Pepperdine Graphic Print Edition 03.22.24

College

Rachel Flynn News Assistant Editor

Pepperdine University is launching a College of Health Sciences, the first new college in 25 years, said Jay Brewster, provost and chief academic officer of Pepperdine University.

The College of Health Sciences will will open in the fall of 2025 and include up to seven programs before 2031. The college’s additions will be an incremen tal process, beginning with the school of nursing and a master’s level in speech and language pathology, Brewster said.

“I think this resonates deeply with our Christian mission: the ability to train young professionals that will go out and do incredible work in the allied health disciplines,” Brewster said.

Brewster, also a professor of Biolo gy, began leading the research for the new college two years ago after the idea was proposed, he said. The vice provost, associate provost and administrative leaders were all involved in this conver sation, he said.

Michael Feltner, dean of Academ ic Initiatives and professor of Sports Medicine, found out he would be the on-coming dean for the College of

p c o m i n g e v e n t s . . .

UMarch 23

Pacific Sounds Music + Arts Festival

Gather on Alumni Park on Saturday at 5 p.m., for the Board’s annual spring concert. Enjoy food, activity booths and a student art exhibit.

March 24

Men’s Tennis vs Gonzaga

Cheer on the Men’s Tennis team as they take on Gonzaga at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center at 1 p.m.

March 26

RISE & Rest Yoga

Unwind with RISE at the HIITS studio at 6 p.m., while focusing on the physical and cognitive dimesions of resilience.

March 27

Take Back the Night

Join SWAB for a night of empowerment in the Fireside Room at 6 p.m.

Good News: Finding my way back to singing

Viviana Diaz News Assistant

Through the busy life of being a college student, it is easy to forget about the things you once loved the most. One of those things for me has been my love for singing.

Flashbacks to when I was younger in my living room singing Demi Lovato’s “Get Back” without a care in the world come back to me every now and then. These flashbacks remind me of a passion I slowly let go of as I went through hardships in my first couple of years in college.

The memories I have as a child listening to my favorite music and singing with my living room’s imaginary audience linger in my mind as I continue working toward my bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Through my time in college, my passion for singing has only been a memory — a passion that, in some ways, has been forgotten.

Recently, looking back at photos and videos has reminded me of how much happiness singing brought me during my childhood and high school years. It reminded me of how, when life and school got hard, the only way I could escape was through music.

merse myself into my musical world — one with no cares, where it is just me.

In these past few weeks, I have started singing in any capacity, whether that be in my room, in the kitchen while making pancakes or in the car on a drive home. These small things have brought back that indescribable feeling music and singing have always given me.

I am able to step back into the shoes of little me and im-

Looking back at these memories reminds me of the importance of reflecting on your past. Reflecting on my past has brought back my desire to continue singing because it used to be the only thing that kept me going. Being able to come back to singing has brought beauty and happiness in my life that I have been missing out on.

It is easy to get lost in the midst of the hardships and busyness of responsibilities. Being able to look back at memories has shown me how significant it is to rediscover old hobbies and feed your soul with things that make you happy.

I’ll forever be grateful for singing and how it re-centers and nurtures my soul when things get tough.

viviana.diaz@pepperdine.edu

“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.” Email:

Photo Courtesy of Viviana Diaz Viviana Diaz sings as a young girl in a restaurant she and her family frequented. She saw an empty stage with microphones and took a picture because she hoped one day she would be singing on stage.

Pepp mourns loss of GSEP professor

Nina Fife News Editor

The Graduate School of Psychology and Education has lost one of their very own, as Dr. Elizabeth “Lyz” Fong died unexpectedly Feb. 29, according to Pepperdine University. Fong was associate director of the Online Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis (MSABA) program at GSEP.

“One of the things that she was really passionate about was advocating for issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Dr. Stephanie Woo, assistant dean of the Online Psychology Programs and professor of Psychology. “She was a pioneer in the ABA field in that regard.”

Dr. Adel Najdowski, MSABA program director, associate professor and a close friend of Fong’s, said Fong’s passion for inclusivity would extend to her students, as well.

“She was just very authentic and did herself in a way that made them [her students] feel so comfortable so that they could be themselves,” Nadjowski said.

Najdowski said this same passion was prevalent in Fong’s personal life, as well.

“She was always good about bringing people together and

establishing new relationships — just being very inclusive with everyone,” Najdowski said. “She’s just one of those people that genuinely cared so much about other people.”

Woo said it was obvious Fong cared immensely about other people, as she would focus on not only teaching her students professional skills but also life skills.

She was just very authentic and did herself in a way that made them [her students] feel so comfortable so that they could be themselves.

Dr. Adel Nadjowski MSABA Program Director

“I think she was someone who felt really strongly about mentoring students too and preparing them for life after graduate school,” Woo said.”

Having had someone like Dr. Fong to be able to mentor them

best friend, and she cared for her daughter’s happiness, education and well-being.

An online memorial service was held for Fong on March 19, via Zoom. A GoFundMe was set up to help support the higher education of Fong’s daughter.

— I think is really priceless.”

Woo said, although her and Fong did not get to work together much, she still has fond memories of her and saw her as a genuine, kind person.

“I remember, at graduation, the MSABA team, so Dr. Najdowski, Dr. [Lusineh] Gharapetian and Dr. Fong, had these tennis shoes that they all were wearing,” Woo said. “They all got these shoes that were Pepperdine colors, and they wore [them] to graduation in sort of like a fun, school spirit type of thing. I remember that about her.”

Najdowski said one of the things she’ll remember most about Fong was her love for food and cooking.

“She was a really big foodie, and she was a really good cook,” Najdowski said. “Whenever we were traveling together, she always wanted to eat authentic things, and because of her, I would try new foods that I normally hadn’t had before.”

Fong is survived by her husband, parents, sister and daughter, according to her GoFundMe.

Multiple faculty members said Fong’s daughter was her

Pepperdine honors the life of Board of Regents member

Madeline Del Rio News Staff Writer

Edwin L. Biggers, former chair of the Pepperdine Board of Regents, died March 1. His ambition, generosity and serving heart were demonstrated throughout his life and his decades of support of Pepperdine University, his colleagues, friends and family said.

Edwin L. Biggers was a man of ambition, generosity and love, his colleagues, friends and family said. The former chair of the Pepperdine Board of Regents for fifteen years, Biggers died after a sudden heart attack during an afternoon walk March 1, according to the Obituary of Edwin L. Biggers.

“Throughout his decades of service to and support of Pepperdine, Ed and his family have deeply demonstrated their faith through their generosity to some of the University’s most critical initiatives,” President Jim Gash wrote in a March 6 email from the Public Relations Office. “I will miss Ed and will continue to pray for Paula [Biggers’ wife] and the entire Biggers family as they navigate the challenging waters of Ed’s unexpected passing.”

Biggers joined the Pepperdine Board of Regents in 1989 and served as its chair from 2004 to 2019, according to the Pepperdine Public Relations Office.

“Throughout my long career at Pepperdine, I can think of no other Board member who has had a greater impact for good on this institution than Ed Biggers,” said Sara Jackson, University Chancellor. “After his impressive professional career, Ed dedicated his life to contributing his extensive talents and resources to the cause of Christian education.”

Biggers supported and assisted countless Pepperdine initiatives such as Harbor: The Pepperdine Bible Lectures, the Boone Center for the Family, the Church Leaders Council, Pepperdine Legacy Partners, the President’s Excellence Fund and the Edwin and Joan Biggers Endowed Scholarship for Seaver College students, according to the Public Relations Office.

“Very few individuals have been dedicated to Pepperdine’s Christian mission, its students

and its advancement the way Ed Biggers has,” Gash wrote. This dedication to Pepperdine was fueled by Biggers’ faith and generosity, according to his colleagues.

“Ed’s deepest passion was his devotion to Christ; faith motivated all that he did,” Jackson said. “He was one of the most generous men I have ever known. Ed often stated his conviction that he was merely a steward of the financial resources with which God had blessed him. The Biggers family name can be seen across our

campuses as evidence of Ed’s and his wife Paula’s generosity.”

Indeed, the support and commitment of the Biggers is symbolized across the Malibu campus at the Edwin and Paula Fong Biggers Tower at Seaside Residence Hall, the Biggers Family Courtyard and the soon-to-be Biggers Family Student Recreation Room at the Mountain at Mullin Park, according to the Pepperdine Public Relations Office.

Also, the Château d’Hauteville campus in Switzerland

nina.fife@pepperdine.edu

includes The Edwin and Paula Fong Biggers Great Room, another lasting mark of the Biggers’ generosity, according to the Pepperdine Public Relations Office.

“With the scripture ‘It is better to give than receive’ as a personal motto, one of the greatest joys of Ed’s life was being abundantly generous with his time, wisdom, energy and resources,” according to his obituary. “He was a mighty example of living a life true to the calling he had received.”

Passionate about positively contributing to the lives of young people, Biggers used Pepperdine University, the alma mater of his children, stepchildren and grandson, to channel his serving heart, according to his obituary.

In essence, Biggers demonstrated a life of high achievement but also immense generosity and love for life, his colleagues, friends and family said.

“He had a brilliant mind and a huge heart which he devoted to his decades of service to Pepperdine,” Jackson said. “I will miss Ed Biggers, and I thank God for all that he has meant to me personally and to the University he so dearly loved.”

Photo Courtesy of Pepperdine University Biggers gave financial support, leadership and active personal involvement to Pepperdine University. He contributed to Pepperdine for decades.

Faculty members said Dr. Elizabeth “Lyz” Fong was loved by students and coworkers. Fong died unexpectedly Feb. 29, according to Pepperdine University.

Photo Courtesy of Vanessa Jahn

Pictured second from the left, Dr. Elizabeth Fong gathers with faculty from the Graduate School of Psychology and Education at the 2023 commencement on Alumni Field. Fong was a leading contributor in the field of Behavior Analysis, many faculty members said.

Photo Courtesy of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Students celebrate Disability Awareness Week 2024

Joseph Heinemann DEI Editor

This month, from March 11, to March 15, the Pepperdine community came together to organize the fourth annual Disability Awareness Week. Students, faculty and staff paired with the Office of Community Engagement and Service to prepare a week’s worth of events to spread knowledge about the disabled community at Pepperdine.

March 11: Captioning

To start off the week’s events, the DAW planning committee tabled at Mullin Town Square from 10 a.m., to 2 p.m., each day of the week. At the DAW table, students were able to participate in trivia to win prizes.

Later on, at 4 p.m., in the Weisman Museum, Dr. Chad Duffy offered an image description workshop that opened a discussion about how visual captions help make media more accessible to wider audiences, senior Maddie Beadle said.

March 12: Workplace Accessibility

Alongside the all-week tabling, students had a chance to participate in an Accommodation and Accessibility in the Workplace learning event from noon to 2 p.m., Tuesday. This event was held on Zoom and in person in BPC 189.

To finish the day, there was a viewing of the movie “Crip Camp” in Elkins Auditorium from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

March 13: Activism

For the middle of the week, the committee had an Activists in Action Panel, which was in the Fireside Room and ran from 11:30 a.m., to 1:30 p.m., alongside a Research Symposium from 3 to 4:45 p.m., in the Lighthouse. Mimi Dao offered an introduction to ASL class, which was in person in AC 290 and on Zoom at 5:30 p.m.

March 14: Yoga

On Thursday, there was accessible yoga from 9 to 10:30 a.m., which was held on both Zoom and on the Light House patio. The final event of the day was a Self-Advocacy Workshop that featured guest speaker Elizabeth Pode. This event ran from 6 to 8 p.m., and was available on Zoom and in BPC 189.

