Pepperdine Graphic 10-31-19

Volume xLix, Issue 8 OCTOBER 31, 2019

CAF CONTRACT ENDING SOON

Fo r M O R E, see A4

TRUNK OR TREAT SPARKS CONTROVERSY ON HANDICAP SPOTS

C HANNA ST EINMETZ NEW S EDITOR Photographs posted on Instagram of The Board’s Trunk or Treat event stirred controversy as members of The Board posed in front of Hal-

loween decorated cars parked in handicap spots.

The event, held Saturday, Oct. 26, in Smothers Parking Lot, took up eight handicap

Courtesy of Brooke Redell Parking Debate | A member of the Board’s car sits in a handicap spot. Photos from the event generated over 60 comments on Instagram.

s p o t s and had 11 “replacement” handicap spots alongside the front of Smothers Theatre.

Board members Isabella Teague — whoa is junior and anchor on the Graphic’s GNews — and Rachel Stull, sophomore, planned the event and said The Board had no intent to discriminate against disabled students.

“We are also students part of the Pepperdine community, and by posting these photos, there was never any attempt of malicious harm, or trying to show off our ableism,” Teague said. “We did not aim to discriminate against any certain persons or groups.”

Alumna Lauren Waller (2017) questioned why the event had to take place in handicap spots.

Waller said she noticed

the cars in handicap spots while she was leaving work Saturday. She then told The Board members in person that she did not think they should be parked there and made a complaint to DPS. Waller also commented underneath The Board’s Instagram photo Monday, Oct. 28.

“When a friend of mine sent me The Board’s Instagram post, I was incredibly frustrated with not just The Board, but also with DPS,” Waller said. “I commented because I want able-bodied people, like myself, to actually speak out against ableist behavior — that burden shouldn’t fall only on disabled individuals.”

Board member and senior Kelly Warren was setting up for “Trunk or Treat” when Waller

brought her concern to The Board members in person.

“We called DPS right away before the event started and had them come down to double check that the spots were properly allocated and that we were okay where we were set up,” Warren said. “They gave us another final stamp of approval and said, ‘Everything looks OK.’” Since Monday, the Instagram post has generated over 60 comments and a statement from The Board. Senior Mackenzie Mazen — who attended Trunk or Treat — recently spoke out against on-campus discrimination for disabled people and commented on The Board’s response statement. She said it was disappointing and frustrating. Mazen has Ehlers Danlos syndrome, which makes walking long distances difficult.

“My problem with their statement was how they talked about that they

considered removing the handicap spots,” Mazen said. “It’s just funny to me that they thought this out thoroughly, and they still chose to go forward with it. Like no one on The Board said, ‘Maybe we should just move it to the regular parking spots.’”

Members of The Board said there were a few reasons the event was held in the handicap spots in Smothers Lot. The first was for electricity: outlets located near the spots were needed for the speaker, Teague said. Upper Mullins was chosen because it is more accessible than Rho Parking Lot or Alumni Park, she added.

The other main reason for the handicap spots was to follow safety protocol, Warren said.

“The protocol is we try to keep it to the smallest space possible,” Warren said. “You don’t want an event across a parking lot because then that’s a hazard to have moving vehicles where you’re telling

SE E b oa r d, A3

One-Man-Run Nonprofit Provides Opportunity for Thousands V ER NI E COVARRUBIAS NEWS ASSISTAN T One individual’s passion is the driving force behind all planning, funding and management operations at the Malibu Community Labor Exchange (MCLE).

Since the organization opened in 1993, Center Director Oscar Mondragón has been connecting people looking for work with people looking to hire on a daily basis. The MCLE serviced 3,272 workers in 2018, according to an annual internal report. The nonprofit’s services are free of charge for both workers and hirers.

“Helping is a part of my personal life,” Mondragón said. “Finding jobs is the main thing we do here, but many times people want some direction with a problem they are facing.”

Mondragón worked under the leadership of Cesar Chavez for the United Farm Workers union. In the 1960s, Chavez secured raises and improved conditions to underpaid and discriminated farmworkers through marches, boycotts and hunger strikes. Mondragón said he emphasizes a core value of contributing his part to equity of workers in any way possible.

Mondragón actively pursues this value through his self-proclaimed dual role as the center’s director and mentor. Many workers, he said, rely on the jobs they find through the MCLE for their livelihood.

“The chance at having a job is what gives a sense of self-worth,” Mondragón said. “It allows you to accomplish something for you and your family. So yes, it is independence. But more than that it creates a certainty that

thethe waves waves report report

you don’t have to rely on somebody else’s back. It’s your own effort.”

The MCLE does not discriminate and anyone with a picture ID can access its services. Homeless workers made up 16% of total jobs in 2018, according to an annual internal report.

“

Para mi, ver a una persona que estudia mucho en la universidad es un orgullo porque yo tengo un hijo y quiero que haga lo mismo.

Oscar Mondragón MCLE CENTER DIRECTOR

“Here, we don’t judge people,” Mondragón said. “Anybody is welcome.”

The organization provides day labor jobs in areas such as construction, landscaping, nannying, housekeeping and more. The jobs range from hourly assignments to years of employment.

“One worker came here 20 years ago and since then, he has been working for the same family,” Mondragón said.

Since its opening, the MCLE has functioned out of a trailer next to the

Fri:Fri: 3-5 1-2 ft ft

Sat:SAT: 3-5 1-2 ft ft

Vernie Covarrubias | News Assistant

Job Connections | Oscar Mondragón connects workers like Miguel Ángel Flores with daily job opportunities. He has been doing so for 26 years.

Malibu Public Library. Mondragón said he faces many challenges in operating the nonprofit.

“Survival is a daily struggle,” Mondragón said. “We don’t get money from anybody. Nobody is sending a check every month to keep this place open.

Although there’s only one employee here, myself, I have to do everything, and it costs money.”

However, Mondragrón said the MCLE’s success is due largely in part to the support of the Malibu community.

“But we’re still here after 26 years,” Mondragrón said. “So that tells you something about how people here care. It’s a community creation, supported by the local residents.”

sun:SUN: 3-51ftft

Impact on Students Originally from El Salvador, Miguel Ángel Flores is a Los Angeles resident who has been coming to the MCLE for the past 17 years.

“La verdad, hay más facilidad encontrar trabajo aquí que en Los Ángeles [It is truly easier to find work here than in Los Angeles],” Flores said.

Flores said he is grateful for the opportunities he has found through the organization.

“A mí todo me gusta: la construcción, el landscaping, la plomería, la pintura y todo [I like everything: construction, landscaping, plumbing, painting—everything],” Flores said.

Mon: MON:2-4 1 ftft

SE E l a b o r, A3

TUES: Tue:1 3-4 ft ft

A2

P E P P E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | N E W S | O CT O B E R 3 1 , 20 1 9

THE DPS REPORTS

Malibu rocks

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

1 Hadley Biggs S ta f f Writ e r Pepperdine University sits in Malibu, California: 21 miles of scenic beauty I often take for granted.

When I am walk around outside or even driving to school in the morning, I hardly notice the beautiful features surrounding me.

My morning commute has the ocean on my right and rolling hills on my left. In the morning, I am often too busy thinking about the day ahead to appreciate the world around me.

My parents came to visit me here at school mid-October. While they were here, they consistently made comments about how gorgeous the sunset is, how calming the sounds of the ocean are and how lucky I am to live in this amazing place.

I am lucky to live in such an so amazing place.

In Malibu, I get to surf whenever I want. I can take walks along the beach, or even bump into celebrities at the Malibu Country Mart.

Going to Pepperdine has made me immune to the incredible city that Malibu is.

I am always in a rush to do something, stuck indoors all day in classes or doing school work.

When I am outside, I never stop and take the chance to take in the sunshine or the incredible views of the ocean. I never stop because I am preoccupied with class, schoolwork or people.

When I go back home to Arkansas, people are often surprised that I almost never go to the beach. They tell me that if they went to Pepperdine, they would never leave the beach.

Freshman year, I found time each week to go to the beach. Each trip was exciting. I was able to relax and feel the sun on my face, but as the years have progressed, the number of trips to the beach went down.

This caused me to be less excited for the beach and more involved in the less relaxing aspects of life.

From here on out, I am going to take more beach trips and appreciate the city of Malibu.

2 3 4 5

1

10/22/19 3:25 p.m.

Crimes: Alcohol-and-Drug Related: Possesion of Alcohol on Campus, Possession of Marijuana on Campus Location: Lovernich Student Apartments

1 3 2

10/24/19 6:45 p.m.

Crimes: Larceny/Theft Location: Firestone Fieldhouse 10/25/19 12:17 p.m.

Crimes: Larceny/Theft Location: Seaside Residence Hall

5 3

10/25/19 7:55 a.m.

Crimes : Hit-and-Run, Non-Injury Accident Location: Banowsky Boulevard 10/29/19 11:02 a.m.

Crimes: Alcohol-Related: Possesion of Alcohol on Campus Location: Drescher Student Housing Apartments

4

UPCOMING EVENTS THIS SEMESTER What: S TAUFFER CHAP EL OP EN FO R RE M e mbr anceE & P R AYEr WheN: 11/7 Wher e: S TAUFFER CHAP EL

What: CHRISTOPHER PARKENING GUITAR STUDENTS IN CONCERT When: 11/12 Where: SURFBOARD ROOM

Wh at: W. DAVI D B AI RD DI S T I NGUISHED LECTU RE Wh e N: 11/13 wh e re : ELKINS

W hat: “ RAG T I ME” W he N: 1 1 / 1 5 W he r e : f i res t one f i el dhou S E

W hat: C HAMB ER MU S I C C ONc ERT W he N: 1 1 / 1 9 W he r e : RAI T T REC I TAL HAL L

c onvo c re dit and othe r e ve n ts this w e e k THURS.

FRI.

31

What: E -SP OR TS TOUR NAME N T When: 6 :3 0 p.m.

Wher e: K R ESGE R EADING RO O M, PA YSON LIBR ARY

MON.

1

TUES.

4

5

What: celebration chapel When: 10 a.m.

Where: AMPHITHEATER

wh at: spani s h C hap el Wh e n: 10 a.m .

Wh e re : Stau f f er C hap el

W hat: g erman c hap el W he n: 1 0 a. m.

W he r e : s tau f f er c hap el

What: harvard business school info session When: noon Where: bpc 188

wh at: ar ts, ent ertai nment & media mee t u p Wh e n: 5 p.m.

Wh e re : fr ederi c k r. wei sman museum

W hat: i tal i an c hap el W he n: 3 p. m.

W he r e : s tau f f er c hap el

WEDS. 6

W hat: s u rf c onvo W he n: 7 a. m.

W he r e : zu ma b eac h - T OWER 1 3 W hat: c HI NES E c HAP EL W he n: 1 1 : 05 a. m.

