Pepperdine Graphic 9-12-19

Volume xLiX | Issue 3 | september 12, 2019

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Honor Society Denies Pepperdine; Dean Feltner Responds

The Reasoning Behind the Denial

C hanna steinmetz N e ws E d itor The oldest, and widely-known as the most prestigious, academic honor society denied Pepperdine University a chapter for the fourth time.

Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) sent a rejection letter to Pepperdine on June 10, claiming the reason for denial was to do with faculty autonomy. The rejection indicated that, because promotion requirements are tied to religion, faculty could not make independent decisions in their teachings. The denial sparked frustration

among administrators and faculty; it prompted Dean of Seaver College Michael Feltner to write back to CEO of PBK Frederick Lawrence.

Feltner’s letter detailed his concern of PBK’s ill-perceived understanding of Pepperdine and the university’s Christian mission.

“This was, without a doubt, the most disappointing decision I have received,” Feltner said. “I think part of what makes the decision frustrating is that the issue of faculty autonomy was never a focus in any of the prior three decisions. The items that were raised in the prior three decisions were not mentioned at all on this decision.”

Tenure is the “right of a faculty member to continue to be employed by the University in the field of his or her specialization at the school,” according to the university’s Tenure Policy. PBK’s letter highlighted a section in Best Practices for Tenure and Promotion Review issued by the Provost Office. In the tenure review, faculty applying for tenure are asked to explain their involvement in a community of faith, how they support the mission and Christian values of Pepperdine. This tenure document was not a part of the 140page application to PBK, Provost Rick Marrs said.

“We submit a lengthy packet of materials surrounding academics, diversity and more, and they found a reference that wasn’t even part of what we submitted,” Marrs said. “So a member, or members, had been surfing around the Pepperdine site, because they quoted a random page, saying that ‘Well, clearly by having this paragraph in your hiring practices, you can’t have academic freedom,’ which is completely inaccurate.”

Faculty who are applying for tenure are not required to be a member of a Church of Christ or of the Christian faith. Tenured Pepperdine Prof.

Paul Contino, who is a PBK alumnus from Binghamton University, said he has never felt limited in his academic freedom as a Catholic professor.

“I think Phi Beta Kappa as an organization needs to address the fact that higher education is more diverse than they’re giving it credit

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The Board faces budget reduction for Student Wellness Advisory Board James moore s taff write r Pepperdine students spend $126 a semester ($252 a year) on a mandatory Campus Life Fee. In recent years, the lump-sum of this fee was divided among Pepperdine’s three student leadership organizations: the Student Government Association (SGA), the Inter-Club Council (ICC) and the Student Programing Board (the Board). This year, a new group is added to the mix.

The Student Wellness Advisory Board (SWAB), an organization dedicated to promoting health and wellness on campus, is now the fourth group on campus that receives a portion of the Campus Life Fee. The Student Programming Board’s budget was reduced by 10% to allow for this adjustment.

The change is a result of a resolution proposed and passed by SGA at the end of this past school year.

Brittany Skinner, director of Student Activities, works closely with SGA to help them carry out their goals for the year. Skinner said for the past two years, SGA’s goal was to transform SWAB into an independently funded organization.

“It was great leadership by SGA,

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caring about student health and really wanting to advocate for students by helping [SWAB] get a chunk of the pie,” Skinner said.

25% of every student’s Campus Life Fee goes to SGA. For students who go abroad, the remainder of that fee goes to their international program (IP). If two-thirds of sophomores go abroad, then that is 16%

of the total Campus Life Fee going to IP each semester. This leaves roughly 60% of “the pie” to be split up amongst the remaining student groups.

Prior to the SGA resolution, the 60% was divided such that the Board

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PEPP HONORS 9/11 See A5

Pepp Weight Room Closed Due to Water Intrusion and Rats H A DLE Y B I G G S NE WS ASSI STANT Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse weight room is closed due to a water intrusion and rodents. The gym has been closed since Thursday, Aug. 29 Alex Forero, the public relations manager of Pepperdine, wrote in an email.

“Last week the university began work to address a water intrusion due to condensation in the ceiling of the Firestone Fieldhouse Weight Center,” wrote Forero. “During these repairs, Facilities Services discovered evidence of rodents.”

In the meantime, students can exercise at The Cage — an outdoor fitness space located behind the tennis courts. It does not have any cardio machines, but it contains weights, medicine balls and other strength-building equipment.

“I have been using the Drescher gym and the Firestone gym depending on my workouts,” senior Priscilla Magana said. “I went to The Cage last night and it did not have the equipment I needed. There are no mirrors to check my form. I know other students are frustrated there are no cardio machines.”

There is a plan for a temporary gym in the parking lot behind the baseball field, Director of Campus Recreation Robb Bolton said.

“We’re trying to work as quickly as we can to provide a place for students to work out, instead of just shutting [the gym] down,” Bolton said. “The hours should be the same as the Firestone gym, but we will have to see based on the lighting in the parking lot.”

The temporary gym will open soon, according to Campus Recreation’s website.

“There will be power, lights and air conditioning. It will be a great temporary solution,” Associate Dean of Student Affairs Doug Hurley said.

“The temporary gym will include almost all the same equipment from the Fieldhouse weight room.”

The gym is expected to be open again in three to four weeks, Hurley said. In the meantime, students are encouraged to work out in The Cage or in the temporary gym in the parking lot behind the baseball field.

“To properly repair and sanitize the Weight Center, all ceiling tiles and insulation are being removed and replaced,” Forero wrote. “The room and all of the equipment housed inside will also be sanitized. The Weight Room is expected to fully reopen by Friday, Sept. 20.”

The Towers Residence Hall, Seaside Residence Hall and Drescher all have gyms in their buildings, but they are only accessible by keycards of the residents that live there.

“It’s a bit inconvenient for myself and the rest of the student body that the gym is closed,” senior Holly Reynolds said. “Thankfully, Pepperdine has other gyms on campus. I have been using the Drescher gym.”

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Students crave pictureperfect summers

Ali Levens S ta f f Writ e r When school dismisses in the spring, students are eager to start their summers — an entire three months full of nonstop travel, laughter and friends. That’s what makes a summer “good,” right?

When thinking about this inquiry in a deeper manner, what actually constitutes a “good summer?” Is it an abundance of trotting the globe? Is it working every single day, making a measly $7.25 an hour in order to save up wages to offset student loans? Is it lounging by the pool, doing nothing?

Social media has a tendency to affect those in search of a summer worth capturing; this is what influencers are paid to do. When followers see an influencer’s constant stream of travel and leisure — and they aren’t doing anything noteworthy for their own Instagrams or Twitters — it may make them feel worthless, as if their summer wasn’t worth it.

These advertisements and influencers give followers a false hope.

At the beginning of the break, students are allowed time to de-stress from the whirlwind of school and take a second to just breathe. But as most breaks go, plans arise and summer activities swarm open calendar dates, and suddenly, it’s August again. Students wonder if they made the most of their summers.

Did they have enough fun? Did they have too much fun?

When asked if one had a good summer, the immediate answer is usually “yes,” because that’s what the mind is trained to say. Yes, the students did get a break from school. Yes, the students did do something with their time off. Just as when someone asks how another is doing, the most common response is “good.” In place of scrambling to find an honest answer to this burning question, students should go and have a summer that they find exciting and memorable, not what others decide for them.

Students worry too much about having a “good” summer to brag about instead of enjoying their academic hiatus.

Summer is what one wants to make it, not what social media or others’ plans dictate. So when May rolls around, don’t be afraid to take advantage of what your heart desires.

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

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08/29/19 1:30 p.m.

Crimes: Indecent Exposure Location: Tyler Campus Center

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08/30/19 9:53 a.m.

Crimes: Larceny/Theft - Theft from Building, Burglary Location: Tyler Campus Center

Drescher (North)

09/04/19 2:13 a.m.

Traffic Related: Reckless Driving Location: Seaver Drive 09/07/19 12:08 a.m.

Crimes: Larceny/Theft Petty Theft - Misc.

Location: H.A.W.C. 09/08/19 4:21 p.m.

Crimes: Fire/Hazards Gas Leak Outside Location: Firestone Fieldhouse

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REJECT: Religious ties behind PBK’s rejection FROM A1 for being,” Contino said. “If PBK is against an academic community that forms itself around religious ideals — if they’re actively against such a community as being ipso facto against academic freedom — then I have real reservations belonging to the Phi Beta Kappa community. I don’t think Phi Beta Kappa is truly affirming diversity.”

Contino also pointed out an inaccuracy in the response from PBK. The denial letter refers to “Seaver Honors College as a strong and vibrant example” of student success.

As both Contino and Marrs stated, Seaver does not have an honors college.

“Pepperdine takes faith seriously, but I don’t know that Phi Beta Kappa is taking Pepperdine very seriously,” Contino said.

To apply for PBK, a member of the organization must apply on behalf of the university to “shelter a chapter.” In previous applications, Contino has been that member. For Pepperdine’s fourth application, Prof. Christopher Soper, a PBK alumnus from Washington University, led the application. The full application process can take close to three years.

Before going forward with the fourth application, Pep-

perdine administration and faculty took two trips in the summer of 2018 to visit PBK’s Lawrence and discuss Pepperdine’s progression.

In previous rejections, PBK’s reasoning had to do with inclusion and diversity, specifically the lack of LBGTQ representation. Feltner said this was a topic of conversation when he, Marrs and then-Chancellor Michael Adams met with Lawrence in Washington, D.C. “We were able to talk positively about all the changes that have happened since the time of that application,” Feltner said. “For example, Crossroads didn’t exist at the time of the previous application and exists now.”

In PBK’s most recent rejection letter, the committee recognized that Pepperdine has been successful in its efforts to better support diversity.

Soper and Contino met with Lawrence in Philadelphia that same summer to discuss the dynamic of Pepperdine.

“I wanted to talk with him about Pepperdine,” Soper said. “I didn’t want to go forward with the application if I felt that he was not amenable to the university. I left that meeting feeling like he was open and that he might even be an advocate. Based upon that, we decided to go forward with the application.”

File Photo

Photos Courtsey of PBK Press Release Religious University | Students at Loyola Marymount University join Phi Beta Kappa. Loyola Marymount University is a traditionally Catholic university.

In neither of the two meetings with Lawrence was the issue of faculty autonomy brought forward, said both Feltner and Soper. Lawrence could not be reached in time for comment.

There are other religious universities such as Loyola Marymount University and Baylor who have active chapters of PBK. Soper said there are two cases for this.

“The reality is that most of the religiously-based univer-

sities PBK has granted chapters to in recent years are ones that have made some different choices than Pepperdine,” Soper said. “While they’re still connected to their religious tradition, the connections are more tenuous — less apparent in the day-to-day life at the institution.”

