Featured Stories
Seaver College Graduates Teach for America
Of the 13 million American children growing up in poverty, about half will graduate from high school. They will perform, on average, at an eighth-grade level. Twelve graduates of the Seaver College Class of 2008 are doing something to change this through Teach for America, an organization dedicated to addressing educational inequality in the United States.
Alumnus Keith McFarland Authors Bestselling Business Book
Topping the bestseller lists recently is The Breakthrough Company: How Everyday Companies Become Extraordinary Performers, a new book by Pepperdine alumnus Keith McFarland. The author sat down to discuss the book with his longtime friend and colleague, Mark Mallinger, associate dean of full-time MBA programs at the Graziadio School of Business and Management.
A Pioneer in the Certified Organic Fair-trade Industry
Every great plan begins with the seed of an idea. In Jeremy Black's case, it all started with a berry. After becoming aware of an unknown Amazon superfruit called açaí in the late 1990s, Black (B '96, SC) left his job as a top-producing, registered investment advisor to cofound Sambazon, or Sustainable Management of the Brazilian Amazon.
The Chance to Excel
Dr. Graciela Italiano-Thomas Brings Education and Opportunity to Young Children
Dr. Graciela Italiano-Thomas (EdD '97, GSEP), president and CEO of Thrive by Five Washington, is passionate about children. A staunch advocate for improving childcare, she works to raise the quality of preschools, increase opportunities for parent education, and highlight other early learning opportunities.
Natural Connection: Adiyah Ali Brings a Personal Touch to Human Rights
"Dorm Mom." That's how Adiyah Ali (M '04, SPP) describes her former role as resident director assistant in the Pepperdine undergraduate dorms. Such responsibility might seem unpleasant at best for a busy graduate student, but this was not a just a job for Ali. It was her inspiration and source of energy. Today Ali channels this energy as a field organizer for Amnesty International's Southern Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia.
Alumni Chris Detert and Guy Jordan Bring New Energy to the PR World
"I set up a tent in my backyard," remembers Chris Detert (SC '01), "and filled it with shoes. I'd take people to my car or meet them in an alley or parking lot - anything I could do to talk about those shoes." Detert tirelessly hit the streets to promote his first client Osiris Shoes. He set up a home office and saved capital for a business space. From these humble beginnings grew American Rebel PR.
Regan Schaffer Leads American Humanics Scholars
By the time Gabriella Neumann graduated from Seaver College, she had logged more than 900 hours of volunteer service and joined a thriving community dedicated to nonprofit management: the American Humanics Scholars. The national alliance of colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations is dedicated to preparing future generations of nonprofit leaders. Now in its 60th year, the organization partners with nearly 75 universities nationwide.
Pepperdine Biologist Receives Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching
Dr. Stephen D. Davis, Distinguished Professor of Biology at Pepperdine University, has been named by Baylor University as the 2008 recipient of the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching, the only national teaching award - with the single largest monetary reward of $200,000 - presented by a college or university to an individual for exceptional teaching.
Student Leader Veronica Glaze Pursues Activism and the Law
Veronica Glaze knew she wanted to attend law school by the time she entered the third grade. Like her peers, she studied fractions and penmanship, but unlike many other elementary school students, Glaze also dabbled in acting and modeling—a sphere that eventually drew her to law.
Student Spotlight: Thomas Lambert
Thomas Lambert approaches life with a pen in hand and politics in mind. The Seaver College sophomore contributes articles and op-eds to the Connecticut Post and recently completed a semester in Pepperdine's Washington, D.C. internship program. Before heading off to his next adventure (a semester in Pepperdine's London program), Lambert took some time to describe how his time in Washington impacted his life, and how he's taking the reins in his education.
Renowned Real Estate Scholar Shines in the Classroom
This fall, world-renowned real estate scholar Grant Nelson joined the faculty at Pepperdine—the third institution to grant him tenure. He came most recently from UCLA, where he taught real estate finance, advanced real estate transactions, property, and remedies for 17 years. He was also a Faculty Research Fellow of the Richard S. Ziman Center for Real Estate.