W he r e : C C B 3 03

HADLEY.BIGGS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

// PLUG IN:

peppgraphic Graphic //The PLUG IN: // PLUG IN: Plug in:

@PeppGraphic

peppgraphic TheIN: Graphic peppgraphic The Graphic // The Graphic PLUG

@Peppnewswaves

peppgraphic The Graphic The Graphic The Graphic

The

A3

O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | N E W S | P E P P E R DIN E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Courtesy of Hung Le Happy Couple | Hung and Corinne Le walk down the aisle of Stauffer Chapel on their wedding day in 1989. Both are alumni, and Hung is now an associate vice president and university registrar at Pepperdine University.

Pepperdine discontinues weddings in Stauffer Chapel

Barton said weddings in Stauffer Chapel are frequent.

“In the past 10 years, we have averaged 20 weddings in Stauffer Chapel per year,” Barton said.

Marrs said the Stauffer Chapel hosts over 750 events a year. He said the frequent weddings in the chapel were beginning to interfere with with these other events.

“The primary purpose of the chapel is to be a place for prayer, contemplation and worship,” Marrs said.

“If you had a wedding schedule, then that created a problem where it wasn’t available to the students and faculty who might want to go there for prayer or reflection.”

Additionally, Marrs said weddings in the chapel posed problems for Pepperdine’s tax-exempt status.

“As a tax exempt organization, when we’re doing

our taxes, we have to designate other revenue we generate that is not directly related to tuition and all that,” Marrs said. “So we started to ask: how do Courtesy of Hung Le [the weddings] really fit the mission of who we are and what we’re about? We decided that it did not, so the best move for us was simply to discontinue weddings.”

Hung and Corrine Le were married in Stauffer Chapel in 1989. Hung Le, an alumnus and now an associate vice president and registrar for the university, said he and his wife chose the chapel because they felt a deep connection to Pepperdine.

“Corrine and me were both Pepperdine alumni, we met while we were students here, and it just seemed to be the perfect place for us to begin our life together,” Le said. “It’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. When I go in there now, there is a sense of it being sacred [...] It’s a holy place for us.”

Le said while he’s surprised Pepperdine is discontinuing weddings in the chapel, he understands the reasoning behind the decision.

“As someone who has spent my life at Pepperdine, the reason we’re here is for the students,” Le said. “As meaningful as it was for us — and we’re so thankful for that — but I also understand we need to make it available for our students.”

Marrs said he understands the emotional appeal of getting married in Stauffer.

“We’re honoring every reservation we already had but made sure that people knew the policy change so that moving forward they would know that Stauffer’s main function much more for its original purpose,” JAM ES.M OOR E@PEPPER DINE.EDU Marrs said.

day. I think people forget that you can care about more than one thing at any given time.”

For future university events, Waller said student groups should not be able to reserve handicap spots.

“I think The Board should include disabled people in this conversation when planning future events,” Waller said. “I also think DPS should issue some sort of apology as well for allowing them to reserve those spaces to begin with instead of reserving non-handicap spaces.”

When a handicap space is displaced, DPS will use a minimum of one-and-a-half regular parking stalls for the relocated accessible space, Director of Public Safety Dawn Emrich wrote. Emrich added that this is a rare occasion. Warren said The Board will continue to yield to the universities guidelines.

“Although this has caused a big commotion from the students and from alumni, they are not the peo-

ple that have jurisdiction over student groups — that’s ultimately the administration and DPS,” Warren said.

“If we do something against their guidelines, then we risk being shut down.”

Stull apologized on behalf of The Board for the controversy the event caused.

“We’d like to apologize for all the emotions this brought up and the reaction,” Stull said. “That was never our intention.”

The Board sends out monthly surveys asking for feedback and suggestions, Warren said. The Board’s adviser Louise Dequilla wrote in an email statement that the feedback will be shared with the university.

“We are grateful for student feedback, which has given us the opportunity to listen, share the feedback with University administrators and carry out future actions that best serve all of our students,” Dequilla C HANNA.STEINM ETZ@PEPPER DINE.EDU wrote.

James Moore N e ws Assista n t

Pepperdine University said it would discontinue its tradition of hosting weddings in Stauffer Chapel.

The revision of their policy comes as a result of logistical challenges from hosting weddings presented, as well as complications with Pepperdine’s tax-exempt status. Provost Rick Marrs said Stauffer Chapel has not always been available for weddings.

“Stauffer Chapel has had a history [on and off] of being available for weddings,” Marrs said. “But the policy for the last few years had been that it was available as wedding space if you were a student, an alum or an employee of Pepperdine. If you were not [one of those], you could file a petition and give rationale for what your connection was with the university.”

Marrs said the volume of weddings in Stauffer Chapel was in some part due to affordability.

“What we came to realize was people who were looking for wedding venues found that it tends to be a fairly significant expense, especially in Malibu,” Marrs said. “So we would get requests from people who really were just looking for something relatively inexpensive.”

A survey by WeddingWire.com found that the average cost of a wedding venue in the U.S., is $6,000.

This price gets even higher when looking in Malibu, where popular wedding venues can spill over $20,000. University Chaplain Sara Barton said the fee to rent Stauffer Chapel for a wedding was $1,100, significantly cheaper than the average wedding cost in the U.S.

File Photo

BOARD: Students, alumni voice opinions on Insta FROM A1 telling students to walk. If we would have used a different spot, then students would have had to go through a road where cars could have been driving.”

Unlike a majority of the Instagram comments, alumnus Joshua Prits (2019) wrote on Instagram The Board’s decision to reserve the handicap spots was not an issue, and commenters’ energy should be put into fighting for people of color or LGBTQ+ rights.

Mazen responded to Prits’ comment saying it is important for minorities to support one another, and as a student with a disability, it is an issue. “[Prits’] comment was so interesting because said, ‘Oh this isn’t a real issue’ and I’m like, great for you, it might not be a real issue,” Mazen said. “But for me, this is a very important issue that affects my life every

LABOR: Malibu workers inspire students FROM A1 As a father, Flores said he urges Pepperdine students to study and take advantage of every opportunity.

“Es el mejor futuro para que cada persona se supere [It is the best opportunity for self-improvement for anyone],” Flores said. “Para mi, ver a una persona que estudia mucho en la universidad es un orgullo porque yo tengo un hijo, y quiero que haga lo mismo.

[To me, seeing people studying hard in college is a reason to be proud. I have a son, and I want the same for him.]”

Through the Volunteer Center (PVC), Pepperdine students have the opportunity to meet workers like Flores and help them to learn English.

PVC Neighbors Coordinator Leah Taylor works for an a subsection that focuses on marginalized populations within the Malibu community.

“Working at the Labor Exchange has been a wonderful experience,” Taylor wrote in an email. “It is a great way for students to move out of the ‘Pepperdine bubble’ and work with groups they might not usually have contact with, allowing for growth and cultural competence.”

Taylor said she believes the MCLE’s mission to connect people with job opportunities supports and empowers marginalized groups.

Mondragón said he estimates over 20,000 workers have been serviced since the organization opened, fulfilling the company mission.

“At the end of each day, we measure the jobs that we got and how many people went to work,” Mondragón said.

“That’s our daily mission: work. But when people are looking for work and they find it, that gives them direction and a sense of a better life.”

V E RN E T TA .COVA RRU B I A S @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

Vernie Covarrubias | News Assistant Hiring Site | The Malibu Labor Exchange functions out of a trailer in the library’s parking lot. Approximately 30 workers come in daily.

A4

O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | N E W S | P E P P E R DIN E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Dining Services evaluates food provider candidates Alex Neis News a ssista n t

As Pepperdine approaches the expiration of their contract with food provider Sodexo, a request for proposal process seeks to find the best option for food service in the Waves Cafe.

While the search is conducted by university officials, the concerns and requests of the entire Pepperdine community will factor into the decision, said Nicolle Taylor, vice president and chief business officer at Pepperdine. The Food Service Committee — comprised of a number of stakeholders who have a hand in food service — and Business Services conduct the search. In addition, students, faculty and staff can give feedback about dining services through the Dining Services Committee, Taylor said.

“I would like to see the new food partner lower prices, provide more vegan, vegetarian and allergen-free options and educate students about where their food comes from,” Religion Prof. Chris Doran, a full-time professor of 12 years and former member of the Dining Services Committee, said.

“We don’t do a good job of showing students where their food comes from at all, but that’s becoming far more common practice at other universities,” Doran said. “It’s a failed educational opportunity to explain to our students how the food they eat ends up on their plates.”

In addition to Sodexo, food services such as Aladdin, Aramark, Bon Appetit, Chartwells and Harvest Table are all candidates for the partnership. After reviewing each company’s proposal, the committees will select finalists by Nov. 22. These finalists will make final presentations and, after review from the board of directors, the committees will decide a winner by Dec. 11. After a period of contract negotiation, the contract finalizes by Aug. 1, 2020.

“This feedback is incredibly helpful for us to discern what is most important for our community,” Taylor said.

“

Because we've been with the same partner for so long, it's also a good time to see if we are in line with other trends that are being pursued in the market.

This is all done to ensure we secure the best food service for our campus.

Nicolle Taylor vice president and chief business officer “We read and consider every comment made, and it contributes to our decision-making process.”

Students have the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns during this process. Over the month of October, students and groups such as the Food Recovery Network attended town halls and focus groups to make their points heard. Taylor said she encourages anyone with comments to fill out the RFP Google form.

While the request for proposal does not necessarily mean that Pepperdine’s relationship with Sodexo has come to an end, Taylor said the process seeks to ensure that Pepperdine’s partner is the best on the market.

“The expiration of the contract is a good time to look at what the other vendor options in the market are,” Taylor said. “Because we’ve been with the same partner for so long, it’s also a good time to see if we are in line with other trends that are being pursued in the market.

This is all done to ensure we secure the best food service for our campus.”

Pepperdine has been evaluating the operations of Dining Services for over a year. Taylor said the request for proposal comes at the end of an extensive look into the positives and negatives of food service at Pepperdine.

“This has been a long process that started a number of years ago when we began to do a strategic review of our

dining services on campus,” Taylor said.

The process began with a well-respected consultant, Susan Wilke, in conjunction with food services and Pepperdine’s design and construction teams.

Candidates for the new contract will need to demonstrate their ability to meet Pepperdine’s standards, which include quality, cost, sustainability, variety and customer service, Taylor said.

After visiting a number of other college campuses, Taylor said she is confident that Pepperdine can implement some creative changes to improve the experience of eating at Pepperdine.

“Santa Clara University has great food displays, nutritional options and information, a comprehensive salad bar, and a lot of variety,” Taylor said. “They have also incorporated technology into their ordering systems to make the process more efficient.”

Taylor said Santa Clara University also has a lot more back-of-house space to work with, and that Pepperdine’s Waves Cafe is more limited by space constraints.

