Pepperdine Graphic 3-14-19

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Volume xLVIII | Issue 17

PEPPERDINE-GRAPHIC.COM | march 14, 2019

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LARRY KIMMONS

Kaelin Mendez | Photo Editor Portrait Tribute | A portrait of Larry Kimmons hangs on the wall next to the stairs in Payson Library. The photo also has a plaque which remembers the life of Kimmons.

Students wore black for 50th anniversary M akena h uey copy editor Dozens of Pepperdine students and faculty members wore all black clothing Tuesday, March 12 to honor the life of Larry Donnell Kimmons and remember the 50th anniversary of his tragic death.

On March 12, 1969, a Pepperdine security guard shot

and killed Kimmons — an unarmed, 15-year-old African-American — when he tried to use the gymnasium basketball courts on the original George Pepperdine College campus in South Los Angeles. "[Kimmons] did not deserve to lose his life that way, and I think it's really, really important to his memory, to his leg-

acy and to his family that we continue to remember him and continue to spread awareness to what happened to him so history won't repeat itself," said Shanelle Wilkins, a junior and member of the Black Student Association (BSA) who chose to wear black.

Kimmons, whose mother had received permission for him and his friends to use the basketball facility, was an honors student at Washington High School in Westmont, CA. Now, a painting of him hangs on the first floor of Payson Library.

"When I look at Larry Donnell's [Kimmons] portrait in the library, I see my brother, I see my father, I see my cousin, I see people who are members of my family, my friends," Wilkins said.

Wilkins, who finds the Kimmons shooting especially personal since it occurred in her hometown, said although many students and professors are aware of Kimmons' death, it is still "hidden" from many.

"People should be aware that all of us are kind of benefitting from this campus and from this space as a result of what happened to him," Wilkins said.

In a letter posted to social media and spread throughout

the Pepperdine community, the BSA defined its decision to encourage everyone to wear black "as an act of memory, solidarity and mourning" for a life cut short and as an invitation for students to reflect on "how we of the best intentions also participate in injustice."

Reactions to Kimmons' death ranged from violent revolts among students to a list of demands from the Black Students Union. Just as the horrors of March 12 fueled racial conflict in the surrounding community during the late '60s, sources agreed that the 50th anniversary of one of the darkest days in Pepperdine's history reminds us that racism is still present in today's society.

"I wore black to serve as a visual reminder of the freedom struggle that began way before I was even born — that began way before Larry Kimmons was even born and killed — but a freedom struggle that exists today," Rahje Branch, alumna and former BSA co-president, said.

Although many people say they want to return to "the good old days," Branch said remembering this anniversary serves as a reminder that for many black students, doing so would be highly disadvanta-

geous. She said she hopes this act of solidarity will remind Pepperdine administration and faculty of their obligation to remember and inform others about Kimmons and the countless others who have been killed as a result of white supremacy.

"I think it's important for professors to think about Larry's legacy and how it connects with certain Black students today in their classrooms and things that they say, things that they do, things that they teach," Branch said.

Professor Paul Contino, who wore black and dedicated the first few minutes of his classes to raising awareness about the anniversary, wrote in an email that students and faculty can continue to honor Kimmons by following God's command to not be afraid.

"If 'perfect love casts out fear' (1 John 4.18), we are called to reject the fear that difference or 'otherness' can sometimes elicit — a fear that some these days, sadly try to manipulate and fuel," Contino wrote.

Contino emphasized that, in light of this past event, faith calls members of the community to foster deeper relationships with each other and be

SEE Kimmons, A3

Expert shares tips to snag an internship M adiso n Nichols Soci al Medi a Ma n age r One of the biggest competitions that college students face is securing an internship. The race consists of resume writing and tailoring, cover letter coherence and cleverness, as well as the ability to show skills over experience.

Yeneba Smith, an industry specialist at Pepperdine Career Center who has over eight years of professional resume writing and 10 years of career coaching experience, gave the Graphic an inside look into the resume-vetting process and what students can do to make it to the finish line.

Where and When to Start The process for applying to internships really depends on the industry for which one is applying to, Smith said. However, the student should give themselves about three-to-six months before the internship

this week in SGA the waves report

would begin in order to prepare for the application process.

“Students should take the time to research the company they are applying to work for, and understand who the company serves and what their goal is to bring to the industry that they are in,” Smith said.

But ultimately, Smith said the internship application process really begins with understanding what a students wants to do and what they want to learn.

Smith encourages individuals who may be unsure what industry or job type they are interested in pursuing to speak with someone at their school’s Career Center. As for Pepperdine students, the Seaver College Career Center staff consists of various industry specialists, like Smith, who can assist students according to their interests and/or major.

Smith noted the center uses the Career Exploration process as the model for guiding stu-

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dents to find the internship and/or job opportunity that will best fit and educate the individual. The process, which is detailed and found on the Career Center’s website, goes through four steps that are implemented to help a student explore what their options are and how to achieve them.

1. Engage in Self-Assessment: This step is a self-reflection that allows the student to assess their interests, strengths, the values they bring and what skills they would like to develop. This step also recommends taking a Career Assessment test to help refine the talents a student may have that are beneficial and successful for a specific career. These tests are especially helpful for the student whose major is undecided, as stated on the Career Services website.

2. Evaluate Majors and Careers: This step consists of analyzing the university’s academic programming catalog to learn more about the classes

SGA discussed the new recreation/event center and how it will change parking. The new center will be built in Rho and parking will be an under/ above ground parking structure.

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that are required for the student’s chosen major of interests. It also includes speaking with professors and students within that major and gaining further knowledge about what is expected in that particular industry. Lastly, this step also consists of understanding what career options result from the chosen major of interest.

3. Research Careers: This step involves going beyond the classroom and reaching out to industry professionals who obtain positions or can provide the student with further insight on what is required for that career and/or what is required to work at their company.

Reaching out is a great way for the student to start establishing a network within their field of choice. The Career Center also encourages the student to request a job shadow, which allows him or her to step into the shoes of that particular role and gain a first-

SGA discussed making music practice rooms available to the student body, regardless of whether or not they are a music major.

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hand knowledge of what that position’s day consists of.

4. Gain Experience:This step entails the student obtaining experience and skills to showcase on their resume.

Whether that means getting involved in an on-campus organization that relates to the student’s industry of interest or obtaining a job off-campus, both provide the student with the ability to express how their skills and values were utilized in a formal setting.

The Career Center also provides a links events and programs such as PeppConnect, Handshake and HIRE Pepperdine for which members of the Pepperdine community can utilize for networking events, resume and cover letter workshops and job opportunities.

Smith said once a student knows what they are interested in, the process of applying is much easier as the student can now highlight certain qualities in their resume and cover

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Jim Gash spoke at the meeting about updating Brock House and "enhancing Pepperdine's international footprint" in Africa and south Asia.

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P E P P E R DINE GR A P HIC M E DIA | N E W S | M A RCH 1 4 , 20 1 9

Buckle up and enjoy the ride

ashley mowreader n e ws a s s i s ta n t Airplanes: small metal tubes in which too many humans are seated side by side, row by row, for hours on end to make it to the place they actually want to go.

Airplanes are silent, other than the loud clack of keyboards, the whistle of your air vent and the polite questions of flight attendants passing out snacks. Airplane flights are known to be restricting, frustrating and never ending.

Maybe I’ve been trapped on a plane for too long, but I think sometimes, for some people, college can feel like an airplane.

You’re surrounded by people you do not know, in a space that can feel way too small, and endure a seemingly never ending time waiting until you can get to your final destination: “the real world.” I know I’ve felt like there’s a noise that drowns out any sleep or peace I might get and everyone around can feel grumpy or paid to be nice to me.

But here’s the thing about airplanes: they’re incredible. You’re flying on a chunk of metal that should have never left the ground, zooming 1,000 miles an hour over land and sea surrounded by people who live completely different lives than you and you’re all experiencing it together.

My best plane rides are the ones where I’ve gotten to know the person next to me, stared out the window at the sunset or just found the time to relax, put in my headphones and breathe. And maybe this is the “buckle seat belt” sign you need.

College isn’t over yet, so if you ever feel like you’re trapped on a plane ride, remember how incredible it is. You’re flying towards your future everyday, learning and living with incredible people who can teach you amazing things and you’ll only have this moment now.

Maybe you need to step out of your comfort zone and talk to the person next to you, or to look at the window to see the beautiful place we’re in, or maybe you need to find a place of peace and quiet to remember what it means to just breathe.

So I encourage you to buckle up and settle in.

You’re only on this plane ride once, so make it memorable and enjoy the ride.

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

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2/19/19 2:36 a.m.

Crimes: Assault/Battery Simple Battery or Fighting Location: Lovernich Apartments - B Block

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2/20/19 5:39 p.m.

Crimes: Larceny/Theft Location: Payson Library

Drescher (North)

2/26/19 1:48 p.m.

Crimes: Alcohol-Related/ Non-Criminal - Possession of Alcohol on Campus Location: Warehouse

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3/4/19 2:38 p.m.

Crimes: Traffic-Related - Traffic Enforcement Reckless Driving Location: Seaver Drive 3/5/19 6:56 a.m.

Crimes: Trespassing Location: Firestone Fieldhouse

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Alumni field (South)

UPCOMING EVENTS THIS SEMESTER What: h awa i’ i club lu’au when: 3/ 22 Wher e: in tra m u r al field

Wh at: cr eating healthier communities Wh e N: 3/26 Wh e re : elkins auditor ium

What: Debate tea m: “ I f we can imagine a worl d wi t hout bullying?”

Whe N : 3/26 Whe re : elkins audi t ori u m

W hat: men’s vol l ey b al l vs. ucla W he N: 3 / 2 7 W he r e : f i res t one f i el dhou s e

W hat: c ont emp o W he N: 3 / 3 0 W he r e : s andb ar

c onvo c re dit and other e ve n ts this we e k FRI.

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What: c e le br ation chapel When: 9 a .m. and 10 a.m.

Wher e: a m ph i theater

Wh at: spanish chapel Wh e n: 10:10 a.m.

Wh e re : stauffer chapel

What: ger man chap el Whe n: 10 a.m.

Whe re : stauffer c hap el

What: guita r r ecital #6 When: 3 p.m.

Wher e: ma lib u public libra ry

Wh at: chr istian mingle Wh e N: 7 p.m.

