Seaver College Holds First Ever Dean’s List Reception

Seaver College recently held its first annual Dean’s List Reception—a new event meant to recognize the accomplishments of students ranking in the top 10 percent of their respective classes. More than 200 undergraduates attended the festivities, which included catered cuisine, raffled prizes,and ocean views.

“Seaver College is proud of the effort our students pour into their academic studies,” said Paul Begin, the College’s interim senior associate dean. “We challenge them to pursue academic excellence, to actively care about the life of the mind, and with this new event, we’re glad to honor those who take that intellectual pursuit to heart.”

Qualifying for the Seaver College Dean’s List is challenging. Of the 3,500 undergraduates enrolled at Pepperdine University, only about 300 earn this prestigious honor per semester. Those who do typically hold a grade point average at or above 3.99. Meeting such a benchmark requires diligent study.

In order to properly recognize the students for their hard work, Dan Culp (’02), an alumnus and current Seaver College parent, developed an idea to host an honorary reception. Culp, along with the Pepperdine University Advancement Office, organized the ensuing event, which featured a sparkling cider toast, festive Howdy’s tacos, specialty coffee, donuts, gelato, cookies, and boba. Aside from the food and drink, attendees enjoyed a photo booth experience with Willie the Wave and entered raffle tickets for a chance to win either a Nobu gift card, a whale watching trip plus lunch, or an excursion to Catalina Island plus lunch. Each attendee was also gifted a Dean’s List lapel pin to commemorate their academic success. 

“Dean’s List honorees are the all-stars of academic excellence,” said Culp. “This level of achievement reflects years of discipline, focus, and commitment. It’s an honor to help bring this inaugural celebration to life and recognize what our students have accomplished.”

Through Culp’s generosity, the Seaver Dean’s List Reception will continue as an annual tradition. His enthusiastic support has endowed the celebratory student gathering for the next five years, assuring Seaver College undergraduates that striving for scholarly distinction will be recognized.

“This means a lot to us,” said Carson Tatsumura, a first-year business administration major. “It is a great way to recognize all the work we put into school and our studies at Seaver College.”