RISE Roundtable

Daniela Lopez and Samantha Rosser, RISE Marketing Student Employees, take a seat at the RISE Roundtable and reflect on a challenge they took upon themselves over the summer dedicated to enhancing their resilience skills: The RISE Up Challenge. This 75-day challenge encouraged students to set 6 goals for themselves based on the dimensions of resilience: social, physical, cognitive, life skills, service, and spiritual.  We also hear from three Pepperdine community members, who each share about a goal they have set to strengthen their resilience. Connect with us: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: @pepperdinerise YouTube: https://youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz?si=qtjB7yWoqwsJhte9  Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/  Share Your Thoughts!: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode, we discuss the following: 1:28 Introducing Sam, Daniela, and the "RISE Up" Summer Challenge 3:04 Sam and Daniela's SMART Goals based on the dimensions of resilience 6:13 Week 1 of the RISE Up Challenge, adjusting goals as needed 8:10 Working through unhelpful thoughts and other roadblocks  10:30 Their Life Skills goal: Limiting screen time 13:20 Reflecting on their physical dimension goal and how it changed their mindset 16:01 Reflecting on their cognitive dimension goal, increasing mindfulness 18:15 Reflecting on their social dimension goal 22:02 Tips for success

Myers Mentzer, Seaver College Class of 2025 student and Student Government Association President, joined RISE Podcast Producer Owen Mirka at the RISE Roundtable. Myers shares her resilience journey as a student leader. We also hear from three Pepperdine community members, who each share a person in their life whom they look up to as a leader who exhibits profound resilience. Connect with us: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: @pepperdinerise YouTube: https://youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz?si=qtjB7yWoqwsJhte9  Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/  Share Your Thoughts!: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode, we discuss the following: 0:00 Pepperdine community members share a leader they look up to 2:03 Introducing Myers Mentzer 7:03 What it means to Myers to be a leader—service 8:55 The importance of faith in Myers's approach to leadership 11:09 Resilience in advocacy work 17:20 The life skills dimension of resilience, an approach to technology 19:44 Growing in the social dimension at International Programs 27:40 How faith plays a role in Myers's life 30:33 Navigating grief as a peer and as a leader

Dr. Terra Hall, Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Pepperdine, joined RISE Podcast Producer Bo Jaden James at the RISE Roundtable. Dr. Hall shares her inspiring faith-driven journey of resilience and her work in cultivating community for all students. We also hear from three Pepperdine community members, who each how they have found a sense of belonging at Pepperdine to enhance their social and cognitive resilience: Molleigh Pompilio, Greek Life Coordinator; Kōlea Suehiro, Student Resident Advisor; and Harold Aguayo-Raya, Assistant Director of Intercultural Affairs. Connect with us: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: @pepperdinerise YouTube: https://youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz?si=qtjB7yWoqwsJhte9  Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/  Share Your Thoughts!: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode, we discuss the following: 0:33 Pepperdine community members share how they have found a sense of belonging 4:50 Dr. Hall's role and impact at Pepperdine University 8:35 Dr. Hall's journey to Pepperdine  9:45 How Dr. Hall got into the work of community belonging 12:14 Dr. Hall defines resilience as a commitment and a recognition of the resilience of others 16:20 How Dr. Hall leans on faith and scripture to navigate challenging and difficult situations in her life 20:20 Dr. Hall's spiritual dimension of resilience practice of early prayer and meditation 23:42 The significance of a spiritual community for resilience 24:49 Intentional resilience habits that Dr. Hall is practicing 29:17 The power of cultivating community amid changing circumstances 32:40 Students who showed Dr. Hall what resilience can look like 37:15 Dr. Hall's message for students 40:09 Confronting imposter syndrome and increasing belonging  