Top Speed: Alumnus Jason Nazar Leads a Fast-Growing Internet Startup
During his third year of law school, Jason Nazar (SOL ’07) traded evenings in the library for late nights on the phone with a firm in India. Often up and working from midnight to 4 a.m., Nazar labored long hours to bring an idea to fruition: Docstoc, a You Tube-like Web site that places literally thousands of business and legal documents at your fingertips.
From California to South Africa: Alumna Anna Jacobsen Shares Her Passion for Science
When Anna Jacobsen (B ’03, SC) was in the fourth grade, she began her first leaf collection to fulfill a class project. Nature became more than just "a sea of uniform green" to Jacobsen after that experience. Today Jacobsen is a professor in the Department of Biology at California State University (CSU) Bakersfield.
Baseball Coach Steve Rodriguez Honored for Contributions to the Community
For his contributions to the City of Malibu, the Malibu City Council recently presented Rodriguez with the Jake Kuredjian Memorial Citizenship Award. Named in honor of a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy who was killed in the line of duty, the award was created to honor outstanding individuals like Rodriguez who give their time for the youth, families, and seniors of Malibu.
Waves Water Polo: All Eyes on the Prize
For college athletes, each season brings a new chance for victory and another shot at the NCAA Championships. The Pepperdine men’s water polo team is no exception.
Triumph of the Spirit: Thema Bryant-Davis Empowers Survivors to Overcome Trauma
A young girl waits with dry eyes for a social worker when she realizes her mom will never come. Another captures her stepfather’s abuse on her karaoke machine to prove the horror to her doubting mother. Such are the types of stories shared by patients of psychologist Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis. In her capable hands, however, the focus is not trauma but recovery.
Stella Erbes Reflects on Honduras Medical Mission
On May 5, 2007, seven Pepperdine students and I began our journey to Honduras to practice our Spanish skills and serve in hospitals, medical clinics, and schools. The Honduras Medical Mission Program attracts pre-med students from Seaver College (and the former pre-med major in me) who are interested in serving others by using their Spanish skills and medical knowledge.
Kenneth Santarelli Educates the Next Generation of Engineers
Kenneth Santarelli, an Organizational Leadership doctoral student at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), has been named director of California State University, Fresno's engineering programs at the Lancaster University Center in Southern California. Santarelli sat down to tell us about this latest development in his career and his exciting journey from aerospace to higher education.
Alumni Snapshot: Rick Herrmann
He began as an intern in the early days of personal computers, but over the past 18 years Pepperdine alumnus Rick Herrmann (MSTM '98, GSBM) has risen through the ranks of Intel Corporation. Here Herrmann discusses his passion, advice for business students, lifelong goals, and his new favorite technological toy.
Courage and Conviction: Alumnus Burton Rojas Returns to Pepperdine
In high school, Burton Rojas (JD '04, SOL) didn't want to go to college because he didn't see the point. Growing up in Turlock, California, as the 10th of 11 children, he eschewed studying, without the slightest inkling that he would someday be an attorney and mentor reluctant students such as himself.
Alumnus Donn Silberman Brings Kid-Friendly Science Education to Life
“It’s an itch I need to scratch. I have to do it and if I’m not doing it, something’s wrong with me,” says Donn Silberman (MS ‘94, GSBM), of his work as founding director of the Optics Institute of Southern California (OISC). OISC is a nonprofit organization that “seeks to foster the curious scientist, the artful mathematician and the creative engineer in every student, regardless of age.”
Pepperdine Athlete Reflects on Coaching Soccer Camps in Uganda
Waves women's soccer players had never traveled so far for an away match. We stood in the middle of a dusty soccer field in Uganda as throngs of school children rushed the field, barefoot and ecstatic. My teammates Mckenzie Hill, Emily Wynne, and I were about to spend several days coaching soccer camps for African children. Faraway from the plush, green carpet of our home field at Pepperdine, we were ready to share our skills, camaraderie, and faith on Ugandan terrain.