Grace Palmer, senior and president of Pepperdine’s Food Recovery Networkchapter, said she is concerned with the food that doesn’t end up on students’ plates. Palmer said Sodexo has not always empowered the Food Recovery Network, which works to eliminate food waste and address food insecurity on campus.

“Early on, when we started the chapter on campus, we would ask to pick up leftover food, and we would get responses [from Sodexo] like, ‘We don’t have any leftover food’ or, ‘We are so efficient that we don’t produce food waste,’ which is just not true,” Palmer said.

This response is uncharacteristic of Sodexo’s mission statement, which prioritizes issues of food waste reduction.

“We’ve committed to eliminate food waste by 2025 and nearly all our site managers, chefs and kitchen staff have implemented initiatives to cut waste,” according to Sodexo.com.

Palmer said the Food Recovery Network non-profit was actually an initiative that Sodexo helped start in 2013.

“In the past few months, our relationship with Sodexo has really improved, and they have been much more willing and excited to work with us,” Palmer said. “This change was due to a change in leadership of Sodexo officials at Waves Cafe.”

While the Food Recovery Network picks up leftovers from catered events and Starbucks, they are still not allowed to pick up food wasted in the Waves Cafe, where a majority of the waste comes from.

Palmer said in a new food partner, or in a revised contract with Sodexo, she would like to see an organization that is willing to partner with the Food Recovery Network directly. Ideally, Palmer said, they would allow them to pick up leftovers from the main dining hall and repurpose the food to address the needs of students facing food insecurity on our campus.

“Nicolle [Taylor] has been a great friend to the Food Recovery Network, and she believes in incorporating our mission into the next phase of food service at Pepperdine,” Palmer said.

One part of Pepperdine’s dining system which is not expected to change anytime soon is the meal plan system.

Although some students have criticized the current points system, Taylor said the university does not plan on changing the system.

Regardless, Taylor said she plans to provide students with more informational tools to understand why meal points work the way they do and where students’ dollars are going. She said she hopes that improved quality of food and service will encourage students to use their full meal plan as opposed to eating off campus.

All of the candidates have the capacity to partner with franchises like Starbucks and have the potential to introduce new-branded concepts to the campus, Taylor said. While this could be an exciting new addition to Pepperdine’s food options, Taylor said Pepperdine will avoid introducing too many branded locations.

“I think students would enjoy having brands they recognize on campus,” Taylor said. “But we want to avoid looking like an airport food court and still include nutritious home cooked options.” a l e x . n e i s @p e p p e rd i n e . e d u

Photos by Alex Neis | News Assistant Fine Dining | (top) Students order food at the Waves Cafe, Pepperdine’s largest and most popular food service location. (below) In addition to meal options from the Flat Top and the Grill, the Waves Cafe also offers handcrafted sandwiches, a salad bar and vegan options. (bottom) Nature’s Edge offers snack and beverage options as well as meals to go.

O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | N E W S | P E P P E R DIN E G RA P H I C ME D I A

A5

Law school professor discusses family, faith and forgiveness Makena huey li f e & arts copy e d itor

Douglas Kmiec, Rick J. Caruso School of Law professor and Caruso family chair in constitutional law, discussed not only his greatest accomplishments, but also his greatest challenges — the tragic death of two of his closest friends, the end of a relationship and the diagnosis of a terminal illness.

Despite a career that spans over 30 years, the former assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel and retired ambassador of Malta preferred to discuss family, faith and forgiveness to encourage others to persevere.

“If sometimes you find yourself on the wrong side of things, or where the breaks are running against you, you’ll remember [my] message and prevail,” Kmiec wrote in an email.

Family: His Source of Vocation Kmiec, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, said he believes that family is not only the most significant influence in his own life, but also one of the most significant institutions in U.S. culture.

He said his Catholic faith stems from his mother’s influence, while his passion for law stems from his father.

Although Kmiec’s father was an engineer, he loved the relationship between law and politics. His father served as democratic chairman for John F. Kennedy in the 1960 election, and Kmiec said he often accompanied his father to different events.

“I was about 9 years old during that election, and my father decided that it would be educational for me to tag along with him to his various meetings … where these larger-than-life personalities such as John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy would be present,” Kmiec said.

“I will always remember meeting them at that occasion and being extremely proud of my father for the work he was doing.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Kmiec said he volunteered for the Robert Kennedy primary in Indiana when he began college at Northwestern University, before earning his J.D. from the University of Southern California.

Because Kmiec had to learn each client’s discipline and be knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects, he said he thought being a lawyer would never grow boring. The law fascinated him, and he said he viewed it as an instruction manual for how to do good.

“I’d like to hope that I was known for … trying to volunteer my time, supplies and possible solutions to things that are

burdening people through legal ideas without expecting that in return, there would be some reward,” Kmiec said.

Kmiec, who aspires to dedicate his life to others, said his faith teaches him not to put himself first in life. He has always strived to be a good husband and father, proudly pointing to his three daughters and two sons as his greatest accomplishments; he is motivated by strengthening his relationships with his children and grandchildren.

“People should know that the thing I enjoy most is their company,” Kmiec said. “I wish oftentimes that the world was no larger than a small town’s main street where every person you walk by had a smile, or a ‘good morning,’ or a ‘good afternoon’ and took time to genuinely find out how life was for them.”

An Illustrious Career

Kmiec said his career flourished when he was accepted to the White House Fellowship in 1982. This enabled him to later serve Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush as assistant and deputy assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel.

The decision to begin working at Pepperdine in 1995 was an easy one, Kmiec said. His children loved the campus and begged him to stay, and because he said he orders his life around their happiness, he did. He said he appreciates that faith is a natural part of the conversation on campus and that he is able to accept opportunities outside the classroom that further his students’ learning.

Kmiec, who ran as an independent candidate for Congress in 2014, received attention from other Catholics when he publicly endorsed Barack Obama during the 2008 election. He said he remains bipartisan in a partisan world by recognizing opportunities for cooperation between political parties. There are always multiple ways to interpret an issue and he views others as “intellectual adversaries” rather than enemies, he said.

“I think legal training, if it’s properly received, encourages bipartisanship and seeing the other side because the most effective way to learn the argument of your client is to learn the argument that is going to be made by the opposition,” Kmiec said.

Kmiec served President Obama as the U.S. Ambassador to Malta from 2009 to 2011; during this role, Kmiec said he faced one of his biggest but most successful challenges, which he describes in his book “Lift Up Your Hearts.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for whom he said he had hoped

Courtesy of Douglas Kmiec Taking the Stand | Pepperdine law professor Douglas Kmiec perseveres through Parkinson’s disease and the losses of two close friends. to serve as Vice President, asked him to rescue 338 people from behind shooting lines in Libya without military forces during the Arab Spring. Desperate, Kmiec borrowed a friend’s catamaran.

Despite encountering a category-5 winter storm with over 15-feet waves, everyone was brought to safety.

“A big ship, especially a catamaran with a double hull, gets tossed pretty vigorously in a storm such as that, and while a few people were injured in a minor way, thankfully no one suffered great injury and even the pets made it,” Kmiec said.

Not all challenges, however, have a happy ending.

Overcoming Challenges Tragedy struck Aug. 25, 2010.

Kmiec said he was driving a car that went off the road, injuring himself and killing two of his closest friends.

“In essence, you have to live for two, or in this case three, and when you’re living for two good people, that is an extraordinary responsibility,” Kmiec said.

“There’s not a day that goes by without thinking about how I can help someone in some way and dedicate that to these

two lovely people that perished.”

Kmiec was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which he describes as a constant challenge. Kmiec said he is more troubled, however, by the end of his marriage after 38 years.

“While I have been given a particularly challenging dose of death, disease and unwanted divorce, in most lives, it is virtually impossible to avoid disease and the death of those we cherish,” Kmiec wrote in a follow-up email. “It’s how we react to the knowledge of the fragility of life that makes the difference. Do you fight the disease? Do you hold on to the memory of your friend?

And if divorce comes your way, do you continue to observe your own promise to love until eternity?”

Kmiec said although he prefers to focus on the future rather than the past, he shares the experiences that shaped his life to be an authentic teacher and friend.

These events, he said, are not defined by sadness. As his father always reminded him, “If you’re ever feeling down, just remember that you can’t lose if you have faith, courage and enthusiasm.”

M AK ENA.HUEY@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Pepperdine 2018 crime statistics reveal incidents of rape and burglary on campus and abroad KAyiu wong onl in e p roduce r

Pepperdine’s Campus Safety and Fire Safety Report for 2018 reveal two incidents of rape reportedly occurred on campus last year.

The Department of Public Safety published the report Oct. 1, with details regarding campus fire safety systems and statistics concerning reported crimes on all Pepperdine campuses.

Under a federal statute known as the Clery Act, Pepperdine must disclose information about crimes that occur on or near campus for the last three years. The university must publish and send out crime information to students and employees annually by Oct. 1. The statistics that Pepperdine publishes information about include reports of rape, robbery, aggravated assault and hate crimes; arrests related to drug, weapon or liquor offenses; and disciplinary referrals.

The 2018 report includes crimes statistics from 2016 and 2017 for reference.

Reports of Sexual Misconduct In 2018, there were two reports of rape on the Malibu campus. Both reportedly occurred in student housing. In 2017, there were four reports of rape. Two cases of rape were reported

in 2016.

In 2018, there were three reported incidents of fondling. No incidents of fondling were reported in 2017 and 2016.

The statistics related to sexual misconduct in the Fire Safety and Campus Safety report do not include the seven reports of sexual misconduct that were filed during the spring 2019 semester.

The university defines sexual misconduct as “sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking” in the code of conduct.

A student reported an incident of sexual assault this semester Sept. 5, in Drescher Student Housing Apartments, according to the daily crime log report from the Department of Public Safety.

Decrease in Burglaries There were five reported cases of burglary in 2018, four of which reportedly occurred in student housing.

This is a significant decrease compared to recent years. Fourteen incidents of burglary were reported in 2017, while 15 incidents were reported in 2016.

Statistics on Satellite Campuses At Pepperdine’s West Los Angeles

Kayiu Wong | Online Producer Pepp’s Finest| Pepperdine Department of Public Safety (DPS) has dealt with a decreased number of burglary crimes in the last year. campus, there was one report of fondling, one report of burglary, and two reports of motor vehicle thefts.

No crimes were reported in 2018 at Pepperdine’s other remote campuses: Calabasas, Encino, Irvine, Buenos Aires, Florence, Heidelberg, Lausanne, London, Shanghai and Washington D.C.

This is consistent with previous years. With the exception of one report of a hate crime on the Encino campus in 2017, students did not report any crimes at Pepperdine’s satellite campuses in 2017 and 2016 either.

