Graphic by Ali Levens
Pepperdine Graphic Media is a student-produced media group serving the Pepperdine campus and its surrounding community. PGM is divided into sections that produce different media, including the Graphic, Currents Magazine, GNews, podcasts, art, social and design.
Senior Leaders
Makena Huey — Executive Editor
English Writing & Rhetoric Major from San Diego, Calif.
“My favorite aspect of being involved in the Graphic is that, even when remote, the newsroom feels like home and my team feels like family. It has been a privilege to learn and grow as an individual, a journalist and a leader alongside the rest of the PGM staff.”
Rowan Toke — Managing Editor
English Writing & Rhetoric and Hispanic Studies major from San Luis Obispo, Calif.
“I’m involved with the Graphic because I’m passionate about writing, editing and leadership, all of which I practice in my role this semester.”
Brianna Willis — Digital Editor
Journalism major from Los Angeles, Calif.
“My job at PGM entails all of our online and social content. I serve as the last line of defense before any article goes online and do one last check through the piece. When we have our digital pages, I also put all of our digital pages together and make sure they get online and on social.”
Tiffany Hall — Copy Chief
Economics major from Fullerton, Calif.
“My dream job is being a lawyer, possibly working with intellectual property law specifically, because I want to give a voice to those who need it and to protect individuals from those who would try to take advantage of them.”
Lindsey Sullivan — Currents Editor
Journalism major from Fredericksburg, Va.
“For Currents I am in charge of overseeing the entire magazine, from planning content, assigning and editing stories, coaching writers and seeing the magazine through production to print!”
Marisa Dragos — Video Producer
Economics major from Pasadena, Calif.
“As video producer, I write, edit and oversee all of our IGTV content highlighting news content and individual students.”
Ashley Mowreader — News Editor
Journalism major from Puyallup, Wash.
“I’m involved with the Graphic because it’s required for my major. Just kidding, I love working for the Graphic because I love being able to provide essential news to community members and love getting to know everything first.”
Hadley Biggs — Business Director
Political Science and Public Relations major from Rogers, Ark.
“My role is to promote all the sections of the Graphic to the Pepperdine community. I work with a team to come up with different marketing and public relations campaigns. I also assist the ad director with ad sales.”
Sahej Bhasin — Advertising Director
Business Administration major from Porter Ranch, Calif.
“My favorite memory while being in the Graphic was when my first article was published in fall 2020. I never imagined myself being a part of a news organization, and having my first article published showed that anything can be achieved in your life, especially with the support and help of others.”
Emily Shaw — Pixel Editor
Psychology major from Los Angeles, Calif.
“I first got involved in the Graphic the beginning of my freshman year. Coming into Pepperdine, I didn’t plan on joining, but after meeting staff members of the Graphic, I knew this was a group whose values and mission I wanted to be a part of, and that continues to hold true now.”
Ali Levens — Photo Editor
Journalism major from Syracuse, Kan.
“I like being able to express myself creatively and to grow as a journalist. I love the close, forever friends I’ve made; I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”
Kaelin Mendez — Head Podcast Producer
Journalism and Psychology major from Los Angeles, Calif.
“In my four years on the Graphic, I have learned that it’s OK to not be okay after covering a difficult story, you can find family in the workplace and each project is a collaborative effort — you’re never in it alone.”
Sofia Longo — Life & Arts Editor
Public Relations major from Huntington Beach, Calif.
“My dream job is to work for the Los Angeles Chargers or Dodgers because I love sports and working in media.”
Anitiz Muonagolu — Perspectives Editor
Psychology major from Houston, Texas
“I want to have honest and equitable exposure of the media for everyone.”
Paxton Ritchey — Sports Editor
Journalism major from Sandwood, Wash.
“As a major sports fan, working for the Graphic also keeps me close to the action and gives me a window into players and coaches, and I love being able to share that with our readers and listeners.”
Isabella Teague — Lead Designer
Advertising major from Palmdale, Calif.
“My favorite part about being a part of the Graphic is getting to be a part of such a hard working team that really gets excited to get good work out the front door.”
News Section
Kyle McCabe — News Assistant Editor
Journalism major from Westminster, Colo.