Pepperdine Student Reflects on Service Trip to Tanzania
It was just after 6 a.m. on Thursday morning and I saw my first glimpse of real Africa. We were driving on a rickety, old shuttle bus through the Kenyan countryside on our way to Tanzania. After nearly one year of preparation—including University approval, grant writing, individual fundraising, and team preparation—my travel companions and I were now experiencing Project Hope: Tanzania.
Public Policy Professor Robert G. Kaufman Defends Bush Doctrine in New Book
Robert G. Kaufman, professor of public policy at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, has written a new book titled In Defense of the Bush Doctrine (University Press of Kentucky). Read on to learn more about the book, why you should read it, and the man behind this provocative argument.
Student Computer Club: A Growing Community Beyond Borders
I attended my first computer club as a budding psychology student in college. In fact, I founded it, along with a group of classmates from the computer science department. Now as a doctoral student in Educational Technology at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), I continue my work as a computer club activist. In Fall 2006 Dr. Linda Polin invited me to help lead the charge in reviving Pepperdine¹s computer club, Association for Computer Machinery (ACM) Pepperdine. I currently serve as the group's president.
Robert Lloyd Observes Elections in Nigeria
In April 2007, Robert Lloyd, associate professor of international relations and chair of the Seaver College International Studies and Languages Division, participated in an election observation mission in Nigeria with the International Republic Institute. Here Lloyd describes the trip in his own words.
Diana Hiatt-Michael Looks at Education in Oman
Dr. Hiatt-Michael has been a member of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology faculty for more than 30 years, beginning her Pepperdine teaching on the original Vermont Avenue campus. In November 2006, she visited the Sultanate of Oman to discuss family-school-community partnerships. Here she tells us about that trip and other teaching experiences.
La Vita Musicale: Carlo Corrieri Enchants as a Gifted Classical Guitarist
Winner of 19 international classical guitar competitions, Carlo Corrieri is now completing his freshman year at Seaver College, where he studies under classical guitar master Christopher Parkening, Distinguished Professor of Music at Pepperdine University, and eponymous inspiration for the Parkening International Guitar Competition.
Seaver College Student Wrenn Yennie: Education Gone Global
The youth of America don’t care about foreign culture, the stereotype goes. They neglect to learn other languages, travel to distant countries, or appreciate the art, history, and nuanced identities of people outside the United States. Wrenn Yennie, Seaver College senior, is proving the stereotype wrong.
Steven Watts Brings Dispute Resolution to Chad
For snapping a quick photo out of the window of a taxi, Steven Watts was pulled over by local “security” personnel in N’Djamena, Chad. The man pointed a gun at him, interrogating him in Arabic and French.
Yuan Fang Brings Chinese Student Group and New Year Celebration to Pepperdine
Seaver College junior Yuan Fang commemorated Chinese New Year in a special way this year—by hosting, along with Pepperdine’s new Chinese Student Union, a New Year’s celebration on campus.
Every Job is an Adventure for Executive MBA Graduate
Some people thrive on a routine. And then there’s Jac Meacham.
A man of many careers, Meacham (GSBM '74) has flown as a pilot in the United States Marine Corps, written organizational handbooks in New York, opened a fish market in San Diego, consulted the Crow Indian tribe in Montana, and created a “historic village” in rural Missouri, just to name a few.
Soprano Kathleen Roland-Silverstein Helps Revive Swedish Art Song
It was serendipitous, really. In 1999, Dr. Merril Silverstein pursued studies in gerontology as a Fulbright Scholar in Residence at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. Traveling with him was his wife Kathleen, a striking soprano and frequent performer. After finding work with a Swedish pianist, she began learning the language and discovered a genre of music that would ultimately transform her career: Swedish art song.
