd.

“As a reporter, it was so hard; for months now, we have been listening to what medical officials are saying about the virus and how to handle the virus, and then all of a sudden, I’m in a crowd,” Tencer said. “And after months of avoiding crowds and avoiding people and then just being around so many others, it was unreal.”

Advice for Future Journalists (and Anyone Else) As a recent graduate, Wong has learned to give herself grace during these uncertain times, and she said she encourages others to do the same.

“I feel like with graduating college, the next step is to get a job, and there’s so much pressure with that,” Wong said. “Obviously, this year, that pressure has just been significantly compounded and made things feel worse, and I totally understand that because I’m in that boat — but I think knowing not to take that out on yourself or to doubt your abilities throughout this whole process is important because things are just so uncertain.”

Crescencio also advises students and those searching for a job to stay persistent and resilient; having been through the job search process recently herself, she understands the feelings some students might be experiencing.

“I was getting nervous and self-doubting whether any news organization really wanted me or whether I was good enough — and with things like that, I think the application process can be intimidating, and then everybody just seems to have their life together,” Crescencio said. “But I would tell them that they know exactly what they’re doing and to keep applying and following up with their applications.”

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Leah Bae | Artist

STAFF EDITORIAL

Practice mindful zoom conduct With two and a half weeks plus half of spring 2020 under our belts, students and professors now know what works well in online learning environments and what does not. Each person has their own style of teaching and note-taking, but everyone also has pet peeves for Zoom etiquette.

While it is natural to become frustrated with certain aspects of distance learning, we are all responsible for making Zoom as welcoming and supportive as it can be.

The Graphic compiled a list of expectations for students and professors as well as suggestions to improve the admittedly unfortunate online situation.

Expectations for Students Students have the right to be critical of professors’ virtual teaching styles and expect professors to deliver a high standard of education in the virtual classroom, but students also must act in a way that is conducive to a constructive learning environment. This means participating but also allowing others to speak. It means arriving on time, muting yourself immediately if you are not speaking and perhaps using the raise hand feature in the participants tab if you’d like to speak.

Show empathy to fellow students and the professor; everyone deals with technological difficulties and distractions at home, so take that into account when you are frustrated that someone’s

screen freezes or they appear disinterested.

If you feel comfortable speaking to strangers on your screen, make others feel comfortable as well.

Don’t simply stare at other students in breakout rooms or be engrossed in your phone — engage.

Further, don’t joke inappropriately in the chat, as you might accidentally share information with the host that you don’t want them to see. Do not outwardly express your disdain for being in class. You don’t need to dress up, but laying in bed in pajamas or cooking lunch during lectures is disrespectful to your professor and classmates.

Ultimately, act as if you were in the classroom to make the learning environment worthwhile for everyone involved.

Expectations for Professors A side effect of teaching students virtually is not knowing if students are paying attention and interested. We care, or else we would not be enrolled in your class. Students show interest in different ways; just because students are not engaged 24/7 does not mean they do not care about you or your class. Shutting our cameras off for a few moments to stand up and stretch may be what we need to get through a lecture.

Students still want to feel seen and heard equally, so put your Zoom screen on grid view when possible. Make sure your students are not feeling alone or lost in

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their classes; this means holding synchronous conversations that are accessible to students outside of the continental United States.

Realize that it is hard for us to learn through a screen with multiple teachers talking at us.

Recognize that students are not seeing each other on a daily basis anymore, so they may need more reminders or explanations than usual.

Be aware of economic disparity between your students. Understand some do not have unlimited access to a stable WiFi connection, high-quality camera or quiet study space.

Ask for consent before recording your classes. It might be easier to record the class to later post for those who were unable to attend, but some students have privacy issues that they would prefer to keep, well, private. In this case, be especially understanding if the student does not want their camera or microphone on.

Professors are busy too. We understand that, but refusing to teach on Zoom when students are paying upward of $1,800 per credit hour simply is not fair. We are willing to put in time to learn from you, so be willing to put in time to teach us.

Do not stress about your lack of familiarity with technology. Students are going through problems too, so we will be as understanding and helpful as we can be.

Similarly, do not put too much pressure on us. It is an adjustment for us to start classes and new

relationships without the personal foundation usually established during the first week.

Our Message to the University There are many pros and cons of synchronous learning that can be beneficial to the student and professor. Synchronous classes can keep students on task and hold them accountable for their classwork. The engagement element is still there, whether in a quick unmute or chat.

Most important, attending classes in sync provides the most realistic educational environment that can be achieved remotely.

The cons fall into much of what makes up Zoom. Requiring students to attend synchronous classes can put a ton of unwanted pressure on international students and those who face economic disparities. Before setting unrealistic Zoom norms, remember there are students who do not have their own space or stable internet.

Since students are scattered around the globe, professors need to be aware that students may be facing fire season in California, hurricane season in the Gulf or other natural disasters that may prevent them from having stable power.

Be understanding, no matter which side of the screen you sit.

Do not be afraid to take a break or ask for help. We are here for each other, not against each other.

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M ANAG I NG ED I TO R M AK E N A H U E Y D I G I TAL ED I TO R B R IAN N A WIL L IS C O PY C HI EF B RYAN T L O N E Y NEW S ED I TO R AS H L E Y M O WR E AD E R NEW S ASS I STANT ED I TO R G R ACE WO O D NEW S AS SI S TANTS U M E E S H A D’ALWIS N ATAL IE H AR D T AD D IE WH ITE N S eni o r R ep o r ter E m ily S h aw L I FE & AR TS ED I TO R R O WAN TO K E L I FE & AR TS ASS I STANT ED I TO R S O F IA L O N G O L I FE & AR TS AS SI S TANTS AL E X A B O R S TAD CH R IS T IN K AR R S am an t h a T o r r e L I FE & AR TS C O PY ED I TO R N ICO L E WIT T S P O R TS ED I TO R KAR L WIN T E R SP O R TS AS SI S TANT ED I TO R PAX TO N R ITCH E Y S P O R TS ASS I STANT J U S T IN T O U H E Y S P O R TS D ES I G N AS SI S TANT IN E Z K IM P ER SP EC TI V ES ED I TO R CAR O L IN E S H AR PL E S S P ER SP EC TI V ES ASS I STANT ED I TO R AJ M U O N AG O L U P ER S P EC TI V ES C O PY ED I TO R TIF FAN Y H AL L L EAD D ESI G NER M E L IS S A L O CK E HEAD P O D C AST P R O D U C ER KAE L IN M E N D E Z P O D C AST P R O D U C ER S IV Y M O O R E L IN D S E Y S U L L IVAN AR T ED I TO R M AD E L IN E D U VAL L AR T As si s tant ED I TO R AL LY AR M S T R O N G AR TI S TS L E AH B AE GAB BY D IG IOVAN N I S AM AN TH A M IL L E R P HO TO ED I TO R AL I L E V E N S AS SI S TANT P HO TO ED I TO R J AY L E N E R AM L I P HO TO G R AP HER S CH AR L O T TE WAL K E R V I D EO P R O D U C ER M AR IS A D R AG O S P I X EL ED I TO R K IL E Y D IS TE L R ATH B U SI NESS D I R EC TO R H AD L E Y B IG G S ADV ER TI SI NG M ANAG ER PATR ICK H AR L E Y MISSION STATEMENT “Pepperdine Graphic Media (PGM) is an editorially independent student news organization that focuses on Pepperdine University and the surrounding communities. PGM consists of the digital and print Graphic, a variety of special publications, GNews, Currents Magazine, social media platforms and an Advertising Department. These platforms serve the community with news, opinion, contemporary information and a public forum for discussion. PGM strengthens students for purpose, service and leadership by developing their skills in writing, editing and publication production, by providing a vehicle to integrate and implement their liberal arts education, and by developing students’ critical thinking through independent editorial judgment. PGM participates in Pepperdine’s Christian mission and affirmations, especially the pursuit of truth, excellence and freedom in a context of public service.

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Views expressed are diverse and, of course, do not correspond to all views of any University board, administration, faculty, staff, student or other constituency.”

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We see you, white Pepperdine theater

roles created to highlight POC hardships is inappropriate. If a recasting were absolutely necessary, the role should have gone to one of the other POC who auditioned. Further, if Pepperdine made a stauncher effort to recruit non-white students, there would have been more actors to choose from.

“It was a playground for them,” Preston said. “It was crazy that they would just pass c ar o line Sharp less the baton [to a white person] like it was per spective s E d itor nothing.”

After months of protests, U.S. police are After this incident, the project never still shooting Black children and adults in made it to the stage. Preston never received the back, and racism plagues most areas in an apology. the country. Shouldn’t theater, an industry “[Until @blackatpepperdine highlighted famous for its inclusivity, be a safe space for the ‘21 Chump Street’ incident,] I forgot POC to express themselves? about it happening, and it was so problemSadly, the theater landscape is also in atic but I just moved on to the next thing,” desperate need of permanent change.

