Meet the Student Ambassadors
Meet the Seaver College First Wave Ambassadors. Ambassadors are first-generation sophomore through senior students who connect with new first-generation students.
2026 Ambassadors
Javon Drisdom
Hi everyone! My name is Javon Drisdom, and I’m a senior Accounting major with a minor in Non-Profit Management. I’m originally from Inglewood, CA but currently reside in Gardena just 20 minutes south of the 10 freeway. On Campus, I’m the co-president of the First-Gen club and a member of the First-Gen Honor Society as well. I studied abroad my sophomore year in Florence which was one of the greatest times of my life and I’m glad to answer any questions about the program. I’m honored to be able to serve the First-Gen population here at Pepperdine and I am here to help you guys however I can.
Major: Accounting
Emily Espinosa
Hey Waves! My name is Emily Espinosa, and I am beyond excited to serve as one of your First Wave Ambassadors for the 2026-2027 academic year. As a student with a deep passion for serving the first-generation community, I am eager to help provide my fellow first-generation Waves with a strong foundation that will set them up for success! Whether this means navigating on campus opportunities, internships, or finding community at Pepperdine, I am thrilled to help my first-generation community find their purpose at Pepperdine. I can’t wait to get to know you all!
Personal Bio
I'm a third-year Political Science major with a Great Books minor, on the pre-law track, and hope to work in corporate law. I'm from Rancho Cucamonga, California. As a Mexican American student pursuing law, I quickly noticed a lack of community for Latino students with aspirations in law and politics once I got to college. This led me to found a nonprofit that connects Latino pre-law students across the country with the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. Growing up with limited professional guidance, uplifting the first-generation community has always been an important focus for me. As a First Wave Ambassador, I want to be a resource for my first-gen community on campus and make the transition to college a smooth process, the same way the Pepperdine first-generation community did for me when I was a freshman.
At Pepperdine, I have had the privilege of being involved in the Student Government Association for three years now. I initially joined the organization as a Senator my freshman year and am currently serving as the Student Body President. In addition to this, I also studied abroad in D.C with Pepperdine this past summer, am a member of Tri-Alpha, the First-Gen Club, LSA, and serve as President of the Association of Latino Professionals of America chapter on campus. Outside of school, I can also be found working at the Westlake In-N-Out on the weekends, going to the beach with friends, or playing golf!
I’m so excited to meet all of you! Please feel free to reach out or stop me on campus to say hi. I’d love to connect!
- Major: Political Science (Great Books minor)
Emily Mendoza
Hi Waves! My name is Emily Mendoza, and I will be serving as a First Wave Ambassador for the 2026-2027 academic year. I know how overwhelming and difficult navigating college is and I am determined to support you through this journey. Whether this is academically, or socially I want to be here for you! I hope to be someone you guys feel comfortable coming to for help, advice, or conversation. I can’t wait for us to grow together this academic year!
Personal Bio
I am a junior Biology major with a minor in Hispanic Studies at Pepperdine. I am from Santa Fe Springs, CA but my family immigrated from Jalisco, Mexico. I spend most of my time outdoors either hiking or snorkeling at the beach. I love traveling and hanging out with my friends.
On campus, I serve as the president of the Pre-Dental Club and the director of internal affairs for Beta Psi Omega, the natural science fraternity. Additionally, I serve as secretary for the Chem club and work as a TA for Gen Chem so if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
In addition I am also involved in research and currently in Moorea on a research trip as I am writing this. I will also be attending the Fiji program this summer, so if you have any questions on how to get involved in research or studying abroad please reach out to me!
I can’t wait to meet you all!
- Major: Biology
Alex Rocha-Schiaffino
Hey Waves! I’m stoked to be one of your First Wave Ambassadors for the 2025-2026 school year. Being first-gen means figuring a lot out on your own (navigating a new campus, new expectations, sometimes without a roadmap from home). It also means you’ve got a community that gets it, and that’s exactly what I want to be for you. Whether it’s the dumb questions you’re afraid to ask, the stuff that’s stressing you out, or just someone to grab coffee with when college feels like a lot, I’m here for it.
Personal Bio
Hello everyone, I’m Alex, a Finance major here at Pepperdine. I live out in the Calabasas area, and when I’m not in class you’ll usually find me in the gym. I’ve always been big into fitness and staying disciplined with training. I enjoy the process of pushing myself and seeing progress. Outside of that, I’m into music production working with programs like FL Studio or Serato DJ as well as content creation, and I’ve got a few entrepreneurial projects going in the background. I’ve also been through the First-Gen programming at the Student Success Center myself, so I know firsthand how much it means to have people in your corner who’ve walked a similar path. If you want to talk finance, fitness, music, side hustles, or anything else, don’t hesitate to reach out. Excited to get to know you all!
- Major: Finance