Law School Professor Maureen Weston Puts a Human Face on Every Case
It was a moment in history. In quiet northern Minnesota, a group of female coal miners resisted their aggressive, male-dominated work environment and filed the first class action sexual harassment suit in American history. Documented in the book Class Action and fictionalized in the Academy Award-nominated film North Country, the Jenson v. Eveleth Mines case spent more than a decade in the courts and set a new standard in litigation. And in the middle of the trial, engaged in research for the defendant mining company, was attorney Maureen Weston.
Alumni Leader Bob Clark Reaches out to Fellow Graduates
President Benton formed the Pepperdine University Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) in Fall 2006, and recognizing Clark's leadership in the Mile High Waves, named him as its president. Comprised of graduates from all five schools, the council seeks to create better affinity among alumni and with the University by addressing their specific needs. "I take personally everything George Pepperdine believed," Clark says.
A New Approach to Teacher Education
Dr. Tony Collatos is leading a revolution in teacher education. Yet, according to Collatos, the Urban Parent/Teacher Education Collaborative (UPTEC), one of the first programs of its kind in the nation, is simply the most logical method of preparing future educators to work in urban schools.
First-year Law Student Develops an Interest in Criminal Defense
First-year Pepperdine law student, Rachel Rossi, says she wasn't afraid to meet criminals in prison and interview them. In fact, she fell in love with client interaction and learned a lot about the practical application of criminal defense law.
A Passport to Service: Fighting the Spread of Infectious Diseases
Public service has always been a part of Andy Weathers' (B '98, SC; M '00, SPP) life, so it is no surprise that he travels all over the globe to train and implement disease control measures for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Born to Ride: Female Jockey Takes to the Track
It is hard to imagine a college student who would voluntarily rise at 4:30 a.m. every morning. But one recent Pepperdine graduate did just that. Anne Sanguinetti (B '04, SC) began taking weekly riding lessons with her mother when she was six years old.
Q & A with Julie Rousseau, Head Coach of the Pepperdine Women's Basketball Team
The Pepperdine women's basketball team hosted the inaugural Time-Out 4 HIV/AIDS Classic four-game tournament last month to raise money and awareness of HIV/AIDS. Pepperdine welcomed three top collegiate women’s basketball teams for the event: University of Florida; University of California, Berkeley; and Rutgers University. We sat down with head coach Julie Rousseau to learn more about the tournament and the team's 2006-07 season.
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Keino McWhinney Confronts Public Policy Challenges in the Field
Keino McWhinney, a Jamaica-born student at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, made the most of a rare opportunity when he witnessed-and played a role in-the development of the infant parliament in the Republic of Georgia. It was all a part of a two-month summer internship with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in the former Soviet satellite country.
Doing Her Homework: Alumna Finds Professional Success in an Unlikely Place - At Home
Like most graduates, Joy Miura Koerte (B '00, SC) expected to get her diploma and then get her first job - she just didn't expect that job to be running her own business. Nor did she expect to find herself at the forefront of a new trend: home-based businesses.
Back to the Beginning: Alumna Shannon Hanrahan Returns to Training Roots
The Pepperdine University motto—Freely ye received, freely give.—resonates with Shannon Hanrahan (M ’95, GSEP). Balancing a private practice and a full-time position at the YMCA is not an easy task, but if you ask her, both opportunities are adventures of a lifetime.
Drumming to His Own Beat: Investing in the Future of the Music Community
Succeeding in the music industry depends on two primary things: talent and hard work. David Grossman (MBA '00, GSBM), recognized for his musical gifts at age 10, has been working diligently to succeed in the music industry ever since. As the current executive vice president of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, also known as the Recording Academy, Grossman uses his talents and years of industry knowledge to help contribute to a supportive network for music industry
professionals nationwide.
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An Eye on Research: Charla Griffy-Brown Explores the Role of Technology in the Creation of Wealth
"Business," Charla Griffy-Brown observes, "is fundamentally a well-defined system of relationships." As associate professor of information systems and technology management and active research faculty in the Graziadio School of Business and Management, Griffy-Brown has built a robust scholarship portfolio demonstrably committed to this stance.