Wh e re : fir eside r oom

What: italian chap el Whe n: 3 p.m.

Whe re : stauffer c hap el

Wh at: teaching humanities in the digital age Wh e n: noon Wh e re : sur fboar d r oom

What: finding bala nc e Whe n: 7 p.m.

Whe re : elkins aud i t ori u m

WEDS. 20

W hat: wednes day c hap el W he n: 1 0 a. m.

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

THURS. 21

W hat: arab i c c hap el W he n: 2 : 3 0 p. m.

W he r e : P L C 1 04

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 4 0

W hat: c onvoc at i on: “ Part i ng words” W he N: 6 p. m.

W he r e : el k i ns au di t ori u m

W hat: an eveni ng wi t h j ami mi s c i k W he n: 5 p. m.

W he r e : el k i ns au di t ori u m

W hat: p ep p erdi ne wi nd ens emb l e W he n: 7 : 3 0 p. m.

W he r e : s mot hers t heat re

ASHLEY.MOWREADER@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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M A R C H 1 4 , 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

KIMMONS: 50-year anniversary F R OM A 1

more attentive to the struggles of those around them. “[The anniversary of Kimmon’s death] reminds us of our connection to others, and our responsibility to remember those whose suffering has, in some

way, allowed us to enjoy the many gifts we do enjoy, especially here at Seaver College in Malibu,” Contino wrote. “We are connected by our common humanity and ... we are each responsible to all, for all.”

David Humphrey, associate dean of Student Affairs for Diversity

and Inclusion, said the issues of yesterday are still occurring today and when the community realizes this, it also realizes its responsibility to change deeply rooted racial inequality.

“To remember Larry Kimmons and to lament, but also commit ourselves to pursuing

a life of justice refuses to accept that narrative as normative,” Humphrey said. “It is our responsibility to engage in the ministry of reconciliation, justice and peace-building and seek to affirm the dignity of each individual.”

Sources agreed that although remembering

Kimmons on the anniversary of his death is one step forward on the path to social justice, it is also paramount to remember every day of the year.

“It’s important for us to remember this because it is a part of our history, and we have to resist the temptation

and resist the seduction to remember only the good things,” Humphrey said. “It’s only through remembering even those tough and uncomfortable moments that we’ll be able to grow and learn from our past mistakes as an institution.”

M AK ENA.HUEY@PEPPER DINE.EDU

INTERNSHIPS: How to get the gig FR OM A 1 qualities in their resume and cover letter that are transferable to that job description.

“Students should take the time to research the company they are applying to work for, and understand who the company serves and what their goal is to bring to the industry that they are in,” Smith said.

As for the difference between summer internships and internships that take place during the year, students should be aware that the quest to land a summer internship is much more difficult, Smith said. This is because a summer internship allows the student to devote more time to the company and their position, as opposed to during the year when the student has the additional responsibility of their schoolwork.

“I would say that employers have a more difficult time trying to find students during the year verses in the summer,” Smith said. “So there is definitely more competition during the summer to find those opportunities, but employers still look for students to fill each position.”

The Application Vetting Process Due to society’s growing dedication to going digital, internship applications have made their way into the technological sphere and onto the screens of billions. But as the internet continues to open up an increasing number of internship opportunities for students, it has also enlarged the competition that surrounds these highly valued positions.

So how does one stay in the front of the pack of PDFs that one recruiter must progress through?

“When the resume is being submitted online, typically it will go through an applicant tracking system,” Smith said.

“This is a scanner that looks for words that are in the job description. So if you have those words in the job description that are reflected in your resume, using the same tense and spelled the same way, then your application has a higher chance of being read at the beginning of the recruiter’s vetting process.”

Smith encourages students to always read over the job description and find words and phrases that are also mentioned in the student’s resume. If there are words in the job description that are relatable and transferable to the student’s experience, Smith said the student should rephrase and redefine the skill in order to match the description.

The applicant tracking system cannot tell the difference between past and present tense verbs, so it is important for the student’s resume to truly match what is said in the job description.

The key is to have skills from the job description worded and phrased exactly same in the student’s resume, Smith said. If there is a certain skill in the job description that is not in one’s resume, Smith said students should ask themselves if there was a situation where they were able to perform that same skill in a previous position, and then speak upon it on their resume and in their cover letter.

The Cover Letter A resume shows the recruiter why the student is qualified for the position, but the cover letter allows the student to say why they are the best candidate for it.

“It is not about just being responsible for a certain job or possessing a certain skill that is required of that job,” Smith said. “Rather, the focus of one’s cover let-

ter should be how they were able to successfully perform this skill and/or trait.”

Smith said all cover letters should be no longer than a page, however a student should not have only one letter because each application must be tailored to the skills that are mentioned in the job description. For example, not all social media internships demand all the same skills.

Although many of the skills required are similar, they may not necessarily be the same across the board for all prospective positions. This is another reason, Smith said, that students must research and review the job the description thoroughly before sending in their application.

“A recruiter is moved when they see a connection between a person’s resume and cover letter that is reflected in their company’s mission,” Smith said. “That helps make the robotic connection more human.”

Smith said a student’s resume should not be a list of what the previous experience required of them. Instead, the letter should explain a situation or problem that the company had or encountered, and how the student was able to help facilitate a solution.

“The word or skill itself does not say very much,” Smith said. “But a student who is able to prove how he or she demonstrates that skill is what makes them stand out.”

Smith advises students to create a template cover letter by the following: 1. The Introduction: “The first paragraph is the introduction,” Smith said.

“This paragraph explains what kind of position you [the student] are looking for, the name of the role, the company, where you found the position opening, and then briefly, why you feel that you are the best person for it. So, basically, here you are introducing what you are going to explain later in the letter.”

2. The Body: “The second paragraph, and sometimes even part of the third, is the body,” Smith said. “The body of the cover letter basically talks about your experience. You are demonstrating where you have performed in the skills that you introduced in the first paragraph. You can mention where you worked, what was your role, and how you demonstrated that particular skill, but what is really important is that you are selling the skill.

You want to talk about the value you brought to the company, not just what you were remotely responsible for.”

3. Conclusion: “The last paragraph is just summarizing,” Smith said. “Here, you would just say, ‘Based on my academic experience and professional and/ or related experience, you [the student] feel that you are the best candidate for this position.’ You can also ask for an opportunity to meet with them face-toface for an interview, and if they have any further questions, they are more than welcome to reach out to you.”

Smith added each paragraph should be between five to seven sentences long.

Although this may not seem difficult to achieve in the body paragraph – where the student is supposed to explain not only their accomplishments, but also the “value” they brought – Smith said the student should focus on three experiences, along with the skill they demonstrated in this experience, that is relatable to the position and company they are applying to.

“You [the student] can use the first sentence to introduce where you worked, your role, and the skill that you demonstrated,” Smith said. “The second sentence can talk about how your performance made an impact on the team.”

Lastly, Smith said the student should keep the same energy in their resume

and cover letter. Then, if the student gets an interview, the tone of their writing should be the same as the energy they bring to the interview. Smith also added that the tone of the letter should also match the tone of the industry the student is applying to.

“There is a fine line between being professional and letting your personality show through your writing,” Smith said. “You really want to think about what industry you are applying to.”

A Combination of Skills and Experience Previously working or interning for a high profile company, like Disney or Apple, is an attractive quality to recruiters, Smith said. However, if a student cannot elaborate on the value they brought to the position or a skill they learned on the job, Smith said it may not be the best part of the student’s resume to emphasize in their application.

“If you have nothing to talk about from working at a big name company, then you will not have much to say about the value you brought to the position in your interview and cover letter,” Smith said.

“You have to be able to position yourself to showcase your strengths, what you’ve learned from your experience, and your interest for that particular role.”

The Laws of Internships Internships are required by law to provide an “educational environment” and a “beneficial learning experience” for the student, with no requirement of compensation or expectation to have the responsibilities of a full time employee, according to the United States Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act. “An internship is an experimental learning opportunity,” Smith said. “So you are not expected to come in as an expert and know how to do everything.

You come in and learn how to do new things.”

Despite the Department of Labor’s standards, high profile companies have been sued in recent years for not adhering to these laws.

In June 2012, two former Conde Nast interns, Matthew Leib and Lauren Ballinger, sued the multi-billion dollar media company, and highly desired internship destination for students across the world, claiming that they performed the same kinds jobs of the employees and received no formal training for their already unpaid position, according to The New York Post report.

Another former intern Lisa Denmark told The Post that her internship at Vogue, one of the magazines owned

by Conde Nast, was “one of the worst internships I’ve ever had.” Her duties ranged from doing personal errands for the editors and to going all the way to the Lower East Side of New York City to pick up one of her boss’ juices.

“I cried myself to sleep at least three nights a week,” Denmark said.

Due to the lawsuit, Conde Nast decided to shut down their internship program. This decision has ultimately tarnished the dreams of many who wished to make their “Devil Wears Prada” fantasy a reality.

“It feels like the people who sued kind of ruined it for everyone else because, I mean, if you don’t like your internship, you can cancel it,” former Lucky magazine intern Jenny Achiam said to The Post. “You can say, ‘I’m sorry, I quit.’ Not, ‘Well, I’ll stick it out and sue you ... It’s a shame that the resource won’t be available to other students in the future.”

Paid vs. Unpaid Although the Department of Fair Labor requires that an internship be an educational experience, this does not change the fact that some internships do offer compensation in addition to the “educational environment” and “beneficial learning experience” that is required by law.

The Career Center often looks for paid internships for students. However, because paid internship position are scarce and highly competitive, the student could also consider doing an internship that is able to provide academic credit.

Some majors require the student to complete an internship for credit prior to graduation, which is why Smith said this option should certainly not be rejected.

But despite the dollar bill dilemma, the most important outcome of the student’s internship is what they learned, Smith said.

“An internship is an experimental learning opportunity,” Smith said. “So you are not expected to come in as an expert and know how to do everything.

You should come in and be providing some kind of service, but it should be a learning experience for you.”

Another high profile lawsuit involved two unpaid FOX Searchlight interns who sued the company after having worked on the $300 million blockbuster film Black Swan, and “claiming they should have been paid for tasks essential to the production process,” according to Time Magazine.

The former FOX Searchlight interns won their case, and sparked a movement among other unpaid interns to do the same. But the 2011 decision was overruled in 2015, when “the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York declared that ‘the proper question is whether the intern or the employer is the primary beneficiary of the relationship.’ If it’s the intern, then the internship can be unpaid,” according to Time Magazine.