K AYIU.W ONG@PEPPER DINE.EDU

A6

pepper di ne-g r aphi c.com

The Graphic

o ct o b e r 3 1, 2 0 19

PERSPECTIVES

STAFF LIST

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Remebering traumatic events looks different for everybody With the one-year anniversary of the Borderline Shooting and the Woolsey Fire approaching, Student Affairs has planned a number of events to give students a space in which to remember and grieve. The events are detailed in an email sent by Student Affairs on Oct. 16.

During this time, grief is not the same for everyone. While communal expressions of remembrance and healing are helpful for some students who enjoy company and conversation during a particularly difficult time, others may be more comfortable processing with a small group of friends or even alone.

The tragedies of last fall hit each Pepperdine student

differently. Some knew victims personally, some were left without a place to live, some supported friends who were grieving. No matter where students find themselves in November of last year, one’s natural response to trauma is acceptable. The Pepperdine community should never try to standardize an emotional process or forget that every person in the community has their own ways to cope with trauma.

Now, a year later, as Pepperdine reflects on how loss has affected each person, let’s continue to be aware of everybody’s unique response to trauma, and let’s honor our own needs, too. Expressing grief can be an important part of our healing

process, but only if it manifests itself in ways that aren’t forced, don’t fear judgment and come naturally.

Whether one is compelled to attend campus events, practice private processing with a friend or spend a day at the beach all alone, people should feel no shame for the way they heal, and support others as they do the same.

Emotional trauma, unlike most injuries, does not always heal in a linear way. The effects of trauma can disappear and reappear again and again over a lifetime, and there is no shame in still struggling long after a tragedy has passed. That being said, this campus should be cognizant of those in the stu-

dent body who are still coping with The Borderline shooting and Alaina Housley’s death.

Those who were further removed from the tragedies of last fall can be strong for their classmates who are still suffering. By being sensitive to one another, each person in the community validates the pain of last year, and honor Alaina as best as we can.

In general, memorializing tragedy can help many find closure and stay connected to the past in a safe way. It is also important to remember the events of last year because sometimes people have a tendency to forget difficult things. A large portion of the student body were forever changed by last fall,

and we would be doing them a disservice to isolate last year to the past when it is still a part of many people’s present.

For the freshmen who did not experience last fall’s tragedy, and the juniors who traveled abroad, this is an opportunity to learn and listen to the stories of your peers and foster an environment of compassion. The term “campus involvement” is not limited to intramural sports and club convo. To be truly involved is to immerse yourself in the fabric of the campus, even the painful parts.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE 'BU YORKER

Letters to the Editor must bear the writer’s name, signature, class standing, major, address and phone number (except in some circumstances determined appropriate by the Graphic). Letters must be fewer than 300 words and will be edited for syntax, grammar and brevity. Letters can be mailed to student publications or emailed to peppgraphicmedia@ gmail.com

CONTACT US

Graphic Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy. Malibu, CA 90263 310-506-4311

3.

peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com peppgraphicadvertising@gmail.com

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor

ex ec u ti v e ed i to r a l l i so n l e e M anag i ng Ed i to r madeleine carr So c i al M ed i a M anag er sava n n a h w e l ch P i x el Ed i to r k i l e y d i ste l r ath o nl i ne p r o d u c er k ayi u w o n g G New s p r o d u c er m a r i sa d r ag o s c o py c hi ef ga b r i e l l e m ath ys 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 ch a n n a ste i n m e tz New s Ass i stants v e r n i e cova r r u b i a s James Moore Alex neis S p o r ts Ed i to r k yl e m c ca b e ass i stant sp o r ts ed i to r Ali levens sp o r ts c o py ed i to r b rya n t l o n e y P er s p ec ti v es Ed i to r m a ry m a r ga r e t dav i s P er sp ec ti v es ass i stant c a m ryn g o r d o n L i fe & Ar ts Ed i to r g i a n n i c o c ch e l l a as si s tant L i fe & ar ts ed i to r r o wa n to k e L i fe & Ar ts as si s tant E m i ly Sh aW l i fe & ar ts c o py ed i to r makena huey l i fe & ar ts d esi g ner M e l i ssa L o c k e p o d c ast d i r ec to r Kaelin mendez Ar t Ed i to r c a i tl i n r oa r k as si s tant ar t ed i to r s a l ly a r m str o n g m a d e l i n e d u va l l ab r oad c o r r esp o nd ents a sh l e y m o w r e a d e r sawa ya m a k awa adv er ti s i 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 D i r ec to r o f P ep p er d i ne G r ap hi c M ed i a E l i z a b e th Sm i th As si s tant D i r ec to r O f P ep p er d i ne G r ap hi c M ed i a Co u r te n ay Sta l l i n g s 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.”

A7

O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | PE RS PE C TIVE S | P E P PE RD I N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Talk about mental health Cam ry n Gordon p e rs p e c t i v e s assistant

Thirty-five percent of firstyear college students across the world struggle with mental illness, according to a report

by CNBC. In the United States, one in five adults and one in six children aged 6 to 17 years old suffer from a mental health disorder every year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

That being said, there is no denying that everyone knows someone struggling with mental illness, whether or not one knows it. At Pepperdine University, mental illness is not absent from our campus, no matter how many “Pepp faces” we see throughout campus. It is time to talk candidly about the implications of mental illness in order to create communities of support and end the stigma.

The “Pepp face” is commonly known around campus as the happy mask which covers up the real emotions or feelings of overwhelmed students.

While the “Pepp face” can make the whole campus look unbothered, it is a dangerous tool many use to perpetuate a culture of bottled emotions and poorly managed mental health.

Over the past few years, the topic of mental health has become a commonly talked about and almost normal burden to carry in society. However, while it has slowly begun to take on a more permanent presence, there is still an excess of information and harrowing person-

al experiences about mental illness that don’t make it to the front of the discussion.

Mental health disorders differ and vary between all people.

What is not said about mental illness?

From personal experience, mental illness is debilitating.

It not only affects academic achievement or social life but also results in episodes of unexpected depressive breakdowns and anxiety attacks which can genuinely hinder one’s ability to function.

Grace Heflin, a junior, said she became “so depressed in her first-year” at Pepperdine that she fell below the GPA average required to maintain the Regents’ Scholarship. Heflin eventually lost the academic award because of her major depressive disorder. Luckily, Heflin was able to appeal to the board and get her scholarship back.

The symptoms of these two common illnesses can vary from restlessness or oversleeping to random aches and pains throughout the body to shaking and sensations of shortness of breath. Candidly speaking from experience, depression and anxiety feel as though one’s chest is compressed into a can.

But, how many people are going to try and explain this to those not experiencing it?

Mental illnesses cannot just go away, they are not easy to control and very few, if any, are curable.

Maybe it is a disconnect between those who struggle with mental health disorders and those who do not, or maybe it is the overarching anxiety of judgment for something that is uncontrollable, or maybe it is the known presence of stigma that limits the desire to explain the real impacts many are expe-

Practice sustainability at Starbucks

alexis scanlon staff writer

Pepperdine sets goals for a sustainable campus, but why is there no option for reusable mugs and waste reduction at Starbucks?

If people sit and observe the students ebbing and flowing through the never-ending Starbucks line in Payson Library, they notice how many coffee orders begin to pile up at the pick-up bar.

The combination of caffeination and academics being confined to one building provides an opportunity for Pepperdine to push the necessity of sustainable practices within the student body.

Because students often retreat with their coffee into Caitlin Roark | Art Editor the depths of the library, the question must be asked — why does Pepperdine not riencing.

The conversation around have reusable mugs anywhere Either way, there is so much mental health can be changed on campus? The sole option that is left out of the conversathough openly talking about of single use cups creates an tion regarding mental illness. one’s experience with mental enormous amount of unnecPersonal experience has the illnesses, including those menessary waste when students ability to create bonds between tioned above, and by thinking are already staying within the people, to explain the difficulof mental health as a continuvicinity of Starbucks. ties of what it is to be human um and not a strict dichotomy.

With sustainability in and to struggle.

Be informed of mental health mind, the option to order As young people who are resources, like the Suicide a drink in a reusable cup disproportionately affected by Prevention Hotline and reach instead of plastic or paper mental illness, we must change out to medical professionals will both cut down on single it is talked about within comfor help, and share them with use waste and encourage munities and relationships. No everyone. students to keep eco-friendly longer can people afford to igIf you or someone you know alternatives at the forefront of nore the real impacts of mental is struggling with suicidal their minds. illness. While it can be diffithoughts call the 24/7 NationThis both invites students cult to start the conversation, al Suicide Prevention Hotline: to engage in mindful stewwhat one can get out of sharing 1-800-273-8255. ardship over our campus personal experiences could and removes the barrier of potentially change someone needing to remember your else’s life.

C AM RYN.GOR DON@PEPPER DINE.EDU own reusable cup. Margaret Morales is a policy analyst with the Sightline Institute and conducts research under the areas of climate & energy, democracy, sustainable reiterates the value of living and more. She writes receiving a creative edthat fewer than 2% of coffee ucation; creative major drinkers bring their own students can find othmugs because of the inconveers who share a similar nience of carrying it around. passion.

Research in the UK on Moreover, in the coffee consumer waste shows settings, people with a that reusable cups will signifimultitude of life excantly cut down waste with periences that differ sustainability implementafrom his or her own can tion such as distribution of surround the arts stufree reusable cups and a tax dent. This experience on single-use cups. alone can influence a At a campus level, one can student’s writing style look at an added necessity and most likely even of adding reusable mugs for improve it, as his or her coffee in the Waves Cafe. This work may begin to gain implementation is based solemore depth. Howevly on Pepperdine’s willinger, there are also clear ness to contribute a new and instances where college sustainable alternative to our may not be seen as a dining services.

There are curnecessity for chasing a rently reusable cups for soft creative dream.

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor drinks and water available for Over the past few those eating in. Because many years, university tuition students eat their meals in has steadily increased. the Caf rather than taking it Even Pepperdine’s tuiin the entertainment was still able to sucto go, mugs would be a strong tion has become more industry once faced this ceed. It is necessary addition to the recently reexpensive. From 2016predicament but decidto acknowledge that modeled Waves Cafe.

2017 it was $50,022, ed to stay in school. some people may not It is essential to be active and now in 2019, Miles Teller, who has be willing to take that participants in making our tuition costs $73,040. acted in movies such as risk, which is completecampus a better place to live, This number alone will “Divergent,” graduated ly understandable. to work, and to be in commube daunting to many from the Tisch School For students who end nity.

Bringing reusable mugs students, especially to of Arts at New York up at school or who deand being conscious of waste those that come from University, where he cide to take a different reduction is a great place to financially unstable studied acting. Teller route, it is key that they start.

