Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 (School of Nursing) runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Summer Session II 2026
- Summer 2026 Session IIISummer Session III 2026
- Fall Semester 2026 (School of Nursing)Relevant now
- Spring Semester 2027 (School of Nursing)
- Summer Semester 2027 (School of Nursing)
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 51 of 51 terms
B
- Board
- The Student Programming Board, responsible for organizing major campus events like Blue & Orange Madness.
- BSU
- Black Student Union, a prominent cultural organization on campus.
C
- Convo
- Short for Convocation, the series of required spiritual or educational events students must attend.
D
- DPS
- Department of Public Safety, the campus police and security service.
- Drescher
- The Drescher Graduate Campus apartments, often housing upperclassmen and graduate students on the highest point of campus.
- Dry Campus
- The university policy that strictly prohibits the possession or consumption of alcohol on campus grounds.
E
- E. Pen
- Shorthand for E. Penland House, one of the specific freshman residence houses.
G
- George Page
- The George Page residential complex, primarily used for law students and some undergraduates.
- GP
- George Page, the apartment complex typically housing upperclassmen and law students.
H
- HRL
- Housing and Residence Life, the department managing on-campus living and Resident Assistants.
I
- ICA
- Intercultural Affairs, an office dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion on campus.
- ICC
- Inter-Club Council, the governing body that oversees and funds student-led clubs.
- IP
- International Programs, referring to Pepperdine's popular study abroad programs.
- IP
- International Programs, Pepperdine's extensive and popular study abroad program.
- ISO
- International Student Organization, supporting the international student community.
K
- KWVS
- The student-run campus radio station.
L
- La Brea
- The La Brea Bakery express location situated within the Thornton Administrative Center area.
- Loverich
- An upperclassman apartment complex located near the theme tower.
- Loveridge
- One of the specific first-year residence houses located in the main housing area.
- Lovernich
- Apartment-style housing located on the lower part of campus near the athletic facilities.
N
- Nature's
- Nature's Edge, a juice bar and convenience store located within the TCC.
- Nature's Edge
- A health-focused dining kiosk in the Tyler Campus Center known for smoothies and acai bowls.
O
- OSA
- Office of Student Activities, which manages campus life and student organizations.
P
- Payson Starbucks
- The Starbucks location situated inside the Payson Library.
- PCH
- Pacific Coast Highway, the main road outside campus that students use to travel to Santa Monica or Zuma.
R
- Ring by Spring
- The traditional pressure or goal for students to be engaged by the spring semester of their senior year.
S
- SAB
- Student Activities Board, the group responsible for planning major campus events like Blue and Orange Madness.
- Seaside
- Seaside Residence Hall, a newer housing complex typically reserved for upperclassmen.
- Seaver
- Seaver College, the name of the undergraduate liberal arts college at Pepperdine.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the primary representative body for the undergraduate students.
- Songfest
- A major annual tradition where student groups compete in a musical variety show.
- Starbucks
- The full-service Starbucks located on the second floor of Payson Library.
- Step Forward Day
- The university's annual day of service where students volunteer in the local community.
T
- The Board
- The Student Programming Board, responsible for organizing major campus events like Blue and Orange Madness.
- The Bubble
- A term used to describe the isolated, safe, and often idyllic environment of the Malibu campus.
- The Caf
- The Waves Cafe, the main dining hall located in the Tyler Campus Center.
- The CC
- Short for the Tyler Campus Center, the central hub for most dining options.
- The Cross
- The large white cross on the hill that serves as a campus landmark and hiking destination.
- The Graphic
- Pepperdine's student-run newspaper and media group.
- The HAWC
- The Howard A. White Center, which features a late-night coffee shop and snack bar.
- The Hike
- The physically demanding walk up the steep hills from the lower campus to the dorms or the CCB.
- The Hill
- The steep road and physical climb required to get from the main campus to the Drescher or CCB areas.
- The Houses
- The standard suite-style freshman residence halls located on the lower campus.
- The Oasis
- A dining location at the Drescher Graduate Campus.
- The Rock
- A large rock on campus that is frequently painted by student groups to promote events or organizations.
- The Sandbar
- A casual dining and hangout spot located in the Tyler Campus Center.
- The Stairs
- A reference to the physically demanding nature of navigating the steep, hilly campus terrain.