Preston said. “That’s what we’re condiEarlier this summer, a coalition of Amertioned to do.” ican theater artists issued a statement, “We Preston’s words are similar to former See You, White American Theater,” and a list National Basketball Association Coach Sam Madeline Duvall | Art Editor Mitchell’s remarks following the Aug. 24 of demands calling to end systemic racism in theater. Multiple Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and talent. able, Preston said he decided he needed to police shooting of Jacob Blake: “[Racism] and Tony winners, including Cynthia Erivo, “[Reading Jungbauer’s post and its comconvince his friends to participate. happens all the time. It happens so much Lin-Manuel Miranda, Billy Porter, Uzo ments] was crazy to me because everything Though he volunteered to recruit, Presthat you kind of get immune to it, you get Aduba and Jennifer Hudson, signed the just became so universal,” Preston said. “I ton said he felt pressured to be the sole voice used to it.” declaration. was like, ‘Wow, I didn’t just go through this; for his race on multiple occasions.

Though the stakes of police brutality are POC from the Pepperdine Theatre Dethis guy who I looked up to before I got “Black people are not monolithic; we are deadlier than theater, discrimination of any partment sent a similar statement to faculty there — who graduated and became sucall different, and my opinion doesn’t cover kind can inflict long-term trauma. Additionwith demands ranging from hiring more cessful and is performing professionally — everything,” Preston said. “That’s what the ally, overlooking some instances of racism POC faculty to casting based on talent rath- he went through this.’” department kind of asked of me in many prompts spectators to believe they can get er than race.

When the fall 2019 musical, “Ragtime,” cases.” away with more extreme acts.

It is past time for theater spectators and was announced, there was an “uproar” in the While it’s excellent Preston is willing to Black people are forced to be resilient in contributors to take accountability for the Theatre Department, Preston said. Set in go the extra mile to ensure stories of racial a way that white people are not. Any nondiscrimination happening on campus and the early 1900s, “Ragtime” highlights racism injustice are told accurately, that should not Black individual who does not reflect on around the country. and includes one Black lead role. be his responsibility. Like his white peers, and improve their behavior is complicit in One way people could claim diverse repTo Preston’s knowledge, students thought he should only need to worry about his own America’s racial divide. resentation is not a problem at Pepperdine is the school should’ve chosen a more fun individual performance.

How can Black creatives be given the by pointing out that senior George Preston show rather than one with heavy topics that The @blackatpepperdine account same playing field as their white counterIV — an African American male — has made them uncomfortable. Preston said he exposed another problematic “Ragtime” parts? starred in multiple shows over the past three and other Black students felt “alienated” incident in which a Latina woman was called First, Pepperdine needs to listen to the years. because white students blamed the choice back for a Black role. The director assumed demands outlined in Preston and his peers’ Yet, in Preston’s experience, he said on them, even though they had no influence the student was Black; there was no plan to letter. Though it appears the program has tokenism, white privilege and, yes, racism are in the decision. rework the script to highlight a Latina wom- every intention of doing so, we must ensure still prevalent.

While the show succeeds in depicting raw an in the role. its promises result in tangible action.

The Instagram account @blackatpepper- racial injustices, it is far from an exemplar Out of the seven Black women who Moreover, the burden of this problem dine and Facebook group “Pepperdine The- anti-racism show; its script perpetuates a auditioned, only one was called back with does not solely lie with administrators: Stuatre & Music Alumni” also feature reports harmful white savior narrative. the Latina student. After students expressed dents are also part of the problem. Preston from students and alumni of racial injustices White savior tropes spread the inaccurate their outrage, the director called back all of even said it falls slightly more on the stuin Pepperdine theater. message that POC can only progress in soci- the Black women for another shot at the role dents.

On her Facebook profile, 2016 graduate ety at the hands of white people. In making but did not apologize to the Latina womPreston said he worries pushback from Tasia Jungbauer detailed her experience white people feel better about their historical an until almost a year later when the story students is inevitable but believes effective with discrimination in the program, inspirties to racism, the many Black people who resurfaced on social media. dialogue between all players will help eming dozens of past Pepperdine students and have overcome adversity on their own merit Since Nic Few is the only Black faculty power Black performers. directors to reply with their stories. are neglected. “Ragtime,” which has two member in the Theater Department, hiring Gossip, on the other hand, can quickly “I left [Pepperdine] feeling...defeated white leads and one Black lead, is one of additional Black faculty and implementing turn to racism. Stop accusing POC of only like my school didn’t believe in me or my many stories that allow white performers to diversity training could have prevented this getting large roles because of their race. ability,” Jungbauer wrote. “They didn’t want profit from Black people’s struggles. misstep.

Don’t question why multiple POC are cast to test the waters, to trust a black woman to The Theatre Department held a half-hour This problem, however, is not specific to as leads. Amplify Black voices, attend shows lead the show, unless the role asked for POC seminar to discuss the complex messages the faculty-led Theatre Department: Student that depict racism, be critical of white savior specifically.” in the show, but Preston’s impression was organizations are also to blame. Preston was rhetoric. Sign the “We See You, White AmerJungbauer graduated four years ago, yet that topics such as racial slurs were “glossed cast as the lead in the Pepperdine Student ican Theater” petition, and join its authors many of the same problems persist: There over” and not treated with the “delicacy” Players’ production of “21 Chump Street,” in demanding change for POC theater-makhas not been a Black female lead in years, they deserved. a musical that amplifies issues specific to ers today.

Preston said.

Furthermore, tensions arose between stu- POC, but then — out of concern Preston Above all, remember this problem is Though the department cast Preston in dents because there were not enough Black was receiving too many lead roles — a bigger than one show; change implemented several major roles, he said students accused men to fill the roles in “Ragtime.” To recruit, producer tried to have his role recast with a today sets the stage for a better tomorrow. him of only landing the parts because he was Theatre faculty stopped Black students white person instead of a Black person.

Black. walking around campus and urged them to While it is important to give all actors Statements like this are largely problemjoin the show. When this proved ineffective a chance in the spotlight, placing a white C AR OL INE.SHAR PL ESS@PEPPER DINE.EDU atic since they denigrate Black achievement and made Black students feel uncomfortactor in one of the theater industry’s few

Don’t feel pressured to figure out your life purpose now

E m i ly C h a s e s ta f f w r i t e r Close your eyes and picture your life in 20 years. What do you see?

Who do you have by your side?

What circumstances led you to this precipice of life? What is your life’s purpose?

These questions are daunting to even the most accomplished adults, yet many advisers and professors ask students constantly. Between the ages of 18 and 22, young adults are expected to transition into the unknown world of adulthood; they are getting their first professional jobs and making connections that could last a lifetime.

With all of this to think about, college students shouldn’t be expected to find their true calling just yet.

A life purpose is defined as a type of personal guide that drives a person forward in their life; it is the reason to live, to thrive, to feel fulfilled. With this definition looming, the pressure students feel is undeniable and ever-present. It can take a lifetime for a person to figure out

what they want, yet college students are expected to decide in four years.

A “midlife crisis” is when many people experience a period of self-discovery, or a lack thereof, later in life. About 10% to 15% of adults aged 45 to 60 have some variation of a midlife crisis, according to Market Watch. Adults experience this when provoked by questions regarding their unfulfilling job, undetermined life purpose or unwanted aging.

Today, the COVID-19 pandemic further complicates these thoughts and decisions. Anxiety rose substantially due to growing concerns surrounding the pandemic, as reported

by Mental Health America. Now, teens and young adults are especially affected.

Between adjusting to the changing world and trying to make it through the day without getting sick, people have no energy left to find their sole reason for existing. Even harmless errands like going to the supermarket or running to the post office jeopardize lives.

On the other hand, this time of uncertainty opens doors for questions and imagination. This unexpected influx of extra time gives people additional hours to contemplate future decisions and life choices.

Whether you discovered yourself during quarantine, there should be no rush to uncover your passion in life at such a young age. Having a

Leah Bae | Artist solidified life plan on the brink of exiting your youth is an amazing gift. On the contrary, if you’re like the majority of students and are not 100% sure where your life might take you, that’s OK too.

College is a time to experiment with different classes, try new extracurriculars and find out what truly

makes you happy. Luckily, there are many benefits to not having everything figured out right away.

With more time for growth and self-discovery, students can learn for themselves which paths work — or don’t work. On their journey to find themselves, they might even impact the world along the way.

Students should take their time and not allow the pressures of society to weigh them down, because one day they’ll be 45 and wishing they were young again.

EM ILY.C HASE@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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Discard deceptions about the ‘developing’ world

AJ Muonagolu Perspectives A s s i s ta n t E d i t o r In an interview, President Jim Gash said Pepperdine administration wants to expand International Programs into the “developing world.” This statement provides a glimpse of how far Gash and Pepperdine have to go in learning about the world around them.

“Developing world” and “Third World country” are both outdated terms that refer to supposedly impoverished countries. These terms, however, create false perceptions of other countries and perpetuate a white savior complex.

“I still believe and plan for Pepperdine to have a campus in the developing world at some point,” Gash said in an Aug. 6 interview.

