Pepperdine Graphic 9-10-2021

THE PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC VOLUME LI | ISSUE 2 | SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 | PEPPERDINE-GRAPHIC.COM | FOLLOW US @PEPPGRAPHIC

WE ARE BACK. NE WS

PERSPECTIVE S

S PO RTS

LI FE & ARTS

FILE PHOTOS | COVER BY ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR This cover features 500 online featured photos to commemerate the stories that were unable to hit the press. After a year and a half of remote designing, writing, reporting, photographing, drawing and more, the Graphic’s in-person newsroom is back, with four print editions this semester.

W H AT ’ S AHEAD THE WAVES REPORT

Editor Ashley A3- Managing Mowreader reintroduces

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faculty and staff A5- Students, face parking problems on

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the print Graphic.

the Malibu campus.

FRI: 1-2 FT

Perspectives Editor Anitiz Muonagolu urges students to find the bright side of a bleak situation.

the furry four-legged B2- Meet faces of Malibu and

Women’s B5- Pepperdine Volleyball starts season

How well do you know Pepperdine? Try the Graphic Cypher.

Swift’s rerelease of B3- Taylor “Fearless” shows her growth

staff pick NFL B6- Graphic games for week 1.

SAT: 1-2+ FT

Pepperdine.

as an artist.

SUN: 2-3 FT

with sweeping weekend.

MON: 2-3+ FT

TUES: 2-3+ FT

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EMILY SHAW NEWS EDITOR When reminiscing about on-campus life, many Seaver students reflected on interactions with Pepperdine staff.

With all the changes happening at the University — including new departments, new faces and new guidelines to follow — there is comfort in knowing that many of these familiar individuals have also returned.

Some students, such as senior Michael Kadlick, expressed excitement over seeing Sami Bahhur again, known to students as Sami from the HAWC. “I get nothing but good vibes back from him,” Kadlick said. “They just radiate from him.”

Bahhur said it feels good to return to work at Pepperdine.

“I’m glad to be back,” Bahhur said. “I missed the students too, real good students, all of them. They’re all friendly and respectful.”

Another Dining Facilities staff member some students have remembered fondly is Rico Soto, who used to work at the deli in the Caf but currently works at the Starbucks on campus.

“Rico always would just chat with me — and one time, he talked to me about his surfing experience, which is so precious, and I just will always remember it,” junior Katie Price said.

Soto said after a year of challenges, hope and faith are what brought him back to Pepperdine. He is happy to see the same people he saw years prior as well as new faces.

“I missed this job,” Soto said. “I was out for like a year and a half, so it feels good to be back and feels good to see everybody back.”

For junior Sammie Wuensche, one of the many Pepperdine staff she felt happy to see included DPS officers at the gates to the Malibu campus.

“It was really nice when I came back and saw DPS officers like [Officer Alex] Valencia, who still were excited to see me and are just so welcoming,” Wuensche said.

The times when we find ourselves with a free moment — in the HAWC hanging out, at the Caf eating a meal or in a car entering campus — can be seen as brief and inconsequential but are instead meaningful because of the individuals we get to see and interact with.

There are also so many other Pepperdine staff who have helped make this campus feel like home, including the people who work at Campus Recreation, the Counseling Center, OneStop, Payson Library, Housing and Residence Life, Department of Facilities Services and many more.

During a time of some anxiety over returning to a full campus after not having been around many people during quarantine, it’s great to see so many friendly faces who help make that transition easier.

EMILY.C.SHAW@PEPPERDINE.EDU

THE DPS REPORTS

TWEETS AND MEMES OF THE WEEK

CHECK OUT PEPPERDINE.EDU/PUBLICSAFETY FOR THE WEEKLY DPS REPORTS

1 3

2 THIS WEEK 4 IN SGA

9/3/21 10:21 a.m.

Crime: Fraud Possession of False or Illegal ID Location: Malibu Campus

9/3/21 3:37 p.m.

Crime: Larceny/Theft Theft from Building, Burglary Location: Rockwell Academic Center

9/3/21 2:34 p.m.

Crime: Fire/Hazards Hazardous Material Spill Location: Tyler Campus Center

9/5/21 6:32 p.m.

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

PODCAST EPISODE SportsWaves

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The SportsWaves Podcast is back for the 2021-22 school year!

This episode features a conversation between host Karl Winter and Pepperdine Women’s Soccer goalkeeper Zoe Clevely.

U PC OMING E VE N TS MON 13

WHAT: Mastering Network Conversations with Rob L awlesss WHEN: Noon WHERE: Vir tual HOST: Seaver C areer Center

COVID-19 numbers and new guidelines

Good News: People make Pepp home

TUES 14

WHAT: Business & STEM Vir tual Industr y Fair WHEN: 1 1 a.m.

WHERE: Vir tual HOST: Seaver C areer Center WHAT: Transitioning to On-C ampus L earning WHEN: 6 p.m.

WHERE: TBD HOST: Student Success Center

WED 15

THURS

FRI

WHAT: Polls close for SGA First-Year Senate E lection WHEN: 9 a.m.

HOST: SGA

WHAT: Celebration Chapel Worship WHEN: 8 a.m.

WHERE: Amphitheater HOST: Celebration Chapel

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WHAT: Polls open for SGA First-Year Class Senate E lection WHEN: 8 a.m.

HOST: SGA WHAT: C areer Ser vices 101 WHEN: Noon WHERE: Vir tual HOST: Seaver C areer Center

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Pepperdine

Malibu

California

United States

cases*

cases

cases

cases

deaths*

deaths

deaths

deaths

59 619 4.3M 40.3M ZERO 10 66K 649K 96% Sept. 3 | LA County officials announce first cases of new COVID-19 Mu variant.

students vaccinated

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Subscribe to the Pixel Newsletter ( S c a n a n d s c ro l l to th e b o tto m o f th e p a ge)

*Numbers since Aug. 1

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Letter from the Editor: in print ASHLEY MOWREADER MANAGING EDITOR Hi, Graphic readers — it’s good to be back in your hands.

Feb. 27, 2020, we published our regular print edition covering the Flor-

ence International Program closure, as COVID-19 concern and cases rose.

March 19, 2020, we published our first digital-only edition, not knowing this would be our future for the unforeseeable future. Today, we’re returning to our roots as a physical, black-and-white trusty newspaper.

This semester, we have the opportunity to be back physically in our community in a lot of ways. It looks different — a little scaled back, a little less frequently — but it’s representative of the way life looks now. We’re a little farther apart from one another and seeing

each other less than we would before but moving forward nevertheless, eager to reunite.

The Graphic is committed to telling stories of our community and sharing them in ways our community can receive us. Last year, it was digitally.

This year, it’s a bit of both. The Pixel will continue to arrive in your inboxes, our digital content will continue to pop up on your social media feeds and our glossy magazines will return to newsstands this November.

The good news — Pepperdine can expect to see our bright and shining fac-

es on Zoom screens, our masked smiles around campus and our print editions on stands for the duration of this semester.

Thank you for sticking with us in the digital world, and thanks for picking us back up in the print world.

It’s so great to see you again.

ASHLEY.MOWREADER@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Class of 2022 reunites to ‘Rock the Brock’ EMILY SHAW NEWS EDITOR In a range of interpretations of “business casual” attire — from shorts and a t-shirt to heels and suit jackets — the Class of 2022 arrived in Malibu fashion to Rock the Brock, sponsored by Seaver Alumni Relations and hosted by President Jim Gash and first lady Joline Gash, on Wednesday, Sept. 1.

The annual tradition for the senior class to go to the president’s house at the beginning of the academic year started with President Andrew K. Benton in 2011. The event serves as a book-end celebration in parallel with the senior class’s first-year reception at the Brock House.

The last Rock the Brock occurred in 2019, as the Class of 2021 did not have one because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sept. 1 event is also the first time in three years that Rock the Brock was held at the Brock House, due to renovation at the house in 2019.

The event involved many raffle prizes — including a total of $10,000 worth of Waves of Relief presidential awards and a surfboard with Class of 2022 signatures — as well as music and dancing to the Cupid Shuffle, hors d’oeuvre, one back flip and the Pacific Ocean with a sunset backdrop.

“There’s a lot of people here that I’ve seen and met — or seen in class or seen on Zoom — and it’s a lot, but encompassing all that is it’s just good to be here,” senior Daniel Lopez said. “It really is good to be back.”

Many students of the Class of 2022 expressed how “weird” it felt to be with their whole class again and also be around fellow classmates they recognize and others they have yet to meet in person. The last time the entire class was on campus was spring 2019, due to a large portion studying abroad their sophomore year and living in different places during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senior Francis Mejia went abroad to Shanghai her sophomore year and stayed home with her family during her ju-

nior year. At the event, Mejia said she felt a little nervous because she wasn’t accustomed to being around so many people again.

