Waves Weekend 2024

Check-In

After parking in the Drescher Academic Parking lot, shuttle down to main campus to pick up your Waves Weekend name tag, official schedule, and swag for those registered for the Waves Family and Guest registration.

Parent and Family Lounge

Join the Parent and Family Program at a come-and-go lounge throughout the afternoon for conversation and community with other families. Grab an ice-cold apple cider or water bottle and a snack while connecting with other families. Learn more about the bookstore’s Waves Weekend family promotions and how to enter our exciting raffle.

Business Administration Division Back-to-School Day

The Business Administration Division is hosting a fun Back-to-School Day for business administration alumni. Business alumni will be speaking in different classes and creating a community with current Business Administration Division students. Following the lectures, please join from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM at CCB 140, for a light lunch and a time to reconnect with professors. Prior registration is appreciated.

First-Year Housing Meet and Greet

Join the Parent and Family Program at an open house gathering providing you with an opportunity to meet your student's resident director and other members of the Housing and Residence Life staff. Get to know the parents and family members of your student's housemates while catching up on the Adopt-a-Dorm Program.

Adamson House Tour

A guided tour explores the estate and gardens of the Adamson House, a classic Southern California home that sits on one of the most beautiful beaches in the state. The house was, for a time, home to Pepperdine president Norvel Young and his family. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre. The tour is limited to 24 guests. Those with the Waves Weekend Family and Guest Registration can sign up at the check-in tent. First come, first served.

Seaver Main Lot

Getty Villa Excursion

The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria with an ocean view. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre.

Alumni Hospitality Lounge

All alumni are welcome to stop by the Alumni Hospitality Lounge, where cherished memories blend with the excitement of the present during this special weekend celebration. Nestled within the heart of our beloved alma mater, the lounge serves as a warm and inviting haven for our esteemed graduates, offering a perfect blend of nostalgia and camaraderie.

Academic Majors Fair

Lower Mullin Town Square

Weisman Museum of Art: Cameron Harvey: The Shape of Being and Loop, Hum, Wave

Enjoy TWO free exhibitions at the Weisman Museum. In Cameron Harvey: The Shape of Being, the artist shares a new body of work inspired by her walks in the Santa Monica Mountains. Her paintings and sculptures are based on the formal qualities of the human body and their similarities to local flora and rock formations, prompting us to reflect on the universal aspects of the human experience and our relationship to our environment. Loop, Hum, Wave is an exhibition of work by Pepperdine faculty in the fine arts, exploring the passage and movement of time across diverse subjects and mediums.

Weisman Museum

Adamson House Tour

A guided tour explores the estate and gardens of the Adamson House, a classic Southern California home that sits on one of the most beautiful beaches in the state. The house was, for a time, home to Pepperdine president Norvel Young and his family. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre. The tour is limited to 24 guests. Those with the Waves Weekend Family and Guest Registration can sign up at the check-in tent. First come, first served.

Seaver Main Lot

Getty Villa Excursion

The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria with an ocean view. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre.

Seaver Main Lot

Lunch

Enjoy an outdoor buffet-style lunch with family, friends, and students. This meal is included with the Waves Weekend Family and Guest Registration. Be sure to show your name tag for entrance into this meal. Note: Students can join families for this lunch by using their meal points to purchase their meal.

Adamson Plaza

Adamson House Tour

A guided tour explores the estate and gardens of the Adamson House, a classic Southern California home that sits on one of the most beautiful beaches in the state. The house was, for a time, home to Pepperdine president Norvel Young and his family. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre.The tour is limited to 24 guests. Those with the Waves Weekend Family and Guest Registration can sign up at the check-in tent. First come, first served.

Seaver Main Lot

Getty Villa Excursion

The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria with an ocean view. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre.

Seaver Main Lot

Discover the Work of Pepperdine Student Scholars

Join us for a Student Research Poster Session during Waves Weekend! Undergraduate student scholars will be available to discuss their scholarly work during an interactive research poster session. Be inspired by their recent findings and innovative ideas in their fields of study. The research students look forward to engaging in discussion and networking with you!

