Student Testimonials

My best piece of wisdom is to embrace Aristotle's notion of "habit of thought". There were many readings that I did not truly understand until I was able to apply it to a concrete phenomena (i.e. a movie, Pepperdine Graphic articles, Harry Potter). This also allows you to explore what ideas or philosophies you can incorporate into your own worldview. Bring Great Books outside of the classroom - that's when you'll really learn and understand.

- Sophie Nelson (c/o 2021)

Personally, I have never been one for writing. My decision to go into STEM was somewhat decided by that fact; I did better with tests than essays, and preferred to work in the realm of facts than discuss theory. Thus, when I was put into Great Books my freshman year, I went in thinking I would hate it. Large amounts of reading followed up with big papers on ideas and thoughts written by dead white men from long ago did not appeal to me. But here I am, after completing four semesters of Great Books, claiming that it is one of my pinnacle experiences here at Pepperdine. And the reason for that is that it is such a different class experience than anything your major could give you. What made Great Books so Great for me was that you could learn just as much from your peers as you could from your professors. And when you did learn, it was through discovery either as a class or on your own, rather than having the professor regurgitate slides to you. I remember so much more from my Great Books classes than my major classes because of this. It also taught me to read critically, which has been invaluable in my other classes. I have found that I can read assigned research articles faster than my peers simply because I’ve been taught what to look out for and how to better interpret the author’s intentions. All that aside, Great Books makes you stand out to future grad programs because they are looking for wholistic students. If you are looking for something to round out your education, I definitely recommend the Great Books program.

- Ryan Kenney (c/o 2021)

If there's one class I had to pick that has had the most profound impact not just on my tenure as a student, but also my life, it would be Great Books. Great Books teaches one not just how to read and write, but how to think. If these tools are equipped in your arsenal, you will soon come to

find that you are unstoppable.

- Reid Owen (c/o 2022)

Last night I was trying to think of my favorite/the most fulfilling experiences from my time at Pepperdine. I'd say that the top three are the (1) friends I've made and the relationships I've formed, (2) studying abroad (rush Lausanne), and (3) taking Great Books (especially with Gose). In high school, I rarely finished my assigned readings, and timed writes were the bane of my existence. After Great Books though, I am a much better reader, writer, thinker, and communicator, and I firmly believe I have learned more from Great Books than I have in any of my other classes. It's also relatively unique to have the possibility to take the same professor for multiple classes, so take advantage of that, build that relationship (and maybe get a recommendation out of it). The last thing I'll say is that if you haven't necessarily enjoyed this semester, switch your professor!! I've heard great things about Contino, Ditmore, and Schultz

especially (and of course I love Gose), but I know that all of the professors bring something unique to the table, maybe you just haven't found your fit yet? Give GB a chance, I think you'll find it's worth it.

-Cullen Player (c/o 2021)

When I was a freshman, I was convinced I was going to despise the class. I distinctly remember cramming and reading The Iliad in one night because the deadline snuck up on me near the beginning of my first semester; that was a painful memory. However, that was the beginning of what would become the greatest positive impacts on my undergraduate career. Through the great works I read in my first two semesters at Pepperdine, I gained the ability to understand the world through the lens of some of the greatest thinkers to ever walk among man. Ok, easier said than done, but gaining the tools to look at different perspectives translates to real life too. I found that my discontent with reading went away and in its place, the desire to be a scholar of the world was born. Make no mistake, as a Great Books student, you will work harder and longer than your peers, but doesn’t that make you feel good? The reward far outweighs the risk. So, take the risk

and the road less traveled. You won’t be disappointed.

- Josh Leow (c/o 2022)