“It’s great to study in places of power, and we have study abroad opportunities in places of power, like D.C. and London, but also [abroad opportunities] in places of poverty like Africa, like India or some of the places, perhaps Central America.”

India, however, ranks fifth in Gross Domestic Product — the capital amount of goods produced in a year — at $2.8 trillion. Due to its large population, GDP per capita is spread thin and results in a perception of national poverty.

Despite its smaller GDP per capita, India is no less a nation than others. India has had its own self-established democracy since the 1950s and is considered one of the most diverse countries in the world, with more than a thousand ethnic groups and more than a hundred languages.

Africa, on the other hand, isn’t even a country — it’s a continent.

To universally name a whole con-

samantha miller | Artist tinent as impoverished is ignorant.

In his interview, President Gash mentions Rwanda and Uganda as possible IP locations; however, what these countries may not have in sheer money they make up for in social equality and predicted economic growth.

Rwanda actually has one of the smallest gender wage gaps in the world, ranked ninth compared to America, which is ranked 53rd.

Moreover, more than 50% of their elected officials are women.

Additionally, Uganda and Rwanda’s economies are rapidly growing, both showing upward GDP per capita trends. For instance, Rwanda’s GDP per capita grew 30.8% between 2010 and 2019.

Now that the myth of an entire continent being poor has been discarded, it’s time to look at what the real incentive for visiting these countries should be.

Countries in Africa, Central America and the nation of India all have many cultural experiences that people of all backgrounds can and should learn from.

As global citizens, people need to discover other countries’ strengths to learn there are many different ways the world can improve and succeed.

President Gash’s comments paint a perspective that because an area holds less wealth, it is more in need of service or sympathy and becomes more of a learning opportunity.

When people go to a place solely because it is considered financially weaker, their main motivation is focused less on others and more on themselves. Donating money or going on mission trips doesn’t fix larger underlying issues like the disproportionate distribution of wealth around the globe.

These are the actions of white saviors — individuals who volunteer under the guise of making themselves feel part of progress that is actually nonexistent.

Instead of taking pictures of underprivileged people or places on another continent, Pepperdine should focus on adding more cultural education in its curriculum across all campuses. This could involve including more classes on

world culture or having general education classes include books that offer a more accurate representation of history.

Abroad opportunities should spread to all corners of the globe, but if Gash and other members of the Pepperdine community want to visit impoverished areas for a photo opportunity, maybe they should visit the ignorance living in their own mind.

AJ.M UONAGOL U@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Online classes transcend disasterous alternative J o s h u a A . E va n s s ta f f w r i t e r In July, Pepperdine reversed its decision to hold fall 2020 classes in person. Many other American universities, including Harvard, Princeton and Stanford, made a similar choice.

Colleges that decided to open took a gamble on whether they could control the spread of COVID-19 on their campuses. For some students and faculty, the gamble is not paying off.

The Pepperdine community should congratulate the University for safely steering students and faculty away from discomfort, disease and death by holding classes online. Other universities are experiencing a tidal wave of COVID-19 cases after foolish endeavors to reopen in-person classes. As a result of campus outbreaks, some universities are switching to remote instruction, contributing to student relocation stress, increasing travel expenses and risking further COVID-19 spread.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reported 31% of its tested community members were positive for COVID-19 during the week of Aug. 17. A decision was then made to halt in-person classes and send the majority of students home, some with the unwanted gift of the virus.

Universities in states like Florida, where governors are pushing for schools to stay open, are struggling to contain campus outbreaks. The University of Miami has virus outbreaks in multiple student dorms despite investing in extra precautions, such as creating a virus tracking app and a symptom checker app, setting up on-site virus testing, installing plexiglass barriers, hiring extra health care staff and providing free masks. The University is now sending some students to a hotel as quarantine space runs out.

These universities’ attempts to create safe in-person classes failed. With some faculty and students already in the hospital, damage has been done. Subpar in-person classes are not worth the potential loss of life and long-term health consequences.

Furthermore, the quality of in-person instruction is undeniably lacking.

The University of Miami first-years Tatum Hawthorne and Noah Ferber reported challenges with their face-to-face classes, such as assigned seating and plexiglass shields that prevent them from seeing the professor and the board.

While Ferber attends some classes in person, he said he still

ELLIE DUVALL | GUEST CONTRIBUTER watches the lectures on Zoom because he can see the content significantly better. Hawthorne said she regrets selecting in-person classes and living on campus because of the constant risk of getting sick.

“It’s scary because you are seeing people get the virus,” Hawthrone said. “Classes the other way would be safer.”

Sophmore University of Alabama student Tyde Lacher wrote that he expected “a full-on ‘Lord of the Flies’ or ‘Purge’ situation to break out on the campus within two weeks tops.”

Although he said he still felt comfortable attending his in-person classes in a mask, he was “definitely expecting school to go completely to online.”

Only two weeks after the start of classes, the University of Alabama already has 1,201 positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff.

Lacher said he uses humor to cope but no longer finds the situation at his school amusing. Students are not allowed visitors in their dorms, and all in-person social events have been canceled.

To contain COVID-19, partying needs to stop; however, the value of being in person significantly diminishes without live events.

When reflecting on Pepperdine’s decision to keep classes online, sophomore Caden Benedict said he appreciated not be-

ing brought to campus only to be sent home a few weeks later.

He said he is comfortable taking his general education requirements from his home in Tennessee, where COVID-19 numbers are much lower than in Los Angeles County. He is finding silver linings in the experience, pointing out that “whenever a crisis happens, there is room to grow.”

Benedict said students should use this time to take as many general education classes as possible because they are most amenable to online learning.

One advantage of remote instruction is that even Elkins Auditorium lecture classes can feel smaller and more interactive thanks to Zoom’s breakout room and chat functions.

Sophomore Audrey Robison said “some professors have been in flying colors” online. Robison and first-year Frank Mundo said online math classes are still strong thanks to smallgroup learning, frequent feedback on problem-solving and easily accessible online review materials.

Seeing friends at other universities struggle with in-person classes and dorm life during the pandemic is a harsh reality check. COVID-19 is proving a tricky beast to contain.

After processing the initial letdown of losing an in-person semester, students should appreciate that Pepperdine made the right choice for the safety of its students, staff and the broader community.

JOSH.EVANS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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Pepp aims to make remote learning accessible Gr ac e W o od a s si stant new s e dit or As students begin online classes this semester, Pepperdine professors and faculty are working to meet students’ needs and make sure classes are accessible to everyone.

Pepperdine entities like the Office of Student Accessibility, the Center for Teaching Excellence and the Seaver Student Success Center are trying to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic by working to assure students are not overlooked due to disability, technical difficulty or time zone differences.

“If we truly believe that the student is the heart of the educational enterprise, like it says on the Pepperdine affirmation, then we have to adjust and make things accessible,” said Christopher Heard, Religion professor and director of the Center for Teaching Excellence.

A Student Perspective Junior Lauren Watson registered with the OSA in February, right before Pepperdine transitioned to remote learning.

Watson said she struggles to absorb course material from written textbooks alone and has recently found she learns better when she has access to the audio version of her textbooks, which the OSA helped her secure for this semester’s classes.

This way, she can use the audiobook to guide her note-taking, which she can now do anywhere.

“This is the first time I have the audiobooks, which have been such a time saver,” Watson said. “I’m reading the textbook and actually understanding it before I get to class, which is weird because usually I have to wait for the teacher to talk about it to fully understand it.”

Students registered with the OSA can still receive notes from desig-

nated notetakers for their classes this semester, as they would under normal circumstances. Watson said having access to these notes is helpful for when a Zoom lecture may go too quickly or is unclear. Something the OSA can no longer provide students, however, is a distraction-free environment to take exams.

“Students now create their own distraction-reduced environment where they live,” Sandra Harrison, executive director of the OSA, wrote in an email. “Their faculty provide the extended time as needed for any timed quiz or exam, [and] we help students think through their context and what can be changed. Headsets are helpful, [or] keeping their cellphones in a different room while they are in class.”

Watson said she misses using Payson Library as a quiet study space, and she frequently visits coffee shops in her hometown of Jackson, Miss., to do schoolwork.

Despite the interruptions and notifications that may come up while on a Zoom call, Watson said she actually finds herself getting more distracted in a physical classroom setting than she does while taking classes online.

“If anything, I get distracted in classrooms because I feel awkward getting up in the middle of class and getting water,” Watson said. “I need to get up sometimes and just move around. But when I’m in the comfort of my own home, I can just do whatever I want, and I don’t have to be thinking about, like, what everyone else is going to think.”

Watson said something professors can do to help keep students like herself on track is dividing Zoom lectures up with breakout rooms and scheduling plenty of breaks. “[Participating in breakout rooms] reels me back into class, which is nice because I would not raise my hand if I were on campus in Malibu, ever,” Watson said.

If we truly believe that the student is the heart of the educational enterprise [...] then we have to adjust and make things accessible.