The second example includes universities that actively carry out religious traditions, but they were granted a PBK chapter decades ago.

“There are schools very similar to Pepperdine that have chapters, but those universities got chapters ages ago,” Soper continued. “For example, Baylor is very similar to Pepperdine but at the time, Phi Beta Kappa had a different set of values about what the connection between religious, higher education and the liberal arts should look like.”

Baylor University is a Christian university in the Baptist tradition. It charted a PBK chapter in 1976, according to Baylor’s website.

Dean Feltner’s Letter

New Chapter | Phi Beta Kappa invites Mississippi State University to join. The new members of the prestigious honors society pose for a photograph.

Frustrated by another failed attempt, Feltner said he felt it was necessary to write to Lawrence and invite him to come experience Pepperdine.

“It’s clear to me that Phi Beta Kappa does not understand how a school like Pepperdine can simultaneously

fully engage its Christian mission and fully engage at the highest standards of academic excellence, as stated our mission,” Feltner said.

“That’s why I invited Dr. Lawrence to come to see Seaver College, spend time with us and get to know us. It’s an open invitation to any member of Phi Beta Kappa that wants to come.”

In his letter, Feltner wrote that Seaver, as both a college and community, stands by the decision to approach academic excellence along with spiritual engagement. Feltner’s letter, sent Aug. 28, has not yet received a response from Lawrence.

Both Soper and Contino said they would be willing to host Lawrence on campus.

For Soper, he sees the denial as a lost opportunity for both Seaver students and PBK. A PBK chapter not only brings a level of prestige to the university, but the organization also provides funding to bring speakers to a campus, Soper said.

“I still believe in what Phi Beta Kappa is working for — the promotion of liberal arts education,” Soper said. “It seems to me that a place like Pepperdine could have been a valuable ally for Phi Beta Kappa, and in lot of ways, they need us more than we need them.”

SWAB: Board responds to budget cuts FROM A1

got 40%, and ICC got 20% of the total. This year, the Board is decreased to 30%, and SWAB picks up the remaining 10%.

Until two years ago, SWAB got its funding from the Inter-Club Council (ICC), who allocates their funding to approved student organizations.

Skinner said before the university could fund SWAB independently from ICC, SWAB first had to undergo a trial period.

“Last year, instead of SWAB having to come to ICC for each event or funding request, [SGA and ICC] were like, ‘We support this health initiative, so we’re just going to give you a lump sum from part of our funding,’” Skinner said.

“We called it a ‘pilot year,’ this past year, in order to develop SWAB as one of the one of the now four organizations that would receive funding,” Skinner said. “Before you make a major change like adding another group receiving funding, we have to make sure they’re planning great events, that they have a good structure.”

After SWAB’s pilot year went well, Skinner said the next major decision was to decide how they would provide funding for the group.

“Doug Hurley, the associate dean of students, and myself made the decisions on what the allocations were going to be for this year,” Skinner said.

“We looked at the resolution that SGA put forth, and their suggestion as 10% for SWAB. We talked to SWAB about where they would feel comfortable, and they felt like 10% was a good amount of resources for them.”

Skinner said the decision to take this 10% from the Board was in view of the fact that the Board’s events overlapped with some of SWAB’s planned events.

“The Board had the biggest budget to start with, and SWAB does programming as well,” Skinner said. “So we’re adding more programming, and we don’t want to program Board events at the same time as SWAB events. So it makes sense to have the Board doing a couple less events a year.”

Senior Annelise Adrian, an event planner for the Board,

said this year’s decision-making process has been difficult for the Board.

“At our retreat this year, we knew for sure that our budget wasn’t going to be what it was last year,” Adrian said. “So that meant having some tough decisions and putting out feelers of like, ‘What are we going to do?’ What are we going to cut this year, basically.”

The main conflict for the Board, Adrian said, is that they don’t want to exclude certain groups on campus by cutting the events that appeal to them.

“Do we like Reel Stories? Do we like Pacific Sounds? These are huge events that different groups on campus love, but they draw different crowds,” Adrian said. “We’re trying to serve the entire student population, so you don’t want to take away from an entire group of people that loves film or loves music. We don’t want to take away the smaller events on the weekends that help freshmen get involved on campus, either.”

Stacey Lee, an adviser for SWAB, said the main goal for SWAB this year is to get on the student’s radar.

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File Photo Pacific Jams | Students dance to electric guest at the Board’s Pacific sounds. The event is an annual tradition.

“We’re receiving a small portion of the Campus Life Fee,” Lee said, “Our hope is that students will really know what SWAB is what SWAB does. I think we can offer a lot of amazing resources and create conversations about what it means to be healthy.”

Most Pepperdine students know very little about how their $252-a-year Campus Life Fee is spent. In four years at Pepperdine, a student will spend $1,008 on this fee, enough to buy a new iPhone X.

In the future, Brittany Skinner said the administration hopes students become more involved with how this fee is spent by speaking out to their student leadership.

“Ultimately, this was more of a decision from our team, that we got from what we know about these groups,” Skinner said. “This is something in the future that I hope to have even stronger student feedback on.”

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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch speaks at Pepp C hanna Steinmetz NE ws e dit or

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch sat down with Dean of Pepperdine Law Paul Caron on Wednesday afternoon to discuss Gorsuch’s new book, “A Republic, If You Can Keep It.” Themes in Gorsuch’s book, such as the Constitution, separation of powers and the role of a judge, were talking points during the event at Pepperdine School of Law on Sept. 11. The justice shared the Caruso Auditorium’s stage with two of his former law clerks, David Feder and Tobi Young. Gorsuch praised Feder for his contributions in helping write the book.

“I love students, and I love spending time with students,” Gorsuch said during the event. “[Students] can do this too. You don’t have to be 65 and grayhaired to write a book.”

Members of the Pepperdine community filled the auditorium, including notable figures such as President Jim Gash and former President Andrew K. Benton.

Benton, who has taught undergraduate constitutional law for the past 20 years, spoke highly of Gorsuch.

“We placed someone on the Supreme Court who is very humble and real,” Benton said. “He fits well into our community as a person of faith. All I had known about Justice Gorsuch was what I had read, and now I am even more impressed.”

Gorsuch discussed his belief to uphold the Constitution to its original meaning at the time of enactment, known as originalism. The other side of the spectrum would argue for a living Constitution, or the claim that meaning of the Constitution is subject to change.

“I’m not saying the Constitution’s perfect,” Gorsuch said. “The original version

had two major defects: it didn’t have equal rights for women or for racial minorities. Nine old judges didn’t fix those problems, ‘We the people’ did.”

Although Seaver senior Chase Manson said he did not agree with Gorsuch’s stance, Manson said he appreciated hearing a different perspective.

“He talked a lot about originalism versus living constitutionalism,” Manson said. “It was interesting to be in that dialogue, and to then go have the conversations on how to fix our justice system. I really appreciated his thoughts on that.”

First-year law student Uni Kim also shared her differences with Gorsuch but wanted to seize the opportunity to hear a Supreme Court Justice and be engaged with his views.

“I do not personally agree with Gorsuch’s views and previous rulings,” Kim said. “Despite our political differences, I think it’s really good to be engaged and listening to what the other side has to say. It doesn’t matter if you’re a liberal or conservative, we should still respect and uphold the Constitution.”

Former Supreme Court Justice Bryon White was a role model for Gorsuch growing up, Gorsuch said. He shared how White was a man of simplicity, never seeking fame or fortune.

For Seaver senior Jared Lee, the emphasis on modesty stuck with him.

“Justice Gorsuch talked about the incredible humility it takes to be a judge,” Lee said. “A quote I wrote down was, ‘If you do your job correctly, no one should remember you.’ The job [of a justice] is not to be a celebrity, it is to uphold the Constitution and and the law.”

The event concluded with Caron presenting Gorsuch with two tickets to the musical “Hamilton” as a thank you for speaking.

CH A N N A .S T E I N ME T Z @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

Photos courtesy of Ron Hall Supremely Dignified | Gorsuch discusses originalism. Seated from Right to Left: Paul Caron, David Feder, Neil Gorsuch, and Tobi Young.

American Unity | Gorsuch and others stand for the pledge of allegiance. The discussion took place in the Caruso Auditorium.

Pepperdine clarifies policies in revised code of conduct alex neis news a ssista n t Alcohol consumption and cases of sexual assault were the targeted topics in revisions made to the Code of Conduct.

The Student Code of Conduct is a set of rules and guidelines issued by Pepperdine University with which all students must comply. In the revised policy, the language used to describe levels of alcohol consumption was clarified and in Title IX cases, both parties involved now have the right to appeal a ruling. Provost Rick Marrs said the code is essential to providing students and faculty with a safe learning environment.

“

We don’t recognize marijuana. We don’t recognize medical marijuana. We are not allowed to recognize CBD oil as well.” sharon beard associate dean of students

“The premise underlying the [policies] is that what you want is a healthy, safe, well-adjusted community,” Marrs said.

Pepperdine’s mission as a Christian institution is an important component of the code’s role in students’ lives, Dean of Students Mark Davis said.

“We see that the disciplinary process is about developing spiritually and personally and developing character,” Davis said.

Christian values and student care are not the only considerations within the code.

“Many of the university’s policies are derived from federal and state laws,” said Sharon Beard, associate dean of students. “[For] some of our policies, I would

say it’s not that we’re making a judgment about it one way or another, but…

We have to follow certain regulations to be in compliance [with state and federal laws],” Beard said.

The investigative and disciplinary process for sexual assault cases is informed by federal regulation, Davis explained. Pepperdine’s Sexual Assault Committee is in charge of following national policy changes and updating the university’s procedures. While the administration has proposed revised federal regulations have been proposed, there is little certainty which revisions will become law.

“We started reviewing the proposed regulations, and we’re trying to discern which ones are most likely to stick and stay, and which ones [most likely will not],” Davis said.

Pepperdine made changes to their Sexual Assault Policy due to updated federal requirements. Now, both parties — the complainant and the respondent — may request an appeal to the results of a disciplinary hearing.

“Both parties may appeal the decision of the Student Disciplinary Committee hearing to the University’s dean of students (dean) or designee,” according to the Appeal Process section in the Sexual Misconduct policy.

Proposed regulations also enabled advisers of both parties in sexual assault cases to directly question students involved and witnesses of the assault. However, Pepperdine remains opposed to this procedure, siding with a California Court decision from earlier this year where the University of Southern California was found to have unjustly conducted a Title IX case by allowing a student accused of rape to directly question the complainant.

Even in cases where the cross-examination is conducted by legal counsel, Davis sees potential for inequality and injustice.