March 15: Krip Hop and Neurodiversity

The final day of the week kicked off with Krip Hop Nation and guest speaker Leroy Moore from 4 to 6 p.m., in the Fireside Room. To close out the week of events, there was a neurodiversity presentation on Zoom and in BPC 189 from 6 to 7 p.m.

joe.heinemann@pepperdine.edu

Deslyn’s 5K honors ‘Our Girls’

Madeline Del Rio News Staff Writer

The Pepperdine community came together to celebrate the lives of Deslyn Williams, Asha Weir, Peyton Stewart and Niamh Rolston during the Deslyn’s 5K event inspired by Deslyn’s passion for running. The Iota Alpha chapter of Alpha Phi Sorority put on Deslyn’s 5K on March 10, on Pepperdine University’s Lower Alumni Field.

Throughout the morning, upbeat music played as runners and walkers exercised together, participating in one of Deslyn’s greatest passions.

Members of Alpha Phi, juniors Mireya Galacgac and Lauren Rocco, formed the idea for this event.

“Putting together Deslyn’s 5K in remembrance of our four angels — Deslyn, Peyton, Niamh and Asha — was truly such an honor,” said Galacgac, Alpha Phi’s Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “The event meant the world to me, and I was blown away not only by the community’s support but also by how beautiful the morning turned out. ”

Toward the beginning of the school year, Deslyn started a run club for her sorority, Alpha Phi. The ultimate goal

of the club was competing in the Malibu Half Marathon, according to her sorority sisters. This community-wide event celebrated her determination and drive.

Galacgac said her connection with Deslyn over running inspired her to plan the 5K event.

“I just know that Deslyn was so supportive of everyone, and so, to see everyone supporting something she really wanted to do is so special,” said Jenna Shin, junior Alpha Phi member and 5K participant.

The winners received white-ribboned medals, and among the first few finishers were students Hannah Bruner, Jett Fukuda, Brayden Gratzer and Lacey Reedy.

Friends of Deslyn voiced that she would have been overjoyed by this event, and the morning’s activities represented her fun-loving and ambitious soul.

“We wanted to bring the whole community together for the girls,” junior Alpha Phi member, Izabella Gandara said. “Especially the girls that knew them the most — I feel that for them, this really helps.”

Recognizing the girls in this supportive and fun atmosphere was healing, multiple attendees said. Participants could be seen smiling, laughing and

enjoying the morning together while running and walking the course.

“The people who came out and showed up really showed their commitment and dedication to the four girls,” said Aaniya Ahuja, first-year Alpha Phi member and 5K participant. “This is just an amazing turnout, and it’s really nice to see everybody together doing something for ‘Our Girls.’”

Ultimately, Alpha Phi expressed its thankfulness for the opportunity to put on an event that remembered the lives of Deslyn, Asha, Peyton and Niamh, aiming to preserve their legacies by supporting their passions.

“I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am to the people that were there with me on Sunday morning,” Galacgac said. “It was so clear how loved our angels are, and while I miss them every day, the event brought so much joy to those that loved them well. I’d consider that to be the biggest success.”

Perse Klopp | Assistant Photo Editor

(From left to right) Dr. Jaz Gray, senior Maria Arguelles and seniors Maddie Beadle speak after the showing of the movie “Crip Camp” on March 12, in Elkins Auditorium. Earlier in the day, there was an Accommodation and Accessibility in the Workplace learning event.

Perse Klopp | Assistant Photo Editor Dr. Chad Duffy discusses the importance of captioning and accessibility at the Weisman Museum on March 11. The event was held from 4 to 5:30 p.m., on Monday, March 11.

Liam Zieg | Assistant Photo Editor First-year students Hannah Bruner and Jett Fukuda finish the 5K course triumphantly March 10, on Lower Alumni Field. Others followed closely behind them.

PCH: A Perfect Storm

Editor’snote:Runningthroughall21milesofMalibu,PCHisabackdroptothecity’sdailylifeandcommunitytragedy.Thename forthisseries,“PCH:APerfectStorm”encapuslatesthebeautifulsceneryandthedeadlyrisksthatfacethosewhousethisroad.TheinspirationforthetitleofthisseriescamefromanOctober2023interviewwithMichelShane,wholosthisdaughter,Emily,onPCHin2010.

Students express PCH anxiety

scary right now — extra scary,” Horton said. “Yes, it’s appropriate to be a bit cautious. If we don’t learn from this, that would be a shame.”

Connie Horton, vice president for Student Affairs, said with the dangers on Pacific Coast Highway, she wants students to be aware and cautious without feeling immobilized.

There have been 170 deaths and serious injuries on PCH to drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists between 2011 and 2023, according to the LA Times. Senior Grace Garrabrants said she has had anxiety driving on PCH, and it is on everyone’s mind after the Oct. 17 crash that killed four Pepperdine seniors.

“It [driving on PCH] can be

Student Concerns

Senior Jake Bowne said he chooses to take Malibu Canyon when running errands and going home.

“I am not a person that really struggles with anxiety,” Bowne said. “But I would say that I definitely get kind of anxious and nervous a lot of the time when I am driving on PCH. ”

Bowne said he experiences the most nerves when he sees reckless speeding and people

jaywalking — he also feels one of the biggest threats to PCH is drivers from out of town.

“It is not a straight highway like any other highway in California, and then, coupled with the fact that people do stupid things, it is not a good combination,” Bowne said.

Bowne said he has no way to avoid PCH, and if there was another way to get around, he would take it.

Bowne said he personally knew three of the four women who died Oct. 17.

He appreciates the tire memorial on Civic Center Way and feels it brings awareness to the dangers of PCH in an effective way. He said his fraternity is his main support system

Weather strains commutes on PCH

Samantha Torre Currents Editor-in-Chief

Gerard Fasel, associate professor of Physics and coordinator of the 3/2 Engineering program, was driving home one night when he said he encountered a “weird smell” — fresh soil.

Fasel was on the stretch of PCH between Neptune’s Net and the sand dune during heavy rain.

Looking ahead, Fasel said he could make out car lights through the storm, though they did not line up the way cars driving inside orderly lanes do.

As he got closer, the reason for the misalignment and the smell of soil became clear, Fasel said — it was the aftermath of a debris flow.

“The headlights were not aligned,” Fasel said. “They were, you know, moved over. People were trapped.”

Weather and PCH

Michael Comeaux, Caltrans District Seven public information officer, said PCH regularly experiences rain washing across the roadway, ponding water on the roadway, and de-

bris and mud blocking drainage and causing flooding.

This can happen before, during and after California’s significant rain events such as during the Feb. 21 rainstorm.

“We routinely have weather impacts on every highway,” Comeaux said. “They don’t always require a full closure.”

Because water on the road increases stopping distance, Comeaux said there are drains on roadways intended to limit the pooling of water. The road is designed at a slight angle so the water will flow toward the drains.

However, these systems are designed to handle a “reasonable” amount of water, Comeaux said — unlike the atmospheric rivers that hit Malibu in early February.

This will inundate roadways and other flat surfaces and take time to drain off.

“We have to be prepared for California as it is,” Comeaux said. “Allow time for this drainage to occur. If we don’t have to be out on the roadway driving, don’t drive, stay home.”

Other reasons for closure include brush fires and collisions, Comeaux said.

during such times of tragedy.

Garrabrants said she has had driving anxiety her whole life. Growing up on the coast of San Diego, she is no stranger to driving down PCH — and has had multiple small accidents.

“I try to manage it [anxiety] by really trying to stay calm and not speed,” Garrabrants said. “I try to go slow on PCH and not rush.”

Garrabrants lives off campus on PCH and finds herself taking other routes for errands to avoid PCH.

Garrabrants said her car recently has been hit by multiple falling boulders on PCH. She has also seen a tree in the middle of the road and even popped a tire due to rocks.

Students talk about PCH and its dangers on Fizz, Garrabrants said, and they express frustration with the University when it doesn’t offer Zoom classes during dangerous weather.

“When PCH is so dangerous, it was honestly not safe for me to go to school,” Garrabrants said. “My car was skidding on the road.”

Garrabrants said she has seen students helping one another, watching out for one another when navigating PCH.

“Pepperdine has a really good carpool culture,” Garrabrants said. “When my tire popped, all my friends were

ty and said his commute to and from Pepperdine takes him up and down PCH every day.

Times that weather has obstructed his commute — such as the landslide, which Fasel said happened at some point over the last five years — make up a very small percentage of his journeys between work and home.

Senior Chay Duangkosol lives in Santa Monica and said her commute includes a 30-minute drive on PCH — without speeding or traffic. If there is an accident or inclement weather, it can take as long as 50 minutes.

Rains saturate the hills around both PCH and Malibu Canyon, causing rock to slide down in the form of mud and rockslides, Fasel said.

Fasel was driving and decided it probably was not worth continuing with the commute, as he said he had seen rocks in the road puncture people’s tires.

“Let the hills sleep, get better and then head on and head in on a better day,” Fasel said.

The “Real Danger”

While Duangkosol said she keeps an eye out when it rains for mudslides, rocks and puddles, she said her main concern

willing to come and help me when I needed it, and I am willing to always help people, especially if someone is nervous to drive.”

Faculty on Student Fears

At the January NSO, Horton said one of the number one topics on parents’ minds was PCH and what Pepperdine is doing to keep students safe.

When thinking of PCH anxiety, Horton said it shouldn’t limit the community from experiencing what is beautiful and accessible here, yet it should make them cautious and grateful.

“We live in a beautiful spot, and it comes with certain risks,” Horton said. “Different parts of the country have different risks.”

Faculty and staff are willing to help students talk through their fears, and the community is very aware of the loss and pain so many have gone through, Horton said. One outcome of the many tragedies that have struck PCH is that people are fighting for reform to make the road safer for all — and they know it is okay to speak about it.

while driving on PCH is speed.

In inclement weather, Comeaux said drivers should limit their speed and increase the distance between them and the car in front of them.

“The driver has a central, crucial role in highway safety, and when the roads are wet and slippery or slick, it takes extra time for a vehicle to stop,” Comeaux said.

California’s basic speed limit law states that a driver must not drive above a reasonable speed for the conditions they are facing, Comeaux said.

“It’s going to take them a lot longer to stop, and they might hit another vehicle, a person,

a tree, a building — all kinds of adverse consequences from that,” Comeaux said.

Car accidents affect his commute more often than inclement weather, Fasel said.

“The real danger on the Pacific Coast Highway is not Mother Nature,” Fasel said. “It’s the people driving erratically.”

Beth Gonzales Senior Reporter

Victoria La Ferla I Managing Editor

Traffic backs up on PCH on March 10, due to ambulances and emergency vehicles. Students said friends have comforted or helped them as they dealt with the fear of the dangers on PCH.

Cars wait to turn around on PCH as road closures cause detours and increased traffic in the morning of Feb. 21. Gerard Fasel was on his way to Pepperdine when road closures caused him to return home to Ventura.

Photo Courtesy of Gerard Fasel

Four Lights Memorial to begin in April

Ava Heinert Senior News Reporter

Pepperdine officials have updated the community on the development of the Four Lights Memorial. The memorial will honor the lives of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams.

The Four Lights Memorial will be located on the ocean side of Stauffer Chapel, and feature four lanterns hanging over monuments displaying a plaque with the names of Niamh, Peyton, Asha and Deslyn, Ben M. Veenendaal, associate vice president of Planning, Operations & Construction, wrote in a March 11 email to the Graphic.

“The lights will serve as a testament to the light each of their souls was to our community,” Veenendaal wrote.