“It’s just like time passes so quickly — but then, because we were away for so long, it’s weird being back here,” Mejia said.

When addressing the class, both Matt Ebeling, executive director of Alumni Relations, and Jim Gash acknowledged the challenging journey students have experienced to get to their senior year.

“Tonight is all about you,” Ebeling said. “It’s about your journey at Pepperdine, and my goodness, what a journey it’s been. You’ve been through a lot, and we’re just glad that you get to finish your Pepperdine experience here as students and seniors together on campus.”

Joline Gash said she was glad to be at Rock the Brock not only as the first lady of Pepperdine but also as a mom, because the Gashs’ daughter, Jennifer Gash, is also part of the soon-to-be graduating class.

Throughout the night, Ebeling announced the winners of many raffle prizes such as a surfboard signed by the Class of 2022, Apple AirPods, a Bluetooth speaker and various goodie bags and gift cards.

Four seniors also won scholarship money, Waves of Relief presidential awards, between $1,000 to $5,000.

“I feel like a winner,” said senior Isabella Hamm, winner of the surfboard.

Senior Karl Winter, who is also the digital editor at the Graphic, won the biggest Waves of Relief award of $5,000; however, it was an especially lucky win as another name was announced the winner at first, but because the student was not there at the time of the announcement, Ebeling drew another name, which happened to be Winter’s.

“It’s so exciting to be back with some people we haven’t seen since freshman year and just have our class together one last time and throw it back to our freshman year ‘My Tie’ — kind of feels like that again, doesn’t feel like too long ago,”

RYAN BRINKMAN | PHOTO EDITOR (Top) The Class of 2022 dances the night away Sept. 1 at Rock the Brock, sponsored by Seaver Alumni Relations and hosted by President Jim Gash and first lady Joline Gash. The senior class has not been together on campus since the 2018-19 school year. (Bottom) Senior Karl Winter, digital editor at the Graphic, smiles at the camera while receiving the $5,000 Waves of Relief award he had just won. The event included many raffle prizes, such as a surfboard signed by the Class of 2022 and a total of $10,000 worth of scholarship money.

Winter said. “And to win five grand was pretty exciting — that’s all I can say. Shout out to the guy who didn’t show up. I feel sorry for him.”

EMILY.C.SHAW@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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The Hub sets a new chapter in motion SAMANTHA TORRE NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR Pepperdine’s Hub for Spiritual Life teed off a new convocation at the Sept. 1 Foundation Gathering, kickstarting the Seaver 200 program with President Jim Gash attending as a keynote speaker. The Hub also gave out doughnuts and facilitated a book giveaway.

Pepperdine announced the new convocation program May 6. Unlike the previous program, which required all students to attend weekly convocations, Seaver 200 is structured for first-year and sophomore students who reside on campus.

Pepperdine also renamed the Spiritual Life Office, the Hub for Spiritual Life and moved operations to the Light House on Malibu campus.

Foundation Gatherings are a portion of the Hub’s pilot Seaver 200 program, where first and second-year students come together as a community before breaking into smaller groups. Community service is one of the ways the Hub hopes to extend spiritual life beyond the Seaver 200 requirement, said Associate Chaplain Rachel Collins.

“As it fits into the Hub for Spiritual Life, it’s meant to be

an on ramp, so it’s where everyone starts — by going through Seaver 200,” said Collins.

“They’re going to get connected with spiritual life, they’re going to know who all the chaplains are, and then from there, what we hope is that they discover where they want to really engage and where they fit in.”

Pepperdine’s First Foundation Gathering is a Home Run The first Foundation Gathering occurred at the Eddy D. Field Baseball Stadium, which created a unique worship space because the gathering was not held in a traditional chapel, Collins said.

“We are really encouraged by the turnout of that first Foundation Gathering and the content as well,” Collins said.

Seaver 200 requires students to attend 10 weeks of spiritual programming in the form of four Foundation Gatherings and six breakout group sessions. Students can miss one session without a grade penalty, according to Pepperdine’s website. When in need of an exemption — such as if one contracts COVID-19 — students can email the Pepperdine Student Care Team.

The outdoor setup created

some problems for students, especially while exiting the field — something Collins said she and her team are working to solve for the next Foundation Gathering in three weeks. Other logistical changes include making sure each student gets a doughnut and ensuring no student feels short on time.

Gash served as the first event’s speaker, sharing about trust in God. Gash focused on his experience in Uganda, where he worked to absolve a man named Tumusiime Henry from two alleged murder charges.

The Foundation Gathering concluded with Gash live-video chatting with Henry, who led the students in prayer.

“Each time my mom was visiting me, she would tell me, ‘Henry, get strong,’” Henry said. “‘Nothing lasts forever, except the word of God.’ She would continue to tell me that sometimes God uses a bad thing and turns it into a good thing later, so I believed in her — and praise King Jesus that what she says came to us.”

Seaver 200 Falls Into a Rhythm As a part of the Connect team, Collins oversees Seaver 200, spiritual mentoring and

student ministry clubs. She said the intention behind the Hub is for students to have one consolidated space to approach with their spiritual needs.

“We just want to be like the term ‘hub’ implies: We want to be a centralized space where students can go,” Collins said.

“But then the other hope for that space is also that students can come to get connected — and to get connected with the Chaplain as well.”

Seaver 200, Collins said, has a rhythm with two or three weeks of small groups — following one Foundation Gathering with both first-years and sophomores in attendance — and the cycle will repeat until mid-November.

As the first week of breakout groups approaches, Collins said the Connect team is working with students to fix problems in scheduling and registration.

Student Experiences With the Hub Sophomore Owen Walsh said he is attending the Sacred Yoga breakout group. While hoping to optimize fitness, Walsh said he chose this group because students quickly filled up his preferred groups, which he would have attended alongside friends.

“I’ll probably meet some cool people,” Walsh said. “I wasn’t planning on building a whole ton of community from yoga.”

Walsh said he wished the Hub sent clearer communication to students because he was unaware he would need to sign up for breakout groups until after the deadline.

At the Foundation Gathering, Walsh said what really stood out for him was the free books Pepperdine gave away.

He said, however, he disliked how the crowd was spread out.

“It seemed like we were packed in there pretty tight, which I wasn’t really like super crazy about,” Walsh said.

“There are probably better places where they could get us all gathered where it won’t involve waiting in line for so long.”

Before the semester began, Walsh said he attended several worship events at Pepperdine as a way to connect with his peers.

“From what I’ve seen, they usually have one or two guys present stuff,” Walsh said. “If they could bring in a bigger host of speakers, that’d be more interesting for the people who go regularly.”

SAM.TORRE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Crazy cars cause campus conundrum ABBY WILT PIXEL EDITOR For the past three semesters, the majority of students skipped the commute to class — most just went from their beds to their desks to hop onto their Zoom classes for the day.

But with the return to in-person classes, transportation is a greater worry.

Whether it’s a commute from an off-campus apartment or on-campus housing, students are bonding over one thing: They cannot find parking.

“It just sucks that we have to stress about parking,” commuter student Ale Hurtado said. “Something so minimal — we shouldn’t have to worry about it.”

The problem of parking isn’t just inconvenient for students; it adds on a layer of stress, especially for commuters or for students who need to drive off campus for work or personal reasons.

While there may not be any immediate solutions in sight, students can help resolve the issue by parking in designated areas on campus, carpooling and arriving early to class.

The Problem of Parking This year — with the largest first-year class ever, an increased sophomore class presence due to canceled abroad programs and the elimination of roughly 200 parking spots, according to the Department of Public Safety — parking is minimal for students.

In addition, the University lost 100 more parking spots when it built Seaside in 2018, according to a March 8 interview with Chief Operating Officer Phil Phillips.

Due to enrollment, COVID-19 testing tents and ongoing construction, parking would be limited, DPS wrote in a community-wide email Aug. 25.

In the email, DPS also announced first-year students would be required to park in designated areas on Drescher Graduate Campus. Drescher is approximately 1 mile from main campus, according to Google Maps.

“It’s pretty inconvenient right now — having to park at Drescher and walk down,” first-year Chase Curry said.

“I wish there was a solution, and I wish that everyone could park on campus.”

The University currently offers around 4,100 on-campus parking spots, Director of Public Safety Dawn Emrich wrote in a Sept. 7 email to the Graphic.

There are 3,459 undergraduate students enrolled at Pepperdine and 6,095 graduate students enrolled, according to the Pepperdine 2020-21 Common Data Set. Pepperdine

also employs 841 total instructional faculty, according to the data set.

While not all students bring cars to campus and not every enrolled student comes to the Malibu campus every day, there is still a larger number of students and faculty members than there are parking spots available.

In addition, Pepperdine employs on-campus workers who need parking, and the University reserves spaces for visitors and prospective students.

DPS issues parking permits to community members on a rolling basis and updates the permits if individuals change vehicles, begin working at Pepperdine or move off campus — resulting in a change in their parking destination on campus — Emrich wrote.