Christopher Heard director of the center for Teaching excellence Faculty Considerations Heard said — through the Center for Teaching Excellence — he encourages professors to place less emphasis on synchronous classes, which may be challenging for students with a considerable time zone difference or poor WiFi to attend.

Instead, he said professors should focus their attention on the learning that can take place on students’ own time.

“My advice for professors is to deliver information asynchronously,” Heard said. “Use whatever synchronous time you have for interaction because if a student’s main activity in any particular moment is receiving information, there’s no need for us all to be doing that at the exact same moment. [...] Fundamentally, the question is: What’s the benefit of being together in the same

virtual space at the same time?”

Heard said a major reason professors should record their lectures to be watched asynchronously is so the lessons are accessible to all students and can be watched back, paused and rewound. Heard said the religion classes he teaches this semester will only meet synchronously a few times for community building and discussion.

“If [students are] being graded on whether they’re on Zoom [or] getting a participation grade for participating in synchronous Zoom sessions — if that student has limited access to a strong internet connection, then what we’re really testing is how good is the internet connection, not how well do you understand this material,” Heard said.

A goal Heard said he has for all professors is to go beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and approach learning from the perspective of the Universal Design for Learning. In this way, the more channels a professor can provide students for learning and communication, the more students will benefit.

Under the ADA, a professor only needs to provide captions for video content for hearing-impaired students, but a student whose first language is not English may benefit from having those captions as well, Heard said. In his classes, he subsequently posts videos of his lectures in Courses with written transcripts accompanying them.

“I don’t know if I have anybody who actually needs [transcripts] from an OSA perspective, but I know that those things are in place if anybody needs them — that way, everybody benefits from them,” Heard said.

The OSA also advises professors to assess their students’ knowledge in ways other than a timed exam, as this may pose a struggle for students without strong WiFi or a quiet place

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in their home to take a test.

“We are encouraging faculty to think through ways to assess students in perhaps new ways, as their disciplines allow,” Harrison wrote.

“We have urged professors to consider if papers or presentations or projects would be a good alternative to an actual exam this fall.”

Elaborating on this idea, Heard said professors should try to accommodate students’ different strengths by providing more than one format for assignments and projects. For example, Heard said students who believe their on-camera skills are stronger than their on-paper skills may be better suited to produce a video for a class project rather than writing a traditional essay.

“If [a different style of exam] meets the same learning objectives, why not accept that?” Heard said.

Additional Resources The OSA is also collaborating with the Seaver Student Success Center to refer students to the tutoring and skills training they may need to succeed in online classes.

The SSCC offers 65+ online tutoring sessions for students each week, covering most subjects, as well as academic coaching and learning skills workshops.

“We’re here to support you, to be your allies, be your cheerleaders, whatever it is you need, regardless of where you are,” said Marissa Davis, director of the SSCC. “Whatever it is you have to do, know that you can meet with one of us and talk about best strategies for how you go to school online.”

GR AC E.W OOD@PEPPER DINE.EDU

S eptember 3, 2020

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The music industry does a COVID-19 mic-check A l exa b o r stad lif e & Ar ts Ass i s ta n t

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, record labels and their artists are faced with dire consequences. From Coachella to Glastonbury, everything has been canceled. As a result of the dissolution and postponements of highly anticipated tours and music festivals, many companies like Position Music in Burbank, California, are finding new ways to build direct-to-consumer relationships with fans.

“Music deserves a live audience — humans have always flocked toward gatherings with music for centuries,” said Paul Crary, director of digital marketing at Position. “I don’t think we will lose that yearning for being in a crowd and enjoying musicians playing instruments in front of us.”

Prior to the pandemic, the World Economic Forum stated that live music, primarily the ticket sales involved, accounts for over 50% of revenue streams for the music industry. Despite this difficult economic reality, digital marketers like Crary are finding new ways to directly reach consumer groups without solely relying on live entertainment.

New Challenges and Opportunities Crary said the worst part of COVID-19 is not having face-to-face interaction with Position’s artists. With social

Courtesy of Anna Azarov

Pose with Pride| Position artist and rapper Mia Waring, aka “LG (Team Genius),” strikes a pose in a photoshoot for her song ‘Pride.’ She utilizes TikTok as a way to share both her music and message, including her latest songs. distancing rules and small production sets, along with a lack of touring, digital marketers are finding it difficult to advertise and market new music without content readily available. As a result, Crary and other digital marketers have turned to innovative platforms and live streaming services.

“I’ve really enjoyed learning more about Patreon and Bandcamp during the pandemic,” Crary said. “These are tools that remove many of the algorithms and barriers that get in the way of fans consuming their favorite band’s art and content.”

On the live streaming platform Twitch, viewership ratings increased nearly 524% from “an average of

92,000 viewers to 574,000 viewers” from March to May, according to Forbes.

Artists like Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift used YouTube Live along with Instagram Live to interact with fans, replying to comments during the live releases of their new respective albums, “Future Nostalgia” and “Folklore.”

Community Involvement Although struggling with the financial implications of COVID-19, the industry has continued to contribute to philanthropic efforts.

Spotify formally introduced its Artist Fundraising Pick feature April 22.

“Just like artists can select any piece of music to

samantha miller | artist highlight on their profile as an Artist’s Pick, they can now highlight a fundraising destination,” Spotify representatives wrote.

With the absence of live entertainment, Crary said the industry is reevaluating its role in the environment.

“The music industry can be pretty harmful to the environment — large tour buses, many plane rides, huge festivals in remote places — so lowering those carbon emissions is something I want to call out as a positive to remote work,” Crary said.

Courtesy of patreon Algo-Rhythm| The Patreon logo depicts shapes resembling the letter ‘P.’ Patreon, an American platform, allows artists and creators to offer exclusive content to their fans and make a profit.

SE E m u si c, B 3

‘Eternal Sunshine’ emphasizes the importance of communication Sam Torre Li f e & A rts assista n t

Do you ever wish you could forget a bad breakup? A lost pet? That one time a waitress told you to enjoy your food and you said, “You too”? In his 2004 film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” director Michel Gondry explores the need to forget.

Despite being over 15 years old, the film is still relevant.

It combines the hopefulness of a romantic comedy, the excitement of science fiction film and the underlying solemnity of a tragedy to create a bittersweet commentary on the usage of memories and communication in our daily lives.

In “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” a woman named Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes an experimental procedure to forget her ex (Jim Carrey) in the wake of their bad breakup. After hearing about this, her ex, Joel Parish, decides to also have his memories erased.

To erase these painful memories, however, Joel must relive them. While doing so, he realizes that the relationship could have succeeded, and he fights to remember Clementine.

A commentary on how we process emotions, this film is timeless for both its story and the phenomenal performances by actors such as Carrey (“The Truman Show”), Winslet (“Titanic”), Kirsten Dunst (“Spider-man”), Mark Ruffalo (“Avengers”), Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings series) and Tom Wilkinson (“Batman Begins”).

This film displays the importance of communication through three different relationships — all with varying degrees of success. Dr. Howard’s (Tom Wilkinson) procedure gives patients an out when relationships come to a bad end. He works with the patients to create a map of bad memories and follows it through the brain, deleting memories he comes into contact with.

Instead of finding closure, the patients are given a quick fix to their emotions — forgetting them, and the person who caused them, entirely.

Over time, the negative effects of the procedure are exposed and the audience is able to see why memory is necessary: Without it, people are liable to repeat past mistakes.

There is no chance for these characters to grow; they shy away from their issues and forget what they are at fault for.

At its core, the film poses the question: If someone cannot remember their mistakes, how can they grow from them?

As the story progresses, a trend appears. The couples with the ability to communicate triumph, while the ones who cannot resign themselves to the procedure. Hurt breeds more hurt, and characters are trapped in a cycle of pain and anger. As Joel Parish travels through his memories, he sees that the reason his relationship failed was a lack of communication.

The film’s costume department works to drive the message home, as the characters’ clothing speaks a lot about their personalities. A woman with brightly dyed hair is impulsive, and a man who hates being seen hides within

photos Courtesy of Focus features Memory Breath You Take| (Left) The official movie poster shows Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet). This 2004 movie maintains its relevance by reminding viewers they must communicate with each other to form lasting bonds. (Right) Clementine looks at Joel as he eats. They began their relationship by stealing each other’s food. baggy clothes. The change in how these characters dress is a guide through the cyclical timeline of the film.

Though the order of events may be confusing at first, audiences are able to gauge the approximate timeline by the appearance of characters. For example, the change in Clementine’s hair showcases each stage in her relationship with Joel Parish.

Today, this film seems more relevant than ever. Ghosting, when one person cuts off all contact with another, is a common practice among youth. When someone engages in ghosting, they take steps to remove another person from their lives.

The medical procedure in this film is a more extreme version of ghosting. For example, notices announce that a relationship ceases to exist, so it never comes up in casual conversation.