This is an important households. Although “racked up $100,000 in build a strong work issue our community should colleges offer financial student loans he says he ethic. Colleges make it plans, many students still hasn’t paid down,” their goal to instill this bring to the attention of the Pepperdine Administration end up in debt due to an as Carl Swanson noted sense of diligence into via petitions for Starbucks in his Vulture article, their students, which accumulation of loans. mugs on campus or ex“Nobody’s Stalking helps them hone their This is a reason why pressing concern through Miles Teller: The Suncraft. All of the artists some creatively-inthe members of the Student dance Breakout on That that were listed only clined prospective Government Association.

Awkward Moment, got to where they are students may choose Fame, and Getting Out through determination This campus is our home, and to opt out of the colit is essential to advocate for of Florida.” and endurance. lege option and work its sustainable practices.

But despite that instead. Nonetheless,

Higher education helps creatives, too

a n i ta O k o r o a f o r s ta f f w r i t e r There are many creative majors offered at Pepperdine University, such as music, art, creative writing and screen arts.

It is important to be conscious of the real benefits that come with getting further education in these creative courses. For instance, many people wonder why they should waste time going to school to study creative writing when they could just spend that time writing instead.

In general, studying a creative major at college forces pupils to be in an environment where professors routinely grade them, which ultimately refines their craft.

Hannah Collins, a graduate who studied fine arts and creative writing, revealed how “the rigorous structure of education — whether full or part-time — can be ideal for those who thrive within that kind of environment, and you might be surprised to find yourself in that category. Actively re-

ceiving feedback, week after week, incentivizes good writing behavior, and having others depend on you for the same will hone your study of, and appreciation for, the craft.” She wrote this in the article, “Is A Creative Writing Degree Worth Your Time (And Money)?”

She now spends her time writing, drawing, designing and podcasting. Collins is a clear example of how rather than university inhibiting talent, it inspires a person’s gift and allows that talent to grow.

Also, schools present students with great networking opportunities.

Most of the time, peers who met at university end up assisting one another in the future.

This is evident in the interview The Hollywood Reporter did with Ryan Coogler, the writer and director of “Black Panther.”

Coogler mentioned how “the biggest thing [he] walked away with from film school was … a lot of [his] colleagues.”

He then spoke about how he met the composer, who he has collaborated with on many films at his film school, as well as his editors and fellow producers.

He concluded, “[t] he community was the most valuable thing” that going to school gave him. This

many successful people

obstacle, Miles Teller

ANITA.OKOR OAF OR @PEPPER DINE.EDU

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

A8

P E P P E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | N E W S | O CT O B E R 3 1 , 20 1 9

LIKE THE GRAPHIC? TRY IT BYTE-SIZED.

GO TO REBRAND.LY/PGMPIXEL TO SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY DIGITAL NEWSLETTER.

October 31. 2019

The Graphic

B1

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

Pepp alumna paints the ‘gritty with the pretty’ Emily Shaw Li f e & A rts ASsista n t Seaver alumna Shannon Celia (Class of 1989) is a professional artist and the founder of the Pepperdine Alumni Art Showcase. Recently, Malibu’s Cultural Arts Commission selected Celia to paint a utility box for the City of Malibu’s public art initiative, along with two other artists.

“I was so excited because I paint a lot of coastal themed seascapes and landscapes, so I was like, ‘This is in my wheelhouse. I can do this,’” Celia said.

Celia said she found out about the City of Malibu’s call to artists to paint utility boxes in the city from her friend.

Having had previous experience painting utility boxes a couple years ago for the City of Oxnard, Celia said she was excited to paint another one in Malibu because of her strong ties to the city.

“When I heard I got it, I was over the moon,” Celia said. “I know they had a lot

of applications, and they were only able to choose three artists to paint four boxes, so it was pretty exciting.”

The City of Malibu not only awarded Celia with a utility box, but with a utility box right down the street from Pepperdine on Civic Center Way and Winter Canyon Park. Celia said she could see Pepperdine from the utility box.

Celia’s box is “Malibu-inspired,” and she called her utility box “Miraculous Malibu.” She said she painted coastal-themed seascapes on the box, and she included surfboards, seagulls and ocean waves.

Celia said living in coastal New England with her uncles inspires her love for painting seascapes.

“I grew up with two uncles who were lifeguards back east, so I’ve always been attracted to that kind of themed art. It brings back such great memories of my childhood,” Celia said.

Celia said she hopes that the painted utility boxes will spread some joy to the people of Malibu and more.

“I like to paint the gritty with the pretty, and I thought if this project isn’t the epitome of that, I don’t know what it is,” Celia said. “I love taking this beast of a utility box that maybe people don’t even notice and turn it into something that makes people hopefully stop and say, ‘Wow, look at that.’”

Passion for Writing Children’s Books Celia graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an art emphasis at Pepperdine.

She said she has always been a writer.

“I grew up writing songs; I shifted to writing for children and doing a little work in the journalism field,” Celia said. “I love hearing people’s stories, and I love the idea that a picture is worth so many

Photos courtesy of Shannon Celia Creativity Flows | (left) The first angle of alumna Shannon Celia’s electrical box depicts five surfboards resting in the sand. (right) The other angles features other beachy scenes, such as seagulls and palm trees. It is located on Civic Center Way and Winter Canyon Park. words.”

Celia published several of her children’s books. Her most recent book that is still selling is titled “ABC’s of the Sea.” Celia said she also loves how the utility box the City of Malibu awarded her is located near Webster Elementary School and Our Lady of Malibu School because of her passion for writing children’s books.

“I love introducing kids to art and

music and reading; they’re all passions of mine,” Celia said.

Discovering a Love for the Fine Arts Celia said being an artist has helped her feel connected to others in a way that goes beyond the literal words being spoken.

SE E A R T b ox e s, B 3

Insider’s Look: Understand the art of effective studying at Pepp PHy ll is yu staf f w r ite r

There are only 24 hours in a day, and as a college student, it can be difficult to squeeze studying into these precious hours when there are so many other activities to participate in.

There are many different activities and extracurriculars like Greek life and clubs that provide opportunities for students to serve their community, socialize and immerse themselves in different cultures.

On top of that, there are performance opportunities for students to showcase their talents and school athletic teams that keep students on a tightly packed schedule.

As students deeply integrate themselves into the various extra-curricular activities that Pepperdine offers, finding the right method for studying and managing time is crucial for success.

Effectiveness of Time Management

Using time wisely is the key to success amidst a hectic schedule. This, however, is a difficult task due to the many distractions present, making it necessary for students to keep themselves accountable.

The first step is to look for different methods that will help boost effective time allocation, according to Forbes. Time allocation is the prep work for an effective study session.

If a student figures out what and how long they are going to study for ahead of time, studying will become more goal-oriented.

Junior Karly Kern is a double major in both Biology and Hispanic studies, a freshman RA, a tutor for the Student Success Center, an organic chemistry TA and a part of Greek life.

To manage her time, Kern said she uses the Pomodoro Technique, which is a cycle that consists of 25 minutes of focus work followed by a five-minute break; it is repeated four times and ends with a 15-minute break. With a set

time schedule, students will be motivated to finish the work at hand more efficiently. Without a plan, it is hard to pinpoint what has to be done.

Senior Robbie Skead, a student-athlete and International Business major, has a busy schedule that consists of basketball, his duties as the senior class president and his Greek-life related activities.

“Because I have so many commitments, I have to take advantage of all my free time to study, and even if I am up to speed, I have to use my free time to study to get ahead because in the future I’m bound to get behind,” Skead said.

Skead said it is important to stay on top of things, and a method that works for him is to review the professor’s lecture immediately after the class.

To improve time management skills, according to an article on Lifehack, students can keep a planner, utilize the reminder app and make a to-do list every

Phyllis Yu | Staff Writer Hittin’ The Books | Junior Madison Menefee studies on the upper-floor of Payson Library. The upstairs couches, tables and booths, which are very popular among students, are part of the quiet areas. day to keep themselves accountable for all of the work they need to get done. An organized schedule not only promotes a more productive lifestyle but also prevents students from forgetting important tasks.

Power of Handwriting In a technologically enhanced era, taking notes on the computer has become the norm.

However, handwriting notes and materials is

a more effective way of retaining the information that is learned, according to an article

by NPR. Technology has made it easier for students to study on the go, but many students find it helpful to write things out physically before utilizing the computer.

“I tend to handwrite the vocabulary once, and then use Quizlet until I get 100% on their flashcard tests,” junior Accounting major Christopher Hidalgo said.

Quizlet is an interactive, online study application that allows students to make and study flashcards.

Writing is also a way to reorganize an individual’s thought process.

“I rewrite my notes in an organized fashion, make Quizlets and, depending on the class, redo homework questions and exams, especially for physics,” Kern said.

SE E Stu dy, B 3

B2

O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 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 Milan Loiacono | Currents Editor Showtime | JEMS members (left to right) Emily Colombier, Jessica Rotter and Sarah Margaet Huff sing and clap with the audience to their song. JEMS is an alternative folk band that opened Pepperdine University’s annual concert during Waves Weekend on Oct. 12.

Q&A with Pepperdine alumna Jessica Rotter and JEMS G ian ni Cocchella Li f e & A rts E d itor E mily Shaw Li f e & Arts Assista n t Alternative folk band JEMS opened the Pepperdine Waves Weekend annual concert Oct. 12 with “Take Me Back,” one of their most popular songs on Spotify.

The band’s three members include Emily Colombier, Sarah Margaret Huff and Seaver alumna Jessica Rotter (Class of 2010). Both Colombier and Rotter grew up in Los Angeles, and Huff is originally from Nashville but moved to L.A., where she met Colombier and Rotter. Together, the three discovered that their individual voices blended into a beautiful, unique sound, which led them to create music and ultimately form JEMS. JEMS released its self-titled debut album May 17, and it has collaborated with well-known artists such as Alicia Keys, Macklemore and Sam Smith, according to its website. Colombier and Rotter’s mashup “Stay/Animal” has over 1 million streams on Spotify, and JEMS has created music for film and TV as well.

In an effort to get to know this all-female trio better, the Graphic sat down with JEMS to discuss its formation and journey as a group and its future plans.

How did JEMS get started?

Sarah Margaret: Jessica and Emily have known one another their whole lives.

Their moms played in orchestras together. I actually met Jessica through another Pepperdine alumni. When we were picking a name, we went through a lot, but it’s JEMS; it’s kind of an acronym, so it’s around our initials, Jessica, Emily and [switched for] Sarah Margaret.

Jessica: We used to sing back-up for each other, and we toured around together and then got booked in a music festival and decided to become a real band.

What inspires and fuels your music?

Jessica: I think that we realize that it’s very important to have a strong female voice that stands for truth in a time when I feel like a lot of things are getting muddled and kind of convoluted.

