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VOLUME XLV I II | IS S U E 2 | PE PPE RDIN E - GRA PH IC.C OM | SE P T E M B ER 6 , 2 0 1 8

Busnew Fuss

Kay iu w ong as si stant News e d itor

Students will no longer have to wonder when the next shuttle is coming to Main Campus or worry about how to get back up to Drescher after a long night of studying in Payson.

Transit Services is extending the hours of both the Blue and Orange shuttle routes and is launching a new shuttle service that will take students home at Elena Luo | Staff Photographer night from the library, Lauren Cosentino, Pepperdine’s chief Shuttle Stop | An updated shuttle stops to pick up students at Seaver’s Main Lot. human resources officer, said.

Transit Services modified the shuttle schedule to help students traverse the campus.

Sean Kavanagh, a shuttle driver for the university, said Transit Services has also updatstudents in front of Jerry’s Tree in the lives in the George Page apartments. ed the shuttle tracker on the Pepperdine Seaver Main Lot. Students can hop on “As the semester gets busier and I phone app to provide accurate time esti- and tell the shuttle driver where they spend longer nights at the library, it’s mates and has added more stops to the would like to be dropped off. After the nice to know I have a ride back up the daily shopping shuttle to pick up stu- shuttle finishes dropping off students, hill,” Scherler said. “I think this is a dents. it will return to the Seaver Main Lot to great thing to do for students, especially Cosentino and Kavanagh spent the keep picking up students. since there are mountain lions prowling past summer redesigning the shuttle “It’s a safe way home at night,” Kava- around.” system to provide more hours and ac- nagh said. “We want to encourage [stucess points. dents] to have a pleasant experience on Extra shuttle during peak class“It’s something that’s been on our campus and not have studying late in times heart for a long time,” Kavanagh said. the library be an inconvenience.”

Kavanagh said the library shuttle is a Transit Services is adding an extra New nighttime library shuttle pilot program. Depending on how many shuttle to the Orange Route during cerstudents use it this semester, Transit tain time periods in the day to serve the Starting Sept. 4, Transit Services will Services will look into expanding its heavy amount of students traveling to be offering a shuttle at night that will hours to later into the night or perhaps and from class. pick students up in front of the library ending the service if there is not a large Cosentino said the extra shuttle will and drop them off wherever they need amount of ridership. increase the amount of vehicles on the to go on campus, according to the uni“This is an idea I’m so excited about,” Orange Route from two to three during versity’s Human Resources department. Kavanagh said. “We are going to take the peak times of 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., The shuttle will run from 10 p.m. to data, and it will really depend on how 11:30 a.m. to noon, 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., 10:45 p.m. and 11:05 p.m. to 12:45 a.m. many people will use it.” and 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Kavanagh said during these time peJunior Sydney Scherler said she is ex“These peak times are different riods, the shuttle will be waiting for cited for the library shuttle because she points in time in which more classes are

Photos by Kaelin Mendez

Pop! Exhibit until dec. 2 at the weisman

For more info, see B1.

call, stay, cooperate.

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Student Affairs finalizes updated Good Samaritan policy

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Several additional paragraphs of policy explanation.

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An extended FAQ section of 11 questions.

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A section addressing common myths concerning the policy.

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Six illustrative examples.

the waves report

Ma ry c at e L o n g s e n io r r e po r te r Pepperdine introduced an extended and clarified Good Samaritan Policy to campus during fall 2018 New Student Orientation (NSO). In past years, the policy promised to release a Code of Conduct offender from punishment if the violation was discovered as a result of an individual, or “Good Samaritan,” requesting help for someone in need of emergency assistance concerning instances of substance use.

After a several months process of revising and receiving student feedback, the policy sports extended sections including hypothetical scenarios and busted myths, as well as a succinct slogan: “Call, Stay, Cooperate.”

Furthermore, the policy now takes into account an incident involving student organizations and covers all students in attendance at a party at which a Good Samaritan act was conducted.

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“I’m grateful for all the input from SGA and various student groups that resulted in a clearer and broader Good Samaritan policy,” Dean of Students Mark Davis said in an email statement.

“Pepperdine is a community that prioritizes the health and safety of our students, and the Good Samaritan policy is one example of our commitment to Step Up! for each other.”

Although the fundamental elements of the policy are unchanged, Davis hopes that the extended sections and explanations will make students less hesitant to rely on the policy in an emergency situation.

After receiving feedback from a multitude of students, including the Student Government Association (SGA), the Greek community and the non-Greek community, Davis and Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Community Standards Sharon Beard began leading the process of revisiting and revising Pepperdine’s Good Samaritan policy.

The new policy emphasiz-

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es the necessity to be honest and cooperative in the follow-up investigation of the incident and also goes into detail on any circumstances that would exclude a student from being covered by the policy.

Toward the end of the 2018 spring semester and the following summer, students were given several opportunities to provide input to the new policy through avenues such as surveys and email feedback.

While the Good Samaritan Policy previously consisted of a few paragraphs of policy explanation and FAQ section consisting of about five answered questions, the new policy includes: – several additional paragraphs of policy explanation.

– an extended FAQ section of 11 questions.

– a section addressing common myths concerning the policy.

– six illustrative examples.

In the time leading up to NSO, Davis said in an email statement he and Beard re-

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viewed the new policy with Resident Advisors (RAs), Spiritual Life Advisors (SLAs) and NSO Orientation Leaders (OLs).

This year’s New Student Orientation Coordinator Katie White said when Davis and Beard presented the policy to OL and HRL staff, students were eager to listen and the administration was open to hear feedback. “[Davis and Beard’s] approach seemed loving and wanted each person to be safe as possible,” White said. “They seemed engaged with the students and listening to their needs. They were eager to get feedback and be understood by everyone.”

Davis said RAs were encouraged to review the Good Samaritan policy in their house CLOM meetings.

DeBell RA Rachel Jolly said she went over the new Good Samaritan policy in her CLOM presentation. In her experience, the policy has a reputation for being mistrusted around campus but she hopes that the re-

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P E P P E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | N E W S | SE P T E MB E R 6 , 20 1 8

Focus On Yourself, Not Your Love Life

maria valente m a n ag i n g e di t or “I just want to have a boyfriend by the end of the year.”

“I really want to go on more dates this semester.”

“Who am I going to ask to formal?”

It’s the first week of class and these concerns are already at the forefront of some Pepperdine students’ minds. Since high school, (maybe even middle school for the more mature) each year brings another opportunity for a flourishing love life or a time to be single and loving it.

Full disclosure: I am in a relationship and am very happy.

But I had friends and relatives alike come to me at the beginning of this school year with their wishes to “finally” find somebody.

They are so bogged down by this idea; it takes a lot of energy to think about all the ways society tells us how we are not complete without a soulmate.

Imagine if these pressures weren’t there. The desire to find someone is embedded in society so strongly that many people are convinced it is of optimum importance. If this desire were lifted, what could one do?

Could academics take the main stage with students making sure they receive the most out of their education? Would platonic friends spend more time together, without the intention of hunting for a potential mate at the same time?

If students weren’t tied down, would they be more inclined to travel to new places so that they could expand their own personal perspective of life?

It is hard to say what someone’s focus should be at any point in their life. It is the prerogative of any Pepperdine student to want a life partner and to spend time finding them.

But, it might do some good to focus on the individual and to go on a personal journey. Love might just happen on the way.

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

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08/11/18 12:18 p.m.

Crimes: Larceny/Theft - Theft from Building, Burglary Location: Shafer Rho House

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Drescher (North)

08/20/18 3:08 p.m.

Crimes: Fire/Hazards Vehicle Fire Location: Seaver Drive 08/22/18 3:28 p.m.

Crimes: Possession of a Weapon on Campus Location: Rho Parking Lot

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08/22/18 8:52 p.m.

Crimes: Traffic Related Hit-and-Run, Non-Injury Accident Location: Firestone Fieldhouse

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08/23/18 08:31 a.m.

Crimes: Trespassing Location: Payson Library

2 Alumni field (South)

UPCOMING EVENTS THIS SEMESTER What: Fo un de r’s day when: 9 / 19 Wher e: Fire s tone fieldhouse

Wh at: MEN’S WATER P OLO VS. UC SANTA BAR BAR A Wh e N: 9/20 Wh e re : R ALEIGH R UNNELS MEMOR IAL P OOL

What: “This Amer ic an Moment: Feminism, T heol ogy, and P olitics in an Ag e of Anxiety” Whe N : 9/24 Whe re : SUR FBOAR D ROOM

W hat: S AMMY MI L L ER AND T HE C ONG REGAT I ON W he N: 9/ 2 7 W he r e : s mot hers t heat re

W hat: “ fal l i ng” W he N: 9/ 2 9 W he r e : l i ndhu rs t t heat re

c onvo c re dit and other e ve n ts this we e k FRI. 7

MON.

TUES.

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What: celebration chapel When: 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Where: amphitheater

Wh at: spanish chapeL Wh e n: 10:10 a.M. Wh e re : stauffer chapel

Wh at: ger man chap el Wh e n: 10 a.m.

Wh e re : stauffer c hap el

What: Is It Too Late for Convicted Civility?: A Debate Featuring iDebate Rwanda & Waves Debate When: 5 p.m.

Where: elkins auditorium

Wh at: Meet the Fir ms Business Car eer Fair Wh e n: 5 p.M. Wh e re : fir eside r oom

Wh at: AR abic cha p el Wh e n: 2:30 p.m.

Wh e re : P LC 104

peppgraphic Graphic //The PLUG IN: // PLUG IN: // PLUG IN: Plug in: MARIA.VALENTE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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W hat: Wednes day c hap el W he n: 1 0 a. M. W he r e : f i res t one f i el dhou s e W hat: C hi nes e c hap el W he n: noon W he r e : c c b 3 4 0

THURS. 13

W hat: Oral Arg u ment s : P rac t i c al Advi c e f rom Al u mna Wendy Mc G u i re C oat s W he n: 1 2 : 3 0 p. M. W he r e : c l as s room c S c hool of l aw

Wh at: Italian chap el Wh e n: 3 p.m.

Wh e re : stauffer c hap el

W hat: B ri t i s h-S t y l e Moot s ( P ep p erdi ne vs. L ondon’s Mi ddl e T emp l e) W he n: 1 2 : 3 0 P. M. W he r e : T ri al C ou rt room S c hool of L aw

@PeppGraphic

peppgraphic The Graphic The Graphic The Graphic

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

@Peppnewswaves

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Malibu City Council approves first homeless-assistance budget JB b o er i s taf f w r i t e r Malibu City Council voted unanimously to adopt Malibu’s Homeless Strategic Plan in June, marking a new upcoming social initiative in the city. The passing of the new plan followed a recent press release by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) of the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, which showed a 14 percent reduction in the homeless population in Malibu.

“I see it as definitely proof that doing the field outreach is effective,” Susan Dueñas, Malibu’s public safety manager, said. “It’s interesting that the numbers are very consistent with the results that our outreach workers have been posting.”