Light House

Adamson House Tour

A guided tour explores the estate and gardens of the Adamson House, a classic Southern California home that sits on one of the most beautiful beaches in the state. The house was, for a time, home to Pepperdine president Norvel Young and his family. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre. The tour is limited to 24 guests. Those with the Waves Weekend Family and Guest Registration can sign up at the check-in tent. First come, first served.

Seaver Main Lot

Campus Ministry Gathering

Malibus Campus | TBD

Getty Villa Tour

The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria with an ocean view. Shuttles are available in the main lot in front of Smothers Theatre.

Seaver Main Lot

President’s Open House

Jim and Joline Gash, president and first lady of Pepperdine, welcome Waves Weekend guests to a casual, come-and-go dessert reception in their home. Shuttles will be available in the Seaver Main Lot in front of Smothers Theatre.

Brock House

Madness Village

Join us for one of Pepperdine’s biggest events of the year, hosted by the Student Programming Board! Enjoy food, family-friendly carnival games, music, rides, and more. Don’t miss out on this favorite Pepperdine tradition.

Firestone Fieldhouse Parking Lot

Parent & Alumni Gathering

Stop by our booth at Madness Village for refreshments and meet some other parents and alumni enjoying Waves Weekend with their families. Stay awhile and enjoy the booth or just stop by for a beverage while you explore Madness Village.

Madness Village

Waves Weekend: West LA

Can’t make it to Malibu? Join us for a memorable evening of reconnecting with fellow alumni, networking, and celebrating our shared successes. Enjoy delicious refreshments, engaging activities, and ample opportunities to reminisce about your Pepperdine experience while expanding your professional network with alumni from all five Pepperdine schools. $20 | Must be 21+ to attend

West LA Campus

1990s Reunion Opening Reception

Alumni from 1990 to 1999 are invited to a special reception to welcome them back to campus for their alumni reunion! Hosted by the 1990s Reunion Committee, enjoy some great food while reminiscing and reconnecting with friends. Join us for this informal reception just steps away from Madness Village and Blue and Orange Madness

Heritage Hall

Blue and Orange Madness

Join Pepperdine Athletics as it kicks off the Waves men’s and women’s basketball seasons! Celebrated as one of Pepperdine’s greatest traditions, this ultimate pump-up event will include team introductions and student and fan contests for prizes.

Firestone Fieldhouse

Check-In

After parking in the Drescher Academic Parking lot, shuttle down to main campus to pick up your Waves Weekend name tag, official schedule, and swag for those registered for the Waves Family and Guest registration. Check-in will move to Alumni Park at 10 AM. 

Breakfast

Join fellow family members and friends for a continental breakfast. This meal is included only in the Waves Weekend Family and Guest ticket.

The Mountain Display

Come and explore the Mountain at Mullin Park - the future home of Pepperdine campus recreation, health and wellness, and Waves Athletics! Director of development for Athletics, James Gehrels, will share Pepperdine’s vision for this next chapter in student and campus life, answer questions and provide updates in “The Mountain Room” on the third floor of the Thornton Administrative Center. Light refreshments will be available. 

Morning Mountain Hike to the Cross

Partake in this long-standing campus tradition on a student-led intermediate/advanced morning hike through the Santa Monica Mountains. Stand in awe as you observe 360 views of Malibu overlooking campus. Meet at the Seaver Drive shuttle stop to head up to the trailhead. Please bring water and wear appropriate clothing, sunscreen, and hat. Hiking shoes recommended! Space is limited to 100 participants.

Historic Malibu Morning Walk

Spend the morning enjoying the Santa Monica Mountains and Solstice Canyon. Located just 2.2 miles from the Malibu campus, the canyon provides the backdrop for an interesting historical walk through the property previously known as Roberts Ranch. Led by Pepperdine alumna, Alicia (Lisa) Roberts ('81), we'll explore the canyon, enjoying Roberts’ many stories of her fairytale childhood growing up in this local Shangri-La. A highlight of the walk will be visiting the remains of the Roberts’ primary residence, designed in 1952 by well-known architect, Paul Williams, and later featured in Architectural Digest. Meet in front of the Weisman Museum to shuttle to the site. Don’t forget your sunscreen and hat. Comfortable shoes recommended! Space is limited to 50 participants.

