The Interfaith Student Council addresses the need for community and connection, said Al Sturgeon, assistant dean of Student Life and Spiritual Development.
The ISC is practicing building relationships before attempting conversations on recent faith-related events, Sturgeon said.
“Once you kind of remove that barrier of, like, you know someone Jewish, you know someone Muslim, you know someone this — you get to have these conversations,” Ronnie Baruch, ISC President and second-year law student said.
The ISC was launched in 2012 by Sturgeon. The purpose of the ISC is to ensure that all Caruso Law students, regardless of their faith background, feel welcome and comfortable to engage in conversation, Sturgeon said.
The council, which began as an advisory group, has now grown into a student-led group. As of now, the group includes seven students. They are working toward growing not just in size but in variation of faith backgrounds, Sturgeon said.
“We need more; we want more,” Sturgeon said. “We’ve reached out and tried to advertise, but it’s going to take a little time.”
Sturgeon said he has noticed a decrease in students’ faith associations as a whole since his return to Pepperdine in 2023.
“I’ve seen less of other faiths represented — faiths that were already represented in small numbers before,” Sturgeon said. “It seems to be related to less people identifying with a faith at all.”
The tradition of meeting monthly at Sturgeon’s campus condo to fellowship around a meal continues, Sturgeon said. Sturgeon and Baruch are working together to invigorate the ISC after the group experienced a lull in the past few years following COVID-19, Sturgeon said.
Creating Opportunities for Conversation
Baruch said coming to Pepperdine was a difficult transition for her because of the lack of Jewish population. She grew up in Israel before moving to the Bay Area when she was 11 years old, she said.
Baruch said she experienced what it was like to be in the minority for the first time after coming to Pepperdine. At school, it is common for Baruch to hear that she is the first Jew someone has ever met, she said.
“That was insane for me,” Baruch said.
This is Baruch’s first semester as ISC’s president, and her desire is to keep it “fun and apolitical” while planning events, she said. Having relationships with people of other faiths removes barriers and can allow for important conversations regarding faith, beliefs and conflicts to take place.
“I want to give new life to the Interfaith Council — to bring forth that conversation,” Baruch said.
There are a lot of stigmas and stereotypes around faith groups, and Baruch hopes to demystify those by giving time and space for open conversation, she said.
Baruch said she often feels the burden of being the sole representation for her Jewish faith.
“The pressure of representing your region as a whole — everything I do is a reflection of my people and my country,” Baruch said. “If I do something, then all Israelis are like that.”
With the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza, Baruch and Sturgeon are being intentional about building relationships with students involved in ISC. The purpose of the group isn’t to engage in controversial topics but rather to create community among people of multi-faith backgrounds, Sturgeon said.
Events and Resources for Students
During the fall semester, following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Sturgeon was involved with three events ensuring that students were receiving the support they needed to cope with the tragedy. The Office for Community Belonging held a community gathering with the Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA). The classroom it was held in was overflowing with students, Sturgeon said.
“It was really a time to be sad together and know that other people care for those who are grieving,” Sturgeon said.
JLSA held an open conversation with Professor Earl Childress III and Professor Michael Helfand on Oct. 30. The conversation was to prepare students for difficult conversations they may experience at home during the holidays, Sturgeon said.
Baruch has plans this semester to hold a multi-faith-background panel discussion on Main Campus.
The goal is for students to feel comfortable asking faith-related questions of students that are of Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Buddhist backgrounds. Baruch is in the process of recruiting sponsors for this panel event.
ISC is open only to Caruso Law students. However, Parker King, associate director for Discipleship, has opened his office doors to any undergraduate Seaver students with questions pertaining to faith, he said.
Students are also encouraged to reach out to the Hub for Spiritual Life for pastoral care, regardless of their faith background.
“I want to be someone, no matter your faith background, you can come and have a conversation [with] about these kinds of things,” King said.
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Contact Rachel Flynn via email: rachel.flynn@pepperdine.edu