“Think about that scenario,” Davis said. “If let’s say, you’re accused of sexual assault, and you hire a really good lawyer, that lawyer could then question the female student, and that can create a really chilling effect, and even

inequity. What if this person can’t afford legal counsel?”

Other policies are emphasized in the revisions of Pepperdine’s Code of Conduct to clarify existing rules rather than change them.

“Something that has come up a lot recently is CBD oil,” Beard said.

Pepperdine has not changed its policy on marijuana but felt it necessary, with the increasing prevalence of CBD beauty and health products, to include provisions explicitly banning the use of any and all marijuana-derived substances.

“We don’t recognize marijuana. We don’t recognize medical marijuana. We are not allowed to recognize CBD oil as well,” Beard said. “Because we are an institution that accepts federal funding, we can’t allow it.”

Davis says the university also clarifies its policy through word changes.

By changing the word “drunkenness” to “intoxication,” the alcohol policy is made more clear and objective.

“So the clarification is we actually took the word drunkenness out, be-

cause in our interviewing with students…We think the word drunkenness is kind of an elusive term,” Davis said.

Students have a say in the Code of Conduct as well. Changes are made to the code when students are confused or unsure about its exact meaning. The Office of Community Standards also works closely with SGA to ensure that student voices and feedback are being considered when creating and editing university policies.

At the bottom of each policy, there is a contact so that students can give feedback directly to the policy-makers.

The Office of Community Standards also received input from SGA, Greek life and other student leaders this past year when drafting the revised Good Samaritan Policy. SGA ran surveys to better understand what students thought about the policies and common misconceptions about its stipulations.

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Pepperdine honors 9/11 victims on Alumni v er n ie covarrubias News A ssista n t

Pepperdine and Malibu community members gathered on Alumni Park to commemorate those who lost their lives during the Sept. 11 attacks on its 18th anniversary.

The longstanding tradition has been to hold the memorial at Hero’s Garden.

Along with the location change, this year marks the first time Pepperdine incorporated a symbolic placement of the final flag, honoring alumnus Thomas Burnett, who died on United Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001. Burnett graudated from the Grazido School of Business.

The changes correspond directly with President Jim Gash’s first year of presidency.

“Those who fell, who we honor today, must not have died in vain,” Gash said. “If we are no different than we were before, we have failed them. But if we rise up to live differently, better, stronger, truer and kinder, we honor their lives and their sacrifice.”

Gash said he moved the memorial to Alumni Park to place a larger emphasis on all who lost their lives and their diversity. Alumni Park exhibits Waves of Flags, a display of 2,977 American and international flags that represent each life lost in the attacks.

The flags will remain on Alumni Park until Sept. 25.

“As you can see, we didn’t plant these international flags in a group at the back or at the side,” Gash said. “Instead, these flags are interspersed with

all others, painting a picture of unity and diversity that this world so badly needs right now.”

Chancellor Sara Young Jackson led the ceremony. She reflected Gash’s sentiment about the impact of changing the location.

“We gather today in the midst of the glorious Waves of Flags display to remember and honor every single life that was lost on 9/11,” Jackson said.

“As we reflect on that loss, we also take hope and inspiration from the heroic courage and bravery that was demonstrated that day.”

SGA President Meredith McCune read Scripture from Psalm 46 and Sharon Hargrave, executive director of the Boone Center for the Family, offered a benediction.

McCune said she was honored that Pepperdine looked to SGA to involve students in the ceremony.

“I think it’s a great thing that [the memorial] was moved to Alumni because it offers a new beginning,” McCune said. “What it means to us is different each year, so to be a part of it as something new is really special.”

The ceremony closed with a symbolic placing of the final flag by American singer Pat Boone, who helped to fund the initial purchase of the flags in 2008.

SGA’s Executive Vice President Jessie Arnold and Vice President of Finance Chase Johnson placed the memorial wreath.

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

Photos courtesy of Ron Hall President’s Insight | President Jim Gash shares thoughts on remembering 9/11. This was his first memorial as president.

New Practice | Pat Boone plants the final flag (left) and SGA Executive Vice Preisdent Jessie Arnold and SGA Vice President of Finance Chase Johnson place the memorial wreath during the ceremony (right).

Photo by Jessica Stomberg Registration Madness | Students wait in line to register in the Smothers theatre parking lot. This was Pepperdine’s 31st Step Forward Day.

Students define service at Step Forward Day jess ica stomberg News A ssista n t

Pepperdine held its 31st Step Forward Day on Sept. 7, serving over 40 nonprofits within the Los Angeles and Ventura counties with over 1,200 volunteers. Alongside student volunteers, there were staff, faculty, alumni and friends who came together to benefit the community on this annual day of service.

The Pepperdine Volunteer Center (PVC) put on Step Forward Day. The PVC seeks to connect students with service opportunities. For this event, students participated in a range of projects including planting gardens, cleaning facilities for the homeless, assisting with maintenance of local elementary schools and more.

Anthony Rivero, assistant director of the PVC, said he sees Step Forward Day as a kickoff for service.

“It will be the kickoff for an entire year of service,” Rivero said. “Step Forward Day is more of a learning day than just a service day. We want to introduce people to the experts in the community, whether they work in hunger and homelessness, childcare, education, things like that. We want to introduce our community to all the things that are happening.”

Mackenzie Mazen, one of the special

events directors at PVC, said she hopes Step Forward Day is an introduction to a variety of service opportunities for students.

“I want everyone to get that introduction into service because I think service looks different for a lot of people,” Mazen said. “They might have different ideas of what service is or who they want to serve, so introducing them to different kinds of service and communities they might not intentionally partner with, is something very beneficial. I hope that everyone gains something by participating.”

Sharing in Mazen’s positive hopes for Step Forward Day, Rivero also spoke highly of its potential impact.

“We identify that social change comes through communal collaboration, so we want this to be a moment of connection, both to PVC and to Pepperdine,” Rivero said.

It’s also an opportunity for “connecting our students to social issues and giving them an opportunity to have a hands-on experience that will turn them into advocates later,” Rivero said.

Audrey Rhynerson, serving the Pacific Palisades YMCA by assisting with yard clean-up.

Service can mean different things to different people.

Freshman Nathan Ornelas said he worked with an organization called

The Shower of Hope. His group assisted with the cleaning of mobile shower trailers for the homeless. He explained how the organization not only provides the homeless with a place to shower, but they will also do their laundry and provide them with food.

For Ornelas, service means “putting others before yourself.”

Junior Priscilla Wesely spoke about why she chose to participate in Step Forward Day. “I am an SLA [of Towers], and me and my co-SLA, Emily, decided to be group leaders because we have a passion for service and being able to help the community,” Wesely said. “We were also excited to get our residents involved with something.”

For Wesely, service means “being altruistic and being selfless in everything you do, and asking for nothing in return ... It’s being there for people’s needs without them even asking.”

Junior Coleman Doyle helped the Pasadena Community Garden along with his fraternity brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He said the Pasadena Community Garden told his group that the amount of work they did in an hour and a half would have taken them about a week to get done.

Doyle explained that for him, service means “putting other people in front of yourself,” regardless of if it involves

waking up early or doing something for others that you may not normally do or choose to do.

Pepperdine’s first Step Forward Day was in 1988, with about 150 student participants. From then to now, this day has grown dramatically. This year, 1,200 students were registered, surpassing last year’s 1,100 total students registered, Rivero said.

The PVC has been a place where students, staff and faculty members live the Pepperdine pledge that “knowledge calls, ultimately, for a life of service.”

Their mission is developing and supporting student leaders who engage their peers in meaningful service and build strong partnerships with their community, according to the PVC. Step Forward Day allows for individuals to live out this pledge, by giving them an opportunity to serve their community.

Christy Schrader, wearing this year’s Step Forward Day t-shirt with the motto “community first.”

The PVC approached this year’s Step Forward Day with a motto of “community first,” Mazen said. Their desire was to meet communities where they’re at, whatever their needs.

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PERSPECTIVES WHAT

Madeline Duvall | Assistant Art Editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

How to understand others in the midst of disaster There are two types of people at Pepperdine. Those who were at the Malibu campus during the time of the Woolsey Fire and those who weren’t. It isn’t a visible difference, but it is something that permeates the campus culture, especially after the Sweetwater Fire on Aug. 30.

However, whichever group a person is in doesn’t determine their reaction to the fire and shouldn’t be assumed by the category they are in because everyone processes events differently. The only way to understand how others are reacting is to talk to them about their feelings.

There is no way to tell what is going on in someone’s head, even if it is known that they experienced a traumatic event in the past. Just because someone stayed in Malibu on Nov. 9, 2018, doesn’t mean that they had PTSD flashbacks when they saw the smoke from Sweetwa-

ter. That also means that a firstyear or transfer student won’t necessarily be apathetic or overly hysterical about the helicopters flying to and from Alumni Park for water.

Some people have taken to joking about the fires. While others think that can be insensitive, humor has been scientifically proven to relieve stress and cope with anxiety. What people may see as crass may actually be a way for that person to process trauma.

The only way to know is to communicate. Whether with classmates or the Counseling Center, being open about your feelings leads to a better understanding of others as well as yourself.

These two fires in the past two school years aren’t the first to affect the campus, and they won’t be the last. How can Pepperdine as a community strengthen our resilience in the

face of these disasters? The answer seems to lie in our ability to communicate.

In “Building Resilient Communities in Time of Adversity” for Psychology Today, psychologist George S. Everly writes that “cohesive communities are resilient communities,” and points to communication and connectedness of two of the major tenets of such strong cohesion.

When disaster strikes, people can do as the experts bid them: try our best to listen to the experiences of fellow Waves, and bring their own experiences to light. In fostering communication, the Pepperdine community can build a foundation of compassion and empathy for everyone who is coping with the fires in their own way, and we give ourselves the space to recognize our own stories and experiences as worthy of attention and respect.

THE 'BU YORKER

It’s our job here at the Graphic to inform our readers about natural disasters. But in order to keep our community strong, each of us has to be intentional about communicating our feelings, our thoughts and our ever-changing process of coping with the disasters that threaten us.

If one ever feels that one is powerless to stop such disasters, know this: how people relate to others and how they express their experiences are vital to the survival of Pepperdine.

How we act in times of prosperity shows our school’s qualities.

But how we act in times of disaster? That is who we are. Each of us play a part in shaping the identity of Pepperdine, and we are the key to our communities’ resiliency.