“I want people to know that working at the Graphic does not require any experience, no matter what you want to do — write, design, take photos, etc.”
Natalie Hardt — News Assistant Editor
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Saipan, North Mariana Islands
“Interviewing different people from across campus — from fellow students to faculty to administrators — allows me to connect with and learn about so many cool people I’d never have met otherwise.”
Miles Campbell — News Assistant
Journalism major from San Leandro, Calif.
“I believe it’s crucial to keep my community informed and updated with current news, and I hope to embrace the opportunity of being a bridge between the community and the news.”
Abby Wilt — News Assistant
Journalism major from Wenatchee, Wash.
“The Graphic cares about the students and staff at Pepperdine and really does work hard to tell stories that make a difference.”
Samantha Torre — News Assistant
Journalism major from Escondido, Calif.
“I have seen my writing strengthen over the past year and have become more confident in my articles.”
Reagan Phillips — News Assistant
Political Science major from Newport Beach, Calif.
“I have learned the life cycle of a story, developed skills with the Adobe Creative Cloud and understood the value of communication and accountability.”
Annabelle Childers — News Assistant
Journalism major from Little Rock, Ark.
“I hope people understand the Graphic is made up of students who care deeply about the news they cover.”
Joseph Allgood – Staff Writer
Journalism major from Wheaton, Ill.
“I got involved with the Graphic because I’ve always been a curious individual, and I’d like to think I’m a bit of a news hound. So it was a natural choice to get involved, and not to mention the fantastic people that I’ve met and had lots of fun with.”
Claire Lee — Staff Writer
Political Science and Economics Major from Cerritos, Calif.
“[People] should join the Graphic if they want to grow a heart for Pepperdine. After your many hours of interviews, writing and editing, you may come to more deeply appreciate all of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes at Pepperdine.”
Perspectives Section
Sawa Yamakawa — Assistant Perspectives Editor
Journalism major from Tokyo, Japan
“I want people to know that the Graphic cares about everyone. We do what we do because we love Pepperdine University and the people at Pepperdine.”
Christian Parham — Assistant Perspectives Editor
Political Science major from Sacramento, Calif.
“I am involved in the Graphic because I wanted a meaningful way to share important messages with the student body of Pepperdine.”
Emily Chase — Perspectives Assistant
Journalism major from Santa Monica, Calif.
“I have learned so much since becoming a member of the Graphic. One of the most important things for me was about remaining true to what you write and believe.”
Rachel Marek — Perspectives Design Assistant
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Westlake Village, Calif.
“I joined the Graphic to immerse myself in the Pepperdine community while also working alongside a talented team of designers who would inspire me and who I could also hopefully inspire.”
Alice Han — Staff Writer
Communication Studies major from Los Angeles, Calif.
“My favorite article I’ve written so far is ‘Fetishization of Korean Culture: What K-pop Fails to Reveal’ as it not only enlightened others about my culture, but it also allowed me to relearn and reevaluate my own culture while writing it.”
Josh Evans — Staff Writer
Psychology major from Toronto, Canada
“I have met great people through the Graphic, and the collaborative environment on the Graphic team is great. It’s a lot of fun.”
Bryant Yang — Staff Writer
Philosophy major from Hebei, China
“I was looking for a place to express my opinions and engage in a professional level of journalism.”
Sarah Best — Staff Writer
Journalism major from Sunland, Calif.
“In my short time as a member of the Graphic, I’ve learned how to effectively collaborate with a number of people on each piece.”
Ryan Bresingham — Copy Editor
Film Studies and Creative Writing major from Colleyville, Texas
“I want to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and all stories can be told through unique perspectives.”
Life & Arts
Beth Gonzales — Assistant Life & Arts Editor
Journalism major from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
“I am involved in the Graphic because I believe in the power of storytelling. Every person, every voice and every quote makes me feel like I am living my purpose.”
Nathan Huang — Life & Arts Design Assistant
Integrated Marketing Communication major from St. Louis, Mo.
“I want people to know that even though the Graphic doesn’t use Oxford commas, we all should.”
Addison Whiten — Staff Writer
Journalism major from Whitewright, Texas
“I’ve learned a lot about my abilities and strengths, and I’ve really learned about how to communicate with people to get things done and keep the team moving.”