According to LAHSA’s press release, the number of homeless in Malibu decreased from 180 in 2017 to 155 in 2018, largely due to an increased number of field outreach programs that LA County’s Measure H catalyzed. After taking effect at the beginning of 2017, it is estimated that Measure H will generate roughly $355 million annually “for services and programs to percent and combat homelessness in the County — with rigorous accountability,” according to the LA county website.

“They’ve just hired so many more people, so there’s just so many more resources out there,” Dueñas said. “[It involves] talking to people or getting them hooked up or helping them to get reconnected with family. Some of these people just need a bus ticket or a train ticket to get home.”

Malibu City Council developed the newly-approved Homeless Strategic Plan to maximize the use of preexisting resources and align the city’s local labors with the goals of the county as a whole.

In drafting the plan, the City of Malibu’s Advisory Group aimed to upkeep public safety, while also contributing to lifelong humanitarian needs of the city’s homeless community, according to the city’s website.

Most notably, the plan included a fiscal budget for addressing the city’s homeless concerns for the first time in Malibu’s history.

The Malibu Task Force on Homelessness appointed the Malibu Homeless Outreach Team, which consists of members from the LA-based company The People Concern, in September 2016.

Using a boots-on-the-ground approach, The People Concern works to offer a permanent continuum of care for homeless, including housing, healthcare, drug rehabilitation and similar support systems, according to the website.

Alex Gittinger, outreach and engagement specialist for The People Concern, said the 14 percent decrease in homeless is an encouraging number, but may not be the best indicator of the work and efficacy of outreach programs.

“I was a little bit afraid that [the rate] would go up despite our efforts,” Gittinger said. “It would then kind of invalidate all the work that we did over the last two years.”

Gittinger said the homeless rate moves in waves, depending on various factors such as seasonal weather, current events and population displacement from other parts of the county.

He said as a result, the current numbers often don’t correlate to the amount of progress outreach workers have made.

“That homeless count really is somewhat inconsequential, if you ask me,” Gittinger said.

“That’s not the way to look at it,” Gittinger said. “You have to look at how many people have actually been housed because we have no control over how many people are becoming homeless and how many more people are coming from other areas.”

Gittinger said that the homeless count occurs at 5 a.m. on only one day, so there is a lot of room for error in that number.

If the weather is particularly nice on that day, the rate is likely to be higher because of an influx of homeless from neighboring areas such as Santa Monica and the Pacific Palisades.

Gittinger also said since the count is done so early in the morning and solely by individuals driving through Malibu counting the population creates a lot of space for inaccuracy. Particularly, it’s difficult to find all of the members of the homeless community in order to count them.

“In Malibu, people are hiding,” Gittinger said. “They are somewhere in the canyons.

They are somewhere in the beaches or hiding in bushes. If volunteers don’t know where to find these people, they will not count them.”

Dueñas expressed concerns with the future homelessness outreach efforts, which depend greatly on landlords being willing to house priorly-homeless clients.

“I think that we probably will reach a point where [the rate] is going to level off until the housing increases,” Dueñas said.

“That is still a stumbling block because we have people holding vouchers but they have to wait until there is a unit available and a landlord that is willing to take it.”

The Section 8 housing vouchers employed by clients of the City of Malibu and The People Concern tend use one of two possible vouchers for housing — a Continuum of Care Voucher or a Shelter Plus Care Voucher, both of which function similarly by offering housing assistance as well as a variety of different healthcare opportunities that span for the duration of each client’s struggle and reintegration into the workforce.

Gittinger said one of the most important parts of managing homeless concerns is the ability to provide support that is frequent and works to foster relationships between outreach workers and homeless community members.

“We can build relationships with the clientele and with the community,” Gittinger said.

“It’s not like we are showing up once to give out good words and socks and some snack bars.

We’re there constantly.”

Though the City of Malibu and outreach workers have ex-

pended a tremendous amount typically mental illness coinof time and effort in order to ciding with substance abuse alleviate the homelessness cri- problems. With such members sis, logistic problems still pose a of community, this requires a threat, Gittinger said. much more relationship-based While many members of the approach, focusing on a multiMalibu community are sympa- step harm-reduction model of thetic to the homeless, Dueñas care. In short, this means that said others do not share that an individual does not need to sympathy. be sober to gain access to hous“It is a huge concern,” Dueñas ing. The new approach allows said. “There’s a huge chunk of people to maintain secure surthe community who are more roundings that then, paired afraid of homeless than they are with substance abuse therapy, compassionate about them.” yield more gradual and long Some of this concern stems withstanding results. from an especially relevant “If somebody has a more stapublic safety concern — wild- ble position where they know fires. they can lay their head down,” “We have a homeless en- Gittinger said. “Where they campment, but basically we’re don’t have to worry about getgoing to have zero tolerance ting woken up by the sheriffs in policy for camping in the bush- the middle night … then they es,” Dueñas said. “We just can’t can actually get some real sleep have another fire. We can’t have and deal with their substance lives being threatened by the abuse or mental health probpotential fires. It’s just too dan- lem.” gerous.”

Dueñas said an important Another concern is that part of continued success in some potential homeless cli- care for the homeless is having ents do not want help, Gittinger better mental health programs. said.

Though this is difficult with the One reason is because, for resources Malibu currently has some, Malibu is their childhood available, they can still garner home, although they have lost support for better institutions. their homes at some in time, “We’re not in a position to do according Photo to Gittinger.

Mostof that,” Dueñas said.Programs “But, we can Courtesy International landlords in Malibu are unwill- help to lobby for that and suping to accept Section 8 housing port legislation to get funding vouchers because it results in a for more mental health facilifinancial loss for the landlord ties.” in affluent communities such Gittinger said a huge part of as Malibu. his job with The People Con“It’s a longshot in Malibu,” cern and their future success Gittinger said. “We’re trying with the homeless crisis is edto work on finding some peo- ucating the community about ple that actually have it in the the population and the variety goodness of their hearts to of problems individuals face. make a place available for on Learning to see each homeless our clients … and actually help individual as a human, rather this community.” than a “shabby, crazy drunk,” “Let’s face it,” Gittinger said. will help people see that a lot “I’ve had clients tell me, ‘Look, of homeless are very capable I’m here at Surfrider Beach. of digging themselves out of Why would I trade this for a their situation with just a small dingy little room in Koreatown amount of help. where I have to pay utilities …

“We’re always talking about when I can have a perfect life how we have to pick ourselves out here and live off my SSI?’” up by our bootstraps,” Gittinger On the other hand, some said. “Yes, some people do actuhomeless people are simply too ally have bootstraps, but then mentally unstable to willfully there are some people that just accept community outreach, do not have the bootstraps and Gittinger said. need some additional help.”

Gittinger said many suffer PEPPGR APHIC M EDIA@GM AIL .C OM from co-occurring disorders,

Online MBA Program Launches judit h- daly b r ist er -knab e new s as si stant Pepperdine’s Graziadio Business School is partnering with online education platform 2U to create an online MBA program. The partnership makes a Pepperdine education available to students who are unable to attend the physical classroom.

“2U’s mission is to expand access and eliminate the back row in education,” 2U President Andrew Hernalyn wrote in an email to the Graphic. “For us, this program is an opportunity to reach so many adult learners who wish to pursue a top-tier MBA but may be unable to pick up their lives and relocate in order to do so.”

Graziadio Dean Deryck Rensburg wrote in an email that he agrees with 2U’s mission and seeks to bring the Pepperdine education to adult learners.

“Typically, [the online program] favors the working adult who values the ability to balance work, family and schooling, giving them the con-

venience and flexibility to take a course ‘any time and any place,’” Rensburg wrote.

Graziadio faculty chose to partner with 2U because of its academic standard and the resources available for students, including student work spaces provided by WeWork and international opportunities through partnerships with schools like the University College of London, Rensburg wrote.

“2U has a proven track record for success and is the partner of choice for many elite universities,” Rensburg wrote.

The program will carry the same weight as any traditionally obtained degree because it will be of the same difficulty, Hernalyn wrote.

“Graduates will receive the same degree as their on-campus counterparts,” Hernalyn wrote.”The professors, curriculum and rigor are equal to that of the on-campus program and the earned degree will be the same as well.”

Pepperdine has partnered with 2U in the past

to create online degrees for both the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) and the Pepperdine University School of Law, according to a Graphic article from 2017. Rensburg wrote that 2U meets the Pepperdine standard by fulfilling three criteria.

“The research has shown that an online degree has the same value as a traditional degree when the online degree is accredited, the school/university offering the online degree also has a traditional campus and the school/ university offering the online degree has an established brand,” Rensburg wrote. ”In our case, these three criteria are easily met and therefore we are confident that our online/2U degrees will have the same merit as our traditional (onground) degrees.”

Students of the online MBA program will still be able to actively participate in their classes, but from the location of their choice.

“Online classes on the 2U-powered platform

are intimate, engaging learning experiences,” Hernalyn wrote. “Students will attend weekly live classes and access faculty-developed interactive coursework via a platform that can be accessed from nearly anywhere in the world.”

Because it is the same curriculum and rigor, the online MBA degree will be the same price as the traditionally obtained one, Rensburg wrote.

Due to the nature of the classes, students will also be able to socialize with their classmates. “[2U offers] a synchronous component where they will meet with the professor and their fellow students online – all on-screen at the same time,” Hernalyn wrote.

“The 2U learning platform can also be used to break students into smaller groups and to form between-class study groups.”

The new online MBA will be effective in Jan. 2020, according to a 2U press release made in July 2018.

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Photos by Elena Luo

Bussing Around | The improved DoubleMap app (left) shows more accurate locations of shuttles and their arrival times, especially during peak times.

SHUTTLE: Transit Services works to improve system FR OM A 1 offered than others,” Cosentino said. “At the highest peak time, there are 80-something classes that are either beginning or closing out.”

The extra shuttle means students will only have to wait five minutes for a shuttle to stop at each station, Cosentino said.

the app, students need to select which route they would to track in the menu. The map will then show where the shuttles are located in real time. Students can then click on one of the black dots on the map to see when the next shuttle will arrive at specific stops.

The Pepperdine app is available for free download on the App Store and Google Play.

Improved shuttle track-

Longer hours for both routes

The university has improved the shuttle tracker in the official Pepperdine phone app to provide accurate arrival times and location tracking.

In the past, the shuttle tracker feature in the app was connected to a tracking software called DoubleMap to provide estimated times of arrival, Kavanagh said.

The new tracker now opens to a direct link to the DoubleMap website, making the information more precise and easier to see.

Kavanagh said the tracker can also send out announcements if shuttles are expanding hours and includes a feedback section.

“We want students to communicate back to us frustrations, ideas or positive things on the feedback section,” Kavanagh said.

“It’s part of the app now so we want to hear whether these changes are working.”

To find arrival times on

The Blue Route, which circles campus clockwise and goes down toward Alumni Park from Main Campus, is expanding its service hours to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Kavanagh said the Blue Route stopped operating at 5:20 p.m. last year.

Starting at 7 p.m. the Blue Route shuttle will drive into the Seaver Main Lot and pick students up at the top of the library stairs in front of Jerry’s Tree.

