Pepperdine Graphic 1-23-2020

THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC VOLUME XLIX

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ISSUE 11

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JaNUARY 23, 2020

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pepperdine-graphic.com

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Fr o m S p o r ts:

Swim and Dive head coach departs university after investigation A li Le v e n s staf f wr i t e r

Photo By Julie Lee | Staff Writer Photo Illustration By NAtalie Rulon | creative director Im-PEACH-ment | Members of SGA vote at their first Senate meeting of the Spring 2020 semester. An impeachment took place in the Fall of 2019, though the member in question has not been confirmed.

SGA Held Impeachment Trial in Fall of 2019 K y l e Mc c a be N e w s a s s is ta n t e dito r

The Student Government Association held an impeachment trial in the fall of 2019 that reached a vote in the Senate, according to an anonymous source. No members were removed from office. In an email, SGA’s Executive Board collectively declined to comment on the details of “any possible im-

peachment(s).”

“I’m not going to confirm or deny that it was [the member in question] who was impeached,” SGA President Meredith McCune said.

“I know that rumors can go everywhere. And there’s not a lot of truth to what I have been hearing from the rumors.”

McCune later declined to comment whether an impeachment even occurred.

“I’m not confirming that there was an impeachment process,” McCune wrote in an email. “I am confirming that if allegations are made questioning whether or not a senate member is fulfilling their constitutional duties,

then a process is taken involving the senate and SGA advisor. This process ensures that the accused senate member is indeed fulfilling their constitutional duties, or could be removed from office if they are not fulfilling their duties.”

As the 4–9 Swim and Dive team nears the end of their season, they are adjusting to a change in staff after the departure of their head coach. Second-year Head Coach Joe Spahn is no longer with the team.

Spahn’s departure follows an investigation led by the university. Previous Assistant Coach Jessica Mosbaugh also departed from the coaching staff during the season. Both names have been removed from the Swim and Dive website.

University officials emailed a statement to The Graphic about the dismissal of Spahn: “While neither the University nor its employees can comment on private employment matters, the investigative committee was not involved in any decision regarding Joe Spahn’s role as head coach of the Women’s Swimming and Diving team.”

Director of Athletics Steve Potts also responded in a similar fashion: “While the University cannot comment on private employment matters, Pepperdine Athletics takes seriously any concerns or allegations brought forward by student-athletes and investigates them appropriately and thoroughly.”

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Pepperdine comes together to honor the Rev. King’s legacy and life through service Emily Shaw New s a ssista n t In February of 1968, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his last sermon at Ebenzer Baptist Church that the definition of greatness is found in those who serve others.

On the 25th anniversary of the national day of service honoring the life and legacy of Civil Rights leader King, the Pepperdine Volunteer Center (PVC) partnered with the Upsilon Chi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., for community service Jan. 20.

Assistant Director for the PVC Anthony Rivero said the center plans a service event for the MLK Day of Service annually. This year, the PVC served the community at Walgrove Elementary School in Inglewood.

Eric Johnson-Greer, fifth-year senior and chapter president of Alpha Phi Alpha, said the service opportunity at Walgrove Elementary School blended together the three aims of his fraternity: manly deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind.

“We’re doing community service to enhance a learning environment for children for them to pursue their scholarship at their level, helping motivate the youth to grow and learn, which I think everybody can find inspiration in,” Johnson-

Greer said.

Rivero said they plan to discuss the meaning of “a day on, not a day off” at the service event.

“Service is an expansive term,” Rivero said. “It isn’t just serving that one day. We like to say awareness, action, advocacy. So it’s awareness to systemic issues, advocating for those issues to your peers and then action.”

Johnson-Greer said during the service event his fraternity had a platform to speak about the life, works and legacy of King.

King was initiated as a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha’s Boston College chapter in 1952. Johnson-Greer said his fraternity’s unique and special connection with King inspired him to pursue a partnership with the PVC to help grow the service event and also get more student groups involved.

Although Alpha Phi Alpha has engaged in events celebrating King every year in the past, Johnson-Greer said he hopes his fraternity’s partnership with the PVC on the national day of service will become an annual tradition.

“We’re here on our campus, so we want to utilize it to create a form of programming that brings people together,” Johnson-Greer said.

Johnson-Greer said he reached out to many student groups, such as the Black Student Association, the Greek community and others

News

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King was initiated as a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha’s Boston College chapter in 1952.

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The average marriage age has increased to 27.8 for females and 29.8 for males in 2018 from 21.8 and 24.2, respectively, in 1978.

the thewaves wavesreport report

to do service alongside his fraternity. He looked forward to bridge and unite the different communities and student groups on campus during the day of service.

“If other student groups are [at the service event], then we’d be able to be doing stuff alongside people and meeting new friends and just helping to stimulate the interconnectedness of the different communities here on campus,” Johnson-Greer said. “That’s one of the big themes that’s going around in the Greek life community and one of the points of emphasis that we’re trying to drive forward.”

The Pepperdine chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. chose to serve this Monday on MLK Day by partnering with the Lambda Omega chapter of their sorority in Pasadena, rather than with the PVC. Karrington Baisden, junior and treasurer of Alpha Kappa Alpha, said her sorority collected toddlers’ clothing and donate them to the Union Station Homeless Services as part of their tradition to volunteer on MLK Day. The Black Student Association (BSA) was also at the service event.

Their mission is to “promote unity and cultural awareness, as well as to open the Pepperdine community to the unique and universal qualities and traits of Black cultures,” according to Peppervine.

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“... the reality is that one’s choice of religion is not dependent upon the opinions of others...”

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“Creating a Department of Parking [...] would relieve stress caused by Pepperdine’s current parking catastrophe.”

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ali levens |Page designer “We support what the Alphas do; this was a great opportunity to partner with them,” senior and co-president of BSA Olivia Robinson said. “Education is something that’s really important to us and BSA, especially when it comes to inner city communities and schools.”

Robinson said service is a great way to continue King’s legacy “[King] was someone who radically fought for justice and was really someone who is for the people through service,” Robinson said. “[Service] really breaks down the barriers that would cause people to be separate otherwise and brings them together for an opportunity

SP ORTS

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Pepperdine students of renowned classical guitarist Christopher Parkening performed at the Malibu Public Library on Jan.

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On average, students are involved in three activities outside of school.

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Pepp hosted the secondannual California Strong Celebrity Softball Game on Jan. 12.

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Women’s Basketball fell to LMU at home in their only game of the week.

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to do good for others, and that’s something that really embodies the spirit of Martin Luther King.”

More Than a Day off and Not Just “I Have a Dream” Rivero said not enough people know MLK Day is a national day of service.

“I feel like we get caught into a world of busyness and stress [and forget to] to stay present in the moment and understand that this day was meant for others and partnership with the community,” Rivero said.

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this we e k o n the g rap h T he g r ap hi c’s Ne ws P o d c ast

Meet the News team Introducing the members of the PGM news team for the Spring 2020 semester, and the stories they covered for week one of the Graphic.

Listen anywhere you listen to podcasts.

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THE DPS REPORTS

Stop the polarizing political videos

Ch a n n a S tein m e t z E x e c u t i v e e dit or I continue to see polarizing videos as the United States’ political climate grows into a bigger headache every day. It starts with a zealous liberal or conservative person who attends an event — a Trump rally, pride parade, women’s march, anti-abortion protest — with people who share radically different views.

They interview participants of these events, clearly in disagreement with the purpose behind the gathering — whether that is shown through the clothing they wear to the event or the way they frame a question.

People who to go to a Bernie Sanders rally with a Make America Great Again hat or an anti-abortion protest with a shirt that reads “My body, my choice” are going to get some hostile responses.

These types of events are driven by passion.

The interviewer then creates and publishes a video, edited to depict those with opposing views to be aggressive, difficult or uneducated. They cherry-pick interviews and make a compilation of the most extreme.

It worries me that some viewers consider these individuals as ethical journalists and their videos as accurate news. A journalist’s job is to share perspectives honestly and fairly, not to frame everyone who attends these events in a certain light.

These videos add to political polarization. They feed into confirmation bias and cause us to hate the other side(s).

In high school, I was an active member of my school’s anti-abortion club. I truly believed that what the club was fighting for was just. In college, I have done a 180 and strongly believe in a woman’s right to an abortion. It is important to note that even though I have been on both sides of the spectrum, I still battle with understanding those who disagree with me today.

Civil discourse is not easy. Aggravating people is easy. Genuinely listening to listen — not to change someone’s mind or ridicule them — is difficult. The more divided we get, the more impossible those conversations feel.

So let’s start communicating now.

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

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Crime: Assault/Battery Domestic Violence Location: Drescher Parking Lot S

This week In SGA

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1/9/20 4:43 p.m.

Crime: Larceny/Theft, Petty Theft - Misc.

Location: Drescher Campus Parking Structure

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1/13/20 4:51 p.m.

Crime: Fire/Hazards - Gas Leak Outside Location: Hall 17 - Richard H. Banowsky

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Crime: Traffic Related - Hit and Run, Non-Injury Accident Location: Huntsinger Circle

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1/16/20 5:23 a.m.

Crime: Alcohol Related/ Non-Criminal - Possession of Alcohol on Campus (Adult) Location: Lovernich Student (Seaver) Apartments, B Block

Passed an advocacy resolution to provide free exam booklets to students Held a constitutional review, voting on potential amendments to the Constitution, which will be officially ratified once approved by two-thirds of students

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Contributing to the renovation of Elkins and the Sandbar; working on building a locker room for commuter students

UPCOMING EVENTS THIS SEMESTER What: Re elstor ies film fe s tiva l WheN: 1/ 3 1 Wher e: E l kins auditor ium

What: women’s basketball vs. saint mary’s Whe n : 2/1 whe re : fir estone fieldhouse

Wh at: w. davi d b ai rd distinguished l ec t u re, featur ing al ex i s b onnel l Wh e N: 2/4 wh e re : Elkin s au di t ori u m

W hat: men’s vol l ey b al l vs. u s c W he N: 2 / 1 4 w he r e : f i res t one f i el dhou s e

W hat: Men’s b as k et b al l vs. g onzaga W he N: 2 / 1 5 w he r e : f i res t one f i el dhou s e

c onvo c re dit and other e ve nts thi s w e e k FRI

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What: c e l ebr ation chapel When: 10 a.m.

Wher e: Amphitheater

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What: spanish chapel When: 10:10 a.m.

Where: stauffer chapel

What: A r abic chapel When: 1 p.m.

Wher e: P LC 104

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wh at: Ger ma n C hap el Wh e n: 10 a.m .

Wh e re : Stau f f er C hap el

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W he r e : f i res t one f i el dhou s e

wh at: The r oad t o t he u.s. house of r e p res entat i ves Wh e n: noon Wh e re : dr esc her c amp u s

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W hat: J ewi s h c u lt u re c l u b C onvo W he n: 6: 1 5 p. m.

W he r e : T C C 1 1 2 W hat: T edx p ep p erdi ne W he n: 1 P. M. w he r e : s mot hers t heat re

What: S teep canyon ra n ge rs When: 8 p.m.

Wher e: Smother s Theatr e

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Students try to start Latina sorority g r ac e w ood new s ass i sta n t Two Pepperdine sophomores formed a bond over much more than their shared experience as transfer students.

Melissa Mejia and Isabella Mendoza are roommates in Eden House, but soon after moving in, the two realized their passion for Latino culture connected them on a deeper level.

Both Mejia and Mendoza are involved in the Latino Student Association (LSA) on campus. However, after attending the “Meet the Chapters” event for Pepperdine sororities, the two roommates, along with three other friends, decided to explore the possibility of starting a new Latina sorority at Pepperdine.

“When we went to the sorority thing, we liked some sororities, but we just didn’t feel like our culture was being represented,” Mejia said. “We just feel like there needs to be more diversity …

And I mean, I like my Latina culture, so I would like to see more of a representation here.”

This lack of representation stems from the statistic that in the fall of 2019, Pep-

perdine reported that Seaver College is comprised of 14% Latino students.