Alumni Hospitality Lounge

All alumni are welcome to stop by the Alumni Hospitality Lounge, where cherished memories blend with the excitement of the present during this special weekend celebration. Nestled within the heart of our beloved alma mater, this lounge serves as a warm and inviting haven for our esteemed graduates, offering a perfect blend of nostalgia and camaraderie. 

London Grand Reunion

Alumni, faculty, and students who called 56 Prince’s Gate their home away from home are invited to join the London Grand Reunion on the occasion of the program’s 40th anniversary. All Law School alumni and Seaver IP London alumni and their families are invited to join in a morning of sharing memories, food, and entertainment hosted by president Jim Gash and first lady Joline. Prior registration required; no walk-ins.

Women’s Swim and Dive Rodionoff Invitational

Come cheer on our women's swimming and diving team. Entry is free to all!

Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool

Family and Alumni Picnic

Bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic on Alumni Park. Play lawn games like cornhole, spike ball, and more, while listening to live music from student performers. Alumni from all years can find one another at a special tent. Featured alumni groups include: NSO Counselors, RAs/SAs, Campus Life Kids; Campus Ministry; Pepperdine Ambassadors Council; Lambda Omega Sigma (Psi Upsilon) Fraternity; Zeta Kappa Sorority; and the Delta Tau Omega Sorority.

• Waves Weekend Family Ticket Guests | As you enter the park, check in at the tent to receive your food ticket to use at one of the five food trucks. Registered Waves Weekend Family ticket guests and students eat for free. 
• Waves Weekend Alumni Ticket Guests | As you enter the park, check in at the tent. Registered Alumni will enjoy a catered lunch in the alumni tent. Alumni are also welcome to purchase food at one of the five food trucks.

Alumni Park

Weisman Museum of Art: Cameron Harvey: The Shape of Being and Loop, Hum, Wave

Enjoy TWO free exhibitions at the Weisman Museum. In Cameron Harvey: The Shape of Being, the artist shares a new body of work inspired by her walks in the Santa Monica Mountains. Her paintings and sculptures are based on the formal qualities of the human body and their similarities to local flora and rock formations, prompting us to reflect on the universal aspects of the human experience and our relationship to our environment. Loop, Hum, Wave is an exhibition of work by Pepperdine faculty in the fine arts, exploring the passage and movement of time across diverse subjects and mediums.

Zeta Kappa Sorority Reunion

Join your Zeta Kappa sorority sisters for an afternoon reunion where we can reminisce about the late-night study sessions, unforgettable Songfest competitions, and the bond we created over our love for the yellow rose.  Bring your pictures and scrapbooks to share. Light refreshments will be served. We can't wait to see you and relive the moments that made our time together so special.

Delta Tau Omega Sorority Gathering

Join your Delta Tau Omega sorority sisters for an afternoon reunion. This is your time to reminisce about your time at Pepperdine and your shared experiences as sisters. We can't wait to catch up with you and make more memories!

Lambda Omega Sigma (Psi Upsilon) Alumni Gathering

NSO Counselors, RAs/SAs, Campus Life Kids Alumni Gathering

Featuring former Campus Life leaders including Hung Le, Bob White, and more!

Campus Ministry Alumni Gathering

Pepperdine Ambassadors Council Alumni Gathering

Student and Alumni Entrepreneurship Summit

Entrepreneurs, builders, thinkers, dreamers— This is the place for you. Gather with your fellow Waves community in this to share ideas, foster innovation, and learn from industry leaders. Be part of a vibrant community dedicated to making a positive impact on the world. RSVP for the summit.

Pepperdine Graphic Media and NewsWaves

Come catch up with friends at the Pepperdine Graphic Media and NewsWaves reunion! We can’t wait to see all the alumni who were part of Pepperdine Graphic Media (newspaper, online, G News, G Sports, Impressions yearbook and Oasis/Currents magazine) and Newswaves, News Center and TV news alumni (TV3, TV26, TV 32). We’re also inviting back retired communications professors and media advisors to join us for this Waves Weekend reunion!