As a result of quarantine, it is harder to see people face-to-face, and relationships suffer because of it. People can no longer see their friends while at school, head to the movies together or sit down in a coffee shop. Coincidental run-ins are kept short, if they happen at all. While this is

necessary to promote safety, it can leave people feeling extremely lonely.

Hanging out with others is now a text, a comment on a social media post, a phone call or a Zoom meeting. Online communication can leave people feeling exhausted and lonely, as they lose in-person interaction and can cause them to put even less effort into communication at a time when they most need it. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” reminds viewers why it is important to make that effort.

This film is also a tale of hope. The movie shows that bad days can turn into something great and love can be born out of heartbreak. “Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind” is based less on otherworldly science and more on the importance of human emotions and allowing oneself to feel them.

SAM .TOR R E@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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Bio major plans to follow in his parents’ footsteps Ro wa n to k e L ife & A r t s e d i t o r

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

Photos Courtesy of Brianna Cannon Soarin’ Through the Sky | First-year Brianna Cannon dives during a swim meet in Texas. She began diving her ninth-grade year in high Courtesy of Brianna cannon school and will continue throughout herPhotos collegiate career.

Swimmer prepares to dive into life as a student-athlete

Courtesy of tyler ishak Flash a Smile | First-year Tyler Ishak smiles as he washes the feet of a Ethiopian child in 2018. He went on a medical mission trip there, which he said was humbling. pre-med major. He said he hopes to get involved at Pepperdine, especially in extracurricular activities that involve fitness since he is an advanced certified scuba diver. He also wants to participate in intramural sports.

“I definitely want to get involved in some clubs and join the scuba club,” Ishak said.

Ishak said the fall 2020 semester is not what he hoped for, but he understands the seriousness of COVID-19.

“I know the situation could be a lot worse,” Ishak said. “So I’m thankful that I’m still being able to log in [and] I’ve been able to meet a lot of the people that live around here.”

Like other college students, Ishak said he was worried about not being able to meet new students.

“I know this is just tem-

porary, and we’ll be back soon enough hopefully,” Ishak said.

Ishak said he has safely met other students who live near Pepperdine.

He is also trying to learn new skills while staying at home, including making homemade pasta and trying new recipes.

“I’m just trying to find joy in the little things,” he said.

R OWAN.TOK E@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Seamstress dedicates her life to bettering her community R o wa n to k e Li f e & Ar t s e d i t o r

So fia Longo Li f e & Ar ts Assista n t e dit or First-year student Brianna Cannon has been an athlete for the majority of her life, participating in several different sports and now continuing her career on Pepperdine’s Swim and Dive team.

Cannon said a big part of her decision to attend Pepperdine was the opportunity to continue her career as a swimmer and diver on Pepperdine’s team.

“If I was going to dive in college, I wanted to dive at Pepperdine,” Cannon said.

Even though Cannon is an experienced swimmer, she did not begin her diving career until she began high school.

“I’ve been swimming my whole life,” Cannon said. “So I started diving freshman year, and turns out I’m better at that.”

Cannon said she had to work up the nerve to email the swim and dive coach to ask about joining the team. During her senior year, the coach agreed to let Cannon be on the team once she got into Pepperdine. “[Being on the team] was a big thing for me,” Cannon said. “I wanted to keep diving.”

Cannon wrote in an email that she was supposed to move onto the Malibu campus Aug. 8, but a last-minute Los Angeles County ordinance denied athletes the ability to train on campus. Even though Pepperdine had created a plan for athletes to return to campus, she found out less than 24 hours before her flight that this plan had been changed.

“I was so sad,” Cannon said. “I was literally supposed to leave the next morning, so all my stuff was packed and by my bedroom door. I was ready to go.”

Cannon said athletes living on campus are now permitted to train in small groups if they qualify for a hardship. There are four phases to bring back athletes on campus; Pepperdine is in phase one, which will last at least four weeks, but the phases can be extended at any time.

“It definitely depends on LA County,” Cannon said. “I know that they’re trying to push it to where everybody comes in September or hopefully by October [to train], but I wouldn’t be surprised if we just came back in the spring.”

Cannon said she is staying home in Katy, Texas, until Pepperdine receives permission for athletes to return. Even though she isn’t training at school, she is staying in shape with at-home workouts that her

First-year Tyler Ishak went on a medical mission trip to Ethiopia during summer 2018 with his parents, who are both doctors.

On this trip, he realized that he wanted to practice medicine.

Ishak said he is still deciding which type of medicine he wishes to practice.

He is interested in being a doctor like his parents but also in being a veterinarian. Steve Irwin — a famous Australian zookeeper — was his childhood hero, and he loves animals.

“I think it’s really cool to learn how the human body works and how everything comes together to make us function properly,” Ishak said.

While visiting Ethiopia, Ishak watched his dad perform surgery. Ishak said this trip sparked his interest in the medical field.

“We just served the people — that was super fun and a really good time,” Ishak said.

During his medical mission trip, Ishak said he and his mom decided to volunteer with the Mossy Foot Project — a charity dedicated to treating patients with podoconiosis, or mossy foot.

Ishak said because Ethiopia is located on a volcanic plateau, the soil is soft and muddy; many people do not have shoes, causing their feet to become infected and swollen. Ishak and his mom joined the charity for a day of washing feet.

“It was a really humbling experience,” Ishak said.

Ishak said the children whose feet he washed had nothing and were experiencing terrible things, including poverty and disease.

“We could just help them out and show them God’s love and stuff — that was really cool for me,” Ishak said.

Ishak, who is from Camarillo, California, attends Pepperdine as a Biology,

Flash a Smile | First-year Brianna Cannon poses in her Pepperdine sweatshirt. She said she always wanted to dive at Pepperdine. coaches provide. The workouts start slow with body-weight exercises and basic workouts.

Cannon said online classes bring about some concerns for her, as it will be a completely different schooling experience.

“I personally am a better learner when it comes to being in person because I like to sit there and be like, ‘Excuse me, I have a question’ and get it answered right there,” Cannon said.

Despite these difficulties, she said she is excited about the idea of studying abroad in Florence, if possible.

As a Political Science major, Cannon said she has big goals after graduation and wants to go to law school, specializing in either civil rights or corporate law. Her dream law school is Pepperdine’s Caruso School of Law. “It’s a really good school for law, especially, and that’s what I wanted to do,” Cannon said. “All of it just came together perfectly.”

S O F I A . L O N G O @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

First-year Sydney Murphy said she loves giving back to her community. One of the ways she accomplishes this is by sewing items for people in need.

“Any time I try to volunteer, I try to make it personal,” Murphy said.

Murphy said she learned to sew at least 10 years ago. Her mom is an occupational therapist at a public school, so she sees a lot of the students do not have access to basic equipment. She enjoys using her sewing skills to make weighted vests and lap pads and then giving them to students for free.

“I like to make things that can help others,” Murphy said.

The weighted vests, Murphy explained, are made of Velcro. The Velcro allows them to get tight, and the weights inside the vests calm autistic students. The weighted lap pads are similar, but they also help students stop fidgeting in class.

“It just helps them focus more at home and in class; it just helps them be more present,” Murphy said.

While attending Pepperdine, Murphy said she wants to continue helping people and plans to get involved with the Volunteer Center. She is also interested in joining clubs that prioritize fitness and the outdoors, and she hopes to join the Accounting Society, as she is an Accounting major.

“I love working with numbers,” Murphy said.

Murphy, who is originally from New Jersey but is living in Simi Valley, California, said she is interested in becoming a Certified Public Accountant or going to law school. Murphy said she took an accounting and law class in high school and realized she was interested in both of those topics since they allow her to serve others. “[With accounting], there’s a lot of different areas where you can help people with their taxes for free as well in lower-income communities,” Murphy said.

Murphy said if she goes to law school, she would also consider doing pro bono work so that she could provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford legal fees.

Photos Courtesy of Sydney Murphy Pepperdine Pup | (Above) Firstyear Sydney Murphy poses with her dog and a Pepperdine poster. She enrolled at Pepperdine as an Accounting major. (Below) Murphy’s designs of a weighted lap pad (left) and weighted vest (right) lay on a table. She said she often donates her creations to students at the public school where her mom works.

Whatever she chooses to do, Murphy said she wants to prioritize her community. She is also considering earning her master’s degree in Business Administration.

R OWAN.TOK E@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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Music: social movements push forward F R OM B 1 The Rise of TikTok TikTok has been incredibly helpful for artists to promote their music because anyone can go viral, “whether independent, major or unsigned,” according to Music Business Online.

Position artist and rapper Mia Waring, a.k.a. LG (Team Genius), said TikTok has been a huge factor in promoting her brand and following. In celebration of LGTBQ+ Pride Month, LG created the #priderunway challenge, a competition that encouraged fans to post an original dance routine to her song “Pride,” which celebrates the uniqueness of every individual.

Waring, once a collegiate basketball player from Philadelphia, said TikTok is a great way for artists to be unapologetically themselves. By openly embracing her roots and sexuality, Waring said she encouraged fans to expect a “genuine” aspect from female artists like herself. “[TikTok is] a great music-promoting platform, regardless of who owns it or what country bans it,” said Crary. “I hope more apps that allow content creators to use music realize how important it is to give artists credit for their art in a public-facing way.”

