New Student Mugging is an annual New Student Orientation (NSO) tradition that takes place at Alumni Park, said Avesta Carrera, office manager for Alumni Affairs. The tradition involves alumni returning to campus to serve root beer floats to first-year students.
“This is the time that students will make friends for the rest of their life so it’s a good time for them to meet new people,” Josh Kiang, a NSO leader said.
This year, new students of Pepperdine’s Seaver College gathered at Alumni Park on Thursday, August 16, to receive their root beer floats and a Pepperdine mug handed out by alumni as well as to connect with fellow students.
“New Student Mugging was started in the early 2000s by Chris Sangster who was the assistant vice chancellor of Alumni Affairs,” Carrera said. “Chris wanted to find a way that alumni could welcome the new students.”
Chris loved root beer, so his idea was for alumni to have a mug they could pour root beer in to give to the students, Carrera said.
“That’s how the name got coined New Student Mugging,” Carrera said.
Shannon Munn is an alumna from the class of 2022, who came back for this year’s event. She said she came back to volunteer because she remembers the fun she had with her roommates, as well as the opportunity to continue to meet new people at her New Student Mugging.
She said her advice to first-year students is, “Go abroad if you can and go to all the events to meet new people and expand your friend group.”
Jack Broderick, one of this year’s NSO leaders, said he hoped this event would help first-years bond together and make relationships that last throughout the year.
First-year Miciah Wheaton said she attended the New Student Mugging for the community aspect.
“I felt it would be a good place to come together for community. I wanted to make some friends and spend time with my roommate,” Wheaton said.
She’s excited to start her college journey and figure out how classes are, Wheaton said.
Getting ready for the New Student Mugging involves inviting local alumni to come to campus, ordering all the mugs, getting an In-N-Out and coordinating a DJ, Carrera said.
“I enjoy this event because I love seeing both the alumni and the students who are excited to be on their own,” Carrera said. “It’s an event filled with positivity and joy where students are with alumni who remember their own New Student Muggings.”
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Contact Alicia Dofelmier via email: alicia.dofelmier@pepperdine.edu
