Seaver College Hosts 19th Annual Research and Scholarly Achievement Symposium
Seaver College recently hosted its 19th annual Research and Scholarly Achievement Symposium, where 235 undergraduates shared their scholarly and creative projects through an afternoon of poster presentations, dramatic performances, and classroom lectures.
“Learning at Seaver College occurs in the classroom, as well as in the laboratory, the art studio, the museum, the library, on the stage, and locations around the world,” said Lila Carlsen, Pepperdine University’s vice provost. “The Research and Scholarly Achievement Symposium celebrates this commitment to experiential learning by shining a light on how we empower students to be co-creators of new knowledge alongside their professors.”
Seaver College is known for its commitment to promoting undergraduate research throughout its eight academic divisions. Nearly one third of the research publications that emerged from the institution during the 2024–25 academic year included a student coauthor. To celebrate this shared academic inquiry and pursuit of truth, Pepperdine undergraduates are encouraged to present their creative and data-driven findings at the Research and Scholarly Achievement Symposium.
Students presented original research in a number of different settings
Across the Malibu campus, students present posters and powerpoints alongside paintings, ceramic sculptures, and dramatic performances. This unique blend of creative and analytical disciplines helps illustrate Seaver College’s dedication to the liberal arts, but more than that, it aptly celebrates the effort each undergraduate pours into their studies.
“This is a really cool way for me to show the culmination of about a year of work with multiple professors,” said Jason Press, a Seaver College student presenting on AI and the aurora borealis. “I think it’s an awesome chance to demonstrate that what we’re doing here at Pepperdine matters and makes a positive impact on others.”
The active role Seaver College students play in the research field enhances their educational outcomes. Based on institutional data, 91 percent of undergraduates who participate in either research or an internship while enrolled at Pepperdine are employed or admitted to graduate school within six months of graduation. Yet beyond these positive results, the institution’s emphasis on experiential learning allows students to explore and discover new passions.
“This is a really great feeling,” said Heavenlyn Turner-Montegomery, a Seaver College student who presented an oil painting. “I’m a psychology major and an art minor, so I never thought I’d get the opportunity to show my work. It's very exciting to put this painting on display as I’m not necessarily pursuing this as my future.”
Musical performances gave Fine Arts majors the spotlight
In total the Research and Scholarly Achievement Symposium featured 87 artistic works, 62 poster presentations, 19 musical performances, 17 scholarly lectures, and three dramatic monologues. This wide array of student scholarship helped make the 2026 event the largest iteration to date. In the process, it provided undergraduates the opportunity to practice expressing the relevance and importance of their work to others, as the event was held during Pepperdine’s Admitted Waves Day.
More than 2,000 prospective students, parents, and friends of the University filtered in and out of the symposium throughout the afternoon, offering current undergraduates a chance to interact with them and explain their work to the future of Pepperdine.
“I worked all summer on these projects,” said Saskia Jager, who presented two projects at the symposium—one of which focuses on programming AI to accurately transcribe handwritten historical documents. “I worked hard to come up with what I am presenting to everyone in the most digestible way. What’s most gratifying is how these projects can go on to potentially benefit others in the future.”