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

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

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Caitlin Roark | Art Editor

peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com peppgraphicadvertising@gmail.com

STAFF LIST ex ec u ti v e ed i to r a l l i so n l e e M anag i ng Ed i to r madeleine carr So c i al M ed i a M anag er sava n n a h w e l ch P i x el Ed i to r k i l e y d i ste l r ath o nl i ne p r o d u c er k ayi u w o n g G New s p r o d u c er m a r i sa d r ag o s c o py c hi ef ga b r i e l l e m ath ys c r eati v e d i r ec to r n ata l i e r u l o n New s Ed i to r ch a n n a ste i n m e tz New s As si s tants hadley biggs v e r n i e cova r r u b i a s Alexander neis S p o r ts Ed i to r k yl e m c ca b e s p o r ts c o py ed i to r b rya n t l o n e y P er sp ec ti v es Ed i to r m a ry m a r ga r e t dav i s P er sp ec ti v es ass i stant c a m ryn g o r d o n L i fe & Ar ts Ed i to r g i a n n i co cc h e l l a as si s tant L i fe & ar ts ed i to r r o wa n to k e L i fe & Ar ts as si s tant E m i ly Sh aW l i fe & ar ts c o py ed i to r makena huey l i fe & ar ts d es i g ner M e l i ssa L o ck e p o d c ast d i r ec to r Kaelin mendez Ar t Ed i to r ca i tl i n r oa r k as si s tant ar t ed i to r s a l ly a r m str o n g m a d e l i n e d u va l l ab r oad c o r r esp o nd ents a sh l e y m o w r e a d e r sawa ya m a k awa adv er ti si ng d i r ec to r so n i r u saga r a Adv er ti s i ng m anag er m aya m c d o w e l l D i r ec to r o f P ep p er d i ne G r ap hi c M ed i a E l i z a b e th Sm i th As si s tant D i r ec to r O f P ep p er d i ne G r ap hi c M ed i a C o 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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We are the future’s solution

Got milk?

Allison lee executive editor My mom drifted between harsh reality and semitrue health reports. Santa Claus was not real. HallowC a m ry n G o r don een was not a holiday. Fried pe r spe c ti v e s assistant chicken gave you pimples.

But the one theory my sisParents raise their children ter and I couldn’t quite unto be strong and fearless and derstand was my mom’s to fight for what they believe denial of dairy’s existence. in and change the world. But She did not believe in milk. what happens when this adNever once did I see milk vice is taken and acted upon? from a cow in my refrigerMore often than not, student ator growing up. I associatactivists and young people, ed milk with cereal, and we those who are under 30, face were only allowed to have issues of wide spread age cereal that had a minimum Caitlin Roark | Art Editor discrimination in politics. of four grams of fiber–which, In an era of constant polit- are making headlines for versity could learn a lot from young activists in their misif you’re wondering, is shredical reform and upheaval, the changing the world. Between these young leaders, afore- sion to be included in the lawded wheats and oatmeal. presence of young voices in being a “first,” striking for the mentioned. While the oppor- making. Whether one agrees I don’t blame her, though. politics is more important than climate, defending democra- tunity to be politically active politically with the issue anChinese cuisine does not use ever because they warrant the cy in Hong Kong and demand- on campus is available, few other is advocating for or not, much dairy or gluten. My right to have their voices heard ing gun safety laws, these undergraduates take advan- it is essential for young people mom is the best cook I know, and opinions considered. young people are proof that tage of the offer from clubs to stick together and uphold and I will praise her cooking Pepperdine University en- young voices are not just the and organizations. Being polit- the belief that young voicuntil the day I die.

I like to courages students to leave their solution but are here to stay. ically involved is an important es belong in all places where think my sister and I grew up mark on the world. Whether No longer are young peo- part of being a global citizen decisions are being made. to be pretty healthy and strong that be through politics and ac- ple accepting a world where and fulfilling the vision that When analyzing the curwithout the calcium in cow’s tivism, or other means, Pepper- complacency and inertia de- the university aims to achieve. rent political climate it is exmilk everyone raved about. dine is committed to creating cide the politics. Young activThat being said, get involved. ceptionally easy to become Recent studies on cow’s leaders and teaching students ists and young people across Join on-campus organizations disheartened and even hopemilk have strengthened my to think globally. It is the duty the world have entered into like the Student Government less. However, it is importappreciation for my mothof students on campus to move a mindset where the theme Association, European Hori- ant to remember that the er.

PETA published a list of forward knowing that they are of inaction and age-exclu- zons or any other politically-in- world is changing because reasons to stop drinking capable of changing the world. sionary politics is over. clined club that aligns ideolog- of young people, and the cow’s milk. Some of the reaIn demanding long-awaited Earlier this year, 71% of ically with students’ beliefs. world is going to continue to sons include higher rates of representation, young people Americans said they would For freshmen, SGA elec- change regardless of approval. bone fractures, an increased and student activists every- vote for a president under the tions are quickly approachIn using their voices to derisk for prostate cancer, where have begun to replace age of 40 versus 63% of vot- ing, providing the ability for mand change and action, they prevalence of acne, weight the calcified norms of compla- ers saying they would vote new students to jumpstart are preparing for the day when gain and the decreased efcent politics and disconnect- for a candidate over the age their political involvement that demand carries into votes, fectiveness of antibiotics. ed leadership with visions of of 70, according to Gallup. on campus. There are enor- and when the future everyone Cow’s milk isn’t only hurtidealism, hope and change. Exposing major shifts in the mous benefits that come from has waited for becomes the ing our bodies. Dairy farmAlexandria Ocasio-Cor- United States’ political sphere, learning politics at a grass- now. Young people have acing is proven to be more tez, Greta Thunberg, Joshua this poll presents young peo- roots level, the most basic be- cepted their role in politics; it environmentally destrucWong and the survivor-activ- ple proof that their voices ing governmental knowledge. is time for you to accept yours. tive than beef farming, acists from Marjory Stoneman and place in politics is gainStudents have a responsicording to Alissa Hamilton Douglas High School are just ing the legitimacy it deserves. bility to keep up with current who has a Ph.D. in environa couple of young people who Students at Pepperdine Uni- events and support fellow C AM RYN.GOR DON@PEPPER DINE.EDU mental studies. Hamilton goes as far as to argue that a government’s support of milk can be, at times, racist when ethnicities such as Aboriginals and Asians electronics and applihave trouble digesting dairy. ances are unplugged.

I have many caring famNo doubt most people ily members and friends probably turn off the who question if I know how lights when they’re much damage I am doing to the last out of a room, my body when I eat dairy as which is an excellent someone who is lactose inN at h a n H e a r d way to conserve electolerant.

My answer to these tricity. However, reguest contributor questions are listed in John search suggests that Hopkins’ list of lactose inToday’s world is a appliances and electolerance symptoms: belly pretty ridiculous one. tronics that are left cramps, nausea, bloating, gas Too often, the media plugged in may be conand diarrhea.

Beyond those, is saturated with dis- suming trace amounts no I do not know what kind couraging headlines. of power, even if they’re of damage is going on inside.

Rather than actual- turned off. Josh Crank There is no treatment to ly catalyzing change, from the Live Brighthelp your body make more government officials er blog explains how lactase, according to John won’t stop arguing this works. It takes less Hopkins.

But they do suggest about whether climate than a second to unMadeline Duvall | Assistant Art Editor managing lactose in your diet change is real or not. plug a blender or toastto see which ones affect you Whatever one’s er or phone charger, more or less.

Some of their tips views on global warm- and it’s an easy way to include having milk and milk ing and its severity, it’s save a little electricity.

Ally Armstrong | Assistant Art Editor products with other foods, impossible to deny that Take short showers. eating dairy with lower levliving an economically Yeah, this one is hard tually has some health follow the impact that ability’s website. els of lactose, changing over friendly life is a good for a lot of people. So benefits. you make on the globe.

Implementing each to lactose-free milk products goal to set. Rather than many love a nice, long These are all some Plenty of people have of these small changand finding dairy foods that considering a political shower. It’s a great way fairly well-known been using this search es tend to be relatively don’t cause severe symptoms. statement or agenda for a body to wake up techniques, so here’s engine for a year or easy, and if everyone On a day that I feel emright now, consider in the morning, or to one more way to help more, and it works as makes these adjustpowered, I can convince mysome practical steps to de-stress at the end of the environment that well as Google. And if ments, then there will self I could live a life without take on in an effort to the day for the night perhaps isn’t as com- it’s really difficult to be a clear, tangible imdairy.

But the more I think preserve and sustain showerers out there. Of monly known. Down- find something when pact on the quality of about animal style fries from this world. course, taking a long, load the Ecosia search searching Ecosia, just the world. Today, start In-N-Out, jasmine green First, recycle some hot shower once in a engine. Ecosia is a search “Google” on working toward a betmilk tea with boba, BJ’s Pizojunk. Got a lightly-used while is well and good, browser like Google, Ecosia. This still gives ter future: not a future okies, I just don’t think I can paper napkin, an un- but it’s late summer. but its ad revenue goes Ecosia revenue and al- of brown smog and do it.

I’m not strong enough. wanted Ralphs receipt, It’s plenty hot outside, toward planting trees lows a standard Google acid rain but of green Maybe one day when I’m a used humanities so a cold shower might around the globe. Their search. Ecosia is even grass and blue skies. tired of having diarrhea evnotebook or some old actually be more re- website shows that available as a plugin for eryday, I’ll give up dairy.

Tupperware?

Don’t freshing. Not only will they’ve planted over Google Chrome.

Tips to work toward a sustainable future

throw it away. Recycle it. Seriously, it’s not that big of an effort.

There are recycling receptacles all over campus.

When they aren’t in use, try to make sure

the cold cut down on shower time as people rush to get out of the chilly water, but studies such as the one done by Jessica Migala have shown that cold water in a shower ac-

66 million trees since they were founded.

They’ve always been forthcoming with data about their revenue and locations that they’ve planted trees in, so you can directly

These are just a few small steps that aren’t too difficult to take, and Pepperdine actually provides several more tips on living eco-friendly lives on the Center for Sustain-

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LIFE & ARTS

Photo Illustration by Natalie Rulon

New staff, new location in HRL aim to help students emily sh aw s taf f w rite r As the Class of 2023 moves into its new home at Pepperdine, Housing and Residence Life (HRL) moves into its new office, which is one of the many changes in HRL this year.

HRL’s introducing a new lockout process, Spiritual Life Advisors (SLAs) in apartment areas as well as new staff and positions.

HRL offers a variety of resources to promote the wellbeing and involvement of students who live on campus, according to its website.

It aims to create a safe, respectful community and have resources that residents can go to for support such as RAs and SLAs.

New Location of HRL Offices HRL moved its office from Rho parking lot to the Student Assistance Center (SAC), along with the Counseling Center, the Student Health Center and the Office of Student Accessibility.

Director of Residence Life Maura Page said each department moving to the SAC had different opening dates depending on when moved from previous offices.

