They say college goes by in a blink of an eye and after four years, there are certainly achievements gained, stories to share and memories to hold onto forever. As the class of 2025 prepares for graduation in May, seniors are preparing to tackle the next phase of their lives while taking time to reflect back on their time at Pepperdine.
Charlotte Purintun, a Sports Medicine major from Wisconsin, arrived at Pepperdine with an open mind and a go with a flow mentality. Throughout the past four years, she quickly bonded with her roommate and suitemates, and became well-acquainted with the ins and outs of Pepperdine life.
“I’ve really matured a lot,” Purintun said. “I feel I know how everything works here now, and I’m looking more toward the future.”
Christopher Hance, a senior Finance major from California, described his time at Pepperdine as filled with friendships, new experiences and lots of travel. He came in as an Accounting major but said he quickly found he was more interested in Finance, making the switch with the support of his Pepperdine community.
Hance described his first year as transformative and filled with various activities. He said he believes he has made the most of his time at Pepperdine participating in Greek life in his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega (ATO), Pepperdine Investment Club and doing research for a Finance professor.
“I came in as one person, and by the end of my first year, I already felt myself grow,” Hance said.
Time Spent Abroad
Adrian Ponce, a senior Business Administration major from Florida, came to Pepperdine with aspirations in business and a curiosity for the world beyond the classroom. He described his first year as a whirlwind, moving away from home and adjusting to life at Pepperdine.
It was during his time abroad that his perspective shifted, Ponce said.
“I would describe my Pepperdine experience as two parts: pre-Argentina and post-Argentina,” Ponce said.
Ponce’s semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina created life-long friendships where he and his group were able to travel across the country and strengthen their day-to-day bonds in and outside the classroom, he said. His time in Argentina marked a turning point in his spiritual growth, where he embraced a deeper connection to his faith.
“BA was a semester for fully myself,” Ponce said. “I was lucky enough to have a tight-knit group that always wanted to spend time together; that allowed me to find my community and reflect on the things that I added to my life from those experiences.”
Nathaniel Evans, a senior Business major from Nevada, said his journey at Pepperdine has been one of exploration and personal growth. He said his first year was about discovering untapped potential and exploring new opportunities. It wasn’t until he went abroad for a semester in Barcelona and a semester in Heidelberg that he said he felt he found his stride.
“Being in a new place like that and not being fully comfortable really gave me the confidence to push myself and connect with new people,” Evans said.
While abroad and connecting with senior Jonah Wong, who competed in a triathlon, Evans became intrigued and inspired to tackle a similar challenge. After three months of heavy training, Evans participated in and finished an IronMan, a full-distance triathlon including a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run to top it all off.
“It was a lot of work — my friend and I trained for those months, and when we finished, it really made everything worth it,” Evans said.
A fellow IronMan competitor, Hance described the challenge of balancing the training with his daily life.
“We would workout for 15 to 20 hours a week on top of school and work,” Hance said. “It was a lot to manage at the start, but you learn and adjust; it was a really transformative time for me — the result was great.”
Similar to Evans, Purintun spent a semester abroad in Barcelona in 2022. She wishes she had extended her time there to further explore and try various things, she said.
Evans said he specifically enjoyed his time in the rural Heidelberg area due to it being so immersed in nature. He said he hopes to move to a similar area after graduation, soaking in nature and finding adventure in new places.
Hance said he traveled extensively while studying abroad in Switzerland, visiting nearly 30 countries while he was away from Malibu.
“I said if I was going to go abroad, I really wanted to maximize my time there, and traveling with so many of my fraternity brothers, it made it much more special and [we grew] closer together,” Hance said.
Post-Graduation Plans
Hance said he plans to work in financial planning post-graduation, either in Los Angeles or Orange County.
“My confidence and how I carry myself has grown a lot,” Hance said. “I feel the people at Pepperdine do a good job of lifting each other up and building each other up.”
Post-graduation, Ponce said he plans to return home to Miami to work in an elections department, with an eye toward a future in politics.
While originally planning to become a physician associate, last summer, Purintun interned with a summer league baseball team and said she found a new calling.
“It’s funny how after the summer internship, I was able to change my path, but getting to work on-site with a team, watching exactly what is happening and knowing exactly how to help, that’s everything,” Purintun said.
Advice to the Learning and the Leaving
In her time at Pepperdine, Purintun said she has seen herself grow in various ways, whether it be communication skills, organizational growth or finding a routine that benefits her study habits and mental health.
She said she has learned to work in a manner that’s not only beneficial to her future career, but to her current self as well. As she prepares to leave Pepperdine, she said she advises first-years to take a deep breath and remember to have fun.
“Don’t take things too seriously — you’ll end up where you want to be,” Purintun said.
Hance said he is proud of the way he spent his time at Pepperdine and is thankful for each experience that shaped his four years. Reflecting on how fast the time flew by, he advises first-years to take it all in while they can.
“Take advantage of everything Pepperdine has to offer — it goes by quickly,” Hance said.
Ponce emphasized the idea of being yourself in college, regardless of the change that might come one’s way.
“Don’t change, just be you in all your ways,” Ponce said.
If he could give a piece of advice to his first-year self, Evans said it would be one of encouragement for an open mind.
“Keep getting out there and saying yes to new experiences,” Evans said. “College is the time to explore, and sometimes sacrifices can be made to gain those experiences.”
For his fellow graduating seniors, Hance said he hopes they always remember the idea that Pepperdine shaped them into the people who will walk out into the world in just a month.
“Don’t forget the people, the professors and the places that have shaped you,” Hance said. “College is transformative, and as we all go in different directions, keep those connections alive.”
As for her class of 2025 peers, she said she hopes to feel their presence even after they leave Malibu and move on to new paths.
“I hope the connections we’ve made at Pepperdine last for many years to come,” Purintun said.
To the senior class, Ponce said staying in touch beyond Pepperdine is one of his biggest goals.
“It can be easy to not reach out when you don’t see each other every day,” Ponce said. “Building those habits now will pay off in the long run.”
For his senior classmates, Evans stresses the importance of maintaining those connections made during college. Similar to Ponce, Evans said he hopes his classmates understand the importance of maintaining the connections they have made throughout the past four years.
“Don’t forget about the people and relationships you’ve built here — they’re valuable,” Evans said.
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Contact Jade Gonzalez via email: jade.gonzalez@pepperdine.edu
