Art by Peau Porotesano
When Pepperdine undergraduate students discuss the university’s culture, they often are discussing the culture of Seaver College. Students often forget that Pepperdine University is made up of five colleges that all have resources and opportunities undergrad students can utilize.
Seaver College has an enrollment of roughly 3,533 students, while the university has a total enrollment of 7,632, making Seaver just a portion of the university, according to US News and World Report. Pepperdine University is composed of Seaver College, the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Graziadio School of Business and Management, the School of Law and the School of Public Policy.
Many undergrad students are familiar with the Drescher campus library, which they take advantage of because Seaver does not have its own library. Some students have also tried the cafeterias at the School of Law or at the Drescher campus, which offer different options than the Waves Cafe on the Seaver Campus.
The Drescher Cafe is worth a trip. It features an udon noodle bar and Asian stir fry station. The School of Law Cafe has custom breakfast burritos made to order.
In addition to their facilities, these graduate campuses on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus have thousands of students who can provide Seaver students with advice. Undergrads will often pursue higher degrees after graduation, such as graduate school or law school. It is often hard to decide where to go, what to study or if it is worth the extra effort. They have already had to make that choice, and they decided to further their education.
Seaver students should use Pepperdine graduate students as a resource by having a conversation with them. Ask questions about why they chose to attend graduate school, what graduate school is like or why they chose to study law. They can help Seaver students decide if graduate school is worth pursuing.
Even if graduate school is not on the docket, these graduate students and resources provide a wealth of opportunity. Speaking with students who have already been through an entire undergraduate education and learned from it can be a beneficial experience for any undergraduate student. Taking advantage of these interactions can be an informative and reassuring experience for a struggling or confused Seaver student.
Professors at all of Pepperdine’s campuses have wisdom that can be tapped into. Seaver professors are known for being helpful and open to students, but undergrad students rarely reach out to professors from Pepperdine’s other schools. Undergrad students may be surprised at how willing professors at Pepperdine’s graduate schools are to answer their questions.
In addition to speaking with others from Pepperdine’s graduate campuses, there are plenty of opportunities to engage with Pepperdine’s graduate schools. All of the university’s schools hold a variety of events and professional growth opportunities that Seaver students should know about.
For example, undergraduate students have the opportunity to earn an Undergraduate Certificate in Conflict Management that is offered through a joint program between the School of Law’s Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution and Seaver College. The certificate is a way for undergrad students to learn negotiation and creative problem-solving skills while taking classes with law school students.
Seaver College students should also take advantage of events held by the graduate schools and the law school that provide opportunities to hear interesting speakers and explore difficult topics.
Last week, a series of events were held on the Drescher campus to promote cultural and diversity awareness. Other past events at the graduate schools have included noteworthy politicians and activists including California Gov. Jerry Brown, Former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Attorney General Edwin Meese III, Activist Dr. Cornel West and more. These events provide a wide range of opportunity outside of our Seaver community.
Find out about upcoming events on all of Pepperdine’s campuses by checking the Pepperdine events calendar and by following the graduate schools on their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.
Pepperdine University is more than just the Seaver community. It’s home to thousands of graduate students and professors who call Pepperdine home, as well. Go meet a law student, have a conversation with a graduate professor, and definitely try those law school breakfast burritos. Take advantage of all the resources these graduate campuses provide while at Pepperdine and integrate yourself into the broader community.
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