“It’s not that much,” Mendoza said. “Especially since California is, like, [largely] Hispanic.”

Similar to how the Black Student Association collaborates with historically Black groups on campus like Alpha Kappa Alpha and Alpha Phi Alpha, Mendoza and Mejia said their potential new sorority would work closely with LSA. “We were thinking of having like a ‘Hermanas Unidas’ type of thing with LSA, where we could meet weekly and keep that interest going until the Latina sorority comes about,” Mejias said.

“We want to create a sisterhood within [LSA] because they’re going to be related,” Mendoza said. “I know that the Alphas do a lot of things with BSA — like, they kind of collaborate — so we would collaborate.”

Mendoza added that the existence of a Latina sorority could help non-white students find a sense of kinship.

“I think there is a problem with diversity here, but a great way to solve that would be to make the minorities here feel more

courtesy of melissa Mejia Something New | Melissa Mejia and Isabella Mendoza embrace in San Francisco. The roommates originally bonded over their shared Latino culture. at home,” Mendoza said. “I don’t think that there’s a lot of things here for that, besides [the Black Student Association] and LSA, [which] are student-run … So I just thought it would be a great opportunity to form a community.”

The group of students reached out to a national Latina sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha, in September in hopes of starting a chapter at Pepperdine. Despite their efforts, the response

from LTA was not what they hoped to hear back.

In a December email, LTA wrote that “Pepperdine University does not meet with [their] sorority’s required criteria for continued expansion … It’s essential that new charter chapters are established universities where the student population can sustain the future membership of said chapter.”

“I guess it’s just like the lack of diversity here; that there’s not a lot here to keep

[the sorority] going,” Mejia said. “And I guess we have to find more freshman interest, because right now, we have sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in it, but we haven’t been looking a lot for freshmen … I guess [LTA is] just worried that it wouldn’t go on after it started.”

Undeterred by this setback, Mejia and Mendoza said they want to continue their efforts to start a Latina sorority.

“I think for me, you kind

of have to start somewhere,” Mendoza said. “So I understand there’s not a lot of diversity here, but I think that what we’re trying to do is create a space where Latinos can feel at home here …

I think I was kind of discouraged by [LTA’s response], but also motivated to find another group that’s going to let us do it.”

Mejia said she is currently in contact with another national Latina sorority, Sigma Lambda Gamma, in hopes to get the ball rolling on starting a chapter at Pepperdine.

Mendoza said she is the driving force for starting a Latina organization is to show potential Latino students they have a place at Pepperdine.

“I think what will come of a [Latina sorority] is us going back to our communities and being like, ‘[Pepperdine] was a really great school, you should go here, there’s a community for us,” Mendoza said. “So I think just getting the word out and really emphasizing the importance of this [sorority] is important; this isn’t just some club that we’re trying to start — it really is going to create change.”

GR AC E.W OOD@PEPPER DINE.EDU

IMPEACHMENT: SGA held trial in 2019 F R OM A 1 Vice President of Finance Chase Johnson wrote in an email that an impeachment did occur in the fall of 2019.

“After meeting with my fellow SGA executive board members, we have decided that we would like to comment on the impeachment trial that occurred last semester as a group,” Johnson wrote.

A member of SGA who spoke with the Graphic on the condition of anonymity said the impeachment reached a vote in the Senate.

Article IX of the SGA Constitution outlines the

process for impeachment.

Two members of the Senate or Executive Board must file a formal statement to the Judicial Council chair, who takes the statement to the SGA president. The council chair and president meet to decide if there is cause for impeachment, and if so, the Senate votes on removal at the next regular Wednesday meeting.

The Wednesday meetings are weekly meetings of the Senate where a Senate vote on impeachment would occur.

However, none of the minutes of last semester’s Wednesday meetings contain mention of an impeach-

ment trial.

The anonymous source said he was unsure why the Senate vote would not appear in the meeting minutes.

SGA’s Executive Board declined to comment in response to six of seven questions in an email to the Graphic. The questions asked for comment from the Executive Board, why they would not comment, how far along in the impeachment process the trial went, whether it is correct terminology to say a member was impeached but not removed from office, the frequency of SGA impeachments and what the impeached member was accused of doing.

“SGA’s Executive Board will not be commenting on the details of any possible impeachment(s),” the Executive Board members wrote.

The only outlier was in response to a question about if the SGA Constitution restricted members from commenting.

“The SGA Constitution does not restrict SGA members from commenting on any topic,” the Executive Board members wrote.

The anonymous source shared an explanation for the Executive Board’s refusal to comment.

“A goal of SGA is to remain confidential as possible, and balance that inter-

est of being the students representatives, with also being made up of students that deserve privacy in their own lives as well,” the anonymous source said.

McCune and the other SGA members passed an amendment Wednesday eliminating language in the SGA constitution that calls for a special election in the case of an impeachment.

Special elections would still be held to approve amendments to the constitution if Pepperdine students vote to ratify the amendment to Article VIII subsection D. “In [Article VIII subsection D], it said that a vote needed to be conducted by

the student body to remove someone from office, but that’s just that’s not true,” McCune said. “That’s not what the rest of the Constitution [Article IX] says.”

There is no mention of a special election in Article IX. “Across all of the Constitutional amendments, [the committee] focused a lot on clarity and redundancy,” the anonymous source said.

“So every year, a committee meets to go over every part of the Constitution. And so any conflicting parts or any parts that could be better explained were reviewed.”

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

MLK: King’s legacy continued through service F R OM A 1 Both Rivero and Johnson-Greer agreed that not enough people know the depth of the work of King and fail to acknowledge the scale of the Civil Rights Movement.

“I think until you really see [the past], or you really reflect back on it, you don’t appreciate [the present] as deeply as you would,” Johnson-Greer said. “So that’s what I think people miss. It’s not just ‘I Have a Dream.’ It’s that we struggled and fought for a dream that we’re still fighting today together.”

Johnson-Greer said at Pepperdine events like the MLK Wednesday Chapel that Pepperdine needs to acknowledge the whole truth, both the “happy” and “ugly” parts of what King fought for and against to better honor his life and legacy.

He thinks it would be especially meaningful if the school talked about how inequality and prejudice is still seen today, showing how King’s legacy affects everyone and how equality is still something people are fighting for.

“[King] was trying to lift [a marginalized people] up to be at the same platform as others, and in that and trying to make us all seen as one, he was fighting for all people,” Johnson-Greer said.

Robinson echoed Johnson-Greer’s emphasis on acknowledging the entire truth of the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Although people often mistakenly view King’s emphasis on nonviolence and love as submissiveness, Robinson wants people to recognize that this was not the case and that King was actually a radical leader who stood for justice.

“That’s why he was seen as a threat — not because he wanted everyone to feel good and feel as though they could stay within their comfort zone,” Robinson said.

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Rivero said a way for people to continue honoring and celebrating King’s legacy beyond this Monday can be through service.

The first service opportunity was Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week,

which was be Jan. 20 to Jan. 24. Last year, the week occurred in November; however, this year, the PVC changed the usual times of the Week of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness with the Week of Peace Hope Justice.

The PVC swapped the timing of the two weeks due to scheduling conflicts with the sophomore San Francisco trip and the Intercultural Affairs office. The PVC wanted to collaborate with all of their on-campus partners and therefore had to consider others’ calendars as well. They plan to continue this same schedule in the future for their two awareness weeks, according to Rivero.

The Week of Hunger and Homelessness kicks off with the MLK Day of Service. On Tuesday, the PVC showed a documentary about food waste, and then the Food Recovery Network talked about how they combat food waste at Pepperdine.

On Wednesday, the Pepperdine community can participate in a simulation for world hunger at the Hunger Banquet. The following day, students can donate some of

their meal points at a tabling event that the PVC collaborated on with Swipe Out Hunger.

“The narrative that isn’t necessarily fully touched upon in popular Pepperdine culture is that some of our friends that we know may not know where their next meal is,” Rivero said. “There are food pantries stationed all throughout the university, but then there’s also programs like Swipe Out Hunger that can also help.”

Last, the PVC will partner with the Pepperdine Art Club for an artistic event Friday, Jan. 24. The Pepperdine community will paint bowls to illustrate the number of households that experience food insecurity.

“We want everyone to come out if they’re available,” Riveo said. “We want to make these moments as collaborative as possible, so if there are people who want to add to the pot, we are more than open to adding new things and adding different ways to serve.”

Beyond the Day and the Week Robinson said when con-

courtesy of eric johnson-greer Alphas in Action | Eric Johnson-Greer, Ikechukwu Egwuonwu, Justus Bell and Devin Bristow show their fraternity sign and enthusiam after completing a day of community service Jan. 20. sidering how the Pepperdine community can carry on King’s legacy beyond MLK Day, people should think about breaking down the ideologies that reinforce the systematic separation of people and are a threat to integration and diversity.

She continued to say that recognizing and understanding our biases, prejudices and utilizing one’s own privilege to uplift and get to know others is how people can break down

those structures.

“If we relinquish our reliance on those privileges by acknowledging their existence, and then using their existence to bring up others around us and break down the barriers that cause others to not have that same privilege,” Robinson said.

“That involves being able to see the humanity in others, despite the barriers that we might see visibly or we might think in our minds.”

EM ILY.C.SHAW @PEPPER DINE.EDU

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engaged students fulfill ‘ring by spring’ cliche v er nie c ovarrubias new s as si sta n t While most Pepperdine seniors prepare for an upcoming life milestone on graduation day, a select few are tossing a wedding into the mix.

The main [challenge] is having to figure out how our lives will come together at this very crossroads point in our lives. jay ogle, senior Seniors Jay Ogle, Julia Stratton, Annelise Adrian and Matt Freshwaters each became engaged during their time as college students, and all plan to get married within a few months of their graduation on May 2. Now they must balance their student lives with their new relationship statuses.

“The main [challenge] is having to figure out how our lives will come together at this very crossroads point in our lives,” Ogle said.

Ogle said being engaged and planning a wedding has not interfered with his studies.

“While it is kind of stressful — the whole money side of things and getting it all figured out — it’s super exciting,” Ogle said. “The minutiae and details only serve to cement the idea that this is the person you’re going to be spending forever with.”

Ogle and his fiancee have been dating for six years, the majority of which has been long distance, he said. “[Long distance] meant we had to be able to communicate more completely with each other about how we can support each other even though we’re 1,200 miles apart,” Ogle said. “I think that aspect of our relationship has made it so much stronger because it made us actually face the music as far as who we are and what we want.”

Stratton said she and her fiance have been engaged for slightly over a year.

“When you’re just dating someone, you dream of a future with them,” Stratton said, “but it’s also hypothetical, so you still have to plan out your life on your own.

But when you get engaged, it’s like, ‘We’re a unit now.’”

At Pepperdine and other Christian colleges, the concept of “Ring by Spring” is well known but not practiced by the majority of students.

Stratton said she acknowledges the unique situation of being a college student on the verge of marriage.

“Sometimes I feel very distant from my friends

because I try to explain a struggle or something that I’m having and they’re like, ‘Yeah, I don’t get it,’” Stratton said. “It’s crazy that one thing can just put you in a completely different life stage as people who are your exact same age.”

Stratton and other engaged students are breaking the norm. The percentage of married young adults has declined.

In 2018, 30% of people between the ages of 18 and 34 were married, according to a U.S. Census Bureau study.

However, 59% were married in 1978, 40 years prior. It is important to note that the average marriage age has increased to 27.8 for females and 29.8 for males in 2018 from 21.8 and 24.2, respectively, in 1978.

Engaged since September, Adrian and Freshwaters said they met while studying abroad during their sophomore year.

“When we started dating, we were both in the same mindset of what we thought dating should be,” Adrian said. “Once we really spent a lot of time together and got to know each other, we were like, ‘We want to spend our lives together.’”

The couple said through their relationship they have come to understand how they are in a unique situation that others may not always approve of.