The development of this memorial took a lot of thought, Michael Friel, senior director of Communications and Public Relations, wrote in a March 13 email to the Graphic. He said the memorial is inspired by the girls’ lives at Pepperdine, their special friendship and their legacy.

“Our hope and prayer is that this memorial, located at one of the most serene and contemplative spaces on campus, will simultaneously honor each of these lives as well as provide a place for our community to pray and reflect on their memory and legacy,” Veenendaal wrote.

The University will provide more information in April, when work on the memorial is set to begin, Friel wrote.

The memorial is set to be completed before the spring 2024 Seaver commencement ceremony and the University plans to open the memorial to the community prior to the commencement, allowing graduating students, faculty and family members the opportunity to visit, Veenendaal wrote.

the administration, faculty and staff, in the midst of an outpouring of grief throughout the community,” Friel wrote.

“The University’s memorial was conceived by members of

Rachel Flynn | News Assistant Editor

Pepperdine creates a memorial honoring the memory of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams on Oct. 22, at Firestone Fieldhouse. Family, faculty and students gathered to memorialize the four women.

Pepp’s proactive safety measures illuminate campus culture

Pepperdine University has safety measures and the transparent reporting of incidents are now available through weekly crime logs on the Graphic website. There are comprehensive measures undertaken by the University administration to uphold safety standards, Dean of Students Sharon Beard said.

Pepperdine University not only boasts breathtaking views but also strives to maintain a safe environment for its students and faculty, Dean of Students Sharon Beard said. This is evident in the comprehensive measures undertaken by the University administration to uphold safety standards and communicate them effectively to the community.

One of the primary avenues through which Pepperdine ensures a secure environment is the dissemination of its Student Code of Conduct, Beard said.

“We have our Student Code of Conduct that is shared with students even before they start their first semester at Pepperdine,” Beard said. “It’s part of the New Student Orientation checklist that they are supposed to review.”

This proactive approach ensures students are informed about expected behaviors from the outset of their academic journey, Beard said.

Enforcement and Education

The Student Code of Conduct at Pepperdine University implements a comprehensive code applicable across its academic programs, emphasizing adherence to principles of honor, morality and integrity, according to the website.

The University encourages reporting of misconduct both on and off-campus with clear guidelines and channels provided for reporting violations.

Additionally, the University underscores the importance of social media privacy while maintaining jurisdiction over student conduct to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment with disciplinary measures applied when necessary, according to the website.

Alcohol-related violations and instances such as underage drinking are handled with

caution, Sofia Thure, senior George Page Resident Advisor (RA), said. Thure said RA interventions occur during routine checks or in response to residents’ reports.

Since Pepperdine is a dry campus, the University and DPS enforce strict policies prohibiting alcohol that have repercussions for both students and RAs found at parties with underage drinking, Thure said.

She said she communicated the Student Code of Conduct by having Basic Human Respect (BHR) meetings with each of her suites. This is a way to remind everyone of the rules and how to follow them, Thure said.

“These are the commitments and promises that we’re going to make to each other for the whole school year,” Thure said.

She said she has never had to report a student for underage drinking on campus. Juniors and seniors are expected to be familiar with the rules, Thure said.

When it comes to enforcing policies regarding alcohol and drug use, Beard said it’s important to emphasize education and awareness.

“Everyone usually knows what the alcohol and drug policy is on campus,” Beard said. “It’s very rare that someone comes to our office who’s been in violation of our alcohol or drug policy and isn’t aware of the policy.”

Beard said RAs communicate to students what the community standards are.

“Code of conduct isn’t really administered or addressed as much for upperclassmen; like, it is a huge deal in freshman housing 100%,” Thure said.

Beard said there are some demographic trends associated with Student Code of Conduct violations, particularly among first-year and sophomore students living on campus.

“The most obvious answer is those that are living on campus because they’re in our residential community,” Beard said.

There are efforts to address potential safety concerns among specific student populations and make sure RAs are proactive in maintaining student conduct.

Addressing Concerns

Last semester, DPS sent an erroneous email out to the

community regarding theft and property issues, according to previous Graphic reporting.

Following this incident, IMC declined to be interviewed regarding this matter on behalf of the Department of Public Safety (DPS). This lack of communication raised questions among the community about transparency and accountability.

To increase transparency about safety and crime on campus, DPS has now added The Crime and Fire Log report on their website for all members of the Pepperdine community to be informed.

The University’s efforts to address specific safety concerns such as hit-and-run incidents, underage drinking and theft on campus can be found in the weekly DPS crime logs, an addition on the Graphic website.

“If it is a hit-and-run situation, and we [Office of Community Standards] are made aware of it, and we know we have evidence to support that that is what occurred, then, it would be handled just like any other violation of our Code of Conduct,” Beard said.

The Office of Community Standards demonstrates Pepperdine’s commitment to addressing safety issues promptly and effectively, according to their website.

Senior Ryan Marumoto said he has not witnessed any hitand-run situations on campus, but he has heard they have occurred.

“In the [car] incidents that I heard about from friends, the people who hit them drove off,” Marumoto said.

Cultivating Trust and Collaboration

Many students on campus share the sentiment that leaving belongings out in Payson Library or public spaces is part of the safe Pepperdine culture, but theft still happens.

Thure said instances of theft in on-campus housing are addressed through interviews within the suite.

Sophomore Noelle Hickey said she feels Pepperdine’s campus is safe.

“I have a lot of trust with the people that go to school here,” Hickey said. “I do leave my bag unattended in the library that holds valuables such as my computer, phone, etc. It’s a safeplace for students. I won’t go as far as to leave my car unlocked; however, I do know people that do as such, and nothing has ever been taken.”

There is a culture of trust among peers. Pepperdine fosters an environment where safety is a shared responsibility, and community members ac-

tively contribute to its preservation.

“We have more cases where items don’t get stolen, and that builds confidence within us,” Beard said. “You just have to be careful with your items and make sure that you [aren’t] just leaving them unattended at any time; that is the safest approach.”

Hickey said she sees belongings left unattended every day on campus.

“This is the first place I’ve experienced such a thing,” Hickey said. “I think there’s a sense of community belonging and trust in our peers at Pepperdine.”

In collaboration with campus entities such as Public Safety, Pepperdine continues to prioritize safety initiatives and refine its approach to maintaining a secure campus environment.

“We work closely with Public Safety to address specific safety concerns,” Beard said.

Beard said she and the Office of Community Standards welcome feedback from individuals or student organizations. Contact information can be found via the website.

Pepperdine prioritizes safety through proactive measures and ongoing collaboration within the community. It is crucial for all members to stay informed about safety protocols, report concerns promptly and support each other to foster a secure environment.

Two palm trees sway in front of the Department of Public Safety on March 12. The DPS office published The Crime and Fire Log on their website.

Victoria La Ferla Managing Editor

A laptop rests on a brown ottoman in Payson Library on Feb. 21.

The Apple computer was left unattended.

Victoria La Ferla | Managing Editor

Yamillah Hurtado | Pixel Editor

Staff Editorial: Student IDs should be in Apple Wallet

Graphic Staff

Editor’s Note: PGM staff members decide on the topic of a Staff Ed together. The staff as a whole provides opinions and content included in this Staff Ed to provide thoughts about and shed light on solutions for happenings at Pepperdine.

Imagine walking to your dorm — hands full of groceries, backpack on, huffing and puffing. If you’ve done this recently, it was also probably raining. Upon arriving at the door, the thought comes to mind: “I need to figure out where my ID is.”

For students at Pepperdine, this has probably happened more than once. Whether it’s because they can’t find their ID card in their backpacks or they simply left them in their dorm, students often lose their ID cards, and when that happens, they have to call an RA to let them in.

Now, many people don’t even carry around a wallet — all of their cards are conveniently stored in their Apple Wallet. Student IDs should be too.

The only function students really need on their ID is the scanning function to get into campus buildings and to pay for food with meal points. All cards can be scanned while they are in an Apple Wallet, as seen with credit cards and plane boarding passes, according to Apple’s website.

The chances of someone losing their ID card are pretty

high, but the chances of losing a phone are pretty low. Phones are nearly never left behind, and the second they go missing, it is usually a short matter of time before their owner notices.

This is not to mention the other factors involved in not having access to your ID card. The first resort is often contacting a roommate to open the door, causing a disruption in someone else’s day other than one’s own.

When asking a member from HRL for a remote unlocking of the door, students have to pay a $10 fee to Housing and Residence Life, and if the card is lost altogether, the only solution left is to pay for a new one, according to the HRL website.

Many students carry their ID cards in their phone cases or on wallets attached to their phones, but that is just one extra thing to keep track of. Then, students have one card in their phone and one in their actual wallet — it is an unorganized system.

As busy college students, the last thing to worry about should be a small ID card controlling the fate of an already hectic day. Imagine finally arriving at the Caf for that quick meal between classes and realizing the card needed to pay for it is sitting at least a 10-20 minute walk away — every hungry college student’s worst nightmare.

The addition of student ID cards into mobile wallets would be one less thing for all students to worry about.

Many students carry their ID cards in their phone cases or on wallets attached to their phones, but that is just one extra thing to keep track of.

THE PGM STAFF

Pixel Editor:

Yamillah Hurtado

Social Media Producer: Christina Buravtsova

Assistant Multimedia

Team

Editor: Joe Heinemann News Team

News Editor: Nina Fife

Senior Reporter: Ava Heinert

Rachel Flynn

Viviana Diaz

Shalom Montgomery

Ivan Vicente Manriquez

Amanda Monahan

Samantha Wareing

Life & Arts Staff Writers:

Emma Ibarra

Sophia Luo Perspectives Team Perspectives Editor: Fiona Creadon

Perspectives Assistant Editor: Laury Li

Perspectives Assistants: Caitlin Murray

Ana Villarreal

Perspectives Staff Writers: Chloe Anna Austria

Alyssa Johnson

Faith Oh

Adri Sahakian

Comic Writer:

Luke Franklin

Sports Team

Sports Editor: Tony Gleason

Sports Assistant Editor:

Justin Rodriguez

Sports Assistant: Joe Heinemann

Staff Writers:

Alex Clarke

Studying, classes and trying to make time for a social life take up enough time, and having IDs in students’ phones would remove at least one of the worries flooding their minds each day.

Megan Harkey

Digital Team

Digital Editor: Gabrielle Salgado

Producer: Milena D’Andrea

Video Social Producer: Emma Schnaible

NewsWaves Pixel Assistant: Rachel Flynn

Copy Team

Copy Chief: Aubrey Hirsch

L&A Copy Editor: Lila Rendel

Perspectives

Copy Editor: Paige Johnston

Photo Team

Photo Editor:

Mary Elisabeth

Assistant Photo Editor:

Perse Klopp

Liam Zeig

Staff Photographers: Millie Auchard

Riley Haywood

Olivia Schneider

Guest Contributor:

Sharon Stevens

Design Team

Creative Director: Skyler Hawkins

Assistant Lead Designer: Will Fallmer

Design Assistants:

Kiara Bromberg

Marley Penagos

Heera Sattani

Art Team

Art Editor:

Jackie Lopez

Assistant Art Editor: Sarah Rietz

Staff Artists: Tim Gay

Ella Katz

Caroline Maloof

Adri Sahakian

Cara Tang

Adriana Zepeda

Podcast Team

Podcast Producer: Joe Allgood

Podcast Assistant: Nancy He

Abroad Team

Abroad Correspondent:

Alicia Dofelmier

Hunter Dunn

Sarah Rietz | Assistant Art Editor

Rockwell Towers is the best dorm

Villarreal

Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.