Several cars parallel parked alongside Seaver Drive on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus Aug. 30. Many students said they struggled to find parking at the start of the fall 2021 semester due to the elimination of several parking spots on campus.

The Effects Parking

Possible Solutions for Parking on Campus

of

Limited

In a Sept. 6 survey conducted by the Graphic of over 40 students, 91% said they struggled to find parking in the first week of school, and 24% said they were late to a class because they couldn’t find parking.

“I feel like it adds a lot of stress trying to find a parking spot,” sophomore Maci Brown said. “I don’t want to leave campus and go anywhere because then I won’t be able to find a spot.”

For commuter students, parking is not only an additional stressor but also a waste of time, Hurtado said.

“My roommate and I have had to leave 40 minutes early every single day to come find parking,” Hurtado said. “Yesterday, I left an hour before my 1 p.m. class, and I just circled campus twice.”

Not only is the parking situation stressful, but senior Laura Kawas said it is also physically exhausting to walk on Pepperdine’s campus. Kawas is a commuter student and said she felt like the parking was worse this year than any other year.

“It’s been awful,” Kawas said. “I had to walk literally up stairs. It only said it was half a mile, but it said it was 19 flights of stairs on my phone, and I almost passed out when I got to class.”

For students who have a need to leave campus for reasons such as work, there is also anxiety about getting back to campus.

Sophomore Mariah Macias works at Faherty in the Malibu Country Mart, and she said it is stressful to leave in her car, not knowing if there will be space when she returns to campus.

“Our lot is entirely full usually when I get back, so I can’t really park there,” Macias said.

“Obviously, there’s no parking anywhere else, so it’s been a bit of a mess.”

RYAN BRINKMAN | PHOTO EDITOR

To help solve the parking problem, the University is constructing a 304-space lot in the vicinity of the soccer and baseball fields, replacing three prior lots. The lot will be done Aug. 2022 and will provide 201 more spaces than the previous lot. After this lot is complete, the University will offer over 4,500 on-campus spaces, Emrich wrote.

Surveyed students suggested Pepperdine should not allow first-years to bring a car in the future, stop construction until fewer students are on campus and open faculty-only lots where there are consistently open spots.

Another surveyed student wrote there should be shuttles from Malibu Canyon Village (Stinkies), Vista Pacific, De Ville and Calabasas apartments for students who live off campus.

Student Government Association is working with University administrators to provide solutions for students by partnering with Lyft to be available within the academic year and encouraging students to park in their designated areas, Vice President of Administration Clara Fermanian wrote in an email to the Graphic.

The Lyft partnership would allow for students to get a ride at a discounted rate and would provide incentives for students to park their cars off campus,

Fermanian wrote. SGA would like to start the Lyft program within the academic year and possibly by the end of the fall 2021 semester, but none of the programs are finalized yet.

SGA recommends students arrive 45 minutes early to campus and carpool with others as frequently as possible, according to the SGA Instagram story Aug. 31. SGA also encourages students to park in their designated areas, Fermanian wrote.

“There are enough spots on campus; students just need to park in the right spots,” Fermanian wrote.

ABBY.WILT@PEPPERDINE.EDU

HEAD TO THE POLLS:

ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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The Graphic

PEPPERDINE-GR APHIC.C OM

PERSPECTIVES

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA MILLER & RYAN BRINKMAN

Cultivate a community among chaos

ANITIZ MUONAGOLU PERSPECTIVES EDITOR

F

rom packed parking lots to fresh faces all across campus, Pepperdine students officially made it through their first week of school.

Though Pepperdine is still in transition, everyone should focus on the positive outcomes that come with returning to campus and celebrate the first week of classes.

“It’s just so wonderful to be back in person and to see actual humans walking around,” senior Saxophone Performance and Music Education major Ben Miller said.

Pepperdine consists of many wonderfully intelligent and upbeat human beings who shape this campus. Finally, after an extended period of separation, the Pepperdine community is unified again.

President Jim Gash confirmed campus is back in full glory when he blew out the lamppost next to the statue of George Pepperdine. This was his promise to the university, as he stated he wouldn’t extinguish the light until every student returned to campus.

Now, it is true Pepperdine isn’t back to its former glory. Masked faces clutter every aspect of campus, parking is a nightmare worse than the Exorcist and on-campus meal choices aren’t always five stars.

Whether it’s outside Mullin Town Square, inside Elkins or even walking up and down Upper or Lower Dorm Road, masks are pervasive at Pepperdine. However, the key is to remember why people do it: to keep everyone safe!

Pepperdine may have the majority of its community vaccinated, but that doesn’t mean we should lose vigilance in maintaining social distance and wearing masks. Some people are immunocompromised or have children who can’t receive the vaccine. Therefore, everyone needs to be courteous of others around them.

Masks are a pain, but so was “Zoom university” this past year, as it’s been dubbed. Let’s choose the lesser of two evils and remember to enjoy everyone’s covered-up smiles in person.

However, the Goliath that is parking will take quite a bit of getting used to. Parking has never been the easiest here at ol’ Pepperdine, but every lot seems to be busting with cars since the added first-year class consists of around 1,200 students. Furthermore, fewer students are participating in International Programs.

The bright side of limited parking is pretty bleak, but there are ways to make it an advantage. Now is a great time for carpooling, which can be a good way to get close with your suitemates or roommates. While few are in love with the idea of a clogged parking lot, many love the chance to create genuine intimacy and connection with their friends and peers.

Every person on campus contributes to Pepperdine and can support one another. So, make a new friend in your house or suite and carpool, or perhaps even walk, to main campus.

Dining Services may also be a tad more restrictive in their menu items, but this doesn’t mean Pepperdine is without the variety of years past.

“I have a lot of options, and it’s pretty affordable, in my opinion, for full meals,” said first-year Business Administration major Steven Cordova.

For students like Cordova, the food trucks brought on campus add a sense of variety and intrigue to meals. It’s good to know Pepperdine is trying to fill in the gaps that can be attributed to the virus.

Even for those who still aren’t pleased, this just means they have a motive to tour the food capital that is Los Angeles.

Grab a couple of buddies and take one of the numerous cars that congest the Pepperdine parking spaces and occasionally get a bite to eat off campus.

Pepperdine may not be perfect or like its old years without masks, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as grand.

This is it — this is the moment where students come together to create a better community despite the circumstances given to us. Our first couple of days of Pepperdine may have just passed, but it’s only looking up from here.

Let’s follow the lead of senior Flute major Yoona Lee, who said she feels excited to embrace her final year at Pepperdine.

“It’s been a busy semester already — lots of catching up with friends and obviously catching up with the campus life, but it has to be a good year; I’m gonna make it a good final year!”

AJ.MUONAGOLU@PEPPERDINE.EDU

AN INSIDE LOOK Managing Editor Ashley Mowreader Special Edition Editor Rowan Toke Digital Editor Karl Winter Copy Chief Bryant Loney GNews Producer Christina Buravtsova Creative Director Ali Levens Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editors Anitiz Muonagolu Emily Shaw Business Director Inez Kim Advertising Director Sahej Bhasin Head Podcast Producer Kyle McCabe Pixel Editor Abby Wilt

Photo Editor Ryan Brinkman Art Editor Samantha Miller News Editor Emily Shaw Perspectives Editor Anitiz Muonagolu Life & Arts Editor Beth Gonzales Sports Editor Alec Matulka News Assistant Editor Sam Torre News Staff Writers William Bacon Liza Esquibias Abroad Correspondent Reagan Phillips Perspectives Assistant Editors Sarah Best Emily Chase Perspectives Assistant Sawa Yamakawa

Perspectives Staff Writer Christian Parham Perspectives Copy Editor Ryan Bresingham Perspectives Design Assistant Rachel Marek Life & Arts Assistant Addison Whiten Life & Arts Staff Writers Lydia duPerier Yamillah Hurtado Stella Zhang Life & Arts Copy Editor Yamillah Hurtado Sports Staff Writers Joe Doonan Austin LeDe’ Sports Copy Editor Whitney Bussell Sports Design Assistant Kaitlyn Davis Assistant Photo Editor Dane Bruhahn Mercer Greene Staff Photographers

Ashton Bell Ella Coates Caroline Conder Denver Patterson Brandon Rubsamen Art Assistant Editor Leah Bae Staff Artists Autumn Hardwick Brian Zhou Podcast Producers Joe Allgood Celine Foreman Anitiz Muonagolu Karl Winter Digital Assistant Editor Ryan Bough Social Team Sofia Longo Abby Wilt GNews Crew Joe Allgood Alex Payne Gabrielle Salgado

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor must bear the writer’s name, signature, class standing, major, address and phone number (except in some circumstances determined appropriate by the Graphic). Letters must be fewer than 300 words and will be edited for syntax, grammar and brevity. Letters can be mailed to student publications or emailed to peppgraphicmedia@ gmail.com.