Social Media Social media has become a dominant force in society, and as a result, has integrated itself into the hiring, firing and applying process.

“Part of what companies do when they [search] for you on social media is to see how you conduct yourself,” said Marcie Kirk Holland, a project manager at the UC Davis Internship & Career Center, in an article published in The California Aggie. “They want to know how you’ll interact with your co-workers and more importantly their customers or potential customers.”

The California Aggie article also spoke with Matt Tarpey, a career advisor at CareerBuilder, who wrote in an email that “social media is a great place to show off your positive qualities and your fun personality. However, he warned Aggies from oversharing as it can come back to haunt you.”

Social media is not a bad thing to have, especially in various communications-based industries where being “social media savvy” is a requirement or a skill demanded for that particular role, Smith said. However, all students should be aware that is does have the power to affect the hiring process.

“Make sure your profile is clean and does not contain anything that would taint your image,” Smith said. “You want to present yourself as a professional wherever you can be found online.”

M ADISON.NIC HOL S@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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M A R C H 1 4 , 2 0 1 9 | N E W S | P E P P E R DINE GRA P H I C ME D I A

‘Faith, Fundraising, Footprints’ Gash shares vision at community welcome kay iu w o ng a ssi g nm ent edi tor It was a packed house in Elkins Auditorium the morning of March 4 as the Pepperdine community gathered to officially welcome Jim Gash as the university’s president-elect.

The Board of Regents announced Feb. 14 that Gash would succeed Andrew K. Benton as Pepperdine’s eighth president and CEO starting Aug. 1. Gash is the Pepperdine Law School’s associate dean for Strategic Planning and External Relations and a law professor. Gash will be the first alumnus to hold the presidential title as a Class of 1993 School of Law graduate.

“Over my lifetime, I’ve had the opportunity to see Pepperdine from so many different angles: as the son of George Pepperdine college students, as the spouse of a Seaver College student, as a law student, as an alumnus, as a professor and as an administrator,” Gash said during his speech Monday. “In every angle I’ve seen Pepperdine from has revealed another area of Pepperdine’s brilliance and truth.”

Gash shared “three pillars” that he sees the university heading toward as he transitions into the presidential role.

“The first of those pillars is faith,” Gash said.

“Pepperdine is a Christian university and I will never apologize for that.

I will never swerve from that core identity.”

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Our story will excite a new generation of benefactors who understand that the best investment in future leaders is to invest in Pepperdine. jim gash, president-elect

Gash added he is working with the university’s public affairs and special events team to plan “a special time of worship and praise and prayer in conjunction with the inauguration events in the fall.”

He promised that as president, he will continue to seek opportunities to draw the community together in prayer and worship.

The second pillar Gash

Kayiu Wong | Assignment Editor Welcome Greeting | President-elect Jim Gash shakes hands with an audience member following his community welcome March 4. At the gathering, Gash presented his goals for his presidency. mentioned was fundraising.

Gash said he knows his vision to keep pushing Pepperdine forward requires “raising more money than we ever have before,” but he believes that Pepperdine’s reputation will attract donors who want to invest in modern innovators.

“Our story will excite a new generation of benefactors who understand that the best investment in future leaders is to invest in Pepperdine,” Gash said.

Lastly, the third pillar Gash said he sees for the

future involves Pepperdine’s “footprint.”

“In the landscape of higher education, Pepperdine is a relative youngster and yet our footprint is already deep and wide,” Gash said. “We do what we do because what we do has transcended meaning, not because it improves us in the rankings.

But when we improve in the rankings, it increase our national reputation and that broadens and deepens our footprint.”

Gash noted that he wants to continue to grow Pepperdine’s connections to further raise

the university’s standing.

“Our international reach is already wide, perhaps beyond any other university in the world, but there are still steep mountains to climb over and dark valleys to descend into,” Gash said.

Gash also introduced his wife Joline Gash to the community on Monday.

Joline graduated from Seaver College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology.

Joline is a biology teacher at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, but is stepping down after this semester

to serve at Pepperdine full time.

“Now is the time for me to be fully invested in Pepperdine, in this community,” Joline said. “I am especially eager to find ways in which I can support our students’ health and wellness, including their mental, physical and spiritual health.”

After the community welcome, community members had the opportunity to shake hands and meet Gash and Joline outside Elkins.

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Church creates community in homeless outreach Ashl ey c hav ez g ues t contr i bu tor The homeless woman sat on an empty bench with her bags.

Her name was Laura and she was at Venice Beach alone on Saturday morning. Bottles and Socks volunteer Darrell Warren offered her some socks and a snack, and then began a conversation with her. Warren asked if he could pray for her and Laura said that her family used to pray together but she is now all alone.

Laura said she was interested in attending Vintage Church, which partners with Bottles and Socks, and accepted an information card by the end of the prayer and short conversation with Warren.

“It’s not [about serving] the many,” Warren said, “it’s [about serving] the one.”

Darrell and his wife Regina Warren created the Venice Bottles and Socks ministry 10 years ago. The group of volunteers focuses on serving the Venice Beach boardwalk’s homeless community by meeting on the second Saturday of every month, according to the Vintage Church website. Each month of service includes both new and regular volunteers, Darrell said.

The volunteers walk up and down the boardwalk and offer a water bottle and pair of socks to members of the homeless community. This is a simple icebreaker which can lead to a more in-depth conversation, Darrell said.

These conversations, whether they include prayer or not, may be the only sincere ones that a homeless person partakes in all day, Regina said.

“Don’t be afraid to ask to pray for people and have conversations,” Darrell said. “This is a really raw ministry.”

Darrell and Regina created the ministry with their friends at Good Shepherd Church because they were looking for a way to serve the community, Regina said.

They began by gathering once a month to pass out water bottles and socks to the homeless people gathered on the stretch of boardwalk on Venice Beach.

The offerings have since grown to include toiletries, t-shirts, sweatshirts, snacks and care packages, Regina said. There are also information cards with the Vintage Church locations and service times, as well as resources for help in finding housing and pet care.

The couple ended up moving to Vintage Church in Santa Monica seven years ago and the ministry continued to grow, Regina said.

“It started as a self-supported ministry and now the church has become involved,” Regina said.

Vintage Church has begun to give the ministry money to purchase their monthly supplies, as well as encourages donations from church members, Darrell said.

Bottles and Socks has been going on for so many years that the homeless communi-

ty has begun to recognize the volunteers, Regina said. Sometimes a service day has to be skipped because of weather, but the community expresses how much they missed Darrell and Regina when they return the next month.

“This is such an easy way to talk to people, and the main goal is just to start a conversation,” Regina said.

Houston Bradley, a regular volunteer and member of Vintage Church, said he has learned how to read and assess the people he comes in contact with.

“Some [homeless] people just aren’t as receptive and you have to read them when you approach them,” Bradley said.

There are degrees of homelessness and some people are more receptive to the help and offering of prayer and

conversation, Bradley said. Some people are recently homeless and looking for immediate help, while others may have been homeless for decades and are accustomed to their lifestyle, Bradley said.

The volunteers begin to see the same people every time. They notice when a homeless person is new to the area and begins to become a regular, Bradley said.

Darrell said he instructs all of the volunteers to simply listen to each homeless person talk and say what is on their mind. It is then encouraged to offer to pray for each individual and invite them to church if possible.

“Be open, have an open mind and allow the Holy Spirit to use you,” Darrell said. “Love on people that you generally wouldn’t love on.”

Bottles and Socks welcomes volunteers of all

This is such an easy way to talk to people, and the main goal is just to start a conversation. regina warren, venice bottles and socks co-creator

ages, whether they have prior experience connecting with the homeless or it is their first time, according to the website.

Twelve-year-old volunteer, Zayne Worth, said he has volunteered

at other churches and schools in the past but enjoys this one the most.

“It’s the feeling you get when you’re walking around, like I’m actually doing something ... and not just sitting at home doing nothing,” Worth said.

The boardwalk is long and crowded but the volunteers walk a large portion of it. There are many people to serve.

Some are just as curious as Laura was, and others not so much. No matter the case, the volunteers will be back next month, Darrell said.

“These are some of the happiest homeless people you’ll ever meet,” Bradley said.

ASHL EY.C HAV EZ@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Photos by Ashley Chavez Living on the Streets | Homeless individuals live with their belongings alongside Venice Beach. Darrell and Regina Warren minister to these individuals through their Venice Bottles and Socks program at Vintage Church. For this ministry, they bring homeless individuals socks and snacks as a way to start conversations and foster community, occasionally asking to pray for them. The program offers a chance for volunteers to serve as listening ears for the homeless community.

“

Have an open mind and allow the Holy Spirit to use you. Love on people that you generally wouldnt love on. darrell warren, venice bottles and socks co-creator

Zach Le | Photo Editor

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The Graphic

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PERSPECTIVES WHAT

PGM

STAFF

⇧ THINKS about Ethical Journalism

STAFF EDITORIAL the graphic stands by pch car crash video

After the multiple-vehicle crash on Pacific Coast Highway on Feb. 9, involving four Dance in Flight members and seven members of Pepperdine’s Men’s Basketball Team, the Graphic received video from two student journalists from the scene and used it as a storytelling tool in its coverage of the crash.

People reached out to us, concerned that the video was unethical to publish because it could trigger memories of the traumatic events for the victims. Many people who reached out to us wanted the video to be taken down.

The Pepperdine Graphic Media staff faced an ethical dilemma: withhold information on the crash to respect sensitivities or portray the truth of the incident in the best way possible. As a staff, PGM decided to strike a balance in the middle by removing the audio.

The Graphic decided to republish the video without the sound to add an informative visual story, show what happened and educate its audience.

The removed audio contained some disturb-

ing sounds, including moaning in pain. However, the general depiction of the video tells an aspect of the story that only moving images can.

We rushed to cover this story accurately because we know how much even one person matters to this community, and this event impacted many more than one. No other LA news sources around the area reported on the crash. Pacific Coast Highway can be a dangerous road and our coverage of this story serves as an important reminder of that.

When making a decision about whether to use the video, we kept our audience in mind.

The Graphic is a news source for more than just Pepperdine students. It serves as a news source for the Malibu community, prospective students, family members and alumni. Since this issue was deeply connected to the students and community, we wanted to report as accurate coverage as possible and visualize the potential devastation of driving on Pacific Coast Highway.