Ithink Rockwell Towers, also known to students as “Towers,” is the best choice for sophomore students looking for a calmer and more spacious environment. Although it is older than Seaside Hall, Towers gives students more closet and room space.

Going into the dorm room, one can immediately see that there is a decent amount of distance between the beds, which is more comfortable for students. This is due to the layout of the room and how the desks are positioned. The closet space is also bigger and gives the opportunity to have more clothes or items.

Students do not have to worry about their personal belongings not fitting into a tiny closet or stacking them under the bed because Towers provides a significant amount of storage space.

Another pro is that sharing a bathroom with three people is better than sharing with seven others. Although students have a roommate, it is easier to keep spaces clean when they are less crowded, which is another reason why rooms in Towers are better.

Towers is also less noisy than Seaside as rooms are filled not with eight people but four. This is the best choice

for students looking for a relaxed environment semi-far from car noises and distractions.

On the other hand, Seaside is close to a big parking lot and courtyard, where people talk loudly, and residents can hear constant car alarms.

Although Seaside does have a common area inside the suite, Towers has a communal study room designed for students to use as a quiet place. These rooms are only accessible to Towers residents and only open to individuals who live on that specific floor.

Each floor has these study rooms, and it is a great way to separate dorm life from academic life. There is also a communal kitchen and living room that makes cooking easy due to it not being overcrowded like Seaside with students wanting to cook at the same time.

This is also very helpful for students who wish to cook or hang out in another place besides their rooms and is not in the main lobby of the building.

Overall, the uniqueness of Towers makes it the best dorm for students.

ana.villarreal@pepperdine.edu

Seaside dorms are the best to live in

Chloe Anna Austria Perspectives Staff Writer

Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.

Every year, many students have to apply for housing to live on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus. For all other students, except the firstyears, there are many options.

The main choices for sophomore students are Rockwell Towers and Seaside Hall. Students should not hesitate to choose Seaside when they fill out their applications.

Seaside has so many amazing amenities in the building, including several laundry facilities, an amazing gym, a beautiful lobby and a lounge area, where many events are hosted for residents.

The Super Bowl party in the Seaside lobby was catered by Dominos, Wing Stop and Nothing Bundt Cakes. It had a great turnout, and I had so much fun.

I think the bathrooms in Seaside are also nicer and more modern than the ones in Towers. In Seaside, the showers are completely private and separate from the rest of the bathroom — the total opposite of Towers or first-year housing.

I find it more convenient to undress and change next to the shower instead of having to walk around in a towel

or robe to get to the shower. There is much more privacy in this style of setup.

Another huge benefit I have found while living in the Seaside dorms is that it is located incredibly close to the new baseball parking lot. With the Rho parking lot closed, the baseball lot is one of the main parking lots on campus.

It is a quick walk up to Seaside from that lot. There is also street parking all along John Tyler Drive.

While parking is never easy at Pepperdine’s Malibu campus, I believe living in Seaside makes the parking situation a little less stressful.

Seaside dorms are beautiful, convenient and fun to live in. I think everyone should apply to live in Seaside!

chloeanna.austria@pepperdine.edu

College students should use family group chats

Murray

Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.

Before I left for my first year of college, I anticipated missing my family.

I felt especially upset because my parents were becoming empty nesters. My brother was about to start his junior year of college, and I was painfully aware that he may have an internship next summer far away from home.

This was quite possibly the very last time all four of us would live together in the house I grew up in.

Many college students experience the same distress I have.

Distancing from family units is a very common experience. This not only leads to loneliness for the students but it can also cause distress to the family that the student has left behind, according to Daytona Children’s Hospital.

Many parents who send a student to college feel more disconnected from their child and less needed by them. Additionally, younger siblings can be prone to feel feeling grief over the loss of close sibling relationships, according to Daytona Children’s Hospital.

During these abrupt periods of family separation, family group chats can be a useful tool for maintaining consistent communication.

For example, within the last week,

my family group chat shared my brother signing his internship contract, a print edition of the Graphic sent to my parents and photos of my brother as a baby to celebrate his 21st birthday.

A group chat replicates the way we used to share news when we all lived together such as around the dinner table or while greeting someone at the doorway.

The connections family group chats maintain are especially relevant on different chat mediums such as Instagram.

In addition to a family group chat on iMessage, my family has an Instagram direct messaging group chat, where we share relatable posts.

This allows for sharing of additional forms of content, rather than solely life announcements. My family can send posts that align with our family culture and values, helping maintain our feeling of connectedness.

Family group chats can also be used for non-immediate family. Consistent contact with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins can be difficult during college.

In my experience, large family group chats containing non-immediate family members are best for sharing photos of vacations, holidays and events.

This works as a makeshift, private social media platform; family members keep up with each other’s major life events in an easy way.

For example, when I scroll through a cousin’s graduation photos with thousands of other posts in my Instagram feed, I forget it quickly. However,

a cousin sharing this news via a group chat increases my feelings of belonging and camaraderie within my family.

This method is also beneficial because it decreases common negative effects of mainstream social media such as comparison and jealousy. Family members are more likely to share both positive and negative life events so they can respond to personal or family problems, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Group chats have provided me with a more convenient method of communication, especially as a college student.

In my experience, it is difficult to schedule phone calls with extended family members. Texting, especially in group chat form, has significantly decreased the inconveniences and time

sinks of phone calls and time zone differences.

Instead of having separate phone calls with individual family members, a simple photo and text description can be sent to multiple family members in seconds.

Group chats can be a convenient innovation to maintain frequent communication with immediate and extended family. This can be especially true for college students who experience a frequent lack of contact with family.

Sophia Luo | Life & Arts Staff Writer and Staff Artist

Ana

Perspectives Assistant

Caitlin

Perspectives Assistant

Jackie Lopez | Art Editor

Jackie Lopez | Art Editor

Drop the phone, touch grass instead

Faith Oh

Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.

As a teenager, I used to always roll my eyes and laugh at older generations who scorned the modern technology that fit into everyone’s pockets.

“It’s those damn phones!” was the popular phrase satirized on the internet, in reference to older generations’ attitude toward smart technology.

Since 2010, anxiety, depression and loneliness have all increased in teenagers and young adults, according to NPR. This data only reaches up to 2019, not even accounting for the increasing mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trends listed above coincide with what may be the most rapid uptick in new technology or the incorporation of smartphones into daily life, according to psychologist Jean Twenge.

Maybe it really was those “damn phones.”

Therapy and medication are common treatments for symptoms of anxiety and depression, but behavioral neuroscientist Kelly Lambert took a “hands-on” approach, considering alternative methods that are not as widely spoken about.

Although Lambert’s research was completed in 2006, when smartphones were not as widely used, her conclusions may still be applicable today.

Our brains are programmed to feel satisfied when our physical efforts produce something meaningful in gaining necessities for survival, according to an article Lambert wrote in Scientific American.

Lambert calls this emotional payoff “effort-driven rewards,” which allows people to experience more positive emotions.

The science behind this concept resides in the accumbens-striatal-cortical network, a system in the brain that connects movement, emotion and thinking, according to Scientific American. It is also proposed to underlie symptoms associated with depression.

College students are often seated throughout the day, listening to lectures and studying over desks at the library.

Frequently utilizing social media as a break from those sedentary activities is hardly reminiscent of the physical activities required to attain effort-driven rewards.

In order to reap effort-driven rewards, the physical task must be something meaningful to a person. It can be as simple as exercising and doing chores or engaging in hobbies such as painting and cooking.

Doing meaningful actions not only produces good feelings but also can

Privacy holds no value in social media age

Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.

Iam the first to admit there was a time in my life when, during every major life event, my primary concern was getting a good picture so I could post about it. This was such a priority for me it was sometimes hard to enjoy the memory that was actively unfolding in front of me.

Then, there was the entire process of selecting the right photo, editing the photo — although I never photoshopped mine or anyone else’s appearance — and trying to come up with the perfect caption that was witty but not trying too hard. Then, there was the anxiety of posting the photo and hoping it appeared on enough people’s feeds to garner likes.

This was an exhausting cycle and one I did not

build resilience against mental illness, according to Lambert.

Lambert tested this theory with two groups of rats.

One group, informally called the “working rats,” searched mounds of cage bedding to retrieve a treat.

The control group, informally termed the “trust fund rats,” received treats regardless of the physical effort they exerted.

After several weeks, Lambert tested the rats with puzzles that rewarded them with treats.

Results revealed the working rats were more persistent than the trust fund rats, spending about 60% more time solving the puzzle.

“Anything that lets us see a clear connection between effort and consequence — and that helps us feel in control of a situation — is a kind of mental vitamin that helps build resilience,” Lambert said.

Sometimes, it may be hard to visualize this mental growth through the

become aware of until the COVID-19 pandemic impacted many milestone events like high school graduation and the beginning of college.

This interruption during COVID gave me the opportunity to recognize not only the stress social media had caused me but also the benefit of not putting everything I was experiencing online. While I initially felt self-conscious about not having photos to post all the time, I soon realized I actually enjoyed the anonymity of keeping my life off of social media.

I also learned I felt there was a difference between posting a photo I had taken of something I thought was beautiful and wanted to share versus an indi-

monotony or leisurely enjoyment of a physical activity.

Still, engaging in chores or hobbies surely does more for your brain and well-being than merely consuming online content for hours on end.

There are different methods for trying to curtail unhealthily long hours online. This can include setting a time limit on your social media apps or restructuring your schedule to replace the time usually spent on social media with other activities.

However, methods to improve virtual overconsumption really depend on each individual’s lifestyle.

Above all, taking care of yourself is something that is worth working toward.

“Every day, it gets a little easier,” a baboon from the Netflix show “Bojack Horseman” said. “But you gotta do it every day — that’s the hard part.”

cation of my emotional state. To me, those represented different levels of personal information I was thoughtlessly posting for anyone to see.

There have been numerous viral stories of teens and young adults losing college acceptances or job opportunities due to unseemly photos and videos coming to light. And, while these were the most extreme versions of a digital footprint coming back to haunt someone, they still serve as an example of the permanence of social media posting.

Now, I use social media primarily to promote my work and share photos I have taken of things I love like the sunset, a particularly good-looking meal or my beloved pets. It no longer serves as a way for me to vent about my life or seek validation.

I can sincerely say I am better for it. I am more present when I am with friends and family; I utilize healthier outlets for my emotional coping.

Best of all, I no longer experience that horrible pit in my stomach when I would post something that I retrospectively decided was too vulnerable and had to hope not too many people saw before I had the chance to take it down.

When in doubt, keep it offline. Your future self will thank you for it.

Caroline Maloof | Staff Artist

Jackie Lopez | Art Editor

Perspectives Staff Writer

Fiona Creadon Perspectives Editor

Jackie Lopez | Art Editor

Luke Franklin | Comic Writer

Opinion: Writing fan fiction is an emotional experience

Adri Sahakian Perspectives Staff Writer and Staff Artist

Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.

Upon hearing the word “fan fiction,” some may think of the poorly-written stories scattered around Wattpad featuring a famous celebrity and a self-insert character. Others may visualize young teenage girls hovering over their computers, excitedly writing dozens of sensual stories.

Fan fiction is “fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, movie, etc.,” according to Google. Along with Wattpad, fan fiction is uploaded to websites such as Archive of Our Own and Fanfiction. net.

Fan fiction has a negative reputation among many people.

Some view fan fiction as “low-brow writing” as it can be full of explicit content, according to Medium. Others believe the characters being written about don’t belong to the fan fiction writer and, therefore, shouldn’t be messed with, according to Vocal.