The Orange Route, which circles campus counter-clockwise and goes up to the CCB from Main Campus, has two vehicles on route Monday to Friday.

One of the vehicles is expanding its hours of operation to 7:30 a.m. to 5:20 p.m.

Kavanagh said its service ended last year at 4 p.m.

Kavanagh said the second vehicle on the Orange Route will continue the same service hours as last year from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

er

“

It's a safe way home at night. We want to encourage students to have a pleasant experience on campus and not have studying late in the library be an inconvenience."

Sean kavanagh, shuttle driver New shopping shuttle stops Kavanagh said Transit Services is adding two new pick-up locations at the Drescher apartments and at the Law School for the shopping shuttle. The shuttle takes students to Ralphs and to Cross Creek Road between Malibu Village and Malibu Country Mart Monday to Saturday.

“We had a lot of students from the Drescher apartments walking all the way down to Rho to catch the shuttle,” Kavanagh said.

“People in the George Page

apartments would walk down to Main Campus to catch it too.”

The shopping shuttle’s pick-up stop at Rho Parking Lot is being moved to the front of the Health Center in order to accommodate the flow of the shuttle going uphill toward the Law School, Kavanagh said.

New exteriors and interior The shuttles are sporting new exterior designs and promotional posters inside.

The posters offer information about when certain stores and services close around campus and about the new shuttle changes.

“We will be changing posters every three to four weeks as different events come, so we can promote things like Step Forward Day and Waves Weekend,” Kavanagh said.

Cosentino and Kavanagh began revamping the system after Vice President of Student Affairs Connie Horton shared complaints she heard about the shuttles from last year’s Student Government Association Executive Board.

“I am ecstatic for these changes,” Kavanagh said.

“I love that Pepperdine has an avenue where we can hear someone’s thoughts on something and be able to meet those needs accordingly.”

K AYIU.W ONG@PEPPER DINE.EDU

POLICY: Revision clarifies F RO M A1 -vised policy will turn this view around.

“I encouraged my residents to become aware of the [Good Samaritan] policy and just to familiarize themselves with it because you never know what kind of situation you may be in, either on campus or off campus,” Jolly said.

“You want to be sure that you’re safe and that others are safe.”

The new policy was also presented during NSO in new students’ meetings with their OLs and first-year seminar groups as well as in a Step Up seminar in Elkins.

Although the Good Samaritan policy is finalized, Davis said administration and the SGA eboard is now looking to revisit the Pepperdine alcohol policy. Items on the discussion agenda include the following: a) definition of drunkenness; b) clarification of what constitutes an official event (“four or more” members clause); c) policies and procedures regarding students who return to campus intoxicated; and d) recreational marijuana usage off campus.

Davis said he reached out to SGA to partner in hosting a forum, possibly on the weekend of Sept. 10 or 17, to invite feedback on the current Alcohol and Drug policy and the new Good Samaritan policy.

Although the details are not finalized, Beard and representatives from Student Affairs and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) expect to be present at this forum.

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Pepp professor speaks on rising Christianity R o wan T o ke Staf f W r i ter God most definitely is not dead, William M. Green Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecturer and Pepperdine Associate Professor of Religion Dyron Daughrity said August 29 in Stauffer Chapel.

The William M. Green Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program invites a Christian scholar to lecture on a topic of their choice to cultivate Christian scholarship and enhance each student’s individual spiritual journey as explained in the convo event’s program.

Since its initiation, 39 speakers participated in the program thus far. The namesake of the annual lecture program, William M. Green, was a professor of ancient Christian literature at Pepperdine who was instrumental in the launch of its M.A. program in Religion, among other accomplishments.

“The beauty of Global Christianity is that we now witness the fruits of those early Christian [missionaries,]” Daughrity said.

Daughrity said he remains hopeful about the Church’s future because of Global Christianity, or non-Western Christianity. The same

powerful faith that propelled missionaries to board ships and leave their families is the cause of the “surprising rise of Christianity in recent past.”

In fact, Daughrity explicitly said the reason the Church is not fading away is thanks to Global Christianity.

Dean of the Religion and Philosophy Division Daniel Rodriguez said throughout history, people have attempted to inhibit Christianity’s growth and even dampen the spirits of Christians.

Most commonly, people make claims about the lack of intervention from God in times of pain.

Daughrity said the April 8, 1966 “Is God Dead?” Time Magazine cover is a perfect example of this phenomenon. As innumerable Americans gave their lives for their country, fought in the civil rights movement and continued to be oppressed due to their skin color, it was easy for people to question the existence of God if their beliefs were already weak.

Freshman Austin Zell said he was moved by the convo event. “[It] presented an insightful and informative topic for mass discussion,” Zell said.

“Christianity can present itself through

Photo by Kaelin Mendez Rising Tide of Christianity | Prof. Dyron Daughrity speaks on the growth of global Christianity for the 30th anniversary of the William M. Green Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Aug 29. Daughrity wrote a book entitled “The Changing World of Christianity: The Global History of a Borderless Religion.” many closed doors that will be eventually be opened through free thought and curious individuals.”

Daughrity initially spoke of the rising popularity of Christianity in “supposedly secular California.”

After his 9-year-old daughter compared Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California to Disneyland, Daughrity said he was positive that “without a doubt, Christianity is not dying.” Seeing this type of bustling church, with its multi-level children’s

building, aquarium, rock climbing wall, live music and ice cream sundaes, only strengthened Daughrity’s faith in the future of Christianity.

Daughrity said the resurrection of Christianity is certainly not limited to the United States. India, a country once known as a “graveyard for missionaries,” now boasts thew second largest congregation in the world, Calvary Temple Church, with over 225,000 members.

In China, Christians are “showing

people around them how Christianity and China are extremely compatible.” Businessmen will attend weekly mass and even bring religion into the boardroom. In Eastern Europe, the Russian Orthodox Church is “enjoying a new wave of religious vitality,” with 200 new churches under construction.

Western denominations are also experiencing extreme growth, Daughrity said. The Assemblies of God Churches now have far more members overseas in Aus-

tralia, Singapore, South Korea, India and Malaysia. The famous Hillsong Church, an Assemblies of God church in Sydney, Australia, has grown to 100,000 weekly worshippers, and the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul has grown to 800,000 members.

Just as Pepperdine students’ school spirit rises as they cheer from the bleachers at a basketball game or put their heart and soul into their Frosh Follies skit, Daughrity said Christianity is “rising like a tidal wave.”

R OWAN.TOK E@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Pepp introduces Step Up certificate ally ar mst r o n g staf f w r i ter Students can learn more about bystander intervention by earning their Step Up Certificate.

A new certification is in the works for students hoping to educate themselves and others on Step Up. The new Step Up training certification will soon allow more students to become advocates for one another’s health and safety, specifically in the area of sexual misconduct. Pepperdine originally implemented Step Up as a way to encourage bystander intervention in situations of “academic misconduct, alcohol abuse, depression, hazing, relationship abuse, and sexual assault” according to the Community Pepperdine website. Its main goal is to help students notice the initial signs of an escalating issue and empower them to take action.

“The Step Up! Certificate Program will engage, educate and empower students to be agents of safety and support here at Pepperdine and beyond,” Title IX Coordinator La Shonda Coleman wrote in an email, “In solidarity with our university’s mission, this program will strengthen students

for lives of purpose, service, and leadership to combat all forms of gender-based harm. I believe there is a pressing need for benevolent leadership in our nation and our world. It starts here, with us. I pray that students will seriously consider and decide to participate in this transformative leadership program.”

Individuals who seek to gain their certificate are educated on a variety of topics, such as recognizing sexual assault, state and federal laws and using their friendships as “leverage” to successfully intervene, Coleman said.

Coleman also said that she believes this program will “normalize the [sexual misconduct] conversation” among students and give them a safe space to support one another.

The program does not yet have a determined number of hours that need to be completed in order to gain the certificate but Coleman said there will likely be a system of levels set in place.

Step Up will also be working with other departments such as Public Safety and Intercultural Affairs to provide additional information and support.

According to Cole-

Students can learn more about bystander intervention by earning their Step Up Certificate.

Photo Courtesy of Student Affairs man and Health and Wellness Education Coordinator Allie McIntosh, this is the only certification of its kind on campus.

Step Up coordinators encourage students to get involved in earning their certificate regardless of grade level or a busy schedule.

There will be training sessions offered throughout the school year so it is never too late for someone who is interested in participating.

Senior Jordyn Berry, RA and leader in the Step Up program, said she “started realizing this issue was so prevalent” after her own experiences with sexual assault in eighth grade and again at the

start of college.

“I wanted to be a part of acknowledging [sexual assault] and making people aware if they’re doing it or if it’s happened to them,” Berry said.

Berry expressed confidence in the Step Up Program’s continued effectiveness, including the implementation of the new certificate.

“With Pepperdine doing this and taking such an initiative, it makes everyone feel safer,” Berry said. “It has just made the overall community so much more homey and so much more comfortable.”

Pepperdine freshmen were recently introduced to the Step

Up program through house-wide meetings with student leaders and faculty members.

“I think it’s good they’re doing the certification because it gets people educated and the more educated people are, the more aware they’ll be about all these problems,” freshman Areeya Kunawaradisai said.

Kunawaradisai also said it is good for Pepperdine to be taking these precautions during the age of the #MeToo movement.

Step Up faculty are confident that this new addition to the program will affirm the university’s core Christian values of service, advocacy and leadership. Students

who complete their certificate will have the necessary tools and knowledge to prevent sexual misconduct that can be carried with them through their time at Pepperdine, while studying abroad and into their careers.

Students wanting to earn their certificate or hear more about the program can contact Allie McIntosh at allie. m c i nt o s h @ p e p p e rdine.edu, (310) 5064414.

AL LY.AR M STR ONG@PEPPER DINE.EDU

S EPTE M B E R 6, 2 0 1 8 | PE RS PE C TIVE S | P E P P E R D I N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Join a Pepp House Group Caroline archer p e r s p e c t i v e s a s s i s ta n t Editor

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor Students also gain key access to mentorship when they join a House Group, which “is crucial to students,” according to Robert Pendoley’s article “The Critical Importance of Mentors in the College Transition,” published July 25, 2017 by Psychology Today. The adults who participate are eager to offer guidance to students and offer a refreshing change of pace to students who are surrounded by peers of the same age for the majority of the day.

To an extent, students crave a sense of normalcy and routine.

House Groups are an opportunity for students to be a part of a consistent, reliable community.

They serve as a place to return to regardless of how life is going. Every two weeks, students get to access a refuge of sorts

and share as much or as little as they please. Within each House Group, a family dynamic is built. House groups are a space for students to put down roots and to make Pepperdine into a place that they can call home.

House Groups are open and beneficial to all students, regardless of if they claim a particular faith tradition.

While the discussions are often centered around faith, the atmosphere is never exclusive or judgmental. Students are encouraged to come as they are, and they can be honest about any doubts that they have.

House Groups are enhanced when people offer their authentic perspectives. For students who may not feel comfortable in a church, house groups offer an intermediate space, an infor-

mal sanctuary. They provide a setting where people can approach or simply learn about God without the need for ritual.

