Art by Cara Tang
Editor’s Note: PGM staff members decide on the topic of a Staff Editorial together. The staff as a whole provides opinions and content included in this Staff Editorial to provide thoughts about and shed light on solutions for happenings at Pepperdine.
Welcome home, Waves!
We are so excited to welcome you back to Malibu. Whether you’re stepping onto campus for the first time and settling into your new home or beginning your final year and soaking in every moment before graduation, the Pepperdine community and all of us at Pepperdine Graphic Media are excited to be part of your journey.
With a new school year comes a new opportunity to explore the bells and whistles our campus has to offer. There are always possibilities to meet new people, explore the Malibu area and join on-campus clubs.
With a new school year comes a fresh opportunity to discover all that Pepperdine and the surrounding Malibu community have to offer. Meeting someone new, exploring a hidden corner of Malibu, joining an on-campus club or simply stepping outside your comfort zone is all part of the Pepperdine experience.
At the heart of those experiences is the Pepperdine community. One built on connection, encouragement and a willingness to show up for one another.
Through moments of celebration and moments of challenge, this community continually prevails with resilience and a positive mindset. There is always a place to find support, extend a helping hand and remind one another of the light that can be found even during difficult seasons.
As we enter this new year, we encourage you to embrace it with optimism and an open mind. Say yes to new experiences, introduce yourself to someone you haven’t met and take advantage of the community around you. Pepperdine is more than the campus we call home; it is the people who make it feel like one.
Throughout your time at Pepperdine, you will find there are different ways we show up for our community. We stand together amid challenges, we ask for help and we find comfort in knowing there is always someone looking out for us.
The relationship goes both ways. As much as the students show up for Pepperdine, year after year, Pepperdine makes campus upgrades in an effort to show up for us.
In its latest effort to further this mission, Pepperdine introduced The Mountain at Mullin Park, a gathering space designed to support students’ physical, mental and spiritual well-being. The Mountain will open this fall, with the Student Center opening Aug. 20, according to the Pepperdine Community website.
We hope the Mountain will provide a space for students to connect with one another and grow our love for the campus.
This year, Pepperdine is also making curriculum upgrades. International students will have the opportunity to enroll in the World Waves Program, which looks to “promote intercultural exchange and success at Pepperdine,” according to Pepperdine’s official website.
All incoming first-years will enroll in a new course entitled Waves 100: Thriving in College — a one-unit class designed for first-years “to facilitate a successful transition to university life while building foundational competencies for academic, personal, and spiritual development,” according to Pepperdine University.
As we enter the 2026-27 school year, we hope you take advantage of these resources and new courses, and more importantly, build community around them.
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Contact Pepperdine Graphic via email: peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com