These ethics shape the

decisions we make by providing accurate, fair and thorough reporting with integrity.

The staff of PGM is familiar with the Society for Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, which teaches journalists to “balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort,” “show compassion for those who may be affected by news coverage” and “explain ethical choices and processes to audiences.”

In addition to removing the audio, we made sure that people who were injured in the crash are not seen in the video.

Furthermore, in the story, none of the names were used to give the victims anonymity. We didn’t want rumors to spread or to overwhelm those who were involved as they recover.

We decided it was important to show the scene to depict the dangers of driving on PCH and hoped it would inform our audience.

We balanced sensitivity versus our duty to our audience as a news organization because students were involved

and the community cares about the story. We did not take this decision lightly and wanted to minimize harm by taking these precautions and being ethical.

In addition to removing the audio and cutting out a section of the video for the sake of sensitivity to the viewers, the video was not widely spread.

The video was posted to only two of our platforms and in comparison to other YouTube videos, did not get a lot of attention. The video on the Graphic’s YouTube channel had under 200 views as of this publication; and although the scenes — including the flipped cars — are definitely shocking, there is no blood or injured people shown.

We understand that this is a sensitive topic for our students because of the closeness of the community. However, we also understand that as a news source, it is our job to give updates on sensitive information to our Pepperdine community and the surrounding Malibu community.

The crash on PCH is certainly not the only

THE 'BU YORKER

case of dealing with sensitive topics that we have had as a newsroom this year. Ethics and sensitivity were very big issues while covering the Borderline shooting this past fall. It was a difficult time for a large part of our Pepperdine community as well as Thousand Oaks and the surrounding communities. We wanted to be sensitive and receptive to what sources do feel comfortable with sharing in times of tragedy. We are committed to updating those who follow us and rely on us as a news source.

Many people find comfort in reading stories about sensitive subjects, such as the stories that came out of the shooting. People were able to be informed and hear different perspectives.

Although it was an extremely difficult time for our community, we feel it is important that everyone be up to date with the latest information we can provide, especially when the subject matter is difficult and people are scared, scrambling for information and the truth.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 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

1.

SGA passed a resolution to fund a portion of Late Night Breakfast put on by Student Affairs scheduled for Sunday, April 23 from 9:15 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Waves Cafe.

2.

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor

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

3.

peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com peppgraphicadvertising@gmail.com

STAFF LIST M anag i ng Ed i to r m a ry c ate l o n g So c i al M ed i a M anag er m a d i so n n i ch o l s P i x el Ed i to r ella gonzalez o nl i ne p r o d u c er o m a r m u r ph y G New s p r o d u c er a r ace l i c r e sce n c i o c o py c hi ef rya n h a r d i n g s p ec i al ed i ti o n ed i to r ch a n n a ste i n m e tz as si g nm ent ed i to r k ayi u w o n g New s Ed i to r Madeleine Carr Ass i stant New s Ed i to r r o wa n to k e New s As si s tant a sh l e y m o w r e a d e r S p o r ts Ed i to r sa m fi n n e ga n Ass i stant Sp o r ts Ed i to r s K yl e m c ca b e k a r l w i n te r P er s p ec ti v es Ed i to r ga r e n ko soya n P er sp ec ti v es ass i stant a r e e ya ku n awa r a d i sa i L i fe & Ar ts Ed i to r k at n a n ce as si s tant L i fe & ar ts ed i to r julia donlon l i fe & ar ts seni o r r ep o r ter c a r o l i n e e d wa r d s L i fe & Ar ts As si s tant pi pe r w r i g h t P ho to Ed i to r Kaelin mendez as si s tant p ho to ed i to r m i l a n l o i ac o n o Ar t Ed i to r c a i tl i n r oa r k ass i stant ar t ed i to r a l ly a r m str o n g C o py ed i to r s k i l e y d i ste l r ath makena huey ga b r i e l l e m ath ys adv er ti s i ng d i r ec to r b e n h u ya r d Adv er ti s i ng m anag er ca r o l i n e h e r r o n 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.”

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Encounter diverse views C a r o l i n e A r ch er S ta f f Wri t e r In today’s world, disagreements are not hard to come by.

The “United” States of America seems to be more of a sentiment of the past than a reality of today. Conflict is exhausting, and it is tempting to insulate oneself from disagreement simply for the sake of sanity.

There is a growing need, however, for people to do exactly the opposite of what this urge is telling them. People need to come into contact with points of view that differ from their own because this fosters empathy and facilitates compromise, according to the Harvard Business Review’s article published Sept. 3, 2015.

Students in particular have a responsibility to engage in mindful exposure to various opinions.

One way that students can come into contact with diverse opinions is through social media. Students should find people or media outlets that will expose them to ideas that they do not agree with.

Some credible media outlets that students should investigate include The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, the National Review, and the American Conservative.

It is tempting to hit “unfollow” when something disagreeable shows up on one’s feed, but instead students should try to seek out thoughtful — not

Garnering more than 28 million views, the Gillette commercial “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be” has received more than 1.4 million dislikes on YouTube.

While people have spoken in support of its message, many have also shown disapproval.

Some are even going as far as to say that the ad is a “war on masculinity” and that they’ll be boycotting Gillette from now on, according to Michael Baggs’s article published by BBC on Jan. 15, 2019. It has sparked heated debates all over the Internet; but, unfortunately, none of it seems to be heading anywhere productive.

As part of a community that prides itself on promoting inclusivity and equal rights, Pepperdine students should remain open-minded, seek to be informed and continue to engage in these important, gender-related discussions even if it means challenging their own worldview. Only by doing so can Pepperdine students move forward

Innovate campus parking j

Gar en Ko soyan pe r spe c ti v e s E d i to r

bad because of some negative behavior or speech and understand that these actions are “learned behavior and [people] can learn differently,” Stone Watt said.

Whether students choose to agree or disagree with the message of the Gillette commercial, in the end, they can certainly take away the lesson that they ought to seek knowledge, to keep engaging in important discussions such as these and, most of all, to be kind. Despite everything, Pepperdine is first and foremost a community that strives to push one another to be the best that he or she can be — all within a safe and respectful environment.

Parking on campus has a notorious reputation.

Circling campus in search of that one spot to squeeze into is a weekly routine.

“Finding parking after 8 a.m. is nearly impossible some days,” Vice President of Finance Raymond Mora said.

Parking solutions themselves don’t have to be complex, as simply expanding certain on-campus services will greatly reduce the issue.

Commuters at Pepperdine need to be more proactive in voicing their frustrations with parking.

The lack of immediate action is proof that students are not adequately expressing their concerns.

In 2018, Graphic reporter Hansol Hwang wrote about the parking situation at various universities. The innovative approaches to solving the parking problem on college campuses are certainly gaining the attention of students.

Faculty members on certain campuses were even promoting apps that encouraged carpooling services by tabling, emailing and posting weekly bulletins, Hwang wrote.

However, Pepperdine poses certain challenges that other universities may not have to face.

“I have to walk up a hill no matter where I park.

The shuttles are also not ideal...and they take a long time to arrive,” Inter-Club Council (ICC) President Grace Wisbey said.

The shuttle services circle around campus every 15 minutes. For students who lose time trying to find parking on campus, these extra minutes increase the odds of being late to class.

In an opinion piece for the Graphic published on September 6, 2016, Abigail Van Horn proposed a university-led carpool system or shuttle service that would take students to and from their off-campus apartments. With fewer cars commuting to campus, demand for parking would decrease.

“The shuttle system needs to be more accommodating to commuters” said Student Government Association (SGA) President Austin Welch.

Students should continue to provide their feedback and advocate for resolution through student government and conversations with administration officials.

Students should promote carpooling to campus and utilize ride-sharing services in the short-run while also advocating for policy that expands parking availability in the long-run. Without an increase in student engagement, this crisis on campus will persist.

AR EEYA.KUNAWAR ADISAI@PEPPER DINE.EDU

GAR EN.KOSOYAN@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Ally Armstrong | Assistant Art Editor belligerent —disagreement, according to Catherine Clifford’s article published by CNBC on June 22.

This intentional engagement will equip students with a deeper understanding, not just of the other opinion, but also of their own, according to Zachary Wood’s TED Talk “Why it’s worth listening to people you disagree with” given in April 2018.

When he left office, President Barack Obama said, “If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try talking with one of them in real life.” It is valuable for students to spend time face-to-face with someone with different perspectives than their own. College is an invaluable opportunity for these interactions.

Last year, for example, Pepperdine invited Ben Shapiro to speak on campus. While many

students in attendance did not align themselves with Shapiro’s opinions, they were able to engage in a respectful conversation with him.

This sort of discourse can be hard and uncomfortable, but it has enormous value. Without exposure to other points of view, people find themselves in “echo chambers” where there is little room for ideological growth, according to Joan Blades’s and John Gables’ article published by the Aspen Institute on May 18.

Furthermore, when students insulate themselves from differing perspectives, they risk reducing the other side to a single designation. This serves to perpetuate hatred and misunderstanding according to the article “Is it wrong to unfriend or unfollow people I disagree with?” published by the Guardian on March 24, 2017.

Most of the time, listening to different perspectives will not change someone’s mind.

It will, however, change the way that she or he views the other side. By thoughtfully engaging with people who have different opinions, political or otherwise, students will more easily recognize the common humanity that underlies them all, according to an article published by the Harvard Business Review on Sep. 3, 2015.

In the “Analects,” Confucius is reported to have said, “A gentleman can see a question from all sides.” When students are exposed to opinions that differ from their own, they become more mature and understanding individuals. If a student wants to be heard, it only makes sense that she or he should also be willing to hear.

C AR OL INE.AR C HER @PEPPER DINE.EDU

Continue the Gillette Discussion A r e e ya Ku n awa r a d isa i per s p e c t i v e s A s s i stant

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together and grow both intellectually and emotionally as a community.

The first step to becoming informed is to find out the root of the issue — why are people angry about this commercial?

The answer seems to lie in the notion that the ad, though it’s attempting to show the company’s take on social responsibility, contains a myriad of trite generalizations about men and masculinity.

While the commercial clearly disapproves of the toxic behaviors it depicts, it also suggests that many, if not most, men engage in these behaviors in order to “fit in” all the time, according to Charles Taylor’s article “Why Gillette’s New Ad Campaign Is Toxic” published by Forbes on Jan. 15, 2019.