- The Towers
- A suite-style residence hall primarily housing sophomore students.
- Theme Tower
- The Phillips Theme Tower, the iconic 125-foot tall cross tower that serves as a campus landmark.
- Towers
- The Towers residence hall, a common housing choice for sophomore students.
W
- Waves
- The official nickname for Pepperdine students, derived from the school's athletic mascot.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- AC
- Appleby Center, a major academic building housing classrooms and faculty offices.
- Blue Book
- Small booklets required for writing essays during midterms and final exams, sold at the bookstore.
- Blue Books
- Small paper booklets required for many written exams, which students must purchase at the bookstore.
- Blue Light
- The emergency phone system located throughout campus for student safety.
- Blue Route
- The primary campus shuttle loop that connects the lower campus to the upper residential areas.
- BPC
- Black Family Plaza Classrooms, a common location for undergraduate general education classes.
- CAC
- Cultural Arts Center, housing the music and theatre departments.
- cafe_fresca
- Cafe Fresca
- caruso_school_of_law_cafe
- Caruso School of Law Cafe
- CCB
- Center for Communication and Business, located on the upper campus hill.
- Courses
- The university's learning management system (Canvas) used for assignments and course materials.
- drescher_cafe
- Drescher Cafe
- Elkins
- Elkins Auditorium, the largest lecture hall on campus used for classes and events.
- Firestone
- Firestone Fieldhouse, the main gymnasium and arena for athletic events and graduation.
- Handshake
- The online portal used by students to find on-campus jobs and career opportunities.
- hawc_cafe_and_store
- HAWC Cafe and Store
- Keck
- The Keck Science Center, housing the natural science labs and classrooms.
- LiveSafe
- The official campus safety app used for emergency alerts and requesting safety escorts.
- Meal Points
- The currency used for purchasing food at on-campus dining locations as part of a meal plan.
- nature_s_edge
- Nature's Edge
- Navigate
- The mobile app used by students to schedule advising appointments and manage academic success.
- Orange Route
- The campus shuttle route that connects the main campus to the Drescher Graduate Campus.
- P-Safe
- The Department of Public Safety, responsible for campus security and emergency response.
- Payson
- Payson Library, the main undergraduate library on the Malibu campus.
- Pepperdine ID
- The multi-purpose identification card required for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- PLC
- Pendleton Learning Center, a building containing many general education classrooms.
- SafeRide
- A DPS-provided escort service for students needing safe transportation across campus at night.
- Smothers
- Smothers Theatre, the university's primary venue for performing arts and large lectures.
- starbucks
- Starbucks
- StarRez
- The online portal used specifically for housing applications and roommate selection.
- Starship
- The autonomous robotic delivery service that brings food to various campus locations.
- Step Forward Day
- Pepperdine's annual day of community service where students and faculty volunteer across Los Angeles.
- TAC
- Thornton Administrative Center, where financial aid and registrar offices are located.
- TCC
- Tyler Campus Center, the main student union building containing the cafeteria and bookstore.
- The AC
- Appleby Center, a central academic building housing classrooms and science labs.
- The Brock House
- The official residence of the University President, located on a hill overlooking campus.
- The CAC
- Cultural Arts Center, the venue for theater productions and musical performances.
- The CC
- The Tyler Campus Center, the central hub for dining, mail, and student activities.
- The Loop
- The primary shuttle route that circles the main Malibu campus residential and academic areas.
- The Rock
- A landmark painted by students to promote events or celebrate campus traditions.
- The Shuttle
- The campus transit system that runs loops between the lower campus and the upper Drescher campus.
- The Stairs
- A reference to the steep terrain of the campus, requiring students to climb many outdoor staircases between levels.
- The TCC
- Tyler Campus Center, the central building for student services, dining, and the bookstore.
- Wave ID
- The official student identification card required for meal plans and building access.
- WaveNet
- The central online portal used by students to register for classes, check grades, and pay tuition.
- Waves Card
- The official student ID card used for meal points, building access, and library services.
- Waves Cash
- Funds loaded onto a student ID card used for laundry, printing, and select off-campus vendors.
- waves_cafe
- Waves Cafe
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 (School of Nursing) runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 18, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 51 approved campus terms and 48 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.