Grace Wood — Staff Writer
Journalism major from Tulsa, Okla.
“It’s so important for me to have this outlet so I can prepare myself for a career as a journalist and highlight the stories I think are most important for the Pepperdine community to hear about.”
Stella Zhang — Staff Writer
Communication Studies major from Beijing, China
“I’m interested in writing and media. I really like PGM since I’ve followed all the social medias of PGM for a long time.”
Xinyun (Jessie) Wang — Staff Writer
Masters in Teaching Language to Speakers of Other Languages from Beijing, China
“I have learned reporting skills and writing film reviews in English.”
Lindsay Mase — Staff Writer
Biology major from Colorado Springs, Colo.
“One of my favorite articles I have written was Parsa Peykar’s book portfolio because I was so inspired by his volunteer work and notion of freedom.”
Kayla Kahrl — Staff Writer
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Bethesda, Md.
“I want people to know that the Graphic is not only entertaining, but it also features a lot of helpful information.”
Yamillah Hurtado — Copy Editor
Journalism major from San Fernando Valley, Calif.
“I have learned there are a lot of passionate students at Pepperdine who are doing amazing things and it’s truly inspiring.”
Sports Section
Justin Touhey — Assistant Sports Editor
Sports Administration major from Stony Point, N.Y.
“I want people to know that I am a disciplined person who does their best to cover athletics in an engaging and simple way.”
Kaitlyn Davis — Sports Design Assistant
Public Relations major from San Antonio, Texas
“I have learned that being a member of the Graphic requires your full dedication. Everyone loves what they do and always puts out their best work no matter how long it may take.”
Karl Winter — Staff Writer
Journalism major from Stockton, Calif.
“I want people to know that the Graphic takes its work very seriously and that, while we have a lot of fun creating our content together, we take great pride in the quality of that content.”
Austin Hall — Staff Writer
Journalism major from Temecula, Calif.
“One of my favorite articles was on the changing landscape of high school football in Southern California. It was fun to write because I was able to get great sources and cover a topic that I’m so interested in.”
Alec Matulka — Copy Editor
English Writing & Rhetoric major from Seattle, Wash.
“The Graphic works really hard to create quality informational content for the Pepperdine community.”
Photography
Ryan Brinkman — Assistant Photo Editor
Political Science major from Phoenix, Ariz.
“One of my favorite articles that I got to shoot for was the Gonzaga basketball game, written by Karl Winter. It was an incredible experience to watch our Men’s Basketball Team take on the number one collegiate basketball program in the nation and to be one of the few fans present.”
Leah Bae — Staff Photographer
Biology and Art major from San José, Calif.
“I have learned just how united people can be despite being separated physically. I joined the Graphic during remote learning, and never did I think I could meet a group of people so connected as the members of PGM.”
Keonabelle Paniagua — Staff Photographer
Sports Medicine major from Van Nuys, Calif.
“I’m involved in the Graphic to meet new people and be involved around campus.”
Dane Bruhahn — Staff Photographer
Screen Arts major from San Diego, Calif.
“I have learned a lot about sport photography from being a member of the photo team.”
Ashton Bell — Staff Photographer
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Beaufort, S.C.
“I am involved in the Graphic to meet new people and further my photography experience.”
Caroline Conder — Staff Photographer
Art major from Nashville, Tenn.
“The Graphic is so cool because it is primarily student led. They want all students who are interested to get involved and are super welcoming.”
Muriel Lee — Staff Photographer
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Houston, Texas
“I am involved in the Graphic because I always wanted to be in the high school yearbook and doing it for college is so much more cool.”
Currents Magazine
Marisa Dragos — Currents Assistant Editor
Economic major from Pasadena, Calif.
“Currents Magazine is an incredible opportunity to tell deeper stories about the Pepperdine community. On production staff, we review all of the pieces many times and I feel like I get to know people as they courageously share often vulnerable stories.”
Ivy Moore — Currents Assistant Editor
Political Science Major from Austin, Texas
“I believe in the power of storytelling, and I value the creative freedom that we are given as PGM students.”
Lydia DuPerier — Currents Production Assistant I
Journalism major from Boerne, Texas
“Currents gives me the opportunity to grow creatively alongside a group of people that share the same passion of storytelling that I have.”
