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Beginning with free In-N-Out on Tuesday night, the class of 2006 officially kicked off Senior Week, an annual series of events for those students about to bid farewell to Pepperdine. The week-long festivities culminate Thursday night with a reception where President Andrew K. Benton and Dean David Baird will be among the guests along with entertainment and the famous Pepperdine draw of free food.
Jennifer Ostan, the manager of the Student Alumni Organization & Student Advancement, said the annual event serves as a way to “celebrate all their hard work and accomplishments and to welcome them into their new role as alumni of Pepperdine.” With graduation comes automatic free membership to the Alumni Association.
Ostan said this year the SAO changed the week around by “holding fewer events of higher quality and attraction.” Senior Week, which was formerly known as A.W.O.L. (A Week of Leaving), began seven years ago, but the final night, Senior Night, has been a tradition for 10 years.
“We do not want the seniors to feel like they are just leaving the university and their time here is over,” Ostan said. “But rather that they are taking on a new role in their place in the Pepperdine family.”
For some, that role began with helping out. According to Ostan, the SAO wanted to involve more seniors in the process of planning the events. Senior class President Julie Chang is just one of the many to participate.
“I will be at all of the events,” Chang said. “Partly because I am helping out, but I also really want to hang out with friends I haven’t seen for a while.”
Like many graduating seniors, Chang is using her last year wisely. As a liberal arts major, Chang said her final year here has been busy, but rewarding.
“This has been my transition year because I’m still a student, but I pretty much have a full time job [with] student teaching everyday,” she said. “Coming to Pepperdine was probably one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. I've learned so much about myself and how I can contribute to the world.”
The events are also offered in part so that students can pick up information packets regarding graduation and free license plate frames on a first come, first serve basis today. The final night will also offer an opportunity to win some prizes before heading out to a world where it’s all about getting what you earn. In any case, this week will allow seniors to get in everything they need to before crossing the stage in Alumni Park where they will take on their new titles: Pepperdine graduates.
Submitted 03-29-2006
MALIBU, CA
