Diversity and Belonging

The Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP) and SPP Diversity Committee provides a forum for students, faculty, staff, and alumni to engage in events, professional development, and mentorship opportunities that aim to build a diverse community founded on a set of core values that strive toward academic excellence and a shared sense of belonging with the understanding as noted in the Pepperdine University Diversity Statement.

School of Public Policy's Committee Members

The SPP Diversity Committee consists of five members from the SPP community, which includes (at minimum):

• 1-2 Full time faculty
• 1 Alumnus
• 1-2 Staff member
• 1-4 Students 

All committee members serve a term of one academic year with an option to renew.  The 2022-2023 committee chair is Melissa Espinoza, director of strategic initiatives and student engagement at Pepperdine School of Public Policy. 

Students interested in becoming members of the SPP Diversity Committee will be asked to submit a statement of interest that will be reviewed by the chair. The alumni member will be outreached by the chair at the beginning of each academic year.

Meetings

The committee will host 1 - 2 meetings per semester.
The committee chair will coordinate both in person and zoom meeting as needed. 

Committee Goals

The School of Public Policy diversity committee will:

• focus on executing at least one (1) diversity event per semester
• strive to create a forum for diversity related issues throughout the University
• collaborate with the UDC on programming
• develop a mentorship/ resource program
  
  

2022-2023 Committee Members

• Melissa Espinoza, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Student Engagement
• Christopher Jones, Senior Director of Student Services
• Hattie Mitchelle (MPP '12) 
• Jaimie Park, MPP 2nd Year Student 
• Kirill Strakhov, MPP 2nd Year Student 

Events