“Beginning with the message that men are doing negative things probably was not [the company’s] best move, but the second half of the video where they are really celebrating the way that men are stepping up — I think they did a great job with

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor that,” Professor Sarah Stone Watt, the divisional dean of the Communication Division whose areas of research include the rhetoric of gender, said. “The criticism is important to listen to, too. But when you begin a commercial with that, you put people on the defensive; and it’s hard for them after feeling defensive to see the positive message that comes out of it afterward.”

What, then, can students — if they’re feeling defensive — do to get out of that and contribute and engage in these conversations effectively?

One thing that students can do is to take a step back and play devil’s advocate. They can try to assume the opposing side’s role and

reason through why the other side might think in the way that it does.

After gaining a more balanced view, they can then continue to seek more factual information and build on their arguments.

Pepperdine also offers students various platforms to advocate their beliefs and ideas and to voice their personal opinions. Those who feel strongly about certain matters are more than welcome to join the Pepperdine Debate Team, submit a letter to the editor of the Graphic or express their thoughts on the Freedom Wall.

The most important thing, though, is that students should remember to give each other grace, realize that people aren’t inherently

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Carlie Ott | Guest Contributor

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The Graphic

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LIFE & ARTS

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Image courtesyPhotos of Karina

by Piper Valenzuela Wright Performance Ready| The groups take their pieces to the stage during dress rehearsal. All groups have been practicing nightly for over a month.

Songfest debuts in Smothers P iper w r ight s taf f w r i te r One of Pepperdine’s longest-running traditions – Songfest –– will debut its 47th annual spring performance Wednesday through Saturday in Smothers Theatre. This year’s Songfest theme is “California Calling,” referring to the different cultural aspects and history of California.

Junior and first-time Songfest performer Maya McDowell wrote in an email that this year’s theme has taught her a lot about California’s history.

“You can expect to see a lot of really cool aspects of California in this year’s show,” McDowell wrote. “It’s been really amazing to dive into Cali-

fornia’s history and integrate it into everything from the stage to our songs.”

McDowell is a part of DPTG, which is a mix of students from the Delta Gamma sorority, Psi Upsilon fraternity, Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and Geedstorm.

There will be five groups performing at this year’s showcase, including ETT (HOT), DPTG, GGS, SPEAP and ABD. Official groups were chosen at the Songfest Kick-off that took place Feb. 14, and practices have been ongoing since then.

McDowell said DPTG has been practicing almost every night since mid-February; however, the Songfest

directors have been meeting to plan and choreograph the show since September.

Senior and veteran Songfest performer Julia Baklayan said her favorite part of debut night is right before the curtains go up.

“I’m very excited to perform with everyone,” Baklayan said. “It’s such a thrill to be behind the curtain right before it rises and see how hyped everyone is. We’ve worked so hard this year, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come.”

Lily Spirtos, producer of ABD, has been involved with Songfest for almost three years.

“Songfest creates friendships, crazy late night memories, and makes life more like a musical,” Spirtos wrote in an email. “I think at the end of the day what matters are the memories of love in your life and the people you had beside you. Songfest is one of those

memories of a lifetime.”

Junior Ava Randel, member and choreographer of GGS, wrote in a email that members of the Pepperdine community should definitely go see Songfest.

“Pepperdine students should come to be entertained, to support their friends and to hopefully consider joining the fun in years to come!” Randel wrote. “Songfest is a really fun opportunity to meet new people and be a part of a unique Pepperdine tradition.”

Tickets for Songfest cost $10 with a Student ID or $20 for general admission and can be purchased through the Smothers Theatre Box Office. Performances run from Wednesday, March 13 to Saturday March 16. All performances will start at 7:30 p.m. with an additional matinee showing on Saturday at 2 p.m.

“ It's such a thrill to be behind the curtain right before it rises and see how hyped everyone is. julia baklayan, student

PIPER .W R IGHT@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Photos by Piper Wright Practice Makes Perfect| The groups practice their performances for their upcoming debut. Each group had different costumes and choreography.

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Getting out of your music comfort zone is beneficial M ic hell e o k inedo g u es t w r it e r I’ll admit it — I can come across as pretty biased with my music taste. In the theme of introductions, I wanted to expand on the musical bubble I have created for myself that I briefly discussed in my last column. On average, I will probably give a song 30 seconds to “prove itself” before hitting the skip button. Ironically, most of my favorite songs now are songs that I have dismissed and “skipped on” in the past.

It would have been a lot more efficient had I just given each song its chance.

In trying to evaluate why I am so particular about the music I listen to, it came down to the genres. As an artist myself, I believe that great music is purely “genreless,” and I’m not a fan of forcing labels onto a song; good music is good music. However, if someone were to look at my Spotify playlists, it would be obvious that I’m mostly drawn toward music that fits into the R&B or soul genre.

Though R&B has a strong presence on my playlists, it isn’t the only genre I listen to.

In addition, there is a heavy prevalence of Christian and Gospel music, select rap, some country and even the convoluted genre of pop (which isn’t even really a genre because pop is just short for “popular,” but at the same time, most pop music has a very distinct sound ... I digress ... another topic for another day).

My Spotify playlist is very safe for me. I like all the songs on my playlists and play each one depending on what mood I’m in. I never really thought to broaden my musical horizons

since I was comfortable with the music I knew.

It wasn’t until my freshman year of college when I would ride in the car with my friends, who have very different music tastes than I do, that I found myself asking them, “Who sings this?” or “What song is this?” because I began to develop a liking toward the particular artist or song. I would probably never listen to the music on my own because I would automatically count it out as “other” or as a genre I simply wasn’t interested in listening to.

As I aim to expand my “listening range” and write about the new music I discover in this column, I challenge you — yes, you the reader — to get out of your musical bubble. If you strictly listen to soul music, try listening to some country (I suggest Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill and Dan + Shay).

Country fans, try listening to my absolute favorites Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey to add some variety. To those who are stuck in top 40 land (no shame at all), try listening to artists outside of the radio world. I suggest downloading the SoundCloud App because there are so many emerging artists posting their music.

Artists like Chance the Rapper and Kehlani have gotten their starts on SoundCloud.

How cool would it be to be a part of the crowd who helps “discover” an artist? Don’t be genre-ic! Haha, get it? No? OK, it’s fine, but expand your music taste! Who knows all of the music you’re missing out on simply because you think you won’t like it?

Until next time & thank God for music!

Photos by Lawrence Liu

Illustration by Kat Nance

M IC HE L L E .O KI N E D O @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

IV

WAVES OF INNOVATION TALKS Monday, March 18, 2019, 5 pm Smothers Theatre Six finalists will compete for awards of up to $150,000.

Select your $1,500 Audience Choice Award recipient.

Admission is FREE and open to the public.

pepperdine.edu/innovation VP1809406 Waves of Innovation IV 2019.indd 2

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Art by Caitlin Roark

New Column: Health, Beauty and Wellness yasmin kazeminy staff writer My journey toward health and wellness began when I moved to Malibu for college; as it turns out, I also moved away from what I now realize was a full-time, nutrition-conscientious chef (and chauffeur) in the form of my mother.

I grew up in a home where we never had dessert, and everything was organic. Pop-Tarts, soda, sugary cereals and other typical American childhood joys weren’t a part of my picture, but I never really understood why.

So when I went to college, I figured, ‘I’m an adult now, I can do and eat what I want.’ I stocked my dorm with endless processed and packaged snacks, Pop-Tarts included. I didn’t think about what these choices would do to my body or how they would make me feel. I just figured this was what everyone else did, plus it was cheap and convenient.

A year and a half later, I had gained over 20 pounds. On a 5-foot 2-inch frame, that is no joke. My skin was a mess, my energy was nonexistent and my mood swings were out of control.

I couldn’t focus in class. I felt drained from the moment I woke up to the mo-

ment I went to sleep, and a heavy brain fog followed me everywhere I went despite my attempts to lift it with copious amounts of caffeine.

Needless to say, my happiness and confidence were at an all-time low.

No matter what I wore, I felt too gross and too anxious to go out and face the world. I knew I needed to change and that I couldn’t keep living like this. I missed feeling good — feeling normal — and so I began to read.

My research introduced me to the concept of sugar addiction, a very real chemical dependency that nearly all of us have but so few understand the severity of. Sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine and arguably just as toxic to our systems considering the frequency and volume at which our culture consumes it. The average American consumes between 150 and 170 pounds of sugar per year.

I decided to cut sugar out of my diet, and after about 10 days of intense withdrawals, the results were staggering. My skin began to clear up, my brain fog lifted and my energy was coming back.

Driven by the almost instant gratification of eliminating just one thing, I realized I was onto something. I continued to read medical journals and countless nutrition books, searching

for ways to further relieve my symptoms. I learned that dairy is responsible for a ton of skin issues, so I cut dairy, followed by gluten, as I noticed my research aligned with my body’s response of a ‘food coma’ following any pasta, pizza, burger or any other staples of the American diet.

A month later, I had shed a significant portion of the weight gain, my skin was better than ever before, my eyes were brighter, my sleep was deeper and my mood swings had finally stabilized (much to the relief of my boyfriend). Even more significantly, my energy was higher than ever to the point where, for the first time in my life, I actually wanted to workout.

I didn’t grow up working out at all.

In fact, my life before college was quite sedentary. I grew up in the cold so we did a lot of sitting around indoors to pass the time till summer came around again. It took a while to go from dreading my workouts to craving them, but making movement a priority has been hands-down the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.

While at first it was about getting the weight off, I began to realize that the most overwhelming benefits were mental rather than physical. Despite the unavoidable chaos that comes with being a college student, consis-

tent exercise has become absolutely invaluable to me. It has given me the clarity and strength of mind to finally rise above my anxious tendencies and tap into a person I didn’t know I could become: calm, centered and capable.

I always assumed being tired, sedentary and yes, I’ll admit, a little bit lazy, was just my personality. It turns out it was my diet and lack of exercise all along.

Everybody is different. There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to nutrition and dietary issues.

Cutting gluten, dairy and sugar is definitely hardcore and not for everyone.

I’m here to share what’s worked for me and help anyone struggling to find balance and relief. Thanks to my journey, I’ve become somewhat of an expert on the subject.

I find that our society is all too quick to label beauty, wellness and self-care as vain or shallow, but I believe that if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. All too often, we take our bodies and everything they allow us to do for granted. We don’t often stop to think that while almost everything else in this life is replaceable, we will only ever have one body to carry us through it all.

