The memorial honors the lives lost during 9/11 with a message from Distinguished Honoree Pat Boone. Servicemen reflect on a day they will never forget. See NEWS | A4
“The country took a whole different turn. My life took a whole different turn.”
Pepperdine Fire
Captain Mark Lauren
“I lived in Antelope Valley at the time, just pretty close to the Air Force base, and so I had some family discussions about whether or not I should stay back.”
Pepperdine Fire
Captain Jason Jensen
“I took it personal, being a military guy and an immigrant from a different country, this flag means a lot to me.”
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Mejia
Photo by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor Design by Betsy Burrow | Lead Designer
Sept. 14
Pepperine Worship Summit 2024
The Pepperdine Worship Summit returns this year for an evening of Christ-centered worship and fellowship. The event will include free food trucks on Alumni at 5 p.m.
Good News: Sports journalism leads to fulfillment
Tony Gleason Special Edition Editor
U p c o m i n g e v e n t s . . .
Sept. 15
Women’s Volleyball vs. UCSB Cheer on the Women’s Volleyball team as they compete against UC Santa Barbara in Firestone Fieldhouse at 3 p.m.
Sept. 29
Men’s Water Polo vs. Stanford Come support the Men’s Water Polo team as they compete against Stanford at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool at noon.
Oct. 4
Waves Weekend
Pepperdine families and alumni are welcome to explore Malibu for a weekend dedicated to celebrating the Pepperdine community. Activies include Blue and Orange Madness, Brock Reception and more.
If there was one play that summed up my baseball career, it was when I was 11 years old, playing third base, when I went to catch a pop fly — but instead of catching it — I missed and the ball hit me directly in the face. I was taken out of the game and left with two black eyes for a couple weeks.
Whether it was breaking my wrist on the first play of the season or getting tagged out trying to steal home — it seemed every time I took the field, I found a new way to embarrass myself.
When I was 15, I decided I had enough and stopped playing baseball. I picked up track and cross country shortly afterwards, but was never quite good at those either.
For years, I was constantly hearing stories from my peers about how they hit the game winning shot or they were traveling across the country for their sport. This always frustrated me because I always wanted to have stories of my own where I came up clutch. It felt like I was constantly waiting for my time to be the star athlete — but the time never came.
For a while, I felt as if there was something missing. I wanted to be involved with
sports and had a deep passion for baseball — but it was clear I was not meant for the playing field. I was unsure of what to do with my passion.
That was until I joined the sports section of the Graphic in the Fall ‘22 semester.
My four semesters as a part of the sports section — including two as the sports editor — were nothing short of fulfilling. With each new opportunity I get to cover sports at Pepperdine, I’m reminded I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.
While I’ll never be able to tell people about the time I had a walk-off hit or made a diving catch — I can tell people about the time I interviewed former MLB All Star pitcher Dan Haren or Max Lewis, former Pepperdine
Caught you fizzin’!
“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.”
Men’s Basketball forward, a few days after he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, I’m in the process of creating a sports magazine that will come out in late October.
The summer before I came to Pepperdine, I remember sitting in traffic in Boston on my way to Fenway Park, listening to 98.5 the Sports Hub and the Section 10 Podcast talk about the Red Sox. I remember thinking it would be awesome to be able to cover sports. A few years later, I’m doing that very thing.
I’m not an athlete, and because of sports journalism, I’m OK with that.
Address: Student Publications Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy. Malibu, CA 90263
Photo Courtesy of Tony Gleason Special Edition Editor Tony Gleason poses with one of his articles. He is currently creating a sports magazine that will come out late October.
Gash, Highfield discuss ‘Freedom’ theme
Highfield Discusses Theme
Freedom is a packed word, which can mean something different to every person who hears it.
President Jim Gash said it is his goal to unpack the seven letter word throughout the semester. The Sept. 4, “Biblical Perspectives on Freedom” event held in Payson Library’s Surfboard Room served as a kick-off to the conversation of what the word—freedom— means to the University.
“When I was setting up the theme for freedom for the year, one of the things I wanted to do was not just say, ‘Here’s a word. Do with it what you want,’” Gash said. “This one seemed particularly capable of being grounded in who we are as an institution.”
A lecture highlighting his research and beliefs in Chris-
Gash said there is no one else he would rather have open up the discussion on freedom than Highfield, who published a book titled “God, Freedom and Human Dignity” in 2012. Highfield opened up the lecture by breaking down five different ways to view freedom: circumstantial freedom of self-realization, natural freedom of self-determination, acquired freedom of self-perfection, political freedom and collective freedom.
Cameron Gilliam, Pepperdine’s director of Ministry, said he enjoyed how Highfield defined freedom from a philosophical approach before discussing the word from a Christian perspective.
“He [Highfield] used that as framework to understand the Christian idea of freedom,” Gillian said. “Then we can understand how the Christian
This one [theme] seemed particularly capable of being grounded in who we are as an institution.
Jim Gash President of Pepperdine University
tian freedom was given by Seaver Religion Professor Ron Highfield. At the conclusion of the lecture, dialogue was opened with Highfield, Gash and Laura Locke Estes, assistant professor of Religion at Seaver College. The audience was then encouraged to engage in discussion with Highfield.
idea of freedom fits with these secular frameworks.”
Highfield said he took the secular definition of “freedom,” and used it to define the word from a Christian perspective.
“God’s beloved child, through the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ is liberated from sin, to know, will and do what is good and
right,” Highland said, as he gave his definition of Christian freedom.
This definition can be applied to a Christian university, so students and staff have the freedom to seek all things good and true, Highfield said.
“A Christian university has to find a balance between allowing bad choices for the sake of good choices and limiting the destructive effects of bad choices,” Highland said.
Another feature of being a Christian university is allowing open discussion for a variety of topics, Highfield said.
“In the course of this academic year, we should celebrate, discuss and debate political freedoms such as freedom of speech, freedom of religious practice, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and many
other constitutional and legislated rights,” Highfield said.
The definition of “freedom” should be a continuous discussion on Pepperdine’s campus, because it allows individuals to seek love and do good, Highfield said.
Discussion on ‘Freedom’
To follow the theme of freedom, Gash said it was important not to end the event when the lecture concluded, but to continue the conversation with a question and answer session.
Gash and Estes joined Highfield onstage to ask Highfield questions about the lecture.
A member of the crowd asked about the philosophical definitions of freedom, and if Christian freedom could exist without them.
“We have to embrace the good and right from our own hearts [circumstantial freedom of self-realization],” Highfield responded. “So yes, we need all kinds of freedom to allow Christian freedom.”
After about 20 minutes of dialogue, Gash concluded the conversation.
This will not be the last thing you hear about freedom this year, Gash said.
Emma Martinez News Staff Writer
[Left to right] Ron Highfield, Laura Locke Estes and Jim Gash engage in conversation about the definition of “Christian freedom” Sept. 4 in Payson Library’s Surfboard Room. Gash said it was important to have back-and-forth conversation when it comes to this year’s theme.
Ron Highfield begins his lecture, which focused on freedom and its relationship to Christianity. The Sept. 4 event in Payson Library’s Surfboard Room was to open the conversation of this year’s campus theme.
Photos by Emma Martinez | News Staff Writer
Waves of Flags: Remember and honor
Rachel Flynn News Editor
Pepperdine commemorates Sept. 11, 2001 during its annual 9/11 memorial and attendees reflect on that day where time stood still.
The memorial ceremony was marked with themes of honor and freedom for all of the first responders, firefighters and police officers who risked and sacrificed their lives during 9/11. President Jim Gash called for attendees to not only remember those lost, but to respond with honor.
The Waves of Flags began 16 years ago when two Pepperdine students were inspired to create a grand display of American flags to commemorate 9/11, Chancellor Sara Young Jackson said.
“In addition to being blessed by those two thoughtful students, we were blessed by the support of our dear friend with us today, Pat Boone,” Jackson said.
Boone sponsored the student’s vision of American flags that wave on Alumni Park’s lawn every Sept. 11, Jackson said. There is a flag for each life lost in the World Trade Center terror attack — 2,977 individuals. There is also a flag representing each country that lost a citizen.
During the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, a $1 million endowment was created by the Pepperdine community for the annual Waves of Flags, Jackson said.
Senior Vice Chancellor Adrian Stevens gave the invocation.
“Fill us with the desire to be instruments of peace, driven
by your divine love,” Stevens prayed.
First-year Skyla Woodward sang a rendition of the national anthem and Marlyn Day, Pepperdine University Board Co-Chair, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Myers Mentzer, president of the Student Government Association, spoke from II Corinthians 5 during the memorial ceremony.
“For we know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands,” Mentzer read.
Jackson introduced Boone as the honorary speaker for the 2024 Waves of Flags ceremony. He has been the chair of the university board for over 40 years and provided the endowment for Pepperdine’s Boone Center for the Family.
Boone’s latest release, “Where Did America Go?” was played before his speech. He said he wrote what he felt America was needing to hear today. He compared it to the meaningful lines in Bob Dylan’s song, “Blowing in the Wind,” which was written in the 60s and helped bring about change.
“I felt then, and I still feel we need a similar call to come back together and to address the divides and political differences and spiritual differences,” Boone said.
“They’re [the flags] almost the glue that has kept America together for our whole history,” Boone said.
Boone said the nearly 3,000 flags aren’t just standing but they are also speaking. They are serve as a reminder to all the men and women who have given their lives for our country.
“These flags speak and sing America, of God,” Boone said. “Their promise to each one, that they represent, that these deaths were not in vain, and that the God who has blessed America has now blessed them.”
Following Boone’s speech, Gash talked about one’s response to remembrance.
“It’s not just the act of remembering that we’re interested in, but what the act of remembering caused us to moving forward,” Gash said.
Pepperdine values building and sustaining a culture of honor, because that’s where freedom lives, Gash said. Those who lost their lives on 9/11 honored us and today we honor their sacrifice, Gash said.
“They’re banners of freedom, cheering us on to live honorable lives for the good of all humanity,” Gash said.
Tim Spivey, vice president for Spiritual Life, gave the benediction.
Eric Leshinsky, who served 26 years in the United States Air Force and is the current
director of Student Veteran Affairs, was joined by senior Samuel Miller, president of the Pepperdine Veterans Organization. Together, they placed the final flag in the waves of flags installation.
Attendees reflect on Sept. 11, 2001
Former Army Serviceman Kevin Niles said he was home, about to depart for an international flight, when he heard from his son about Flight 93 hitting the Twin Towers. Any and all flights were immediately shutdown by air traffic control and planes in the air immediately landed at the closest airport, Niles said.
“They just had no idea what was going on in the country,” Niles said.
It’s important to honor and pay tribute to those that died that day, Niles said speaking of the 25th anniversary coming in two years.
Pepperdine Fire Captain Jason Jensen said he was on his way to work at Pepperdine that morning when he heard the announcement on the radio.
“That was a very emotional day,” Jensen said.
At the time, he was living with his family in Antelope Valley close to the Edwards Air Force Base. Their family discussed whether he should come all the way to Malibu that morning because of all the uncertainty, Jensen said.
Pepperdine Fire Captain Mark Lauren said he remembered the morning of 9/11 when his wife cried out, “You’ll never believe it!” Lauren was about to begin a new position at Monterey Airport Fire, he said.
“It was my first day, and that came to a screeching halt,” Lauren said. “The job was put on hold.”
Lauren said because of what took place that day, he came to work at Pepperdine.
“It’s a moment I’ll never forget and it brought me here, and I’m grateful for that,” Lauren said.
Eric Leshinsky and Samuel Miller (pictured left to right) place the final flag in the Waves of Flags instillation. The tradition began last year with Chris Pratt placing the final flag.