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The University must welcome all students

SAWA YAMAKAWA PERSPECTIVES ASSISTANT

“Y

ou Belong Here,” “You Matter Here,” and “You Are Loved Here.”

The University decorated lampposts across campus with different prints of celebratory banners to welcome back all students for the first time since March 2020.

While these displays are one of the University’s attempts to invite students to the Pepperdine community, one must not forget some communities and groups are still oppressed and marginalized at this predominantly white Christian institution.

For those who have not found their belonging at Pepperdine, these banners may just seem performative and, at most, uncomfortable to look at.

Over the past several years, students have engaged in various activities that advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion at Pepperdine University. For example, Crossroads Gender and Sexuality Alliance became the first official LGBTQ+ club at Pepperdine in 2016. Crossroads GSA is an identity-based community that provides an open space for students to explore their sexual and gender identities.

On a more recent note, the @blackatpepperdine Instagram page — which started July 2020 — amplified the voices of Black students who experienced overt racism and microaggressions on campus.

Although the University administrators claim to promote a sense of belonging, the University remains a place of discomfort for some.

Instead of just displaying performative

banners that turn a blind eye to the problems embedded within Pepperdine’s foundation, the University must ensure its actions and initiatives are actually supporting its students and making them feel belonged.

For students to feel at home on this campus, the University must first and foremost create an inclusive environment where students’ beliefs and identities are respected.

The journey to make Pepperdine a more welcoming place began during the pandemic, as it exposed Pepperdine’s ongoing history of racial division.

Whilst most students and faculty were not physically present on campus, the University welcomed J. Goosby Smith as its first chief diversity officer and vice president of Community Belonging in March 2021. Along with Smith, April Harris Akinloye also joined as an assistant vice president of Community Belonging.

Since community members saw several questionable actions by the administrators, such as School of Public Policy Dean Pete Peterson’s petition, the establishment of the Office for Community Belonging is a step toward a more inclusive university.

Now that more students are on campus, there are many steps both administrators and students can take to actualize the words on the banners.

More professors must start incorporating diversity in syllabuses by implementing a variety of viewpoints in their classes. For example, a professor of literature could assign readings written by authors from different ethnic and racial backgrounds.

By exposing students to multiple perspectives, professors can help their students to understand the content with more thorough outlooks.

Moreover, students can feel more safe and confident knowing they have the knowledge of wider social groups.

When creating an inclusive learning environment for maximized learning outcomes, schools must “take a comprehensive approach and address student and faculty identities, curricu-

SAMANTHA MILLER | ART EDITOR lar content and pedagogy/teaching methods,” according to Assistant Professor of the Higher Education Program Juan C. Garibay at the University of Virginia.

Students can take numerous steps to promote an environment where they feel comfortable and confident to embrace themselves.

Unlike staff who are hired by the University, students have more opportunities and power to make changes. Whether that be through protesting, voicing their concerns through an open forum or signing petitions, students strengthen the culture at Pepperdine.

Just like Crossroads GSA and @blackatpepperdine, students have always been pioneers in advocating for change and acceptance. Students can use many on-campus resources, such as reaching out to SGA or those listed on the Office for Community Belonging website.

Perhaps the most effective way is to treat each other with respect, per the Golden Rule.

All students should feel like they belong at Pepperdine. Until every student can call Pepperdine a home, the University should not put up banners that wrongly market positive campus experiences.

SAWA.YAMAKAWA@PEPPERDINE.EDU

The Met Gala stoops to mediocracy EMILY CHASE ASSISTANT PERSPECTIVES EDITOR

“T

he Met Gala is the fashion world equivalent of the Oscars,” Christian Allaire wrote in an April 2021 Vogue article. This year, New York City’s — and possibly the United States’ — most important night of fashion will commence Sept. 13 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This year, the Gala could possibly lose sight of what it was originally created for. Its true meaning is to celebrate fashion and courageous style. It should not be a superficial approach.

The Met Gala is in danger of becoming an influencers’ paradise.

Beginning in 1948, the Gala was merely a private midnight dinner for those with invitations only, according to the Met’s website. It was established to raise money for the Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and, soon after, skyrocketed to the most significant night in all of fashion.

Past guests include singer Madonna, fashion model Naomi Campbell, fashion designer Jeremy Scott, YouTuber Liza Koshy and actor Jared Leto. Though all are pursuing different careers, these celebrities have one thing in common — they are all passionate about fashion.

The co-chairs of this year’s Met Gala include singer Billie Eilish, actor Timothée Chalamet, tennis player Naomi Osaka and poet laureate Amanda Gorman. All chairs are ages 25 and under. Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue and the head of the Met Gala, is clearly targeting a

younger audience for the event this year. Due to the young ages of these chairs and the potential guests, it will not be the sophisticated night of fashion it has always been.

What separates this year from any other is the prospect of placing an overwhelming emphasis on the presence of social media influencers.

The up-and-coming young stars, such as Dixie D’Amelio, Addison Rae and Emma Chamberlain, rose quickly into the spotlight and are potentially honored with invites to the Met Gala, according to CR Fashion Book.

The distinction between these social media fashionistas and high fashion Met Gala material is the years of dedication and thought older guests have put into fashion. Red carpet events, fashion shoots and years of experience in the entertainment realm have prepared guests for a night like the Met Gala.

The social media youth lack years of fashion comprehension. This night of glamour should not be about which social media company or star can insert themselves into the most publicized event in the whole fashion world.

This year’s honorary chairs include Anna Wintour, fashion designer Tom Ford and head of Instagram Adam Mosseri. In 2018, Mosseri’s position was once filled by Rihanna, entrepreneur and founder of the brand “SAVAGEXFENTY.” This replacement symbolizes the shift from a self-made fashion icon to fashion faux pas.

Social media moguls are not part of the fashion world. These technology tycoons and the majority of influencers couldn’t tell the difference between an A-line and a hemline even if they tried.

Whispers of rumored guests lead many to believe the Met Gala is being hijacked by influencers who care more about the number of followers they have than the number of clothes they have on their bodies, which entirely opposes the purpose of the Met Gala.

AUTUMN HARDWICK | STAFF ARTIST The Met Gala is becoming less about art and more about commercialization. It has lost the luster it once held. The dazzling night of glamour and class could now possibly become a mockery of what it once was.

The Met Gala must retain its heir of exclusivity, consisting of an elite guest list that makes the public wish they were invited. The elegant night of glamour should uphold its original purpose and meaning instead of being an influencer takeover. This distinguished affair is about fashion, not phonies, so in order to sustain this sentiment, keep the influencers on the timeline — not the Met Gala red carpet.

EMILY.CHASE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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3. The section that covers baseball, cross country and more 8. Where President Jim Gash lives 9. The section that publishes opinion 11. The name of the Seaver College library 14. The section with music and fashion 15. The president of Pepperdine

1. The best place to grab coffee on campus 2. Pepperdine security 4. For students, ran by Connie Horton 5. Big chanting competition for first-years 6. Pepperdine’s nickname 7. The new name for the Chaplain’s office 10. The name of the undergraduate campus 12. The name of the campus newspaper 13. The section that has breaking headlines

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YAMILLAH HURTADO LIFE AND ARTS COPY EDITOR Starting college, moving into dorm rooms and saying goodbye to loved ones is a rite of passage for many young adults. After a year and a half of Pepperdine’s campus-wide shutdown, this year’s move-in day holds more sentiment.

Seaver College welcomed students to campus in early August, but on-campus residents officially moved in Aug. 29. The campus returned to full operational status Aug. 30, including residence halls

Drescher Lovernich Banowsky E. Pengilly

George Page Krown Alpha

Fifield Shafer

New students find a home on campus

packed with students eager for the school year.

This year, first-year, sophomore and transfer students will all experience campus life and the Pepperdine community in person for the first time.

Sophomore and Resident Advisor Timothy Jackson lived on campus during the 2021 summer sessions, which he said allowed him to familiarize himself with campus and make this transition a little more smooth.

“I think that helped me a lot, so now I’m in a better position [than] I would have been if I didn’t take a summer

class,” Jackson said.

For RAs, move-in day can be hectic. An increased number of students moving in and technical difficulties made this year’s move-in day particularly challenging.

“It’s really just learning how to adapt within the moment, and trying to get the best solution that you can provide to students and their parents,” Jackson said.

For first-year Lauren Brajevich, she said living on campus has been everything she ever dreamed of.

“I really feel so certain that

this is the right school for me now,” Brajevich said. “I really feel at home here.”

Brajevich moved in along with other first-years on Aug. 24 and said she was surprised to see orientation leaders immediately greet her and her dad and help them bring all her boxes to her room in Seaside Hall. This residence hall isn’t typically meant for first-years, but, with an influx of students living on campus, upper-level and even graduate housing opened its doors to underclassmen.