“From other people’s perspectives, some people are going to think [getting engaged is] crazy,” Freshwaters said. “But some people are going to be super happy for

courtesy of annelise adrian Scenic Proposal | (top) Matt Freshwaters proposed to Annelise Adrian on Sept. 20. The couple met during their abroad program in Lausanne. (bottom) Julia Stratton shows off her ring just after getting engaged in 2018. The couple plans to get married three weeks after graduation on May 30.

courtesy of julia stratton you, and you just need to expect every different reaction you can possibly get.”

Adrian said she looks for-

ward to hitting two major life milestones in one year.

“Finding that person — there’s no timeline,” Adrian

said. “There’s no universal, acceptable age to get married. But we feel ready.”

V ER NETTA.C OVAR R UBIAS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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Pepperdine celebrates the life of Michael Zakian lindsey sullivan ass i s tant news e dit or Students, faculty, family and friends mourn the loss of Michael Zakian, who served the Pepperdine community for over 25 years as director of the Weisman Museum and Art History professor.

Zakian, 62, died of pancreatic cancer Tuesday, Jan. 14.

Members of the Pepperdine community and others celebrated his life at his funeral service Monday, Jan. 19.

Rebecca Carson, managing director of the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, attended Zakian’s funeral after working with him for over 15 years.

“I was so touched at how many people were [at the funeral], including lots of members of the Pepperdine community, and many of his current and former students,” Carson said. “It was a very sad day to say goodbye to him but also just so exciting to see people from throughout various years of his time here at Pepperdine being able to be together and celebrate him.”

Bryan Keene, adjunct professor of Art History and former student of Zakian, said he was especially impacted

by Zakian’s presence in his life as a professor and friend.

“Michael [was] the most incredible kind of person because he was, of course, a consummate professional, brilliant art historian, remarkable writer, but above all, he loved people and wanted to know about you, how you’re doing and what your outlooks are, thoughts of the day are, and that’s what I will really miss,” Keene said.

Keene took over his art class in the fall of 2019 as Zakian’s conditions worsened.

When the two discussed the intentions for the class in an email conversation, Keene said he was struck by a statement Zakian made about the importance of teaching art to the next generation.

“He was so legacy-driven,” Keene said. “The way he

I think the most important thing about Michael, from my viewpoint, is his vision for artistic excellence that was greater than anything we could have imagined.

Marnie Mitze Former Director of the lisa smith wengler Center for the Arts thought about teaching, the way he thought about people. He had this way about him that could instill a kind of fear, not out of terror, but out of real reverence and

courtesy of ron hall Home is Where the Heart is | Zakian shares a smile on the steps inside the Weisman Museum, home to many of Zakian’s curated art exhibitions. His final exhibit on Rodin is on display until late March. awe, but he was so equally driven by generosity and compassion.”

Marnie Mitze, former director of the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, vice president, and chief of staff, said Zakian’s work elevated the museum to a world-class standard.

Mitze said during Zakian’s 25 years as director of the Weisman Museum, he ran all of the museum’s operations almost single-handedly, researching, collecting and curating art exhibitions that put Pepperdine on the map.

“I think the most important thing about Michael, from my viewpoint, is his vision for artistic excellence that was greater than anything we could have imagined,” Mitze said.

Robert Williams, profes-

sor and divisional dean of Social Science also spoke of Zakian’s success as museum director and art curator.

“I think he was imaginative in the way he put exhibitions together; he came up with some really interesting themes,” Williams said. “He also did more than most people, more than most museum curators even think to [do] to sort of discover, or bring to the fore, relatively unknown artists.”

Mitze said Zakian’s brilliance was rooted in his ability to excite anyone about art and art history.

“I think that was part of his magic, is that everything seemed simple when Michael explained it,” Mitze said. “And that was only because he knew his subject matter so thoroughly.”

In addition to his success as a museum director and professor, many people mentioned how Zakian impacted the lives of community members on a personal level.

Junior Emily Knight worked with Zakian during his last months at the museum and said he became a kind of mentor in her life for art and inspiration.

“He was just this person that gave out this energy and gave out these ideas,” Knight said. “He always wanted to talk about it intellectually. I would show him my paintings, and he would be like, ‘Oh, you do realism! What does this mean?’ he really pushed me. He was an amazing person, so willing and wanting to talk to people.”

Zakian’s art is currently on display at the Skidmore

Contemporary Art gallery in Santa Monica, owned by his wife, Lia Skidmore.

“I think it’s just worth noting what a beautiful relationship [Zakian] had with Lia,” Williams said. “They were a great pair.”

Zakian’s final curated exhibition, featuring the work of Rodin, is currently on display in the Weisman and will be until the end of March.

Knight worked during the opening night of the exhibit and said many people came to observe and honor Zakian’s life and work.

“It was nice to see so many people that would come up to me and say, ‘I was a friend of Michael’s.’ They all came to see his work because he was just a light that people were drawn to.”

L INDSEY.SUL L IVAN@PEPPER DINE.EDU

SGA plans for spring semester at first meeting julie l ee new s ass i sta n t Pepperdine’s Student Government Association (SGA) continues to work on goals it set last semester and passing a new set of resolutions.

SGA conducted its biannual constitutional review and passed an advocacy resolution for free exam booklets at its first meeting for the spring semester on Wednesday, Jan. 15. in the Thornton Administrative Center.

The SGA Senate voted on potential amendments to its Constitution, including making only SGA class officers eligible to vote on resolutions. This would nullify the voting privileges of the executive board members, except in the case of needing to break a tie. Another proposed amendment dictates that the term for sophomore, junior and senior class senators will commence immediately following election as opposed to commencing at the end of the spring semester. “[The Constitutional Review is key for] providing clarity to some gray areas in the [SGA] constitution,” Vice President of Administration Natalia Escobedo wrote in an email. “The constitution is a living document, so keeping it as clear cut as possible is key for future SGAs to continue to function smoothly.”

SGA emailed students these proposed changes to the SGA Constitution on Thursday, Jan. 16. Students voted on them during Special Elections on Wednesday, Jan. 22. An amendment can be passed upon approval by

two-thirds of the students voting.

SGA also passed an exam booklet resolution that would provide free SGA-branded exam booklets to students.

The advocacy resolution was

The Constitution is a living document.

Natalia escobedo, Vp of administation authored by Freshman Class Senator Jacob Zanca and Vice President of Finance Chase Johnson.

“Paid exam booklets are an unnecessary irritant that SGA is in a position to relieve, as we can centralize their distribution and ensure that students pay nothing for them,” Zanca wrote in an email.

Freshman SGA representatives held a town hall during the fall semester to gather student opinions and share suggestions with their representatives. According to data Zanca collected at the town hall, 52% of the surveyed freshmen agreed the added cost of examination booklets was a top irritant.

“I personally am very excited about the proposed SGA-funded exam booklets because it is a really

good way for SGA to provide students directly with something tangible to show where their student life fee is going,” Escobedo wrote.

“When passing other kinds of advocacy resolutions, sometimes the students will not notice how much change on campus comes from SGA, but I see this as a little token of some of the work we do with the campus life fee.” The Senate determined the amount of general fund money that will be allotted to the exam booklets and how many it will purchase at their meeting Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Johnson shared that SGA wants to continue to use the general fund to make students’ life easier. Last semester, it worked to extend the weekend hours of Payson Library by funding the additional operating cost. According to Escobedo, senators are hoping to build a locker area for commuter students that could be used to hold any belongings they want to store on campus. It is also contributing to the planned renovation of the Sandbar and Elkins auditorium. ” It’s our priority to make sure we use the general fund to enhance the lives of as many students as possible,” Johnson wrote in an email.

“From free food to close partnerships with other campus life organizations (such as The Board), we will make sure that SGA continues to use its budget to engage and expand our Pepperdine community.”

J U L I E . L E E @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

julie lee | staff writer Top of the Agenda | SGA discusses how to best review the Constitution for clarity and functionality. Members shared the importance of review Jan. 15.

Hannah lee |page designer

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The Graphic

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PERSPECTIVES

STAFF LIST

Elizabeth Brummer | Artist

STAFF EDITORIAL Parking solutions must be initiated As students return for the spring semester, talk of new schedules, routines and resolutions permeate campus. But one old problem remains: parking.

Students across all majors often complain of running late to class or driving around for 15 minutes before finding a spot. A survey of 174 Seaver students conducted by The Graphic in September 2019 found that approximately 24% of students wrote that Pepperdine should make “better” or “more parking” its top priority or a five-year goal, among other answers such as inclusion, improving gym facilities and sustainability.

Students hear of ideas, such as a parking garage, but there is a lack of action when it comes to this project. They are told to deal with it “for now” and get to campus 20 minutes early to park. But as every overcommitted Wave knows, that

is not always feasible. The university should prioritize parking so that “for now” turns into a possible future.

There are a few suggestions the Graphic offers to the university. A Graphic article in 2018 explored how other universities tackle on-campus parking. The article highlighted the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a university with a much larger number of students than Pepperdine, and Loyola Marymount University (LMU), a university similar in size to Pepperdine.

Unlike Pepperdine, both universities have some variation of a Department of Parking, separate from their Campus Safety Department.

The Graphic staff recommends Pepperdine create a Department of Parking that would be separate from DPS. This would allow a group of ad-

ministrators, whose sole purpose is to focus on parking, to create plans and initiatives along with starting an open dialogue with students.

The staff acknowledges that DPS is in charge of campus safety, crime and emergencies, so creating two departments would allow for concentrated attention.

At LMU, a valet system allows for more cars to fit into a designated space by using a stacked formation. The staff proposes a new Department of Parking at Pepperdine to offer a similar service to students. This would save time for students looking for spots and maximize car space on campus. Furthermore, it would create more job opportunities for student workers.

It is important to note that LMU students pay a $374.50 fee per semester. The university allocates these resources toward the construction of additional parking

spaces as well as the complementary valet service. It is possible that without a reallocation of existing resources and money, Pepperdine students may have to pay for a valet system.

A simpler and cheaper solution is to paint lines along the hillsides and streets to prevent awkward gaps between cars. This would guide students on exactly where to park and maximize the already available space. Just as Rho parking lot has painted lines, the streets should have its own version too.

Aesthetically, there may be some drawbacks, but it is a faster solution than others.

Ultimately, students should ask themselves if certain costs are worth the reduced stress that these solutions might offer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR To The Graphic: Betsy Devos on Campus

Editor’s Note: Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the author, and publication in the Graphic in no way represents an endorsement of any opinions published. This space is provided to allow public response and commentary on articles and issues that are covered by the Graphic and important to its readership. Letters to the Editor must be signed, 300 words or fewer and may be submitted to peppgraphicmedia@ gmail.com.

At the time of this writing, it’s been a week since our federal Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, was honored to speak at Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy [SPP]. As you have read in The Graphic, the event was part of the “Patricia Tagliaferri Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series.” It was not publicized, and it was open only to invited guests, which seems to have included select Pepperdine officials and SPP students. All I knew about the event until yesterday was what was written in The Graphic.

A little context: I am an associate professor of Education at Seaver. My colleagues and I prepare Seaver students to become teachers. Our students take a 34-unit course of professional study in education, in addition to their majors, including an entire semester of full-time student teaching.

When they finish our program, they earn a California teaching credential. You may have a friend in our program. Check us out.

No one associated with Seaver’s teacher preparation program was invited to the Secretary of Education’s talk. We did not even know it was happening. From what I’ve heard from administrators I trust, we were not intentionally excluded, just overlooked. Being overlooked by SPP is a problem solved with just a little respectful communication, and that has happened. All is good there.

A bigger problem is that being overlooked (or ignored) by education policymakers is something that education practitioners are used to. I do

believe that this problem is another one that can be solved with respectful communication, and this open letter is a request for such communication, starting with Seaver students, and ending with Ms. DeVos. First, I ask all Seaver students to respect the depth and complexity of teaching, to know that what you saw your own teachers doing for you and your friends is only the tip of the educational iceberg. Having been a student for many years does not make you an expert in education. Learn from reading, and learn from teachers. Learn how to question the slogans of politicians and policymakers, standardized test score reports and interpretations, expensive technology-dependent educational fixes, the influence of billionaire philanthropists, the involvement of for-profit private corporations in public schooling and anything flashy that promises to shake up education as we know it. Question and care why students of color and students from poverty are consistently under-served in educational policy and systems. If you become parents, support your own kids’ teachers, and support the teachers of other people’s kids. Understand that teachers are humans with expertise, talents, needs and lives. Understand that teachers’ working conditions are also students’ learning conditions.