Photos by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
Pat Boone speaks during that Waves of Flags after sharing his song, “Where Did America Go?,” on Sept. 11 at Alumni Park. Boone sponsored the instillation of flags 16 years ago after two Pepperdine students proposed the idea.
Pepperdine Fire Captain Mark Lauren stands with other members of Pepperdine Fire during the Sept. 11 Waves of Flags at Alumni Park. Lauren said the events of 9/11 are what led him to the Pepperdine Fire Department.
Waves Church kicks off small groups
Mackenzie Krause News Staff Writer
Waves Church now offers midweek small groups at community members’ homes both on and off-campus to help students expand their relationship with God beyond Sunday meetings.
Following Waves Church’s one-year anniversary, Lead Minister Taylor Walling wanted to continue developing the church’s community by following the Pepperdine tradition of hosting gatherings inside professors’ homes. These groups started up again Sept. 3. This tradition, which had mostly stopped since COVID-19, is one of the best things about Pepperdine, Walling said.
“The access and the number of opportunities in the homes of faculty and staff was one of the best things about Pepperdine,” Walling said. “And ever since COVID, it’s been one of the slowest things to come back at the pace that everything else has come back.”
Waves Church is answering the demand of students throughout their community by offering three days a week to gather in small groups. These groups will gather on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, offering spaces for students to connect with professors and each other, continuing on a long Pepperdine tradition of gathering in faculty’s homes.
Student Demand
Students throughout the Waves Church community immediately started asking about small groups as soon as Connections Director Jenn Gash joined the church staff in January, Gash said.
“When I started in January, pretty much immediately students were asking like, ‘are we doing small groups?’” Gash said.
Third-year law student Emma Perkins is one of those students who thought small groups would be a great addition to Waves Church.
“I’m excited to be in a small group that I don’t even know who is in my small group yet, but it won’t be my close friends,” Perkins said.
The Waves Church midweek group model allows for these small groups to be of mixed gender, age group and life stage to help facilitate friendship outside of a student’s own circle, Gash said.
The chance to get to know people she otherwise wouldn’t interact with and gain older mentors was a big draw for Perkins.
“I think it’s really important to be poured into, specifically by older mentors,” Perkins said.
Even students who initially joined because of their friends, like junior Judah Fullman, said
they think these mixed small groups will be a good way to build community within a growing church.
“You have to sort of create those stronger pockets to have a whole,” Fullman said.
“There’s only so much saying ‘hi’ to each other after the singing just before the sermon can actually do to build community.”
These small groups are open to the community and students can sign up now, Walling said.
“Opportunities to slow down in the middle of the week, spend time together, open God’s word, pray – those are all ways that we grow closer to each other but also that we are encouraged in our faith,” Walling said.
History of Small Groups on Campus
While this is the first time that Waves Church is hosting
small groups, it is not the first time small groups have played an important part of the church scene on campus, Falon Barton, campus minister for University Church of Christ said.
“University Church of Christ used to do house groups when I was a student,” Barton said. “It was right around the time I was a student that they started.”
These small groups allowed students to partake in a diverse group of other students while communing in the home of someone on campus, according to Barton.
“It was mostly a time of fellowship and enjoying time together,” Barton said.
However, these house groups were disrupted during COVID and proved difficult to bring back once students returned to campus, Baron said.
“There was just still too many people in our community, both in our church com-
I’m excited to be in a small group that I don’t even know who is in my small group yet, but it won’t be my close friends.
Emma Perkins Third-year Law Student
munity and in the Pepperdine community, who were hesitant enough about being in crowds,” Barton said. “It just didn’t really gain any traction at the time.”
Despite the initial COVID-19 hesitancy, University Church of Christ does offer a variety of small groups throughout the week, according to the University Church of Christ small groups page.
The importance of being able to gather in professors’ homes and have conversations in smaller settings is important, Gash said.
“Following Jesus is about more than attending a Sunday service,” Walling said. “So even though we launched with a simple model, our desire is to provide robust church community for the people who are a part of Waves Church.”
Photo courtesy of Olivia Schneider | Staff Photographer
Jeff Walling chats with students from the Waves Church small group at his house in Drescher faculty housing Sept. 10. These small groups answer the demands of students throughout the Waves Church community.
Graphic courtesy of Taylor Walling
Pepp provides free period products
Mackenzie Krause News Staff Writer
Kylie Kowalski, Soliel Lara & Kate Elise Norris Guest Contributors
Access to free period products had been an issue for several private universities including Chapman University, Loyola University, Loyola Marymount University and Pepperdine University. However these schools are setting an example for other private universities to follow, one period product at a time.
Public universities are mandated by law to provide free period products in California, according to a 2021 CNN article. Some students, such as Pepperdine senior Katherine Bush, said they feel there is a need for free period products beyond the scope provided by The Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2021.
Various private universities around the country have created their own solutions or use various pre-existing programs to provide students with access to these products, but not all private universities have accomplished this. Bush, has experienced the inconvenience that comes from a lack of period products.
“Nobody carries quarters these days,” Bush said. “Even if the machines are stocked, nobody can get anything because we all use our credit cards.”
Students like Bush said they feel the need for free period products. There are plenty of examples that private institutions can follow to learn how to implement free period products on their campuses. These examples include the new Free Feminine Product initiative at Pepperdine University, the established initiatives at other private universities and companies like Aunt Flow.
Pepperdine’s Initiative
Answers The Call for Action
Bush, who was asked about free period products prior to Pepperdine’s initiative, said her friends were often texting one another for a pad or tampon if they forgot one while on campus.
Period product dispensers would be helpful to students if they were updated and stocked. The machines looked broken and Bush wasn’t sure how they worked, Bush said.
“I think they [filled dispensers] would be really helpful,” Bush said. “If they [Pepperdine] really want to profit off women’s periods, then they should add a credit card feature. However, I believe they should be free because a woman’s period should not be a detriment to their pay.”
Luckily, Bush’s desires were
answered with Pepperdine’s new period product initiative.
Pepperdine University’s Student Government Association started a new pilot program in which free menstrual product dispensers replaced old machines in bathrooms around campus.
SGA allocated around $12,000 to new menstrual product dispensers and free period products for the five most populated restrooms, Student Body President Myers Mentzer said.
These dispensers were installed in the Tyler Campus Center (TCC), Black Family Plaza Classrooms (BPC) and in each floor of the Center for Communication and Business (CCB), Mentzer said.
However, since this is a pilot program, the first year is a learning curve for the program, according to Mentzer.
“They’re [facilities] just looking at a lot of research,” Mentzer said. “So if they’re like, ‘Ok, this needs to be filled faster,’ then they’re looking into that. And if they’re needing more products, I’m assuming they would come back to SGA for help with funding for the first year.”
There is also uncertainty regarding the absorption of the cost for this program in subsequent years since SGA only funds pilot programs, according to Mentzer.
After this year, we won’t be funding it, that would go to facilities to find the funding for,” Mentzer said.
Even though SGA can only fund the first year of the program, Mentzer believes that keeping this initiative in subsequent years and possibly expanding to more bathrooms around campus is the goal of the facilities department.
“Hopefully, if it goes well, maybe there could be more implemented in the future, cause it’s only just the beginning,” Mentzer said.
Chapman University Initiative
Similar to Pepperdine, Chapman University began providing free menstrual products in 2018 to bathrooms around their campus. This initiative was spearheaded by the Chapman Diversity Project, according to Chapman News.
Alisa Driscoll, vice president of community relations at Chapman University, helped to lead this initiative on campus.
The idea of providing free menstrual products first came about through Chapman’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion project, Driscoll said.
“It’s a socioeconomic issue,” Driscoll said, “Menstrual products are very expensive.”
Driscoll said that rather than partnering with a company like BloodBuds or Aunt Flow, they coordinated with their facilities company, Aramark.
giene products.
“Aramark has been incredibly supportive,” Driscoll said. “We just included those costs in the facilities budget for maintaining those products on campus.”
Six years later and there have not been any issues regarding the maintenance of these products, Driscoll said.
“I’ve never walked into a bathroom and seen a bin empty or the dispenser not working or anything like that,” Driscoll said.
To other schools looking to provide free menstrual products, Driscoll explains that the student perspective is of the utmost importance.
“I would definitely consider bringing together passionate people at the table who are really interested in advocating for something like this and making sure that your campus is as equitable as possible for as many folks as possible,” Driscoll said.
Aunt Flow Solution
Another possible solution for private schools across the country is the Aunt Flow company.
Aunt Flow was founded by Claire Coder after she got her period in public at age 18 and did not have any period supplies to help with this emergency, according to the Aunt Flow website.
Ben Weiner, an account executive for Aunt Flow, said that the company is partnered with over 800 colleges and universities.
“It’s not nearly enough,” Weiner said in relation to the amount of schools they are partnered with.
Aunt Flow provides dispensers for easy installation in schools, universities, and workspaces across the country.
Valencia, a senior at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), said she benefits from the free period products pro-
vided by Aunt Flow.
“It is extremely helpful,” Valencia said. “Sometimes I don’t have time to go to my dorm between classes and I always find it so useful.”
LMU first partnered with Aunt Flow in 2020 to begin the first phase of providing free menstrual products in restrooms around campus.
“I love knowing that in the worst-case scenario, I have free period products and they are very easily accessible,” Valencia said.
Aunt Flow placed seven dispensaries around LMU’s campus for all students to access, as reported by The Los Angeles Loyolan.
They also have tools such as a pricing calculator which helps determine the amount of products a school will need for a year, Weiner said.
Additionally, Aunt Flow guarantees organic products, helping to ensure that menstruators always have quality products, according to Weiner.
However, there are a few areas where Aunt Flow falls short.
There is only one absorption level offered at the moment, Weiner said.
There is also the issue of how to finance the program, according to Weiner.
“Funding tends to be a barrier,” Weiner said.
Facilities does not always want to add this additional cost or student government associations may start the program, but struggle to maintain it, Weiner said.
Funding, however, is not only an issue on the university level, but for individual students too.
Period Poverty
Individual students sometimes struggle with period poverty.
Period poverty refers to the
inability to afford or access period products. These products include pads, tampons, liners, menstrual cups and other basic hygiene items required to manage a period, according to Alliance for Period Supplies.
When people do not have access to period supplies, they may have to miss school, work or use proxy items such as toilet paper, according to Alliance for Period Supplies.
When people do not have access to period supplies, they may have to miss school, work or use proxy items such as toilet paper, according to Alliance for Period Supplies.
“There are a lot of low-income students that have to worry about economic issues,” Valencia said. “Knowing that they have free period products is one less worry for them.”
One out of four students has missed school due to a lack of period supplies, according to the Alliance for Period Supplies.
Four in five teens have missed class time or know someone who has because of a lack of access to period supplies, according to Alliance for Period Supplies.
“You don’t expect students to bring toilet paper down with them to campus so why should we expect them to do the same for tampons,” Mentzer said.
Infographic courtesy of Aunt Flow website
The Aunt Flow company works for different businesses and schools to provide free feminine hy-
Mountain lion attacks boy at Malibu park
Jenna Parsio Guest Contributor
A mountain lion attacked a young boy at Malibu State Creek Park, and he was sent to Northridge Hospital on Sept. 1. the California Department of Fish and Wildlife wrote. The attack occurred at Tapia Park inside of Malibu State Creek Park.
A mountain lion attacked a 4-year-old boy and escaped up a tree before park rangers euthanized the cat.
The attack happened Sept. 1, and is the 26th verified attack reported in California since 1986, according to reports from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) updated in September 2024. Four of the 26 mountain lion attacks have been reported fatal, according to the department’s reports.
The boy was playing with several other children before 4:30 p.m., at a family picnic in Tapia Park, just through Malibu Canyon. The mountain lion came from the brush and grabbed the boy by the head, according to a statement from the CDFW.
The mountain lion began to run with the boy when the father stepped in and grabbed
A mountain lion attack occurred at Tapia Park, located within Malibu Creek State Park on Sept. 1. This attack is California’s 26th verified attack on a human since 1986, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
the cat until it eventually released the child, the CDFW wrote. The boy was airlifted to Northridge Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and released the following morning, the CDFW wrote.
The mountain lion remained in a nearby tree until a park ranger euthanized the cat after it was deemed, “A threat
to public safety,” the CDFW wrote.
The mountain lion did not have a tag number, meaning it was not being tracked by the department, the CDFW said.
The animal was sent in for a necropsy to test for rabies and any other potential illnesses Sept. 3., the CDFW said. The test results received Sept. 10.
showed negative results for rabies, the CDFW told Pepperdine reporter Claire Everbach.
The test showed the mountain lion was roughly 12-16 months old and was three to five pounds underweight. There were no obvious internal abnormalities to indicate illness, the CDFW told Everbach.
The child’s name was not released to the public, but the CDFW officials wrote he is safe and recovering. Claire Everbach contributed to the reporting.
jenna.parsio@pepperdine.edu
Step Forward Day embraces change
Alicia Dofelmier News Staff Writer
Step Forward Day is Pepperdine’s annual day of service to the greater community. This year the program adopted changes to spread out the service projects during the semester and make the program more accessible as well as broaden the impact.
Students who missed out on Step Forward Day, can now get involved due to recent changes.
Step Forward Day is an annual day of service for the Pepperdine Community and this year, changes were made so that the projects are spread out over the semester, instead of just taking place on a singular day, said Christian Shatzer Roman, director of Community Engagement and Service for the Hub for Spiritual Life.
“We got feedback from students who are in sororities and fraternities who said they didn’t want to miss these opportunities so these projects are targeted at them,” Roman said.
Senior Micaela Shackleford said that in addition to Step Forward Day’s changes, a few students became certified van drivers to increase modes of transportation, apart from the Pepperdine shuttles, to take students to the work sites.
“I hope these changes allow for an even greater number of Pepperdine community members to participate in Step Forward Day,” Shackleford said. “The goal is for students to be inspired by this campus wide service and to then
join in on the service projects we offer throughout the semester.”
Senior Saylor Stottlemyer, a Step Forward Day volunteer, said she believes these changes are helpful to the Pepperdine community because of the way they get more students involved.
Upcoming Step Forward projects include the Many Mansions project on
Friday, Sept. 13 where volunteers will host games for children in a community that focuses on providing housing to low-income families, according to Pepperdine University’s Engagement and Service Calendar.
“I love the community that Step Forward Day builds with Pepperdine students and with other members of the
Pepperdine community,” Shackleford said. “I think a great way to bond as a community is to engage with each other through service.”
alicia.dofelmier@pepperdine.edu
Photo courtesy of Saylor Stottlemyer Pepperdine students smile at the Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank on Sept. 7. Students spent time organizing the food bins at the food bank.
Photo by Jenna Parsio | Guest Contributor
Staff Editorial: Courses should have an app
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.
You’re out with friends and a classmate texts you — your professor has released the exam grades. You open a web browser on your phone and log into Courses, only for it to be hard to navigate. “Courses should have an app,” you say to yourself.
Pepperdine has a mobile app that tracks the shuttle, lists upcoming events and provides the operating hours for different buildings on campus. However, the app can be faulty and does not always work.
Absent on the Pepperdine app, remarkably, is a way to access your class schedule and upcoming assignments.
With a Courses app, students would be able to easily access their assignment calendar and submit assignments in the matter of seconds. Students could also receive push notifications straight to their lock screen — notifying them of an approaching due date or an urgent message from the professor.
Courses already sends emails to students when a professor posts a message through the website or when an assignment is due in 24 hours. The downfall of notifications coming through email is that not all students check their emails frequently, nor are their inboxes filled solely with essential academic information. A push notification from a mobile app would catch a student’s attention
sooner and allow them to take action faster.
Opening Courses through a web browser on a mobile device is possible, but not ideal. It is inefficient and not as easy to navigate because it’s fundamentally a series of shrunken-down desktop pages. Viewing assignments or replying to a discussion board can be challenging when the website is not natively designed for mobile users.
Canvas, a competing webbased learning management software (LMS), has a mobile app
freshly published assignments, grades, and messages.
This semester, Pepperdine launched a pilot program to test Canvas, which will run throughout the 2024-2025 academic year in select courses. Professors and students participating in the program will provide voluntary feedback after using Canvas in their classrooms, which the Technology & Learning team will present to University stakeholders in the Spring. Pepperdine will then decide whether to make the switch from Courses to Canvas, meaning that students could have access to the university’s LMS via an app in the near-future.
But even if Pepperdine decides to continue using Courses, which is powered by the Sakai LMS, a better mobile solution has proved possible. Loyola University Chicago, for example, integrates Sakai into their institution’s all-encompassing mobile app. Sakai apps for students at Rutgers University and Duke University also previously existed, though both universities have switched to Canvas in recent years.
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for its users. The app has 4.7 stars out of 5 stars on the App Store, indicating very positive reviews. The app allows students to check for upcoming assignments and see their class schedule without needing to log in each time. Apple users can even add a widget to their home screen to view their grades. It can be configured to send push notifications for just about anything students want it to, including but not limited to
If we have an app that lets us track where the nearest shuttle is, why don’t we have one that lets us check our latest exam grade or reassure us when a deadline is approaching? It sounds like a no-brainer, and yet Pepperdine still doesn’t have a mobile app for essential academic information.
Sarah Rietz | Art Editor
Grade inflation has benefitsunexpected
Caitlin Murray Assistant Perspectives 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.
Grade inflation is “undeniable,” according to The National Association of Scholars.
Grade inflation can be misleading to students. It gives many students the false impression that they have mastered a subject when in reality, they have not, according to a Forbes article. However, there are many positive aspects to grade inflation.
Benefits of Grade Inflation
Grade inflation benefits several parties involved in the education system. It expands access to higher education: both high school and college students can pass courses to graduate.
Higher grades also tend to motivate students to persist through their schooling. They incentivize students to stay in their preferred majors, since courses are easier to pass, according to an article from The Washington Post.
Making A’s more attainable could even encourage students to work harder.
When only a set number of students are going to get A’s, earning them may seem out of reach. However, the possibility of “average” students earning A’s may incentivize them to study more.
Higher overall GPAs benefit students by making them more competi-
tive applicants for schools and jobs. Happy students benefit professors. They give better course evaluations, contributing to a professor’s ability to obtain tenure or promotions, according to the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Satisfied students are also more likely to speak highly of their university, contracting positive publicity. Additionally, graduates with high GPAs represent their university well to those outside of the university.
Scope of Grade Inflation
Many colleges, such as the University of California system, recalculate applicants’ GPAs before reviewing their applications, according to University of California Undergraduate Admissions. Grade inflation loses impact when it narrowly affects college admissions.
Higher grades do not necessarily mean students are getting less out of a course.
Caitlin Murray Assistant Perspectives Editor
What Defines Grade Inflation
There are potential confounding variables to an increase in average GPAs besides grade inflation.
An increase in technology and access to information as well as more students valuing education could cause grades to be higher on average.
Not all universities or educators characterize a C as an “average” grade. Grade inflation could simply be explained by semantics, according to The National Association of Scholars.
For example, many University of California campuses characterize a C as “fair.” Additionally, multiple California State Universities label a C as “satisfactory,” according to The National Association of Scholars.
Also, there are forms of grading systems other than a traditional 4.0 scale.
Mastery grading makes it relatively easy for students to earn a C- in a course. Many applications of this system defy the idea that a C should be the median grade for a course.
Additionally, grade inflation is plateauing, according to The National Association of Scholars.
It’s impossible for a 4.0 scale to increase indefinitely. Perhaps grade inflation was present for a time, for a reason. Once it has served its purpose, it may be gone.
I am not saying that grade inflation is inherently good. However, all things considered, we should ask ourselves, “What’s so harmful about a B being the new median grade?”
Alyssa Johnson Perspectives Assistant
Short Stories Can Make Reading Easier
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Hey Waves,
I have been reading for fun since I was very young, but in recent years it has become more daunting to approach and difficult to fit into my schedule. Much of my time is spent reading textbooks for class, and when exams are over, it rarely occurs to me to pick up something else to read.
After taking a short fiction writing class last semester, I realized that I have more time to read than I had thought. We were assigned several short stories to read over four months, and all of them were short enough to read critically within an hour.
This experience led me to read more short story collections on my own time. I can easily break up a book of short stories into a schedule, and I don’t feel the same pressure or intimidation as I might feel with a novel that stretches a few hundred pages.
Additionally, short stories are fairly easy to find online, and I try to read them when I end up looking at my phone. If I Google “short stories online,” I can find blog posts with lists of stories by authors like Stephen King, Zadie Smith and Karen Russell that are available for anyone to read.
Reading can be a great way to calm the mind, avoid negative screen time and engage with ideas from a variety of authors. I have been profoundly challenged and influenced by many of the stories I’ve found, and reading shorter fiction has allowed me to reconnect with a hobby I thought I couldn’t engage in anymore.
I think a lot of readers feel obligated to read as much as possible in very little time, which is impractical for most adults and can kill the experience of literature altogether. If you are a reader who is finding less motivation and time, or if you’re just interested in this way of spending your leisure time, I highly recommend looking into the vast selection of short stories out there.
With care,
Furthermore, the quality of education is not always dependent on grades. Higher grades do not necessarily mean students are learning less course.
Sophia Luo | Staff Artist
Being an only child is misunderstood
Ava Heinert Perspectives Editor
I have let my (l)on(e)ly child syndrome define me my entire life. It shouldn’t, but it does.
I credit many of my greatest aches to a childhood spent solely around adults, as an observer turned minigrown-up.
I have to preface by giving credit where credit is due –– I am the person I am because I was raised as an only child. There are lessons I have learned and opportunities I have been gifted that I would not have experienced otherwise.
My life as an only child developed my soul in a way I would not trade for anything, but even so, I would not wish that kind of lonesomeness upon anyone.
In more ways than one, I was selftaught. Sure, I never had to fight over the bathroom or the car keys, but I had to teach myself how to braid hair. I learned the consequences of talking back to my parents through personal experience rather than laughing at an older brother for getting into trouble.
I had to keep secrets and laughs internalized because I didn’t have a little sister to share them with. I had no one my own age to annoy or argue with.
Instead, I filled that sibling-conflict gap by arguing with my parents, an alternative I would strongly advise
against because it never, not once, worked in my favor. Shocker.
My parents are wonderful and they love me so much. My upbringing was beautiful, but it was also deeply layered, and wildly complicated. Wounds cut deeper because I had to face the brunt of them alone.
I always wished for a sibling to help bear the weight, someone whose life was actually identical to mine, not just someone who understood, but someone who was actively living it, someone I didn’t have to explain myself to.
While I developed independence, I still hated being alone. Throughout my adolescence, I constantly felt the need to surround myself with people and noise.
I have always been good at making true friends and dedicating myself to those long-lasting relationships, a skill I can attribute to my only childness, but it wasn’t until college that I really learned how to enjoy being by myself (sometimes).
However, I will always choose being with others over being alone. I have had enough alone time for a lifetime.
Though I remain endlessly grateful for the childhood I did have, I think there will always be this hole, this question mark and grief for the siblings I never had.
H.L. McCullough News Staff Writer
Looking back on my childhood I am so thankful I was an only child. I spent many Fridays in my early years at my grandparents’ home and farm. My grandmother converted a log cabin outbuilding into my playhouse. Once inside the playhouse, she would say, “Alright H.L. what are we going to do today?” and I would pick up a piece of chalk, a book or a set of toys and the day’s adventure would begin.
This genuine curiosity enabled a sense of independence and self-confidence that has continued to benefit me to this day.
This could not have been more evident than when shopping at Barnes & Noble. I gravitated toward the adult section where a coffee table book about U.S. Presidents intrigued me more than any kids book or comic. Little did I know that coffee table book would change my life forever.
After a debut on national television, my connections with community members of all ages blossomed. My interest in history allowed me to form bonds of friendship with people several decades removed from me. During my time at home this summer, many older friends commented that they have shared more quality time and wisdom with me than their own family members.
These friendships have resulted
from years of going to “big people events” such as fundraisers, galas, board meetings, golf tournaments, dinner parties, and a multitude of other adult-oriented functions. Attending such events while growing up has given me the confidence to walk into a room of strangers at a networking or social event and feel comfortable with my skills and abilities.
Growing up hearing a multitude of wisdom, along with a strong faith in Christ, has allowed me to see the “bigger picture.” It has allowed me to stay true to my passions and have the courage to pursue my goals.
While I’m sure having siblings offers a great deal of benefits, being an only child in a well-respected and God-fearing family is the best thing I could have ever dreamed.
Sophia Luo | Staff Artist
Sophia Luo | Staff Artist
STEM and Humanities are not opposites
Alyssa Johnson Perspectives Assistant
Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
The 1989 film “Dead Poets Society” features a memorable line from John Keating, played by Robin Williams, directed at his English students: “Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are all noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
This statement, which I do agree with, reflects a larger sentiment regarding academic subjects and the purpose of humanity.
Science and the arts are frequently portrayed as opposing forces, whether in academic settings or as individual skill sets, and people tend to divide themselves in ways that describe their place in a world that needs both.
I frequently observe other students compare majors, whether to be self-deprecating or to emphasize their academic success. In high school, I was once asked if I was “right-brained” or “left-brained,” which relates to the idea that higher activity on one side of the brain indicates particular skills.
Fields such as science and mathematics are, in popular imagination, regarded as strictly rational, necessary and difficult to pursue. These fields gain more respect for their intellectual rigor than most humanities subjects, but the world also seems to view professionals in these fields as coldly practical or impersonal.
For example, the stereotype of a “science geek” may seem like a person who is highly intelligent and dedicated, but who struggles to connect with other people on an emotional level. People may respect this individual for their analytical ability, but they are ultimately alienated from their peers.
On the other hand, one may dismiss subjects such as philosophy, literature or history as useless or unchallenging. However, I notice that some tend to revere successful writers and philosophers as more imaginative, spontaneous or creative than people in
Video game adaptations will succeed Marvel in cinema
Christy Thien 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.
For the past 10 years or so, Marvel Studios has been a juggernaut in theaters. It has cemented itself into the cultural zeitgeist with its characters becoming staples of modern cinema.
But after “Avengers: Endgame,” the studio has been in a period of decline as shown by its box office sales of their recent films. For instance, “The Marvels” grossed $206.1 million on a $274 million budget and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” grossed $476.1 million but failed to break even. Now that moviegoers cannot rely on Marvel films to satisfy their franchise film needs, they are looking for a new staple in their cinema trips.
So far, other categories have flourished at the box office, like the
avant-garde nature of A24 films with “Everything Everywhere All At Once” or blockbusters such as “Godzilla x Kong.” But there is one particular category that stands out to me in terms of permeating the cultural sphere the way Marvel has.
With more successful film entries over the next few years, the video game genre will become the next Marvel in cinema.
Now, I know that is quite a bold statement, especially with the reputation of video game adaptations thanks to the awful “Resident Evil” movie trilogy and the critically panned “Doom.” Yet, there are signs that the video game movie adaptation genre shows promise.
According to Box Office Mojo, in 2023, both “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “The Super Mario Bros Movie” placed 19th and second in terms of box office numbers, both grossing over $200 million worldwide despite the bad press and mixed reviews. In 2022, “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” and “Uncharted” both grossed over $400 million worldwide, placing them at No. 14 and 13 in the box office charts.
ing, and it is unfortunately very easy to find real-life examples to support that idea.
However, I think some of the discourse around science and art relies on misguided generalizations about the human brain. Research suggests that decision-making and personality rely on a complex interaction between logic and emotion, and to neglect either one could have a negative impact.
Additionally, STEM and humanities subjects are not strictly divided categories that could exist independently. Technical writing and scientific journalism are fairly explicit examples of the collaboration between science and art.
I think more productive discourse would center the ways that different fields can be effectively merged, rather than why or how fields are different. This applies to individuals as well, since everybody could benefit from growing in one area or another.
STEM fields.
A stereotypical artist might be very personally engaging or charismatic, and capable of drawing people in with their unique worldviews and creative talent. However, the stereotype holds that this person is prone to unhealthy patterns of behavior, such as addiction or insomnia as well as volatile relationships.
Ernest Hemingway, Franz Kafka and Sylvia Plath are oft-cited as representatives of “the tortured artist.” Creative genius, in popular culture, may come at the cost of personal well-be-
Dividing personality into constrictive binaries may be conducive to a strong sense of self, but it can also limit open-mindedness toward other possibilities and even other people. As the world becomes more complicated with emerging technology and new artistic periods, it is important to remember the ways people can rely on each other to defy expectations.
alyssa.johnson@pepperdine.edu
Even without Marvel’s lapse in movie quality, Marvel and video game adaptations have always catered to the same audience: the ever-so-reliable geeks and nerds (which I am a part of) who will see every movie and play every trendy video game.
Most video game adaptations come from childhood IPs and young children read a lot of Marvel Comics, so advertisements for either one of them on the big screen will likely bring them to theaters.
Personally, I was a huge fan of the MCU and I have always been a huge fan of video games, but right now, I am more attracted to watching a video game adaptation than a subpar Marvel movie, especially with the quality of their latest releases.
I’m almost certain that studios understand that there is a gap in cinema revenue after Marvel has become
Sophia Luo | Staff Artist
less profitable. Taking on video game adaptations to fill that gap is almost a surefire way to exploit that same audience that Marvel has kept under their finger for so long. They seem to be aware of the trend with the upcoming “Street Fighter” and “Minecraft” movies and more adaptations of games like “Death Stranding” and “The Legend of Zelda.”
With all of these changes to cinema as of late, Marvel’s lack of quality has created a space for another to take over, and I think that video game IPs could be the next Marvel in cinema.
Laury Li | Staff Artist
LIFE & ARTS
Country to Coast
Joline Gash reflects on journey to Pepperdine
Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Editor
Far before stepping on Pepperdine soil for the first time, first lady Joline Gash spent her days in the then 400-person town of Penngrove in Northern California.
“I lived in the country, where we didn’t have sidewalks but we had a lot of animals,” Joline said.
Early Life
Born Joline Oliver, she grew up as the youngest of seven children. She was raised by her mother and stepfather, and described her childhood home as “always busy.”
“We were the house that other families sent their kids to hang out,” Joline said.
Joline said she was very involved with her church growing up, and her family often hosted the youth group in their home.
“That was a really fun experience for me to be in a home that hosted people, and to see what that looks like and how to be hospitable,” Joline said.
Throughout her experience in youth group, Joline said she met a particularly special individual.
“One of the great people I met in my church was Jim Gash,” Joline said. “I was only 13 when we met.”
Jim was 16 at the time, and Joline explained that over the years as they grew their friendship, their families got to know one another very early on.
Joline’s biggest responsibility as a child was mending the vegetable garden and watering the plants daily. But for her, this turned into something bigger than having fresh produce.
“I think that for me, growing up in the country surrounded by nature, it really started my interest in science and in learning more about God’s creation,” Joline said. “I see that as a very important part of my background.”
Soon enough, young Joline’s interest turned into a source of income. When her neighbors went on vacation, she was the one they turned to first to look after their animals and gardens. Before she knew it, this love for and curiosity about nature turned into what she wanted to spend the rest of her life doing.
College Years
When it came to thinking about life after high school, Joline said she never had particularly high hopes. As the
youngest in such a large family, she knew her family’s financial situation would be a tough burden to overcome.
“We didn’t have a lot of money, and my parents said, ‘You know, we think college is important, but we can’t afford to send you to school, so if you want to go to college, you’ll have to figure out a way to do that,’” Joline said.
During her junior year of high school, Joline’s minister took her youth group to visit his alma mater: Pepperdine University. During Thanksgiving break, Pepperdine used to hold an event called Youthfest, which was held from 1971 until 2006, where high school students came to stay on campus for the week.
“When I set foot on campus, I just thought, ‘This is the most amazing place,’” Joline said.
As she reflected on her week-long visit, Joline said she couldn’t get Pepperdine off her mind. Yet, there was still the financial barrier standing in her way.
“Coming to Pepperdine was a dream that I thought I could never obtain,” Joline said.
Joline spent her time rigorously searching for scholarships, getting the best grades possible and doing everything in her power to go on to study at a university.
“I think God had a plan for me to be here,” Joline said.
Joline began her university schooling at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. President Jim Gash had begun his schooling there three years earlier, while Joline was still finishing high school. After Jim’s first year was complete, the two started dating.
During her time at Abilene, Joline said she still had her sights set on Pepperdine. Before her junior year, Jim and Joline got married and she made the decision to transfer to Pepperdine.
Joline said the most remarkable aspect of her years as a student at Pepperdine was that she got to study science in a Christian environment — two things that didn’t go hand in hand throughout her adolescence.
“I could go to class with some of the most remarkable professors and learn about science and then see them at church and be able to worship with my science professors,” Joline said.
More than 30 years later, now 54-year-old Joline said she still finds herself reaching out to her past mentors. She finds Pepperdine to be a
unique place where the bond between faculty and students is so strong.
“That’s something that I hope our students are realizing as they’re here to not take for granted,” Joline said. “Take the time to be with your professors and get to know them and let them really get to know you.”
Post-grad
After graduating from Seaver College in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in Biology, Joline stayed an extra year to receive her teaching credential. Her very first job out of school was teaching science at Malibu High School, fulfilling the dream she had had since childhood.
“I knew from a pretty young age that I wanted to be a teacher,” Joline said. “I loved my high school biology teacher. I just wanted to be like her.”
As she grew ecstatic about her new role just down the street, Joline learned the job came with a catch: They wanted her to teach a class in journalism and be in charge of the school yearbook and newspaper.
“There was nothing on my resume that would have indicated I would have been ready to do that,” Joline said. “But I was like, ‘I’m a Pepperdine graduate. I can figure this out.’”
Family Life
After her first year of teaching, Jim had finished his time at the Caruso School of Law, which quickly took the couple all over the map. As they moved from California to Tex-
as to Washington D.C., Joline said she realized that finding a job in other states was going to be difficult with only a California teaching credential.”
“I made the decision that I wanted to focus on starting a family and following Jim’s legal career,” Joline said.
During their time in Texas, Joline and Jim started their family with their first daughter Jessica. Once they moved back to Southern California a few years later, the couple grew their family even larger with the births of their children Joshua and Jennifer. All three of the Gash children would go on to become Pepperdine alumni.
As her children grew up, they quickly became familiar with many of their father’s undergraduate and law students, as they came over to the house often. Gash said this reminded her of her own childhood.
“Kind of like when I was growing up, that we always had kids coming over,” Joline said.
“Kids wanted to come to our house, whether it was our kids’ friends in school or the law students.”
Jennifer Gash, daughter of Joline and Jim, said she remembers having students in the house growing up from a very young age. She said the students would babysit them as kids, but beyond that, they just became part of the family.
“I remember a law student’s spouse teaching me how to do makeup for the first time,” Jennifer said. “As I got into high school, I remember talking to different law students about boys that I was interested in, or I would be doing my math homework at the kitchen table
and they would be setting up for Bible study.”
Lucy Perrin, director and archivist for the Rushford Center and the Churches of Christ Heritage Collection and wife of Pepperdine Vice President Tim Perrin, said she met Joline when their husbands were both teaching at Caruso.
“We both studied biology as undergrads, so many of our conversations include an appreciation for and curiosity about creation and the beauty that surrounds us,” Perrin said.
Perrin said she admires Joline’s involvement with groups on campus, such as the Student Wellness Advisory Board.
Joline said she is SWAB’s “biggest cheerleader” and finds the work they do for other students to be remarkable. She pops into their meetings once a week to see what they are working on and how she can support them.
Gash said she is full of love for the thousands of students at Pepperdine and encourages them to not take their time here for granted. She invites students to share the same curiosity for science and God’s creation that she does, whether it is through looking at plants around campus or embarking on curiosity-inspired journeys.
“I think the word that comes to mind for me when I think about my mom is perseverance,” Jennifer said. “I think that goes hand in hand with her wanting to help other students develop that skill and that character trait.”
Photo courtesy of Joline Gash
First lady Joline Gash (right) welcomes seniors to her home for Rock the Brock on Aug. 28. Gash said having students in her home is one of her favorite parts about her role.
Surf’s up: Pepperdine promotes surfing options
Malibu’s scenic beauty is the attracting factor for many Pepperdine students. Most have a desire to learn how to surf, sophomore Isabella Morton said. Pepperdine encourages its students to engage in Malibu’s culture by providing students with different surfing options.
“When I think of Malibu, I think of surf,” Morton said.
Pacific Coast Highway is home to multiple surf shops only a short drive from campus, where students are able to rent surf equipment or take classes with local instructors.
Surf Chapel
Pepperdine’s Connection Chapel program seeks to make all students feel welcome into the Christian community through different activities, including surfing, according to its website.
The Surf Chapel program
is hosted at Zuma Beach every Wednesday at 7 a.m. for 14 weeks in the fall and 14 weeks in the spring. Students are quick to sign up, as spots are very limited.
“Pre-Covid we peaked,” Surf Chapel Coordinator and Prof. of Decision Science Rob Shearer said. “We got to 302 students in one meeting, and it was a beach party at that point.”
Although the number of attendees balanced out after the pandemic, sometimes it is hard to transport all the necessary surfboards students have to share.
Surf Chapel’s history dates back 15 years, and since its inception, it has been a space for Pepperdine surfers to create a sense of community and a closer bond with their faith, Shearer said.
“It is a community of believers who love Christ and each other,” Shearer said. “I love to see small groups do things together outside of Wednesday.”
Malibu Makos Surf
Pepperdine also offers “Surfing Activities,” a surfing class that focuses on the fundamentals of surfing and ocean safety. The class is instructed by Malibu Makos’ team of ocean lifeguards and surf professionals.
The class meets every Thursday and Friday at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. for 15 weeks throughout the semester. Students are expected to attend all classes and complete a swim test, exam and assignment according to Malibu Makos’ website.
While this class enables students to gain basic surfing knowledge, it also encourages Pepperdine students to have an immersive experience into Malibu’s surfing culture. Instructors focus on teaching students the local surfing areas
around Malibu so students get a sense of the different style of waves and ocean conditions.
Sea N Soul
Only 7.6 miles away from the Pepperdine campus, Sea N Soul, a sustainable luxury surf and coffee shop, offers several options for Malibu locals and students to surf.
Sea N Soul’s Surf Club offers regular and extended surf memberships for customers. Customers can choose from their hand-crafted surfboards to borrow and use during surfing sessions. According to their website, avid local surfers and Sea N Soul owners John and Erica Kozlowski gave Malibu a place that not only supplies sustainable luxury, but also brings the community closer together.
Zuma Jay’s
Zuma Jay’s Surfboards, one of the longest established surf shops in Malibu, is located across from the Malibu Pier, only 2.5 miles away from Pepperdine’s campus.
The owner, Jefferson Wagner, is a local Malibu surfer and the former Malibu Mayor. According to Zuma Jay’s website, they provide customers with the highest quality of surfing products, including hard and soft boards, wetsuits and standup paddle boards. Pepperdine’s students are able to conveniently rent or buy equipment from the large variety of surf essentials Zuma Jay’s provides, given the store’s close proximity to campus.
karla.suzuki@pepperdine.edu
Review: Magdalena Bay released 2024’s best album yet
Transparency item: A review provides an informed and opinionated critique. These informed critiques are published to make a recommendation to readers. This review is the opinion of the writer.
When one hears an album as ethereal as “Imaginal Disk,” it’s a solemn reminder of how magical music can be. Released Aug. 23 by Magdalena Bay, the Los Angeles-based writer-producer alternative pop duo comprised of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, the sophomore concept album consists of 15 songs which span 54 minutes. Every song neatly flows into the next, each building a cohesive narrative with poignantly-explored themes of existentialism, personal growth, loneliness and love across a hope-bound sci-fi arc. By telling listeners an overarching story, the album achieves a compelling depth not otherwise possible.
On the opening track, “She Looked Like Me!,” listeners are met with glistening keys and Tenenbaum — characterized by her high-pitch vocals — timidly singing about her idealized, but “ordinary,” future self, which is rooted in fairly conservative expectations. But as the record progresses, so does her formula for human purpose and happiness. That journey is nonlinear and gradual, just like in real life.
“Killing Time” starts out light, with Tenenbaum questioning the titular idiom’s meaning. She laments the wait
for her “ordinary” future, with the song eventually devolving into something equal parts hellish and comforting as the singer reflects on the preciousness of time. Building toward a powerful sonic peak such as the one in this song is a common thread across the record.
The reverb-heavy “True Blue Interlude” follows, marking a new beginning where Tenenbaum shifts course from the predictable. The echoing keys and backing vocals make us feel like we’re slipping into a dreamscape.
The interlude expands into “Image,” where Tenenbaum faces inner conflict and longs for change over an energetic bassline and melodic 808s.
The next two tracks, “Death & Romance” and “Fear, Sex,” are yet another turning point in which the singer
anthemically questions her crumbling romance, which inevitably fails due to how overly draining it is. She’s sent into a desperate recovery mode over more heavy synths on “Vampire in the Corner” and “Watching T.V.,” the latter of which sees the singer finally confronting her greatest fears.
There’s an earnestness to the previous tracks that make Tenenbaum’s optimistic resurgence feel deserved in the next two songs. She sees the light on “Tunnel Vision” and enthusiastically reframes her mindset on “Love Is Everywhere” by no longer “thinking ‘bout the bad in the good.”
In the latter song’s outro, the opening track’s central leitmotif is revisited over deeply joyous keys and strings, subverting the original lyrics to pro-
claim that life is what one makes of it. A similar callback happens over angelic horns on “Feeling Diskinserted?.”
Tenenbaum’s newfound outlook is vividly depicted via an elevator metaphor on the funky and explosive “That’s My Floor,” a distinctly rock moment on the album where Tenenbaum displays greater self-confidence.
“Cry for Me” is the moody yet cheerful climax of the record, successfully drawing from the feeling that made ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” so invigorating, according to Lewin in an interview with Vulture. On it, Tenenbaum expresses a liberating desire for absolution from her past, repeatedly chanting “think of love when you remember me.”
The positivity continues with abundant key changes on “Angel on a Satellite,” which builds into intense orchestral beauty before settling back into a rainy soundscape and flowing directly into “The Ballad of Matt & Mica,” the last track on the album. The finale has an otherworldly meter change and completely subverts “She Looked Like Me!”s lyrics, with Tenenbaum celebrating the end of her journey by planting her true fate as “not ordinary.”
The all-around quality of “Imaginal Disk” is difficult to overstate. By offering listeners an identity narrative via dreamy synths and intricate chamber sounds, Mag Bay crafted a contender for 2024’s album of the year.
Photo by Karla Suzuki | Life & Arts Staff Writer
Sophomores Aniya Huja (left) and Monica Rosso (right) carry their boards close to the ocean at Zuma Beach on April 18. Huja and Rosso said they enjoyed Zuma Beach’s waves at Malibu Mako’s Wednesday morning class.
Cara Tang | Staff Artist
Henry Adams Assistant Life & Arts Editor
Karla Suzuki Life & Arts Staff Writer
This is an artistic reproduction of the album cover for “Imaginal Disk.” The original image is courtesy of Mom + Pop Music.
Thrift Malibu serves as intersection of style, sustainability, community
Thrift Malibu has turned thrifting into a dynamic campus movement. Two students’ shared passion for vintage fashion has evolved into a series of lively pop-up events promoting style, affordability, sustainability and community.
Roots of Thrift Malibu
What began as an appreciation for vintage and thrifted treasures has grown into a lively campus movement. Thrift Malibu is a student-run organization, which brings curated vintage clothing to Pepperdine through campus pop-up events.
Founded in 2023 by juniors Braeden Wooton and Kalin Montana, Thrift Malibu was created from their shared passion for vintage culture and thrifting when they were just first-year students.
They were inspired to create a platform where style and sustainability intersect.
Curated Fashion for Students
“We’re creating a vintage collection curated for students, by students,” Wooton said. “Our goal is to share our passion, being able to provide an outlet for people to buy clothes to express themselves, being sustainable and creating a community on campus.”
Their mission centers around providing high-quality yet budget-friendly fashion that allows students to express their individuality without breaking the bank.
“Affordability and sustainability are the two biggest elements we want to provide,” Wooton said.
“Living in Malibu, there are a lot of expensive stores, so we’re trying to provide a place that has cheaper options for students.”
Style Done Sustainably
Wooton and Montana curate the clothing from thrift stores in various locations from California to Colorado. They also visit specialized rag houses, where they handpick items from large warehouses. They then display the items on racks for students to shop at the events.
“I have attended four of
Thrift Malibu’s pop-up events on campus thus far,” Ming said. “Braeden has incredible taste and style that bleeds into his thrifted inventory. The actual grunt work has been done for you and you can just show up and expect dope pieces automatically.”
Building Community Through Fashion
In addition to offering unique clothing pieces, students said Thrift Malibu enriches campus spirit and a sense of community.
Their events have gained a lot of support and positive feedback, especially their latest event which was held during New Student Orientation.
While their events are mainly promoted through their Instagram, first-year Sabrina Tynan stumbled across the event during NSO. She and her roommate found themselves drawn in by the welcoming atmosphere and the chance to connect with other students.
“It’s really fun to thrift because it feels more original,” Tynan said. “The event was a nice experience because it was so much more accessible to shop and bond with roommates and other students, and it’s more than just getting clothes — you’re building memories and laughs.”
Each event serves as more than a thrifting experience — they also become a welcoming space where students can explore fashion and interact in the laid-back atmosphere.
“I witnessed firsthand students meeting and mingling for the first time by way of the community the pop-up created,” Ming said. “It creates a super chill biome in which people can converse and express themselves through style.”
Looking Forward
Building on their success, Thrift Malibu plans to keep the energy going with more events throughout the school year. Looking ahead, Wooton said they envision navigating logistical challenges to bring a market to campus where other students can buy, sell and trade their own items, aiming to enhance community engagement at an even higher level.
“When there is a huge turnout, it creates this aspect of community,” Wooton said. “That’s what I’m really proud of: creating that kind of community.”
Wooton and Montana are dedicated to investing in Thrift Malibu to further expand its impact and reach. They said they would like to formalize their organization by establishing an LLC, which will allow them to host more official events and expand their brand on a larger scale.
Leading with Purpose
Thrift Malibu’s commitment to blending style and sustainability, along with their efforts to build a vibrant community, has made fashionable clothing more accessible and enriched the campus experience, according to many students.
In a world where fast fashion often overshadows sustainability, Thrift Malibu shines as a symbol of positive change. Their initiative highlights the power of student-driven innovation and the lasting impact of creating a community through shared passions and values.
Photo by Bohuen Tong
Students explore the selection brought outside their dorm Feb. 28, 2023. Students said Thrift Malibu brings accessible shopping and a bright energy to campus.
Bohuen Tong Life & Arts Staff Writer
Photo by Bohuen Tong
Kalin Montana (left) and Braeden Wooton (right) enjoy a moment together while managing an event Feb. 28, 2023. They said they are driven to creating a space where students can explore sustainable shopping in an engaging way.
Graphic courtesy of Thrift Malibu Company
Thrift Malibu’s logo reflects the vibrant culture of the organization. Wooton said it is rewarding to expand their passion alongside a supportive community.
Photo by Bohuen Tong | Life & Arts Staff Writer
Thrift Malibu’s inventory is displayed on the Peppers dorm back patio March 25, 2023. Junior Andrew Ming said Thrift Malibu makes finding unique pieces easy.
A student looks through a rack of curated clothing at a Thrift Malibu event March 25, 2023. Students said the events create a fun, easy atmosphere to shop sustainably and connect with others.
Photo courtesy of Braeden Wooton
Weisman Museum welcomes exhibit
Jade Gonzalez Life & Arts Staff Writer
Pepperdine’s Weisman Museum serves the Pepperdine and Malibu communities, inviting individuals to view past and present exhibits. On Sept. 9, the Weisman opened two new exhibits: Cameron Harvey’s “The Shape of Being” and several faculty artist contributors’ “Loop, Hum, Wave.” Both new exhibits offer unique perspectives on the human experience, nostalgia and the relationship to our surroundings.
Artists for “Loop, Hum, Wave” include Berfin Ataman, Gretchen Batcheller, Kathy Bates and Isabel Beavers, among others. These works depict the passage of time with bright and vibrant colors.
Junior Samantha Escamilla was in attendance for the exhibit’s opening and said she thoroughly enjoyed seeing the art.
“This is a chance to see the amazing work of the faculty and all the hard work they have been putting into the program,” Escamilla said.
Escamilla has gone to multiple exhibits and finds them to be an integral part of the community on campus.
“It’s another opportunity for people to have something to
do, and helps us learn how we interpret art and how we view the world,” Escamilla said.
The large variety of pieces ranged from props and paintings to video screens paired with audio. They encompass large themes of understanding the flux of time.
The exhibit, “The Shape of Being,” focuses on Harvey’s walks through Santa Monica with the intent to capture the formal qualities of the human
body. Her large canvases hang on the museum walls with lively colors and patterns.
Harvey further described the unique structure of her work.
“This idea of gravity and falling, the diversity within sameness,” Harvey said. “They all have the same structure but within are widely different.”
She further dove into detail about how her work can be used to represent femininity.
“I think of it as feminist work — not everything has to be square and right,” Harvey said. “I think of them as figures, how the body is not square, so they can make many more shapes when they are not in a rigid structure.”
Her work was acclaimed by multiple attendees who commented on her beautiful and unique patterns.
Art enthusiast Ken Friedman recently retired and said
he now has time to experience various art shows. He explained what he liked about the exhibit and spoke on the colors and strong textures.
“Once you go through an art museum, always do it and go back. You can miss so much your first time,” Friedman said.
Harvey’s work held a lot of significance for her appreciation of life and the colors in our world.
“For me, my own takeaway from making the work is about the balance between effort and surrender,” Harvey said.
Both exhibits gave audiences something to ponder as they made their way through interesting pieces with different creative structures and textures. The opening Sept. 7 served as a wonderful event that fostered another place of community as members came together to take in and interpret the art.
The exhibit had a strong opening turnout and both exhibits will be up until Dec. 8.
jade.gonzalez@pepperdine.edu
Trader Joe’s seasonal items fill fall void
Amanda Monahan Life & Arts Editor
Fall is in the air — maybe not in Malibu, but it certainly is at Trader Joe’s. The store announced the return of their beloved fall flavors on their website Sept. 6.
Whether one has a hankering for pumpkin bread or wants to leap out of their comfort zone to try savory fall items such as pumpkin gnocchi, Trader Joe’s has all bases covered when it comes to the unique tastes of fall.
Customers are assured to see the return of many familiar favorites — such as the pumpkin ice cream and butternut squash mac and cheese — while also being introduced to 11 new items this year.
Sophomore Bella Ferch said she is very excited for the return of the seasonal items.
“I love that they have so many options and variations that are only available in the fall,” Ferch said. “It makes me so much more excited for the season and the flavors, and I love how they create an atmosphere through their packaging and items.”
Ferch spends her time in Malibu away from her hometown of Spokane, Wash., where the leaves change color and the weather is a crisp cool during the fall months. Although she loves the beach and warm weather, she said it can feel a bit monotonous at times.
“Growing up in Washington, I kind of took fall for granted,” Ferch said. “I think here, I’m a lot more conscious of making it seem like fall, even if the
weather doesn’t reflect that.”
Senior Aoife Klopcic said she shares similar feelings to Ferch during the fall months. Being from Michigan, Klopcic is used to experiencing a real fall with orange tones.
“Something I struggle with in LA is feeling like time never passes because the weather is so consistent,” Klopcic said.
Despite this constant sunny weather and heat throughout the later months, Klopcic finds Trader Joe’s to heal the part of her heart that aches for fall.
“Getting certain things depending on the season helps me with homesickness,” Klopcic said.
Ferch said she is a huge fan of the fall season, and these seasonal items help contribute to the cozy fall feeling she looks forward to all year.
“My favorite thing to do is go on a Trader Joe’s run and search for all the items before a fall movie session,” Ferch said.
Senior Nick Yi said he has a favorite non-food and food item from the selection of fall items the store has to offer. He looks forward to the cinnamon broomsticks and the pumpkin gnocchi every year.
“I don’t know what it is about it, it’s just a little bit better than the normal gnocchi,” Yi said. “It doesn’t really taste like pumpkin, but it’s good. It might just be that it’s orange and during the fall.”
Klopcic said the item she is most looking forward to this season is the harvest blend tea.
“I drink tea throughout the day, so it will be nice to add a new one to the
Photo by Amanda Monahan | Life & Arts Editor
A fall display at the Trader Joe’s in Agoura Hills shelves pumpkin cookies and cookie mix Sept. 8. Despite the sweltering weather, customers were still purchasing various seasonal items.
mix,” Klopcic said. this is an image
The coffee and tea corner at the Trader Joe’s in Agoura Hills was spiced up with new fall flavors Sept. 8. Klopcic said she loves to switch up her tea rotation with seasonal flavors.
From the selection of new items hitting the shelves this year, Ferch said she has already picked out the one she will purchase first.
“I’m excited for the pumpkin spice cold brew coffee concentrate, because pumpkin spice is every basic girl’s num-
ber one need, and I’m no different,” Ferch said.
Whether it is to repurchase a familiar fall favorite or to test out one of the store’s new items, Trader Joe’s is here to provide the fall feels that are absent from Malibu.
Attendees walk through first floor of the Weisman Museum on Sept. 7. This portion included the opening of Cameron Harvey’s work for her first solo exhibit.
Photo by Colton Rubsamen | Staff Photographer
Pepp coaches succeed at Olympic games
Justin Rodriguez Sports Editor
Throughout Pepperdine’s history, Waves have earned 18 Olympic medals. If coaches were added to that mix, this number jumps to 34, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Since 1956, Pepperdine has seen Waves attend the Olympic Games as either a player or as a coach. The first medals won by Waves started in 1964, as Pepperdine watched their own Marylyn White and David Kirkwood win silver in USA Women’s Track 4x100 Relay and USA Modern Pentathlon Team, respectively.
In 2024, a few more Pepperdine coaches, both current and former, added Olympic medals to their resume at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Jack Kocur, former Men’s Water Polo Head Coach (‘05-‘11), Head Coach Emeritus Marv Dunphy and Marcio Sicoli, Women’s Beach Volleyball Head Coach, walked away from Paris as Olympic finalists.
These coaches are no stranger to the Olympic Games, and this connection Pepperdine has to the Games is something these Olympians don’t take for granted.
“I don’t think I would have had the same opportunity being part of Team USA if I did not attend Pepperdine,” Kocur said.
Marcio Sicoli: Four For Four
Still donning the Pepperdine banner, Sicoli returned to the Olympics for the fourth time in ‘24, previously attending the ‘04, ‘12 and ‘16 Olympics, all for Women’s Beach Volleyball national teams.
In ‘04, he was an assistant coach for the Brazilian national team. In ‘12, he coached the U.S. pairs of Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor and in ‘16 he coached Walsh Jennings and April Ross.
Just recently in ‘24, he coached the Canadian duo of Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes. Across his four Olympic journeys, Coach Sicoli has helped all his teams to medal finishes: silver in ‘04, gold in ‘12, bronze in ‘16 and silver again in ‘24.
To Sicoli, there is only one word to describe his Olympic journey — unique.
“It is such a unique event that [there] is nothing you can really do to prepare to be a part of one,” Sicoli said. “The Olympics always give you butterflies because you know that you’re going to an event that has been alive for many, many, years but it will be something new, and it will have its own specific characteristics.”
In four appearances, Sicoli has not only racked up multiple Top 3 Olympic finishes, but also donned multiple national banners. Sicoli has helped Brazil, the United States and now Canada secure medals in Women’s Beach Volleyball – even making history while doing it.
With Paris concluded, Sicoli’s coaching helped Wilkerson and Parades to a silver medal, the first ever Women’s Beach Volleyball medal for Canada, according to Global News. Humble, blessed and thankful are the words Sicoli said as he stamped his place in the Olympics, and Canadian history.
“To be like a little piece of that puzzle in history, that’s what will always come with me,” Sicoli said. “I’m really grateful for the support, grateful for the athletes who chose
me, for Pepperdine giving me the opportunity to do this. Just grateful and blessed to make history and hopefully inspire other people to follow their visions and follow their dreams.”
Being that little piece of that bigger puzzle was no easy feat, and Sicoli said the goosebumps still haven’t left his body from the gold medal match against Italy. What he feels overall is a sense of pride for his duo and the vision they had to make Canadian history – something the duo exactly did.
“The first thing that comes to mind is the relief that you’re just like, ‘OK, this is done,’ and then, as the girls Brenda and Melissa said, ‘We survived through the Olympics,’” Sicoli said. “Second thing is this accomplishment that your vision makes sense, that your dream makes sense, because that is the worst part of the vision, when you’re dreaming and it’s never there or it’s not even close.”
The vision is exactly what Sicoli plays for, it is the motivator that brings him back to the Olympics every four years. It explains his reasoning for donning three separate national banners in Brazil, the U.S. and Canada – playing for something bigger than himself.
“I’m really attached to the people and the vision because really it’s just bigger than you,” Sicoli said. “[Playing for another country] doesn’t really cross my mind, but it is weird when you get your Olympic pack and then you go, ‘Oh my god! It’s all red and Lululemon.’”
Sicoli returned to Malibu with his name etched in Olympics history, a fourth Top 3 Olympic finish. The opportunity to play under the Eiffel Tower — a moment that will never make him forget how small he is, Sicoli said — and the memories of another Olympic journey.
“The most memorable thing that I can remember is all the laughs and the cries,” Sicoli said. “You’re so emotional, you’re so passionate about the games, the result of the people
around you, that you cry a lot, you laugh a lot, and those are [moments] I remember vividly.”
When asked if another Olympics is on the horizon, Sicoli said at the moment he’s good where he’s at. He just wants to devote himself to his family and to Pepperdine University, but it’s always in the cards, Sicoli said.
“I already had three flags, Brazil, Canada and the U.S.,” Sicoli said. “I don’t know if there is going to be another flag, but if the vision is right, the people are right, definitely, I would love to go to another Olympics and represent Pepperdine University — glorify God through it.”
Marv Dunphy: Pepperdine and Olympic Veteran
Dunphy is no stranger when it comes to both Pepperdine and the Olympic Games.
Over the last nine Olympic games, Dunphy has aided both Men’s and Women’s Volleyball for Team USA. This past summer, he helped the women’s team for the fourth-consecutive Olympic Games as a consultant coach.
At the Olympics, coaches unfortunately don’t receive medals. However, sometimes the staff will receive replicas, but the most important part is the people around you when you win it, Dunphy said.
Photo courtesy of Jack Kocur
Jack Kocur (far left), former Men’s Water Polo Head Coach (‘05-’11), with Team USA Men’s Water Polo following their bronze medal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Aug. 11. Kocur made his third Olympic Games coaching appearance, ending as a Top 3 finalist his third time around.
Photo courtesy of Marcio Sicoli
Marcio Sicoli, Women’s Beach Volleyball Head Coach, with the Canadian duo of Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Parades at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sicoli has helped three different national teams to Olympic medals during his journey.
Photo courtesy of Marv Dunphy
Marv Dunphy smiles as he poses in front of the Eiffel Tower as it holds the iconic Olympic Rings at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Dunphy has helped both Men’s and Women’s Volleyball teams to six Olympic medals.
“When you get close and you’re at that top echelon, it’s pretty rarefied air, and it’s special,” Dunphy said. “You really remember the people you did it with and how you did it.”
In his time at Pepperdine, Dunphy coached the Men’s Volleyball team for 34 seasons, starting in 1977 until his eventual retirement in 2017. During that time, he led the men’s team to four NCAA National Championships (‘78, ‘85, ‘92 and ‘05) ending his career with record of 612-277 (.688), and was voted as the 2005 National Coach of the Year, all according to Pepperdine Athletics.
For national teams, Dunphys’ resume is just as successful. He coached the U.S. National Team from 1985-88, and during that era, the team was ranked No. 1 in the world as they won all major international tournaments: the 1985 World Cup, the 1986 World Championships, the 1987 Pan American Games and the 1988 Olympic Games, his first Olympic Games appearance.
Across his Olympic career, Dunphy has racked up three gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal. His three gold medals came from the ‘88, ‘08 and ‘20 Olympics; his two silver medals came from the ‘12 and most recent ‘24 Olympics; and his bronze medal came from the ‘16 Olympics.
This is also the fifth-consecutive Olympic Games where Dunphy has aided a medal winning squad.
“We were clawing our way to some wins, and throughout the games, it wasn’t a piece of cake,” Dunphy said. “I think the further we get away from the event, the more it’s kind of like, ‘Hey, the crew did a pretty
good job.’”
What was most important to Dunphy was winning it alongside Karch Kiraly, Team USA Women’s Volleyball Head Coach.
“He played for me when we won it in ‘88,” Dunphy said. “Right at the end we were hugging it up and I was just so proud of him, always have been, and a little bit different role now where I’m kind of helping him as best I can, but probably just the pride of keeping up with the grind with him.”
Dunphy said he loves the grind, and he especially loves to work hard, but more importantly he loves being a part of something great. It is the main reason his commitment to the Olympic Games has never waivered.
“Everybody has somewhat of a need to achieve, you want to be part of something and you want to be part of something good,” Dunphy said. “When you think of the Olympic Games, it’s still relevant in the world today. What’s like that? Where everybody is competing for their country, but not at the expense of somebody else, and there’s still sportsmanship.”
Dunphy said there is some great history behind the Olympics, and it’s something that has never fails to give him goosebumps.
When asked if he would try to add more achievements to his Olympic resume, Dunphy said he left it all on a deal.
“The deal I make with this guy Karsh [Kiraly], because I’m sure going forward they’ll [Team USA] keep him,” Dunphy said. “I say this to him, and I do this every four years, ‘Hey, if I can add value to you or the squad, whatever, let’s do it.’
ican first-team member and helped Pepperdine win their first-ever NCAA Championship for water polo (‘97). As a coach, Kocur was MPSF CoCoach of the Year (‘08) before taking a job at University of Southern California – helping the Trojans win their fifth straight NCAA Championship, all according to Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame.
His time at Pepperdine is what propelled him to the place he is today, Kocur said. It all stems from the athletic motto he remembers from his time here: “Purpose, everything we do in purpose.”
“I think that was the athletic motto for quite some time at Pepperdine,” Kocur said. “Pepperdine gives us the opportunity to be passionate with what we do, and that has helped us continue beyond the collegiate level into the international level, [because] we have a passion that Pepperdine has really put [in us], kindled, fired and really got us going.”
eder, also a former Pepperdine Water Polo head coach (‘86‘05 and ‘13-‘23), as a video scout — the same role he held this summer. This time around, Kocur assisted the team in the biggest way yet as the team finished with a bronze medal.
At the ‘16 Olympic Games, Kocur served as an assistant coach, drastically different from a video scout. The work consisted of trying to be the brains behind the whole operation, Kocur said.
“Being a scouting coach is not sexy at all,” Kocur said. “You’re grunting, you’re working, you’re in front of the computer and you’re not really in front of the athletes a whole lot.”
But all that hard work paid off at the end, and when thinking back at that medal-winning shootout moment, Kocur said he can’t suppress the emotions.
But mostly I want to help him.”
He can do it from afar, he could go check out a practice, or he could take a phone call, but he doesn’t need to be in the arena to help Coach Kiraly, Dunphy said.
Only time will tell if Dunphy will add to his long, storied, career.
Jack Kocur: Third Time’s the Charm
Kocur represented Pepperdine as not only a coach for Team USA Men’s Water Polo, but also as a former Alumna (‘97) and Water Polo player (‘93-‘97).
His senior year at Pepperdine, Kocur was an All-Amer-
Kocur made his third appearance at the Olympic Games this summer, beginning his dream at the ‘12 Olympic Games and his second at the ‘16 Olympic Games. As an Olympic coach, the feeling of representing Team USA is remarkable, Kocur said, but also comes with a lot of pressure.
“I made it a dream to myself when I was 10 years old that I wanted to represent Team USA and the Olympics, and it ended up being in the form of a coach, but there’s a double fold there,” Kocur said. “Because you have these young athletes in your hands for 4 to 8 to 12 to sometimes 16 years, and you have their well-being at your hands, you have their dreams and wishes at your hands, and you gotta make good decisions for them and help guide them while also help listen to them.”
He got his start at the Olympics under, at the time, Team USA Head Coach Terry Schro-
“It’s been a 12-year journey for me as a coach, and probably an eight-year journey as an athlete to finally be on the podium,” Kocur said. “I was kind of dumbfounded, I was numb. I teared up.”
I pray that God gives me the strength to have a good memory of those memories.
Jack Kocur
Former Men’s Water Polo Head Coach
His mind was clouded with questions: Did this really just happen? Did we really just win a medal? But he also thinks back to the sacrifices made to help him don the United States across his chest.
“My family has to sacrifice for the opportunity for [me] to still be representing the red, white and blue,” Kocur said. “My wife was there, so having her through that journey, and our kids being a part of that, it was priceless.”
Kocur hopes to continue living out his Olympic dreams under Team USA, whether that be as a coach or a scout. But, in the worst-case scenario, he said he hopes he can hold onto the memories of the Paris Olympics.
Photo courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
Kocur readies the ball in throwing motion during his time as a Pepperdine Water Polo player (‘93-’97). Kocur tallied 138 goals and set the school record with 28 two-point goals.
Photo courtesy of Marv Dunphy
Dunphy with his headset as he prepares for his coaching duties from the sidelines at the 2024 Paris Olympics. If there is anything he can do to help, he wants to do it, Dunphy said.
Pepp sports seek chance at WCC titles
Tony Gleason Special Edition Editor
With the fall season now underway, members of Pepperdine Women’s Soccer, Women’s Indoor Volleyball and Men’s Water Polo said while they are gearing up for another run at a WCC title — they’re also fighting for a deep run in the postseason.
“Our goal is to do what no Pepperdine team has done before,” Graduate midfielder/forward Tori Waldeck said.
Women’s Volleyball Seeks to Repeat
After starting 1-6 in 2023, Women’s Indoor Volleyball went on a 17-match win-streak and went 15-1 in WCC play to win their first WCC title since 2011, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Compared to 2023, this year’s team will have a different look to it. Of the six starters, three graduated and another transferred, leaving only two returners.
Notable returns for this year include senior outside/opposite hitter Grace Chillingworth who is the reigning WCC Player of the Year, graduate outside/opposite Birdie Hendrickson who was on the All-WCC First Team and Head Coach Scott Wong who is the reigning WCC Coach of the Year, according to the WCC.
Chillingworth said the adjustment to a different team is difficult at first, but spending extra time with each other helps the adjustment and will build a strong culture that is critical for success.
“Culture is very important,” Chillingworth said. “Especially in those hard times — say we’re down against a really big team — our culture allows us to really lean on each other and be there for each other.”
Of the 10 newcomers to the team, Chillingworth said one who has stuck out the most is graduate opposite hitter Riley
Simpson who transferred from Baylor.
“She’s been really impressive on both pins,” Chillingworth said. “I think she’ll carry a big load for us this year and hopefully take us far in the tournament.”
As their pre-season approaches, Chillingworth said despite their ultimate goal being to repeat as conference champions and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament — the team will be taking each segment of their season one game at a time.
“We want to win the conference again,” Chillingworth said. “But focusing on preseason first, and taking it game by game, and then focusing on the WCC championship.”
The WCC has added two new affiliate members: Oregon State and Washington State who, made it to the third round of the NCAA tournament. Despite the new competition and a different roster, Chillingworth said as long as they play up to their standard they can handle any team in the conference.
“I would still put us up there as number one,” Chillingworth said. “I know Oregon State and Washington State will both be good competition for us, but at the end of the day, as long as we play our volleyball and do what we know how to do, there’s gonna be a big target on our back, but we’ll be able to handle most of these teams.”
Women’s Indoor Volleyball season started Aug. 30 against No. 21 USC. The Waves will host the Asics Classic from Sept. 13 through Sept. 15. Pepperdine will face No.1 Pitt on Sept. 14.
Women’s Soccer Wants Redemption
Last season, Women’s Soccer lost the WCC title on the final game of the season when they fell to Gonzaga 3-1. After witnessing another team win the conference multiple times,
Waldeck said the 2024 team is looking for redemption.
“In my time here, I’ve had three WCC conferences celebrated in front of me,” Waldeck said. “So I know my class is wanting to get that not only for this team this year, but people who have played at Pepperdine in the past, for our coaches and even just for this school. We want to be able to celebrate that trophy.”
In addition to seeking this redemption, Waldeck said the team is playing for purposes higher than themselves. They want to honor the Lord on the field and make a good representation of Pepperdine as they compete.
“Just to honor the Lord in what we do and just honor this university, because we’re representing this university,” Waldeck said. “So we go out and we wear the P on our chest, and that’s what we’re trying to do, and do this university proud.”
Women’s Soccer’s season began Aug. 15 and are currently 4-2-2 through eight games.
From these first few games
and their practices early on, Waldeck said she has noticed a higher level of intensity than before because the team and coaches know what they’re capable of.
“The [talent] level is higher than it’s been in the past,” Waldeck said. “And the demand from our coaches has been more because they know the capability and the potential that we have.”
As the team seeks to make a deep run, Waldeck said every player is a leader on the field, but players often look up to the seniors in particular for guidance.
“You sometimes need that extra voice,” Waldeck said. “That extra action, that people can look at and hear from and just be like, ‘okay, that person knows what they’re doing. I’m gonna follow their lead.’”
Women’s Soccer’s next game is Sept. 20 against Fresno State at Tari Frahm Rokus Field.
Men’s Water Polo Looks to Finish the Job
Men’s Water Polo won a share of the WCC title with Loyola Marymount before losing to California Baptist in the semifinals of the WCC tournament, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Head Coach Merrill Moses said the team remembers how it felt to have their season end early and they’re ready to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“Our team is ready to fight for a championship,” Moses said. “Our conference is one of the strongest conferences in the country, as I alluded to when we announced our schedule, but we could beat anyone in our conference and definitely win a championship.”
After being a part of the coaching staff since 2012 and an associate head coach since 2017, Moses was named head coach this past March, accord-
ing to Pepperdine Athletics. Former Head Coach Terry Schroeder — who had spent 31 overall seasons with the Waves — swapped positions with Moses and is now an associate head coach.
Moses said a couple returners who will play a big role in the season are junior attacker Adam Csapo, junior attacker Sandor Gal and senior attacker Christian Hosea. In combination with these returners, the team has nine newcomers which creates the team’s biggest strength — depth.
“To be successful in water polo, you have to have depth because it’s a very physically demanding sport,” Moses said. “Only seven players play in the water at a time, so you have to have subs to be able to make sure that you can keep people fresh.”
As the team looks to make a deeper run than last season, Moses said what will be most important for the team’s success is their defense. Moses’ time as an Olympic goalie helped him learn that a strong defense leads to a strong offense.
“It’s never a successful recipe to be in a shootout and try and outscore your opponent with a large number of goals,” Moses said. “It can be successful at times, but I’m a big believer, [if] you can have a strong defense, it frustrates the other teams into making mistakes and then your offense is going to come with your strong defense.”
Men’s Water Polo season began Sept. 7 at the Triton Invite in San Diego, where the Waves went 4-0 on the weekend.
Photo by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
Pepperdine Women’s Soccer huddles together after a victory over Saint Mary’s on Oct. 7, at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. Women’s Soccer is 4-2-2 through eight games.
Photo by Denver Patterson | Fall 2023 Staff Photographer Pepperdine Water Polo attempts to score against UCSB in match
2024 at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. Head Coach Merrill Moses said this year’s team biggest strength is depth.
New recruits establish their role as Waves
Megan Harkey Sports Staff Writer
Pepperdine has welcomed 86 freshmen and 59 transfers this semester for all sports. For fall sports, Pepperdine Women’s Volleyball has welcomed eight new freshmen and four transfers, Women’s Soccer has gained nine freshmen and Men’s and Women’s Cross Country has six freshmen.
Three standout recruits for the 2024 fall season are freshman middle distance runner Elijah Gentry on Men’s Track and Cross Country, freshman outside hitter Maggie Beauer on Women’s Volleyball and freshman goalkeeper Jillian Medvecky on Women’s Soccer.
Gentry is a New York native who was second in the nation for the 3000 meter steeplechase race in the 2024 New Balance Nationals in Boston. He plans on continuing his strength in the event at Pepperdine with coaches who have experience in the event.
“The coaches are all so nice and really want the best for all of the athletes on the team,” Gentry said.
His competitive edge also shows in other events as he will be competing in middle distance events in the spring and cross country in the fall.
“We have a lot of young talent so it’s really up in the air about who is going to be on the seven [spot] varsity team,” Gentry said.
On his journey to Pepperdine, his family and high school coaches guided him through encouragement and his Christian faith. At Pepperdine, Gentry said he is happy to see
people embodying the spirit of Christ, and is an aspect that stood out to him during his recruitment.
Gentry previously knew people who attended Pepperdine and was able to take a visit to grasp the culture of the campus.
“It’s super cool to wake up and be going to practice and see all of the athletes on the tennis courts, baseball fields, or in the pool already grinding,” Gentry said “It’s a great culture.”
Gentry is looking forward to his cross country season, especially against a new conference opponent, Washington State.
Track and Cross Country’s next meet is the Pacific Invite on Sept. 20 in Stockton.
Beauer was also hooked by the culture of Pepperdine Athletics. From Chandler, Ariz., she attended Corona del Sol High School where she won a state championship her junior year, Beauer said.
During her recruitment process, Pepperdine was her first phone call, and ultimately her best official visit. She would commit to Pepperdine a week later.
“They were not on my radar at all until that first phone call,” Beauer said. “After that they were on the top of my list.”
She described the team culture and how Pepperdine offers an athletic experience with an education of equal importance.
“I think [Head Coach] Scott [Wong] is so family oriented and views us as people and not just athletes,” Beauer said.
The Women’s Volleyball
team is coming off a winning season with a WCC Conference trophy to prove it. Beauer is looking to not only improve her personal skills, but also find her place on the team to repeat the historic season.
“Everyone is meshing really well and doing their job whether that is in practice or in games,” Beauer said. “[I plan on] stamping my role and being a good teammate.”
Women’s Volleyball is continuing their high level of competition with their non-conference schedule packed with teams like USC, Stanford and Pittsburgh. Beauer is looking forward to the opponents in her first year as a Wave.
“I think it will definitely help in the long run and I am excited but definitely nervous,” Beauer said.
Women’s Volleyball has their next match against UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 13 as a part of the Asics Classic in Malibu, Calif.
Lastly, Medvecky started her first season as a goalkeeper for Pepperdine Women’s Soccer with confidence. She is one of two goalkeepers, alongside redshirt junior Taylor Rath, and is looking forward to her ability to play in games as a freshman.
“I was super grateful I was able to play and get that experience of actually being in the game,” Medvecky said. “Being told I have time to get warmed up and that I was going in kind of felt surreal.”
Medvecky is from Concord Township, Ohio, and secured a spot on Pepperdine’s roster late
into her senior year at Mentor High School.
“Coaches were super helpful throughout the whole process and knew I needed a school,” Medvecky said.
In her first few months of practices at Pepperdine, she has learned how to adjust to a new game, especially with a top WCC team.
“It [practice] was more tense than what I was used to with just the pace that everyone plays and the focus and intensity of each drill,” Medvecky said. “It’s something I’ve never experienced before, but I think it’s the reason for our success as a program.”
Medvecky has been able to learn quickly in her initial experiences as a Wave, even in the teams first loss against Utah State on Aug. 15.
“You can play and work around the other team but it really depends on how you play and the energy you give,” Medvecky said.
So far, Women’s Soccer has a record of 4-2-2 and most notably secured a 1-0 win against No. 3 UCLA on Sept. 1.
Women’s Soccer has their next game against Georgetown Sept. 5 at Shaw Field.
Photo courtesy of Maggie Beauer
Freshman outside hitter Maggie Beauer winds up for a hit in a high school club tournament. Beauer is a new opposite outside hitter for the Pepperdine Women’s Volleyball team this season.
Photo courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
Freshman Jillian Medvecky prepares to stop a goal against Utah on Aug. 15, at the Waipi’o Peninsula Soccer Stadium. Medvecky is finding her place among the Waves in her first year at Pepperdine.
SPRTS
Firestone undergoes golf facility updates
Nina Fife Head Podcast Producer & Assistant Sports Editor
Students on Pepperdine University’s campus may notice a lot of construction. While the Mountain is set to be completed by late 2026 according to the University, a new project is underway.
Firestone Fieldhouse is another area of Pepperdine’s campus that is under construction. The main lobby is closed and fenced off, but what is the construction for?
New Additions
The Fieldhouse is adding brand new facilities for the Men’s and Women’s golf teams. Andrew Clark, director of Administration for Planning, Operations and Construction, said the new facilities include a clubhouse on an added second level with a practice area, lounge, locker rooms, coaches offices and a small conference room. Some of the practice area will have a golf and putting simulator.
“To be able to have a place on campus where the men’s and women’s team can just have a home and train and improve with all the latest technology and all that, and then still have a place to practice on campus outside was just an awesome combo,” said Men’s Golf Head Coach Michael Beard.
Pepperdine golf teams have been very successful in past seasons. The men’s team captured a national championship in 2021 and the women’s team is ranked No. 17 this year in the Golfweek national rankings, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Despite this success, the teams have to travel off campus to train. Alumni Park has some practice holes but the teams would still have to drive around an hour daily just to
reach courses suitable for practice.
This project will help alleviate some of this travel, giving the golfers another place to practice on campus aside from Alumni Park.
“The facility at Alumni Park is already pretty good and coming with a whole clubhouse dedicated just for the golf teams, I think that will really elevate everyone’s game on the team to a next level,” Fresh-
man golfer Nishna Patel said.
Junior golfer Mahanth Chirravuri echoed Patel, saying it was exciting to see the project get underway.
“It’s huge for the program. It’s huge for recruiting,” Chirravuri said. “I think it really adds to the amount of value that we have as a player here at Pepperdine. We have so many great facilities, and just to have another facility on campus that we could use is huge for us.”
Looking Toward the Future
Recruiting is one of the areas that will benefit from these new facilities, Beard said. Most, if not all, of the top 30 or top 40 programs have facilities of the sort, and this will put Pepperdine in the game with the others, he said.
“I anticipate us continuing to get better and better and better the next wave of five or six years, and I think this is going to have a lot to do with it,” Beard said. “I can see it in my mind now that [recruits may think] if I go to Pepperdine, I’m gonna have everything I
opportunities to serve more people.”
Chirravuri said Gardner’s hunger for success is displayed through facility improvements like these, which benefit him as a student-athlete. He said once the project is completed, he will feel like he has every resource needed to succeed at a higher level.
“He has a great vision for the program and just all sports,” Chirravuri said. “I think he’s doing everything he can to help Pepperdine either take that next step and just compete for whatever championships every year.”
Honoring the Past
Beard said he is excited for his team to have a place to practice and relax, but he is more excited to have a place that tells the program’s story. Gardner agreed with Beard and said the golf teams deserve a place to showcase their success and alumni who have become professionals.
“If you want to go to a tremendous school of great Christian values, academic excellence and a history of success, both in winning national championships and putting players on the tour, you can have it all here,” Gardner said. “We can demonstrate and showcase that through this facility.”
need to play the tour.”
These new facilities can also make the stress of balancing travel, academics and participation in athletics at a Division I school easier.
“This will allow them to have more flexibility in classes and more flexibility in studies, because they won’t have to go off campus as much,” Director of Athletics Tanner Gardner said. “So, I think it just improves the student-athlete experience.”
Continuing the Tanner Gardner Era
This project is another one added to the Tanner Gardner Era that is focused on improving Pepperdine Athletics one step at a time. Gardner said this new facility will not only benefit the teams and student-athletes but the student body as well, for example, through rec sports.
“When you match elite facilities with elite programs, you can much more easily perpetuate your success,” Gardner said. “More space creates more
This facility can also help inspire future Pepperdine golfers by displaying the success of those that have come before them. Gardner said he is excited to honor the program’s history of success and work that has been put in to build the program into what it is today.
“Just being able to show these players a vision for their future is very powerful,” Gardner said.
While the project broke ground in July, Clark said there is no set end date nor projected cost for these facilities.
“We’re in the middle of some really exciting planning and conversations,” Clark said. “Nothing that we’re ready to report on yet, but I think just knowing that we are a growing community having the additional square foot for the myriad of things that our campus needs will be exciting.”
If students and athletes are entering Firestone Fieldhouse while the construction is ongoing, they can use the poolside entrance. The main lobby is closed but the foyer remains open.
Photos by Mary Elisabeth | Photo Editor
Construction is underway at Firestone Fieldhouse as of Sept. 10. There is no set end date for the project’s completion.
Construction in Firestone Fieldhouse began in July. The project plans to add new facilities for Pepperdine’s golf teams.