Crary said he also hopes platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube will follow TikTok’s example by instating clickable Track IDs for consumers — a means of finding a featured song on a user’s streaming service. This will help new artists earn more exposure by instantly promoting their music at no cost.

Social Movements and the Industry’s Response Since the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement thereafter, com-

Courtesy of Kendall Ross

Courtesy of sony music

Courtesy of universal music group

Social Movements in Action| (Left) Sony ATV announces a $100 million dollar donation to global social justice and anti-racism funds in an Instagram post June 5. In response to the Black Lives Matter movement, many companies have donated to local causes and expressed solidarity. (Right) Universal Music Group observes “Black Out Tuesday” on June 2. The campaign was created to show solidarity and promote awareness of the injustices faced by the Black community following the death of George Floyd. panies are following the more industry-wide approach by using their platforms to show solidarity and offer support to Black employees, colleagues and artists.

More notably, the music industry created the trend of #BlackoutTuesday with the original intention to contribute to the BLM movement by committing to a day of silence in an attempt to express solidarity. However, because over 15 million users posted the black square with the caption #BlackLivesMatter, this unknowingly “drown[ed] out vital information about upcoming protests and initiatives,” RollingStone argued.

Although many people considered the #BlackoutTuesday movement to be counterproductive, Waring — whose 2018

music video “Burning Crosses” openly addressed the issue of police brutality and systematic racism — argued the trend was successful in spreading awareness about the BLM movement.

Crary said he does not think there is a “perfect playbook” for companies to follow in responding to the movement.

“We [Position Music] are much more cognizant of public health, safety and racism and have supported those causes and efforts because it’s simply the right thing to do,” Crary said. “I think being authentic and real to your artists and art will still be crucial. You can’t fake it anymore.”

A L E X A . B O RS TA D @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

Courtesy of position music Strike a Pose | Rapper Mia Waring a.k.a. LG poses to promte her new single “Bop” by releasing a lyric video on YouTube. She performed at Pan Pacific Park in LA in June for pride month.

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Baby Waves: Incoming freshman athletes prepare for next chapter paxt o n r it c he y a s s istant s por ts e d itor Each fall, new students descend into Malibu and prepare to begin their college experience. Among them are student-athletes, who have to balance their classwork with the physical responsibility of a competitive team sport and the mental pressure of contributing to their athletic programs.

Ordinarily, during this time of year, freshman student-athletes would be settling into campus and meeting the people with whom they will spend the majority of their time for the next four years.

This year, however, is different. On July 22, Pepperdine announced a transition to online learning for the fall 2020 semester, closing its campus, housing and facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Aug. 13, the West Coast Conference (WCC), which includes Pepperdine, postponed all fall sports competitions for the same reason.

While some first-year students are in Malibu, others are spread out in their homes around the country and even around the world.

Some have had the opportunity to meet their teammates in person, and others have had to rely on Zoom.

Since what it means to be a freshman student-athlete has changed drastically this year, the Graphic spoke with a few incoming athletes to discuss how their Pepperdine experience has been so far.

Johnathan Flint, Men’s Cross Country and Track Johnathan Flint is one of several new recruits to a cross country program looking to build on last year’s best-ever 13th -place finish at the NCAA West Regional. The Flower Mound, Texas, native was a four-year varsity runner and put together an accomplished career, including an All-District First Team selection and a team appearance at Nike Cross Nationals, which only around 25 high school cross country

teams in the nation qualify for.

Due to a hardship exception waiver, Flint is one of approximately 150 students — at least a third of which are athletes — living on campus. Flint said Pepperdine enforces social distancing and mask wearing and discourages people from visiting other dormrooms. While campus remains closed to the public and to most students, Flint said those with the waiver to live on campus can come and go as they please.

“You’re allowed to leave campus, and pretty much everything you do off campus is out of [Pepperdine’s] jurisdiction,” Flint said.

“But, obviously, I try not to be an idiot. I stay safe and try not to interact with people too closely.”

There are lengthy screening protocols regardless of whether students venture off campus. Flint said students are screened for symptoms at the gate, and he is required to send in a screening form to the Sports Medicine department every morning.

When Flint does leave campus, it’s usually to go on a run or hang out with his teammates. Before coming to Malibu, Flint worked out with teammate Jackson Felkins, who lives near Flint in Texas. Now that he is in the Malibu area, Flint said he is reaping the benefits of being near most of his teammates.

“I definitely feel like I’m a part of the team still,” Flint said. “I feel connected to the other athletes here because I can run with them.”

Despite having to learn remotely and live under strict guidelines, Flint said he is excited to be at Pepperdine.

“It’s not quite the same thing I expected, but it’s a really good experience,” Flint said. “I still feel like with my online classes I’m able to learn from them. [...] It could be a lot worse.”

As a runner, Flint said he doesn’t face the same disadvantage as other athletes who need people around them to practice or play their sport.

Courtesy of Elii Crane

“I still feel like I’m able to train just like I would,” Flint said. “Obviously, I don’t have a season, but it’s a lot easier to piece together a mock race than it is to play against another team.”

In spite of the unexpected challenges, Flint said he believes he has been able to keep his focus.

“I was fairly certain our season would be somewhat unlikely,” Flint said.

“But even during the times I thought we might have a season, I think I’ve been able to keep the same mindset because every day is an opportunity to get better and to improve.”

Eli Crane, Men’s Volleyball Freshman opposite Eli Crane is part of a seven-man recruiting class for the Men’s Volleyball team, which ranked No. 8 nationally when the spring 2020 season halted in March.

Crane played volleyball at San Clemente (CA) High School, which was ranked sixth in the country during his junior year.

Crane is living with his brother, Bryce — a junior — in the Malibu Canyon Village apartments, commonly known to students as “The Stinkies.” Crane was initially supposed to live on campus with the rest of his freshmen teammates but gave up his spot when space became tight.

“In order to be on campus, you had to make a sob story,” Crane said. “I had somewhere to live. [...]

Housing was excited to have another room open, so they said. ‘Yeah, please stay at your brother’s.’”

Because he is living off campus, Crane said he isn’t allowed to go on campus to see his teammates.

“They won’t let me in,” Crane said. “It’s funny, because I have to wait by the gate. They won’t even let me behind the gate to wait for [my teammates].”

Despite his brother attending the University, Crane said he initially did not consider attending Pepperdine; he changed his mind, however, when it was the only school to offer him

a volleyball scholarship.

Now that he’s been participating in team Zooms since July, Crane said he has nothing but praise for his new teammates.

“I think we’re probably the tightest volleyball team that I know,” Crane said, adding that he sees his teammates a couple of times per day.

Crane said he was disappointed to not be able to live on campus because had looked forward to dorm and social life. He is, however, aware that the adversity he faces this year puts him ahead of his peers.

“I think I got more of a grown-up picture of college when I moved into this apartment because usually freshmen don’t live off campus,” Crane said. “I’m living off campus, getting my own groceries — all the stuff like that. So, I probably have a more sped-up version of college, but I’m loving it so far.”

Ellie Sommers, Women’s Soccer Freshman goalkeeper Ellie Sommers (right) poses with a fellow recruit during a visit to Pepperdine. Sommers hasn’t been able to return to campus since committing and remains home in Colorado. Photo courtesy of Ellie Sommers Ellie Sommers is a new addition to the Women’s Soccer team, which will hopefully return to the NCAA Tournament. One of two freshmen goalkeepers, Sommers fills a positional need for the Waves, who were so ravaged by injuries at the keeper position last year that forward Devyn Gilfoy played in goal for two games — including the final 94 minutes of Pepperdine’s NCAA Tournament first-round loss to Texas Tech.

With no definite start date for the season, however, Sommers remains at home in Westminster, Colo.

Despite being scattered around the country, Sommers credited the coaching staff with doing its best to bring everyone together.

“The coaches are doing a really good job introduc-

ali levens | staff writer Courtesy of Johnathan flint

Baby Waves | Eli Crane (left) spikes the ball during a high school match. Crane played opposite. Jonathan Flint (right) works out at the track on Tuesday, Sept. 1. He ran for Flower Mound, Texas in high school, where he was a top runner for a top 25 team.

courtesy of ellie sommers Baby Waves | Ellie Sommers punts the ball during a high school game. Sommers will stay at home in Westminster, Colo. this semester. ing us to the team and making us feel included,” Sommers said.

Sommers, admitted it is still a challenge connecting with her teammates, most of whom she has only met in person on her official visit back in high school.

“Not that we’re not a part of the team yet, but it feels like we’re almost there,” Sommers said.

“We’re not quite there yet, vjust because we can’t have those face-to-face interactions with everybody.”

As an athlete who has consistently played yearround due to club and high school commitments, Sommers said she is also feeling the effects of her longest competitive layoff in some time.