Marley Penagos — Currents Production Assistant I
Journalism major from Murrieta, Calif.
“I love Currents because of how deeply it allows us as writers to connect with our stories. They change and evolve so much over the course of the semester and the end product is always incredibly beautiful.”
Jolie Lowe — Currents Production Assistant II
Intercultural Communication major from Hillsboro, Ore.
“Everyone in PGM has been so helpful and kind to me as I’ve learned how things work, and I hope others aren’t afraid to take a chance and try writing for PGM.”
Annabelle Childers — Currents Production Assistant II
Journalism major from Little Rock, Ark.
“The in-depth reporting for Currents has given me a greater appreciation for Pepperdine and the different people that make it feel like home.”
Melissa Locke — Currents Lead Designer
Public Relations major from Oceanside, Calif.
“I have learned a lot about what goes into reporting, how teams work together and how to support others in the skills they want to grow.”
Isabella Teague — Design Assistant
Advertising major from Palmdale, Calif.
“I really want to make an impact in the world with my designs and maybe make some ground-breaking changes in the design world.”
Joanna Cabalquinto — Currents Designer
Screen Arts major from Washington D.C.
“Since being a member of the Graphic, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of communication for a productive workflow! I’ve also gotten a lot of practice with Adobe InDesign, which will be great for what I want to do in the future.”
Anastasia Condolon — Currents Photo Editor
Screen Arts major from Basking Ridge, N.J.
“I’m involved with the Graphic/Currents because I love photography, the arts and I wanted to get more involved with the Pepperdine community!”
Art
Ally Armstrong — Art Editor
Art major from Irvine, Calif.
“I manage and work alongside our team of artists in creating art to accompany articles for most sections of the Graphic, as well as Currents and special editions.”
Samantha Miller — Assistant Art Editor
Biology major from McKinney, Texas
“I’ve learned from the Graphic that there is always more to a story than a first glance would suggest.”
Madeline Duvall — Staff Artist
English major from Longview, Texas
“I like to know what’s going on in the world, and I’ve found the best way to do that and pursue my passion for art has been through working on staff.”
Leah Bae — Staff Artist
Biology and Art major from San José, Calif.
“I’m involved in the Graphic because I wanted [to] share my voice on important topics today — to help, to take part in getting news out there.”
Nicole Wong — Staff Artist
Liberal Arts major from Hong Kong, China
“I’m involved in the Graphic because I believe, just like anyone else who isn’t on campus, keeping in touch with community has been a challenge. Being involved has given me a chance to keep updated with school events and student lives.”
Brian Zhou — Staff Artist
Undeclared major from Honolulu, Hawai’i
“I’m involved in the Graphic because I want to learn new skills and further develop my craft.”
Autumn Hardwick — Staff Artist
Art History major from Fort Mill, S.C.
“As someone who isn’t a journalism major, I thought learning about news production wouldn’t be relevant to me, but it has opened my eyes so much as to how newsrooms compile their stories and decide what they’re going to publish.”
Design
Isabella Teague — Lead Designer
Advertising major from Palmdale, Calif.
“I’m responsible for checking over the consistency of the PGM newspaper, working with the News section editor to design PGM’s front page, checking in with the other designers, designing the special edition print and style guide and making up new graphics to help the Advertising team.”
Rachel Marek — Perspectives Design Assistant
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Westlake Village, Calif.
“The Graphic cares about the family of Pepperdine and the Malibu area more than you can imagine! Every member is a hardworking individual committed to their role.”
Nathan Huang — Life & Arts Design Assistant
Integrated Marketing Communication major from St. Louis, Mo.
“I am involved in the Graphic because I want to help share the stories of our Pepperdine community.”
Kaitlyn Davis — Sports Design Assistant
Public Relations major from San Antonio, Texas
“I want people to know that the Graphic is not only a student newspaper, but a wonderful community that I am so glad to be a part of.”
Podcast
Kaelin Mendez — Head Podcast Producer
Journalism and Psychology major from Los Angeles, Calif.
“I want people to know that the Graphic staff does incredible work behind the scenes to make sure that the pieces we put out are the best that we can make them.”
