Letter from the Editor
Pepperdine Magazine is the feature magazine for Pepperdine University and its growing community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends.
“I could never have prepared myself for the beauty of music.”
That’s how alumnus Austin Chapman (’11) felt when new hearing aids allowed him to fully hear for the very first time.
Austin’s is a moving story of discovery, of coming to experience something powerful that he’d never known before. In this issue of Pepperdine Magazine we spotlight Austin and other Waves exploring new and important territory, some quite close to home and others as far away as the Red Planet. We meet Derek Pelland, a GSEP student whose work with the Mars Desert Research Program will help shape the future of space exploration. We follow Pepperdine faculty and students on their journey through the unique terrain of the Malibu campus and its delicate ecosystem, and learn about Pepperdine authors at the forefront of the emerging young adult literature market.
Here at Pepperdine Magazine, we’re forging some new ground of our own. We’re proud to introduce the Pepperdine Magazine app for your smartphone and tablet, featuring special videos, audio recordings, and stunning photography. Now freely available at iTunes and Google Play marketplaces, it’s a brand new way to experience the Pepperdine story.
Megan Huard Boyle
Editor