I think we all really believe in our own inner strength and how that encourages the people around us to be truly who they are and be strong. There is strength in vulnerability, and there’s strength in truth, so I think, in a way, our music is fueled by the need to express and how toxic it is to hold all of your feelings inside. Personally, I think I have felt like being a songwriter has been essential for my friends and family to share other things with me, and I know that artists historically have been the people who grant others permission to accept themselves and feel their feelings, and we feel that charge, so we get together, and we just feel and write and have fun.

Emily: I think it’s cool that we’re finally in a time where it’s OK to not be OK and to talk about that with others. For

me, personally, I’ve gone through some really traumatic life events, and [JEMS will] come together, and I’ll be writing about that specific thing, but we’ll all connect to it in a different way. It’s all meaningful. I think that’s what’s so cool about sharing your music. People come up to you and say, ‘I so connected with that because of what I went through’, and it’s totally different, but they went to that place. It’s really cool to be able to connect with people like that.

What is your biggest achievement?

Jessica: It’s been cool getting playlisted

by Spotify. I think that has been such a big encourager.

Sarah Margaret: We also played at the Troubadour. I mean, it’s a legendary place. We had such a dream of a night.

That show was a dream.

Emily: It was magical.

Jessica: We’ve been able to showcase for some big studios and have some people who are in the film and music world consider us for writing opportunities.

We wrote a theme song and opening and closing titles [credits] for a film.

Emily: Recording at the Village ... a historic recording studio, was amazing.

It’s those things that pop up along the way that keep you going and keep you excited and encouraged because it can be hard to be a young band, so all of those [achievements] are like guiding lights to the next place.

Jessica: We pretty much sold out our album release in May, and that’s kind of led to all these other opportunities.

Bigger venues ask us to play, and then we were asked to open for other people and then people are [connecting us to more] opportunities because they see us gaining traction organically, which has been wonderful.

Jessica, what have you noticed has changed at Pepperdine since you’ve been here as a student?

Jessica: I’m glad to know that the gay rights club or the gay student union is allowed. From what I’ve seen, people are more inclusive than they [might have been] at one point when I was here. I think that in the world, there’s just been more of a conversation of inclusion, so I think people are more conscientious about that, and I think people are less fearful to accept others. That was my number one concern when I was going here was that I felt like there wasn’t quite enough inclusion.

Courtesy of wearejems.com Cover Girls | JEMS band members (left to right) Emily Colombier, Sarah Margaret Huff and Jessica Rotter pose together for the cover of their self-debuted album. JEMS released its debut album May 17 and inlcudes songs such as “Right on Time,” “Clay, ”and “Take Me Back.”

Do you have any plans for the near future, as a band?

Alumna Spotlight | Alumna Jessica Rotter sings at the Waves Weekend concert on Oct 12. Rotter graduated from Pepperdine in 2010 and went on to form JEMs. writing, and we are gearing up to record that and hopefully acquire a team to help us push ourselves to the next level.

If you could go back in time and talk to yourselves during your college years, like early 20s, what would you tell yourself or what advice would you give yourself?

Sarah Margaret: You don’t have to have it all figured out. Try everything and be bold and see what works, and if it doesn’t, that’s OK, keep moving in a direction.

Jessica: I think everyone feels so lost the day they graduate, unless they know where they’re going for grad school or they have a job lined up. But everyone I know who is in the arts gets terrified, and I thankfully just started saying yes to everything that sounded fun and that led me in a little bit of a roundabout path. But I would [still] tell myself to say yes to everything and be positive about what could happen because your life will show itself to you.

Instead of you feeling like you have to scrape and grind and figure out what’s going to happen, you just kinda have to accept what’s coming. I feel like that’s a lot less stressful than trying to plan because no one can plan their [whole] life.

Emily: I feel like the roundabout is kind of what life is. We think that we’re going in one direction and then looking back [at] all of these things [when] I thought, ‘Why am I doing this or this is not what I should be doing’ is what led me to what I really care about now.

It’s always what you don’t think life is gonna give you.

Emily: We’re writing our second album right now, so [we’re] kinda in the middle of [doing] that.

To keep up with JEMS, follow the band on social media: @weare_jems on Instagram and @weareJEMS on Twitter.

Additionally, check out www.wearejems.com to learn more about the trio and some of its upcoming events.

Jessica: Yeah, we’re in the middle of

GIANNI.C OC C HEL L A@PEPPER DINE.EDU EM ILY.C.SHAW @PEPPER DINE.EDU

P E P P E R DINE GR A P HIC M E DIA | L IFE A N D A RT S | O CT O B E R 3 1 , 20 1 9

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros

B3

ART BOXES: Pepp Alumna brings annual art showase to Pepp FROM B1 “When I got to Pepperdine, I was really blown away by the care that the professors and my adviser [Prof. Ken Waters] had to guide me and help me figure out what my gifts were,” Celia said.

At first focused on becoming a professional musician, Celia said she realized after taking her first art class with art Professor Joseph Piasentin that painting was her true calling.

“It was in that first class with Joseph Piasentin that I got a brush in my hand and … I was like, ‘I didn’t know I could paint!’” Celia said. “And so it was pretty obvious my first semester in an art class that I had found my true calling.”

Pepperdine Alumni Art Showcase Executive Director of Crest Associates and alumna Heidi Bernard (Seaver College, 1985) said she came to know Celia when they attended the same church in Agoura Hills and became friends through singing on a worship team together. They also bonded over being Pepperdine alumni.

Bernard said Celia has been involved with and given back to Pepperdine in many ways since she graduated. For example, she has volunteered for Pepperdine’s Center for the Arts many times and has recently been commissioned

to do a painting of Pepperdine.

Bernard said the main way Celia has given back to Pepperdine since graduation was her founding of the Pepperdine Alumni Art Showcase.

One day, Celia had shared with Bernard an idea for an Alumni Art Showcase, which combines Celia’s passions for art and Pepperdine, and Bernard decided to help Celia achieve her idea.

“It was a partnership with Shannon’s concept, her time and energy, Seaver Alumni Relations, the Payson Library, and then my office, Crest Associates,” Bernard said.

Bernard said even though she’s not an artist, she considers herself a creative person who very much values the arts.

“I think the arts are an actual expression of people,” Bernard said. “I think it’s part of being a human being, and it’s good to have expression, and it takes many forms.”

Regarding Celia’s recent work on the utility box in Malibu, Bernard said she is very proud of Celia.

“I appreciate how she looks to combine her passion and how she can give back to the university, and I’m just grateful to her for that,” Bernard said.

Alice Tsay, former director for library programming and public affairs for the Pepperdine libraries, collaborated with Celia to bring the third Alumni Art Showcase to Payson Library in 2018.

Tsay now works on special projects for the president at The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens.

“The two of us laid out and hung up the exhibit with help from some other wonderful staff, students and even alumni,” Tsay wrote in an email. “Shannon has hung many shows in the past, but this was the first time I had done an exhibit of any kind, so it was great to learn and laugh alongside her while figuring out how to get all these wonderful pieces of art up on display.”

Tsay wrote that she is also a fan of Celia’s art.

“I love that Shannon’s art is so deeply rooted in a sense of place, especially of the California coastline,” Tsay wrote.

“Her paintings convey her exuberant personality and attentiveness to the world around us in such a compelling way.”

Celia said the Pepperdine Alumni Art Showcase is now a tri-annual showcase at Payson Library and includes an opportunity for art students to ask questions to a panel of Pepperdine alumni who are professional artists. “[The showcase has] been an amazing way to get alumni artists together,” Celia said.

“Art students will always be able to see that after they graduate, they can participate in this super cool show.”

Celia said a piece of advice she has for aspiring artists is to find a mentor and decide

Photos courtesy of Shannon Celia Celebrating Alumni Art | Shannon Celia and Heidi Bernard smile for the camera at the first Pepperdine Alumni Art Showcase in 2014. Shannon Celia partnered with Heidi Bernard, executuve director of Crest Associates, Seaver Alumni Relations and Payson Library to put together this now tri-annual art showcase. on the kind of career they want to have.

“I think it really helps to find someone that you admire or you’d like to learn from,” Celia said. “I think it always helps to join a professional organization, wherever you live to kind of get plugged in.”

She said she also encourages aspiring artists to hone their individual artistic voices.

“I believe in lifelong learning and always reaching and being brave and pushing yourself to do hard things,” Celia said. “And a lot of divine intervention. I definitely believe that.”

Upcoming Art Shows

Taking Off | Shannon Celia’s oil on canvas piece “FLY” will be in Shannon’s upcoming solo exhibit at the Santa Paula Art Museum, opening reception is May 16, 2020.

Next year, Celia has an upcoming solo Santa Paula Art Museum exhibit titled “Santa Paula Sojourn.” She said she is painting 35 to 40 large pieces for this show. The opening reception is Saturday, May 16,

2020 at 4 p.m.

Celia said she recently finished up a series called “Odyssey through Oxnard” and became the first artist-in-residence at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, where she taught a class for children and an adult sketch class.

“I think it was kind of all that work that led to my upcoming Santa Paula show, so I’m really thrilled with that,” Celia said.

Celia said her art will also be in Santa Paula Art Museum’s upcoming “Art About Agriculture” Annual Show, which runs from November 2019 to January 2020.

As an artist, Celia said she feels a lot of gratitude.

“Being an artist, I feel grateful that I can wake up every day and go in my studio and use the things that God gave me,” Celia said. “I feel grateful to be able to use the tools in my box to hopefully spread a little joy in the world.”

EM ILY.C.SHAW @PEPPER DINE.EDU

STUDY: Students at Pepperdine express new ways to effectively study FR OM B1 Junior Hispanic Studies and International Studies major Kurt Goldie said he rereads the textbook and rewrites his notes while also anticipating what is going to be on the exam.

The action of rewriting one’s notes is equivalent to reviewing the materials that have been taught in class.

In fact, writing plays a crucial role in memorizing vocabulary, which is one of the building blocks of learning a new language, according to the University of North Carolina’s learning center.

For students who need to write on whiteboards, whether it’s for studying a foreign language, working out a math problem or figuring out a chemistry equation, the study rooms in Payson Library are available for students to book.

“I utilize the whiteboards in the study rooms as a way to familiarize myself with the different conjugations found in the Spanish language,” Goldie said.

Necessity of Self-Care

It is important to understand the severity of overstudying to maximize the productivity of a student’s study session.

“I realized the importance of taking breaks and hanging out with friends and eating outside of the library; I learned that self-care matters,” Kern said.

Many times, students get so caught up in their overwhelming schedule that they become numb to stress and forget to take care of themselves.

This can then negatively affect their health, according to online publication Fresh U, so it is important to establish a balance between studying and relaxing.

Everyone has different outlets of relaxing. It may be watching an episode of a show on Netflix, going to the beach, eating out with friends, reading a book or just having good conversations with people.

For example, Goldie said he finds rest through his extra-curricular activities.

