In the first issue of the semester the Graphic staff wrote that this could be the year when the university bridges the gap between “having” a community and truly “being” one. It is an important distinction: whether we find community in various niches and groups on campus or whether the campus as a whole constitutes a welcoming environment for each individual student.
In this the last Graphic of the semester we think it is time to assess our progress.Every student at Pepperdine wears many hats. He may be a performer at the recent student coffeehouse a friend from University Ministries and a Greek brother all at the same time. She might be a partner in a class project a participant in the Week of Hunger and Homelessness demonstrations and a girlfriend.
To be a community is to be that unique place where each student feels included and understood and where one’s peers embrace all of those many identities. It takes into account Pepperdine’s long-held student-centric approach in which professsors develop close relationships with their classes and each professor’s primary role is to cultivate learning.
We would like to highlight two campus organizations in particular the Student Programming Board and the Intercultural Affairs office for their notable efforts in reinforcing an expanding concept of “community” here at Pepperdine.
The Board has been very busy this semester keeping our Student Life Calendars full of events that cater to the entire student body. This universality gives the Board’s events a particular importance. They do not target a specific cross-section of the student body; they are not just for Christians or just for Greek affiliates or just for business majors. These events draw together a broad group of students— encompassing many different identities— to build and reinforce relationships based on shared experiences. We are impressed with how well attended many of these events have been especially the monthly coffeehouses and Blue & Orange Madness. High attendance at these events is evidence of a strengthening community and supporting the Board’s efforts is an easy way to continue building community.
The Intercultural Affairs office also wins the Graphic’s praises for working every day to celebrate the diverse cultures that make up our university community. ICA hosts workshops seminars convocation programs and other events throughout the year to facilitate cross-cultural competence and understanding. It assists the many ethnic organizations on campus publicizing their events and providing other logistical support. ICA-sponsored events have legitimacy because of their grassroots character organized by the cultural clubs. ICA is the university’s way of clearly committing to greater access to diversity programs.
On the other hand few steps have been taken on the religious integration front. Perhaps the most significant bridge-building occasion was the One Love event with Campus Ministry and University Ministry and that was an important start. The next step will be to invite other faith groups to participate in interfaith events to promote common values and experiences.
Building a community involves a two-phase process. Phase 1 is hosting events and creating an environment that facilitates human interaction outside of our “niches” on campus. The university through groups like ICA and the Board must continue to incentivize events that draw together different students with different campus experiences to learn from one another and build and reinforce relationships. Phase 2 is the student’s job: it is developing the motivation to go to those events to learn about each other to understand and embrace each other.