Adulting is indeed hard, and I know that I’m asking you to take on an extra burden that you haven’t asked for. But life will be better for all the adults if all our children (not just our own) have access to rich, human, relationship-based teaching and high-quality educational opportunities.

Second, I ask students who are interested in “getting into education policy” to understand that education policy and education practice (teaching) are intimately involved. Do not be one of the all-too-common policymakers who come into education policy with minimal understanding of education practice and keep a protective distance from education practitioners. If you want to make good education policy, you must listen carefully,

widely and deeply to educators. That will take lots of wisdom because including educators’ perspectives will complicate what you may hear from fellow policymakers, business leaders, lawyers and lobbyists. It will take thick skin because educators are passionate about bringing good to their kids.

Better yet, learn what good education practice is for yourself in a serious teacher preparation program (not a five-week summer institute) and some thoughtful years in the profession before you get into education policy.

Third, to our own teacher preparation students and everyone who has made a commitment to serious teacher preparation, I see your courage, and I pray all the time that your courage will sustain you in the coming years. When you are faced with harmful education policy and practice — be it from federal, state, county, district or school site — may you keep to your moral purpose and do what you can to prevent harm to your students. Be ready to communicate to administrators, parents and even the federal Secretary of Education how education policy affects your teaching and your students’ learning. When your community misunderstands your work, and your country devalues your profession, remember that teaching students in a classroom is the essence of the Pepperdine trinity: service, purpose and leadership. Teaching students in a classroom is leadership.

And finally, to Ms. DeVos, I invite you to shadow some Seaver student teachers as they learn about educational practice. Spend some extended time in real public school classrooms with your sneakers on and your hair pulled back. Feel the struggle and hope that teachers feel. Listen to their concerns.

Don’t give up on public education. Reconnect education policy to education practice.

—Carrie Birmingham, associate professor of Education

ex ec u ti v e ed i to r C h a n n a Ste i n m e tz M anag i ng Ed i to r m a d e l e i n e ca r r d i g i tal ed i to r k ayi u w o n g c o py c hi ef B rya n t L o n e y c r eati v e d i r ec to r n ata l i e r u l o n New s Ed i to r James Moore New s As si s tant ed i to r s K yl e M cC a b e l i n d se y su l l i va n New s as si s tants v e r n i e c ova r r u b i a s e m i ly sh aw L i fe & Ar ts Ed i to r Sava n n a h W e l c h as si s tant L i fe & ar ts ed i to r M a r i a B e l e n I tu r r a l d e L i fe & Ar ts as si s tant Lauren Chivers l i fe & ar ts c o py ed i to r G r ace W o o d S p o r ts Ed i to r K a r l W i n te r s p o r ts ass i stant Tayl o r Gath e r P er s p ec ti v es Ed i to r Ca m ryn G o r d o n P er sp ec ti v es ass i stant A n i ti z M u o n ag o l u P er s p ec ti v es c o py ed i to r ti ffa n y h a l l pag e d es i g ner s hannah lee Ali levens ellia melin Da n i e l l a Si n g l e te r ry p o d c as t P r o d u c er Kaelin mendez Ar t Ed i to r M a d e l i n e D u va l l as si s tant ar t ed i to r s Ca i tl i n R oa r k A l ly A r m str o n g ar ti s ts e l i z a b e th b r u m m e r ga b by d i g i ova n n i p ho to ed i to r m i l a n l o i ac o n o G New s p r o d u c er m a r i sa d r ag o s P i x el Ed i to r G i a n n i Co cc h e l l a p r o m o ti o ns d i r ec to r hadley biggs adv er ti si ng D i r ec to r so n i r u saga r a Adv er ti s i ng m anag er m aya m cd o w e l l Ad r ep r esentati v e b rya n m u n g u i a MISSION STATEMENT “Pepperdine Graphic Media (PGM) is an editorially independent student news organization that focuses on Pepperdine University and the surrounding communities. PGM consists of the digital and print Graphic, a variety of special publications, GNews, Currents Magazine, social media platforms and an Advertising Department. These platforms serve the community with news, opinion, contemporary information and a public forum for discussion.

PGM strengthens students for purpose, service and leadership by developing their skills in writing, editing and publication production, by providing a vehicle to integrate and implement their liberal arts education, and by developing students’ critical thinking through independent editorial judgment. PGM participates in Pepperdine’s Christian mission and affirmations, especially the pursuit of truth, excellence and freedom in a context of public service. Although PGM reports about Pepperdine University and coordinates with curricula in journalism and other disciplines, it is a student (not a University) news organization. Views expressed are diverse and, of course, do not correspond to all views of any University board, administration, faculty, staff, student or other constituency.”

J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 2 0 | PE RS PE C TIVE S | P E P PE RD I N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Say Goodbye to Organized religion

A7 Start the year with a positive mindset

C amry n Gordon p ers p ec t i v e s E d ito r

Where some see religion, others may see exclusion, fear and even collapse. While religion is subjective, the latter postulate may be closer to reality than ever.

As millions of young people begin to reject traditional religious teachings due to incompatibility and misrepresentation, religious practice in the United States has declined to make the collapse of organized religion certain, according to a Pew Research report. As young people turn away from religion toward other forms of personalized spirituality, they are not just fighting back against the outdated traditions that religion carries, but they are deciding for themselves what and who can define faith.

Contrary to what the American public saw with the election of conservative President Donald Trump, where the majority of his support came from Christian Evangelicals, Christianity is slowly vanishing from mainstream American society.

However, this collapse of religion is not only affecting America’s Christian churches. Gallup reported earlier this year that “Americans who report belonging to a church, synagogue or mosque [is at] an alltime low, averaging 50%.”

Today, young people who are considered members of the millennial generation and Generation Z are the most non-religious generations to date. For one to be “non-religious,” however, they do not have to be atheists or have altogether abandoned the idea of God. At Pepperdine University, the thought of turning away from religion or God may startle some, but the reality is that one’s choice of religion is not dependent upon the opinions of others.

According to a Pew Research

anitiz muonagolu P e r s p e c t i v e s A s s i s ta n t

Caitlin Roark | Assistant Art Editor study, one main driving force in the fall of religious practice and belief among young people is the rising trust in common sense for guidance rather than religion.

In a world where religion reigns supreme in many aspects of life, it can simultaneously be shocking and comforting to know that common sense is being prioritized. But it also begs the question, is religion not sensible?

Well, for many, religion is not common sense. As America continues to endure decades of political discord and the emergence of new ideas (such as gender identity and increased diversity) that impact culture, religion now finds itself maligned for its exclusive beliefs and tendencies, forcing people to choose between religion and other people.

As students on campus and members of society, we are witnessing these cultural changes firsthand. But where are people turning

to if not religion or spirituality?

With the decline of organized religion, astrology has seen a sudden increase in popularity.

Astrology is the tracking of certain planetary and star movements to help explain humans interactions. While correlation is not causation, it is reasonable to say that young people have begun to turn toward other forms of belief, like astrology, to fill the gap that religion once held. With an ability to fit individual needs and supply answers and explanations for obscure events, religion now finds itself competing with astrology.

So with the recent increase of popularity in other forms of divination, where does that leave organized religion? Should organized religion be removed from social institutions?

Everyone needs something to believe in, something that explains what oftentimes seems inexplicable, something that can provide

comfort in times of need. For millions of people across many generations, religion has been this safe haven of belief. However, as the world witnesses a shift from religiosity, it leaves many who are devoutly religious questioning their identity in American culture.

Whether one finds themselves regularly attending mass, church, synagogue or temple, or if one only believes in planetary movements’ impact on people, or alternates between organized religion and astrology, it is not up to anyone to decide for others where their individual beliefs fit.

Pepperdine University’s campus is majority Christian, but that simple fact does not negate the beliefs of anyone who may follow another religion or type of explanatory prophecy. There is a responsibility that students on campus have to decide for themselves the future of their beliefs.

C AM RYN.GOR DON@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Thunberg’s loss continues to inspire followers

alex is scanlon staf f wr iter

Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish activist, is quickly taking the world by a climate change-induced storm. It is not a surprise that she received a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. With her spirit of change and her drive for climate awareness, Thunberg should have received this award despite her youth and environmentally based platform.

Thunberg is a more controversial activist than most because she is so young and captures the world’s attention so quickly. She is straight forward in her message of urgency to act on climate change and has received the backing of many left-wing politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

This direct activism is essential to making political progress on climate change, and Thunberg’s active hand in raising awareness deserved more recognition from the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Pepperdine students are familiar with using their voices and taking activism into the hands of the young people. Whether it is utilizing the Freedom Wall or creating petitions to advocate for others, the students are using their voice to create change.

In her speech to the U.N. at the Climate Action Summit, Thunberg expressed her pain through refusing to believe that the world has come to understand the urgency of climate change because if it did, and continued not to act, it would be evil.

There is a disagreement surrounding whether or not environmentalism is considered a peace activity to warrant a Nobel Peace Prize.

Recipients in the past, such as Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai, have won under the pretenses

Madeline Duvall | Art Editor of environmentalism. Maathai won for planting millions of trees across Africa and sustainable developments toward peace. She was not disregarded because of her environmentalist focus.

Alister Doyle, a freelance journalist writing for Climate Home News, wrote of committee members and their beliefs that Thunberg is not qualified for the Nobel Peace Prize. Many believe that Thunberg is too young to receive this award.

The age of youth activism is dawning, and many do not know how to react. The threat of climate change causes students to reevaluate whether there is time to be silent.

Thunberg gives a voice to students across the world and encourages them to strike for the climate on Fridays. The Pepperdine Green Team, a sustainability club on campus, organized a student strike during the world climate strike motivated by Thunberg on Oct. 20.

Pepperdine students and faculty voiced their concerns about the planet and for their community. Thunberg’s call to action brings students together on an issue that has no regard for partisanship and affects everyone.

Aylin Woodward, a science and environment reporter, noted that a prominent argument to explain why she did not receive the award is

that there is not a scientific consensus on a correlation between climate change and armed conflict.

Many believe that the choice to award Abiy Ahmed the prize in 2019 is more in line with the vision of Alfred Nobel and the type of peacemaking he wanted to reward. This does not mean that climate change is not linked to peace, and this does not mean that there is not an urgency behind taking action.

Greta Thunberg is a fearless leader on the front of climate change and is inspiring those around her every day. Students can start a dialogue with the administration and become more informed on what this campus is doing to promote sustainable living. Students can also get involved with the Pepperdine Green Team (@pepperdinegt on Instagram) to be more aware of sustainable events on campus and learn different tools for grassroots environmentalism.

Community members must continue to voice our opinions so that future youth activists are met without prejudice and are given the global recognition they deserve. This is the time for urgency. This is the time for action.

L EX I.SC ANL ON@PEPPER DINE.EDU

With the start of a new decade just around the corner, many people are embracing the spirit of self-growth and fresh starts.

Being aware of one’s past and current aspirations can help one put their best foot forward in 2020 rather than starting anew. Everyone needs a clean slate to plow ahead to their desired future.

Psychologists have studied what’s known as The Fresh Start Effect, a phenomenon in which people tend to tackle their goals during time landmarks such as a new year, decade or birthday as defined by the Wharton School’s Management of Science.

New Year’s Resolutions are one of the most common and helpful ways in which people decide on self-improvement, despite not always being long-lasting. It is a chance to reflect and improve the future both personally and as a community.

Instances of inequality, abuse or inadequacy can stimulate people to find a chance to refresh and try to pursue more positivity in their environments.

Additionally, students at Pepperdine can look at their mistakes and stumbles from fall semester and find new and better ways to improve academically, spiritually and personally.