Page said she oversees the Residence Life department, which includes three associate directors, seven assistant directors, eight resident directors (RDs) and 110 RAs and SLAs. The HRL team is excited to be in a new location near the Counseling Center, the Student Health

Center and the Office of Student Accessibility, who they collaborate with.

New Lock Out Process Robin Gore, the associate dean of student affairs and director of housing operations, oversees all of HRL. She said with the relocation of HRL’s office, the staff recognizes that it might be difficult for students to reach the office if they are locked out of their room. As a result, HRL has come up with a way to unlock students’ rooms remotely.

If a student is locked out of his or her room, he or she can call HRL. The student will then be asked a security question before being let in remotely.

HRL has also changed the lockout fee to $10 during the business day when

an HRL staff member unlocks the door remotely.

After regular business hours, there is a $15 fee since someone from HRL has to physically go to the student’s room to let him or her in.

SLAs in Apartment Areas Another change is the addition of SLAs to apartment areas, including Lovernich, George Page and Drescher. In previous years, apartments have not had SLAs. SLAs foster an environment within living areas that encourages spiritual growth. They do this through building relationships and caring for residents.

“We’re really excited for spiritual development and formations in the apartments,” Page

said regarding this new change.

New Staff and Positions: Seaside is the latest housing addition on campus. Since it was built, more students are opting to live at Pepperdine.

Gore said one of the reasons HRL hired a few more people is to provide resources for the increasing number of residents.

Page said another reason for hiring more staff was to fill in the positions of two staff members who accepted jobs at other universities and Resident Director Stacey Lee, who has moved to the position of coordinator for the Health, Wellness and Resilience Education ProJosh Craton gram at Pepperdine.

As a result, Page said HRL has hired four new full-time staff members

this year. This includes three RDs and one new associate director of residence life for freshmen areas.

RDs take care of residents, respond to crises, create community programming and supervise RAs and SLAs. Associate directors of residence life supervise RDs. MattinDyment Page wrote a follow-up email that HRL has also added five new assistant resident directors (ARDs) to their team.

ARDs are graduate students serving as Student Affairs interns; they are not employees. They help create community programming and handle crises.

The new ARDs this year are Chloe Buckler, Maggie Geiler, Katherine Leedham, Ali Griner and Noah Shaw.

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‘PeppTalks’ opens up the conversation on campus Rowan toke as si stan t life & a rts e d itor “PeppTalks,” a student-run weekly talk show, will air its first episode, “Let’s Talk About How We Feel,” on Sept. 17. It aims to have honest conversations in hopes of building a stronger community at Pepperdine.

“PeppTalks” plans to target college-age people — especially Pepperdine students — and will air every Tuesday on Instagram TV for the rest of the fall semester.

Senior Lexi Cardoza, the creator, host and executive producer of “PeppTalks,” said she started the show seven months ago when she was going through a hard time in her life.

“It was a very difficult point,” Cardoza said. “I was transitioning from friendships, and everything completely just changed.”

Cardoza said she would usually run away from every uncomfortable situation in her life to avoid feeling things, but this time was different.

“I decided to kind of lean into the discomfort and try to create something that would help me but also could help so many people,” Cardoza said.

And “PeppTalks” was born.

“My goal with it is really to kind of create change through conversation and educate people through testimony,” Cardoza said. “I drew a lot of inspiration for the episode topics from my own personal life and my own personal experiences.”

Cardoza said wanting to make the show as personal as possible led her to decide the format for the talk show.

Each episode will have at least two guests from the Pepperdine communty, Cardoza said. They will dis-

Courtesy of Lexi Cardoza

Courtesy of Katie Hougan

Courtesy of Jaibir Nihal Singh

The Team | (left to right) Seniors Lexi Cardoza, Katie Hougan and Jaibir Nihal Singh, along with sophmore Megan Villaverde (not pictured) lead “PeppTalks.” This new on-campus talk show, will air weekly on Instagram TV starting Sept. 17 cuss topics that tend to be taboo or stigmatized, such as addiction, mental illness, self-love and domestic violence.

“The goal is to really just have real and raw conversations so we can build a community that can turn to us for comfort and kind of confide in spirit and can find inspiration in our stories,” Cardoza said.

Cardoza said this goal is defined in the “PeppTalks” motto — “turning your pain into your superpower.”

Senior Katie Hougan, executive producer, editor and co-director of “PeppTalks,” wrote in an email that she chose to be a part of “PeppTalks” because she said she believes that building and strengthening the Pepperdine community is extremely important.

“Not only does [“PeppTalks”] bring together the larger Pepp community, the show also brings together creative minds,” Hougan wrote. “Film is a collaborative project and ‘PeppTalks’ is a testament to that!”

Hougan wrote that “PeppTalks” is a work of community and many creative talents, and because she is the co-director, she hopes to showcase this talent with Pepperdine students.

Senior Jaibir Nihal Singh, the executive producer and co-director of “PeppTalks,” wrote in an email that he believes “PeppTalks” could be much bigger than an on-campus talk show.

“I believe it has great potential to develop into a major show on a digital platform,” Singh wrote.

Sophomore Megan Villaverde, the show’s head of social media and pub-

lic relations, wrote in an email that she was immediately attracted to “PeppTalks’s” motto and approach to honest conversation, which made her contact Cardoza about joining the “PeppTalks” team.

“There is something about the discomfort of conversation and vulnerability that I believe [“PeppTalks”] wants to not only change but also inspire and spread throughout our community,” Villaverde wrote.

Villaverde wrote that she has greatly enjoyed creating content for “PeppTalks” and is glad she is able to continue as she studies abroad in Shanghai, China.

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‘Black and White’ exhibit arrives at Weisman au tu mn bryant S ta ff write r

The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art hones the idea of two-tone in its new exhibit, “It’s All Black and White.”

The exhibit, which opened Aug. 27 and will be open until Dec. 8, features a great variety of pieces, all connected by the common color theme of no colors at all. While the powerful presence of black and white gives the collection a feeling of unity, Michael Zakian, the museum director, explained just how diverse the art can be.

“It’s interesting to see how people can rethink things,” Zakian said.

One of the pieces present in the exhibit is James Drake’s “Raft of the Medusa.” Utilizing charcoal and steel, Drake created an impactful work filled with real-world meaning.

“Raft of the Medusa” portrays a historic event and a more current one, both of which include the suffering of people who are stranded with no way to survive.

“He’s taking a 19th-century tragedy and a 20th-century tragedy and conflating them,” Zakian said. “This is about social justice. It’s like a protest piece.”

Also created with social commentary in mind is this work’s neighbor, John Baldessari’s “Horizontal Men.” Wherea the Drake piece expresses itself more emotionally, Baldessari’s piece expresses itself more analytically, Zakian said.

“Horizontal Men” is an example of appropriation, which was a popular art style in the ‘80s. Appropriation samples existing pieces or images to create a whole new art piece, and Baldessari decided to use stills of dead bodies from movies, Zakian said.

“This is a reminder of how much violence there is in American film,” Zakian said.

The variety in the museum’s black and white exhibit exists in both materials and meaning.

“Seeing different kinds of art using three-dimensional sculptures, photography and acrylics really gives you an idea of the fact that you have no limits, and you don’t have these expectations whenever it comes to art,” said Madelyn Griffith, a freshman visiting the museum for the first time.

Zakian said this kind of diversity within art comes in the expression, or lack thereof, of a deeper meaning.

“There’s art that’s profound and social,” Zakian said, referring to pieces like that of Drake and Baldessari. “But then you have something which is just pure design, and it’s so beautiful ... it’s just pure abstraction.”

Channing Hansen has multiple design-centered pieces in the exhibition, featuring knitted designs hanging from wooden frames.

“We’re always wanting to do something different,” Zakian said. “Who would have thought of a painting with no paint?”

Having an art museum on campus opens up a lot of opportunities for students, whether they’re interested in art or in finding a place to center themselves.

“We’re all too busy, we’re all too stressed out, we’re all too focused on our phones,” Zakian said. “It gets overwhelming.”

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Art in the dark | The new art exhibit at the Weisman Musuem opened Aug. 27 and will run until Dec. 8.

Just being in a very quiet space, observing, in the air conditioning, really helps to alleviate everything that you’re figuring out throughout your everyday college life.

Photos by Gianni Cocchella

Madelyn griffith, first-year He mentioned an article by Adam Sternbergh titled, “Read This Story and Get Happier.” It describes Professor Laurie Santos’ class at Yale University called Psychology and the Good Life, which turned out to be the most popular course ever offered at the university.

“They’ve done studies, especially on college students, and rates of depression are going up; rates of unhappiness are going up,” Santos said.

Looking at art is a way to destress and decompress, Zakian said.

“A lot of museums are doing programs to use art as a source … so you can come … using your eyes and looking and thinking,” Zakian said. “So there’s something rewarding about that, and also something relaxing about that.”

Griffith, after walking through the Weisman Museum’s “It’s all Black and White” exhibit, agreed.

“I think it’s a really good experience,” Griffith said. “Just being in a very quiet space, observing, in the air condition-

Photos by Gianni Cocchella Art in the Dark | Black and white artwork is on display in the new exhibit, titled “It’s All Black and White.” The new exhibit at the Weisman Museum opened Aug. 27 and will run through Dec. 8. ing, really helps to alleviate everything that you’re figuring out throughout your everyday college life.”

The museum’s new exhibit is filled with pieces that give the audience a sense of intrigue and exploration.

“I thought it was really cool,” Griffith said. “I knew there was an art gallery, but I didn’t know it was … all using different mediums. It gives you room to think and explore.”

“This is the whole semester, and it’s a fun, interesting show,” Zakian said.

The museum will host an opening reception for the exhibit Sunday, Sep. 15, from 4 to 6 p.m.

To see the exhibit and pieces like Drake’s, Baldessari’s and Hansen’s, visit the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art before Dec. 8, 2019. For more information about the exhibit and what is coming next, check out the museum’s website.

AUTUM N.BRYANT@PEPPER DINE.EDU

‘Midsommar’ takes breakups to an unsettling level R ac e Dalton S taf f Writ e r

A struggling couple decides to take a seemingly safe trip to Sweden as a last attempt to salvage their relationship.

Despite being both disturbing and polarizing, many considered Ari Aster’s debut horror film, “Hereditary,” one of the best movies of 2018. Fans of “Hereditary” wondered whether or not Aster could accomplish this feat again when he announced his second film, “Midsommar,” would open in theaters July 3. The result was an even more polarizing and controversial movie that reinforces Aster’s talent as a modern horror movie director.

“Hereditary” and “Midsommar” are both equally disconcerting and gory movies revolving around how people deal with grief. However, “Hereditary” features a failing family dynamic while “Midsommar” presents a relationship quickly spiraling out of control.