“I haven’t played a real game since late November or December of last year, because that’s when our club season ended,” Sommers said. “And then in high school, the day of our first high school game was the day that all schools shut down. So we were actually on the bus getting ready to go and they turned us around.”

While it has been a long time since Sommers has experienced game action, she said the position that she plays gives her an advantage over outfield players in staying game-ready while isolated.

“Since I do play goal-

keeper, I have the ability to train more specifically,” Sommers said. “My teammates learn a lot by playing in groups and in actual games, but I can just take a lot of shots in a practice.”

Although Sommers said the pandemic has derailed the start of her academic and athletic journeys, she said she is still mindful that a lot of people have been affected in more serious ways.

“My heart goes out to all the seniors this year that haven’t been able to train and get that senior year that they wanted,” Sommers said. “They are in my prayers for sure.”

Despite a spring and fall that have “tested her patience,” Sommers said she talked with teammates about trying to maintain positive mindset and awaiting the season wshen it happens.

“I’m excited for what’s to come,” Sommers said.

Email Paxton Ritchey: paxton.ritchey@pepperdine.edu

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Ross returns for senior season tay l o r gat her s taf f w r i te r Point guard Colbey Ross, Pepperdine’s all-time assist leader and virtually its all-time points leader, is foregoing the NBA Draft and returning for his senior season.

Despite uncertainties regarding COVID-19, Ross announced his withdrawal from the draft in early August, according to a tweet from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Ross said he decided to play one more year of collegiate basketball to earn his degree and complete his career with the Waves.

“My family and Coach [Lorenzo] Romar were very big in helping me make the decision,” Ross said. “Obviously I want to place in the NBA — that’s my end goal — but [it’s] just a smart decision to come back to school.”

Ross said he’s also looking forward to playing under Coach Romar for one more year.

“The advice [my family] gave me was really that it’s OK to come back to school,” Ross said.

“Even if I decided to not enter the draft, this year then I still have one more year of school to get my degree from Pepperdine and play with my team for my senior year, which is something I’ve been looking forward to.”

Ross led the Waves in the 2019–2020 season, setting a school career record for assists (647), a single-season record for assists per game (7.2) and a Pepperdine record for most points in a WCC game (43). He’s also the first WCC player in 20 years to record 600 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in a season — which he did in each of the past two seasons.

The Waves’ success came to an end in the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference Tourna-

file photo Back and Better | Pepperdine senior point guard Colbey Ross pounds the rock and directs the offense in a Nov. 9, 2019, victory over UC Irvine. Ross decided to return to Pepperdine for his final season of eligibility rather than enter the NBA Draft. ment in the 2019–2020 season.

The team placed sixth in the WCC’s regular season.

Ross said he’s ultimately looking forward to taking care of unfinished business as a Wave.

“We want to win a WCC Championship and make it to the NCAA Tournament — that’s the end goal and [my] personal goal,” Ross said.

Leading the Waves, Ross made NABC All-District first team, All-WCC first team and WCC All-Tournament team in what could have been his final season.

He is 23 points short of Stacy Davis’ all-time Pepperdine points record.

Ross said that while he is happy with all he has accomplished as a Wave, he ultimately wants to

enjoy his senior season as much as possible.

“I don’t want to look back at my career at Pepperdine and say, ‘I wish I would’ve done this’ or ‘I wish I would’ve done that,’” Ross said. “Even though the circumstances are a little weird, a little different, I’m going to enjoy every moment I have on the court with my teammates, with my coaches.”

Not only does Ross lead the team in points, but he said he tries to act as a leader to his fellow teammates.

“I feel like I’ve grown as a leader,” Ross said. “I’m just trying to use my experience to help the younger guys and just do it as a collective group.”

Ross said his experience playing collegiate basketball ingrained

in him the necessity of leaning on teammates, both on and off the court.

“I feel like you can’t do it by yourself; you can’t do it with one other person — it has to be as a whole,” Ross said. “I’ve just been trying to reach out to more of my teammates and try to keep in contact with them and tell them to keep working and just to continue to build relationships with them.”

Ross said he has stayed in contact with the team throughout the summer via Zoom meetings as well as social media.

“Whether it’s about basketball or whether it’s just about things going on in the world, such as social injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement, just being able to talk to them about that has let

me get to know them,” Ross said.

Despite uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, Ross said he’s been training with his brother in Colorado during the summer and quarantine so that he’s prepared for when the season resumes. “[My brother and I] work out multiple times throughout the week,” Ross said. “I’ve been going to this place called Uncle Blacks Strength and Conditioning, which has helped me to get in better shape and made me stronger for the season coming up.”

Ross said Romar has been a constant motivation amid the uncertainty, reaffirming that the teams that work hard during the off-season will be the teams that find success in the conference.

“He tells us to always try to stay prepared,” Ross said. “We don’t know when we’ll be able to go back to school, but we should make sure that when we do get to go back, we’re prepared and ready to go so we’ll be a step ahead of other programs.”

Ross will be physically prepared for his return, but he said he also hopes to use his platform to inform the greater public about the Black Lives Matter social movement.

“I think it’s important to talk about the social injustices that have been happening,” Ross said.

“I’ve seen a lot of student-athletes attend protests and post things on social media. It’s really important that the student-athletes around the country continue to use their platform to enact social change and to stand up for what they believe.”

TAYL OR .GATHER @PEPPER DINE.EDU

Baby Waves: Some freshman student-athletes stuck at home just in t o uhe y spor ts ass i s ta n t

Pepperdine’s decision to have online classes this fall has changed the college experience. In a normal setting, first-year students move to campus and are on their own for the first time.

With remote instruction continuing this fall, the majority of first-year students will have to wait before they can come to campus.

For freshman student-athletes, the transition to Division 1 athletics is harder than it has ever been.

Some freshmen experience less playing time and are competing in an entirely new environment that is a step up from high school athletics.

With COVID-19, many freshmen are unable to meet their teammates in person. The ability to train at a high level is limited in many parts of the country due to the closures of gyms and other athletic facilities.

Taisiya Pachkaleva, a freshman from Moscow on the Women’s Tennis team, described the difficulty and disappointment of not being able to come to campus this fall.

“I want to come, but I do not have a visa, and it’s a big problem,” Pachkaleva said. “I hope I can come in September.”

International students face many different chal-

lenges compared to American students because COVID-19 has limited many visa reservations and different time zones can make attending synchronous meetings Despite not being able to be in the United States right now, Pachkaleva says she has been able to train well and keep focus.

“In Moscow, everything is opened, so I can have the same process as always,” Pachkaleva said. “I practice a few hours a day, and then I can do class and homework after.”

While some freshmen like Pachkaleva live in a place where gyms and athletic facilities are open, many states in the U.S. are still under strict quarantine rules. Athletic facilities like gyms, tracks and indoor courts are remain unopened.

Kennedi Steele, a freshman from Henderson, Nevada, on the Women’s Volleyball team, said although starting college online is difficult, she has an advantage.

“I took my junior and senior year of high school online, and I took them through a junior college,” Steele said. “I guess I have an advantage over kids who have never done online school before, so for me it’s been good.”

Steele said she has been fortunate in her ability to continue working out and

Courtesy of taisiya pachkaleva

Courtesy of kennedi steele

Homebound Prodigies | (left) Taisiya Pachkaleva strikes a backhand at a tournament in the summer of 2019. Pachkaleva joined a stellar Pepperdine Women’s Tennis team with both American and international talent. (right) Defensive specialist Kennedi Steele prepares to receive a serve in a match from her senior year of high school in fall 2019. Steele planned to play volleyball this fall but is one of many freshman student-athletes studying from home this semester. training, as her father set up a gym in their garage.

The indoor volleyball gym in her hometown opened a couple of months ago.

While some athletes are living on campus or in the Malibu area this fall, others like Steele and Pachkaleva are at home for the time being.

“I packed everything, and then two weeks ago they told us that we could not come back,” Steele said. “It was frustrating because I wanted to start the next chapter of my life, and it’s been put on hold. I feel like I am back in high school again.”

Team chemistry is a major factor in terms of team dynamics. In a typical year, most student-athletes would be able to get to know each other well

as they spend many hours during the day practicing, socializing and living together.

Most teams have had to try to create that same team chemistry over Zoom meetings, and while it is not the same as being in person, coaches and athletes are doing their best to become a team.

“I did not speak in person with my teammates,” Pachkaleva said. “We message one another, so I do not know much about them, but I am excited to know them more and become friends with them.”

Last season, the Pepperdine Women’s Tennis team was ranked 13th in the NCAA, and Ashley Lahey was the No. 1 women’s tennis player before the NCAA canceled spring sports this

past March. Lahey, fellow graduate Jessica Failla and most of the roster return this season.

Steele said she was on her recruiting trip when Pepperdine went online in March last semester and did not get a chance to meet everyone on the team.

“On Zoom, it has been nice because once a week, we will have weekly meetings where they will split us up into two groups to talk,” Steele said. “Learning about each person’s personalities and views has been really helpful, but it has still been tough because of no in-person connection.”