Furthermore, sometimes a fresh start begins to feel less fresh. People should picture the end goal and remind themselves of positive progress suggest another another article from Wharton University of Pennsylvania. This could be as small as congratulating oneself on resisting a late night food craving or picturing that A-plus on a midterm while studying.

New beginnings are superb ways to begin and maintain self-growth. They are also a way to improve and foster intrinsic motivation which in turn allows for more long-lasting positive change as explained by Greg Chertok with the U.S. News and World Report.

If anyone is looking for a time to change, grow or self-motivate, a fresh start may be the best way to begin. On-campus students have an amazing chance to be enveloped by faith, virtues and academics, so any chance to improve and progress should be welcomed.

Now is a better time than any to go to the gym, try out new study habits or just try to be more globally aware.

This can be done through organizational upkeep by starting a weekly calendar or performing your goals with a partner to keep you motivated.

Deciding to change is the first step to a clean slate. So enter this brand-new spring semester and try to envision improvement. Whether it is for a decade, year, month, week or even day, it’s never too late to embrace a better and newer self!

AJ.M UONAGOL U@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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LIFE & ARTS

Madeline Duvall | Art editor

Review: ‘Marriage Story’ Stands Out as a Beautiful Look at Modern Divorce C ar o l ine Sharp less S taf f Writ e r In December, Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” stunned traditional theater-goers when it was nominated for more Golden Globes than any other movie this year.

The Netflix Original film prevailed again this week with six Oscar nominations in most major categories, including Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Actor. Its success contributes to a monumental moment in history by helping Netflix secure the most nominations of any studio — a

first for a streaming service.

The gut-wrenching drama captures the destructive nature of divorce and cautions people to prioritize balance in their relationships. In an era where roughly half of all marriages end in divorce, most viewers will feel a personal connection to the film. Ultimately, anyone who has grown apart from someone close to them or seen the dissolution of something they once cherished can relate to this film.

Nominated for Best Actress, Scarlett Johansson’s performance as Nicole, an actress divorcing her director husband, is effortlessly captivating. In an almost sev-

en-minute monologue, she allows the audience to sit in the room with her and experience her pain.

Her raw display of emotion feels almost too real. Despite her independence, success and intelligence, Nicole feels forced to live in her husband’s shadow.

“Marriage Story” highlights a real problem new parents face: one party is allowed to follow their ambitions while the other is forced to wait patiently on the sidelines.

In this case, Nicole spends most of her marriage feeling obligated to fit into a mold of a selfless wife and mother. Eventually, she realizes her husband should not be the

sole controller of their life decisions. She sheds light on society’s tendency to suppress women by expecting them to be self-sacrificing mothers. Johansson’s performance is powerful because her strength in these scenes challenges the cliche of portraying divorcees as weak and fragile.

Adam Driver, Johansson’s counterpart, is equally compelling.

In theory, his character Charlie is someone viewers are all trained to hate. On paper, Charlie is egotistical, controlling and ill-tempered.

He also engages in an extramarital affair with their co-worker. Yet, Driver’s authentic emotions and

amiable quirks make the audience inexplicably engaged by his captivating character.

Despite his flaws, viewers are drawn toward his undeniable love for the couple’s 8-year-old son.

The audience cannot help but feel sorry for Charlie as he loses control, even though that control is damaging both Nicole and their marriage. Regardless, it is difficult not to hurt for him as his efforts to have a friendly and uncomplicated separation are annihilated at every turn. He is forced to watch his narrative become bent and twisted in the eyes of the law.

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Music students steal the spotlight at Malibu Public Library performance Savannah Welch Li f e & Arts E d itor Riffs and rhythms resonated within the halls of Malibu Public Library on Friday as Pepperdine Guitar Department students performed their first library showcase of the semester.

With Malibu community members in attendance, Professor Wesley Park kicked off the hour-long concert with a brief demonstration of classical guitar techniques. Covering a variety of strumming and plucking methods, Park highlighted harmonics and rhythms that produced a variety of tonal colors and resonance.

“We’ve especially enjoyed the demonstrations when there have been kids there to see how they work,” said Malibu Public Library Manager Melissa Stallings. “For us, it’s really exciting when kids get to see an instrument; this opens doors for them.”

Following the demonstration, five Music Department students showcased their talents by performing renditions of the works of famous composers.

With pieces from the likes of Handel, Bach and Debussy, the students showed

off their musical abilities.

Sophomore Wesley Ruby, who has studied classical guitar for nine years, said he came to Pepperdine specifically for the music program. A student of Distinguished Pepperdine Professor of Music and renowned classical guitarist Christopher Parkening, Ruby said studying with such amazing names in one place offers a unique experience in continuing his classical guitar training.

“It’s really fun,” Ruby said, “to be able to interact with locals and introduce them to something that they may not be one hundred percent comfortable hearing or some stuff that’s brand new to them.”

This performance coincides with a series of on and off-campus classical guitar performances by Parkening’s students. Concerts on campus take place in the Surfboard Room on the second Tuesday of every month, while local performances at the Malibu Public Library are scheduled for every second Friday. The first concert of the semester was on Jan. 14.

Parkening wrote how the Music Department’s relationship with the Malibu Public Library has been ongoing since

the fall 2015 semester.

In an email, Parkening wrote he hopes this tradition will continue into the future.

“We have a large attendance, including a number of young people,” he wrote. “When we demonstrate the classical guitar at the beginning of the concerts, oftentimes we allow the young people in the audience to strum a chord on a very historic and valuable José Ramirez guitar. And the parents so appreciate that.”

Parkening, who recently performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., has received significant recognition for his contributions to the music world. Having taught at Pepperdine since 2002, he wrote he is constantly inspired by his students.

“They work so hard and try to do everything that I teach them to do,” he wrote. “It is so gratifying to hear them improve week by week.”

Parkening will be leading an upcoming master class in Raitt Recital Hall on Saturday, Feb. 1.

S AVA N N A H.W EL C H@PEPPER DINE.EDU

courtesy of christopher parkening

savannah welch | life and arts editor Music in Malibu | Christopher Parkening stands with Vice President Mike Pence at the Kennedy Center (top). Joe Hertz performs at Malibu Public Library (bottom).

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P E P P E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | L IFE A N D A RT S | J A N U A RY 23 , 20 20

Is Overcommitment a good thing?

HadLey biggs pr om oti ons dire ctor Junior Erin Miller leans over her laptop, typing a paper that was due 15 minutes ago. It is 11 p.m. This is the first time she has had time to work on homework all day. She was in class in the morning and then had work in the Convocation office following her class. In the afternoon, she had to work on the schedule for the next Veritas meeting. She then had class until 10 p.m.

She is not the only one finding herself overwhelmed with commitments in college.

“Students are getting over-involved without having the opportunity to step back and see if they are over-involved,” said Connie Horton, vice president of Student Affairs at Pepperdine University.

On average, students are involved in three activities outside of school, according to a Pepp Post poll of 53 students.

There are a number of factors that contribute to students becoming overcommitted.

“There is an increasing feeling of the fear of missing out,” President Jim Gash said.

“Students will go choose to stay up late instead of going to bed because people are doing stuff. Students will also choose to get up early instead of sleeping in because people are doing stuff.”

According to the Pepp Post poll, 41 of the 53 students said they were overwhelmed by all of their commitments.

“For college students who are generally overcommitted individuals, sometimes it can feel like every day’s a fight to stay afloat,” alumnus Omar Murphy wrote in a Graphic op-ed.

Sociological Reason Behind Overcommitment Robin Perrin, a professor of Sociology at Pepperdine, weighed in on the sociological reason behind students

being involved in various activities on campus.

“The reason behind this is the development of the working world,” Perrin said.

“Because college is becoming more common, students need to find ways to make themselves marketable and unique to the working world.

That is why they feel the need to be overcommitted.”

Not all students said they feel this pressure to become overcommitted.

“When I came in freshman year, I did my best not to get involved in a lot of organizations,” junior Jessica Stomberg said. “I did not want to spread myself too thin, and I still don’t want to spread myself too thin.”

On Campus Resources Pepperdine has a number of resources to help students who are feeling overwhelmed.

One of the resources is the Counseling Center, located in the Student Assistance Center (SAC), above

the CCB. “Students come to the Counseling Center for a variety of concerns including homesickness, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, eating concerns and addictive behaviors,” according to the Counseling Center’s website.

The Student Wellness Advisory Board (S.W.A.B.) is another resource for students to turn to when feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

S.W.A.B. is an on-campus club committed to the wellness of students at Pepperdine.

“S.W.A.B. just completed mental health week, and we are currently tabeling for suicide prevention,” junior Allie Libman said. “If a student is feeling overwhelmed, we tell students to do what they need to do to make them feel less stressed. This can be hanging out with friends, reading, watching Netflix or anything else.”

“S.W.A.B. has many different ways for students to get plugged in to help them with their wellbeing,” First Lady of Pepperdine Joline Gash said. “Students can come pet therapy puppies when we have them on campus or come to our weekly art club meetings.”

Advice

Hadley biggs | promotions director Stress on Campus | Students work on projects in Payson Library. According to a poll, 41 of 53 students are overwhelmed by their commitments.

Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress.

For some people, it is diving into school work or hanging out with friends.

“When I feel stressed I go and workout,” junior Kim Brooking said. “I recommend people do what makes them happy. If they are happy being in seven clubs, great!

When they start to feel unhappy, that is when someone should reevaluate.”

Student Opinions | Students reflect on their responsibilities and the impact it has on their mental health in a recent poll.

Jim Gash said he agreed that students should figure out ways to handle stress due to overcommitment.

“When you are falling asleep in class, that is your body’s way of telling you that you are working too hard,” Jim Gash said. “Students need to pay attention to what their body is telling them.”

So What?

Sleep deprivation leaves people at an increased risk for mental health issues like anxiety and depression. It can also cause an increased mood swings and a number of other factors like stroke and heart disease, according to Colombia Neurology’s website.

“The biggest way overcommitment impacts a student is via sleep deprivation,” Horton said. “When things get busy, unfortunately the first thing to go is sleep. Sleep deprivation is linked to a number of mental health issues.”

“Even though I do not feel

I have taken on too much, I do get overwhelmed from time to time,” senior Alaina Sanchez said. “This causes me to get too in my head and makes me unable to do any work. It makes me shut down.”

Looking Toward the Future In his inaugural address, Gash said mental health is a crisis. He committed to creating a resilience and strength program that would help Pepperdine students deal with anxiety and depression.

This program is called RISE, or the Pepperdine Resilience-Informed Skills Education (RISE) Program. It plans to help students develop resilience skills and how to help themselves and their peers in times of troubles, according to its website.

For now, students can attend events with S.W.A.B. or go to the Counseling Center to help them with the stress of their commitments.

HADL EY.BIGGS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

MARRIAGE: A modern take on divorce FROM B1 Perhaps it is the audience’s tendency to empathize with Charlie that makes this story unique. It illuminates the legal system’s destructive and deceptive nature.

Alternatively, victimizing Charlie could be the film’s greatest downfall. Establishing Nicole as the innocent party while showing more of the story from Charlie’s

Above all else, this film is a love story between two artists and their craft. Charlie is an artist completely encapsulated by his work, where Nicole is one who is always eager to do more. point of view forces viewers to subconsciously overlook his emotionally-abusive tendencies. It is evident that Nicole places far more effort into her marriage and feels significantly more pain because of it. Still, Baumbach tends to victimize Charlie in most scenes.

Since the screenplay is loosely based on Baumbach’s own divorce, the story is controversially crafted to make viewers feel obligated to sympathize with Nicole while the structure of the scenes effortlessly compels viewers to sympathize with Charlie.

In a powerhouse role that commands no sympathy, Laura Dern manages to nab the film’s only Golden Globe win, Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Her character, Nora, Nicole’s attorney, is a feminist icon, but she also represents a massive problem with the divorce process. Nora starts an unnecessary war with Charlie, driving a wedge into his already rocky relationship with Nicole. “Marriage Story” does not shy away from showing its audience how profoundly bitter, damaging and draining the divorce process can be.