“Midsommar” begins with a devastating event that traumatizes Florence Pugh’s character, Dani. Although Jack Reynor’s character, Christian, has wanted to break up with Dani for a while, he decides to stay in the relationship, as he feels obligated to help Dani cope.

He invites Dani on a trip to Sweden with him and his friends to be nice, and she accepts. When they arrive

in the beautiful Swedish village, they notice everyone is dressed similarly and acting strangely. As the behavior of the villagers becomes unsettling, Dani and her friends realize the danger they are in, but it’s too late.

“Midsommar” is not the typical horror movie that takes place in a dark and creepy place. Almost all of the scenes are in sunlight, and Aster brilliantly manages to maintain a suspenseful setting through the soundtrack and the villagers’ increasingly odd behaviors.

Aster was successful in creating another movie as, or perhaps even more, ominous as “Hereditary.” The beautiful scenery of the Swedish village is perfectly contrasted with the gruesome and unnerving acts of its inhabitants.

The film is also unlike traditional horror movies in that it is not filled with surprises or jump scares. It lasts nearly two and a half hours, allowing the suspense to slowly increase and unnerve the audience.

Furthermore, the slow pacing allows more room for character development and a better grasp of the characters’ relationships. Dani and Christian’s relationship continues to deteriorate, which leaves Dani with a difficult decision Courtesy of A24 at the end.

The movie ends with a cathartic, albeit highly unsettling, end for Dani.

The acting of the entire cast is phenomenal. The role

Courtesy of A24 of Dani, in particular, begged a lot both emotionally and mentally from Pugh, and she delivered. Pugh was absolutely mesmerizing and successfully draws the audience into her character.

Aster’s new film “Midsommar” has further cemented him as one of the greatest modern horror movie directors. Fans of Aster will be pleased with it, as he gave them a new disturbing movie that feels familiar to “Hereditary.”

Although the film was released two months ago, an extended director’s cut was released in theaters during Labor Day Weekend. “Midsommar” is expected to be released to DVD Oct. 8, according to Collider. The Director’s Cut is rumored to be on Apple TV shortly as stated by Cinema Blend.

RA CE . DA LT O N @P E P P E RD I N E.EDU

Summer Vacation Gone Wrong | Horror film “Midsommar” opened in theaters July 3. Directed by Ari Aster, the film is expected to be released on DVD Oct. 8.

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Senior Spotlight: SGA President Meredith McCune E MILY SHAW LI F E AND ARTS ASSISTA N T

Texas-raised Meredith McCune begins her senior year at Pepperdine after always feeling a strong connection to and love for the university.

Meredith McCune is from Fort Worth, Texas, where she and her family are members of the Churches of Christ, which is one of the reasons McCune was first interested in attending Pepperdine.

McCune has always been passionate about medicine, and she has also been on student council throughout her middle school and high school years.

It is only fitting that McCune is now studying Hispanic Studies with a prehealth emphasis and is the president of the Student Government Association (SGA) at Pepperdine for the 2019-2020 school year.

SGA commits to representing the student body through listening to students, communicating their concerns and coming up with solutions, according to its website. The Executive Board, which consists of the president, the executive vice president, the vice president of finance and the vice president of administration, leads SGA. As its president, McCune oversees all of SGA, and she is the voice of the student body on certain committees with faculty.

McCune said being SGA President is a great honor and privilege.

“I’m so excited to be in this position because I think it gives a lot of opportunities to hear student voices, hear administrators’ voices and ... be the bridge between the two,” McCune said. “[It’s] really important ... to make sure that students feel heard [and] administrators feel understood by students.”

During her freshman year at Pepperdine, McCune was freshman class president in SGA. She said she joined SGA because she was always interested in student government and loves being the voice for the student body.

“I love ... getting to know different students and understanding that all students have their own unique experiences and circumstances, so to realize that and try to do something to help students is really important to me,” McCune said.

McCune studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina her sophomore year and worked as a Resident Advisor (RA) her junior year, so she was unable to be in SGA during those times; however, she said those two experiences helped to shape her as a person and leader.

“Definitely going abroad hugely impacted me,” McCune said. “Just being

in a different place, different culture, being more comfortable with the language ... made me … more independent and more aware of myself.”

Director of Student Activities and SGA Adviser Brittany Skinner said McCune’s experience abroad allows her to relate to and understand many other students who studied abroad. About two out of three or more Seaver students study abroad, according to the International Programs website.

As the advisor of SGA, Skinner said her role is to guide and mentor the Executive Board and the Student Government Senate. She is a resource for SGA officials to understand university policies or navigate various systems and divisions within Pepperdine.

Skinner said McCune is unique because she is one of few SGA presidents who has served in Residence Life. She said she thinks McCune’s heart for student wellness stems from her experience working as an RA last year, especially during the time of the Borderline shooting and Woolsey Fires.

“I think a lot of students have cared about [student wellness], but I think she really lived it,” Skinner said. “So it’s even more a part of who she is and why she wants to make positive change in terms of wellness for students.”

McCune said being an RA for freshmen last year shaped her as a leader.

“I think throughout the shooting and the fires and everything and being an RA, too, definitely taught me a lot about leadership and how a lot of students really depend on their student leaders,” McCune said. “It taught me a lot about myself and brought out the leader in me.”

In addition to her other responsibilities as president, McCune said she is focusing on promoting student health and wellness during her time in office.

She said she also aims to implement the director of diversity and inclusion as a new appointed student position that will chair the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

“The director of diversity and inclusion will be a standing appointed director position that collaborates with the Seaver Diversity Council and various cultural clubs on campus to ensure that all students’ voices are being represented and considered at senate discussions,” McCune wrote in a follow-up email.

McCune said she is also excited to meet with Joline Gash to discuss various wellness initiatives on campus.

In the future, McCune said she is looking at applying to physician assistant or public health schools. She is really interested in maternal and child health,

Courtesy of Meredith McCune Pepperdine’s Biggest Fan | Senior Meredith McCune is serving as SGA President after working in HRL last year. The Pepperdine student body elected McCune after a contentious election. in particular.

McCune said being on SGA has shown her the importance of studying public health.

“Realizing that SGA can have a part in helping the Health Center with free STI testing or free flu shots and things like that … [has shown] me a little bit about how public health is important to be studied, even on a college campus,” McCune said.

Skinner said McCune’s experiences throughout her college career have allowed her to really see what other people struggle with and build great relationships with them.

“I think [McCune] has a lot of really great relationships that she’s built ... from overseas and ... the students that she already knows,” Skinner said. “I

think she already knows a really large population of students and ... that will be a huge strength for her.”

The Executive Vice President Jessie Arnold offered her perspective of McCune after knowing her through multiple contexts.

“As Meredith’s friend and as someone who has worked with her in the context of class, in the context of abroad, she is a really awesome voice to represent the students because she really does care a lot about what people have to say and takes the students’ opinions into consideration,” Arnold said.

EM ILY.C.SHAW @PEPPER DINE.EDU

‘PEPPTALKS’: Show helps students turn pain into superpowers

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FROM B1 “Since [“PeppTalks”] is broadcasted through Instagram we really wanted to engage our students through different communities,” Villaverde wrote. “We hope to create partnerships with as many organizations as possible and keep growing from there!”

Cardoza said the first episode is about how something as simple as a conversation can change everything.

Seniors Heavin Hunter and Olivia Robinson as well as junior Brandon Davis will be the guests on the first episode.

Hunter wrote in an email that she has a heart for service.

“I’m most excited to have a space oncampus to have authentic conversation and facilitate transparency,” Hunter wrote.

Robinson echoed that sentiment in an email.

“I want to be part of [“PeppTalks”] because few things intrigue me more than real, quality conversation,” Robinson wrote. “I think this is an opportunity to exchange genuineness and share a moment with people who care.”

Davis said Pepperdine has a culture of being very involved with organizations on campus, which can lead students to be closed off to one another.

I feel like it's OK to not be OK sometimes.

Brandon Davis, junior

Graphic courtesy of "PeppTalks" “I just want other people to know that they are not the only person going through what they’re going through,” Davis said. “Pepperdine has a culture of being positive, and I feel like it’s OK to not be OK sometimes.”

Davis said he hopes that “PeppTalks” will help students know that they are not the only person going through what

they’re going through.

In addition to the weekly episodes, “PeppTalks” will be hosting a series of events throughout the semester.

Cardoza said the first is the “PeppTalks” Premiere PJ Parties, which will take place in all of the freshmen residence halls Sept. 17.

“The goal is for them to get the residents excited and then

they’ll air the episode and they can follow with discussion about the episode,” Cardoza said.

Cardoza said “PeppTalks” has also created an abroad ambassador program, which means the first episode will be aired during the first abroad convocation at a few Pepperdine International Programs locations and then a student will be cho-

sen at each location to continue the conversation.

Cardoza said she has struggled with things like mental illness, addiction and abuse, but was ashamed of talking about it.

“Over time, after kind of just educating myself and really kind of beginning to understand myself, I kind of started to let go of a lot of [my shame],” Cardoza said. “I kind of am responsible for defining my own life and I feel like “PeppTalks” is kind of my way of doing that.”

Cardoza said she hopes “PeppTalks” helps students feel less alone. “[Students] could be educated through other people’s testimonies and hopefully find inspiration through that where they could turn to something if they were feeling alone, and now they have a community that they can be a part of where there’s no judgment,” Cardoza said.

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Lucia Maldonado lunges at her life at Pepperdine Rowan Toke Life & A rt A ssista n t e dit or For most people, the idea of being close enough to a shark to insert a durable tag into its dorsal fin sounds terrifying. For first-year Lucia Maldonado, however, this experience was a dream come true — especially because marine biologists allowed her to keep a vial of shark blood.

Maldonado admitted that the shark blood was somewhat gross, but her interest in marine biology led her to keep it.

“I want to help people with science and biology, whether it be helping the environment recover from all that we’ve done to it or helping scientists figure out cures to diseases,” Maldonado said.

During this shark tagging trip in Miami, Florida, Maldonado said she was already passionate about marine biology at the age of 15, probably because she is from western Florida.

In high school, Maldonado said she was involved with the Marine Science Society Club. She said she learned that there is more to the ocean than just sea animals and had the opportunity to do community field trips to nearby beaches to pick up trash.

Maldonado said her interest in marine biology has extended to her social media as well. One of her videos recently went viral on TikTok. “It’s of me touching a ghost crab and it lunging at me,” Maldonado said. “I guess it got me famous because it was a jump scare.”

At Pepperdine, Maldonado is a Biology major, but she said she hasn’t figured out exactly what she wants to do with it — that’s why she came to Pepperdine.