As long as there aren’t any profits being made, there’s nothing wrong with taking the time to write a fun story for beloved characters. “We all wrestle with feelings, and we can recognize them in stories when we see them. We don’t need for them to be sanctioned,” according to Vox.

There are actually a handful of positives to writing fan fiction.

Taking part in fan fiction

writing is a great way for aspiring writers to practice their craft.

Writing fan fiction helps them develop storytelling skills and expand their vocabulary. It also helps the writer with comprehension as they establish a further understanding of the original book or TV series they are writing about, according to Edutopia.

These benefits are applicable to everyday writing, whether it is for an essay for class or an original.

I’ve noticed a drastic change in my writing between ninth grade, when I first started dabbling in fan fiction, to now. There’s a smoother flow between my sentences, and I’m able to describe emotions in a deeper, more engaging way.

However, along with the practicality aspect, writing fan fiction is a great way to help people comprehend their inner emotions, both positive and negative.

It can serve as a form of expressive writing that involves writing about the feelings related to a traumatic life experience, according to Springer.

Personal conflicts can take a toll. The writer can project their struggles onto the characters or main storyline, releasing their pent-up emotions and improving their mood, according to Rhetorikos.

Scrolling through an old fan fiction of mine, I can recall the problems I had been facing when I wrote it. One of the characters went through similar issues as me, and the main storyline was a projection of what I’d been feeling at that moment.

It definitely acted — and still acts — as an effective mode of relief, helping me unload some of the pain that took a toll on my heart.

SIP & S S A V VOR OR

Firelit feast at Zinqué, Malibu

Victoria La Ferla | Managing Editor

Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.

Creating fan fiction also helps one share their love for their favorite entertainment.

People can become passionate about their favorite entertainment media. I tend to get quite excited about my favorite TV shows and movies, jumping into the fandoms wholeheartedly.

Some can find multiple directions and outcomes for the story and the characters to go in. With that love and enthusiasm, they turn to a blank document, and out comes a story.

“The whole point of fan fiction is that you get to play inside somebody else’s universe. Rewrite the rules. Or bend them. The story doesn’t have to end. You can stay in this world, this world you love, as long as you want, ” said Cath, the protagonist from the novel “Fangirl.” The story follows Cath as she navigates through her first year of college, coping with her emotional troubles through writing fan fiction.

I believe fan fiction is a love letter to a person’s favorite entertainment. It’s taking that original story and expanding upon the qualities or relationships that make it so special to the writer.

It can also act as a love letter to the writer themselves. The experience of fan fiction writing is supposed to be self-indulgent; it’s about writing the story one wants to see. Some may brush fan fiction off as embarrassing and immature. However, those who read it soon become aware of how much love and emotion goes into each story.

As the moon illuminated the Malibu coastline, my friends and I soaked in the cozy ambiance of Zinqué. Nestled by a crackling fire pit, we eagerly anticipated the culinary delights awaiting us.

With drinks and laughter, we set off on a culinary adventure, ready to savor delicious flavors and create unforgettable moments.

danced on our palates, leaving us completely satisfied.

On this night with my friends, I tried the grilled shrimp, paired with za’atar yogurt, and it transported me to the Mediterranean coast with with its vibrant flavors.

Vegetarians and vegans alike will find solace in Zinqué’s offerings such as the colorful vegan plate featuring an assortment of raw, grilled and pickled seasonal vegetables, accompanied by baba ganoush and chickpea fries. Each bite was a celebration of nature, showcasing the restaurant’s commitment to quality and innovation.

Zinqué’s menu boasts a plethora of tempting options perfect for sharing, making it ideal for our relaxed evening by the fire. As I am 21 years old, I started with a refreshing Hugo Spritz, a delightful blend of St. Germain, sparkling wine, lime and fresh mint, setting the tone for the evening ahead.

Zinqué offers a large array of non-alcoholic drinks that are just as tasty, if not even more so.

As a group, we enjoyed a cheese board featuring a selection of Camembert, Comté and Époisses, adorned with honeycomb and Marcona almonds; each bite was a symphony of flavors.

In all my time at Zinqué, I have tried a diverse array of small plates. The chickpea fries, served with za’atar yogurt, were a crispy delight, while the fried artichokes with Caesar dressing were a savory indulgence.

One dish that always steals the show is the chicken bowl, a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that left me craving more. Tender chicken, perfectly cooked grains and an array of fresh vegetables

The main course offerings were equally impressive with options ranging from Moroccan couscous to steak frites — each dish crafted with care and attention to detail. The next time I return to Zinqué, I will be trying either the Provençal short ribs or the grilled salmon, served with brown and forbidden rice and spicy yogurt.

These two dishes sound like a testament to the restaurant’s dedication to fresh, sustainable ingredients.

As the night drew to a close, my friends and I reflected on our evening at Zinqué. The combination of delicious food, impeccable service and enchanting ambiance made for an unforgettable experience.

I know I will return, eager to explore more of the menu and create new memories. I see this becoming even more of a hot spot for Malibu locals this summer, especially since its closing time is later than nearby restaurants.

Zinqué is more than just a restaurant; it’s a destination where friends gather, stories are shared and culinary adventures await. Whether you’re looking for a casual meal or a special occasion, Zinqué offers an experience that is sure to leave someone craving more. Head to Zinqué, and let it whisk you away on a culinary journey you won’t soon forget.

Adri Sahakian | Perspectives Staff Writer and Staff Artist

“Do you ever wonder...”

Dance in Flight touches hearts through ‘Wonder’

A supportive, interconnected student-led community spent hours, weekends and late nights assembling a performance bursting with talent, passion and a heart for connecting movement to a riveting message, student dancers said.

Dance in Flight (DIF) held its annual performance last week March 14-16, in Smothers Theatre. The performance captured the theme of “Wonder” with 23 routines in a variety of styles, senior Assistant Student Director Simone Chaddha said.

Pepperdine’s student-led dance company Dance in Flight first began in 1993, according to the Pepperdine DIF website. The company creates an annual show capturing a cohesive narrative through dance.

Chaddha said she and senior Student Director Taylor Faas came up with the theme “Wonder.”

“‘Wonder’ is inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in the sense that, throughout the show, we tumble into Wonderland and take a stab at existential questions channeled into dancing,” Chaddha said. “That acts as our Wonderland — moving through our own minds, personal thoughts and personal imaginations.”

Rehearsals

For tech week, starting Sunday the week of the show, junior dancer and choreographer Madison Enos said the company rehearsed each night before the show for six hours — running through each routine over

and over again in Smothers Theatre. This way, the dancers could also work with the lighting designers to plan how they want the visuals of the show to look.

“Everyone’s in it together,” first-year dancer Caroline Rainey said. “You really bond over how tired everyone is but also how supportive we all are of each other.”

Leading up to the tech week and show, the company gathered every Saturday following auditions in September. Chaddha said each practice was filled with lots of laughter and supportive, encouraging energy.

Each rehearsal provided the space to run through each show while also allowing everyone to connect with each other and dance together.

“It blows my mind how perfect of a balance we have when it comes to being productive and making a lot of progress in the pieces while having a great time with each other,” Chaddha said.

Notable Routines

“The show has a little something for everyone,” Rainey said.

Chaddha said she has two favorite routines. Because the piece was fun and upbeat, she said her first favorite was the hip-hop routine titled “...what it would be like if your favorite person was you?” which sophomore Jaycee Cox choreographed. Dancing to a mix of six songs, including “Barbie World” by Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice and Aqua and “I’m Really Hot” by Missy Elliott, the piece embodied the power in the acceptance of self-love.

Chaddha said her second favorite routine is the song “Bird Set Free” by Sia. The piece was a contemporary style entitled “...what it would be like not to be in your own head?” which Maya Riley choreographed. The piece captured the power of breaking free from the voices inside one’s head that can become roadblocks.

“The choreography for that piece is so amazing and so riveting to perform,” Chaddha said.

The show closed with a routine entitled “... if the memories will last forever?” to the song “Supercut” by Lorde.

This show in particular celebrated the 30th anniversary of DIF, and the closing routine captured the tribute to the anniversary well, Chaddha said.

Leadership and Experience

Rainey had been dancing for 10 years before joining DIF, she said. Because of all the work she had dedicated to dance and the great deal of passion she still had for dance, it was not something she was willing to let go of.

“Dance in Flight is the perfect solution because it’s not too much of a commitment, but you still get to dance, and it has a really high payoff during show week,” Rainey said.

Now, as a senior in college, Chaddha said this DIF show in particular means so much to her.

“Easily, 110%, DIF has been the highlight of my experience at Pepperdine — from being able to dance to spending each Saturday with such amazing people,” Chaddha said.

“a moment in time II”

“... if your missing peace is yourself?”

“...

“a moment in time

Photos by Mary Elisabeth Students perform in various dances in Dance in Flight. The dance company captured the theme of “Wonder” through their perfomances March 1416, in Smothers Theatre.

what it would be like not to be in your own head?”

Samantha Wareing Life & Arts Assistant

Opera program stages ‘The Merry Widow’

Madison Luc Life & Arts Editor

A fun, lighthearted romantic comedy about living life with laughter, “The Merry Widow” tells the story of wealthy, young widow, Hannah Glawari, and playboy Count Danilo Danilovitsch, childhood sweethearts who must overcome their pride, pettiness, fortunes, titles and stubbornness to be together.

The Flora L. Thornton Opera Program presented the operetta Feb. 22, and 24, in Smothers Theatre. Franz Lehár composed the 1905 operetta in German, but many adaptations, including this one, perform English translations, according to the show’s website.

“The orchestration was so beautiful for the show,” sophomore audience member Jamison Rosales said. “It just kind of complemented each other really well.”

Rosales worked on the set and knew many of the cast members. She said the actors wore handmade costumes, and the scenic construction crew hand-painted each of the marble tiles onstage.

Pepperdine holds an an-

nual student opera the weekend before spring break, and an endowment from Flora L. Thornton supports part of the expenditure, Stage and Vocal Director Keith Colclough said. Students — and sometimes faculty — have the opportunity to audition in the fall semester roles in both the musical theater and opera performances in the spring.

“We get a wide range of experience levels — folks who’ve done Broadway tours and 20 productions and then folks who’ve only ever sung in a choir — and we throw them all together in an opera,” Colclough said. “It’s really cool to see how they feed off of each other, how they learn from one another and how much their hard work — how much they just transform during the production.”

First-year Nicholas Gerding, who played Njegus, the majordomo of the Petrovenian Embassy, said the show was his first time performing opera.

“It’s always a good time doing something very difficult all together,” Gerding said. “It’s a sort of collective effervescence of joy.”

Junior Payton Ballinger, who played Hannah Glawari,

the merry widow, credited her team for her success. She said she performed in past Pepperdine operas “H.M.S. Pinafore” and “Le Nozze di Figaro.”

“It was a grueling process, but it was so worth it,” Ballinger said.

Preparation

Producing a stellar opera involves hours upon hours of commitment from the entire team. Students rehearsed from 6 to 10 p.m., six days a week, and Colclough himself averaged 61 hours a week, he said.

Vocally demanding, opera requires optimal care for one’s voice, said junior Jace Vendelin, who played Vicomte Cascada, an Italian diplomat. Vocal health includes eating, drinking and sleeping properly.

“Opera is a very vocally heavy and vocally challenging genre to sing in,” Vendelin said.

Miara Williams and Emma Hirte, members of the ensemble, said maintaining one’s mental health is also critical to performing.

“There’s a lot to work on and a lot to think about all the time,” Williams said. “You just have to be mindful of still taking time for yourself.”

