DANIEL HOUGEY
Staff Writer
Pepperdine is often viewed as a school for Californians, but the strong faith and academic focus on which Pepperdine is centered draws even the most distant students.
An average of 50 percent of the Seaver College student body originates in Pepperdine’s own home state of California.
The next most represented state is Texas at approximately 7 percent. The number of students from Texas is nearly equaled by those from outside of the United States.
According to Pepperdine’s Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research Web site, in 2005 6.4 percent of Seaver’s students were from other countries. This year, the Office of International Student Services estimates the numbers at 8 percent.
There are also many students who are from smaller states or states where Pepperdine does less recruiting. There are 38 states that are represented by less than 1 percent of students at Seaver, but together they total almost 15 percent of the entire student body.
There are many different aspects of Pepperdine that initially draw students here.
“Somehow, Pepperdine jumped out,” said Xiaoqing Ye, a junior finance major from southwest China. Ye, who chose the nickname “Chantie” to sound more American, was searching online for different schools when Pepperdine’s Web site caught her eye.
Word of mouth is a common way students hear about the university.
Tauren Deatherage, a junior from South Dakota, became interested in Pepperdine after her cousin suggested it as a possibility.
Grace Park, a freshman business administration major learned about Pepperdine after talking to a college counselor at her high school. Park comes from the country with the greatest amount of students outside the U.S. who are represented at Pepperdine — South Korea. She was attracted to the small community and the calm life of Pepperdine.
“And I like the summer better than winter,” she said.
The location is a draw for many other students, as well.
Deatherage, a theater and television major, chose Pepperdine partly because of its proximity to the entertainment industry.
“I knew I was going to live in California eventually, so it made sense to go to college out here,” she said.
Abby Hassell, a junior humanities major from Rhode Island, was attracted to Pepperdine because of its emphasis on spirituality.
“I thought it would be a good place to let my faith grow,” Hassell said.
Hassell comes from a Christian background somewhat more conservative than Pepperdine, so some back home disagreed with her decision.
“The only opinions I hear were people who said it was really bad or the ‘Devil’s School’ or something,” she said.
Despite the hostility at home, Hassell is also proud of her roots.
“I always get that ‘Whoa, that’s really far away … and then they always ask if [Rhode Island] is an island,” Hassell said.
Deatherage finds Southern California to be very different from South Dakota.
“Where I live, it’s like farmland, everything is flat, cornfields — there’s no big city life,” Deatherage said.
For the international students, the culture shock can be difficult, but many said they had been away from home before or had western schooling experience.
Ye studied for one year in England before coming here, and Park went to boarding school in Michigan for high school.
“High school was kind of tough because I had to go through [that transition],” Park said. But she said she feels like she fits in at Pepperdine.
“I guess I’m just used to it already,” Park said.
The trip home is a long one for many, though. Hassell has to travel 3,000 miles when she wants to return to her family.
“I’ll go home for the summer … and they count me as a guest,” she said.
Ye reflected the attitude of many students who travel here from long distances.
“I’m always motivated to travel,” she said. “I’m just happy to explore and try new stuff.”
09-14-2006