I’m here to research, read, discover and rave to you about my tried-andtrue favorites to help you invest in yourself, take care of yourself and love yourself. Life’s too short to abuse our greatest gifts: our bodies and our minds.

Let’s do this together. Email me whatever you want to learn about health, wellness, fitness, beauty or nutrition, and I will get to the bottom of it and get back to you right here. Struggling to separate trends from truth in a world where there’s a new superfood and supplement every day? I’ll do the dirty work and let you know what’s up. Dying to pull off the coveted “no makeup” makeup look for class and beyond? Let’s talk. Searching for the best cleanser based on skin type? I’ve got you. Tired of dealing with stubborn body weight or unhealthy habits?

Let’s break them together.

I hope to give you the information you need to make educated choices about your health and wellness. As nutritionist Heather Morgan says, “With every bite we take, we are either fighting disease or fueling it.” Just a little food for thought.

YASMIN.KAZEMINY@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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PEP P E R DINE GR A P HIC M E DIA | L IFE A N D A RTS | MA RCH 1 4 , 20 1 9

SWMRS revives teenage angst scene with new album liz a b lake staff writer Punk rock has presumably taken the back seat of the music industry as icons of hip hop and pop music continue to sit at the top of the charts. Neo-punk band SWMRS is single-handedly reviving the teenage angst scene with a message that will not be forgotten.

Following the release of their 2016 album, “Drive North,” which highlights softer teen angst lyrical narratives, the Oakland-native band has shifted gears to deliver the answer to this generation’s cry for social justice with its newest album, “Berkeley’s On Fire.”

Comprised of brothers Cole and Max Becker, Seb Mueller and Joey Armstrong, the members instantly set the tone for their sophomore album with the first song. Their most politically charged album yet kicks off with the album’s title track. It draws inspiration from the 2017 Berkeley protests that broke out due to political differences between the public and politically conservative groups.

The protests stemmed after a controversial appearance from conservative commentator Ben Shapiro captured the attention of UC Berkeley students.

The lyrics touch upon several details like when the groups were “confusing this freedom speech with swastikas,” co-frontman Cole Becker notes in the song.

“It’s a strange time to be young; our generation knows the duality of feeling like an unstoppable force for change in one moment and a powerless wreck in the next,” Becker revealed to Upset Magazine. “We wanted these songs to document that feeling that we’ve observed closely in ourselves and in the people we’ve shared our music with over the past three years.”

The Oakland boys instantly grab our attention by the first guitar riff of the track “Too Much Coffee,” which presents itself as a more indie approach to punk rock. While this track does not specifically relate to the idea of protesting, it reminds us to not drink too much coffee before breakfast with its sugar-coated beats and trivial under-

Photo courtesy of Fueled By Ramen Records tones.

The 10-track album also features popular singles “Trashbag Baby” and “April In Houston.” Both capture the jagged edges of angst in punk music, which the band created as a social protest. Nevertheless, SWMRS keeps up this chain of protesting political continuity through its sonically driven

tracks “Lose Lose Lose” and “Hellboy.”

Being from California, the band has found a harmonious balance between surf rock and punk rock on this record. With its gritty undertones and soft beach sunsets combined into one production, SWMRS brings you across Southern California from Downtown Los Angeles to Malibu on “Berkeley’s

On Fire.”

This record may not have a direct answer to the social and political points discussed throughout the album, but one thing for sure is that SWMRS is starting to get us thinking about the future.

LIZA.BLAKE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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MA R C H 1 4 , 2 0 1 9 | L IFE A N D A RTS | P E P P E R DIN E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Photos Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures Photo Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures Photos courtesy of Silken Weinberg Soft Smiles| Stylist Silken Weinberg strikes a pose for the camera. Weinberg sewed her way to the top of the fashion industry without formal training.

Stylist proves you don’t need formal training to design c ar o l ine edwards senior reporter Silken Weinberg almost had a promising film career.

When Weinberg was interning in the film industry, Samuel L. Jackson told her that she had a special “aura.”

After graduating from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Cinematic Arts in 2015, Weinberg left the film industry to focus on styling fulltime.

“I was trying to force a square peg in a round hole for so long because I was always so obsessed with fashion growing up, and it felt kind of silly to say it,” Weinberg said. “It kind of felt very superficial and dumb, and I couldn’t find the dignity in it. I put it on such a back burner, and I was like, ‘I’ll do film, it’s better.’ I remember going out to dinner with people I was working with, and I did not care about what they were talking about. I didn’t know all the directors, the producers or anything.”

Weinberg had various media internships as an undergraduate student, including Emmett Furla Oasis Films, Warner Bros. Records, Plan B Entertainment and ICM Pictures. Although she was starting to form connections and build her career in film, she realized she wanted to focus on fashion and styling.

“I never thought I would be so into [styling], but it really gets me through my day,” Weinberg said. “What I like about styling is that you’re taking a client and finding clothes that are widely consistent to that project. Depending on what’s happening, it’s such a different day-to-day job.”

Weinberg said she’s a stylist, fashion editor, creative director and suit designer. Despite having no formal training other than completing a short course at Central Saint Martins in London, Weinberg is making a name for herself in the industry, as her past clients have included musicians Broods, Oh Wonder and Freddy Wexler as Jackson Penn.

“I woke up on July 5 not feeling my

best and got a call that [Broods] was filming the ‘Peach’ music video and the stylist’s manager didn’t tell them about it and they were overbooked,” Weinberg said. “So they didn’t have a stylist for it. I took the opportunity, and it worked out. It was kind of like divine intervention in a way … From then on, [styling and my network] built really organically.”

When she isn’t styling, Weinberg designs suits. Weinberg said her passion for designing suits came from her love of music and ensembles. Her favorite era for fashion was the early ‘90s, especially Prada and Chanel’s collections, which were all suits. When creating a suit, Weinberg said she takes different pieces from six or seven suits and deconstructs them to make one jacket.

“I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing,” Weinberg said. “I work with this guy Francisco in South LA and I discover my own process … I don’t want to embarrass myself or make a mockery. It’s really great to not to have a professional education because that creates a box for how you think and how your process is. When you get out of the fear and realize you’re just creating something and it doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s nice to know that you’re going with your own process.”

Weinberg said she likes the luxury and the power of a woman in a suit.

She creates three-piece suits and most recently created zip-off pants, inspired by her dad.

“From a stylist perspective, if you make a three-piece suit, you can wear the jacket alone, the pants alone, wear it all together or wear two out of three [pieces],” Weinberg said. “It’s all about starting with a three-piece outfit and going from there. It’s such a feminine statement because women are so good at having their cake and eating it, too.

Yeah, we can wear a suit but look really hot in it.”

Weinberg said she also draws inspiration from musicians Jimmy Page, Johnny Cash and Jimi Hendrix. ”Music is really important, and I think the relationship between sound and image is so incredible,” Weinberg

said. “It’ll maybe be an ‘80s song, Elton John or something from The Beatles, where I envision a certain world, emotion or feeling that goes with that song.”

When designing for a musician, Weinberg said she has to think about the audience and the purpose.

“I did a custom suit for Georgia [of Broods] when she did the Taylor Swift tour in Australia and talked to her about what she wanted,” Weinberg said. “She was into the color peach from their song Peach so I got some fuzz trim and things like that. If it’s for a person, it’s easier to envision what they’ll be doing in it and how to make it comfortable.”

In addition to drawing inspiration from music, Weinberg said she also got her stylistic approach from her mom, who always added an extra accessory to an outfit before Weinberg left the house in the suburbs of Marietta, Georgia.

“I would always wear [my mom’s] clothes and would go to thrift stores [with her] and try to find really unique, creative ways to do things,” Weinberg said. “She could make anything work

at any time. What I loved about getting ready with [my mom] is that it’s all about the final touches ... Even getting ready for dances and things, [she] would add one little thing, like a bracelet around my ankle or something.”

Weinberg followed her vocation and passion. Although she was torn at the beginning, since quitting her job she’s been able to find herself and evolve as a designer.

“Looking at the role as a fashion editor and a stylist, it makes so much sense of who I am, what I’ve done, what I feel and kind of makes sense of things,” Weinberg said. “I’m not surprised, but I’m very grateful that I was able to kind of discover this path and admit to myself that’s what makes me happy and kind of temper this path instead of staying on another path. It was really all about just being honest with myself. I think when you are really passionate about something and you go for it and it’s what you like, it sounds so cheesy, but an organic thing will come.”

CAROLINE.EDWARDS@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Fashion Fever | Models pose to show off their couture. Weinberg has styled many renowned musicians such as Broods, Oh Wonder and Freddy Wexler.

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M A R C H 1 4 , 2 0 1 9 | S PORTS | P E P P E R DIN E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Photos by Kyle McCabe Freshman Fortune | Freshman second baseman Wyatt Young takes a rip at a pitch in Sunday’s game. Young, the Waves’ leadoff hitter, had five hits in the three-game series and has posted a .308 batting average so far this season.

Pepperdine Baseball sweeps UC Davis Aust in Hal l Staf f W r i ter

The Waves started the series with a 3-6 record but brought it to a .500 winning percentage with a sweep of the UC Davis Aggies. Through three games, the Waves held the Aggies scoreless in 25 out of 27 innings.

The first game was on Friday and sophomore right-handed pitcher Cooper Chandler got his first start and first win of the season. The former Freshman All-American pitched all nine innings and only allowed five hits.

Pepperdine’s lone run of the game came in the fourth inning when senior Cory Wills singled through the left side and fellow senior Matt Kanfer scored.

The second game of the series on Saturday was a batting barrage for the Pepperdine Waves while the UC Davis offense continued to struggle.

Redshirt junior lefthander Easton Lucas got his third start of the season and his first win in game two.

In the bottom of the first inning, Wills, Pep-

perdine’s fourth batter hit a grounder a few feet in front of junior Logan Denholm, the UC Davis catcher.

As he turned to throw out Wills at first base, he sailed the ball over his teammate’s head and Kanfer scored the first run of the game.

Lucas continued to churn out the outs from the mound in the second inning. After a base hit from UC Davis Lucas picked the player off with a throw to sophomore first baseman Billy Cook during the next at-bat.

The third inning was more of the same for Lucas, one hit before a quick three outs. The bottom of the third is when the Pepperdine offense blew the doors off of the game.