Students must memorize their lines on their own time outside of rehearsal, said sophomore Hannah Root, ensemble member and cover for Hannah Glawari.

“It can be a lot on top of the other classes, but it was totally, totally worth it,” Root said.

A song titled “Women” was an audience favorite — the crowd’s boisterous laughter and loud applause signaled their approval. The all-male cast of characters confusedly questioned and shared their exasperations about their female love interests.

“Yeah, it’s just a riot,” Vendelin said. “It’s such a good, fun song — the audience clapped along tonight, and that was just great energy.”

Opera vs. Musical Theater

Typically, operas are unamplified, meaning actors do not have a microphone, and there is no dialogue, Colclough said. The differences between opera and musical theater challenged performers to grow.

“It was a little relentless,” Gerding said. “It’s a different ballgame than musical theater. I hate to compare the two because they’re so different, but

opera is a different game musically and technique-wise.”

“The Merry Widow” is an operetta — somewhere between an opera and a musical — because it contains short scenes of dialogue, Colclough said. Smothers Theatre’s design requires microphones.

“The style of singing is totally different,” Ballinger said. “The way you have to move yourself onstage is completely different because you have to be faced out. It’s a different beast than musical theater.”

“We’ve got an awesome team,” Colclough said. “I’m really grateful for all the folks who chip in.”

The cast, orchestra, production staff, set crew, faculty and donors behind “The Merry Widow” put on an amazing show — but what is more remarkable is their gratitude for one another.

“A couple things that I hope for: One is that folks have a good time,” Colclough said. “Also, that they’re able to see the really incredible talent that our students have. They are really the ones who make the show happen, and we’re only as good as they are.”

Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor

Top Left: Students playing the Grisettes, Parisian cabaret girls, form a kick line Feb. 24, in Smothers Theatre. Top Right: Students perform a Petrovenian dance. Bottom Left: Characters Hannah Glawari, played by Payton Ballinger (left), and Count Danilo Danilovitsch, played by Joshua Corey, refuse to acknowledge their love for one another. Bottom Middle: Admirers and potential suitors surround Hannah Glawari, the merry widow. Bottom Right: Student performers stage “Women.”

Students still need resilience

Kylie Kowalski Life & Arts Assistant Editor

Connie Horton, vice president for Student Affairs at Seaver College, decided to change the narrative about mental health on campus. She developed Resilience-Informed Skills Education (RISE) in 2019, based on six dimensions of health to help students develop resilience.

In response to the spring 2019 Student Health Survey, students reported 65% felt overwhelming anxiety.

Director of RISE Stacey Lee Gobir is working with Horton in this effort to help students.

The program is designed to help students in all five schools, both graduate and undergraduate, become equipped with resilience — the ability to overcome and bounce back from adversity, Lee Gobir said.

“There’s a survey that a lot of colleges participate in called the National College Health Association Survey,” Lee Gobir said. “It surveys students from different universities across America about things like depression, anxiety, hopelessness — what we have seen

in the past is that Pepperdine is pretty much on par with the national averages that continue to rise and rise.”

The program is continuing to develop and create partnerships. Lee Gobir said a pivotal part of RISE over the past couple of years was giving students the necessary tools to be resilient.

Horton developed RISE following the Woolsey Fire and Borderline shooting, Lee Gobir said.

RISE aims to develop six data-driven dimensions of resilience in students. These dimensions include physical, social, cognitive, spiritual, service and life skills, Lee Gobir said. The purpose of the program is to help empower, educate and encourage students to build in these practices for themselves so they can thrive.

“I think there’s a misconception sometimes that students at Pepperdine don’t struggle, that they’re overachievers, that they should be happy all the time because they live by the beach,” Lee Gobir said.

RISE takes a holistic approach to health through a variety of campus events and partnerships. The organization currently partners with Seaver

Chapel to provide first-year students with four weeks of RISE curriculum in the fall and the spring, Lee Gobir said. Chapel — which is now run by the Dean’s Office — used to be called Seaver 200 and Convocation and coordinated by the Hub for Spiritual Life.

Some programs coordinated by the group include the RISE Housing Interest Community in Seaside Hall, a partnership with Campus Recreation to put on events such as weekly yoga and one-on-one coaching sessions to develop SMART goals for resilience, Lee Gobir said.

Larger-scale events include the RISE Summit. Each summit conference focuses on a

unique aspect of one of the six dimensions of RISE. The Summit has panelists who tell stories about resilience about one of the six dimensions, Lopez said. Additionally, RISE hosts a biannual Yoga Wellness Retreat.

RISE Marketing Intern Daniela Lopez said she has not missed a large-scale RISE event since her first year. Lopez joined the RISE community through the RISE Summit. In spring 2023, the Summit focused on physical health. Lopez said the theme for the conference was “Every Body Has a Story,” focusing on how unique stories have benefitted from resilience.

Lopez and two other in-

terns run the RISE Instagram account and create merch, she said. Their main goal is to collaborate to get people to attend RISE events.

The organization works to combat the myth that taking care of oneself looks the same for everyone, Lee Gobir said. RISE helps students find what works best for them and how to individually build skills that benefit their health.

“Dr. Connie Horton just saw that it was a timely opportunity to introduce a program like the RISE program, and all of it is around proactive skills-based education,” Lee Gobir said.

Students find happiness in crochet

Sophia Luo Life & Arts Staff Writer and Staff Artist

More than just a hobby, crochet can be a lifestyle with myriad benefits. Students discuss the impact crocheting has had on their lives.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people had to find unique ways of passing time within the confines of their homes. Among other household skills, the hobby of crochet experienced a renaissance among Gen Z as a form of self-expression, according to Grattan Street Press.

Crocheting is an extremely versatile craft, according to Study Breaks. Crochet techniques allow people to make different patterns, and crocheters can easily remedy mistakes.

Junior Natalee Borum has been crocheting since the summer of 2020. She said it helps clear her mind by keeping her hands busy.

“In the same way that runners enjoy running because they can clear their mind, I enjoy crocheting because it does the same thing for me,” Borum said.

Through repetitive motions, crocheting nurtures mental health by reducing levels of cortisol, according to Hemptique. People can shift their focus away from life’s troubles by entering a state of mindfulness, similar to meditation.

Borum’s interest in needlework came from her grandmother, who knitted baby blankets for her cousins, she said. After seeing crochet content on TikTok, Borum started following video tutorials

to learn crochet; later, she focused on crocheting tote bags.

“I made a tote bag that was inspired by the JW Anderson Harry Styles cardigan,” Borum said.

Her parents encouraged her to sell her tote bags, she said. Borum’s family and best friend became essential parts of her crochet business.

Her best friend created the graphic design for the shop’s Instagram profile picture, while her sister helped photograph her work, Borum said. Her mother and older sister drove her to the store weekly to acquire yarn.

Borum said she struggled with reasonably pricing her work when she started her business. While she did not want to make prices expensive, her friends and family pointed out handmade products are not cheap because they take hours to make.

Tasks such as picking the color of the yarn were tough when considering customer preferences, Borum said.

“That prevented me from fully enjoying it because I started to see it as more of a job that I had to do rather than an activity I got to do for fun,” Borum said.

Borum reclaimed her love for crochet when she focused on what she wanted to create, not what she thought customers would want to buy, she said. Now, crochet is less of a business and more of a fun skill to practice.

Borum’s favorite crochet project was a blanket that took 100 granny squares, she said. As complicated as it may seem, Borum recommends other people try crocheting.

“It’s just such a great way to keep your mind occupied or to turn off your mind for a while,” Borum said. “Just let your hands do something that they know how to do and make something fun or funky out of it.”

Junior Amiel Silbol is also a crochet enthusiast. He said he started crocheting during the summer after his first

year at Pepperdine, when he was browsing accessories for his new car.

Silbol saw a crochet steering wheel cover on Etsy and decided to make it himself. Since then, Silbol said he has stuck with crochet.

“When I crochet, it’s hard for me to keep track of time,” Silbol said.

A hurdle Silbol overcame on his crochet journey was the initial beginner phase, he said. His confidence in crocheting grew over time with practice.

Silbol has since crocheted tote bags, bucket hats, cardigans and sweaters, he said. His most memorable crochet project was a cardigan composed of granny squares.

At the end of each crochet project, he feels accomplished more than anything, Silbol said.

“When you start a project, you have a vision of what it will turn out in the end, and sometimes, it doesn’t always look how you want it to,” Silbol said.

“But that’s the joy of crocheting and adding your own personal touches — having human error in your projects.”

On campus, Silbol usually crochets in the brief moments he has breaks from studying, he said. Instead of scrolling through social media, he resumes crochet projects during his free time.

“It’s a pretty easy hobby to pick up, and you can learn so much from it,” Silbol said. “It’s a form of art, and it’s something that you can add your own personal touches to.”

Photo courtesy of Daniela Lopez Seaver students practice yoga poses at Alumni Park on Sept. 9. Lopez said yoga is beneficial for de-stressing.

Caroline Maloof | Staff Artist

Movie remakes disappoint audience

Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Assistant

Throughout the last three months, producers released three remakes, freshly imagined backstories or adaptations of previously-made films. With “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” “Wonka” and “Mean Girls” all hitting the screens within weeks of one another, students expressed their opinions on the lack of originality within the world of cinema.

Although some audiences thoroughly enjoy modernized versions of classics, Visiting Instructor of English Stephanie Donnelly expressed a different feeling toward the trend.

“When this phase began, I wondered, ‘Why does a film still appreciated by a contemporary, all-ages audience need to be remade?’” Donnelly said. “The answer is that it doesn’t.”

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” premiered Nov. 17, and Currents Magazine Editor-in-Chief Samantha Torre reviewed the film Dec. 7. Sophomore Sidney Brown said she enjoyed the movie, but if she had one critique of the movie, it would be the underdevelopment of the story’s authoritarian leader, President Snow, played by Tom Blyth.

After Johnny Depp por-

trayed the charismatic Willy Wonka 18 years ago, Timothée Chalamet took the role into his own hands.

Sophomore Anastasia Maloney found the new film retold the original story in a different light. She said she noticed the change in age for the film’s lead character, which she thought helped bring in a much younger audience.

“I really liked how they chose Timothée Chalamet as he’s a lot younger than Gene Wilder was when he played Wonka,” Maloney said.

There is quite a challenge

that comes with playing a role that has already been done before, Maloney said.

“Not only do you have to live up to the expectations of the previous actor but you also have to add in your own flair so that people don’t just see you as a copy and paste,” Maloney said.

Donnelly went to the theater for only one of the three recent remake releases — “Mean Girls” — as she was a fan of the original film from 2004.

The new version of the pink and quirky original hit the screens Jan. 12. Just like the

2004 film, Tina Fey both wrote and starred in the remake as well.

“Disappointingly, the new material lacked the mischievous wit and quotability of the original, and the refreshed moments from the first film didn’t zing,” Donnelly said. “It was a bit of a muddle.”

Despite the film bringing a new musical aspect to the screen that the original did not, this was still not enough to live up to the perfection of the 2004 film, Donnelly said.

With the ever-increasing production of modernized

classics, audiences ponder what this means for the future of the world of cinema.

Brown said she notices a lack of originality in the media world as a whole and thinks this trend will only increase as time goes on — which is disappointing to her.

“I haven’t seen many remakes that I liked more than the original,” Brown said.

Maloney, on the other hand, said she has hope for the future of films. Considering the recent writer’s strike, she thinks big companies such as Disney are starting to recognize audiences are not in favor of these remakes.

“We’re wanting creativity from human minds,” Maloney said. “So, I would hope that these big companies would set aside their capitalistic ideas and look more to a creative aspect.”