Perhaps what sets “Marriage Story” apart from every other typical divorce story is its Oscar-nominated score by Randy Newman. The songs he has created for this film are just as whimsical and playful as the “Toy Story,” “Monster’s, Inc.” and other Disney scores that he is famous for. The music’s cheerful tone juxtaposed with the somber subject matter reminds the audience that despite all the madness, this story starts with love and that same love, in some form, will always exist.

Above all else, this film is a love story between two artists and their craft. Charlie is an artist completely encapsulated by his work, where Nicole is one who is always eager to do more. She frequently expresses an interest in directing or producing, but Charlie selfishly dismisses her. Part of this is because his work is his one true love. He clearly prioritizes his play over his marriage, halting Nicole’s own dreams in the process.

Nicole’s acting ambitions are what finally gives her the push to remove herself from a toxic relationship. She may not have achieved a happily ever after with Charlie, but her separation from him grants her the freedom she needs in order to take a bigger role in her work. Their love for each other is simply not strong enough to overpower their passion for art. This element is what makes the film remarkably beautiful.

CA RO L I N E .S H A RP L E S S @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

Photos courtesy of Kyle Wurtz

Courtesy of netflix.com

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros

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J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 2 0 | L IFE A N D A RTS | P E P P E RD I N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Photos by Alex Neis | News Assistant Photos courtesy of macy scruggs Changes | Junior Macy Scruggs said her tattoos and piercings are a form of self-expression.

Along with her ten piercings, she has four tattoos with personal meanings tied to them.

Students consider effects of body modifications on career opportunities M elissa locke c ur r ents des i g n a ssista n t

Scruggs is just one of those responses.

When junior Sergio Velazquez sat down in the tattoo parlor, he was not thinking about how it would impact his career path, or what people would think of when they saw him. He was thinking about his family. A rising college sophomore at the time, Velazquez was getting ready to embark on his journey to Buenos Aires, where he would be away from his family for a year.

He had spent the past three months creating a tattoo that would allow him to display his love for his brothers and bring his family with him.

Once the needle touched his skin, however, he said he did think, “This is going to hurt,” but he does not regret it.

The International Journal of Innovative Research and Development found that “86% of young professionals did not think piercings and tattoos reduce the chance of getting jobs,” according to a Huffington Post article.

In comparison to the 38% of millennials with tattoos, only 32% of Generation X, 15% of baby boomers and 6% of the Silent Generation reported having tattoos, according to Douglas L. Keene and Rita Handrich in their article, “Tattoos, Tolerance, Technology and TMI: Welcome to the Land of the Millennials.”

“My mindset is if someone can’t respect my own personal choice or my personal body and it that offends them to the point where they can’t work with me I don’t want to work with them,” said junior Macy Scruggs about her tattoos and piercings.

Believing in Change

Student Experience In the 20 years Nancy Shatzer, industry specialist, has worked at Pepperdine, she said her perception of body modifications on campus has changed.

“I have definitely seen a huge change in body art in our student body,” Shatzer said. “I think it’s much more frequent.”

In a survey of 50 within the Pepperdine community, 82% said they had a body modification. Of that percent, 46.8% believe their body modifications would be considered alternative.

Scruggs said her tattoos and piercings are a form of self-expression. They are something she has always wanted, despite her father’s persistent disapproval, and she has more planned out.

Currently, she has four tattoos (three of which are easily visible) and 10 piercings, including a nose piercing.

Scruggs said she is not worried about having body modifications because she sees the younger generations as “more accepting and expressive.” For Scruggs, tattoos have special meanings — something she wants to carry on her body.

She is not alone in this mentality.

“If anything, it should improve my character because I put things of meaning on my body,” said junior Emma Thomasson when asked about how she thinks her body modifications will impact her career.

Thomasson has two tattoos, one on her wrist and the other on her ankle, and she said both act as important reminders in her life.

Her first tattoo on her wrist is to honor a friend’s death.

Initially, she wore a bracelet with his name on it, but seeing it everyday and watching it become more and more worn triggers her anxiety and PTSD as diagnosed by her therapist. Her other tattoo on her foot was to commemorate her baptism.

Having grown up in small-town Waco, Texas, she said she did think about her future when she got her first tattoo, and she and her parents were worried she would be judged. After moving to California, she said she knows there are places that will hire her and accept her tattoos. When it came time to get her second tattoo, she did not even think about her future as a therapist.

Understanding Traditions Velazquez said he also wants to be a therapist. Unlike Thomasson, Velazquez does think his tattoo will have some impact on his professional future and would not be surprised if he was asked to wear long sleeves in the workplace.

Nevertheless, he does not

regret his tattoo.

He and his two brother screated the design, and he sees it as a show of genuine love for his brothers that “openly shows the world a part of me,” Velazquez said.

He said his parents, especially his mother, were against the idea of him and his brothers getting a tattoo, especially one on his forearm, which is not easy to hide.

Concerns or Lack Thereof The stigma of tattoos representing gang affiliations was one of the reasons Velazquez’s mother was so against the idea, but Velazquez said he believes the stigma is changing. Tattoos are moving from criminal associations to personal expression, both meaningful and aesthetically.

Velazquez said he believes the acceptance for a lot of things is growing, but there is a level of professionalism that should be kept. Velazquez is considering getting more tattoos but wants to wait.

“You might say you would hire someone without tattoos over someone with them for a particular job. But when it comes right down to it, you will choose the most qualified person, body art or no,” said Micheal T. French, a professor in health management and policy at Miami Herbert Business School in his interview with Harvard Business Review’s Alison Beard. “Even the U.S. Marines now allow recruits to have visible tattoos anywhere but the face, because when tattoos were banned, the organization found it was losing out on good candidates.”

Velazquez said he thinks the stigma is still there, but the workplace has become more accepting. He saw faculty members at his Catholic high school with full sleeves and still thought they were professional.

Scruggs said she thinks there is a difference between baby boomers’, millennial and Gen Z’s perception of body modifications.

All of the survey responses responded that they believe younger generations (Z and millennials) are more accepting of body modifications than older generations.

Thomasson said she thinks the change will happen no matter what and that

the younger generations are already forcing a change in the workplace.

Only 8.7% of a survey taken by 50 Pepperdine students are worried about their professional prospects due to their body modifications. While the stigma is changing, and younger generations are seeing a spot for body modifications in the workplace, 45.8% survey responses said they refrained from getting a body modification out of fear of how it could impact their professional future.

In the Workplace It is not only the students of Pepperdine that have alternative body modifications. Despite being seen as a more conservative campus, members of Pepperdine faculty have alternative body modifications and had them before coming to campus.

Collin Enriquez, visiting assistant professor of English, said he was in graduate school when he got his tragus and conch piercings.

His piercings were meant to celebrate anniversaries and goals that were coming up, and focused on this, he did not think about his professional future when he got them. It did cross his mind later on.

Enriquez said he already knew he wanted to go into academia, and though his piercing would make him a little edgy, they were worth the risk.

Growing up, piercings were seen as unprofessional, but he said he wanted to express himself, pushing the boundaries of his self-expression. He saw academia as “a gray area, and a bit non-traditional,” Enriquez said, and he therefore was not too concerned even though he did think his piercings could impact his job search later on. During his job interviews, Enriquez noticed people looking at them, but the looks were more curious than judging.

Changing the Uniform “[I have] a voice in the process of what professionalism can look like in my area and for my students I model,” said LaShunte Portrey, assistant director of recruitment and student development of International Programs.

Portrey has a forward helix piercing and a helix piercing, and while she grew up with the idea of professionality having a traditional outfit, she said she believed the professional view of her piercing would be positive.

Having always lived in a big city, growing up in San Francisco, going to graduate school in New York City and now living in Los Angeles, Portrey said she has seen an evolution of consumers and the development of new notions of what it means to be professional.

That traditional professional outfit that Portrey thought of while growing up did not include her natural hair, which Portrey said she considers a body modification alongside tattoos and piercings. She spent her life trying to change her hair, but after living in Tanzania, she has developed ownership for her unique habitation of her natural hair. She said she sees how she expresses herself shows students that they can express themselves in the workforce.

The Communication Body Mods

of

The recommendation of going conservative to be safe is prevalent and understandable, Sarah Ballard, industry specialists Nancy Shatzer and Yeneba Smith all agree.

Ballard teaches interpersonal communication which focuses on the context of communication on a one-to-one scare and how to interpret nonverbal communication. When applied to body modifications such as tattoos and piercings, how they are interpreted is heavily influenced by the cultures they are seen in, she said.

Ballard shared how her parents who run a paint shop did not want to hire anyone to have visible tattoos or for anyone they hired to get a tattoo because they feared it would make their business seem less than upstanding.

Between 70 and 90% of communication is nonverbal, and in Ballard’s opinion, body modification judgment is subconscious due to earlier messages and media representation. While younger generations do not see tattoos as a reflection of a person’s character in the same way older generations see them as taboo, Ballard said

she thinks the reality is that people are more likely to get a job if they do not have any visible tattoos when being interviewed.

Ballard herself recently got a visible tattoo with her partner, and was “quite anxious about getting a tattoo that was visible for fear it would cause judgment from students, or peers, or supervisors,” Ballard said, “especially at Pepperdine because the Christian faith sees tattoos as sacrilegious.”

Looking to the Future Ninety-eight percent of those surveyed said they believe that certain industries, especially creative industries, are more open and accepting of body modifications in their employees.

While Shatzer has never personally had feedback that students were unable to get a job because of body modifications, she said one cannot assume creative industries will give a pass, no matter what. Even today’s society and in the arts industry, applicants with extensive tattoos and piercing may have trouble, she said it is always safer to be more conservative when going into an interview when one does not know the culture of a company.

Smith, as the industry specialist for law, government, education and STEM ,said she cannot see her industries changing to be open to large, visible body modifications. Between her industries, Smith sees government as the “strictest,” and body modifications would likely be frowned upon and asked to cover up.

She said the rest of her fields vary and depend on the company, and she counsels her students to go conservative if they do not know.

Smith said she chose to remain conservative with her decisions about body modifications, not because she was concerned about her future in education, but she did not want to. Smith did say she has considered getting one in commemoration of lost loved one.

M EL ISSA.L OC K E@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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J anuary 23, 2020

The Graphic

p e p p e rd in e - g ra p h ic.co m

SPORTS

‘The standard is the standard’: Men’s Volley reloads despite dozen departures kar l w inter s por ts editor Pepperdine Men’s Volleyball lost 12 players from a 2019 team that won a conference title and finished third in the nation.

Five of those players were starters.

How does any team recover from such critical departures?

Well, there is a reason this program has five national championships, second-most of any men’s volleyball program all-time. The Waves added a dozen new players to the 2020 roster, including six true freshmen, to immediately reload and reach the level of quality that has characterized the history of the program.

“Even though we have a lot of relatively young guys, each is leading in their own way and setting the standard, trying to live up to the standard,” Head Coach David Hunt said.

Despite the departures, the American Volleyball Coaches Association ranked the Waves No. 9 in the nation in its preseason poll.

Allow Hunt and several of his players to explain, through four key phrases, how the team approaches its 2020 campaign.

“Lost three or All-Americans ... ”

four

Who said it: Freshman middle blocker Mike Scott (yes, his name is actually Michael Scott) What it means: Exactly what it says — three All-Americans and two other starters from the 2019 squad graduated. Seven other players departed the team for various reasons.

The 2019 season saw the Waves win the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) regular-season and tournament titles, reach the NCAA Championships for the first time in more than a decade and fall to eventual champions Long Beach State in the semifinals.

However, All-American honorable mention players Michael Wexter and Kaleb Denmark graduated, as did All-American first-teamer

and three-time All-American David Weiczorek. All three men now play professional volleyball overseas. Starting middle blockers Kevín Vaz and Max Chamberlain also graduated.

The 2020 team, including the freshmen, is well aware of the shoes they must fill.

“Everyone was humbled to the fact that we knew we had to get in [the gym] and we had to work,” Scott said.

Therefore, Pepperdine only returns three rotation players: senior setter Rob Mullahey, senior Noah Dyer and junior Spencer Wickens.

