Four Lights Memorial Installed on Pepperdine University Malibu Campus in Remembrance of Four Seaver College Students

On Wednesday, April 17, 2024, Pepperdine University formally dedicated the Four Lights Memorial on the Malibu campus in remembrance of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, four students who tragically lost their lives in an accident on Pacific Coast Highway on October 17, 2023. The memorial was conceived by members of Pepperdine’s administration, faculty, and staff in the midst of the outpouring of grief throughout the community in the days following news of the loss. 

The memorial opened to the public on April 18, 2024, following a private community event held the prior evening at Stauffer Chapel led by Tim Spivey (’97, MS ’00, MDiv ’00), vice president for spiritual life, and Connie Horton (’82), vice president for student affairs. 

“We invite all members of our community to visit the Four Lights Memorial to remember and reflect on the beautiful lives of Niamh, Peyton, Asha, and Deslyn,” said Spivey. “In our grief, may this memorial be a lasting place where we continue to seek and find God’s comfort and grace.”

Set outside Stauffer Chapel against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, the permanent monument to Rolston, Stewart, Weir, and Williams is designed with four individual lights inscribed with the names and intended graduation years of the four students. The students, all four of whom were seniors and members of the Pepperdine chapter of the Alpha Phi sorority, shared a deep, personal bond as friends and were beloved across the University for their contributions to the various organizations to which they dedicated their time.

In addition to the Four Lights Memorial, the University plans to install a larger memorial monument to remember all Pepperdine students who have lost their lives during their time on campus. 

In March 2024, the University established the Our Four Angels Endowed Scholarship in partnership with the Rolston, Stewart, Weir, and Williams families to honor the students’ memories and continue the legacies of Niamh, Peyton, Asha, and Deslyn. Funds gathered through the scholarship will contribute to the academic pursuits of students and serve as a beacon of hope and remembrance for the lives that touched ours so profoundly. For more information and to support the fund, visit the Our Four Angels Endowed Scholarship website.