Seaver faculty, staff, and administrators are dedicated to helping first-generation
Seaver College students thrive throughout their academic journey. Highlighted below
are staff who were first-generation students themselves as well as staff who advocate,
support, and serve the unique first-generation population on campus. All faculty identified
below are eager to assist you throughout your time at Pepperdine and are looking forward
to working with you.
First-Generation Staff
Madelline Abourchedb
Operations & Technology Manager, Seaver College Career Center
As a first-generation student, I started college with more questions than answers
and zero roadmap. I remember the weight of not knowing which doors to knock on or
that certain resources even existed. That experience is exactly why I’m so passionate
about my work in the Career Center today. I’ve gone from navigating the system blindly
to helping build the very tools I once needed. My goal is to ensure no student feels
like they’re guessing their way through their college experience or unsure of how
to approach life after graduation. If you’re looking for a resource, a guide, or just
someone who can relate, I’m here to help!
Lauren Alvarado McGrath
Career and Pre-Law Advisor, Seaver College Career Center
Since joining Pepperdine in 2015, I have dedicated my career to the intersection of
human resources and student development. My journey began with a Liberal Studies degree
at CSUN and a goal to teach elementary school, which evolved into a career rooted
in mentorship and professional growth. Whether I was serving as an Associate Director
of HR designing talent development programs or in my current role as a Career and
Pre-Law Advisor, my mission has remained the same: to empower others through learning.
As a first-generation college student, I am especially passionate about demystifying
the professional world for students and alumni, helping them navigate the job market
with the confidence and tools they need to succeed.
Khadijah Ojo
Director of Pre-Health Advising, Seaver College Career Center
Dr. Khadijah Ojo is dedicated to helping students successfully prepare for and pursue
careers in healthcare. Her work is informed by a strong record of measurable student
outcomes, data-informed programming, and her lived experience as a former pre-med
and first generation college student. Central to her approach is building meaningful
relationships with students and understanding their individual goals and challenges.
Dr. Ojo specializes in advising students who are first-generation, low-income, underrepresented,
rural, immigrant, female, and from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. Through
a holistic advising model that integrates career exploration, personalized guidance,
and practical strategies, she empowers students to design purposeful academic pathways
and fulfilling careers in healthcare.
First-Generation Staff Advocates
Jacob Cervantes
Director of Student Success, Seaver Student Success Center
Hello, First-Gen Students! My name is Jacob and I work in the Student Success Center
(SSC) here at Seaver College. Student Success is an ever-changing and evolving landscape
where staff and faculty examine what factors contribute to a student thriving in college.
Most importantly, our office designs services and programs to meet each student where
they are while supporting them in achieving their individual goals.
One of the most important lessons I learned in undergrad is that academic support
is for everyone. Even though I graduated high school with a strong GPA and was heavily
involved on campus, I received my first C- on a paper during my first month of college
as an English major. That experience was humbling. My professor encouraged me to visit
the Writing Center, and I began attending tutoring weekly. By the end of the semester,
I had spent so much time there that I was offered a job as a tutor.
Throughout undergrad and graduate school, I continued working as a tutor. During slow
shifts, the other tutors and I would exchange papers and projects to give each other
feedback. That experience reinforced something I still believe today: no matter your
academic background or achievements, there is always more to learn.
Hi there! My name is Chelsea and I serve as an Admission Counselor at Pepperdine’s
Office of Undergraduate Admission. I am also a Pepperdine Alum, and I graduated in
2024! In my role, I get to work with many prospective, first-gen students, and it
makes me happy to serve as a resource for them as they navigate the college application
process. While I am technically not first-gen, my family’s history with education
has not been conventional, and I am so thankful for the opportunities that I have
had in my educational journey. I hope to now serve as a resource for current Pepperdine
first-gen students, and walk with them as the first in their families to not just
survive college, but thrive in it at Pepperdine!
