Washington, D.C., director Brian Swarts, his wife Izumi and their sons Shosuke and Hiroki smile for a family Christmas photo this past winter. The Swarts family faced several challenges due to COVID-19, including homeschooling and being unable to travel. Photos courtesy of Brian SwartsWashington, D.C., International Program Director Brian Swarts is passionate about travel, … [Read more...] about IP Director Update: Brian Swarts Looks To the Future in Washington, D.C.
Brian Swarts
Reaching Beyond the ‘Pepperdine Bubble’
Art by Samantha Miller The idea of the ‘Pepperdine Bubble’ is a fairly well-known concept among Pepperdine students. It’s the idea that Pepperdine — a small, Christian university located in one of the most affluent parts of California and the United States — has the potential to shelter students, leaving them oblivious to the world beyond the roughly 3,500 undergraduates … [Read more...] about Reaching Beyond the ‘Pepperdine Bubble’
Surviving Snowmageddon
Photos by Jennevieve Fong On Saturday morning, Pepperdine students woke up to almost two feet of snow from Winter Storm Jonas outside of Pepperdine's Washington, D.C. campus. The city of Washington, D.C. declared a state of emergency for the weekend in addition to a weekend blizzard warning, according to the National Weather Service. Since most local restaurants … [Read more...] about Surviving Snowmageddon
Pepperdine Welcomes New Washington D.C. Program Director
After ending a phone call with Pepperdine’s International Program Dean Charles Hall, Brian Swarts was left with a difficult decision to make. Swarts was conflicted with choosing between his previous employer, family ties to Japan and his alma mater. He had to decide to either work as the Program Director for The Salvation Army in Japan — where his wife is from — or as the … [Read more...] about Pepperdine Welcomes New Washington D.C. Program Director