Students gather at the Brock House on Aug. 31. A dance floor, DJ and saxophone player entertained students for the evening. Photos by Brandon Rubsamen
President Jim Gash bodysurfed “for the last time” at the Class of 2023’s Rock the Brock, – an annual party Jim Gash and First Lady Joline Gash host at the Brock House to celebrate the beginning of the graduating class’ final year.
Throughout the evening a DJ, dance floor, photo booth and loads of catered food entertained students at the annual Rock the Brock, a tradition that began in 2011. Esther Chung provided students with an automatic raffle entry to win an assortment of prizes for attending the event, with a turnout of 300 seniors., according to the Alumni Relations office.
“The Class of 2023 should embrace the incredible resilience they’ve learned at Pepperdine,” Jim Gash said. “And also make sure to make this year special.”
The Gash’s greeted students at the gate, shaking each of their hands as they entered. Later in the night, Jim Gash related shaking students’ hands that night to how, in a few short months, he will shake their hands as they walk across the stage on Alumni Park in the spring.
Joline Gash said the evening felt like a full circle moment for both her and Jim Gash — who started his term when the class of 2023 were first-year students.
“Enjoy every moment you have with each other,” Joline Gash said. “Try to find a mentor or someone [at Pepperdine] that you can look up to”
At Rock the Brock, Senior Bailey McCutchen looked back on what Pepperdine has taught her.
“Trust your gut,” McCutchen said. ” Don’t always follow the crowd”.
When reminiscing at the event senior Autumn Johnson said her time at Pepperdine taught her to put herself out there while finding her own limits.
“Take every opportunity that Pepperdine gives you,” Johnson said.
Pepperdine Alumnus Tyler Varnell (’11) serenaded the students with a saxophone and played several songs including a full cover of “Careless Whisper.” The dance floor was packed and featured many popular songs, including “Cupid Shuffle.”
Various Pepperdine offices donated prizes to students which included: Disneyland tickets, a pair of airpods and a $100 gift card to Whole Foods.
Jim Gash made remarks on how special the Class of 2023 is, and said in his senior year of college, the most crucial realization was the importance of discipline.
Shortly before announcing the winners of the larger prizes, Jim Gash stood on stage and reminisced about the first event he and Joline Gash threw for the Class of 2023, when the students were entering their first year. To commemorate that experience, Jim Gash said he decided to crowd surf “one last time,” as this had become a tradition with this class when he first crowd surfed at their first-year President’s Reception three years ago.
As the evening progressed students continued to win prizes.
Senior Aubrey Henrie won a beach house rented out for the weekend of graduation and said she was “very surprised.”
Senior Lacey Vara won two domestic round trip tickets and senior Tavia Keen won a $1,000 gift card to Nobu and said she is excited to use it.
Senior Haley Hoidal, who is also Lead Designer for the Graphic, won the surfboard every member of the Class of 2023 signed. Hoidal said she feels “so sentimental” about this prize.
After the prizes were announced the event came to a close, and students mingled on their way to the departing shuttles.
“It feels like a natural end,” McCutchen said. “I love it here but it makes sense that it’s almost over.”‘
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Contact Fiona Creadon via Instagram (@fiocreao) or email: fiona.creadon@pepperdine.edu
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