Junior third baseman Aharon Modlin had his first of two hits on the day with a shot to left center and got on first base. Freshman second baseman Wyatt Young followed after Modlin with a base hit of his own. Junior shortstop Quincy McAfee was next. He singled to left field and Modlin scored, bringing the score to 2-0.

Kanfer got on base once more and Wills

followed with a triple to shallow right field.

Young and Kanfer scored, bringing it to 4-0. Charlie Welch had the last RBI of the inning with a groundout to UC Davis sophomore shortstop Tanner Murray as Wills scored.

The score was 5-0 going into the fourth inning.

After Lucas struck out the last batter, the Waves continued their offensive efficiency in the bottom of the fourth.

Cook and sophomore right fielder Mike Malinchak both got on base.

Modlin had his second base hit as he sent the ball went down the right side and Malinchak scored.

Young followed with another hit, this time to deep center and Modlin scored. At the end of the fourth, the Waves were up 7-0.

Lucas’ final scoreless inning was the fifth as he again retired the first three batters he faced.

In the bottom of the fifth, Welch scored on a wild pitch. McAfee was hit by a pitch with bases loaded, which brought Malinchak in for another run. Kanfer had another base hit and Mod-

Handshakes and Heaters | (Above) Shortstop Quincy McAfee (left) and outfielder Cory Wills (right) are all smiles after McAfee scores a run.

(Right) Starting pitcher Jonathan Pendergast releases a pitch.

lin scored. The inning brought the score to 100.

Fifth-year senior Christian Stoutland subbed in for Lucas in the seventh inning. Lucas finished with only six hits given up versus a total of 21 batters and three strikeouts.

Head Coach Rick Hirtensteiner was pleased with Lucas’ performance.

“Lucas played good,” Hirtensteiner said. “You know once you get up by a lot of runs, sometimes it’s hard to evaluate. It’s different when it’s a tight game. But he had good attack, mixed his pitches and his slider was pretty good today. He ate up a lot of innings for us.”

Pepperdine went to their third pitcher of the game in the eighth inning with redshirt junior right-hander Benjamin Slattery. Davis scored their third and final run off of Slattery in that inning.

The Waves did not slow down offensively as

the game neared its end.

Kanfer came up for his sixth at-bat of the game and crushed a pitch to left field. Malinchak and McAfee scored.

Kanfer said he knew it the second the ball left his bat.

“Oh, it felt fantastic,” Kanfer said. “There’s really nothing better than that feeling.”

Junior right-handed pitcher Jack Baird closed the game for the Waves.

He walked two batters and the game wrapped up after a flyout, strikeout and another flyout.

Pepperdine finished with 16 hits in 40 at-bats, 13 RBIs and only had one error defensively.

The final game of the series was another shutout victory for the Waves. Senior righthander Jonathan Pendergast got his third start and second victory of the season. He gave up four hits in eight innings before being relieved by redshirt freshman Raul Salazar who closed the game.

Pepperdine’s first run didn’t come until the fifth inning. McAfee maintained his consistency at the plate with a double down the right field line, scoring Young who was on second.

The Waves distanced their lead in the sixth with another big hit from Malinchak that scored Duncan McKinnon and Cook.

Cook followed in the seventh inning with the last RBI of the game. He fired a bouncer to left field and scored McAfee for the last run of the game, bringing the score to 4-0.

This marked the first sweep of the year for the Waves. Kanfer feels that there is something different about this team compared to previous ones.

“I think we’re really a cohesive bunch,” Kanfer said. “Everyone picks up for their teammates’ weaknesses. I think we’ve really come together as a team more AUSTIN.HAL L @PEPPER DINE.EDU

M A R C H 1 4 , 2 0 1 9 | S PORTS | P E P P E R DINE GRA P H I C ME D I A

What to watch for in the new AAF

Ky l e M c C ab e a s s is tant s por ts editor

In every practical sense, the NFL has a monopoly on professional football. It is the face of the most popular sport in the United States.

However, there is a new professional league in town: The Alliance of American Football.

Since the merger between the American Football League and the NFL in 1966, many upstart leagues have tried and failed to challenge the NFL. The World Football League, the United States Football League, the United Football League and the soon to be resurrected (thanks to Vince McMahon’s deep pockets) XFL are the most notable.

All the old football leagues utilized new concepts to set themselves apart from the NFL, and the AAF is no different. Here are a few things to look for in the Alliance’s inaugural season.

Decreased Time AAF co-founder and CEO Charlie Ebersol said that one of the league’s main goals is to provide a quality football experience in a two and a half hour timeslot, a half hour shorter than the average NFL game.

“We’re not the NFL, and we’re not trying to become the NFL,” said Alicia Jessop, head of Player Career and Education for the AAF. “We want to grab people’s attention, and we’ve seen data that shows that

people think NFL games are too long. By condensing the time of our games we think we can capture greater viewer interest in the sport.”

To meet that short attention span, the AAF has cut out kickoffs, booth reviews and television timeouts.

After a score, the team who would receive the kickoff in the NFL simply starts with the ball at their own 25-yard line.

Instead of attempting an onside kick, teams can try to convert a fourthand-12 from their own 28-yard line.

Replays are limited to two coach’s challenges per team, whereas the NFL automatically reviews every turnover and scoring play. The AAF’s sky judge in the press box can correct calls in real time if they relate to pass interference within the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or to player safety. When the sky judge reviews a play, they are shown on the telecast and in the stadium, allowing fans to see the review process.

Split screen advertisements replace in-game television timeouts and only run during a break in the action like a change of possession.

Full screen advertisements only run during halftime, making those slots more valuable to advertisers.

The Alliance shortened the play clock from 40 to 35 seconds.

Overtime gives each team one possession: first and goal from the 10-yard line. Field goals

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are not allowed, and if the score remains tied after the overtime period, the game ends in a tie.

Increased Excitement

Another focus for the Alliance is giving the fans what they want: as much offense as possible. The reaction to Super Bowl LIII’s record setting low score shows that while defense wins championships, offense wins viewership.

The AAF has no extra points. Instead, teams must try a two point conversion after touchdowns, eliminating one of the most mundane and predictable plays from the game and adding another offensive play to each touchdown drive.

“We ... looked at data that shows the success rate of the two-point conversion,” Jessop said.

“We found that to be a really interesting thing that we could use to change our game to create more interest in it.”

One change that two-point conversions bring is strange scores.

NFL scores are normally some combination of sevens and threes, but AAF scores are likely to be combinations of eights and threes. And since the two-point conversion has a much lower success rate than the extra-point, games are less likely to end in ties.

Especially in overtime, even if both teams score a touchdown, there is a good chance one converts the two points and the other does not.

Defenses can only San Antonio Command- of our players have NFL rush five players on a ers and the San Diego or other professional exnormal passing play and Fleet, Fleet quarterback perience, so I think from the rushers can not line Philip Nelson threw a game one people saw up more than two yards deep pass that was inter- it was really good footoutside the widest of- cepted by the Command- ball,” Jessop said.

Courtesy Pepperdine fensive lineman or moreof ers’ De’Vante Athletics Bausby.

Players are assigned than five yards behind The second play was a and teamsSheridan based onDavis their the line of scrimmage. Logan Woodside 47-yard most recent college, NFL Weaker blitzes help cul- touchdown pass. In just or Canadian Football tivate an offense-driv- two plays, the Fleet and League team, meaning en league by giving the the Commanders exem- fans can choose which quarterbacks more time plified this AAF theme AAF team to root for in the pocket. of increased offense and based on which one has A byproduct of the increased turnovers. their favorite college, talent in the AAF and NFL or CFL team asthe league’s offensive Familiar Faces signed to it. focus is the amount of One of the most notaturnovers and big plays.

The Alliance is filled ble former NFL players The AAF features good with people who have attempting a comeback football players, 80 per- NFL and college experi- in the AAF is Birmingcent of which have NFL ence. Executives include ham Iron running back experience, according former NFL players like Trent Richardson. He to Dan Hellie, a play-by- Troy Polamalu, Hines has garnered some atplay announcer on Alli- Ward, Jared Allen and tention by rushing for ance broadcasts. But the Justin Tuck as well as six touchdowns through fact that players are in Bill Polian, a Hall of Fam- three games. As a former the AAF means that they er and former Indianap- Heisman finalist and are trying to develop olis Colts President.

No. 3 overall pick in the into NFL level talents. It Six out of the eight 2012 NFL Draft, Richmeans they are not quite head coaches in the Al- ardson could change the there. It means their liance have been head story of his career from play is sloppier than NFL coaches in either college a bust to a comeback if players and thatCourtesy errors orofthe NFL before. Athletics Steve he made a returnWood to the Pepperdine and Calvin leading to turnovers and Spurrier alone accounts NFL. big offensive gains will for 27 years of head happen more often. coaching experience.

In the week three “[We have] really exK YL E.J.M C C ABE@PEPPER DINE.EDU matchup between the perienced coaches, most

File Photos All Hands on Deck | (Left) Redshirt senior goalkeeper Brielle Preece dives for a save in this file photo from an August match against Brown University. (Right) The Women’s Soccer team huddles around Head Coach Tim Ward in this file photo from an August match against Indiana University.

Waves play friendly match against Japanese team Sawa Yam akawa s taf f w r i te r

The Women’s Soccer team participated in an exhibition match against the Japanese University Women’s Football Association’s (JUWFA) Kanto region team Sunday. The Waves were leading the game until the Japanese team scored in the last five minutes of the second half, ending the game with a final score of 2-2.

JUWFA Kanto region team is formed with 20 college students selected from universities in eight prefectures (districts) in the region, such as Tokyo. This match against Pepperdine was their fifth and final match in California, after playing friendly matches against UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, UCLA and USC. Beating University of California, Riverside with a score of 7-2 the day before, the Waves continued to display a strong performance with solid

goals coming from sophomore Devyn Gilfoy and freshman Leyla McFarland in the first half.

With Pepperdine leading with a two goal advantage, the Japanese team responded in the second half. The Japanese team caught up with the Waves, scoring a goal early on and another just before the match ended.

Despite struggling to defend in the last half and to claim a win over their international opponent, the Waves’ freshman Trinity Watson said she had a great time playing against the Japanese team.

“We definitely had a lot to learn from them,” Watson, who has prior experience in playing for the U.S. National Team, said. Watson said she had high expectations from them and was amazed to see the Japanese girls connect with each other, communicating in a language that Watson could not understand.