Living in upper-level hous-

Conner Towers Pauley Darnell Seaside Crocker Peppers

ing makes meeting fellow first-years harder for her, but Brajevich said she’s enjoyed living with her sophomore suitemates to whom Housing and Residence Life randomly paired her. Brajevich is grateful she has become close with her roommates.

“Growing up, I just had a brother, so I’ve never gotten that experience of living with a bunch of girls and sharing clothes,” Brajevich said.

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Body and Soul: conquering ‘Stepperdine’ ABBY WILT PIXEL EDITOR The sight of a mountain of stairs. The sensation of burning legs. The sound of huffing and puffing. If you’ve ever walked for more than one minute on Pepperdine’s hilly campus, you know this exact feeling.

Two days after I moved to campus, I had the shocking realization that parking is hard to come by, and walking was my best method of transportation. I was warned by several people that this campus was referred to as “Stepperdine,” but I chose to ignore the warnings.

Let’s start with a few stats about exactly how much walking I am talking about here. To get from the bottom of campus to the top, I walked up exactly 457 stairs. That is equivalent to approximately 38 flights of stairs.

While going downhill is bearable, making the trek back up to the dorms or to the CCB is an experience in and of itself.

I feel pain. Embarrassment. Humiliation. And more pain. My legs hurt, my lungs hurt, and the whole time I’m trying to hold it together so my classmates don’t realize I’m winded from walking

up a set of stairs. The motivation leaves my body one step at a time, and I regret not wearing better walking shoes.

While walking up the stairs, I usually overhear thudding feet, students around me gasping for air and, of course, my inner voice telling me I am strong enough.

I stutter a quick greeting while passing one of my peers, trying my best not to reveal the pain we both know we’re in.

After making the long hike to my destination, I walk inside, excited to take a drink of ice-cold water, because that is all I am craving. But of course, I sit down at my desk, and what do I realize? I can’t take a drink because I can’t take my mask off. While I appreciate the safety procedures to slow the spread of COVID-19, I long to stay hydrated after enduring such a taxing walk to class.

Sometimes on my walk, I’ll get a whiff of the ocean air or maybe food from the Caf. But unfortunately, the stench that comes to mind when I think of walking around Pepperdine is sweat. Sweat from myself, sweat from others — simply sweat.

While the initial sight of stairs is alarming, and some would say terrifying, the views from campus are worth it. Next time you are

experiencing a painful walk to or from class, take a moment to slow down, take a long, deep breath and realize how lucky we are to be in Malibu and experiencing the stairs together.

ABBY.WILT@PEPPERDINE.EDU

The Firestone Fieldhouse stairs appear daunting from the bottom leading to Lower Dorm Road. The stairs might be scary to look at, but they are even more taxing to walk up.

ABBY WILT | PIXEL EDITOR

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Get to know the paws of Malibu: Pepp Dogs LYDIA DUPERIER STAFF WRITER From snout to tail, dog lovers adore their furry best friends. Whether it be on campus or on the beach, many dogs call Malibu their home.

Most people who see these dogs just say “Hi” and maybe give them a pat on the head, but rarely do they get to know the friendly canines. The dogs of Malibu and Pepperdine often bring joy and comfort to those passing by — whether it be relieving the stress of a student or bringing a smile to a professor’s face.

“I think that dogs know when things are wrong, and they just want to cuddle and make you feel better,” sophomore and dog owner Gabrielle Mallozzi said. “They’re really selfless animals.”

Sophomore Maria Arguelles and her service dog Nala live on campus in the George Page apartments. Nala is a 2-year-old yellow Labrador who loves exploring and playing with her ball around campus.

“She’s a really fun dog,” Arguelles said. “She loves to be around people, and her favorite thing to do is just to hang out with all of my friends and chill out.”

Arguelles said Nala is also quite fashionable during holidays and cold weather. She dresses Nala up in sweaters and outfits. Followers can see some of Nala’s outfits on her Instagram @world.of.nala.

Malibu local Lindsey Greenberg is the owner of the chocolate Labrador Slim Shady, similar to rapper Eminem’s nickname. Greenberg said she named her dog in honor of her late brother.

“My brother passed away, and he was a big Eminem fan.

We grew up with Labs, and I always knew I was gonna name him after Eminem in one way or another,” Greenberg said.

Not only is Slim Shady a pup of sentimental value, but he is also quite the celebrity.

Recently, Greenberg posted a TikTok of Slim Shady meeting a sea lion on Coral Beach that received 2.2 million views. The video showed the Lab and sea lion being

friendly and playing with each other.

Slim Shady has a best friend named Fin, who is a Beagle, Chihuahua and Jack Russell mix. Fin’s owner, Cassie Kelly, said she named him after the Star Wars character because she adopted him right when “The Force Awakens” came out in December 2015.

Like most Malibu dogs, Fin is a big fan of the beach and spends most of his days frolicking in the sand.

“I think that dogs know when things are wrong, and they just want to cuddle and make you feel better. They’re really selfless animals.”

Cowboys in the Country Mart will most likely see German Shepherd Reno awaiting customers at the door. Ten-yearold Reno has been the store greeter since she was a pup.

Donna Gunther, store owner and parent to Reno, said Reno was shy and scared of people when she first adopted her. Now, Reno loves meeting people as they enter the store.

“The best thing is seeing her start to go up to people and be friendly,” Gunther said. “She’s become so loving and social.”

Some students had to say goodbye to their four-legged friends when moving to Pepperdine. Sophomore Asha Weir said leaving her 6-monthold French Bulldog Alfie was heartbreaking. For Weir, seeing other dogs around Malibu brings her a sense of comfort.

“They [dogs] ground us, and they remind us that nothing’s that deep — they’re just happy to be alive,” Weir said.

LYDIA.DUPERIER@PEPPERDINE.EDU

PHOTO BY LYDIA DUPERIER Doodle takes a break after a day of exploring the Country Mart on Aug. 29. Owner Ellie Novick said people have always loved seeing and petting Doodle.

ASHA WEIR, SOPHOMORE The beach may be a hotspot for four-legged friends, but so is the Malibu Country Mart.

Labradoodle owner Ellie Novick said she got her dog and best friend, Doodle, three years ago.

“He just makes me laugh — my favorite memories are the times when he jumps all over me and makes me laugh,” Novick said. “He makes everybody happy; everybody smiles when they see him.”

Novick named her dog after his breed and because of how he looked, which she described as “doodley.”

People walking by Surfing

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIA ARGUELLES Labrador Nala strikes a pose in front of the decorated Rock in Adamson Plaza on Aug. 27.

Sophomore Maria Arguelles dressed Nala in a Pepperdine bandana to support the Waves.

PHOTO BY LYDIA DUPERIER Reno naps and enjoys the warm weather outside Surfing Cowboys in the Malibu Country Mart on Aug. 30. Owner Donna Gunther said Reno has always been the face of the store that welcomes customers.

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Album Review: ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ shows Swift’s growth LINDSAY MASE GUEST CONTRIBUTOR Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” is a rerelease of her original “Fearless” album.

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” is a sentimental masterpiece that offers a tender reflection on her younger self while showing her tremendous growth as an artist.

The 31-year-old countryturned-pop star released the album April 9, a lucky thirteen years after her original “Fearless” album.

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” has 27 tracks, including thirteen tracks from the original “Fearless” album.

An additional six rerecorded songs were on the 2009 deluxe version of “Fearless,” called the “Fearless Platinum Edition,” which are included in “(Taylor’s Version).” The 2010 single, “Today Was A Fairytale,” also made it on.

An additional six “From The Vault” tracks on the album, including collaborations with Maren Morris and Keith Urban, are older, never-released tracks. Swift wrote these songs when she was a teenager, but they were not released on the original “Fearless” album. Swift wrote a blog post explaining the “From The Vault” songs.

“Only I know which songs I wrote that almost made the ‘Fearless’ album,” Swift wrote.

“Songs I absolutely adored but were held back for different reasons (don’t want too many breakup songs, don’t want too

many downtempo songs, can’t fit that many songs on a physical ed). Those reasons seem unnecessary now.”

The last track, “Love Story (Taylor’s Version) [Elvira Remix],” adds an EDM beat to her classic spin on “Romeo and Juliet.”

According to Billboard, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” is the only No. 1 album of its kind: a rerecording of an artist’s — own or another’s — previously released album. Swift produced it under Republic Records, marking herself “Untouchable” to Scooter Braun and his hold on her masters.

Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Records originally owned Swift’s master recordings — the original recordings of a musician’s work. In 2019, Scooter Braun acquired Big Machine Records. Braun’s acquisition of Big Machine Records included Swift’s masters, giving Swift no say in who had ownership of her first six albums.

According to NPR, Scooter’s acquisition of her masters was Swift’s “worst-case scenario,” alluding to Braun’s involvement in a number of feuds between her and other artists he has managed, including Kanye West. Swift’s blog post covered the devastating sale in 2019.