Maldonado said she was also drawn to Pepperdine because of its International Programs. She said she is interested in studying abroad in Lausanne, Switzerland, because she has family there.

Maldonado said she is interested in the Green Team, the Gaming Club and the Scuba Club because they all sound interesting.

“I’m finding my path already to be a biologist,” Maldonado said.

R O WA N.T O K E@P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

Ocean Lover | First-year Lucia Maldonado poses for her high school graduation photo (left). She participated in a shark tagging trip in Florida, which solidified her interest in marine biology (right). .

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I do know I want to help people with science and biology, whether it be helping the environment recover from all that we've done to it or helping scientists figure out cures to diseases

Photos courtesy of Lucia Maldonado

lucia maldonado, first-year

HRL: Staff discusses recent improvements to policies, positions F R OM B 1

Page said there have also been two promotions. Sharon Wakio was promoted from RD to assistant director of residence life for international students, and Christina Luben was promoted from RD of Seaside to associate director of residence life for sophomore areas.

When hiring new staff or new additions to the HRL team, Gore said she looks for people “who have a heart for Christ,” in addition to examining their trainability and enthusiasm.

“We look for people that are going to be a good fit for Pepperdine, so their faith is strong, dynamic, and they have the capacity to care for others,” Page said. “They are concerned about holistic development of students, and they’re able to respond to crises as well.”

Looking more specifically at RDs, Gore said since RD is a live-in position, it can lead to burnout and stress, which is why HRL strives to make sure it supports its staff.

Introducing New Staff and New Roles: Matthew (Matt) Dyment is the new associate director of Residence Life. Dyment came to Pepperdine in mid-July.

He is from Oregon and has lived in Chicago.

Pepperdine is the third institution where he has worked with students.

“I just love the energy, potential and opportunity that we have to walk alongside young adults,” Dyment said. “I love the

weaving of holistic journey and faith-first that Pepperdine Housing Residence Life especially, I think, embodies.”

Dyment said he loves being part of a community that values learning inside and outside the classroom about oneself, community and “the big questions of life.”

He said he hopes that students know that their RAs and SLAs are incredible people and resources they can go to.

Alumna Sharon Wakio (GSEP 2018) pioneers the new position of assistant director of residence life for international students. She is also an RD at George Page.

Wakio has worked at Pepperdine for six years now. After being at Pepperdine in multiple capacities, she has seen a need for more support for Seaver international students.

The need for this role was particularly noticed during the Woolsey Wildfire last November when HRL had to transport passports to international students because some forgot them when trying to get off campus.

“This [was] another moment where we would need a role like [the assistant director of residence life for international students],” Wakio said. “So I can help coordinate and make sure international students know what they need to take with them, make sure that they’re all accounted for.”

Wakio is from Kenya and was an international student herself when she attended Pepperdine, so she said she understands

what international students go through.

Wakio said she wants Seaver international students to know that HRL has someone they can talk to and go to for support.

“I am here for international students,” Wakio said. “To serve, to provide programming, to help them feel that they’re welcome and to create that environment where we can ... foster that community and go through the transition of being in a completely foreign land together.”

The three new RDs are Josh Craton, RD at Seaside; Mindi Aleme, RD at Towers; and Debora Cubias, RD at First Year Halls.

Josh Craton moved to Pepperdine in mid-July.

He has been an RD for the last five years at another institution.

“I feel really excited to learn from a new university and excited to have students here too and get into a normal rhythm,” Craton said. “I feel excited for the chaos amongst the rhythm with new students being here.”

He said what drew him to Pepperdine was its approach to spiritual formation.

Craton said he wants students to know that the HRL team truly cares about them and their development.

Alumna Mindi Aleme (Seaver College 2000 and GSEP 2014) has been outside of the country for the past seven years working for a nonprofit in East Africa.

“The work that we’ve done [in East Africa] has been very similar to ... the

goals that Pepperdine has for students as a whole, as far as building resiliency and helping young adults to be able to be empowered with the skills that they need to become leaders in their community,” Aleme said.

Aleme said returning to Pepperdine has allowed her to see how Pepperdine has prepared her for the things she experienced later in life.

“I think the goals that Pepperdine has for students [include] building resiliency and helping young adults ... be empowered with the skills that they need to become leaders in their community,” Aleme said. “So I look back on that experience, and I see many ways in which it really shadows much of what I’m planning and trying to fit into everything that I’m learning right now.”

Aleme said she is excited for the relationships she will have at Pepperdine.

Debora Cubias is also a new staff member at HRL this year. She is an RD at First Year Halls and has a strong emphasis on collaboration and community building within residence life. Cubias wrote in a follow-up email that she came to Pepperdine because she believes in its mission to prepare students for lives of purpose, service and leadership, and she is excited to help students develop.

“I’m very excited to work with first year students ... to see them grow throughout this year ... help them get through their first year, and develop more intentional relationships with them,” Cubias said.

Mindy Aleme

Matt Dyment

Debora Cubias

Photos by Gianni Cocchella New Digs | HRL’s office is located in the Student Accessibility Center. It is a renovated building with more office space and a view of the ocean.

Reviewing and Adjusting Emergency Processes:

HRL serves students who live on campus by offering them a variety of resources. This includes providing emergency response information and services that helped students during and after the events of last November.

Page said after any emergency event, HRL, as well as other departments, reviews it and sees where they can make adjustments and what needs to change. There have been minor changes as well as consideration for developing other plans.

“We just want to make sure that all of those processes are ironclad,” Gore

said.

Gore said one minor change that was made is the addition of different tape colors. The different colors of tape signal to staff how many walkthroughs have been done in a building to ensure that a space is secure and students are not left behind.

“I think one of the strengths of Pepperdine is that we’re always looking at our processes, and we’re always looking to improve our processes,” Page said.

EM ILY.C.SHAW @PEPPER DINE.EDU

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File Photo Photo Courtesy Ryane Skinner Head First| (Left) Sophomore Trinity Watson battles for possession of the ball against an Indiana defender in an August 2018 match. (Right) Junior Ryane Skinner competes in the 100-yard butterfly swim at Loyola Marymount University in January 2017.

Pepp addresses rise in female athlete concussions so fia telch g u est co n t rib ut e r

Concussions in college athletics are a general concern in high school, college and professional athletics teams. While national discussion tends to focus on football and boxing, sports traditionally dominated by males, Pepperdine coaches and female athletes explain how females can be vulnerable to head injuries too.

National Collegiate Athletic Association data shows that college athletes suffered an average of 10,500 concussions annually from 2010 to 2014, of which approximately 3,400 occurred in football alone.

At Pepperdine University, the number of concussions increased from 26 in the 20162017 academic year to 33 in the 2017-2018 academic year.

What sports increase the risk of concussions?

“Definitely the contact sports,” said Kevin Wright, assistant director of the Pepperdine University Department of Athletics. “We don’t have football, which is the one that really suffers concussions a lot. But we have contact sports like water polo, women’s polo, basketball, volleyball — those sports definitely have more concussions.”

According to Wright’s infor-

mation, male athletes got more concussions than female athletes during the 2015-2016 academic year and female athletes got more concussions during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years.

Although no one sport consistently recorded a higher number of concussions than others per academic year, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Beach Volleyball and men’s basketball most recently had the highest numbers, which is consistent with the NCAA 2014 study.

Why are female athletes at a greater risk of getting a concussion?

“Even though we live in the time of feminism and equality, male and female anatomy is just not the same,” said Tim Ward, head coach of the Pepperdine Women’s Soccer team. “Women have weaker neck muscles, which leaves them at a higher risk of getting hurt during head collisions.”

Females have “leaner” nerve fibers, which may make them more vulnerable to concussions, according to a study by the University of Pennsylvania. Ward said women’s neck structure is not as protective as men’s, and a weaker neck leads to higher impact to the head.

Additionally, female athletes and patients who have had pri-

or concussions are more likely to experience additional concussions during contact sports, according to results published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2017.

“Men athletes often have these muscular shoulders that often protect the head from harm during these types of collisions,” Ward said. “But women are further exposed.”

In 2014, the NCAA conducted the largest research study to date on concussions in college athletics, and found that tracking concussions can reduce their occurrence.

File Photo Getting Physical| Pepperdine Soccer alumna Katy Byrne How does Pepperdine diag- battles for the ball with a Brown player in a 2018 match. nose concussions?

Wright said Pepperdine’s 17 sports are tested for concussions “almost every week.”

“There’s not a sport that doesn’t suffer concussion,” Wright said. “Whether it be a slip-and-fall accident for a golfer or a soccer player getting hit in the head with an elbow.

All sports suffer from concussions.”

Wright said Pepperdine’s concussion protocol mirrors the NCAA concussion protocol in best practices.

“If an athlete exhibits or reports signs of concussion after an incident like a head injury occurs, we are going to evaluate that person for concussion,” Wright said.

The athletics department uses the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT-5) exam, which allows the department to implement a balance examination, reaction-time experiments and memory questions that can diagnose students with a concussion.

“We measure their brain and see how it is reacting,” Wright said. “Their cognitive functions will determine signs of concussion.”

Wright said Pepperdine also has a computer-based Impact Exam, where new athletes’ heart rates and cognitive functions are measured. This data then be used after a concussion to see how their brain is recovering, according to Wright.

What is Pepperdine doing?

Courtesy of Pepperdine

Although the number of yearly concussions in Pepperdine athletics is increasing, Wright said the Department of Athletics is addressing those numbers.

“What has really improved over the past 10 years is our process of dealing with concussions,” Wright said. “It’s become very systematic and detailed [because] it’s the only injury that’s legislated in California.”

If an athlete has a concussion in the state of California, they must see their primary care physician and have paperwork to return to sport after being evaluated, he said. Wright also said Pepperdine wants to teach athletes the importance of telling their coaches about a conAthletics cussion.

“It’s really important that eration banned headers (hitwe treat them very carefully,” ting the soccer ball with the Wright said. “And [that] we’re head) for soccer players under very open to receiving that in- 10. Players 11 to 13 are allowed formation from the athlete to to head the ball in games but make sure we’re taking care of are limited to no more than 30 them throughout the whole minutes of practice time headprocess.” ing the ball and no more than However, some students said 15 to 20 headers during that they would not tell their coach- time each week. However, older es if they had a concussion, as soccer players are still allowed they feel as of this could have aAthletics to head the according to Courtesy Pepperdine andball, Calvin Wood negative impact on their athlet- NCAA regulations. ic careers. One of these students At Pepperdine there is no rule was alumna Ryanne Skinner limiting soccer players’ ability from the swim and dive team. to head the ball as part of the Skinner suffered a concussion NCAA regulations, but Ward during an off-campus event. said he tries to limit the practice “Luckily it was off-season of this technique. so instead of working out 20 “We are very selective about hours a week we were strict- when in the training we actually on eight,” Skinner said. “We ly do and how we do headers,” weren’t competing so I got real- Ward said. “We make sure that ly lucky in that I didn’t have to the balls we are using are slightstop for any meets. But I defi- ly deflated, and we do more unnitely wasn’t allowed to train contested defending (heading with the team during those the ball one at a time) to make eight hours.” sure girls don’t hurt each other.”

