Diversity and Belonging
At Pepperdine Caruso Law, our community is rich in political, racial, and spiritual diversity which has formed a strong culture of connection among our students, faculty, and staff. Led by our faith-based values, we believe that each person’s voice and convictions enhance our community.
We are committed to being a place where all belong. While we recognize that there is still much work to be done, we have outlined important measures and goals in our strategic plan for the continued improvement of diversity at Caruso Law.
Read our statement of purpose
Student Activities
Diversity Council
Initiatives
- Suit Stipend
- First Generation Initiative
- Beyond the Dialogue
- Scholarship
Become a Belonging Champion
Spotlight of the Month
Congress designated March to be Women's History Month in 1987, a designation which has been followed by official Presidential Proclamation every year since. This is a time to recognize that women have made significant contributions to our society. As President Carter noted in 1980 when first recognizing Women's History Week, "the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well."
We are proud to recognize an amazing alumna who exemplified all the good that women bring to the law, the Honorable Beverly Reid O'Connell (JD '90). Judge O'Connell was a giant in the Los Angeles legal community, having worked at the US Attorney Office until appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court in 2005. She was later appointed to the federal court and served as a District Court Judge for the Central District of California from 2013 until her tragic passing in 2017.
First Generation Students
Pepperdine Caruso Law is excited to support students who are the first in their family to graduate from college. Through our "First Gen" initiatives, we strive to foster a community that establishes mentors, creates opportunities, and opens dialogue about what it means to be a First Gen law student.
I became the person I am today because of Pepperdine – how to be an attorney who has a sense of empathy and compassion in this world – we all gravitated naturally towards this attitude.
Nathalie Adourian
(JD '10)