By Design: Construction and Campus Planning Pursues Highest Standards of Excellence
First-time visitors to the Malibu or graduate campuses admire evidence of Pepperdine's high standards of excellence in its buildings and landscaping. Often they express single word descriptions like "beautiful, breathtaking, spectacular." Since September 2002, a group known as Construction and Campus Planning (CCP) has been instrumental in evoking such responses.
Willie Returns! Pepperdine Welcomes Back an Old Friend
After an absence of ten years, the beloved Pepperdine University mascot, Willie the Wave, returned to Firestone Fieldhouse on Friday, Oct. 13. A standing-room-only crowd of students, faculty, staff, and alumni cheered as representatives of Pepperdine's National Championship teams "Court of Champions" spanning seven decades, welcomed Willie back to campus.
Lauren Treinen Makes Waves on the Women's Soccer Team
They call it the beautiful game. Combining sheer athleticism, strategic intelligence, and poetic grace, soccer attracts players and enthusiasts of all ages worldwide. One such devotee is Seaver College senior Lauren Treinen, defensive midfielder on the No. 20 Pepperdine women's soccer team.
Defogging the Windows: My Journey to Israel to Comprehend Modern Terrorism
The two-inch-thick bulletproof glass windows obscured my view of the ancient city. Stepping off the bus and observing Bethlehem from afar, I was struck by the realization that before traveling to Israel and the West Bank in August 2006 as an Undergraduate Fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, my view of the Middle East and modern terrorism was every bit as blurry as my examination of the city from behind that thick glass.
Ed Larson Brings Expertise and Pulitzer
The Pepperdine University School of Law will begin the academic year with the addition of a Pulitzer Prize winning author and professor of history and law. Dr. Edward Larson will hold the Hugh and Hazel Darling Chair at the School of Law as well as a professorship at Seaver. "I'm attracted to the progress being made, the constant improvement in both the university and the law school, and being a part of that," Larson said.
Adam Steinberg: Coach of Tennis Champions
Adam Steinberg started small. As a first-time head coach, he trained a collegiate tennis program on a meager $13,000 budget and courts alongside a major highway in Queens, New York. From those humble beginnings, Steinberg has become the voice, wisdom, and spirit behind the first-ever NCAA Division 1 Men's Tennis Champions at Pepperdine University.
GSEP Student Kathleen Plinske Receives Young Professionals Honor
Kathleen Plinske has a strong history of academics. This month, at 26, Plinske's passion for learning has earned her a spot on the McHenry County Business Journal's 10 Under 40 list. Honorees include up-and-coming young professionals under the age of 40 who have made a significant contribution to their profession, company, or community in Illinois.
Hope Springs Eternal: Pepperdine MBA Student Jennifer Keysor Finds Success in Third Business Venture
Hopeful determination has helped Jennifer Keysor accomplish much in her life. She currently works full-time managing her business, Surfmedia Enterprises LLC, and studies part-time in the FEMBA (Fully Employed MBA) program offered by the Graziadio School of Business and Management. After challenging experiences with her first two business ventures, Jennifer now enjoys the greatest success of her career.
GSEP Professor Eugene Kim Explores Comparative Education
Eugene P. Kim considers himself a "generalist: a jack of all trades but master of none." His academic interests and pursuits are diverse, but focus on comparative education in East Asia. As assistant professor of education at Pepperdine's Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), he lets a project's usefulness to the community guide his teaching, research, and service.
Mark Roosa: The Face and Future of Pepperdine Libraries
Mark Roosa is a librarian for the 21st century. With nearly 20 years of experience in his field, his philosophy is forward-thinking, innovative, and receptive to trends and new technology. Gone are the days of dusty shelves, moth-eaten books, and dark, cramped spaces that characterize traditional libraries. Mark, Pepperdine’s dean of libraries since 2004, envisions a comfortable, welcoming space, open to digital content and the culture of learning at a university.