“Rob [Mullahey] and Noah [Dyer] have done a very good job as seniors and leaders,” Scott said. “Spencer Wickens as well — he’s done a very good job. They’re people who you can look up to as examples of how to act and where to be.”’

Outside hitters Alex Gettinger (junior) and Ben Weinberg (sophomore) are also returners who may factor into the lineup in the season ahead.

Dyer said the scarce number of returners strive to uphold the culture of the program by embracing either vocal leadership roles or leading by example.

“I’ve had to step into that [leadership] role a little bit, seeing as there are very few of us upperclassmen and seniors,” Dyer said. “It’s been a good growing point.”

Dyer’s role on the court is also changing. After playing outside hitter as a freshman and being on the MPSF All-Freshman team, Dyer transitioned slowly to the libero position, starting every match as the Waves’ libero in 2019. Now he is back at outside hitter for his senior season.

“Passing and defense is always a good time,” Dyer said, “but [there’s] nothing like taking a couple good rips at the ball.”

Dyer, the brother of Pepperdine All-American beach volleyball player and indoor player Heidi Dyer and current Pepperdine indoor volleyball player Lily Dyer, has excellent volleyball pedigree.

Hunt had high praise for one of his key returners. “[Dyer’s] volleyball skill is so good, we have to have him on the court in some capacity,” Hunt said. “He literally can fill any position, other than maybe middle — but that’s only because we haven’t tried him there.”

“Every single spot is not for sure.”

Who said it: Redshirt freshman libero Diego Perez What it means: With five starters gone and 12 newcomers, every offseason practice is a competition for court time during the season.

Back Set | Senior setter Rob Mullahey is one of the few holdovers from the 2019 team.

Diego Perez is one of two transfer players who is joining the six true freshmen, three redshirt freshmen, one sophomore walk-on and a handful of returners in a group who could potentially

crack the starting lineup.

With so many positions up for grabs, practices are competitive.

“It makes the practices a lot more fun because you can’t slack off,” Perez said.

Dyer, who will likely start at outside hitter, made it clear that nothing is set in stone with less than a month until the first true serve of the season.

“There’s nobody who’s really eliminated from seeing time on the court,” Dyer said.

“You’ve got guys in there at each position battling to see court time.”

Hunt said the competition between the group of newcomers breeds improvement throughout the roster.

“The rising tide lifts all boats,” Hunt said. “There’s lots of good volleyball being played in our gym, so therefore, guys are getting better.

They’re having to make good plays every day.”

Perez and middle blocker Austin Wilmot, the two transfers, certainly may earn starting positions this month.

Perez said Wilmot, a 6-foot-10 redshirt junior transfer who started for UC Irvine last season, is “our best middle.”

Perez, an Irvine native, attended junior college powerhouse Orange Coast College for one year, but a torn ligament in his foot sidelined him for the entire season.

Perhaps the torn ligament was exacerbated by Perez playing a match on it in the club volleyball national championships.

Despite the unfortunate injury, Hunt said the newcomers are intelligent on the court.

“The collective volleyball IQ of those guys is really impressive,” the third-year head coach said.

The incoming true freshman group in particular is impressive, but the question remains how quickly they will adjust to the speed of the college game.

“They have the physical capabilities of being top players in the country,” Perez said. “The experience of playing at a high level isn’t there, but they definitely have the potential.”

Scott, one of the freshmen seeking to earn playing time, cited the speed of the game as a learning curve.

“It’s definitely been tough at first because I come from Midwest [where] everything’s just a bit slower,” said Scott, who is from the Chicago area. “At first, for me, it was just adjusting to the speed of the game.”

After sitting out for a season, redshirt freshmen JT Martin (middle), JT Ardell (middle) and Jacob Steele (opposite) are also battling for starting positions.

Martin and Steele, both former U.S. Junior National Team players, likely will figure into the conversation for starters.

Dyer recognized the dedication of this group.

“Just because [the redshirts] didn’t get on the court

Courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

doesn’t mean they didn’t contribute,” Dyer said, “because every day in practice, they would grind, and so they would really push the guys on the other side of the net.”

“The standard is the standard.”

Who said it: Originally Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, now Pepperdine Head Coach David Hunt What it means: In Hunt’s words, “[The Steelers] never really discussed what the standard was, but everyone knew what they were talking about. The standard for us is, ‘What is it going to take to be a championship team, a national championship team?’”

photos courtesy of martin a. folb | pepperdine athletics Torch Passed | Senior Noah Dyer passes a ball in the 2019 MPSF Championships. tournament is the goal.

“We have a lot of room to grow, and I think we could do it in this short time,” Perez said. “We definitely have a really good chance to compete for a top-three spot. I think we could even win [the national title], but it’s going to take a lot of hard work.”

BYU, Southern California and UCLA. With 16 appearances in “[The MPSF] is a collecthe NCAA Championships, tion of teams that are really including the 2019 semifinal talented, and I think, top to run, Men’s Volleyball is argubottom, we’re probably the ably the most successful probest conference in the nagram at Pepperdine — one tion,” said Hunt, the reigning that has finished in the top MPSF Coach of the Year. six in the AVCA Rankings in One conference team that 18 of the previous 23 seasons may provide a stiff challenge and is not satisfied with a re- “It’s wide open this year.” is BYU as the Cougars return building year. their entire starting lineup.

“The standard is the stanWho said it: Senior out“[BYU] brings a few thoudard,” a phrase popularized side hitter Noah Dyer sand fans into their small

by Tomlin, indicates the exWhat it means: Several gym, and they get really into pectations of the program other top NCAA men’s vol- the sport, so I’m really excitneed not be spoken.Courtesy It is sim- leyball programs also lost ed to playCalvin there,” Perez said, of Pepperdine Athletics and Wood ply assumed that the team several key players, so a chal- also citing the altitude in Proexpects itself to function at a lenging schedule does not vo, Utah, as a challenge. high-caliber level. mean Pepperdine cannot Many of the nation’s top “Everything that we do replicate its 2019 success. programs are within drivhas to be that championship ing distance of Pepperdine, standard,” Hunt said.

Though the 2020 reg- as Southern California was Hunt went on to say each ular-season schedule sees home to six of the nation’s player must have the intrin- Pepperdine playing seven top eight teams in 2019. The sic motivation to lead them- of the top 11 teams in the fi- Waves are set to face four of selves to a higher level. This nal 2019 NCAA rankings at the other five schools at least philosophy suggests that this least once, several opposing once in 2020. motivation, coupled with the schools also lost players to “Volleyball isn’t really the competition for playing time, graduation. same outside of Southern will lead the young team Six of these seven teams California,” Scott said, citing back to the pinnacle of the saw at least one All-Ameri- matchups with the Waves’ collegiate volleyball scene. can graduate. Brigham Young conference rival UCLA “Obviously, you’re com- (BYU), No. 11 last season, is (March 13 and 25) and local peting for a spot, but by do- the lone exception, as both of rival UC Santa Barbara (Feb. ing so, you’re making the per- the Cougars’ All-Americans 21 and 26) as games to mark son next to you better,” Scott were underclassmen. on the calendar. said.

Long Beach State, the Additionally, one of the The high standard and two-time defending national biggest matchups of the seaculture of the program re- champions, lost all four of its son will take place March 17 main, despite the mass exo- All-Americans. in Firestone Fieldhouse when dus of players. Dyer said the “There are a bunch of Hawaii comes to Malibu. The work ethic of the 2019 team teams that have lost a lot of Rainbow Warriors were the in the practice gym and the their talent as well,” Scott national runner-ups in 2019. weight room carried over to said. “Everyone is fighting to “[Hawaii] didn’t lose too this team, but the play style adapt the fastest.” many guys, so they will be is undergoing a “rebranding.”

Scott said that the Waves’ really tough this year,” Scott “The way it’s looking right ability to adapt to the new said. now with the talent that we personnel will determine For the many new Waves, got, we’re going to have some how they are able to gain an playing at such a high level really good ball control,” Dyer edge over the competition. will be an adjustment, but said. “Whereas in the past Thus far in 2020, the the returners and coaching it was probably serving and Waves have adapted well, staff have the experience to some really big guys spiking, winning three exhibition help the newcomers adapt. but at this point, with our matches and their season Defending conference team here, we’ve got a lot of opener against Cal Lutheran champions or not, the 2020 guys who are really good [at] at home prior to a month- team is taking nothing for ball control and really good long road stretch. granted. all-around volleyball players.”

The road stretch began “We’ve been setting a high Though he hopes to enjoy with wins at Daemen Col- standard here for the past so his final season as a Wave, lege and Harvard on the East many years,” Perez said. “It’s Dyer said his competitive Coast before a 3-1 loss at No. nice to come in with some drive leads him to have soar- 12 George Mason. guys that got a taste of that, ing goals for the 2020 team.

“It’s fun to play against so they’re in it to win it and “My goal is to be in the your own guys for a while,” not playing around.” same place or do even better Dyer said, “but you really The Waves take on No. 4 as we did last year,” Dyer said want to test your steel against Long Beach State at the Wal“That is a lofty expectation, some of the good teams that ter Pyramid on Saturday. but I think we can do it.” we’re going to be playing this Their next match at FireIntegrating so many new year.” stone Fieldhouse is Feb. 12 pieces is no easy task, but Some of those teams in- against Concordia-Irvine.

Perez agreed that a return clude conference foes in the to the NCAA Championship MPSF, including Stanford, K AR L .W INTER @PEPPER DINE.EDU

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J A N UA RY 2 3 , 2 0 2 0 | S PORTS | P E P P E R D I N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Women’s Basketball falls to LMU tay l o r gather as si stant s ports e d itor Rival Loyola Marymount Lions defeated Pepperdine Women’s Basketball, 84-77, Saturday in Firestone Fieldhouse.

Despite 26 points from Paige Fecske, the Lions pulled away in the fourth quarter, jumping to a 10-point lead at the 5:40 mark.

“Our game plan was to defensively be a lot more solid and take away from 22 [Raychel Stanley],” Head Coach Kristen Dowling said. “Our game plan was offensively to attack them.”

Fecske, a senior guard, scored the first five points in the game, taking a three-point lead over the Lions. While the Lions held a 21–13 lead going into the second quarter, the Waves were able to cut the Lions’ lead to one by the half.

Throughout the third quarter, the Lions tied and recovered their lead until Pepperdine guard Malia Bambrick tied the game in the last 30 seconds of the third quarter. Loyola Marymount junior Chelsey Gipson made a three-pointer with 10 seconds left in the half, giving the Lions a 61–58 lead going into the final quarter.

“I think we transitioned well,” guard Barbara Sitang-

gan said. “We tried to push the ball. Obviously, they have key players, so I think we needed to lock in more on their one key player.”

While the Waves were able to come within one point of the Lions at the 1:41 mark, the Lions used their momentum to bring home the win. Stanley scored 16 points overall to lead LMU to victory.

“I felt like we did a good job at pushing and attacking and pushing the ball and getting to the rim,” Dowling said.

“There were some calls we didn’t get, but I felt like they did a good job of attacking. I also thought we did a good job of rebounding and crashing offensively.”

For the 2019–2020 season, the Waves are 9–8, with seven of the nine games won on home turf. The Waves are 3–4 in the West Coast Conference, paralleling the Lions.

Even though the Waves lost at home, guard Mia Satie said she saw this game as a way to support a cause greater than herself, no matter the score.

“Australia is and always will be my home, and I hate to see the devastation that has been caused over these past few months,” Satie said. “The fires went under the radar for so long, and a lot of people didn’t know about them, so

Richard Photos by Courtesy Ali Levens of | Asst.

SportsDavis Editor

Courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

Taylor gather| assistant sportsDavis editor and Sheridan

Naughty Zebra | Forward Ashleen Quirke (left) and guard Jayda Ruffus-Milner (right) react to a call in the third quarter Saturday against LMU. The Waves trailed by two at the time.

I wanted to also bring that awareness to people in America.”

Through the Australian Red Cross, Satie was able to organize with Pepperdine Athletics fundraising and awareness efforts through flyers, videos and promotional tools.