Donnelly said she is not always the biggest supporter of remade films; nonetheless, she finds herself curious to see what the future of cinema will hold.

“This all makes me wonder if we will, one day, cease to use the term ‘original’ and instead opt for something like ‘first interpretation,’” Donnelly said.

Adri Sahakian | Staff Artist and Perspectives Staff Writer

Beach Volleyball eyes conference title

ond year as captain, and she will continue to serve as a voice and support system for the team.

Pepperdine Women’s Beach Volleyball started its 13th season with the Pepperdine Challenge on Feb. 24, at the Marie Canyon Courts.

After coming close to a conference title the past couple seasons, members of the team said, through their more developed roster and strong team chemistry, they are ready to bring back the WCC title to Pepperdine for the first time since 2018.

“We can do even better than last year,” junior Kate Clermont said. “As a team, we are really close, and so, I’m just excited to build each game and stick together and then showcase what we’ve been working on hard each practice.”

Roster Additions and Returners

The 2024 team includes five new additions — three freshmen and two transfers. The newcomers are freshman Maya McNabey, freshman Lauren Cook, freshman Kaydon Meyers, redshirt sophomore Emma Bubelis and graduate Sarlota Svobodova.

Head coach Marco Sicoli said all newcomers are already impacting the team, but two that stick out are McNabey and Meyers.

“We have Kaydon — freshman defender that is absolutely on the verge of making the team and making an impact in high positions,” Sicoli said. “We have Maya — another newcomer that is probably making the lineup and impacting the team right away.

Clermont, Svobodova and junior McKenna Thomas were named to the WCC preseason team, according to Pepperdine Athletics. The captains for the upcoming season are Thomas and graduate Aubrey Roberts, according to the team’s Instagram.

Thomas said this is her sec-

“I look at the position [captain] as a way for me to be a communication for my teammates and my coaches as well,” Thomas said. “[I] just try to be that extra support for them as well. I’m just really honored to have it.”

During the offseason, the team hired Chris Flood to be an assistant coach, according to Pepperdine Athletics. Flood was an assistant coach for Team Canada Indoor Volleyball in the 2021 Olympics and was a back-to-back national champion in indoor volleyball at Missouri Baptist, where he also received multiple all-conference first and second team awards.

“His [Flood’s] big job is individual player development,” Sicoli said. “And that’s what he’s been bringing to the team right away since the fall.”

Opening Schedule

The Waves’ first matches of the season were a home doubleheader, where they beat

Vanguard 5-0 but lost to Long Beach State 5-0 in the Pepperdine Challenge. The team is looking to use these matches as an opportunity to make a statement to start the season, Thomas said.

“Our expectations are very high,” Thomas said. “We want to establish that this is our field. This is our court, and we are here to play.”

Following the Pepperdine Challenge, the Waves’ second tournament — the Malibu Invite — was also at home. They fell to Boise State 4-1, beat San Francisco 5-0 and fell to Arizona 5-0. While all matches are important, home matches mean slightly more to the team, Sicoli said.

This is our field. This is our court, and we are here to play.

McKenna Thomas Women’s Beach Volleyball Junior

“We want to connect with the community,” Sicoli said. “We want to connect with the student body. I want to connect with the community in Malibu.”

Later on in the season, during the PCH Invite, Pepperdine will face Loyola Marymount for the first time March 24. In the previous season, the Waves faced LMU in the WCC Championship final but lost 3-0.

This is the fourth season in a row in which LMU won the WCC and the third consecutive season in which Pepperdine fell to LMU in the championship final, according to LMU Athletics. Multiple members of the team said losing to LMU has served as extra motivation for the season.

“That unfinished business is bringing the WCC title back to Malibu,” Sicoli said. “It has been too long that [it] is down at LMU.”

For Thomas, she said her and Clermont’s match didn’t get to finish, so the two of them are eager to have a rematch against the Lions.

“Her [Clermont] and I are definitely fired up that first

time we play them to finish where we left off and keep taking care of business against them,” Thomas said.

Developing Team Culture

Multiple members of the team said they are continually looking to grow the team’s culture as it is vital to their on-thecourt performance.

“If a team doesn’t have that chemistry or that bond, it’s gonna be really hard to support in those tough times when maybe we play a team and it’s just not going our way,” Thomas said.

One area Clermont said where the team chemistry shines through is when the team competes against each other in drills.

“We love to get every drill — know all the rules,” Clermont said. “We like to challenge each other. We’re really competitive, but we’re good at cheering for each other because, at the end of the day, we’re on the same team.”

Design by Kenneth Vargas

Pepperdine Women’s Beach Volleyball pose for their team photo before the 2024 season at Ralph’s Beach. The 2024 Women’s Beach Volleyball season started Feb. 24, against Vanguard.

Tony Gleason

Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics

Up-and-comers: Spring sees rising stars

Justin Rodriguez Sports Assistant Editor

The spring season has been off to a roaring start for Pepperdine Athletics, with athletes across multiple sports looking to improve on or build off of strong freshman seasons.

This semester, the three highlighted “up and comers” for the spring seasons are: Jenna Parsio, sophomore Women’s Track and Field sprinter, NewsWaves sports anchor and a previous Graphic contributor; Nick Bonn, sophomore Baseball pitcher; and AJ Adams, Women’s Swim and Dive back and individual medley swimmer.

“I’ve honed in on trusting myself and the hard work I’ve put in,” Bonn said. “I’m trusting the process that all the work I put in will develop and deliver when the time comes.”

Jenna Parsio: The Flash

Parsio said she grew up in Orange County and was a dual high school athlete. She played soccer and ran varsity track all four years.

Sports have always been in her family, and at as early as 8 years old, Parsio said she would receive Ohio State College Football shirts as Christmas gifts. Her older brothers were collegiate soccer players, and watching them pushed her to follow the same path.

“Both of my brothers were in sports, and my dad was their coach when they were younger,” Parsio said. “My dad was my coach for a bit when I was younger. I’ve always been surrounded by sports.”

In high school, Parsio said she was forced to compete in both a fall and spring sport, so she decided to do track in the spring because it would help her with soccer. As time progressed, she quickly realized she not only enjoyed running track but was also pretty good at it.

As a freshman, Parsio ran in six events before injuring herself during a morning practice

last winter. She said she went to multiple Pepperdine trainers, who told her the injury was minimal and she was okay to continue her normal routines — but the pain never subsided.

She said she made a trip to a family doctor, who notified her that her labrum was torn. She decided to have a surgery done to repair the tear July 19.

“To work so hard and to almost be punished for how hard I worked was just so hard to deal with because it doesn’t make any sense,” Parsio said. “And nobody can explain it to me because there is no explanation.”

Before the injury, Parsio had a season-best 400-meter time of 59.08 at the Vince O’Boyle Track and Field Classic on April 1. In the five individual meets, four of them resulted in top-10 finishes, and she was a part of the 400-meter relay team that placed first at the Battle of the OC, according to Pepperdine Athletics.

“Track is just super rewarding because you do [run] it alone, and while that’s also stressful, it’s just so fulfilling,” Parsio said. “I wish I did track sooner, and I wish I started track when I was little.”

Parsio said she feels somewhat worried about her ability to reach her dream coming into the second half of her college career, which originally was to run a 55.00 sprint time.

She said, now, her goal has shifted to getting back to the level she was at before she suffered her injury.

Nick Bonn: The Ace

Bonn is a local kid who grew up in Laguna Beach, California, and said his passion for baseball started off watching his older brother play for Concordia.

Between the age gap and the skill difference, Bonn said he always tried to one-up his older brother, and it was always to no avail. However, the sibling rivalry they shared is something Bonn credits for his former and current success.

“It gave me a competitive

edge for sure,” Bonn said. “So, when I’ve faced some of the guys who are grad students, I don’t feel out of place there because I feel like I’ve been there.”

His poise is something he said is his biggest strength, and he started developing a lot of it from a young age. He feels comfortable being in the uncomfortable and credits it as being more of a mental strength over pure talent.

In high school, Bonn was a two-way player, and across three varsity seasons, he hit .348 and pitched 85 innings. It was good enough to nab him the Sunset Wave League Co-Pitcher of the Year and the Laguna Beach High Offensive Player and Pitcher of the Year as a senior, according to the Laguna Beach Independent.

Bonn made his debut Feb. 19, 2023, against Boston College, throwing a scoreless sixth inning of relief in a tough 18-6 loss for Pepperdine. Bonn would go on to appear in 19 more games for the Waves, ending his 2023 campaign with a 5-1 record, a 6.27 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 33 IP, according to Pepperdine Athletics.

He said, coming into the season as a freshman, he placed too many expectations and hardships on himself, but now, he’s more at peace coming into his sophomore campaign.

“It’s the same game,” Bonn said. “Just a different level, and you have to hone in on more pitches, deliver in more spots, but at the end of the day, it’s the same game — it’s you against the batter.”

So far this season, he’s started five games, striking out 12 batters and walking only three with a .230 batting average against in 19 IP, according to Pepperdine Athletics.

Bonn said his dream is to host a NCAA Division I Regional tournament on Pepperdine soil. Ever since he first stepped foot on the field, Bonn knew the location, coverage and atmosphere the Waves can bring to the field is something he’d always strive for.

“Having a regional here —

with people scattered around the stadium, the seats filled, people standing in the parking lot watching us face a tough team like Arkansas or Ole Miss — has been my goal ever since I came on my visit here,” Bonn said. “I would love to just host a regional here, and this beautiful spot would be awesome.”

AJ Adams: The Bullet Wave

Adams said she was born and raised in Castle Rock, Colorado, with a family deeply rooted in swim and dive. Her grandfather coached swim and dive in college, leading to her mother participating in the sport and, eventually, herself.

“I got into it at a very young age, and then, it was definitely one of those sports that just kind of stuck with me,” Adams said. “Now, here I am.”

Adams said coming to Pepperdine was never a clear-cut choice, but knowing her skill level, she felt she could get into a private school with a great education. She applied to a bunch of schools, including many private schools as she wanted to prioritize education.

Adams skill in the sport jumped as a result of joining the Waves, according to Pepperdine Athletics. As a freshman, she set a school record as a member of the 800 free relay team, had the season-best time

in the 200 back at 2:02.12 and received All-PCSC first team honors in three events — the 200 back (first place), 200 IM (fifth place) and the 400 IM (fifth place).

“Coming to Pepperdine and getting more specific attention and training for what I was necessarily good at was kind of what really kick-started me into excelling,” Adams said.

Adams made her debut Oct. 6, 2022, against San Diego State. The Waves lost that affair 83-49, but Adams recorded a fourth-place finish in the 50 back with a time of 28.02, according to Pepperdine Athletics.

Adams said she played with a lot of intensity and trained fiercely to prepare for her freshman campaign. Coming into her sophomore season, she said she set goals that she feels more than capable of obtaining.

This year, Adams said she’s switching up her races. She previously swam in the 200 and 400 IM as well as the 400 back, but Adams decided to swap her 200 IM for 500 back, trying to go back to her long-distance races.

“I’m tapping into more of my distance free routes from back when I was in high school,” Adams said. “I’m here to improve and hopefully get some best times in the future because that’s kind of what swimming’s all about.”

She said her dream is to improve upon the team’s success over the previous couple of years. She wants to bring the success the team had in the Pacific Coast Swim Conference to the conference they are currently competing in — the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

“I just want to keep the momentum rolling because I had an amazing freshman year,” Adams said. “I just want to keep building the program up so that, eventually, I can look back at Pepperdine, and it’s some dynasty — that would be really cool to see.”