Signing up for a House Group is a worthwhile decision. The relationships founded in these communities are deep, enduring and life-giving. Not only can all students reap benefits from House Groups, they can also offer their own valuable contributions to others. Overall, House Groups are instrumental in making Pepperdine more like home.

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

Know when you need to say no

With the semester just beginning, campus is getting back to its normal, bustling self. Students are getting settled back into their routine, and clubs are advertising for new members.

A stereotype exists at Pepperdine that all students have to be heavily involved in events and activities.

While it is important to get out and try new things, it is also crucial that students understand the boundaries that keep them mentally and physically healthy.

Learning how to say no to people, events and commitments that will cause a lot of stress in the long run is critical to maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

Consider how much time is available outside of class. There are only 24 hours in a day, and while the list of tasks students need to complete may continue to grow, the time they have to do them will not.

Students should make sure that enough time is left for themselves in order to take breaks and

Prepare to study abroad

hadley biggs Abroad correspondant

As the school year begins, Pepperdine is abounding with opportunities to get involved and to create relationships.

Of the numerous options, House Groups are particularly successful when it comes to fostering community. Offered through Campus Ministry and the University Church, House Groups are groups of students, faculty and families that meet every other week to eat and to share about their lives. Students should join a House Group in order to access a consistent source of community and care.

In a House Group, students meet people they otherwise would not have, and bridges are built in unexpected ways. How often can a student studying English eat a meal prepared by a psychology professor? These diverse relationships are vital and valuable. Pepperdine is home to so many kinds of people, and House Groups provide the setting for all of them to come together.

Additionally, people of all ages participate in House Groups, adding to the diversity of friendships that are formed.

Both young and old benefit from intergenerational relationships, according to David Sturt’s article “Generational Differences: When They Matter, and When They Don’t,” published Aug. 16, 2016 by Forbes.

Gabr i e l l e M at h ys P er sp ec t ives ed itor

A7

power through the week more effectively. “By saying no, you open up the space necessary for yes,” wrote Camille Preston in her article “Why saying no gets you ahead,” published Aug. 19, 2014 by Fortune.

Another thing to think about when making a plan or commitment is how the activity impacts one emotionally.

Is the activity stressful or only being done to appease others? Take a step back and evaluate the purpose for participating in the event. If this is an activity that will not help a person and makes that person feel stressed, don’t do it.

“Answering with an assertive no instead of a submissive yes can help avoid the helplessness that promotes disease,” wrote Dr. Chris Gilbert in his article “When, Why and How to Say No,” published Aug. 29, 2016

by Psychology Today.

He went on to say that those who felt stressed by commitments became more susceptible to illness.

People should also know how to turn down others that have a negative impact on them. To maintain relationships, people sometimes sacrifice what they like for the sake of their friends.

Sometimes others take advantage of that — no give and all take, like when a person does everything for a friend

Ally Armstrong | Staff Artist while that friend does nothing in return.

A communication theory known as Social Exchange Theory states that “[people] take the benefits and subtract the costs in order to determine how much a relationship is worth,” according to Kendra Cherry’s article “Social Exchange Theory: How social exchange theory influences relationships,” published Feb. 11 by Very Well Mind.

Some may think that the

time that they invested so much already into the relationship means that it wouldn’t be worth it to drop it, but it will only create more problems later down the line.

Pepperdine students pride themselves on staying busy and loading their schedule with extracurriculars. However, learning to assertively say no is a skill that everyone should learn.

Being able to maintain self-set boundaries is important to develop and

define students’ personalities and their confidence in themselves.

Say yes to maintaining a healthy balance of activities and relationships by saying no to the things that won’t allow people to be their best selves.

GABBY.M ATHYS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

There are many emotions going into studying abroad, and this is how I am handling them.

Many Pepperdine sophomores such as myself are less than one week from traveling abroad. This year is expected to be the year of our lives, according to abroad alumni.

I have many emotions going into this year of studying abroad. It’ll be an exciting year with new places to visit and new foods to try. However, I am feeling anxious.

I never expected to feel anxious when I signed up to study abroad. I only expected to be excited, but as the date to leave for Florence gets closer, the more anxiety I feel. The thought of being halfway across the world in a completely new environment is what worries me most.

When I started Pepperdine, it was challenging moving to Malibu from my home in Arkansas.

Now, it will be a different continent with a new language and culture. That thought is overwhelming and isolating.

After talking to some of my friends, it turns out they are also feeling the same way about abroad.

Talking to them helped calm my nerves. We’re all going to be far from home and learning the ropes at a new place.

That does not mean abroad is going to be easy.

There will be challenges like culture shock and being homesick. Many abroad alumni have said they experienced those challenges, but they overcame them. The abroad experience changed who they were as people.

Lindsey Rust, a Lausanne alumna, said she experienced both when she went to study abroad.

“My challenges with missing America and the people I love there have already caused me to strengthen my view of other cultures, my faith, and most importantly, my sense of independence,” Rust said.

All of that being said, I am ready to start a new journey with Pepperdine.

In less than a day, I will be in Florence, Italy, most likely eating my bodyweight in pasta.

To get pumped for Florence, I used Skiplagged, Raileurope and Skyscanner to look at cheap ways to plan trips. Packing has also helped with getting excited. Thinking about where I am going to wear my clothes is making me even more ready to study abroad in Italy.

Planning trips and packing have been getting me really excited about the new memories to come and things to experience. The hardest part now is trying to fit all of my clothing in one suitcase.

HADL EY.BIGGS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

A6

pepper di ne-g r aphi c.com

The Graphic

s ept e m b e r 6 , 2 0 18

PERSPECTIVES STAFF LIST

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor

STAFF EDITORIAL Confront the desensitization of mass shootings Recently, mass shootings are almost commonplace in the United States. In 2017, the United States experienced 346 shootings, almost one a day, according to Courtland Jeffrey in his article “Mass shootings in the U.S: When, where they have occurred in 2018,” published Aug. 27 by ABC15 Arizona.

When news headlines announce that another took place, many people are numb to these killings. They admit that it’s sad and something should be done before they continue on with their lives as if nothing happened.

A mass shooting occurred at a Madden gaming tournament on Aug. 26 in Jackson, Florida, in the GLHF Game Bar. A player by the name of David “Bread” Katz opened fire on participants at the competition, leaving two dead and injuring 11 before ending his own life.

Twitch, a gaming social media site, streamed the competition.

The game footage filled most of the screen, and the corner of the video showed a small feed of the players and

their reactions. Before the shooting began, the event officials monitoring the feed removed the real-time reaction from the livestream, but the audio of the shots and screams still broadcasted on the internet.

After the shooting, people could access the footage directly before the incident and audio of the incident itself, bringing the public to question whether or not it was acceptable to show such graphic content. However, the real nature of these crimes needs to be revealed to the people so that they can understand the true horror of these atrocities and be moved to make a change, according to Matthew Grizzard’s study “Graphic Violence as Moral Motivator: The Effects of Graphically Violent content in the News,” published July 21, 2017 by the Journal of Mass Communication and Society.

Soon after the footage went online, Twitch took it down, citing their community policy on violence. However, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are still letting the video circulate,

allowing the video to be shared while adding a warning label.

“We allow graphic content (with some limitations) to help people raise awareness about issues. We know that people value the ability to discuss important issues like human rights abuses or acts of terrorism,” according to Facebook’s community standards on graphic violence. Which is the better way to handle this content?

The release of this content is controversial.

Yes, this footage contains graphic content and may be considered insensitive to the families of the victims of this tragedy. However, it is also important to show the truth of this shooting, and the public had the right to know what happened.

This video is something that the U.S. and the rest of the world needs to watch. They watched the previous shootings move across headlines as these events populated the news. The articles described atrocities that most can’t even imagine, so they don’t.

If they do try, they can

only picture these events based on their own limited knowledge.

The video footage puts a person in the shoes of those who experienced this tragedy.

Even though the visuals aren’t there after the shooting begins, viewers can see the laser sight of the shooter’s gun trained on Eli “trueboy” Clayton, one of the competitors, before the footage of the players is cut off.

Viewers can hear the gunshots and screams of both the players and the audience members as they try to scramble to safety.

When people watch the video, the Madden shooting is more than just the latest news notification on their phone or a passing topic of conversation. The livestream makes it real.

Watching it gives one chills and makes one think the thought “What if I were there?”

With a video like this, people outside of the situation can more accurately understand what it was like to be there.

“You can’t put [experiencing an event like this] into words. It’s not the stuff you see in movies…

there’s no place in the world for it,” an unidentified Madden competitor said in an interview with Global News.

Mass shootings in America are so commonplace that people barely blink when they see them on the news. The frequency of these tragedies dulls people’s senses to them. Now it is a fact of life that these dangers can and do happen to people, but people view these as tragedies as something that happens to other people. They don’t see themselves affected by the shootings.

This isn’t just an issue that affects those who are directly involved — this is a national problem. Use this opportunity to see these events for what they really are— shocking crimes against humanity— and understand what can be done to help bring these shootings to an end. As Grizzard wrote in his study on the subject, “Perhaps it is only through confronting tragedy and horror head on that we become motivated to put an end to it.”

MISSION STATEMENT

THE 'BU YORKER

1.

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

M anag i ng Ed i to r m a r i a va l e n te So c i al M ed i a M anag er c h a n n a ste i n m e tz P i x el Ed i to r ella gonzalez o nl i ne p r o d u c er o m a r m u r ph y G New s p r o d u c er sava n n a h w e l c h c o py c hi ef rya n h a r d i n g New s Ed i to r Madeleine Carr new s s eni o r r ep o r ter s m a ry c ate l o n g nicola wenz Ass i stant New s Ed i to r k a i yu w o n g New s As si s tant Da ly B r i ste r S p o r ts Ed i to r g r ac e w o o d P er s p ec ti v es Ed i to r ga b r i e l l e m ath ys As si s tant P er s p ec ti v es Ed i to r caroline archer L i fe & Ar ts Ed i to r C a r o l i n e e d wa r d s l i fe & ar ts seni o r r ep o r ter ella gonzalez L i fe & Ar ts Ass i stants H a i dyn H a rv e y A n a sta ssi a Ko sti n P ho to Ed i to r Kaelin mendez as si s tant p ho to ed i to r s Sa m a n th a Fi n n e ga n m i l a n l o i ac o n o Ar t Ed i to r c a i tl i n r oa r k C o py ed i to r s k i l e y d i ste l r ath pi pe r w r i g h t Adv er ti s i ng m anag er b e n h u ya r d D i r ec to r o f P ep p er d i ne G r ap hi c M ed i a E l i z a b e th Sm i th As si s tant D i r ec to r O f P ep p er d i ne G r ap hi c M ed i a Co u r te n ay Sta l l i n g s

2.

SGA passed a resolution to advocate for the change of the restrooms on the second floor of the HAWC to be converted into gender neutral restrooms.

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor

3.

“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.”