She said if her team would Ward also said the brand have been on-season, she would Halo 3 is now making special have been hesitant to tell her headgear to prevent concuscoach about the concussion. sions, and he thinks it could “If I would have been in-sea- be appealing for high schools son I probably would have just and universities to implement. brushed it aside and kept go- However, students said they ing,” Skinner said. “When it thought the headgear could be a comes to competing with your distraction during the game. team, with your university and “I wouldn’t be willing to wear for yourself you really don’t it in college,” Ishikawa said. “It’s want to let [anyone] down so just annoying. I just don’t like sometimes you just kind of have headbands in general and I feel to suck it up.” like they’re distractful when Sophomore soccer player you play.”

Isabel Nelson, who had a conWhether Pepperdine decides cussion after a game, agreed to adopt the headgear or not, with Skinner that sometimes it Ward said he thinks the universeems more convenient for ath- sity is moving in the right direcletes to keep the information tion with constant concussion to themselves after suffering a tests and educating students concussion. about the possible future impli“When I had one I just tried cations of having an untreated to rest and then go back to prac- head injury. tice,” Nelson said. “But then it “Heading the ball is part of hurt really bad so then I went the sport,” Ward said. “But it is back to the doctor.” necessary for us to educate girls and let them know how these What can Pepperdine do? injuries could affect them in the future. They could lead to Redshirt sophomore soccer concentration problems or cogplayer Laura Ishikawa said her nitive dysfunctions that could concussion happened after try- negatively affect their lives after ing to hit the ball with her head athletics.” simultaneously with another player, resulting in a crash.

“I was basically playing in a game and we both ended up going for a header and she hit me in the head, so I got a minor concussion,” Ishikawa said.

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Photos by Ali Levens Home Cookin’ | (From left to right) Redshirt freshman setter Tayah Mahi rises up to set a tight ball for junior middle blocker Alli O’Harra during the Pepperdine Tournament this past weekend. O’Harra and freshman Kayleigh Hames joust a Texas A&M player at the net Saturday. Senior libero Hana Lishman prepared for a pass Saturday against A&M. Junior outside hitter Shannon Scully takes a swing toward an A&M block attempt.

W. Volleyball wins 2 of 3 at Pepperdine Tournament Kar l W inter staf f w rite r

With two freshman setters, their leader temporarily sidelined by an injury and a freshman hitter starting every match, Pepperdine Women’s Volleyball had every excuse to falter in their home-opening tournament.

Despite slow starts in each match, the Waves refused to waver. They defeated California Baptist University and Fairfield University in their first two home matches of the 2019 season before battling and falling to Texas A&M in the Pepperdine Tournament finale.

“We’ve learned a ton just in these last two weeks that we’ve played,” Head Coach Scott Wong said. “We have a couple positions on the court that are a little young.”

One such position is setter, arguably the most important position on the court. Redshirt freshman transfer Tayah Mahi and true freshman Isabel Zelaya have both seen significant playing time at the position, with Mahi getting the majority of the action but Zelaya also entering in 12 of the 25 sets that the Waves have played thus far.

Additionally, senior outside hitter and 2018 All-WCC player Hannah Frohling has missed each of the team’s first six matches with a lower leg injury. Though Frohling is perhaps the team’s best player, true freshman Kayleigh Hames has helped fill the void.

“Having Hannah [Frohling] out was a big loss,” Hames said. “I had to fill in — I had to step up and take on a big role.”

Alongside the talented incoming freshmen is a strong cast of returners from the 2018 NCAA Tournament team. Be-

fore the season began, Pepperdine received votes to be ranked in the AVCA Coaches Poll. Despite Frohling’s temporary absence, Wong said to pump the brakes on the hype.

“We returned a lot of players, and I think the natural thing is people just think we’re going to smoke teams left and right,” Wong said.

“We are getting better, but we’re not there yet.

We’ve got a long way to go.”

After losing two fiveset matches at the North Texas Challenge to open their season, the Waves needed to regroup. The team defeated Illinois State 3-1 in its final match in Texas on Aug. 31, then headed home to prepare for the Pepperdine Tournament at Firestone Fieldhouse.

“Week by week, we’re really trying to focus on getting better,” Wong said. “We didn’t like those two losses [in Texas], but I thought we learned a ton and grew a ton.”

Thursday, Sept. 5 - Pepperdine 3, Cal Baptist 0 The Waves started slow against then-winless Cal Baptist in the home opener, leading only 10-9 midway through the first set.

From there, back-toback blocks by the Pepperdine defense (each including sophomore hitter Rachel Ahrens) fired up the crowd and the team.

The crowd of students in the stands began to playfully heckle Cal Baptist players, and the Lancers never recovered.

Behind junior middle blocker Alli O’Harra’s four kills in the set, Pepperdine closed the first set with a 25-21 win and they were on their way.

“Coming back here, it’s great to see [the] great big audience that we had,” O’Harra said.

“It was really fun to play

at home [and] get a win at home in three [sets].”

Cal Baptist hit only .094 in the first set and finished the match with a team hitting percentage of just .090.

In the second set, Hames caught fire for the Waves, putting down seven kills on only nine swings.

“It was totally different than anything I’ve ever really experienced,” Hames said of the atmosphere in her first collegiate home game. “It’s awesome.”

Ahrens added six service aces and O’Harra finished with nine kills on a .538 hitting percentage, leading the Waves to a 25-21, 25-17, 25-20 sweep.

“It was so fun,” O’Harra said. “The crowd was awesome. [Setter] Tayah [Mahi] and I connected really well.”

O’Harra and her teammates did not have much time to celebrate the home-opening win, as they were right back for another match in Firestone the following night.

“We all have a lot of improving to do,” O’Harra said.

“The chemistry will become better and better the more the year goes on, and I’m excited for that.”

Friday, Sept. 6 - Pepperdine 3, Fairfield 1 The Waves got off to another slow start Friday evening against Fairfield, a team who had not only traveled to Malibu all the way from Connecticut but had also lost to Cal Baptist in five sets in its tournament-opening match Friday morning.

The Stags led the first set wire-to-wire, eventually winning 2520 behind five kills by sophomore outside hitter Laura Seeger.

“I think we just came out too relaxed,” Zelaya said. “We knew we were a better team, so we just

kind of came out like, ‘Oh, we got this.’”

Midway through a sloppy set, Wong sent Zelaya into the match for Mahi. Zelaya would play for the remainder of the match.

“It was just a little bit of the energy on the court,” Wong said. “We needed to change, and I think [substituting setters is] probably the easiest change in terms of the difference of one player.”

In the second set, Pepperdine would lead wire-to-wire en route to a 25-22 set victory, though the Stags kept it close the whole way, with five ties.

Wong said the team started to “play free.” “[In] the second set, we started picking it up,” Zelaya said. “We were like, ‘[Fairfield] is going to fight, so we need to fight back.’”

By the third set, the Waves finally found a rhythm. Led by Ahrens’ 15 kills on a .464 hitting percentage, four Waves smashed double-digit kills in the match, and Pepperdine dominated the final two sets, 25-12 and 25-13.

“Mentally, we were progressing, and also I think each position was taking care of their roles on the team,” Ahrens said. “When everyone’s taking care of their jobs, we all as a unit become even better.”

Saturday, Sept. 7 - Texas A&M 3, Pepperdine 1 Saturday evening’s match was not only the unofficial championship game of the Pepperdine Tournament, as each team had beaten both Cal Baptist and Fairfield, but also a rematch of a 2018 match, in which the host Aggies swept the visiting Waves 3-0.

Texas A&M fired on all cylinders right out of the gate, hitting a sparkling .609 with a bal-

anced attack.

Despite Wong challenging several of the referees’ calls, and the efforts of Ahrens and Pepperdine junior hitter Shannon Scully, the Aggies took the opening set 25-17.

“Our team executed at a high level, and they never really let stuff faze them,” Texas A&M Head Coach Laura Kuhn said. “In that environment, there’s challenges, there’s timeouts, there’s arguments happening, whatever it is — but they stayed composed, and that was the positive.”

The Aggies were relentless at the outset of the second set as well, leading 13-6 after a 5-0 run and thwarting each Pepperdine attempt to gain momentum.

At that point, Wong inserted Mahi, the setter who had transferred to Pepperdine from Northern Iowa this summer, into the match for Zelaya, who had been the starter in this match.

“I thought our offense wasn’t flowing,” Wong said. “There’s a lot of reasons behind that, but I think the setting was one thing that we could change.”

After hitting a lowly .109 in the second set (which A&M won 2519), the Waves came of to Photos Courtesy life in the third. Pepperdine flipped the script to win the third set 2519, and Scully had a match-leading 17 kills by the end of the set.

“Credit to our offense, I think that helped us flow and start scoring points,” Wong said. “I think that allowed us to serve tougher [and] knock them off the net.

Defensively, that allowed us to dig more balls and transition out of it.”

Unfortunately for the Waves, Kuhn’s team made the necessary adjustments, and Pepperdine could not replicate the magic of the third set. The Aggies hit .571

in the final frame to close out the match 2515.

Wong credited Texas A&M as “a good team … that you can’t really prepare for.”

As his team continues to build chemistry this week during practice, Wong said they look ahead to the difficult slate of teams coming to Malibu for this weekend’s Pepperdine Asics Classic.

“It really prepares us for conference, playing good teams like this,” said redshirt senior middle blocker Tarah Wylie, who had six blocks against Texas A&M. “[Next] weekend, we have more competition that’s even better — it just pushes us and opens up to see what we need to work on in the gym and in practice.”

No. 6 Pittsburgh, No. 16 Utah and 2018 NCAA Tournament team Cal Poly will visit Firestone Fieldhouse on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14.

“Personally, I’m really excited because I transferred from the University of Utah,” Scully said.

“It’s really exciting for us just to see how much potential we have [at Pepperdine]. We know we can beat really good teams — we just need to Pepperdine Athletics start doing it, obviously.”

Ultimately, the Waves split their first six matches of the 2019 season, but with the anticipated return of Frohling expected soon, the team still has a lot ahead of them.

“We have some youth and we’re still growing a little bit, so we’re just figuring out our six [starters] and worrying about us,” Wylie said.

“When we do that, we’re great.”

K AR L .W INTER @PEPPER DINE.EDU