Pepperdine alumni Kenneth Vargas, RISE Podcast Producer, and Emily Shaw, RISE Program Specialist, sit around the RISE Roundtable to reflect on their resilience journeys at Pepperdine and post-grade and share some tips and insights they learned along the way. We also hear from three more Pepperdine alumni, who each share what has supported their resilience throughout their college career and postgraduate experience: R.J. Wicks, Allie McMullen, and Devin Cooke. Links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz  Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/ Instagram: @pepperdinerise Recommend a guest: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A  In this episode, we discuss the following: 5:46 Kenny shares how he optimized his limited time as a student at Pepperdine 9:42 Emily talks about how she thought about the time management building block of the life skills dimension while she was a student 11:12 Having a growth mindset and learning mentality when taking on new opportunities as students 12:17 Trying to operate from a mindset of gratitude rather than perfectionism 14:43 Reflecting on our relationships with our parents and loved ones 20:49 Being curious about and having empathy toward our parents and people we've known for a long time 23:06 Research that shows just how important relationships are for one's well-being and resilience 27:30 Prioritizing our physical resilience and why that's important 28:45 How to overcome mood changes when it comes to taking care of our physical resilience 30:56 The importance of time management as a life skill 33:49 Embracing creativity and nature as a resilience practice 39:12 Pepperdine's motto "Freely ye received, freely give"

Nicole Fashaw, rising senior, joins RISE Podcast Producer Bo Jaden James at the RISE Roundtable. The two discuss the power of music and songwriting to strengthen one's resilience, and Nicole does a special performance of an original song. We also hear from three Pepperdine community members, who each share a song that reminds them about resilience: Seaver alumni (Class of 2024) Alyssa Medina, Lidia Qaladh, and Madilyn Henshaw. Links:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/ Instagram: @pepperdinerise Recommend a guest: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode, we discuss the following: 0:30 Nicole Fashaw and all her commitments and leadership positions 2:48 Being a part of the RISE Interest Community  4:46 Managing different leadership roles and commitments 7:15 What gets Nicole out of bed 8:44 Music as a positive coping mechanism 11:02 The first song Nicole has ever written 12:58 Music-making and resilience 15:21 Navigating imposter syndrome and feelings of not being enough 18:22 Nicole's relationship with God 23:39 The spiritual dimension of resilience 24:21 Nicole provides context for her song "Finally Seen" 25:32 Nicole performs her song "Finally Seen"

Dr. Jaz Gray, Professor of Communication Studies, joins RISE Program Specialist Emily Shaw at the RISE Roundtable. The two discuss the power of narrative storytelling in strengthening one's resilience. We also hear from three Pepperdine community members, who each share a story that has impacted their perspective on resilience: Hope Dease, Assistant Director of Connection; Young Yang, Seaver student; and Tehillah Mwenya, Seaver student. Connect with us: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: @pepperdinerise YouTube: https://youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz?si=qtjB7yWoqwsJhte9  Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/  Recommend a guest!: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode, we discuss the following: 0:00 Pepperdine community members share a story that has impacted their perspective on resilience 4:23 What a narrative researcher investigates 6:09 The various mediums of narrative that supported the different seasons of Dr. Gray's life 10:38 The ways in which films can be a place of escape but also a place of empowerment 15:35 What happens when there's no "fairytale ending" or no "ending" at all 19:56 Re-negotiating the "ending" and what the "problem" is to begin with  24:18 The power of radical honesty in the journey to self-acceptance 26:41 Stories you can only experience and not tell; honoring the chaos of a story 30:10 Building empathy when storytelling and listening to stories 32:35 How marginalized communities and identities can utilize narrative storytelling to build resilience, find community, and challenge systems 43:14 The connections between the dimensions of resilience and narrative storytelling 52:55 Life plotting as a tool for resilience building and humanizing oneself 59:28 When to share and when to not force yourself to share your story 1:04:48 Bouncing back and pushing forward