S EPTE M B E R 6, 2 0 1 8 | PE RS PE C TIVE S | P E P P E R D I N E G RA P H I C ME D I A

Join a Pepp House Group Caroline archer p e r s p e c t i v e s a s s i s ta n t Editor

Caitlin Roark | Art Editor Students also gain key access to mentorship when they join a House Group, which “is crucial to students,” according to Robert Pendoley’s article “The Critical Importance of Mentors in the College Transition,” published July 25, 2017 by Psychology Today. The adults who participate are eager to offer guidance to students and offer a refreshing change of pace to students who are surrounded by peers of the same age for the majority of the day.

To an extent, students crave a sense of normalcy and routine.

House Groups are an opportunity for students to be a part of a consistent, reliable community.

They serve as a place to return to regardless of how life is going. Every two weeks, students get to access a refuge of sorts

and share as much or as little as they please. Within each House Group, a family dynamic is built. House groups are a space for students to put down roots and to make Pepperdine into a place that they can call home.

House Groups are open and beneficial to all students, regardless of if they claim a particular faith tradition.

While the discussions are often centered around faith, the atmosphere is never exclusive or judgmental. Students are encouraged to come as they are, and they can be honest about any doubts that they have.

House Groups are enhanced when people offer their authentic perspectives. For students who may not feel comfortable in a church, house groups offer an intermediate space, an infor-

mal sanctuary. They provide a setting where people can approach or simply learn about God without the need for ritual.

Signing up for a House Group is a worthwhile decision. The relationships founded in these communities are deep, enduring and life-giving. Not only can all students reap benefits from House Groups, they can also offer their own valuable contributions to others. Overall, House Groups are instrumental in making Pepperdine more like home.

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

Know when you need to say no

With the semester just beginning, campus is getting back to its normal, bustling self. Students are getting settled back into their routine, and clubs are advertising for new members.

A stereotype exists at Pepperdine that all students have to be heavily involved in events and activities.

While it is important to get out and try new things, it is also crucial that students understand the boundaries that keep them mentally and physically healthy.

Learning how to say no to people, events and commitments that will cause a lot of stress in the long run is critical to maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

Consider how much time is available outside of class. There are only 24 hours in a day, and while the list of tasks students need to complete may continue to grow, the time they have to do them will not.

Students should make sure that enough time is left for themselves in order to take breaks and

Prepare to study abroad

hadley biggs Abroad correspondant

As the school year begins, Pepperdine is abounding with opportunities to get involved and to create relationships.

Of the numerous options, House Groups are particularly successful when it comes to fostering community. Offered through Campus Ministry and the University Church, House Groups are groups of students, faculty and families that meet every other week to eat and to share about their lives. Students should join a House Group in order to access a consistent source of community and care.

In a House Group, students meet people they otherwise would not have, and bridges are built in unexpected ways. How often can a student studying English eat a meal prepared by a psychology professor? These diverse relationships are vital and valuable. Pepperdine is home to so many kinds of people, and House Groups provide the setting for all of them to come together.

Additionally, people of all ages participate in House Groups, adding to the diversity of friendships that are formed.

Both young and old benefit from intergenerational relationships, according to David Sturt’s article “Generational Differences: When They Matter, and When They Don’t,” published Aug. 16, 2016 by Forbes.

Gabr i e l l e M at h ys P er sp ec t ives ed itor

A7

power through the week more effectively. “By saying no, you open up the space necessary for yes,” wrote Camille Preston in her article “Why saying no gets you ahead,” published Aug. 19, 2014 by Fortune.

Another thing to think about when making a plan or commitment is how the activity impacts one emotionally.

Is the activity stressful or only being done to appease others? Take a step back and evaluate the purpose for participating in the event. If this is an activity that will not help a person and makes that person feel stressed, don’t do it.

“Answering with an assertive no instead of a submissive yes can help avoid the helplessness that promotes disease,” wrote Dr. Chris Gilbert in his article “When, Why and How to Say No,” published Aug. 29, 2016

by Psychology Today.

He went on to say that those who felt stressed by commitments became more susceptible to illness.

People should also know how to turn down others that have a negative impact on them. To maintain relationships, people sometimes sacrifice what they like for the sake of their friends.

Sometimes others take advantage of that — no give and all take, like when a person does everything for a friend

Ally Armstrong | Staff Artist while that friend does nothing in return.

A communication theory known as Social Exchange Theory states that “[people] take the benefits and subtract the costs in order to determine how much a relationship is worth,” according to Kendra Cherry’s article “Social Exchange Theory: How social exchange theory influences relationships,” published Feb. 11 by Very Well Mind.

Some may think that the

time that they invested so much already into the relationship means that it wouldn’t be worth it to drop it, but it will only create more problems later down the line.

Pepperdine students pride themselves on staying busy and loading their schedule with extracurriculars. However, learning to assertively say no is a skill that everyone should learn.

Being able to maintain self-set boundaries is important to develop and

define students’ personalities and their confidence in themselves.

Say yes to maintaining a healthy balance of activities and relationships by saying no to the things that won’t allow people to be their best selves.

GABBY.M ATHYS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

There are many emotions going into studying abroad, and this is how I am handling them.

Many Pepperdine sophomores such as myself are less than one week from traveling abroad. This year is expected to be the year of our lives, according to abroad alumni.

I have many emotions going into this year of studying abroad. It’ll be an exciting year with new places to visit and new foods to try. However, I am feeling anxious.

I never expected to feel anxious when I signed up to study abroad. I only expected to be excited, but as the date to leave for Florence gets closer, the more anxiety I feel. The thought of being halfway across the world in a completely new environment is what worries me most.

When I started Pepperdine, it was challenging moving to Malibu from my home in Arkansas.

Now, it will be a different continent with a new language and culture. That thought is overwhelming and isolating.

After talking to some of my friends, it turns out they are also feeling the same way about abroad.

Talking to them helped calm my nerves. We’re all going to be far from home and learning the ropes at a new place.

That does not mean abroad is going to be easy.

There will be challenges like culture shock and being homesick. Many abroad alumni have said they experienced those challenges, but they overcame them. The abroad experience changed who they were as people.

Lindsey Rust, a Lausanne alumna, said she experienced both when she went to study abroad.

“My challenges with missing America and the people I love there have already caused me to strengthen my view of other cultures, my faith, and most importantly, my sense of independence,” Rust said.

All of that being said, I am ready to start a new journey with Pepperdine.

In less than a day, I will be in Florence, Italy, most likely eating my bodyweight in pasta.

To get pumped for Florence, I used Skiplagged, Raileurope and Skyscanner to look at cheap ways to plan trips. Packing has also helped with getting excited. Thinking about where I am going to wear my clothes is making me even more ready to study abroad in Italy.

Planning trips and packing have been getting me really excited about the new memories to come and things to experience. The hardest part now is trying to fit all of my clothing in one suitcase.

HADL EY.BIGGS@PEPPER DINE.EDU

A8

P E P P E R DIN E GR A P H IC M E DIA | N E W S | SE P T E MB E R 6 , 20 1 8

Julianna Lauro | Guest Contributor Women Lead | University Chaplain Sara Barton speaks last spring in front of the Southern California Egalitatian Worship Project.

The group works to offer leadership opportunities to women in Churches of Christ. The group consists of members from several Churches of Christ in the surrounding area.

Worship project elevates women to lead Photo by Lindsey Sullivan

l indsey sul livan g u es t contr i butor The Southern California Egalitarian Worship Project recently marked its first complete year of worship services, since beginning in August 2017.

Members of several Churches of Christ churches in the area came together to create SCEWP to offer women who are interested opportunities to lead and serve in worship services. Meetings are held about once every six weeks, during the academic year, at St. Aidan’s church in Malibu.

The people behind SCEWP created it to provide women the opportunity to use their voices and practice their gifts in the same way that men are able to, said Falon Opsahl Barton, who previously worked for the Graphic.

“The goal of SCEWP is not to church plant,” Barton said. “It is not to uproot any of the local Churches of Christ. That was never the goal of SCEWP, it was to have a place where people tired of waiting [for full female inclusion] could not wait.”

All of the speakers thus far for SCEWP are women who have a connection to Pepperdine. They include Chaplain Sara Barton, Religion Professor Kindalee De Long, the Chaplain’s Office Assistant Director Lauren Begert, former Religion graduate student Falon Opsahl Barton, Associate Dean of Students Connie Horton and former Associate Chaplain Jen Christy.

“I realized in the middle of the service how accustomed I had become to seeing all men and then one woman as a part of the service,” Begert said in reference to the service at

which she preached. “And to see all women and one male, the exact opposite, was really life-giving to me.”

Some Churches of Christ hesitate to move forward The role of women in the church has been a hot debate in the Churches of Christ community, creating challenges for women. One of these is that some churches interpret scripture as limiting women’s leadership. Others might interpret scripture as affirming women’s leadership but still believe in the idea of male headship, thus preventing a woman from becoming a pastor or elder.

However, De Long, the first female tenured Religion professor at Pepperdine and among all Church of Christ affiliated institutions, said she finds no theological reason for limiting women in the church.

“I think we should throw out the idea of what women should be allowed to do,” De Long said.

“Instead we should think about what the theology of leadership that we see in scripture is, and ask does that even lead us to ask that question? And I don’t think it does. I think that the theology of leadership that we see in scripture is that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to people and that we lead from those gifts. There is no place in scripture that states that gifts are divided by gender.

So if women have leadership gifts, then the church should be welcoming those leadership gifts without limit.”

Some Church of Christ congregations prefer not to move toward the inclusion of women in leadership because although they believe scripture affirms women to lead, they also be-

lieve their church is not yet ready for the change and don’t want to create a divide among the members within a congregation.

Campus Minister Linda Truschke, who has ministered to students at Pepperdine for over 20 years, commented on this hesitation within the Churches of Christ.

“We know that this is right and scriptural but if our church isn’t ready for that, we’re not just going to flip everything and have half of our church leave and not take care of our church families,” Truschke said. “There is potential for us to lose families because of such a big shift.”

Moving forward Churches of Christ

in

the

While there still remains a divide in the church over women’s leadership roles, history points toward progress for the Church of Christ.

“There were women ordained in churches that would eventually help form the Stone-Campbell movement as early as the 1870s and 1880s,” Associate Professor of History Loretta Hunnicutt said. “It doesn’t become super mainstream until the 1960s, where there is a push for admitting women into the theological schools. But even to this day it is still not equal. A lot of people think this is brand new, this angst over gender roles, but this has been an issue for a long time.”

Despite the disagreement in church communities, many like Sara Barton said they hold onto the hope that unity can be established for both men and women in the Church of Christ.

“It is my hope that instead of giving into that polarization, we in the Churches of Christ can gain imagination for a third way,” Barton said. “That is what I would like to be helpful in leading, in being in fellowship with one another even if we don’t always agree. There have always been challenges to unity, and we need to figure out how to be the church even if we don’t all agree with each other.

Because if we wait until everyone agrees, we will never do the work of the church.”

The hope of leaders The University Church of Christ decided to make the shift for women to participate in public roles in the church in 1998, Truschke said. This includes reading scripture, leading communion and now delivering sermons. Other churches in the area have since followed suit. Camarillo Church of Christ and Culver Palms Church of Christ affirm women in all aspects of the public church roles and even guest preach, with Culver Palms having two women, Sheila Bost and Vicenta Jacobs, currently serving as church elders. Dean of Enrollment Management Kristy Collins serves as a director at Camarillo Church of Christ. The leadership role is similar to a traditional elder.