Director of Athletics Introduction to The Mountain

Come and explore the Mountain at Mullin Park—the future home of Pepperdine campus recreation, health and wellness, and Waves Athletics! The Director of Athletics, Tanner Gardner, will share Pepperdine’s vision for this next chapter in student and campus life, answer questions, and privacy updates in “The Mountain Room” on the third floor of the Thornton Administrative Center. Light refreshments will be available.

Pepperdine Improv Troupe (PIT) Comedy Performance

Elkins Auditorium

Alumni Devotional

Round out your Waves Weekend Saturday experience with an early evening devotional in Stauffer Chapel. Join senior vice chancellor for Alumni Affairs, Hung Le, and former campus ministers Scott Lambert (SC '85) and LaJuana Gill (SC '95) in prayer as we finish this memorable weekend together giving thanks and praise.

Stauffer Chapel

Dinner in the ’Bu

Malibu is filled with Pepperdine-friendly restaurants. We encourage you to explore everything Malibu has to offer. 

Various Locations

Art-Making for Everyone

The Center for the Arts invites Waves of all ages to enjoy free art activities and self-guided tours of the Weisman Museum before the evening's ticketed performance by TAIKOPROJECT. Join us in creating a personalized t-shirt, tote bag, or tea towel inspired by the natural materials and organic forms in the Weisman's exhibition Cameron Harvey: The Shape of Being. No artistic skills or experience needed—just a spirit of curiosity and fun.

Juarez Courtyard, Weisman Museum

1970s - 1980s Reception

Alumni from the 70s and 80s are invited to a reception at Ollo in Malibu. Join your alumni family for a heavy appetizer reception where you’ll have the chance to see your alumni friends all in one place. Enjoy great food and reminiscing before heading back to campus for the Coffeehouse on Alumni Park. Prior registration is encouraged, $15 to attend

Ollo Restaurant, Malibu

1990s Reunion Banquet

Step back in time as we gather on Alumni Park to celebrate the ties that bind us together. Reconnect with old friends, professors, and mentors, and relive the cherished memories of your time on campus. This is your chance to catch up with familiar faces and make new connections with alumni from various graduating classes. You’ll enjoy dinner, campus highlights, and reminiscing!

Alumni Park

TAIKOPROJECT

A dynamic contemporary blend of taiko, music, storytelling, and choreography, TAIKOPROJECT unites ancient Japanese tradition with 21st-century American innovation in pure "drum nirvana" (Fresno Bee). Inspired by Benzaiten, the Japanese goddess of everything that flows, their concerts combine percussive power and strength with consummate grace and movement. Use the special promo code WAVES24 to purchase the best seats in the theatre for half-price. Tickets may be purchased online, over the phone, or at the Center for the Arts Box Office

Smothers Theatre

Alumni Coffeehouse

All alumni are invited back to Alumni Park to relive your weekend evenings as students with a special alumni coffeehouse. Show off your talents or cheer on your friends at what is sure to be a memorable evening full of entertainment, laughs, and camaraderie.

Alumni Park

Campus Prayer Walk

Parents, families, alumni, faculty, and staff are invited to join the Spiritual Life Advisors and the Parent and Family Program for a morning prayer walk. We will begin at the Phillips Theme Tower and walk through the main campus, ending at the Stauffer Chapel. For those with limited mobility, we will have a stationary gathering point adjacent to the chapel. Please bring water and wear appropriate clothing, sunscreen, and hat. Walking shoes recommended!

University Church of Christ (UCC) Worship Service

Join members of the University Church of Christ (UCC) for a worship time of celebration and praise. We are excited to welcome you (or welcome you back!) into our church family. Plan to arrive a little bit early to join us for a fellowship time of coffee and snacks. We invite you to stay around after church and join us for a potluck lunch; if you are a guest (whether a student, family member of a student, or alumnus), there’s no need to bring anything except a desire to join our church family in a shared meal.

UCC Potluck

Waves Church

Come worship with us at Waves Church — the new church on campus. We will have instrumental worship and a message from our minister, Taylor Walling. Alumni, families, and friends are always welcome to join our students in worship. Following Waves Church, everyone is invited to join for tacos and ice cream.