“I wasn’t home in Australia, and I felt helpless while everyone was going through

so much back home,” Satie said. “I saw that DJ [Dejan Vasiljevic] from Miami Men’s Basketball had done something similar, and I saw that he raised a lot of money for those affected, and I thought I could do the same because Pepperdine is such a strong community.”

While forward Monique Andriuolo and Satie’s homes in Australia remain unaffect-

ed by the fires, according to Sitanggan, their teammates support them by acting as resources.

“None of their [Australian teammates] homes have been affected,” Sitanggan said. “But having this game to support them and knowing that there’s an outlet is really nice.”

Dowling said the Waves are more determined than

ever for the Jan. 23 away game against Gonzaga University.

“We have to get better defensively,” Dowling said. “You know, we can’t allow 52% from the field and 60% from the three ­— so getting better defensively. The rebound and stuff was great. We have to keep them off the boards.”

TAYL OR .GATHER @PEPPER DINE.EDU

photos by karl winter| sports editor Star Power | (left) Mike Moustakas, Chris Backus, Patrick Dempsey and Ryan Braun pose with their hardware postgame. Team Braun won 12-4. (right) Actor Chris Backus congratulates Cody Bellinger as Bellinger rounds the bases after a home run by Dallas Braden.

Pepp hosts second-annual California Strong celebrity softball game KAR L w iNTER s por ts eDITOR California Strong, an organization founded by professional athletes Christian Yelich, Ryan Braun, Jared Goff and Mike Moustakas, hosted its second annual celebrity softball event to benefit the fundraising campaign.

Following the Woolsey Fire, Camp Fire and Borderline Shooting striking the state in November 2018, a group of well-known athletes started a fundraising organization named California Strong. In January 2019, they hosted a celebrity softball event at Pepperdine to raise money and generate national attention.

A year later, after the Saugus Shooting and more wildfires rocked California, the organization and softball game returned to the Malibu campus Jan. 12.

“Those events get a lot of attention in the imme-

diate aftermath and then, a year out, that kind of fades in the back of the new cycle,” said Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers star and Malibu resident. “But people are still left dealing with the aftermath and the result of this tragic event, so we want to just let them know we’re here, still caring about them, and let them know that we haven’t forgotten.”

Alongside teammate Ryan Braun, fellow MLB player Mike Moustakas, Mike Attanasio of the Brewers Ownership Group, and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, Yelich established the group with the goal of providing immediate financial assistance to families that suffered from tragic events.

“We have people who are out there filling out requests for help, and we file through those and we try and get the money to them as quickly as possible,” Moustakas said.

Following this year’s event, California Strong has

raised over $3 million and distributed over 700 grants.

The event, which Pepperdine Athletics helped host, sold out all of its general admission and VIP tickets.

Since its inception, the organization has added partners including the MLBPA Players Trust, the Brewers Community Foundation and local organizations, including the Southeast Ventura County YMCA and the Conejo Valley YMCA. “The goal is for this to be a long-term campaign and charity that helps and assists people as they deal with tragedies and natural disasters, which unfortunately and inevitably will continue to happen,” Braun said.

Braun said this year’s softball event was much more organized and featured much better weather than the first edition in 2019, but the part to which he looked forward most were the ceremonial first pitches.

Karen Helus, the widow

of Borderline Shooting hero Sgt. Ron Helus, and Carli Skaggs, widow of late Los Angeles Angels pitcher and Woodland Hills native Tyler Skaggs, tossed out those first pitches in front of the crowd at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

Additionally, California Strong distributed $5,000 checks to the owner of the Borderline Bar and Grill, a family who lost their home in the Porter Ranch Fire and a family who lost their father in the Santa Cruz Boat Fire.

Several celebrities joined the softball event for the first time in 2020, including “Grey’s Anatomy” actor Patrick Dempsey, rapper Machine Gun Kelly and comedic actor Andrew Bachelor, better known as King Bach.

“I had a friend invite me and he told me what the cause was for,” Bachelor said. “I don’t really participate in a lot of celebrity games, but this one is for such a great cause and a lot

of things that can be prevented.”

Another newcomer, former NFL linebacker Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman, related to the experiences of the community.

“I lost homes as a kid [in Maryland] to fires, so I know what tragedy feels like,” Merriman said. “And I was also playing for the Chargers in San Diego when big wildfires hit, and I was forced to evacuate just like everyone else … It was an emotional time because I know what people are dealing with when they lose something that’s important to them.”

Los Angeles Dodger and reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger said his friendship with Braun and Bellinger led him to the game.

In terms of the game itself, there was only one thing that Bellinger was anticipating.

“My at-bat,” he said. “I’m gonna get one at-bat and I’m gonna try and hit a homer.”

Reigning Celebrity Softball Game MVP and comedic actor Jimmy Tatro had an idea of how to one-up Bellinger.

“I’m gonna hit two,” he said.

Both predictions were proven incorrect, as Bellinger hit two long singles and Tatro failed to repeat as MVP. Nonetheless, there were several home runs for the first time in the event’s history. The participants benefitted from shortened fences and less outfielders than the previous year.

Actor Chris Backus smashed two opposite-field home runs and was named MVP, while Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson and former pitcher Dallas Braden also hit home runs, and Team Braun defeated Team Yelich 12–4 in a laid-back affair.

K AR L .W INTER @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 | J A N U A RY 23 , 20 20

Swim and Dive head, assistant coaches depart ali l ev e ns staf f w rit e r As the 4–9 Swim and Dive team nears the end of their season, they are adjusting to a change in staff after the departure of their head coach.

Second-year Head Coach Joe Spahn is no longer with the team.

Spahn’s departure follows an investigation led by the university. Previous Assistant Coach Jessica Mosbaugh also departed from the coaching staff during the season. Both names have been removed from the Swim and Dive website.

University officials emailed a statement to The Graphic about the dismissal of Spahn: “While neither the University nor its employees can comment on private employment matters, the investigative committee was not involved in any decision regarding Joe Spahn’s role as head coach of the Women’s Swimming and Diving team.”

Director of Athletics Steve Potts also responded in a similar fashion: “While the University cannot comment on private employment matters, Pepperdine Athletics takes seriously any concerns or allegations brought forward by student-athletes and investigates them appropriately and thoroughly. The physical and mental well-being of our student-athletes is the number one priority for Pepperdine Athletics. I am confident that the appointment of Coach Jana Vincent as interim head coach of the women’s swimming and diving program will position the program for

success going forward.”

Athletics announced Jan. 3 that Assistant Coach Jana Vincent is finishing the season with the Waves as the interim head coach.

A document, dated Dec. 20, 2019 and leaked to multiple swim websites (SwimSwam, Swimming World), outlines the university’s investigation into four main complaints the university received regarding Spahn’s treatment of the team. According to an audio recording from SwimSwam, Athletics placed Spahn on administrative leave during the investigation in November 2019.

As stated by the official document, three Pepperdine officials explored these allegations: Kendra Killpatrick, senior associate dean of Seaver College; La Shonda Coleman, associate dean of Seaver College Student Affairs and Title IX student coordinator; and Thomas Knudsen, deputy general counsel.

The document was addressed to Spahn, while Tim Perrin, senior vice president for strategic implementation, and Potts were copied.

The officials interviewed 47 people, including the entire Swim and Dive team, coaches, trainers and other athletic staff.

The investigation found no sufficient evidence to support allegations of Spahn’s abusive behavior or sexual harassment claims, according to the document.

However, the committee found Spahn “demonstrated an inability to control his emotions.”

The inquiry discovered

Richard Photos by Courtesy Ali Levens of | Asst.

SportsDavis Editor

Courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

photos byand ali levens | staffDavis writer Sheridan

Spahn allowed a swimmer to practice without receiving clearance from her athletic trainer or doctor.

Spahn “required” the swimmers to practice longer than the NCAA’s maximum of 20-hours-per-week rule.

The document also outlined the team’s feelings about the “current state of disunity” and found Spahn created a “group of favorites.”

The Graphic reached out to Spahn and current and former swimmers, but all declined to comment.

Current swimmers confirmed they were advised to not speak out or they would face severe consequences.

Such consequences include removal from the team or suspension.

In the West Coast Con-

Changing of the Guard | Freshman swimmers Jenna Sanchez (top) and Caroline Anderson (bottom) compete in breaststroke and butterfly, respectively, at the Malibu Invite in October 2019. ference Cup between Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount University and the University of San Diego on Jan. 18,

the team placed second with 286.5 points, and USD placing first.

Their final regular-season

meet is versus Azusa Pacific University on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Malibu.

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Men’s hoops’ surge falls short versus St. Mary’s aust in hall staf f w rit e r Pepperdine Men’s Basketball went 1–1 at home this week versus two conference opponents. On Thursday, the team commanded much of the game versus Loyola Marymount 75–67. And on Saturday, Pepperdine’s potent offense was not enough to beat the Saint Mary’s Gaels.

Junior guards Colbey Ross and Skylar Chavez led the way versus LMU with 20 and 15 points, respectively.

It was the third straight game that Chavez finished in double figures. He said he has been more aggressive in looking for his shot.

“It’s mostly just finding my spots,” Chavez said. “I know my role on the team is to try and get open so that

my teammates can find me.

So it’s mostly just trying to space myself out. And then once I see the first few go in, I get my rhythm going, and then next one’s going to fall.”

Head Coach Lorenzo Romar said he sees his team improving.

“We’re just trying to get better and better and better,” Romar said. “This conference season is still young — we’re in the first third of it. But I thought our guys did a good job tonight of defending and playing together.”

After a one-day turnaround, Pepperdine tipped off versus the 15–4 Saint Mary’s Gaels who are No. 4 in West Coast Conference standings. The Gaels exploded offensively in the early stage. They jumped out to a 38–21 lead with six minutes

left in the first half.

“Once we let them get in a rhythm, we dug ourselves into a hole,” Chavez said.

“They came out and were shooting 70% from the field and had 30 points in 10 minutes. We can’t do that on the defensive end.”

Despite the slow start, the Waves responded with a 14–2 run led by Chavez, Ross and sophomore forward Kessler Edwards, who accounted for 11 of those points. The St. Mary’s lead shrank to as little as five before a three-pointer

by St. Mary’s guard Tanner Krebs to close the half. The Gaels led 43–35.

Ross elaborated on how the team adjusted to St. Mary’s scoring barrage.

“They’re a great shooting team — one of the best in the country,” Ross said. “We

started to lock in, and with a couple of minutes left in the half, we held them to a lot less points and defended the three better.”

The strength of Pepperdine’s defense in the first half was holding Jordan Ford, leading scorer in the WCC, to four points. He matched up against Ross, the secondleading scorer in the conference.

Ross said he came into the game with his typical mindset.

“I didn’t approach the game any different,” Ross said. “It’s just another game to me — he’s a great player — but regardless, I just try and go out, play as hard as I can and get the win for my team.”

Pepperdine’s offense started strong in the second

half, but the Gaels offense regrouped and continued to shoot well from outside.

While Krebs and junior forward Malik Fitts led the way with 13 in the first half, Fuller turned it on in the second and scored 22 in the second half, finishing with 26.

Pepperdine’s offense ran out of gas late in the game, and St. Mary’s won 78–69.

Romar said he knows what to address on the defensive side of the ball.

“That’s a good team we just played,” Romar said. “We allowed them to get to the rim too much and too easily.

We have to do a better job of keeping people in front of us.”

With the loss, Pepperdine falls back below .500 and sit at 9-10, 2-3 in conference.

They travel next to Santa Clara on Thursday, Jan. 23 to play the Broncos.

“They’re a really good team,” Chavez said. “Defensively, they get after it, so we’re going to have to move the ball a lot, space the floor and execute the best way we can.”

AUSTIN.HAL L @PEPPER DINE.EDU

photos by austin hall | staff writer Conference Battle | (left) Kameron and Kessler Edwards return to the court following a timeout Saturday against Saint Mary’s. The brothers combined for 25 points and 14 boards in the loss. (right) Junior point guard Colbey Ross leans into a defender to draw a foul.