Rika Koojima, the Japanese player who notched the second goal for the Japanese team to end the game on a draw, said she, too, knew Pepperdine was not an easy contender and was mostly struggling to play against players who were faster and stronger than her and her teammates.

The head coach of JUFWA Kanto, Yukihiro Aoba, also said that Pepperdine had athletic advantages over the Japanese.

“Because we have physical disadvantages [such as height], we try to come up with cunning ideas and techniques and that’s how we play soccer in Japan,” Aoba said.

Aoba, a former professional soccer player in Japan, said Pepperdine was efficient in play-style and always eager to score a goal.

Koojima said she was surprised to see the difference in the training environment.

“From having amazing ath-

letic facilities to getting sponsored by Nike, everything is so different here compared to Japan,” Koojima said.

After the 90-minute game, both teams enjoyed interacting with one another at Waves Cafe. Freshman goalie Kinsey Ehmann said the girls were “very sweet” after engaging in lively conversations about culture and relationships with them. Both teams seemed to enjoy learning about each other, especially through sports, as Koojima also said the Pepperdine players were “very generous and gave off good vibes.”

Although the short spring season will come to an end soon for the Waves, Watson is already looking forward to playing with the Waves next season.

“Because we couldn’t pull through last season, as a team we definitely want to come out and win our conference and make it into the NCAA tourna-

ment,” Watson said.

Furthermore, she says her teammates’, Michelle Maemone and Hailey Harbison, success in getting selected in NSWL draft in January motivates her.

“Seeing [them] go pro is very inspiring especially since I trained with [them] and definitely gives me hope that one day eventually that could be a dream of mine and my teammates’,” said Watson who keeps in touch with probound seniors for advice and guidance.

In achieving the aforementioned goals, Watson says the Waves’ special team culture will help them.

“On and off the field, there is unity and solidarity,” she said.

The Women’s Soccer team will host their last two home games of the spring season against Cal State Fullerton and Point Loma Nazarene University on March 30.

SAWA.YAM AK AWA@PEPPER DINE.EDU

// The Graphic

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Mar ch 14, 2019

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

SPORTS

FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics/Roger Horne

Star Power | (Left) Senior Yasmine Robinson-Bacote looks for a teammate while under pressure from a Pacific defender. (Right) Sophomore Colbey Ross rises for a layup in the first-round game against Pacific. Both players were named to the All-Tournament Teams.

Both b-ball teams reach WCC semis for first time since 2004 kar L w inter a ss i s tant spor ts e dit or With talented young rosters, big-name head coaches and now notable runs in the conference tournament, both Pepperdine Basketball programs have newfound optimism after struggling for the better part of this decade.

Both programs reached the semifinals of the West Coast Conference (WCC) Championships tournament March 7-11 for the first time in 15 years, although each team took very different routes to reach that point.

“We ended up surprising a lot of people but also just proving to ourselves that we belong here and that, at the end of the day, we can play with anybody,” women’s hoops senior forward Yasmine Robinson-Bacote said.

The conference office named Robinson-Bacote the WCC Player of the Year, and she was one of six Waves, between the two programs, to receive All-WCC honors.

The women’s team put together a 12-6 campaign in the conference regular season, earning the third seed and two byes in the tournament, despite finishing eighth in the conference in 2018 and the WCC coaches picking them to finish ninth before the season began.

“We are a totally different team [from last season] … we’re mentally stronger, we’re physically more capable to last …” Robinson-Bacote said.

“When we found out we were picked ninth, we felt motivated.”

The entire tournament was contested at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, and the women played their tournament opener Saturday, March 10 against Pacific, a team that had already played a game in the arena.

“Going into the game, they were definitely more comfortable on the hoop, but we definitely had the fresher legs,” Robinson-Bacote said. “I think we ended up using that to our advantage.”

The sixth-seeded Tigers and the Waves had split their regular season series, and the teams matched up well, but

the Waves were able to come away with an 87-84 victory behind 26 points from Robinson-Bacote and 20 from junior guard Barbara Sitanggan.

“Thank goodness we had a nice cushion to work with to be able to sustain their run,” Head Coach Delisha Milton-Jones said. “We hit some timely shots late in the game and that was what really sealed the deal for us.”

In Monday’s semifinal matchup against second-seeded Brigham Young, the Waves jumped out to an early lead before seeing BYU hit timely shots and make the final run of the game.

“We definitely let it slip away,” Milton-Jones said. “We had a 13-point lead, and that diminished in a matter of probably a minute and a half, just a couple possessions.”

The eventual conference champion Cougars closed out a 68-63 win, as Pepperdine failed to score a field goal in the final 5:47 of the game.

Robinson-Bacote agreed that the Waves “gave that game away” but remained optimistic for the future.

“They’re a good team, and we know that if we’re going to beat a good team, especially in those circumstances where a championship game is on the line, we were going to have to play a lot better than we did,” Robinson-Bacote said.

With the win against Pacific, Pepperdine Women’s Basketball reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 2002 and the WCC semifinal for the first time since 2010.

The team will return to practice Thursday, as they have a strong chance to qualify for the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

“I’m confident that we’ll get a bid,” Milton-Jones said.

“We’ve been on their watch list all season long, so something good definitely is going to come from that.”

The WNIT Selection Committee will announce the 64team field late in the evening of Monday, March 18 after the NCAA Tournament field is announced.

On the Men’s side, the Waves entered the WCC Championships as the eighth seed after finishing 6-10 in the regular conference season, a year af-

ter going just 2-16 in conference.

The men also opened the tournament with a win against Pacific, coming back from a 12-point second half deficit to win 61-53 behind a career-high 15 points from freshman guard Darryl Polk Jr. However, due to a new format in the WCC Championships, teams seeded between seventh and tenth would need to win two games simply to reach the quarterfinals, so the Pepperdine men came back the night after defeating Pacific to take on rival Loyola Marymount (LMU) March 8.

Again, the Waves needed a dramatic comeback to pull off the victory.

“The last four minutes we really started to come back, and then I hit the shot with 30 seconds left … just to do it in that tournament, it meant a lot for me and my teammates,” sophomore guard Colbey Ross said.

“The shot” to which Ross is referring is a game-winning three-pointer, off the dribble, over an LMU defender, to put the Waves ahead for good.

The team would win 68-65 after LMU missed a three-point shot at the buzzer, but the Waves were still not finished in the tournament.

The next night, Pepperdine met fourth-seeded San Francisco, a team coming off a week of rest.

“It definitely helped just playing those two games before, because we were shooting the ball well,” Ross said.

“In that San Francisco game, I think us playing a couple games on [the Orleans Arena] court really helped.”

Despite playing their third game in three days, Pepperdine promptly destroyed the Dons with 26 points from Ross and 14 from freshman forward Kessler Edwards.

The Waves shot the lights out in the 89-72 win, hitting 14 threes and shooting 49 percent from the field, en route to their highest point total in a WCC game all season.

“At the end of the day, I think it was just us showing what we’re really made of — how good of a team we really are when we do the little things,” Ross said.

The three victories earned

Pepperdine a date with Gonzaga, the top-ranked team in the country, in Monday’s semifinal. The game was played in front of a sold-out, pro-Gonzaga crowd and a national television audience on ESPN. “I think it was a good experience for next year and when we have to play versus good teams who are ranked,” Ross said.

The Waves’ momentum stalled against the Bulldogs, as Pepperdine was down to seven rotation players, with junior forward Kameron Edwards and freshman guard Andre Ball sidelined by injuries earlier in the tournament.

Gonzaga won in dominant fashion, 100-74, leading by as many as 41 points in the second half.

“We didn’t come out with a win, but it’s exciting when you get to come out and play the number one team in the country,” Ross said. “You have [legendary basketball sportscaster] Dick Vitale calling the game … it’s just exciting.”

Against Gonzaga, Ross posted his 18th game of the season with at least 20 points, and also finished the WCC Championships with 80 points total, a new Pepperdine record. In the process, Ross was named to the All-Tournament Team and the All-WCC First Team in the regular season.

“It does show my hard work starting to pay off,” Ross said.

“Next year, I hope I get the First Team [again], I hope Photosbut Courtesy we win the tournament; that’s the ultimate goal.”

Robinson-Bacote was also named to the All-Tournament Team on the women’s side, in addition to being Pepperdine’s first WCC Player of the Year since 2003, as she averaged 23 points per game in the tournament and 20 points per game in the regular season.

As always, both Ross and Robinson-Bacote deflected credit to their teammates and coaches.

“Even though my name is on the award, it’s definitely a team effort,” Robinson-Bacote said. “There’s a lot of talented players in the conference, and for me to be the one who came out on top … I’m still shocked about it, I can’t believe it.”

Four other Waves basketball players received accolades

in the regular season: the conference office named both Kameron Edwards and Sitanggan to the All-WCC Honorable Mention teams, and both Kessler Edwards and Women’s Basketball’s guard Malia Bambrick were selected for the WCC All-Freshman Teams.

Coach Milton-Jones mentioned the significance of having a senior, junior and freshman win awards.

“I think that parity right there shows that, in our system, it’s really a free-for-all,” Milton-Jones said. “Everyone should come and be aggressive and play their best game. I’m proud of that because that’s the environment I wanted to create.”

Both Milton-Jones and Men’s Head Coach Lorenzo Romar have made tremendous strides in their second and first seasons, respectively (although Romar did have a previous three-year stint with Pepperdine).

Milton-Jones, a former WNBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, has engineered a 13-win (and counting) improvement in her first two seasons at the helm, and the first Pepperdine WNIT appearance since 2011 is a strong possibility.

Romar, a longtime coach at top programs like UCLA, Arizona and Washington, has reversed the culture of a program that won only six games in 2017-2018.

[Romar] tells of“Whatever Pepperdine Athletics me to do, I have full trust in it, because he’s been there so many times and he’s coached some of the best players to ever come out of college,” Ross said. “He’s going to do to whatever it takes to help us get the job done.”

Although the Pepperdine men do not expect to be selected for a postseason tournament this season and they will lose seniors Darnell Dunn and Marcus Cooper Jr., the team expects to improve in 2019-2020 behind Romar, Ross, the Edwards brothers and Oregon transfers Keith Smith and M.J. Cage.

K AR L .W INTER @PEPPER DINE.EDU