De Long said Conejo Valley Church of Christ also considered the nomination of a female elder in months past, but ultimately decided that although women serving as elders was scripturally sound, the church wasn’t ready for the change.

Women serve in most other capacities at Conejo.

“There is such a gap between

a church like Conejo, or Culver, or Camarillo, or University Church and churches like the one that I grew up in, that still very much exist, that really believe that women shouldn’t be doing any spiritual leadership of any kind,” De Long said.

By creating an environment where women are free to utilize their gifts, SCEWP has been a part of closing this gap for the members of their various congregations.

“Women who preach always have the burden of knowing that someone sitting there might be thinking ‘you shouldn’t be doing this,’” De Long said. “There even have been people who have stood up in the middle of women’s sermons and protested, said something, or walked out. What is lovely about SCEWP is you know that’s not going to happen.”

Because of the slow change, some women have considered and have ultimately left the Churches of Christ to join a church denomination that embraces their gifts. But Pepperdine’s first chaplain, D’esta Love, said she and others feel a calling to remain in their church despite challenges to their leadership.

“Some women like myself and Sara Barton feel it is better to stay in the Church of Christ in order to be a part of effecting change,” Love said. “It is a slow process but progress is being made toward women being involved in all religious activities.”

SCEWP plans to continue meeting in the future to be a part of the change they hope to see in the Church of Christ.

L INDSEY.SUL L IVAN@PEPPER DINE.EDU

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S eptember 6, 2018

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LIFE & ARTS

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Photos by Kaelin Mendez Express Yourself | The Fredrick R. Weisman Museum’s latest exhibit, 50 Years of Art and Popular Culture, is filled with colorful sculptures and paintings. The diverse artistic lineup includes work from artists including Keith Haring and James Rosenquist and will be on display until Dec. 2.

Weisman unveils 50 years of Pop art El l a G onzalez s eni or re p orte r

The Weisman Museum’s new exhibition Pop! celebrates 50 Years of Art & Popular Culture from the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation. The exhibit, open from Aug. 28 to Dec. 2, features a panoply of works by a diverse lineup of artists who draw upon the influence of mass media and daily life on visual culture.

Museum Director Michael Zakian elaborated on the content of the exhibit.

“It begins with some vintage examples of Pop art, but continues beyond that movement to look at how subsequent generations of artists drew inspiration from popular culture,” Zakian said.

Upon immediate entrance to the museum, one of the most striking pieces is James Rosenquist’s “Bacon.”

A variety of seemingly disparate images comprise the former billboard painter’s piece: The titular “bacon” that comes off the canvas, an electrical switch covered in oil, a ballerina and an ambiguous image of what could either be a hat or a birthday cake. A candle shaped like a light bulb stands on top of the canvas, the wax dripping down the middle of the piece.

Zakian commented that the media facilitated these combinations of disparate moments. The disjointed images, according to Zakian, might be thought of as an analogy for live TV in the 60s in which merely turning the dial could transport viewers into var-

ious stories and worlds, reflecting the potency of the media.

“In the 1960s, people’s lives were being transformed by the media,” Zakian said. “There was an explosion of print magazines, an explosion of television because while television was around in the 50s, most people couldn’t afford to watch it. It wasn’t until the early 60s that television started appearing in most average people’s lives.”

The rest of the show is organized thematically, ranging from money and capitalism, which features a suitcase consisting of a facsimile of a million dollars cash, to the stereotypical office environment.

One of the most compelling themes in the exhibit is about American myths and features what Zakian describes as various cartoons including “Pinocchio,” “Supergirl,” “Bob’s Big Boy” and “Spiderman” that speaks to a facet of American culture that continues to permeate the 21st century.

“When you study ancient classical mythology of Greece and Rome, you learn about Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite, but we as Americans have our own myths,” Zakian said.

Aaron McNamee’s “Complete Year Valiant Comics, August 1993-1994,” is one of the most salient pieces in this group because of the artist’s innovative technique. As the title suggests, the artist layered a year’s worth of comics and sanded down the surface so viewers may see the layers.

“It’s almost like being an archaeologist, going through layers of strata to get to the earlier layers,” Zakian said.

Beyond the more uplifting theme of American myths, the exhibition also grapples with the issue of stereotypes.

One of the pieces embodying this theme, “Gray Hitchhiker” by Michelangelo Pistoletto, consists of a photo etching of a hitchhiker on a mirror, an interactive artwork in which the viewer becomes part of the hitchhiker’s world, according to Zakian.

The theme of stereotypes is further explored through Yoram Wolberger’s “Indian 2 (Bowman),” a toy Native American blown up to monumental proportions and Alison van Pelt’s “Spotted Jack-Rabbit (Hot Pink Background).”

The Los Angeles artist Pelt took a photograph of a 19th-century Native American leader and rendered it in silver-and-gray spray paint against a neon background to create a ghostly image.

“She captures that feel of a 19th-century photograph and makes a comment about how Native American culture has disappeared,” Zakian said.

Of the more recognizable artists in terms of global renown is Keith Haring with his piece “Untitled,” picturing his typical characters with outstretched arms emerging from a bowl-like receptacle.

“He developed this language of simple symbols that feel like hieroglyphs or cuneiform or writing from some ancient civilization,” Zakian said. “The shapes seem abstract, but when you step back, you can see an image.”

Haring’s work provides a contrast to RETNA’s (Marquis Lewis) “Escribo” at

the beginning of the exhibition whose abstract graffiti evokes what Zakian describes as a “retro” feeling, despite being created in 2011.

Upstairs in the museum, visitors are acquainted with a variety of playful images, including but not limited to, a breakdancing dog, bullets in the form of carrots, a manhole Oreo and Yayoi Kusama’s famous polka-dotted pumpkins.

Wedged between the breakdancing dog and a large canvas of Hostess Cupcakes is a wall devoted to the theme of the office. This side features Claes Oldenburg’s anachronistic “Typewriter Eraser,” Michael Speaker’s “Team Xerox” depicting a man Xeroxing his head and Keung Szeto’s “Art Work,” a bulletin board rendered in the photorealist style that blurs the line between reality and fiction. Trying to distinguish between what is painted and what is real is a near herculean task.

There’s also Masaaki Sato’s “Newsstand, No. 28,” which pictures just that. The newsstand is comprised of all its typical accouterments, but the text on some of the magazines and newspapers is backward, presenting an almost disorienting puzzle for the viewer.

There are other pieces that might be talked about at length, including Richard Artschwager’s “Exclamation Point” and Roger Brown’s “Saguaro’s Revenge.” The range of subject matter and periods reflects the diversity and resilience of the movement.

EL L A.GONZAL EZ@PEPPER DINE.EDU

Complimentary Colors | The latest exhibit includes a colorful display of sculptures, including a breakdancing dog, a smashed Orange Crush can and a wooden man connected to a copy machine to name a few. The show is organized thematically, ranging from capitalism to office environments.

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PEPP E R DINE GR A P HIC M E DIA | L IFE A N D A RTS | S E P T E MB E R 6 , 20 1 8

Photos by Sam Finnegan Rock the Night Away | The class of 2019 returns to the Brock House Aug. 30 for the annual Rock the Brock event, four years after attending My Tie, now renamed the President’s Reception. Seniors reconnected with old friends and roommates, took photos and danced to AKB’s band’s soul and blues.

Seniors rock out for AKB’s last Rock the Brock O m ar mu rp hy seni or re p orte r The class of 2019 kicked off their final year in style with Rock the Brock Thursday, Aug. 30.

Seniors shuttled up to the Brock House for the annual senior year kickoff party hosted by President Andrew K. Benton. All students who attended the event were entered into a raffle pool for an assortment of prizes and signed a guitar that would be one of the grand prizes.

Trevor Sytsma said it was a night that brought his Pepperdine story fullcircle. “It brought back so much nostalgia from My Tie freshman year,” Sytsma said.

The night was reminiscent of their first week on campus as freshmen attending My Tie, later renamed the President’s Reception.

“Everyone who was a stranger then has become a familiar face now, and I love that AKB provides an experience for us that brings our Pepperdine journey fullcircle,” Sytsma said.

As they began to arrive via shuttle, students greeted old friends, abroad housemates and new faces in anticipation for the event. The combination of

business casual outfits mixed with the view of the ocean and Malibu served as a picturesque backdrop for group photos and selfies.

The party moved to Benton’s backyard and students snacked on mini appetizers as more of their classmates arrived. Most students discussed their summer breaks and first few days of classes. There was no shortage of taking pictures as the sun set over the mountains, creating an atmosphere that needed no filter.

However, the night wasn’t all talk and photos. The Mesa Peak Band, led

by Benton, started playing tunes, and it wasn’t long before students hit the dance floor. According to the band, the Class of 2019 was the fastest group to rush to the dance floor. “I think we broke the record for getting students on the dance floor,” they said. The melodies and nostalgic classics were infectious, and the dance floor was packed.

Students had tambourines and maracas to play along as the band jammed out.

Between songs, the band announced the winners of the various raffle prizes.

Lucky students walked away with individual loot like Apple EarPods, a GoPro, alumni apparel and more. While the smaller winnings were distribut-

ed throughout the night, all students kept their eyes on the grand prize: the Waves of Relief awards and the guitar signed by the class of 2019. Drew Fisher walked away with the big winnings of the $5,000 award, while Julia Howe and Elizabeth Hsueh claimed the $2,000 winnings. Cate Chapman was the lucky winner of the Class of 2019 guitar.

As the winners went off with their spoils, the party didn’t stop there. The band continued to perform hit songs like “Pretty Woman,” “The Middle,” “One Way or Another” and “Shake it Off.” Students showed off their dance moves and swung the night away.

A conga line formed; and students hopped on stage to sing and dance with the band.

Jessica Dimaano said the event was time well spent. “It was most excellent and very exciting, especially since it’s our and AKB’s last year,” Dimaano said.

The event also prompted some forethought, “Seeing everyone is a reminder to make the most of this last year together.”

While the purpose of the event was to jumpstart the final year for the class of 2019, it was also a reminder of AKB’s last year as President. In the spring, Benton announced that he would be

stepping down from his role at the end of this school year. The university has appointed a search committee to find a replacement for the following year.

With Benton transitioning out of his role, there are questions about the continuation of Pepperdine traditions.

While the community anxiously waits for news regarding the Presidential search, there is uncertainty about the preservation of events like the Rock the Brock and the President’s Reception. “I hope this kind of event continues into the future but would love to see a new president who makes it distinctly his own, in the way AKB has fashioned Rock the Brock,” Trevor Sytsma said.

Despite the uncertainties regarding the future, Pepperdine seniors made the most of their time rocking out with AKB. Becky Want got up on stage with the band during one of their songs.

“I got up on stage to play tambourine with him, it was bittersweet,” Want said. Want said she felt a connection between the senior class and AKB, “He wants to make the most of this last year, so we have a mutual understanding about the last year great being great.”