“For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work,” Swift wrote. “Instead I was given an opportunity to sign back up to Big Machine Records and ‘earn’ one album back at a time, one for every new one I turned in. I

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT The cover of Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” shows the singer with windblown hair, pointing her head to the left this time instead of to the right — as she poses on the original “Fearless” album cover.

Her new rerecorded album dropped April 9. walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future. I had to make the excruciating choice to leave behind my past.”

Hence, this rerecorded album gives “Fearless” a new meaning. In an Instagram post about her new album, Swift wrote, “It was the night things changed,” alluding to the track “Change” that was originally a tribute to her success with Big Machine Records. The lyrics

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT Swift peacefully looks up with the tracklist to her side in the back cover of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version).” The rerecorded album includes six never-released “From The Vault” tracks.

of the song, “These walls that they put up to hold us back fell down,” now carry new meaning, symbolizing Swift taking back ownership of her music.

“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” is so artfully done that most songs sound very similar to the original versions, just with added depth. According to Entertainment Weekly, the change in Swift’s voice allowed for changes in the production. Individual instruments themselves have less of a thin, country twang and instead have a fuller sound, giving it a more modern feel.

In the original album, Swift just went through a heartbreak, so she sings more earnestly. The new songs lend a bittersweet reflective mood to her past relationships.

In “Forever and Always (Piano Version) (Taylor’s Version),” listeners can feel acceptance where before they felt anger in the lyrics, “So here’s to everything coming down to nothing / Here’s to silence, that cuts me to the core.” The piano reflects tender rumination on her past rather than heartbreak.

Additional “From The Vault” songs point to Swift’s growth as an artist and person.

Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas’ wife, reposted Swift’s release of “Mr. Perfectly Fine,” which is rumored to be about Jonas, bringing the story full circle.

Swift captures a reminiscent frame of mind about a relationship on “We Were Happy” with the lyrics, “We used to watch the sun go down / On the boats in the water / That’s sorta how I feel right now.” Although she wrote it when she was 18, to listeners, it feels as though she wrote it recently, as it conveys both maturity and nostalgia.

Another reflective song, “Bye Bye Baby” gives Swifties a song to play immediately after a breakup, perhaps relating to the lyrics, “I want you back but it’s come down to nothing / And all I have is your sympathy / ’Cause you took me home but you just couldn’t keep me / Bye bye baby.”

It seems like a personal affront to make listeners wait 13 years for “Don’t You,” another post-breakup ballad that gives a taste of how Swift was feeling when she was younger, but with a deep, resonant sound.

The lyrics, “But don’t you, don’t you / Smile at me and ask me how I’ve been / Don’t you say you’ve / Missed me if you don’t want me again” makes listeners going through a break up feel heard.

Taking lyrics from her new song, “That’s When,” this album is best played “when it’s sunny or stormin’,” and it will make you “laugh when you’re crying.” Swift’s growth as an artist is evident in the tonal richness of the songs.

Swift’s growth as a person is even more apparent, rising above Borchetta’s mismanagement of her work and Braun’s disrespect toward her to create something even better than the original album.

Listeners can stream “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music.

LINDSAY.MASE@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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HOME: students adapt to on-campus living FROM B1 “We’ve been doing movie nights every night, and it feels like a sleepover every night. It’s super fun.”

Sophomore Nathania Au lives in Towers and shares a room — a change from her usual living situation back home. Au said she got lucky with finding a roommate who is similar to her — which made it easier to adapt to living with another person for the first time. Her roommate, Liza Esquibias, is a sophomore and a Graphic staff writer.

Before move-in day, the pair brainstormed a cohesive aesthetic for their room. Au said they chose a color palette with pastel pinks, sage green and hues of purple. Decorating her room to her own style was something Au always envisioned.

“I’ve always had the same room in [my] childhood,” Au said. “I never changed anything, so it’s like I’ve gotta have everything I want.”

Au said she and her roommate also agree on taking the necessary precautions to combat COVID-19 while living on campus, which was comforting to Au, who has concerns. Their room is filled with disinfecting spray and wipes ready for when they bring in outside items.

Senior Emma Floberg also has COVID-19 concerns in regard to living on campus but said she feels reassured

by Pepperdine’s protocols and preparedness.

“COVID-19 was hard for everyone, but I think especial-

ly college students just because you have in your mind that expectation of what college is going to look like — whether it’s from TV shows, movies or people talking to you about their college experience,” Floberg said.

Floberg came to Pepperdine in the 2021 school year as a junior transfer student. Although she is an upper-level student, the campus is new to her.

Floberg said she thought of living off-campus this year, but the lively community and beautiful views from the residence halls pulled her in.

Floberg feels less alone and found a sense of belonging on campus. “[College is] not supposed to be logging on and logging off and being so isolated,” Floberg said. “Part of college is getting to be around so many people all the time and having that balance. Transitioning back to dorm life has been such a sweet reminder of that.”

Moving all the way from Indiana, Floberg took a road trip down to Malibu, and she didn’t have room in her car for anything outside of necessities.

Floberg made sure that any extra space in her car was meant for room decor that held sentimental value and reminded her of home. One of these items is one of her most prized possessions: her cowboy hat.

“I was packing all my belongings in the car and I had my cowboy hat on top,” Floberg said. “My dad was like, ‘You don’t need your cowboy hat,’ and I was like, ‘Yes, I

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREN BRAJAVECH First-year Lauren Brajavich decorates her room with prints of palm trees and sentimental photographs. The Malibu vibe, Brajavich said, is what inspired her blush-pink room. do; you don’t understand that part of me.’”

Despite the chaos that comes with move-in day, students from all ends of the cam-

pus said they are simply just happy to be here.

“I’ve had the best experience,” Brajevich said. “I feel like I can really be myself here,

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and I don’t need to hide anything.”

YAMILLAH.HURTADO@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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SPORTS Vball

Polo

JOE DOONAN STAFF WRITER

KARL WINTER DIGITAL EDITOR

The Waves kicked off the season Friday, Aug. 27, by defeating Winthrop 25-18, 18-25, 25-14, 25-14 and continued their solid play into Saturday’s double-header. First, the Waves defeated Morehead State 25-19, 25-21, 26-24, before overcoming a slow start against the Georgia Bulldogs, winning the match 17-25, 24-26, 25-22, 25-16, 15-11.

“It’s so good to be back out on the court,” senior outside hitter Rachel Ahrens said. “It was a little rough to start, but we fought back, and it shows how strong and resilient this team is.

I’m super proud.”

The Waves had a slow start to their last match of the weekend, hitting only .095 as a team in the first set, while Georgia came out hot, hitting .375.

One of the Bulldogs top performers was junior outside hitter Amber Stivrins, who had 9 of her total 14 kills in the first two sets.

Pepperdine hurt themselves with 14 attacking errors in the first two sets, and the Bulldogs also tallied five aces in that span compared to Pepperdine’s two.

“They have great hitters on the other side and their serving is awesome,” Ahrens said. “Getting across the net quickly against those hitters was our main focus, and I think it came a little bit faster than we were expecting in the beginning, but we turned it around the last three sets.”

Even with some mistakes, the Waves held a small lead through most of the second set. Nonetheless, they were unable to finish, as the Bulldogs took the momentum at the very end, winning the set 24-26 after Pepperdine led 24-22.

In a shortened spring season, Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo only played one opponent in the Golden Coast Conference — San Jose State, who faced the Waves five times. Each other school in the conference opted out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns.

The lack of quality conference wins likely contributed to the Waves missing the NCAA Tournament despite winning the GCC and finishing with an 11-3 record. Now, the Waves are hungry to challenge for another conference crown and return to the NCAA Tournament.

“Last year, we were realistically only one game away from making it into NCAA’s,” senior attacker Sean Ferrari said. “[We’re doing] everything we can to put ourselves in the best position towards the end of the year to be able to win that GCC tournament and then inevitably win NCAA’s.”

In the most recent full season in 2019, the Waves won the GCC Tournament and reached the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament — the program’s first trip to NCAA’s since winning the national title in 1997.

Just six months after completing the unusual spring season, the Waves are back in the pool with a full and challenging 25-game, regular-season schedule ahead.

SEE VBALL | B3

SEE POLO | B3

Growing Pains on Opening Weeend The Waves entered the season ranked No. 5 in the nation in the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s preseason poll but got off to a rocky start at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif.

Women’s soccer primed for big season ALEC MATULKA SPORTS EDITOR It’s been a short turnaround for Pepperdine Women’s Soccer, who finished the 2020-2021 season April 17, and returned for the first regular season game of the 2021 season Aug. 12. From a results perspective, however, it would be impossible to tell. Six games into the new season, the Waves are off to a torrid 5-1-0 start.