“It provides a healthy balance because it forces

you to go out and mingle with people instead of just studying,” Goldie said.

Studying should be one of the top priorities for students, but understanding how to destress is what will help an individual succeed in the long run. It is beneficial to realize that the body needs rest because only with a healthy body and mind can individuals be the best version of themselves.

Potential of Creativity

Everyone has a different approach to the abstract art of studying, so it’s important for each person to find a way that will make it enjoyable.

Think outside the box and find the technique or tool that can be helpful for a good study session.

For instance, freshman Theater major Josh Fredenburg, who is already immersed in a busy schedule involving “Ragtime,” the musical coming next month, and “Gianni Schicchi,” the Pepperdine produced opera coming next semester, said he makes studying enjoyable.

“Studying something you enjoy and can relate to really helps,” Fredenburg said. “For example, crash courses are a fun way to understand difficult concepts, and watching the ‘Illiad’ is more fun than reading it, even though movies are at times very different from the books.”

CrashCourse is a YouTube channel that consists of short but informative packed videos. These videos are helpful because they explain difficult concepts with fun animations, making it easier for students to understand.

Kern said she recommends an app called Tide, which she started using this year to prevent her phone from becoming a distraction.

Tide promotes efficiency by helping people stay on task. Its main function is aimed toward boosting the quality of sleep, focus, relaxation and meditation.

Change of Mindset Instead of seeing studying as a tedious task, perhaps a change in mindset will catalyze a

Head Chef | o

Photos by Phyllis Yu | Staff Writer

Phyllis Yu | Staff Writer Study Time | Students sit outside of Stauffer Chapel at the Malibu campus while studying with peers. Pepperdine offers various scenic views for aesthetic studying experiences.

change in the productivity of a study session.

Many times, tests and exams are the initiatives behind a study session, but why not study for the sake of learning? A personalized goal or motto will transform one’s view of studying, according to the website Mindset Scholars Network.

Often times, students forget that attending college is a blessing and luxury that many individuals do not have access to. Students come to college knowing that studying will be a part of their daily lives. Howev-

er, the stress of getting a perfect GPA can lead to the dread of studying.

In order to balance extracurricular activities and other commitments with studying, students should figure out a personalized routine that will help them succeed in school and in life. While there are many different ways of doing this, students should keep in mind that the effort they put into studying will pay off in the long run; actually learning the material is more important than acing the test.

PHYL L IS.YU@PEPPER DINE.EDU

B4

O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | 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

Fresh Face: First-year dances her way into a career of a lifetime Rowan Toke

Li f e & Art A ssista n t e dit or First-year Kait Ward said she began dancing when she was 4. However, it wasn’t until she was 10, when she began training at the pre-professional level, that she knew it was her passion.

“For me, training at that level meant that dance wasn’t just a hobby I took part in every few days after school, but really just the main focus of my life,” Ward wrote in an email. “I love how no matter what kind of day I’m having, I leave dance feeling amazing because I love it so much.”

After seeing the Rockettes in New York City, New York with her mom when she was 12, Ward said she knew she wanted to dance professionally because she had the long legs for the job and already knew that dance was her passion.

“I really saw myself in [the Rockettes’] shoes and saw that that’s what I really want to be doing — making money doing what I love,” Ward said.

Ward said her mom, who was also a dancer, has always been her biggest supporter and her best friend.

“She noticed something in me that she saw in herself,” Ward said.

Ward said she danced competitively throughout high school and was part of her school’s dance team all four years while also being captain for two years.

Close to the end of her senior year, Ward said she was signed to Element Talent Agency and began dancing professionally. This changed her life and reassured her that dancing, modeling and acting was what she was meant to be doing.

Since then, Ward said she has performed in the 90th anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, an Olivia Rock music video and multiple concept videos for various studios. She also acted in “13 Reasons Why” Season 3 and the Marvel TV show “The Gifted” and modeled for Jovani, a large prom retailer, and multiple bridal companies.

Before coming to Pepperdine, Ward wrote that she made many commutes from Fresno, California, to Los Angeles,

Art by Madeline Duvall Art by Madeline Duvall California for jobs and auditions.

Even though going to school at Pepperdine is much more convenient for her professional career, Ward said she did not think she would end up here until she toured the Malibu campus.

“Once I toured and actually stepped foot on campus and talked to students, I felt like this is where I belonged,” Ward said. “I could see myself on this campus and see myself really loving Malibu.”

Ward said she was hesitant to come to Pepperdine because there is not a dance major, but after doing some research, she found the Dance In Flight Program (DIF) and knew it was the right decision.

Currently, Ward said she is DIF’s only first-year choreographer and a teacher at community classes but hopes to eventually become a director.

After deciding that Greek life wasn’t for her, Ward said she found the family environment that she was searching for through DIF.

“Everyone there is just so welcoming and warm, and we’re all dancers so we all kind of understand each other and understand where we’re all coming from,” Ward said.

In addition to DIF, Ward said she hopes to participate in Songfest and is going abroad this summer with the Florence, Italy Summer Program.

Ward said she came to Pepperdine as a declared Psychology major, but quickly realized that Psychology was not her passion and changed her major to Screen Arts.

“Once I get to the point where I [physically] can’t dance anymore, I hope to do the more production side, whether that’d be directing or producing,” Ward said.

Ward said she has multiple ideas for movies she would like to produce and hopes to work with Netflix or YouTube in the future.

Photos courtesy of Kait Ward Reach For The Sky | (above) First-year Kait Ward poses on the rooftop of a skyscapper during a professional modeling shoot. (below) Ward strikes a pose during her performance based on the 2018 movie “Bird Box” that Sandra Bullock starred in.

R OWAN.TOK E@PEPPER DIne.EDU

Features PhotosCourtesy courtesy of of Focus Barunson E&A Rags to Riches | (left) The Kim family works odd jobs, such as folding pizza boxes, to make money and earn a living. (right) Mr. and Mrs. Park sleep on the couch in their luxrious and spacious home as their young son camps out on the lawn. The film follows the story of the underprivileged Kim family who deceitfully inserts itself into the wealthy and glamorous lifestyle of the Park family.

Review: ‘Parasite’ reveals dark commentary on social stratification Gianni Cocchella Li f e & Art s E d itor

Opening to critical acclaim and receiving Oscar buzz, Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” presents a con man story featuring humor, suspense and a stark commentary on societal roles and class.

The South Korean film had its world premiere May 21 at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and won the Palme d’Or, the highest prize awarded at the film festival. The film had a limited release in the U.S. Oct. 11 with a wide release Oct. 25.

The film begins by looking at a tiny, semi-underground apartment in a rundown neighborhood that the the Kim family lives in. The father (Song Kang-ho) is an unemployed driver and lives with his wife (Jang Hye-jin)

and two grown children. The family of four struggles to live and works odd jobs to make ends meet.

The son (Choi Woo-shik) becomes a private tutor for a wealthy family after a friend recommends him for the job.

Despite his lack of qualifications, he meets the Park family and tricks the mother (Cho Yeo-jeong) into believing that he is a successful English tutor for the family’s daughter.

Once hired, he convinces Mrs. Park to hire his sister (Park So-dam), who poses as a professional art teacher and therapeutic instructor.

The brother and sister create a deceitful plan to trick the Parks into hiring their mother and father.

Eventually, the entire Kim family is working for the Park family in different

roles. The father becomes the family’s chauffeur and the mother replaces the longtime housekeeper (Lee Jung Eun).

The Kims enjoy the comfort and luxury of their new life until one evening, everything changes with an unexpected turn of events.

The comedic and thrill-seeking film can be broken down into two parts. The first half is more light-hearted and sprinkled with subtle humor. The second half is more suspenseful and brings into light the disturbing reality of deception and greed. Each is entertaining to watch but sets a different tone for the viewers.

Throughout the film, Yeojeong effortlessly portrays the naive and gullible Mrs. Park with style. Yeo-jeong’s performance is well-executed and depicts the lavish

lifestyle of the upper class.

Additionally, Jung Eun’s portrayal of the previous housekeeper is tactful and clever.

She plays a dual character with a surprising role, and her appearance in the film allows for suspense with her strong performance.

While the film overtly presents a critique on societal classification and rank, it does so through a carefully and well-thought out narrative. Joon-ho co-wrote the enticing screenplay with Han Jin-won, and it is well-executed throughout the film.

The story blends humor, suspense, action and drama into a captivating narrative that juxtaposes wealth and poverty. This juxtaposition allows two different families with two different motives to weave together in the mess that ensues.

Through his film, Joon-ho stages and criticizes societal issues such as class and welfare. These issues are made apparent through the varying scenes, capturing the harsh reality of poverty compared with the lavish lifestyle of the wealthy.

While there is a bleak comparison between the two, the film uses this as an opportunity to expose the reality and issues of capitalism, materialism and society as a whole.

Although “Parasite” offers a unique take on societal issues, it presents a story that is bold and daring with elements of suspense and humor. While the film presents a stark commentary on these issues, it is, without a doubt, a must-see film of the season.

GIANNI.C OC C HEL L A@PEPPER DIne.EDU

B5

O C T O B E R 3 1 , 2 0 1 9 | S PORTS | P E P P E R DI N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Waves breeze past Pacific in tune-up game aust in h all staf f w rit e r

In a roller coaster of a week for Pepperdine Women’s Soccer, they finished their third game in seven days with a promising home victory.

Four days after Pepperdine lost to Santa Clara after going up 3-0 in the second half, they regrouped and had a convincing performance versus Pacific while jumping to No. 2 in West Coast Conference Standings.

On a warm, 82-degree day, the Pepperdine offense came out firing. In just the seventh minute, junior forward Devyn Gilfoy received a pass from redshirt freshman midfielder Olivia Packer toward the right side of the opposing goal. Gilfoy spun and put it through for her third goal of the season.

Injuries and a diagnosis in the offseason have plagued Gilfoy’s Pepperdine career. Her freshman year, she had two surgeries that repaired her ACL, MCL and meniscus. The injury resulted in her missing not just her entire freshman campaign but half of her sophomore year as well.

In the offseason, Gilfoy was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

Despite the disorder being another setback, Gilfoy said she is excited to finally be back on the field.

“Junior year was supposed to be a big breakout season,” Gilfoy said.

“This has been the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to go through with a ton of medication and hospital visits. I feel like I’m finally on the up and up.”

In the 28th minute, sophomore defender Trinity Watson teed up a corner kick attempt.

Gilfoy got under the ball and headed it to the Pacific goalkeeper, who deflected the ball straight to Joelle Anderson, who chipped a right-footer to the back of the net.

It was Anderson’s second goal of the week following her crazy spin and triple team-beating score versus Santa Clara.

Head Coach Tim Ward said he was pleased with his team’s offensive performance on the day.