OMAR.MURPHY@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Photo courtesy of Kelly Lee Barrett

One Last Time | The Mesa Peak Band, led by AKB, with Jeff Pippin, Logan Carroll and Chris Stivers, rocks out one last time, as AKB will be stepping down next year. Students gathered on the dance floor with tambourines, sang along to “Shake It Off” and danced their feet off during the two-hour event.

PEPP E R DINE GR A P HIC M E DIA | L IFE A N D A RTS | S E P T E MB E R 6 , 20 1 8

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Photos Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures Photo Courtesy of Leah Taylor Got Ink?| Junior Leah Taylor shows off her wrist tattoo with the verse Isaiah 46:4. Taylor, along with other students, chose to get a biblical verse or a symbol with religious meaning as a tattoo; however, the tattoo culture on campus comes in all shapes and sizes with diverse designs.

Students discuss tattoo culture at Pepp anastass ia kostin Li f e and art s assista n t The stigma of tattooing has changed over the years, with more celebrities spotted sporting ink than simply gangsters or religious devotees. At universities, especially Christian campuses like Pepperdine, the tattoo culture remains ever-changing.

Young people with tattoos are increasingly on the rise. Four out of 10 U.S. adults ages 18 to 69 have at least one tattoo, and 25 percent of respondents have multiple tattoo pieces, according to a 2017 survey done by Statista.

Just as there are multiple styles of tattoos, from Traditional and Tribal to New School and Neo Traditional, Pepperdine’s tattoo culture is diverse and colorful.

One can find small, hidden symbols and verses on one end of the spectrum to full-on sleeves and back pieces on the other.

For example, junior Leah Taylor hosts tattoos that are less visible. When she was just 17 years old, Taylor got a tattoo on her wrist that reads “Isaiah 46:4” and the phrase, “She laughs without fear of the future” in Arabic, from Proverbs 21:25.

“They help remind me to be in the present and just be happy and stop fearing the future because God holds it in his hands,” Taylor said. “He will sustain me, He will carry me and, most importantly, He will rescue me. They remind me that God is there for me in every aspect.”

Sophomore Josh Gunara said he believes getting a tattoo comes down to relaying a message.

“Times change, tattoos are getting more and more prevalent, but cultural tattoos have always been expressive of what people are, a symbol,” Gunara said. “It all goes back to being expressive. It’s visible; people see it. You can get a tattoo that’s not necessarily tied to something because you’re just trying to tell people something about yourself.”

Photo courtesy of Jake Kim

Derek De Coudres, former Chicago tattoo artist and tattoo collector, has tattooed people of all races and creeds.

Currently residing in Los Angeles, De Courdes has multiple tattoos with cultural value, including a neck tattoo done by Jewish people in Israel.

“Tattoos are more of a fashion statement now and a way of self expression than what they meant in early human history,” De Coudres said. “The West definitely cares more about that than ‘old rules’ in a book, unfortunately.”

However, many Pepperdine students find their tattoos relating to Christianity comforting or even representative of their faith journeys.

“Mine are both biblical,” Taylor said.

“To me, they were reminders of my faith, you know?”

Junior Dani Villaruz got her first tattoo as a representation of her faith as well. It reads, “God is within her; she will not fall.”

“I struggled with my faith during the hard times I had in high school, and every time I see it, it reminds me God is still with me, even in the hard times,” Villaruz said.

Aside from religious values, tattoos also serve as a reflection of personal or cultural values.

Senior Deryk Schlessinger, who has served in the military for six years and as a firefighter and paramedic for four years, reflected on his tattoo sleeve and how the meanings behind the tattoos have changed.

“They have a temporal meaning to me,” Schlessinger said. “When I got them they had deep significance; they were who I was at 21. A wild rambunctious soldier. Does that translate to me now? No. I mean, I got ‘Love hurts’ from when I was 18 in an emo phase - that’s nonsensical. It’s who I was, and you just kind of come to terms with that.”

Taylor reflected on tattoos falling victim to cultural appropriation.

“The only time I see it as a negative thing is if you think it’s ugly on someone from that culture or of a particular ethnicity, but then someone who is not a minority does it, and it becomes a fad,” Taylor said. “If you truly under-

stand it [the cultural or religious meaning behind the tattoo], that’s different, but if you just think it ‘looks pretty,’ that’s a problem.”

Schlessinger said he also sees cultural appropriation of tattoos as a huge issue, especially as related to religious or cultural symbols.

“These symbols have deep intrinsic value to many cultures ... cultures that have endured hardships in some fashion from colonization or Westernization,” Schlessinger said. “A white kid getting one of these symbols for the sake of fashion is extremely self serving and in a way thoughtless and unkind.”

Freshman Jake Kim has a total of 15 tattoos, most of which are in visible spots.

“People will stare, but they won’t say anything,” Kim said. “But I don’t care because I think your tattoo is for you, not anyone else.”

All the students interviewed said they believe that tattoos at Pepperdine will become increasingly accepted and normalized.

“I see more and more tattoos here and there,” Schlessinger said. “I see the tattoo culture here expanding. I see it being tasteful and people respecting each other. Everyone that gets a tattoo 100% percent has to understand there will be consequences and mitigate that. Be open about it, and if you get a negative response, cover it up. There’s something disingenuous about hiding them [without any negative reactions].”

Taylor said she believes Pepperdine’s more accepting attitude toward tattoos is due to it being more liberal than other Christian universities.

“Some colleges are full-on Christian colleges, but here it’s a lot more liberal, and we have people of all faiths,” said Taylor. “I don’t think anybody really has a problem with it.”

Regarding job prospects, students are more wary. There is a tendency for students interviewed to choose spots easily coverable over more prominent placements like fingers, hands, neck and the face.

Photo courtesy of Deryk Schlessinger

Currently, an employer is able to enforce a no-visible tattoo policy if it is compliant with their government’s discrimination law. Only a few locales prohibit “personal appearance” discrimination, including Santa Cruz, California and Washington D.C. Gunara addressed his underlying fear of the consequences of tattoos.

“I’d rather just hide them to not face any potential problems,” Gunara said.

Villaruz explained her reasons for choosing placements for both of her tattoos that can be easily covered up.

“I want to go to medical school, and I know they still care about professional presentation, including tattoos,” Villaruz said. “I think they are not as strict as they used to be in this field, but I know they still care.”

Schlessinger, who has already had professional work experience, explained how tattoos can be part of a work culture.

“Getting tattoos is part of the veteran culture,” Schlessinger said. “A lot of guys do traditional or Japanese art.

It’s the idea of being outside popular culture and being part of a community that’s more aggressive, if you may, so that’s where these tattoos come from.

You’re counter-cultural even though you’re part of the armed wing of the government. You’re not taking the path easily traversed, and the tattoos reflect that.”

For Taylor, her placement of tattoos has to do with the still-existing stigmas, especially with the older generation.

“If they don’t want to hire me because of my tattoos, that’s their problem,” Taylor said. “But I also sometimes think, ‘I’m already mixed race, a woman and from the Caribbean, so do I really want to add another stigma?’”

Gunara gave some words of advice to those with tattoos, or those considering getting some ink.

“Just do what you want, man. Paint yourself the way you want to be seen.”

NASTASSIA.KOSTIN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Photo courtesy of Leah Taylor

Prominent to Almost Invisible | Pepperdine students Jake Kim (left), Deryk Schellsinger (center) and Leah Taylor (right) show off their hidden tattoos. Students placed their ink in easily covered places so their tattoos do not affect future job prospects, due to the lingering stigma regarding tattoos in the work place.

Courtesy of Dani Villaruz

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PEPP E R DINE GR A P HIC M E DIA | L IFE A N D A RTS | S E P T E MB E R 6 , 20 1 8

ARTIST CORNER: ROWLAND EVANS

Photos Courtesy of Corey Fitzgerald A Balancing Act | Roland Evens spends his days creating music. The accomplished music producer has finally found a balance in his creative and academic life at Pepperdine as he continues to pursue his dream of becoming a music producer.

Jam es Mo o r e Staf f w r i ter For junior Rowland Evans, high school was always a battle between pursuing his dream of becoming a music producer and getting his schoolwork done.

“I’ve been making music since I was 13 years old, playing in night clubs since I was 14, traveling the country by 1516 for shows, and during that time, my whole relationship with my high school was a negative thing,” Evans said. “It was like ‘Oh, you’re not getting your schoolwork done.’”

Evans, an Orlando native, is an English major at Pepperdine. He spent the past two years making songs for several different record labels, including collaborations with DallasK, Milo and Otis and Henry Fong. His songs can be found on

Spotify and SoundCloud under the username “RowlandEvans.”

For the first time since becoming a music producer, Evans said he feels comfortable in his academic situation.

“I never felt like my high school was really supporting what I was doing,” Evans said. “But when I came to Pepperdine I got a personal note from the Dean of Admissions that said ‘I’m so excited for you to come and see what you can do with music at our school.’ That was the first time my work was being applauded by an institution, and I felt valued because of it.

That was special.”

Due to the typically late-night hours of night clubs, where Evans did a lot of his shows, he adopted a bizarre sleep schedule from the outset.

“There were a lot of nights in middle school

and high school that I didn’t get to play until, like, 1 a.m. on a Wednesday night,” Evans said.

“I’d get home at 3 in the morning and I’d have to be at school at 7:30 a.m.

So I’d shower, drink a bunch of coffee, then go off to school. I wasn’t getting paid much, but I had to bust my butt so people would know who I was.”

Evans got his start in middle school when he began to research how his favorite songs were made. “When I was 14, this friend knew a guy, Chris Bushnell, that DJ’d in downtown Orlando at a night club,” Evans said.

“I hit him up on Facebook every single week, but he kept curving me. Eventually he responded, like, ‘alright, come at 9 p.m.’

So I showed up before anyone was there, but I was wearing shorts and Sperry’s ... to a nightclub ... it was so stupid.”

After returning ev-

ery week in appropriate attire, which included black skinny jeans and sneakers, Rowland said he learned the rules of the club and eventually became a frequent performer there. “Chris became my greatest mentor and one of my best friends,” Evans said.

“He’s also how I met everyone I’ve collaborated with. I was always just the young kid. I tagged along with them, went to Miami with them when they were playing there, and then I started getting booked in Miami.”