“It’s a really talented group this year,” Head Coach Tim Ward said.

“I’ve been doing this a long, long time, and different teams have different energies, and the very specific energy of this team is a team that feels like it’s on a mission.”

Excitement to start a season is one thing; new seasons bring an air of promise and anticipation. But it’s another thing entirely when that excite-

ment begins to manifest itself in statement victories.

Pepperdine shutout USC, ranked No. 14 at the time, 2-0 to begin the season. The Waves then traveled to San Diego State University, where they won by a comfortable 3-0 scoreline.

Ranked No. 8 after their first two wins, the Waves came back to Tari Frahm Rokus field for their home opener against Long Beach State on Aug. 26. They suffered a 2-1 loss, with two quick-fire goals from Long Beach proving too much to overcome. For Ward, the game illustrated the importance of starting well and staying focused in what the team has labeled “big-five moments.”

“We have to start strong and finish strong,” Ward said. “The first five minutes of matches, the last five minutes of each half, the first five minutes of the second half, the last five minutes of the game or the five minutes after a goal is

scored for either team. Super significant moments.”

After facing Long Beach, the Waves went back on the road for their next three games. First came a resounding 4-1 victory against UC Riverside on Aug. 29. The Waves followed that victory with 1-0 win at Lipscomb on Sept. 2, and another 4-1 win at Vanderbilt University on Sept. 5.

“I want to see the floodgates open with our goals,” redshirt senior defender Calista Reyes said, when asked about the team’s goal-scoring form this year.

“I want to see everybody getting in on the action. I think a team that can have many different goal-scorers is a team to value a lot, and, to be fair, right now we have a lot of people up on the board for goals; it’s not leaning heavily towards one player.”

The Waves offense is firing on all cylinders, as they’ve fired in 15 goals, which is second most in the conference.

Notably, those goals have come from nine different players.

Part of the Waves’ offensive prowess this season may stem from a change in formation. Reyes said the team has employed a 4-4-2 diamond formation, which gives some flexibility and freedom to the attacking midfielder, instead of the 4-3-3 of seasons prior.

“We’ve pretty much been training it since preseason, and we’ve kinda got to see it come to life a little bit in some of these games,” Reyes said. “There’s been moments where you could definitely feel it in the attack. […] It gives us a stronger midfield I would say, and it’s given us numbers up.”

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VBALL: Women cap off opening weekend FROM B5 Despite the tough loss in the previous set, the Waves came out in the third set and immediately built a lead, which they maintained throughout, thanks to six kills from Ahrens and four from freshman outside hitter Grace Chillingworth.

Coming off a season where she was named an AVCA All-American honorable mention, Ahrens started this year strong for the Waves. She led the attack, particularly against Georgia, where she tallied 23 kills on a scorching .462 hitting percentage. Due to her efforts, she was named the tournament’s MVP and co-player of the week in the WCC. “Rachel is an All-American,” Head Coach Scott Wong said. “She attacked unbelievably well, passed, served and played defense really well all weekend. She’s carrying a big load for us, but she’s getting it done and doing it with her team in mind.”

Chillingworth also had a big opening weekend, tallying 10 kills in the match against Morehead State. She also had her highest kill total in her brief collegiate career against Georgia, collecting 16 on a .294 hitting percentage to help the Waves make the comeback.

“Grace started all weekend for us and did a nice job carrying a big load,” Wong said.

“She’s been a steady, consistent player for us, and she’s proven in our gym.”

Some other key contributors for the Waves were junior setter Isabel Zelaya, who had 50 assists and 8 blocks, and sophomore middle blocker Meg Brown, who had seven kills and eight blocks. Brown earned WCC defensive player of the week honors, and both Zelaya and Brown were named to the All-Tournament team alongside Ahrens. Senior libero Madison Shields led the team with 13 digs, and sophomore outside hitter Emma Ammerman added 10 kills on a .278 hitting percentage along with three blocks.

After winning the third set, the Waves rode the momentum into the fourth, building an 11-5 lead behind 8 kills from multiple players, hitting a .500 clip. They wouldn’t look back, as a 6-2 scoring run gave them a commanding 17-7 lead, and they eventually forced a final set, winning the fourth 25-16.

“Confidence in ourselves and confidence in knowing that we can play against these tougher teams helped swing the momentum,” Ahrens said. “We know how good our game is and when you focus on playing

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY WALSH Junior defensive specialist Aubrey Roberts (No. 3) celebrates earning a point with teammates sophomore middle blocker Meg Brown (No. 12) and freshman outside hitter Grace Chillingworth (No. 1). After losing the first two sets, the Waves outscored the Bulldogs 65 to 49 over the final three to secure the win. your game and playing together it can lead you a long way.”

Similarly to set four, the Waves built a lead early on in the final set.

Kills from Ahrens and freshman middle blocker Reagan Goeke helped them jump to a 6-3 lead. Three kills from Chillingworth would help put them up 11-8 before Georgia fought back making the score 11-10.

In a critical moment, Wong challenged a referee’s call that a Pepperdine attack had gone out of bounds without a Geor-

gia touch. The replay revealed Georgia had touched the attack before it went out, reversing the initial call.

The successful challenge put the Waves up 12-10 and after forcing some attacking errors from Georgia, the Waves were victorious by a tally of 15-11.

“I’m just really proud of our team,” Wong said. “We’re not a perfect volleyball team right now, but our heart, resilience and toughness is off the charts.”

The Waves will be back in action at the Santa Barbara

Classic on Sep. 3 and 4, where they will play Kansas State, San Diego State, and the hosts, UC Santa Barbara.

“Passing, serving and overall efficiency are things we’re still working on,” Wong said.

“I think we’re a tough team and we’re playing pretty good volleyball, but there’s so much room for growth for this team, and it’s exciting.”

JOE.DOONAN@PEPPERDINE.EDU

Opinion: PGM picks NFL week 1 year, and I think their defense is going to be a little bit better than it was last year. Also, Mac Jones is looking really good.” — Joe

ALEC MATULKA SPORTS EDITOR The 2021 NFL season kicked off Thursday, Sept. 9, with the Dallas Cowboys traveling to the home of Super Bowl LV champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The name of the game this season: adapt. This is the longest regular season in NFL history, as it will feature 17 games, and the second season in a row where COVID-19 will play a major role. The NFL has varying testing requirements for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, and players will have to adapt to the risks and requirements of sports in the era of the pandemic.

On the field, arguably the biggest storyline of the year will be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ bid to repeat as champions. Tom Brady will be chasing his eighth ring, while the Kansas City Chiefs will look to avenge their defeat in the Super Bowl and take that last step toward glory. The Bills, Packers, Seahawks and Rams will have a say as some of the favorites to knock the Bucs and the Chiefs off of their respective pedestals. Or maybe there’s a dark horse somewhere else in the pack — only time will tell.

There were some big moves in the offseason, with teams shoring up weaknesses and making bids to prove they’re real contenders. Julio Jones is a Titan, Mathew Stafford is a Ram and the Chiefs revamped their offensive line. Trevor Lawrence and Urban Meyer are in the NFL, as quarterback and head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars,

Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints (Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1:25 p.m., PDT) Packers: Joe, Austin, Alec, Karl, Ali

ALI LEVENS | CREATIVE DIRECTOR respectively. Speaking of personnel changes, there’s a “baaad, baaad man” who may be singing his swan song in Green Bay. More importantly, there’s been some turnover in the NFL Picks staff.

Staff writers Joe Doonan and Austin Lede’, and Sports Editor Alec Matulka, enter the fray, with varying degrees of NFL knowledge and their hearts and minds set on NFL-guessing glory. Returning from last year’s picks are Digital Editor Karl Winter and Creative Director Ali Levens. These five intrepid reporters have committed to picking each and every NFL game in the 2021-22 season.

Each of us bring biases: Joe and Ali are loyal to the Giants, Karl likes the Bears, Austin is a Rams fan and Alec mostly watches soccer. But we will always seek to justify our picks, be it through knowledge, statlines or who has the cooler mascot.

Without further ado, let the games begin!

Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1:25 p.m., PDT) Chiefs: Joe, Austin, Alec, Karl, Ali “If I know one thing about the NFL, it’s that Patrick Mahomes is a good player, and he is on the Chiefs. So I will be going with the Chiefs.” — Alec Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1:25 p.m., PDT)

“I think the Saints will regress a little bit without Drew Brees, obviously, but I do think Jameis will have a good year. I think they might win 9 or 10 games with Jameis; if there was a most improved award, like in basketball, I think Jameis might win that award, but yeah I got the packers.” — Austin Chicago Bears at LA Rams (Sunday, Sept. 12 at 5:20 p.m., PDT) Rams: Joe, Austin, Alec, Karl, Ali “The Rams, obviously; they’re my favorite team. I’ll never pick against the Rams, so you can mark that down for the rest of the year. I think Jared Goff really held us back last year, and we still won 10 games with him, got to the playoffs, and won a playoff game against the Seahawks. We had the No.1 defense last year, and I think Matthew Stafford is just going to take that next step and go into the playoffs. He might even win MVP.” — Austin

Patriots: Joe, Austin, Karl Dolphins: Alec, Ali “Bill Belichick is an absolute guru of a coach. I think their defense is really going to show up for them this

ALEC.MATULKA@PEPPERDINE.EDU

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Men’s Water Polo seeks return to glory FROM B5 The CWPA ranked the Waves No. 10 in the following national poll, released Sept. 8.