In this episode, Isaac Bonilla, a rising senior, joins RISE Student Lead Ethan Barragán at the RISE Roundtable, sharing his resilience journey to Pepperdine and how he practices resilience skills to support all of his various academic and co-curricular commitments.  We also hear from three Pepperdine undergraduate students, who each share risks they've taken and the outcome of those decisions: Julie Joy Oliveira, Andrew O'Brien, and Adrielle Lanae Zindler. Connect with us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @pepperdinerise YouTube: https://youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz?si=qtjB7yWoqwsJhte9 Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/ Recommend a guest!: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode, we discuss the following: 0:00 Undergraduate students share what risks they've taken and the outcome of those decisions 5:08 Isaac takes a risk while applying Pepperdine 9:52 Isaac's Pepperdine Posse strengthens his social resilience 11:00 How Isaac manages the many hats he wears at Pepperdine 12:10 The power of journaling, "gyming" and leaning on your social support during tough times 13:45 Isaac's one word to describe his journey at Pepperdine: Patience 19:00 The toll of imposter syndrome and how Isaac works through it 20:50 "Anything is truly possible if you put your mind to it," AND "Sometimes a door that closes is another door that opens" 22:30 How to have a full rest day 24:10 Finding rest in community 26:00 Isaac de Jesus Bonilla finding his faith journey 29:05 A tour guide's words of wisdom to prospective students

In this episode, Paul Kim, Professor of Screen Arts, joins RISE Podcast Producer Kenneth Vargas at the RISE Roundtable. Paul shares his resilience journey as a member of his family, professor, and filmmaker. We also hear from three Pepperdine faculty, who each share how they find a sense of deep enjoyment in life: Martin Premoli, Assistant Professor English; Dr. Karie Riddle, Assistant Professor of Political Science; and Kelsey Brereton, Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Connect with us: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: @pepperdinerise YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz?si=qtjB7yWoqwsJhte9  Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/  Recommend a guest!: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode: 0:00 Pepperdine faculty members share what allows them to find a sense of deep enjoyment in life 5:00 Paul shares his background and his journey to discovering his passion for the arts 11:30 How to find a sense of fulfillment from enjoying the process and the experience of making work 17:11 Paul describes his resilience journey as "trial and error" 19:10 Paul shares a recent difficult challenge he's encountered within his family 22:45 Paul discusses how a difficult experience led to the development of a new perspective on his family and his heritage 29:56 How exercise and cycling has supported Paul in his capacity to be "better prepared" in moving through challenges and in practicing mindfulness 35:20 How Paul support students in honing their craft by creating an environment for them to enter a mind state of "flow" or "optimal experience" and mindfulness 44:49 How to take in feedback and criticism from others on our work or art 47:05 How to combat irrational thoughts such as filtering, perfectionism, catastrophizing, and equating our value with our work performance 56:25 "The other side" of irrational thinking — how we can transform our "weaknesses" into "strengths" 58:44 Remembering to lean on and reach out to your community, the people you trust and who love and care for you 1:06:30 How to stay connected with RISE

Esther Chung, Manager of Alumni Engagement for Seaver Alumni Relations, joins RISE Program Specialist Emily Shaw at the RISE Roundtable. Esther discusses how she's navigated being there for someone she loves, while also learning more about herself and her relationship with God in the process. We also hear from three Pepperdine staff, who each share how they have leaned on their faith to help them through difficult times: Shelby White, Director of Student Employment; Jadyn Gaertner, Assistant Director of Worship & Service; and Jacob Moonen, Academic Advising Associate. Here's what we learned from our conversations: The power of a faith community and friends in supporting one's resilience through a difficult time How to "choose to have faith" and "trust God" when things have been especially challenging The importance of honesty with yourself and loved ones about your feelings and what you need How to embrace all emotions, both the "good" and the "bad" How faith, knowing God is with you and that God understands what you're going through, can carry one through difficult times Finding ways to serve while also receiving from others Connect with us: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@PepperdineRISE-fb2vz?si=qtjB7yWoqwsJhte9 Email: [email protected] Instagram: @pepperdinerise Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/ Recommend a guest!: https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A  In this episode, we discuss… 0:00 Pepperdine staff members share how they have leaned on faith 4:03 Esther shares her background and how she grew up 6:24 Esther discusses a recent difficult time she's been going through with her family 7:51 Trust and honesty are two words Esther uses to describe her resilience journey 10:36 Esther highlights Hebrews 4:15 from the Bible 13:04 Esther's mom's faith and service heart 17:03 Learning to trust God 21:33 The power of a faith community and friends 25:05 "Sometimes, maybe, it's not going to be OK." 27:33 Practicing self-compassion and self-care 31:14 Relinquishing control and unspiraling 34:06 Seaver College Alumni Relations Office resources 34:38 How to stay connected with RISE