Evans describes the music he creates as “pulsating” and “quirky,” and said he likes to live his life the same way. He shows his personality on stage and in the recording studio by often wearing sports jerseys and flatrim hats. Evans stands when he works, dancing in place and sometimes leaning down to look at

his computer through apartment, that’s where retro spectacles. it’s gonna go down now,” “There’s this path Evans said. His mix-deck that’s pre-made, and if is now accompanied by Courtesy of Becca Brackett you’re notPhotos going down it, a 24-inch monitor and a you’re somehow a coun- stereo system, a step up terculturist,” Evans said. from his days of making “But in reality, the people songs out of his humble who are actually creating dorm room. the stuff that everybody Doing well in school loves, they’re living very and being successful in differently from the rest music can sometimes be of society.” mutually exclusive, but For the past last two Evans, fortified by his years, in the various high school experience, dorm rooms he’s lived said he is not dissuaded. in at Pepperdine, Evans “The only reason I’ve kept only one thing on gotten where I am, I’m his desk: a mix-deck. not saying I’ve made it, “Working out of a dorm but it’s because I have is terrible,” Evans said. refused to quit,” Evans “I mean, I made a bunch said. “I’ve met so many of music in my dorm the people over the years last couple of years, but I who started making muwas always keeping my sic and then people start roommates up. It’s just a giving them crap, and major creative damper.” they just stop. They give This semester, Evans up on their dreams. I’m moved to an off-campus not gonna do that.” apartment where he has In the time being for his own room which he Evans, it’s back to the “tricked out” to be a pro- mix-deck. duction studio. “My new JAMES.MOORE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Paper straws encourage sustainability Haidy n harvey Li f e & Ar ts A ssista n t The new paper straws that appeared at the campus Starbucks evoked great debate, pushing the conversation of sustainability further. However, students think more can be done to keep the world clean and pristine.

Paper straws are the result of a Starbucks announcement made earlier this summer, promising to phase out plastic straws from their stores. Malibu also passed a ban on single-use plastic in restaurants, which went into effect June 1.

Senior Brooke Gundersen suggests bypassing the paper straws by using more sustainable metal ones.

“It would be a good alternative to the horrible paper straws and would lower the demand for plastic straws,” Gundersen said.

Senior and co-president of the GreenTeam, Lizzy Lebleu, also prefers metal straws over the paper ones.

“I just bought eight metal straws on Amazon for like $6, and that is so much more convenient when you’re like going to Starbucks and you don’t want your straw to like dissolve,” Lebleu said.

Lebleu also recommends purchasing a reusable water bottle and turning off the lights when leaving a room.

“I mean you’ve heard it a thousand times but it really isn’t just the environment, it’s cost effective and you’ll notice that in your own life it’s better for you to just invest in something that might be more expensive like a Hydroflask and then to have that pay-

off sooner rather than later as time goes on,” Lebleu said.

Senior Lauren Allard practices sustainable living by using LED light bulbs.

“LED light bulbs are more expensive, but ultimately they lead to less excess heat emitted and cut down on energy usage,” Allard said.

Senior Alden Bettencourt suggests making coffee runs sustainable by carrying around a personal to-go mug.

“It might seem like a hassle but honestly you typically get a discount most places you go when you do that so it’s a win-win,” Bettencourt said. “I think it’s a simple switch once you get into a routine of bringing it with you, and it’s another fun way to express yourself and get a cool cup.”

When it comes to the new paper straws, Bettencourt feels the drama is unnecessary.

“I think people are kind of blowing it out of proportion,” Bettencourt said.

“Like, it’s not that big of a life switch.

Straws are a piece of technology that was invented to make life simpler so you can live without it. Or you can find another solution.”

LeBleu believes the paper straws are a small but important step forward.

“Although a lot of the environmental issues we have lie in the hands of big corporations, individual things do matter and that is a big step towards good stuff.”

Students interested in learning more can visit the Pepperdine GreenTeam for more information.

H A I DY N . H A RV E Y @P E P P E RD I N E .

Photo by Sherry Yang Photo by Sherry Yang

Maria Valente | Life & Arts Assistant

Photo by Sam Finnegan Photo by Sam Finnegan Going Green |Freshman Heidi Han sips her drink with a paper straw outside of Starbucks. Malibu’s ban on single-use plastic in restaurants went into effect June 1.

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S E P T E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 8 | S PORTS | P E P P E R DINE G RA P H I C ME D I A

Former Oregon Ducks get fresh start at Pepp Jacob Resendiz S Ta f f W r i t e r Recent transfers from the University of Oregon, juniors Keith Smith and M.J. Cage, agree there’s no better place to start fresh than sunny Malibu.

“The campus is amazing and the view is hard to beat especially coming from rainy Oregon,” Cage said.

Smith went as far as to say the Malibu weather improves his day to day feelings.

“The sun every day is great. [Malibu] changes your mood, you wake up in a better space,” Smith said.

Forwards Smith and Cage arrived during a busy summer of new acquisitions for the Men’s Basketball team, a summer that also saw Pepperdine lose guard Trae Berhow to the University of Northern Iowa.

Both Smith and Cage came to Pepperdine in search of the opportunities to start anew and play under new Head Coach Lorenzo Romar. They said the personal relationship they have with Romar led to their desire to joining the program.

Romar said he believes adding Smith and Cage’s talents and valuable experience (both advanced to the Final Four their freshman year), will yield nothing but great results for the program as a whole.

“Whenever you can bring that experience to the program it’s gonna do nothing but create a positive impact,” Romar said.

After transferring from a Pac-12 powerhouse, Smith and Cage both said they are motivated and eager to re-establish themselves.

“Coming to a smaller conference is humbling … but it’s real motivating for me as well to prove myself again,” Smith said.

However, both agree the experience each gained while at the University of Oregon proved valuable to their growth and maturation as individuals on and off the court.

“I learned a lot from being at Oregon ... I played against a bunch of guys that are now in the NBA and Coach Altman taught me so much about the game,”

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Coming to a smaller conference is humbling ... but it's real motivating for me as well to prove myself again.

Keith Smith, redshirt junior

Cage said.

Playing time was difficult to come by last year at Oregon, as Cage averaged seven minutes per game and Smith managed nine minutes per game. They both said they knew in order to maximize their immense potential and to realize their lifelong dreams of playing in the NBA, a change was in order.

Due to NCAA transfer regulations, Smith and Cage must sit out this upcoming season, yet both are inspired to seize the opportunity to improve their skills.

“I have this whole year to get better and work on my game,” Cage said.

Romar knows Smith and Cage must turn the page on the previous chapter of their careers, as he said this is a “new era” and “new opportunity” for them both.

Come support the Pepperdine Men’s Basketball team for their first game of the season Nov. 7 against Cal State Dominguez Hills at the Firestone Fieldhouse.

J A CO B. RE S E N D I Z @P E P P E RD I N E . E D U

Photos Courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

Duck Dynasty| Redshirt juniors M.J. Cage (above) and Keith Smith (below) join the Men’s Basketball team this fall. Cage and Smith, both forwards and redshirt juniors, previously played for the Oregon Ducks.

//The Graphic

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SPORTS

Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics Sister Act | Freshman Lily Dyer (left) and her sister, senior Heidi Dyer, will suit up for the Waves this year. Both sisters play as setters for Pepperdine.

Dyer Sisters swing into action for the Waves Er ic a mar t inez & nadia amirmokri sta ff write rs

For Women’s Volleyball players Heidi and Lily Dyer, the sport of volleyball is a family passion.

Senior Heidi and freshman Lily are two of six Dyer volleyball siblings along with junior Noah who plays on Pepperdine’s Men’s Volleyball team.

Their parents both played competitively as partners in beach volleyball tournaments, and soon enough their mutual love for the sport brought them even closer.

“Growing up, we had the option to choose any sport that we wanted,” Lily said. “Over time we kind of all just found our love in volleyball.”

As Heidi completes her last year as an outside hitter, Lily begins her Pepperdine journey as a setter. Nonetheless, they get to play this season side-by-side.

Both women said teamwork and determination are essential. A competitive spirit to get up, work and grow as a team will allow them to have an exceptional season.

Heidi’s competitive nature stems from the adversity she faced as a child. At age 12, Heidi faced an extreme case of scoliosis and underwent surgery that could have potentially prevented her from playing volleyball. Although the odds were stacked against her, Heidi overcame many difficult obstacles and became one of Pepperdine’s most distinguished players.

“The scoliosis surgery was something that was supposed to hinder me from playing volleyball, so overcoming that, I have this thing in the back of my mind that ‘I can do anything’ and

that I shouldn’t be where I am and therefore I am free to just go all out,” Heidi said.

With years of experience, Heidi said she has gained insight into the game.

“I think it’s [important] not to get too caught up in the moment because you think it’s gonna go one way, and then in one week it could be the complete opposite of what it was last week,” Heidi said. “[It’s important to] keep the bigger picture in mind all the time.”

Lily said she hopes to take inspiration from her sister but also learn to lead the team in her own way.

“I get to see what Heidi does as a leader and then put my own spin on it of my types of leadership,” Lily said.

Heidi, finishing off her last season with the Waves, has high hopes in continuing her volleyball career professionally.

“I feel like because volleyball is such a big part of our family, is going to be a part of my life forever. I would love to go professional at some point, but it’s going to be a lifelong game for sure,” Heidi said.

Heidi expects fans to see the results of both a lot of hard work and a lot of fun on the court this season.

Watch the Dyer sisters and the Women’s Volleyball team play at their next home game against Brigham Young on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. in the Firestone Fieldhouse.

E RI CA . MA RT I N E Z @P E P P E RD I N E . EDU N A D I A . A MI RMO KRI @P E P P E RD I N E . EDU

Soccer loses second straight home game ky l e m c c ab e staf f w r i ter In the midst of preparation for a tough matchup against UCLA, Pepperdine fell to the Indiana University Hoosiers 2-1 in the 6th non-conference game of the season. The Waves dropped to 1-4 on the season after the loss, while the Hoosiers improved to 2-1-1.

The Waves controlled

much of the game in the first half, but could only muster one goal from sophomore forward Brie Welch in the 27th minute.

Welch’s corner kick goal tied the game at 1-1 and came only minutes after the Hoosier’s first goal.

“I received the ball in the second phase after my teammate Leyla [McFarland] poked the ball through the defenders,” Welch wrote.

The Waves attempted 13 shots in the first half, but only five in the second.

“In the first half, we could have had three or four goals,” Head Coach Tim Ward said. “In the second half, when you play a team that plays a little longer … the game really becomes like a track meet.

We are a kind of team that would prefer to control the tempo of the game.”

The Hoosier’s second

goal came in the 66th minute of play on a free kick.

“It felt like a little bit of a sucker punch … to give away a very soft goal,” Ward said.

Looking for a response after the USC game, Pepperdine created scoring chances early and often.

In just the 5th minute, a Waves shot hit the right post and deflected out of play.

Pepperdine’s onslaught

of first-half shots resulted in one goal and three saves for Indiana goalkeeper Bethany Kopel.

Both Welch and Ward remain positive about the team’s future.

“I’m thinking the future is really bright,” Ward said.

“At this point, we’re trying to get some momentum before conference, which is going to be hard to do.

We play some really good teams. Our performance

was excellent, the result was not.”

Welch sees potential to learn from Friday’s loss.

“I know that we will regroup and bounce back stronger than ever,” Welch wrote.

The Waves look to turn things around on the road against second ranked UCLA on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.

KYLE.M CCABE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Photos Courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

Photos by Milan Loiacono Fancy Footwork | (Left) Freshman midfielder Trinity Watson narrowly avoids an Indiana defender; (right) Senior goalkeeper Brielle Preece makes a diving save. The Hoosiers bested the Waves 1-2 on Friday in Malibu. After a late Hoosier goal in the 66th minute from a free kick, the Waves failed to recover.