Norvashua Cottingham

Admission Counselor

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Seaver College Class of 2025
Major: Sociology
Email: norvashua.cottingham@pepperdine.edu
Phone: (310) 506-4392

Favorite Spot on Campus

My favorite spot on campus is Stauffer Chapel. With its beautiful stained glass windows and quiet atmosphere, I feel a strong sense of peace and joy every time I step into the building. Additionally, as a singer, the transcendent acoustics make me feel as though I am just a
bit closer to Heaven. It is a place that centers me, one, I believe, that serves as one of the key foundational places on campus.

Tips for Applying

Top 3 recommendations for applying

1. Highlight your distinctive experiences as a student and community member.
2. Be deliberate about whom you ask for a letter of recommendation.
3. Be authentic throughout your application. We want to see the real you, not a changed version created just to persuade us to admit you.

Working in the Office of Admission

My favorite aspect about working in the Office of Admission

I enjoy being able to assist students in feeling comfortable throughout their process in this big step in life.

Highlights From My Time at Pepperdine

The main reason I decided to attend Pepperdine

I didn't want to attend a university where I would be “just another number,” meaning I wanted to connect with my professors and learn in smaller class sizes. Additionally, the university’s Christian mission focus and international programs also attracted me a lot.

My favorite class

My favorite class was the capstone course for my Nonprofit Management minor, where we acted as consultants for a local Los Angeles nonprofit organization, helping them improve and implement marketing strategies for their new youth program. This was an opportunity to take all the knowledge gained throughout the minor and put it into real-world application.

Activities, clubs, and service projects I was involved with

I was a member of Won by One, Pepperdine’s traveling a cappella worship group; Founding Father and Chaplain of the Mu Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity; Founding member and Hospitality Chair of Pepperdine’s Children’s Miracle Network club; Resident Advisor in
Switzerland.

The highlight of my Pepperdine experience

The highlight of my Pepperdine experience was the impact I was able to have on various individuals across the country, whether it was through giving concerts, being a camp counselor, or promoting Pepperdine as part of Won by One.

Where I studied abroad

Lausanne, Switzerland, and Washington, D.C.