On this episode, we sat down with Pepperdine First Lady Joline Gash, first-years Jalen Brooks and Jillian George, and RISE Director Stacey Lee Gobir at the RISE Roundtable. What unites them is that they are all first-generation college students/graduates, being the first in their families to attend and complete college.  Nationwide, about half of all undergraduate students are first-generation college students, according to the Center for First-Generation Student Success. And yet, the Department of Education's NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) finds that first-gen students are more than twice as likely to leave school due to a variety of obstacles. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, first-generation college students often bring many strengths, including a strong work ethic, unique perspectives, and resilience that enrich campus communities. Here's what we learned from our conversations: The power of social support from friends, family, and faculty members in a first-gen student's college journey  How to be open to new experiences and meeting new people The significance of finding a faith community and practicing gratitude in building resilience in college The importance of managing one's time and prioritizing well-being as a college student The blessings and pressures associated with being a first-gen college student How to reframe irrational thoughts about having to be perfect to practicing self-compassion and seeking help from others Connect with us: Email: [email protected]  Instagram: @pepperdinerise Website: www.pepperdine.edu/rise/  Recommend a guest!: ​​https://forms.gle/HztkVNgrW85bvvd1A In this episode, we discuss… 01:14 The definition of first-gen college student  02:59 First-year first-gen students Jillian George and Jalen Brooks' college experience 06:04 Sharing the first-gen college student experience with family 09:25 The importance of a spiritual journey  09:54 Naming the people in life who provide support during hard times  11:25 The challenges that come with managing a college student schedule 14:25 Pleasant surprises about the college experience 17:48 Jillian and Jalen's advice to their high school selves 20:16 Resources for first-gen college students 21:27 First Lady Joline Gash and RISE Director Stacey Lee Gobir's first-gen college experience 28:49 What it's like to represent one's family as a first-gen college student 35:17 The most rewarding parts of the college experience 40:48 Encouragement and advice for other first-gen college students 43:52 How to stay connected with RISE

Take a seat at the RISE Roundtable, a podcast from Pepperdine University's Resilience-Informed Skills Education (RISE) Program, where we share and discuss what it means to build and live a life of resilience. On this first episode, we hear the origin story of RISE from the program's founders: Connie Horton, Vice President for Student Affairs, and La Shonda Coleman, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. Three RISE student employees: senior Liza Esquibias, junior Emily Luong, and senior Kenneth Vargas also joined us, sharing what resilience means to them and how it shows up in their lives. Here's what we learned from our conversations: How the RISE Program began and its vision for a resilient Pepperdine community How to consider the six dimensions of RISE resilience in your life: physical, social, cognitive, service, life skills, spiritual How one intentionally and unintentionally develops and strengthens their resilience, or their capacity to move through challenges How sharing stories of resilience can foster compassion How strengthening relationships and being present play a role in one's resilience  In this episode, we discuss… 02:30 RISE's origin and vision for the Pepperdine community 06:09 The six dimensions of resilience 10:54 Definitions of resilience 14:56 The power of storytelling 17:40 Connie and La Shonda's advice to their younger selves 22:22 Resilience from a student point of view 24:29 Navigating adversities as a student 28:30 The importance of making connections, being present, and having balance 32:38 How to reach out to others 38:50 How to stay connected with us Connect with us: [email protected] Instagram Website Recommend a guest