While the freshman student-athletes’ first year of college is off to an unusual start, both Steele and Pachkaleva said they are hoping

for a good college experience in aspects aside from just their sport.

“I want to see all of my professors and classmates, and of course I want to go to the beach,” Pachkaleva said. “I’ve never been to Malibu and heard it is one of the best campuses, so I can’t wait to get there.”

Steele said she is excited to create relationships with her teammates.

“I am excited to make relationships with people that will last forever and I can cherish for the rest of my life,” Steele said. “The life lessons that I will learn from facing competition and time management will be great as well.”

JUSTIN.TOUHEY@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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P E P P E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | S PORTS | SE PT E MB E R 3 , 20 20

Where are they now?: Stacy Davis balling across the globe Paxt o n r it c h ey a s si s tant spor ts e dit or After a decorated college career, Stacy Davis occupies quite a few places in the Pepperdine Men’s Basketball record books.

At the time of his graduation in 2016, he was the program’s all-time leading scorer (1,786 points) and second all-time leading rebounder (994). The bruising power forward also ranks top-five all-time in free throws made and attempted, games and minutes played, and double-doubles (over 10 points and rebounds in the same game).

Davis also stood out among his peers in the West Coast Conference. With three All-WCC first-team selections and one honorable mention, he was the first Wave to make an all-conference team in all four seasons of his career.

Since leaving Malibu, Davis has carved out an established career playing professionally overseas, signing for teams in Ukraine, France, Mexico, Slovakia, the Philippines and Finland.

In the first installment of a “Where Are They Now?” series involving former Pepperdine student-athletes, the Graphic caught up with Davis in Hungary via Zoom, where he awaits his return to play post-pandemic with his new team, Alba Fehervar.

Davis said his life and career since Pepperdine has moved quickly.

“It’s been a blur, but it’s been a blessing,” Davis said. “I’ve gotten to travel the world. My daughter was born right after I graduated, so I’ve been growing with her. It’s been a whirlwind.”

Unfortunately, the nature of Davis’ job means he can only see his family in stages.

Because Davis is unmarried, his girlfriend and daughter are only allowed to be in Hungary for 90 days out of the year.

“I want to try to space it out,” Davis said. “I didn’t want to have them out here for the first three months, and then they go back and I’m here for another seven and I don’t get to see them.”

Despite his cemented status as a Pepperdine great, Davis said his new career path makes him feel like he has “two separate lives.”

“When you go from coun-

try to country — say you go out and get something to eat, or you and your friends go to a bar to relieve some stress — these people don’t know you from Adam,” Davis said.

“They don’t know who you are at home or who you are back in the States. Even your teammates only know you in this medium as a basketball player, and what they’re seeing is how you operate in a different country.”

When he arrives in a new country, Davis said he tries to immerse himself in the culture, particularly when it comes to food. Davis, who loves to cook, has tried a number of exotic foods abroad, such as reindeer in Finland, which he said was “incredible.”

“I’m down to try anything once,” Davis said. “It’d be wrong of me for them to tell me to try something and I don’t. I’m limiting myself.

And I’m already here in the country for nine to 10 months, so I might as well try it. I might like it.”

Hungary is the latest country for Davis, who agreed to a contract with Alba Feverhar in June and began practicing with the team last week. After his 2019–2020 season with Finnish team Nokia was shortened due to COVID-19, Davis is thankful to have a place on a roster.

“In terms of stability, this has been a very interesting summer for me,” Davis said.

“Obviously, there were going to be some financial ramifications around the world [due to COVID-19], so securing a job early was paramount.”

To be seen by the large network of international teams in sometimes remote countries, Davis said the key is signing with an agency that puts him in touch with other contacts.

“If you sign with an American agency, they typically have what I’ll call a middleman — which is like another agent that has a connection with certain teams or certain leagues,” Davis said. “Let’s say a team in Hungary says, ‘All right, for next year, we need a shooting guard’ [...]

They say that to the Hungarian agent, who tells the American agent what he’s looking for, and the American agent responds with anybody that he might be representing,” Davis said, adding

ali levens| Photo editor

The malibu times

All Grown Up | Stacy Davis plays for Pepperdine in 2016 (left) and poses over Zoom in his new home in Hungary in 2020 (right). After graduating from Pepperdine as the program’s all-time leading scorer, Davis has established himself as a professional player overseas. that the “middleman” agents are talking to multiple agencies at once, so competition is fierce.

Foreign players tend to sign short-term contracts in Europe or Asia, and Davis himself is on his seventh team in his seventh country since 2016. He said navigating new environments, or “being able to introduce yourself over and over and over again,” is a challenge he has to face frequently.

“I wouldn’t say it’s stressful, it’s just something that comes with the territory,” Davis said. “It’s an interesting aspect of the job, but you get used to it. It is what it is.”

Another reason why Americans playing internationally become so well-traveled is the limited number of international roster spots allotted for each team — a rule usually instituted for competitive balance reasons.

Nokia, where Davis played last season, had five available international spots, while Alba Fehervar has only four. For other teams in Ukraine and the Philippines, however, Davis was the only American player.

Aside from the obvious

ali levens | staff writer

cultural difficulties, Davis said being on a team as the only American also brings an intense pressure to perform immediately. He was cut by Filipino club TNT KaTropa after just four games so the team could sign another American.

Davis said his year in Ukraine — during which he was the only American player and in his first year out of college — was his toughest year professionally.

“There was definitely a language barrier there,” Davis said. “I’m 22 at the time, just turned 22 in October.

I’m the only American on a team with guys who were 28, 29, 30. [They] had kids and families. I had a daughter on the way, but she was going to be an infant, so it was just different.”

Davis also said the maturity of his new teammates meant they didn’t feel the need to socialize as a team like college players did.

“You go from college, where everybody’s the same age and you can go out and build relationships, and then I’m inserted into this ecosystem where after practice, everybody goes to their fam-

ali levens| Photo editor

Advanced Palate | Former Pepperdine basketball player Stacy Davis prepares a meal in his kitchen in Hungary. Aside from doing his own cooking, Davis has tried many exotic foods, such as reindeer, during his global basketball career.

ilies,” Davis said. “There wasn’t any, ‘Oh, let’s go over to such-and-such’s house and play video games, or play cards or hang out.’ [...]

Depending on where you’re at in the world, that’s typically how it goes.”

Now a few years into his international professional career, Davis puts up numbers that echo his prolific college totals. For Nokia in 2019–2020, Davis was the leading scorer with 18.1 points per game and the second-leading rebounder with 6.6 rebounds per game.

Davis also led the team with 32.4 minutes played per game, meaning he was put on the court more than any other player. While he has yet to play a game for Alba Fehervar, he is listed as a starter on the team’s depth chart.

A key difference between European basketball and NBA basketball is that in European leagues, there is no defensive three-second violation; European teams can have their big men permanently stand in the paint under the hoop, unlike American teams, which require players to rotate.

“The NBA is structured to create offense, whereas European basketball is more structured as a complete game,” Davis said.

Because of the still-elite talent in European leagues and the lack of emphasis on offense, Davis said points in Europe are harder to come by.

“A guy averaging 17 or 18 [points per game] is basically the equivalent of averaging 25 to 28 in the NBA,” Davis said. “You have to think, in Europe, they can just sit in the paint, so if you have a 7-footer or a big, he can protect all the drives [to the basket].”

Four-and-a-half years after his graduation, Davis remains one of, if not the best, statistical Pepperdine basketball players of all time. But his most illustrious Waves record is under threat.

Point guard Colbey Ross, already the school’s all-time assists leader, enters his se-

nior season just 23 points behind Davis’s career scoring mark. Davis said he supports Ross and thinks Ross will “break it in the first game, for sure.”

Davis said that he has a “pretty good relationship” with Ross, working out with him a couple times and giving him advice if Ross ends up following in Davis’s footsteps overseas. “[I’ve been] letting him know how things would work if the NBA didn’t pan out immediately — what to expect from playing in Europe at a high level, which he will do,” Davis said.

Davis said the relatively short period of time he will have the scoring record is a testament to the Pepperdine program.

“It took 30 years for somebody to break it the first time,” Davis said, referring to when he set the alltime mark. “And then it took only five years for somebody to break it the second time.

So, I think that goes to show not only the evolution of basketball but the evolution in talent that Pepperdine’s been able to get and retain.”

Although Pepperdine has undergone a coaching change since Davis graduated, replacing Marty Wilson with Lorenzo Romar, Davis said he credits the new coaching staff with making him feel welcome.

“Coach Romar and his staff have done an impeccable job,” Davis said. “They’ve opened up the campus to me and other alumni.”

Davis said he returns to the Pepperdine gym from time to time to shoot or work with Pepperdine’s strength coaches, adding that it was a “resource” to have access to facilities stateside.

Although he has ended up a long way from Malibu, Davis said he has no regrets about his professional career.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Davis said. ____________________ PAX TON.R ITC HEY@PEPPER DINE.EDU