Colleen Graffy: Raising the Voice of Diplomacy
After living in London for more than 20 years, Pepperdine University law professor Colleen P. Graffy has come back to the States. Her new address: Washington, D.C. Her new boss: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Her new job: diplomat. On leave from Pepperdine, Graffy serves as deputy assistant secretary of state for public diplomacy in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.
Robert Chapman: Committed to Service through Public Policy
Robert Chapman worked in the graphic design industry for more than a decade until the events of September 11, 2001 changed everything. "I wanted to do something that felt more meaningful to me," Rob reflects. Encouraged by his interest in international policy and his skill with quantitative analysis, Rob left his career as an art director for computer magazines and enrolled in the Pepperdine School of Public Policy.
Marnie Mitze: A Heart for the Arts
Marnie Duke Mitze loves magical moments that only happen when unspoken energy, beauty, and communication are created, and when there may be 500 people in the room and you can hear a pin drop. Mitze's appreciation and love of performing arts goes back to her days as a concert pianist and skilled project manager experiences that serve her well today as managing director of Pepperdine's Center for the Arts.
Christopher Parkening Book: Grace Like a River
Grace Like a River details Christopher Parkening's rise to fame as one of the world's premier classical guitarists—and everything it cost him to get there. In spite of his enormous success, he discovered that without true meaning and purpose, all his worldly accomplishments were empty and unsatisfying. It is also the story of how God pursued Christopher Parkening in order to give him eternal hope.
Elliot Anderson, 2006 School of Law Valedictorian, Grateful for Pepperdine Experience
Care and personal attention defined Elliot Anderson's experience at Pepperdine. As the 2006 School of Law Valedictorian, Elliot earned the highest cumulative grade point average in his graduating class, but it is gratitude he feels for this honor, not pride. "I cant tell you how blessed we've been to be here," he says.
Kimberly Lowe Earns Top Marks as 2006 Seaver College Valedictorian
Kimberly Lowe deserves a vacation. Within days of her April graduation from Pepperdine University, the hard-working West Hills native jumped instead into a full-time summer job with the Humanities and Teacher Education Division. But Kim has never been one to take it easy. As the 2006 Seaver College valedictorian, Kim graduated summa cum laude and earned the highest cumulative grade point average in her class.
Keren Cohen: Promoting Acceptance of Adult Therapy in Israel
Keren Cohen, a second year student of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) in the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), is preparing to open her own practice as a therapist in her home country of Israel. According to Cohen, Israelis seek the comfort of family and friends, not professionals, for emotional support. With this in mind, she plans to work with children a population for which therapy is common and accepted and use this as a gateway to treating adults.
YIFTU: Acting on AIDS – Raising Awareness About HIV/AIDS
Taking initiative to help others in need is oftentimes a daunting task many people are not willing to undertake. This is not the case for a group of Pepperdine University Seaver College students like Lindsay Joiner (Seaver '07), who formed the organization You and I For The Universe (YIFTU): Acting on AIDS. Nor is this the case for many people in the Pepperdine community who donated money and food points to offer much needed assistance to people tragically affected by HIV/AIDS.
Provost Tippens' New Book: Jesus in Everyday Life
Pepperdine University Provost Darryl Tippens is publishing a new book titled Pilgrim Heart: The Way of Jesus in Everyday Life. The 224-page work examines discipleship as a particular way of life, guided by a set of simple, but powerful, daily practices known to the earliest disciples and the saints through the ages. Dr. Tippens delves into such topics as friendship, confession, forgiveness, and discernment, while inviting the reader to "consider afresh the way of Jesus."
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Haydeh Fakhrabadi: Spiritual Healing for Pediatric Cancer Patients and Families
When Haydeh Fakhrabadi traveled to Iran earlier this year, it was not for her usual family visit. Fakhrabadi, a fourth-year PsyD student in Pepperdine's Graduate School of Education and Psychology, is writing a dissertation on the religious coping methods used by parents of pediatric cancer patients. Her interest in the field of religion and health connected her with scholars in Iran and helped her develop professional relationships that she maintains from across the globe.
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