Anitiz Muonagolu — Assistant Podcast Producer: The Melanated Muckraker
Psychology major from Houston, Texas
“I help Kaelin with whatever he needs for podcasting — from reminding him to make group chats and meeting, to learning how to upload podcasts in the near future.”
Ivy Moore — Podcast Producer: The Graph and Face to Face
Political Science Major and Journalism Minor from Austin, Texas
“My favorite podcast episode that I’ve created was a two-part series that I made in summer 2020 called ‘Uproot’ and it appeared on the ‘Face to Face’ podcast. In one episode in particular, I interviewed George Preston IV and Brykell Killingsworth, and it ended up being a candid conversation about racial injustice in America.”
Lindsey Sullivan — Podcast Producer: The Graph, Face to Face
Journalism major from Fredericksburg, Va.
“I made connections with wonderful people and was provided opportunities to pursue stories that I am passionate about in unique ways, like podcasting.”
Karl Winter — Podcast Producer: SportsWaves
Journalism major from Stockton, Calif.
“I have learned to never go into an interview with a story in mind but to allow the interviewee to tell their own story.”
Paxton Ritchey — Podcast Producer: SportsWaves
Journalism major from Sandwood, Wash.
“My dream job would be doing professional play-by-play announcing. I’d take any sport, but baseball is always No. 1 on the list.”
Misha Semenov — Podcast Production Assistant
Business Administration major from Louisville, Ky.
“As a member of the Graphic, I learned that we’re more than just a regular school newspaper. Our demographic of students and their passion, opinions and talents are vast, and I love how it allows for every student at Pepperdine to find something they can relate to and find interest in.”
Celine Foreman — Podcast Production Assistant
Psychology major from Silver Spring, Md.
“I am involved with the Graphic because I wanted to create a podcast that cultivated a sense of community and provided a meaningful connection to other Pepperdine students.”
Advertising
Inez Kim — Marketing Coordinator
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Fullerton, Calif.
“We’re always told that the Graphic is a ‘Learning Lab’ and I definitely agree; I’ve gotten in the role I’m in because of the advisers and my peers who’ve taught me so much about marketing and social media.”
Bryant Loney — Marketing Coordinator and Senior Edition Editor
Masters in Screenwriting from Tulsa, Okla.
“Working with the newsroom at PGM has been such a delight. Everyone is so warm and inviting, and they impress me daily with their commitment to the truth — particularly in the face of adversity (fires, power outages, a pandemic).”
Social Media
Karl Winter — Social Media Team
Journalism major from Stockton, Calif.
“I am involved in PGM to develop skills, relationships and do what I love — tell stories.”
Abby Wilt — Social Media Team
Journalism major from Wenatchee, Wash.
“I am involved in the Graphic because I love the community it gives me at Pepperdine and it gives me a place to use my voice to tell meaningful stories about our students and staff.”
Madilyn Henshaw — Social Media Team
Business Administration major from Arlington, Va.
“From being a member of the Graphic, I’ve learned that there really are a lot of different moving parts in running a newspaper and everyone needs to make sure to do their part efficiently to keep everything moving smoothly.”
Jillian Johnson — Social Media Team
Journalism major from Bakersfield, Calif.
“I am involved in the Graphic because I am passionate about journalism and I love being a part of a community that is so important to Pepperdine.”
Inez Kim — Social Media Team
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Fullerton, Calif.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past year, it’s that there are many ways to stay connected even when we can’t see our community in person!”
GNews
Marisa Dragos — Video Producer
Economics major from Pasadena, Calif.
“I joined the Graphic my junior year because I wanted to be part of what seemed like a very capable team.”
Christina Buravtsova — GNews Crew Member
Integrated Marketing Communication major from Alexandria, Va.
“I have learned how to conduct meaningful interviews, write impactful scripts, film and edit video media and how to tell powerful stories that touch many people.”
Alexander Payne — GNews Crew Member
Journalism major from Monrovia, Calif.
“I’ve learned a lot about how to pay attention to little details that can end up changing the story.”
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Follow the Graphic on Twitter: @PeppGraphic
Contact Sofia Longo via Twitter: @sofialongo_ or by email: sofia.longo@pepperdine.edu
Contact Lindsay Mase by email: lindsay.mase@pepperdine.edu