Photo courtesy of AJ Adams

Photo courtesy of Nick Bonn

Photo courtesy of Jenna Parsio Parsio sprints down the track during a 400-meter race at the Oxy Spring Break Classic on March 11. Parsio secured a fourthplace finish with a finals time of 1:01.20.

Adams takes a breath during a 400-meter IM race at the Rodoinoff Invite on Oct. 13-14. Adams finished the year with the third, all-time best 200 back time of 2:02.12.

Bonn winds up to throw a pitch against Utah on Feb. 16. Bonn threw five scoreless innings over the Utes, walking just one while striking out three.

Tatum Wynalda: Returns from injury

Nina Fife News Editor

Tatum Wynalda was born ready to compete, her mother Amy Ward said.

Wynalda is a sophomore midfielder and forward on the Women’s Soccer team, who had an outstanding debut her freshman season.

Wynalda earned United Soccer Coaches All-West Region second team honors, AllWCC second team honors and was named to the WCC All-Freshman team, according to Pepperdine Athletics. She played in all 18 games and was the team’s second-leading scorer with eight goals and one assist.

“I grew up in a big soccer family, and it was kind of a given that I was gonna start playing,” Wynalda said. “My dad played professionally for the Men’s National Team for soccer, and both my parents went to college and played soccer.”

Family Ties

Wynalda said her decision to come to Pepperdine was a big one, especially since Head Coach Tim Ward is her uncle. Wynalda had a lot of success in high school with the opportunities to play collegiately at other schools. However, Wynalda ultimately picked Pepperdine because it felt like home.

“I knew Pepperdine was the place for me when I was looking at all these schools – all these universities – and talking to these coaches,” Wynalda said. “I always kept comparing them to Pepperdine.”

Wynalda said her relationship to Coach Ward helped introduce her to Pepperdine — although, he was not the decid-

ing factor in her decision.

“It’s important to note that I didn’t just come here for him,” Wynalda said. “I just grew up coming to the games and being here on campus, and I absolutely loved it.”

Tim Ward said he is harder on his niece than other players.

“I don’t ever want to be thought of as someone who’s easier on Tatum because she’s a family member,” Tim Ward said. “I think the inverse is actually true. I’m more demanding of her.”

Injury Reset

But now, after a stellar freshman season, Wynalda said she faced an injury that has kept her off the field, unable to play the sport she loves.

Wynalda said she suffered from back fractures in high school and had a relapse in the spring of 2023. This injury kept her sidelined for six to seven months.

“Coming off of my freshman year, I was really kind of riding that high and really felt like I had found purpose here,” Wynalda said. “Relapsing that injury was really, really difficult, especially because, for me, I had put so much pressure on myself going into my sophomore year of performing just at the same caliber.”

Amy Ward said this injury took a big toll on her daughter.

“Everything just stopped,” Amy Ward said. “What she knew, what she loved, what made her happy, what relieved her stress or her social part with her friends — that was all taken away. It was an emotional rollercoaster for her.”

Kyra Murphy, redshirt freshman midfielder and Wynalda’s roommate, said she has seen the effects of these fractures — but also Wynalda’s fighting spirit to heal and continue playing despite these injuries.

“Being her roommate, I see what goes on behind like closed doors,” Murphy said. “The girl is constantly working, and you can tell she wants to be out on the field all the time. She’s always trying to get back to where she needs to be.”

Coming Back

Amy Ward said, while this injury was devastating to her daughter, she knew she could handle it.

“On our very first soccer team that I coached, they used to say, ‘Come on you guys, be ‘Tatum tough,’ because she was so feisty and tough,” Amy Ward said. “All this adversity has built her character, and I think, in a good way.”

Wynalda said this injury made her lose sight of her purpose, causing her to struggle a lot mentally. During this dark time, Wynalda was thankful for her team.

“Being a part of the Pepperdine soccer program is truly a blessing,” Wynalda said. “It has been the highlight of my life. I have met my best friends in this program. Being surrounded by people that you love really helps create a support system where you feel seen and feel supported.”

Amy Ward said she has seen Wynalda grow as a player and a young woman at Pepperdine.

“People look up to her not only on the soccer field but off

Being a part of the Pepperdine soccer program is truly a blessing.

Tatum Wynalda Women’s Soccer Sophomore Midfielder/Forward

the soccer field,” Amy Ward said. “She’s had to grow into that role. She has grown mentally, spiritually and physically.”

After her freshman season success, Wynalda has been able to step into a role of leadership for the Waves, Tim Ward said.

“Tatum leads just by the way she plays,” Tim Ward said. “She has this unique fire in her soul. I’ve seen it ever since she was little — the bigger the game, the bigger moments she seems to have.”

Murphy said she agreed with Coach Ward and said Wynalda is a huge presence both on and off the field.

“She’s one of those players who is super tenacious — such a hard worker, such a grinder,” Murphy said. “You can tell, when she plays, she has so much love for the game. It just motivates everything and everyone around her.”

Looking Forward

Wynalda said she played limited minutes upon recovering from her back fractures but finished her sophomore season with six goals and two assists in nine starts. Wynalda said soccer has brought her the most joy in her life.

“It all happened for a reason, and it all still happens for a reason,” Amy Ward said. “God has a plan for her, and she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be. So, I’m proud of her for all of her growth.”

Sophomore midfielder and forward Tatum Wynalda takes a shot against Harvard on Sept. 3, at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Wynalda finished her sophomore season with six goals scored.

Photo courtesy of Tatum Wynalda

Tatum Wynalda celebrates after her goal against Saint Mary’s on Oct. 7, at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. The sophomore put the Waves up 2-0 in the first half.

Photo by Mary Elisabeth

SPORTS

‘He led us like family’: Players reflect on playing for Romar

Tony Gleason Sports Editor

Lorenzo Romar, Pepperdine Men’s Basketball head coach concluded his tenure as head coach following the end of the 2023-24 Men’s Basketball season, Pepperdine Athletics confirmed to the Graphic. Former athletes of his said he has been an incredible leader and has exceptional character.

Lorenzo Romar, former Pepperdine Men’s Basketball head coach, has concluded his tenure as head coach following the end of the 2023-24 Men’s Basketball season, Pepperdine Athletics confirmed to the Graphic.

Romar coached at Pepperdine from 1996-99 and 201824, where he had a 117-156 record with the Waves. Former players of his said Romar has an incredible character, and they are grateful for how Romar helped them grow as athletes and people.

“I love Coach Romar so much,” junior guard Houston Mallette said. “The lessons he’s taught me — just even more than basketball — just the life lessons have been incredible, and it’s something that you don’t really get many places.”

In a statement to the Graphic, President Jim Gash, praised Romar’s time at the University.

“I am grateful to Coach Romar for his outstanding commitment to the Men’s basketball team and to this university, and for his character, faith, and leadership on and off the court throughout the years he has dedicated to Pepperdine,” Gash wrote in a March 14

email to the Graphic. “I wish Coach Romar great success in his next chapter.”

Romar declined to do an interview for the Graphic about his tenure.

Playing Under Romar

After winning the College Basketball Invitational in 2020, Men’s Basketball had a 2967 record and a 8-40 record in WCC play from 2021-24, according to Basketball Reference. Despite the team’s struggles, multiple players said Romar wouldn’t let the team’s performance drag anyone down.

“We didn’t win how we wanted to,” sophomore forward Jevon Porter said. “But, every day, he still came to practice [and] came to the office with a good positive mindset and uplifting everybody, making everyone confident in themselves and in each other as a team.”

One aspect of the way Romar coached multiple players said was meaningful was how he would be completely honest with his players all the time. Whether it would be in the recruiting stage or after they came to Pepperdine, Romar would be honest about their role or playing time.

Even though he was never going to sugarcoat anything, Romar still saw value in all of his players and let them know that, said Seaver 2022, Graziado 2023 alumnus Jay Yoon, former Pepperdine Men’s Basketball guard.

“He would always candidly tell me, ‘This is what you’re good at; this is how you can improve; this is how you can get

on the court; this is what makes you a leader on the team,’” Yoon said. “And I took that to heart because he wasn’t going to give me a sugar-coated answer.”

That honesty and establishing trust is why athletes want to play for him, said ‘23 alumnus Majok Deng, former Pepperdine Men’s Basketball guard.

“That’s why so many people come to play for Romar,” Deng said. “Because they earn their playing time, and he’s gonna play who was trusted to be on the floor.”

One basketball lesson multiple players said they learned from Romar is one of confidence.

Yoon originally decided to come to Pepperdine without a spot on the basketball team but would attend summer pickup sessions to attempt to be a walk-on to the team, according to previous Graphic reporting. Romar awarded Yoon a spot on the team, which he was very thankful for, Yoon said.

“For him to even take a chance, regardless of whether he thought I would play or not,” Yoon said. “Regardless of whether he thought I’d make an immediate impact on the team, for him to place his trust in me and allow me to experience something that many kids cannot experience — I’m so grateful.”

Porter said he credits the way he improved his performance from his freshman to sophomore year to the faith Romar had in him.

The player I am now compared to the player I was when I first came into college is so completely different,” Porter

said. “The confidence I have in myself now, the way I believe in myself — I’m just so grateful that he believed in me the way he did and that he showed me that time and time again.”

Coaching with Character

While his job may have been head coach, multiple players said his character helped teach them to be better people off the court.

Deng said Romar treated his players not only as athletes but also as family.

“He led us like a family,” Deng said. “It wasn’t just a hard nose[d] basketball, which was also a part of it, but he also treated [us] like family, and those are amazing qualities that I take to how I want to lead my family in the future.”

For Yoon, he said Romar was a composed and stoic leader, which stood out when he addressed the team.

“He always knew the right thing to say in a situation where we’re young men, and a lot of emotions, a lot of aggression, as well,” Yoon said. “But he always knew how to handle a group of guys.”

Deng said one his favorite qualities of Romar was how he was available for all of his players no matter who they were. Romar and Deng would spend time together in the morning working on technical aspects, even though Romar didn’t have to be there.

“He could easily send a manager and assistant coach to come work with me,” Deng said. “But he took the time to come work with me, and I thought that was amazing.”

Romar made himself available to his athletes for more than just basketball, multiple

players said. Mallette was able to go to Romar to discuss anything that may have been on his mind.

“He always allowed me a personal space in his office just to talk through things,” Mallette said. “Whether that be film — whether it be totally unrelated to basketball — and I really appreciate him for that.”

Another part of Romar’s character multiple players said they deeply respected was his devout faith. On every plane ride, Deng would sit down next to Romar, follow along with him as he read his Bible and ask him questions about faith.

For Mallette, he said Romar developing his players’ faith was more important than anything Romar taught people about basketball.

“At the end of the day, the ball stops dribbling for all of us,” Mallette said. “And we need to be able to act and represent ourselves the best way possible in life. Coach Romar made that a prominent topic of discussion.”

Now that Romar’s tenure is over, multiple players said they have no regrets about their time playing under him, despite the team’s results.

“There’s a lot of things we could have done differently to help us win games, but we all learn from it,” Mallette said. “We were a young team. This year, we are injured, but I don’t wish anything would have gone differently. I wish we could spend more time together.”

Lorenzo Romar, former Pepperdine Men’s Basketball head coach, observes his players in Firestone Fieldhouse in 2018. Romar’s former players said he taught them how to be confident on the court.

Photo courtesy of Houston Mallette

Lorenzo Romar, former Pepperdine Men’s Basketball head coach, high fives then sophomore guard Houston Mallette in Firestone Fieldhouse during the 2022-23 season. Romar spent nine years as head coach for the Waves.

Photo courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics