2023–24 Annual Report
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
MISSION
International Programs empowers students to develop global competence and cultural humility through inclusive learning communities, academic excellence, real-world experience, and faith formation.
Vision
International Programs aspires to create a network of resources and experiences that prepare students, faculty, and staff to thoughtfully engage, serve, and lead in an increasingly complex global society.
Values
International Programs embodies values inspired by the model of Jesus. These values are rooted in the belief that each person is of inestimable value and is a recipient of grace. This is characterized by diverse and inclusive communities that practice:
• Respect
• Belonging Compassion
• Resilience
• Innovation
• Stewardship Integrity
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
Global Reach
20 Countries Visited
6 Global Campuses
12 Educational Field Trips (EFTs)
6 Faculty-Led Programs
Students
776 Participants in International Programs
Academics
100% Undergraduate
Academic Divisions Represented
First-Year Students
53% of First-Year Students Applied to Study Abroad for Fall/Spring Academic Year
Global Fellows
28 Pepperdine
Global Fellows
Student Employees
110 Total Student Employees in the Malibu International Programs Office and in the Abroad Programs
Malibu Campus
49 Malibu-Based Campus Events
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Dear Friends,
The saying “if these walls could speak” has a special resonance when you think of Pepperdine’s International Programs (IP). Any one of our six program campuses has a rich history of learning, community, spiritual life, and selfdiscovery. Each location provides a distinctive “home base” for students to discover their host cities and countries, to step out, explore, experience, take in, and then return to their IP home to process and share with one another and with program staff and faculty. Whether villa, haus, casa, château, or house, our IP campuses are more than just buildings with student residences and/ or classrooms, they are places alive with the beauty, the messiness, the humor, and the inspiration of students growing together as they live far away from their homes and from Malibu. This year, the University celebrated the 40th anniversary of our London program with a special reunion for Seaver and Law School London program alumni during Waves Weekend (October 4–5). Throughout most of its 40 years, the London program has been housed at 56 Prince’s Gate, part of a beautiful complex of homes sitting along Exhibition Road, which also includes the Victoria & Albert, Natural History, and Science Museums, Imperial College, and at its end, Hyde Park. What great neighbors to have there in South Kensington, and our London House—with walls that nearly sing out with learning and experiences related to history, politics, society, culture, business, and faith, not to mention the hustle of students who will do beautiful and meaningful things in the years to come—fits in perfectly. If you’re a London program alumnus, whether student or faculty in residence, consider joining other alums at next summer’s alumni trip to London on July 5–8, 2025.
I hope you enjoy the 2023–24 annual report, which highlights what students experience in International Programs. I am honored to say that we were recently ranked number one for undergraduate study abroad participation by the International Institute of Education in their Open Doors 2004 Annual Data Release. Our study away programming is a key part of why students come to Seaver College and is among the most definitive high-impact experiences that prepare those students for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. As you read through the annual report, I hope you have the same gratitude I have for our global IP team of staff and faculty and the same joy at the global competence and cultural humility students are developing in our programming.
Ron Cox Dean, International Programs
GLOBAL PRESENCE
This map shows Pepperdine’s global campuses, 2023–24 faculty-led program destinations, and the locations of 2023–24 educational field trips:
• Washington, DC, US
• Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Heidelberg, Germany
• Hauteville, Switzerland
• Florence, Italy
• London, UK
• Scotland, UK
• Nairobi, Kenya
• Fiji
• Japan
• Morocco
• Croatia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Dominican Republic
• United Arab Emirates
• Turkey
• Greece
• Paris, France
• Cyprus
• Chile
STUDENT PROFILE
Race/Ethnicity
White 62%
Asian 17%
Hispanic/Latinx 10%
Race/Ethnicity
Black/African American 5%
Not Specified 3%
American Indian/Alaska Native 1%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander <1%
Gender
Gender
Male 31%
Female 69%
Major by Division
Natural Science 17%
Social Science 26%
Business Administration 14%
Communication 22%
International Studies and Languages 6%
Humanities and Teacher Education 5%
Fine Arts 5%
Interdisciplinary 1%
Religion and Philosophy 3%
Major by Division
HIGHLIGHT HEIDELBERG
A richly historic and picturesque city, Heidelberg, Germany, has been giving Pepperdine students the quintessential study abroad experience since 1963. For more than 60 years, students have enjoyed living in Moore Haus, the iconic four-story mansion that overlooks Old Town Heidelberg. Built in 1906, the structure was once home to several local families, including families displaced from Mannheim during World War II.
Home to Germany’s oldest university, Heidelberg allows students to directly engage in local culture through its thriving downtown. The classrooms are located on two floors above a historic German cafe, conveniently placed on the HaupStraße in the heart of Old Town Heidelberg. Between their studies, group dinners provide students with a sampling of Heidelberg’s diverse culinary scene. Program participants also have the opportunity to mingle and speak German with local students through the language partner program, in which Pepperdine students are paired up with American studies majors from Heidelberg Universität. As a location central to much of Western Europe, Heidelberg gives students the chance to easily travel by train to dozens of other famous cities across the continent.
Photos credit: Liam Zieg
FACTS AND FEATURES
Program Founded
1963
Moore Haus is a century-old four-story mansion overlooking Old Town
Located in Germany’s oldest university town
300 Yards Away from the 13th-century Heidelberg Castle
Residential Capacity
52 students
One of Few German Cities spared from Allied bombing during WWII Central Location that makes it perfect for traveling across Europe
Classrooms located in town on the HaupStraße (main street)
“Heidelberg is a true Pepperdine institution. Established in 1963, the program actually predates the Malibu campus and has produced thousands of life-changing stories over its six decades in operation. As an alumnus of the Heidelberg program, I know firsthand how it forms students intellectually, culturally, socially, and spiritually.”
—Charlie Engelmann, International Programs Senior Director of Operations
TESTIMONIALS
“In my time abroad in London and Washington DC I explored what it means to be a globally minded leader and servant. Global Fellows has allowed me to increase my tools for cultural humility and helped me settle into my purpose and passions. I am so proud to be a part of the Global Fellows program, and I cannot wait to see the next generation of leaders emerge from the classroom and enter the world as changemakers.”
Thalia Markowski, Pepperdine Global Fellows, London Program 2023
“In late August 2023, we welcomed the first group of Pepperdine students at the Château d’Hauteville, who arrived as pioneers. Together, we explored the nooks and crannies of the restored château and its grounds, filled the seats in the new library, bonded over group meals, created community traditions, and confronted the inevitable bumps in the road with humor and flexibility. These students filled this historic place with life, energy, and purpose. Not content to stay home, they also explored the world through their studies and their travels, including transformative field trips to Morocco and Kenya, learning about themselves along the way. It was a rich blessing to watch them grow in confidence, curiosity, and adaptability, and to witness how they created a lively and loving community in this inaugural year at the château.”
Darlene Rivas, Faculty in Residence
“Pepperdine International Programs helped me realize that I have the ability to make adventures happen. Constantly motivating me to leave my comfort zone, studying abroad allowed me to experience the awe and wonder of places and cultures I otherwise would never have had the opportunity to see throughout my lifetime.”
—Henry Adams, Heidelberg Academic
Year
CAMPUS SNAPSHOTS
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
FLORENCE, ITALY
HEIDELBERG, GERMANY
The Buenos Aires 2023–24 program immersed its students in an array of Argentinian culture. Students explored different historical neighborhoods—each tied to country-defining events— and received lessons on how to drink yerba mate, the national drink of Argentina. Participating in asados connected students to the Argentine culture of togetherness through sharing a meal with traditionally cooked Argentine meats. Students further immersed themselves by visiting the famous Teatro Colón, an estancia in the countryside, tango shows, and local sports. In the fall, students traveled to San Martín de los Andes and Bariloche for their EFT and then to Ushuaia, dubbed “the end of the world,” in the spring. Students learned from their EFT guides about the origins of the landscape and communities, further expanding their understanding of Argentina as a whole. All the students continue to excitedly share how they marveled at these beautiful parts of Argentine culture!
The Florence program is an amazing experience that allows students to explore and appreciate Italian culture. The students abroad in the 2023–24 Florence program visited museums like the Uffizi Gallery, Accademia Gallery, and Palazzo Pitti to learn about the city’s religious history and enrich themselves with the amazing art and architecture. Students also took class trips to stunning cathedrals and churches like the Medici Chapel, the Basilica of Santa Croce, and the Basilica of Santissima Annunziata. In addition to art and architecture, students indulged in local cuisine, enjoying cappuccinos from local cafes like Caffé Libertá, and fresh Italian pizzas and pasta from restaurants like Trattoria San Lorenzo and Simbiosi. In this program students were exposed to both Italian culture and also to the cultures of Turkey and Dubai, where they expanded their global perspective during the EFTs. Studying abroad in Florence offered a life-changing experience that led to lifelong friendships, connections to different cultures, and unforgettable memories.
Students studying abroad in the 2023–24 Heidelberg program were immersed in German culture and, because of the town’s central location and the affordability of European travel, were able to travel all over the continent. Program participants got to walk the streets of Old Town Heidelberg on a daily basis, make German friends through the Heidelberg Universität language partner program, and learn about cultural traditions like Kaffee und Kuchen through the friendly local faculty. The fall EFT brought together students as they explored the fascinating archaeological sites and political conflicts of Cyprus, where plenty of time was spared in the evenings to relax with friends throughout the four-star coastal resort. During the spring EFT, they gained an appreciation for Greece through its rich architecture and a delicious dinner at a Greek taverna, where students dressed up and danced for hours to bouzouki music with local residents. Through these adventures and the numerous independent travels students embarked on, Heidelberg program participants developed a breadth of cultural knowledge of both Germany and Europe at large.
During the 2023–24 academic year, students were the first to reside in Pepperdine’s newest abroad property: Château D’Hauteville in Switzerland. This stunning estate offers panoramic views of both the mountains and the lake, with picturesque rows of vineyards located directly on the property. In their free time, students often took quick train rides down to the lake, sipped lattes at Brew Cafe with friends, and braved the elements in the cold plunges in Lac Léman. Tuesday dinners in town were a highlight—whether enjoying fondue or indulging in an “American” night, these gatherings were filled with hearty conversations and even heartier meals. The program embarked on an EFT in the fall to Morocco, where students explored the medina (city-center), toured ancient ruins, and visited the Sahara Desert for camel rides and traditional dancing under the stars. Students spent the start of the spring EFT in Kenya serving at partner organizations and ended with a once-in-a-lifetime safari in the Maasai Mara Reserve, where spotting leopards and lions was a thrilling highlight for all. These unforgettable experiences offered students not only a deeper understanding of global cultures but also memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
The London 2023–24 program participants, like the students before them, explored countless museums—like the Victoria and Albert, National Gallery, and many more—and ventured to taste exciting new cuisines in one of the most diverse cities in the world. Students not only explored the wonders of London but also enjoyed the culture and natural beauty beyond the English border. During the fall term, the program traveled to Scotland for its EFT, immersing students in a world of stunning landscapes with opportunities to feed reindeer and visit the famous Loch Ness, the vibrant streets in Edinburgh, and the Seven Sisters Cliffs. In the spring, the program traveled to Turkey with an itinerary composed of traditional Turkish baths, architecturally beautiful mosques, the historic Hagia Sophia, and bargaining at the very busy Grand Bazaar. The EFT also took the students on a cruise along the Bosphorus Strait dividing Europe and Asia, where they gazed at the beauty of Istanbul’s skyline and straddled the cultural fusion. The students’ adventures in London, Scotland, and Turkey highlight the diversity and wonder of their year abroad.
This year the DC program had students interning on Capitol Hill with various lobbying groups, in hospital management, and with numerous nonprofit organizations. Students gained real-life experience researching complex policy topics, attending congressional briefings, writing grant requests for nonprofits, and studying at the Congressional Library. They also observed an Easter morning sunrise service on the National Mall and explored DC’s many coffee shops! In the fall, students traveled to the Balkans to learn more about the history of WWII before traveling to the Dominican Republic and partnering with local churches to improve economic conditions in Santo Domingo. The group also took a trip to New York to see Hamilton and to visit the Modern Museum of Art and the UN headquarters. By studying in DC this past year, students had a unique opportunity to grow in a professional environment while making lifelong friends.
HAUTEVILLE, SWITZERLAND
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM WASHINGTON,
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS SCHOLARSHIPS
Total IP Scholarships Awarded $309,060
Average Scholarship Award $1,073
Students Awarded 288
Percent of Study Abroad Students Receiving a Scholarship 37%
“Going to Buenos Aires inspired growth in all my strengths while challenging me to work on the aspects of life that I struggled with. I returned from the program a more independent, curious, and compassionate person. I am so excited to use what I have learned from my time abroad to continue exploring the beauty and complexity of the world.”
—Belle Li, IP Scholarship Recipient, Buenos Aires
Academic Year 2023–24
“My experiences in Heidelberg and Fiji were profoundly transformative, each in their own unique way. My time in Heidelberg was my first real opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and embrace life in a completely new environment. It was there that I discovered my independence, gained confidence, and found a clearer sense of self. In Fiji, I was immersed in a community that challenged and inspired me daily. Shadowing in the medical clinic, worshiping with the locals, and working on the mission grounds gave me the chance to deeply connect with people and a way of life so different from my own. Across both places, it was the relationships I built and the sense of shared purpose that made these experiences truly unforgettable. The communities I found in Heidelberg and Fiji became like second families, shaping my faith, broadening my worldview, and deepening my passion for meaningful connection and service.”
—Madison Bunker, IP Scholarship Recipient, Heidelberg Academic Year 2022–23, Fiji Summer 2024
