Photos by Carissa Mosley
Public Safety Officer Barry Shulman represents on-campus security in DPS blue, but he also has a whimsical side. Conversations quickly switch from Halloween stores to photography to his dream of playing the mouse in the Nutcracker.
On one of the hottest days in Malibu, Shulman could be found unfazed, smiling and giving cold water to overheated students. No day, however unbearably hot, is a bad day, Shulman said. No day is wasted.
This level of personal kindness is initially what drew Shulman to Pepperdine, he said. Formerly the owner of a printing company, he visited the School of Law’s library for research, and when he needed to use the Xerox machine, he realized he could not put money in it and needed an ID card. A stranger immediately noticed and gave him a card for the machine and did not allow Shulman to pay him back.
The random act of kindness struck Shulman, and when the opportunity arose in March of 2008 for him to work at Pepperdine, he said he could not refuse. Interacting with people is Shulman’s favorite part of the job, he said.
“I want to give something of a positive nature,” Shulman said. “I feel I have been given a gift, and the gift is being able to communicate well with people and interface well with people and motivate people and, I’d like to think, be a mentor to somebody.”
Shulman said he has gathered 311 sick hours because he never gets sick. He keeps healthy with a positive attitude, which he said is key to life.
“One little tip I can give you guys,” Shulman said. “Don’t stress. Be organized, and attack your work with a vengeance. Say in your mind, ‘This is my role in life. I am going to attack this, get this done, and nothing is going to stop me.’ Once you get that done, you’ll be surprised by how much free time you’ll have to do the things you want to do. Organization and focus: That’s the key. And if you do that, you’ll sail through it.”
Shulman said he plans to work for Pepperdine as long as he can.
“This is where I see the sun set,” Shulman said. “I enjoy what I do so much; I just want it to last forever. I see myself here for a very long time, with the grace of the Almighty.”
Beyond receiving personal joy from the job, he emphasizes the responsibility behind the scenes.
“I feel what we do in DPS is a very important job,” he said. “We never lose sight of the fact of who we work for or what we do. That’s what we do: We make sure you guys are safe. We’re like the fly on the wall, so you can feel comfortable to go run on the track at two in the morning.”
Working at the booth specifically, Shulman gets the opportunity to greet everyone into Pepperdine. It is many people’s first image of the school, which he said he takes seriously. He said he wants to brighten up people’s rough mornings, create a welcoming atmosphere for everyone who comes into Pepperdine and make it a place to which people want to come back.
“We put our best foot forward to make Pepperdine a shining star,” he said.
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