“I loved so much of what was happening out there,” Ward said. “The ball movement, the confidence and the positivity. A lot of those moves were rewarded with goals. To get the 4-0 was such a great response after Wednesday’s game.”

The Waves started the half up 2-0 but didn’t take their foot off of the

gas pedal. sive unit on the day. The They followed up Tigers generated two their 14 shot attempts in shots on goal the entire the first half with a stag- game. Sophomore degering 16 in the second. fender Izzy Nelson, the Their two scores in the ringleader of the Peppersecond half came late in dine backline, said her the game off of crucial team executed the game mistakes by Pacific. plan that has worked for In the 80th minute, most of the season.

Pepperdine drew a foul “We’re at our best off Pacific’s freshman when we keep the ball, defender Erin Brown. and that’s exactly what Pepperdine redshirt we did today,” Nelson sophomore defender said. “We try to be paErin Sinai attempted the tient with it around the penalty kick, and she back and just swing the knocked home her first ball, not letting things career goal. open up against whoevJust two minutes lat- er we’re playing.” er, Joelle Anderson sent Despite the tough loss a corner kick from the earlier in the week, Ward right side of the field to a said his team is still mowaiting Madi Cook, who tivated for what the rest out-jumped the Tiger of the season may hold. defense and had a pow“We know how imPepperdine erful header Courtesy to score theof portant theseAthletics games fourth and final goal of are,” Ward said. “If we the game. want to go to the NCAA Despite the scoring Tournament, we have barrage for the Waves, to win out. Had the Sanit was the defense that ta Clara game gone our was the most impres- way, then we might have

had more wiggle room to not be perfect. But after we did lose, we have to be perfect, and they fully get that. It’s preparation for us in the short term and long term.”

Pepperdine has three conference opponents remaining before the end of the regular season. They travel to San Diego on Friday to face off against USD Toreros, currently No. 7 in WCC standings.

“If we want to be a team that plays in the tournament, we have to learn how to play under pressure,” Ward said.

“These next three games are pressure games.

There are a lot of teams in the country that don’t have anything to play for. We’re one of the few and Sheridan Davis that still have hope.”

AUSTIN.HAL L @PEPPER DINE.EDU

Photos by Austin Hall | Staff Writer Kickin’ It | (far left) Sophomore midfielder Nicolette Lewis angles her right foot for a swift kick around a Pacific defender Saturday at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. (left) Junior midfielder Joelle Anderson outruns two opponents Saturday. (middle) Junior forward Devyn Gilfoy uses choppy steps to prepare herself to score a goal. (right ) Redshirt sophomore defender Erin Sinai slows her momentum to kick the ball with the inside of her left foot. (far right) Sophomore defender Trinity Watson attempts to beat a Pacific defender to the ball Saturday.

Women’s Volleyball falls to BYU Nadia amirmokri s taf f w rite r

After a tough battle, the Waves lost to Brigham Young University Cougars in a 3-0 match. The first set was 25-21, the second was 24-15 and the third was 29-27. High scorers included freshman setter Isabel Zelaya with eight digs, junior outside hitter Shannon Scully with five kills and six digs, and sophomore outside hitter Rachel Ahrens with 10 kills.

The Waves started off the first set with lots of energy. Right off the bat, senior libero Hana Lishman, who had a total of three aces and seven digs, served an ace. The Waves took lead, 6-2, with help from freshman setter Zelaya, who scored on a soft tip over the net as well as a long, sharp hit to the back.

The Waves were up 8-3 when the Cougars took a time out and started to get into rhythm. After the break, they shortened the Waves’ lead to 9-8. BYU’s senior outside hitter McKenna Miller gave the Cougars their first lead, and from there, BYU took control of the set.

Ahrens brought the score to 24-21 BYU with a powerful kill, but the Cougars took the first set with a close 25-21.

“I think something we’ve been working on as a team is being mentally strong,” Scully said.

“I think we did a really good job of that and consistently moving on to the next ball against [San Diego], but tonight,

I feel like we were still stuck in the past and we couldn’t move on.

And we should continue working on that for the rest of the season.”

Pepperdine struggled in the second set. Although the Waves had some massive kills and serves in this period, the Cougars overtook them with a 25-15 score.

“I think our serve and pass broke down, which is usually one of our stronger areas,” Scully said. “I think BYU did a good job of taking away a lot of our shots when we were hitting, which made it difficult for us to score. They played well, we played well, but I think we could’ve done a better job of shutting them down.”

Both Scully and Volunteer Assistant Coach Blossom Sato said it was BYU’s blocking that really won the game.

“They are known for their blocking,” Scully said. “So I think it was a challenge to mix it up where we were hitting and to consistently swing high over their blocking.”

The third set was neck and neck, and the audience was on their feet for more than half the period. Ahrens had multiple deep kills, including one from front left to the back right, giving them the lead at that point 17-16. The lead changes in this period were anything but consistent — Waves led 24-20, yet the Cougars managed to tie 2424 when the Waves hit the ball out of bounds.

Senior outside hitter

Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics Settle it at the Net | Senior outside hitter Hannah Frohling aims her kill around a double BYU block Saturday.

Hannah Frohling, who had six kills and two digs total in the game, had a sharp kill from the left to bring up the score again.

This back-and-forth of scoring ended when the Cougars served up a massive kill and won the match with 29-27.

“This [game] was definitely a learning moment for us — good and bad,” Sato said. “Bad because we lost, but good because we learned a ton of stuff to improve on. I think just going into this week’s practice, we’ll

be tightening things up and trying to get back into our rhythm and feeling confident in our plays, because we know we are a capable team and can play at a certain level — it just wasn’t our day today.”

Make sure to come to the Waves’ next home game Nov. 8 against Loyola Marymount University at 7 p.m. For more updates, follow the volleyball Instagram @peppvolley.

N A D I A . A MI RMOK R I@PEPPER DINE.EDU

D-D-D-Defense | (top) Senior outside hitter Hannah Frohling aims her kill around a double BYU block Saturday in Malibu. (bottom) Sophomore libero Madison Shields lunges for a mid-court dig against the Cougars.

B6

//

october 31, 2019

The Graphic

//

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

SPORTS

Photos by Ali Keller Pink Party | The Waves celebrate their victory over the San Diego Toreros on Thursday in Firestone Fieldhouse. Sophomore opposite hitter Rachel Ahrens (far left) served an ace to score the last point of the match and ran to her teammates to celebrate.

W. Volleyball sweeps #22 San Diego al i l ev e ns ass i s tant sport s e d itor

The Waves wasted no time with their home court advantage to quash the University of San Diego Toreros in three.

Wailing kills from redshirt senior middle Tarah Wylie and sophomore opposite hitter Rachel Ahrens’ aces allowed Pepperdine to demolish their competition.

After being absent from Firestone Fieldhouse for three matches, two of those being wins over Loyola Marymount University and Pacific University, the Waves set out to repeat the outcome of their last home match, which resulted in a 3-0 victory over the Gonzaga University Bulldogs.

This match marked the halfway point of West Coast Conference play and the second time the Waves faced the Toreros –– the first ending in a tough 2-3 loss.

“The slow start is something we’ve been

talking about,” Head Coach Scott Wong said.

“We’ve been starting slow against some teams, and we tried to come out with a little more, you know, pep in our step.”

The team was focused on taking care of their side, Ahrens said.

“Sometimes we can get down and keep going down,” Ahrens said.

“We really focused on in those moments when we weren’t doing our best to bring it back on playing our game again.”

The first set was tight through the first 12 points, with no team leading by more than two at a time.

Wylie did not hold back.

She slammed down four of her nine kills within the first 15 points of the match. “[I was hitting well because of] all my teammates behind me,” Wylie said. “It’s amazing.”

The Toreros failed to keep up with the Waves’ tempo and started to lose traction.

Following a kill from Wylie, Ahrens stepped behind the serving line to serve four consecutive aces, bringing the Waves to a five-point lead and forcing USD to call their first time out. “[It felt] really good overall,” Ahrens said about her four aces. “The team … gave me a lot more confidence going back there and serving for the long run.”

The Waves ran away with the game as they continued to build their minimum five-point lead. A kill by Ahrens wrapped up the first set, 25-19.

The energy seemed to falter a little on Pepperdine’s side of the court while USD fed off the Waves’ mediocre start to the second set.

Despite kills and tips from the home side, USD repeatedly slammed it down in their faces, making it difficult to build confidence.

Serving was in Pepperdine’s favor, though.

Senior outside hitter

Hannah Frohling began serving when the Waves were down 19-20. By the time she was done, Pepperdine now had the one-point advantage.

“I was just focusing on getting a good toss, that … helps me a lot,” Frohling said. “I just kind of saw the need for that and some consistency, so I think I took a little bit off on how hard I was hitting it just to kind of keep it in and then find the rhythm a little bit more.”

Freshman defensive specialist Aubrey Roberts replaced Wylie behind the serving line.

Her two serves contributed to the 22-all score.

The set exceeded its 25-point minimum when neither the Waves nor Toreros could pull away by more than a point. “[When the end of a set is close] we give them some things, reminders, on what we’re blocking and how we’re playing defense,” Wong said.

“It’s really how do you

keep them loose, how do you keep them to play free, serving, passing, defense and sometimes, just keeping it light.”

Back-to-back outside blocks by Ahrens and junior middle Alli O’Hara boosted the team to a 2725 victory.

“We were just super fired up,” Frohling said about the close-call set.

“I think the biggest thing we wanted to do is just do our jobs well and kind of trust each other to do their jobs. [We] didn’t really let what’s going on on their side of the net affect us.”

With two sets under their belts, the Waves came out in the third set swinging and never looked back. From the first point, a block

by O’Hara and Ahrens, Pepperdine led USD throughout the entire third set.

Junior outside hitter Shannon Scully’s five kills assisted in elevating the Waves above the Toreros a third, and final, time.

An ace by Ahrens ended the set and match, 2522, and a complete 3-0 sweep of USD. “[Winning] just proves all the hard work we’ve done since [the first USD] game,” Wylie said.

Even though the Waves ended the match in three, the Toreros still put up a fight.

“I love that it wasn’t an easy match,” Wong said. “They played well.

They fought back, they did things to challenge us and our team kept responding, so it feels great to win.”

The Waves had a quick turn-around in competition, facing nationally-ranked No. 12 Brigham Young University on Oct. 26.

“We’re wanting to play some good, efficient volleyball from start to finish,” Wong said. “[We want] to be aggressive, specifically for BYU; they’ve got some really physical players.”

AL I.L EV ENS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Photos Courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

Living at the Net | (from left to right) Junior middle blocker Alli O’Harra tips a ball over the net; junior outside hitter Shannon Scully takes a swing; senior outside hitter Hannah Frohling blocks a Torero kill; redshirt senior middle blocker Tarah Wylie spikes the ball on a defender.