The team scraped past No. 14 Cal Baptist 12-10 on Sept.

4, as the Lancers were within one goal with under three minutes remaining, then fell to hosts No. 9 UC San Diego 17-12 that afternoon.

“We didn’t really achieve our main goal, which was get four wins, but I do think we got a lot of valuable experience with things that we need to work on,” Ferrari said.

The following day, the Waves destroyed Biola 19-4 and Occidental 18-5 to finish the weekend 3-1.

“We did also play a couple of lower-level teams toward the end of the tournament so our younger guys got a lot of good valuable minutes in there,” Ferrari said. “[We were] just getting that initial first weekend out of the way, getting some of the nerves out.”

Pepperdine played without three sophomore Waves in the opening weekend — Nico Tierney, Travis Reynolds and Christian Hosea, who were competing for the U.S. at the FINA Men’s Junior World Championship in the Czech Republic.

Each Wave got significant minutes in the Czech Republic, where the U.S. team finished seventh. Tierney racked up 17 goals in the tournament.

“We were missing a couple key guys — some guys were forced to play some positions they don’t normally play,” Ferrari said. “But I think just our team defense needs to get a little bit better. That’s something that can easily be fixed.”

Key Starters Return Reynolds, Tierney and Ho-

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM JANICKI Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo’s bench watches the action during their season-opening match Sept. 4 against Cal Baptist in La Jolla, Calif. The Waves defeated the Lancers and won three of four games in their opening weekend at the Triton Invitational. sea are part of a group of underclassmen who emerged in the spring season and Ferrari expects to step into bigger roles in the fall 2021 season.

Tierney can shoot from distance in the offensive end of the pool and defend at the two-meter line, which will be critical to the Waves’ defense in the coming months, Ferrari said.

“We have really high expectations for those guys,” Ferrari said. “Their freshman years, they already came out and showed their dominance in the pool. For example, Nico plays a pretty vital position at two-meter defender — he’s like the quarterback of our defense.”

Tierney was second on the team in goals in the spring with 24. Not far behind was another sophomore, Jake Howerton, who was tied for fourth on the team with 24 points.

Ferrari is a critical returner for the Waves — the senior at-

tacker was fourth on the team in goals in 2021 and facilitates the offense from the point position. He led the team with 10 goals at the Triton Invitational.

Pepperdine senior attacker Sean Ferrari rises out of the pool to attempt a shot Sept.

4 in a match against Cal Baptist in La Jolla, Calif. Ferrari scored 10 goals for the Waves in the opening tournament.

Not to be overlooked, Balazs Kosa, a senior attacker and three-time All-American, is back. Kosa, a Hungarian national, will go down as one of the best players in Pepperdine’s rich water polo history — he is already 13th all-time in goals. Kosa had a quiet opening weekend, by his standards, with only six goals.

Junior goalkeeper Kent Emden, the primary goalie in the spring season, and redshirt senior center Coleman Carpenter are also back, but neither saw action in the open-

ing weekend. Redshirt senior goalkeeper John Claude Marco, who has started 34 games in his career, will provide additional depth for the Waves in the cage.

One Wave who will not be in the pool this fall is attacker Curtis Jarvis, who is no longer on the roster. Jarvis was third on the team in goals in the spring season.

Challenging Schedule will Test Waves The top four teams in the preseason poll and most recent CWPA poll each play in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation — UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley and Stanford, in that order. Those four schools combined have won all 23 NCAA championships since the Waves’ 1997 title.

The Waves play each of those teams in the regular season, beginning with a showdown with USC on Saturday,

Sept. 11 in Los Angeles.

“You don’t get away with making mistakes as much so we just have to be sharp, ready to go,” Ferrari said. “Those games are so much more fun to play, and the crowds are usually bigger, so we’re really excited and we’re ready to go upset some of those teams this year.”

Three of Pepperdine’s GCC rivals are ranked No. 5, 6 and 7 in the recent poll — UC Santa Barbara, Long Beach State and Pacific. The Waves play each of those teams at least once in the regular season as well.

“This year I can confidently say is the most competitive the GCC has been in my time here at Pepperdine,” Ferrari said. “Santa Barbara is looking really strong; Long Beach is looking really strong. I haven’t seen Pacific or San Jose, but I know they’ve been training hard.”

While the opponents will provide a stiff challenge, 29thyear head coach and water polo legend Terry Schroeder knows what it takes to prepare a team to play up to its potential.

“I can confidently say we’re always playing our best water polo toward the end of the season when it counts so I’m really looking forward to that time,” Ferrari said.

Pepperdine Head Coach Terry Schroeder and athletic trainer A.J. Vander Vorste share a smile during the Triton Invitational. Schroeder began his 29th season at the helm of the program this year.

KARL.WINTER@PEPPERDINE.EDU

UP C OMING ATHL ETIC E VE N TS SUN

MON

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12

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WHAT: WSOC VS UC SANTA BARBAR A WHEN: 2 P.M., PDT WHAT: W VB VS CAL POLY PEPPERDINE ASICS CL ASSIC WHEN: 5 P.M., PDT

NO HOME GAMES :(

NO HOME GAMES :(

NO HOME GAMES :(

WHAT: MWP VS WESTCLIFF WHEN: 12 P.M., PDT WHAT: MWP VS UC SANTA BARBAR A WHEN: 5 P.M., PDT WHAT: W VB VS VCU WHEN: 5 P.M., PDT

NO HOME GAMES :(

WHAT: MWP VS STANFORD WHEN: 1 P.M., PDT WHAT: MWP VS PRINCETON WHEN: 5 P.M., PDT

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Women’s Soccer primed for big season FROM B5 The Waves defense has also been impressive; they’ve given up only four goals this season, which gives them a respectable 0.66 goals allowed per game.

A big part of this has been redshirt senior goalkeeper Zoe Clevely, who is tied for the lead in saves this season in the WCC with 19.

“I want to credit a lot of our good score lines to Zoe,” Reyes said. “She’s just been killing it so far, and she’s come up on some big saves.

Same thing with the back line.”

Pepperdine’s strong start comes despite the quick turnaround from the past year, and also disruptions Pepperdine Women’s Soccer stands for a team photo after an early mornto their preseason training. ing practice Sept. 1. Through their first six matches, the Waves are off to a While Pepperdine installed flying start. new grass on their home phy, according to Little, are the line, some familiar fac- excited. Playing them is alfield, the team traveled ev- playing for a higher purpose, es stalk the Waves’ schedule. ways such a good game.”

That’s not to say the ery day to Oxnard College competitive greatness and They go to Santa Clara on Oct. 20, in what will be the team sees Santa Clara, Saint to practice, junior midfield- excellence.

“The way we do anything first meeting of the teams Mary’s or Gonzaga as the er Shelby Little said.

Multiple players com- is how we do everything,” since last season’s epic 4-3 most important games on mented the team’s success in Little said. “We focus a lot home loss. Saint Mary’s (4- their schedule. Ward made the face of adversity comes on the little things at train- 0-2) and Gonzaga (5-1-0) it clear the team is focused down to the culture and at- ing. Or, if you’re not on the also loom near the end of on each game as they come, taking care of business and titude of the organization, field, how are you contrib- the season calendar.

“I’m really excited to play treating each opponent with which is picked up quickly uting to the people on the [Santa Clara] again,” Reyes the adequate amount of reby new players. The three fields’ success?”

Looking further down said. “I know everybody’s spect. tenets of the team’s philoso-

“I think our conference this year is maybe the strongest WCC I can remember in a long time,” Ward said.

“I think Saint Mary’s is excellent. I think Gonzaga is excellent. I think San Francisco is excellent. Pacific is on the rise. San Diego is back again it looks like. Boy, it looks like everyone in the conference got something.”

The Waves came back home Thursday, Sept. 9, to take on UC San Diego.

After that, they’ll face UC Santa Barbara at home Sunday, Sept. 12.

No matter who they face or what results they accrue throughout the season, Ward wants to make sure the team stays humble and keeps things in perspective.

“Let’s just be grateful,” Ward said. “That attitude of gratitude. Let’s just be grateful that we have soccer games to play. Let’s obviously try to compete and compete well, but let’s really just enjoy the fact that we get to play soccer again.”

ALEC.MATULKA@PEPPERDINE.EDU