Pepperdine Veterans Day Luncheon Draws Record Attendance in Tribute to Service and Sacrifice

On Monday, November 11, 2024, Pepperdine University's Office of the President and Veteran Affairs hosted the annual Veterans Day Luncheon at the Brock House on the Malibu campus. The event brought together more than 250 veterans, students, faculty, and staff in celebration of military veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces and featured distinguished guest and keynote speaker Ronald “Jake” Clark (MBA ’19). During the ceremony, Clark offered remarks about his long-standing career in both military service and law enforcement, as well as his transformative work with veterans through his nonprofit organization Save A Warrior (SAW).

SAW provides active-duty military, veterans, and first responders struggling with mental health concerns with the tools to overcome the mental barriers blocking their cognitive and emotional well-being through immersive interventions. By blending together psychology, trauma therapy, and elements of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, Clark, the organization’s president and founder, has created a method to mitigate the staggering veteran suicide rate in the United States.

Ronald “Jake” Clark

“If you’re a veteran here today who managed to get up and look your best, despite struggling and suffering, please reach out to me,” said Clark. “Let’s connect so I can extend an invitation to transform every part of your life.” 

In his keynote address, Clark shared how his career journey and experience as a Pepperdine student fueled his passion for supporting veterans and led him to create his nonprofit. As a former uniformed Secret Service division officer, police officer, criminal investigator, FBI special-agent, and captain in the United States Army Reserve, Clark first envisioned helping veterans while studying at Pepperdine’s Graziadio Business School. It was there that he felt his vocational calling come to life.

In recognition of his service and dedication to SAW, director of student veteran affairs Eric Leshinsky and Waves of Flags creator Ryan Sawtelle ('09) presented Clark with one of the original flags from the first Waves of Flags display in 2008.

Ryan Sawtelle,  Eric Leshinsky, and Ronald “Jake” Clark 

“Pepperdine has some amazing alumni working and serving veterans in their daily lives and careers,” said Leshinsky. “This event is all about bringing our community together to honor those that served, to tell their stories, and to uplift and encourage each other to continue our mission to serve in different and wonderful ways. I was very excited that Jake accepted our invitation this year and was as able to share his mission through Save A Warrior to end veteran suicide, as well as his work with first responders and their families.”

For many attendees, the luncheon was a powerful tribute to Pepperdine’s dedication to its veteran community and honoring their sacrifices for the nation. 

“One of the reasons I chose to attend Pepperdine was because of the veteran community,” said student veteran Georgette Lopez. “It’s a school that attracts many veterans due to its close-knit atmosphere and events like this. It is especially meaningful to me, as my dad was also a veteran. Coming from another country, it’s an honor to serve and be recognized in this way. Knowing the struggles and sacrifices that veterans make and hearing about programs like SAW brings everything full circle.” 

Alumnus and veteran Trent Sikute (MS ’24) also reflected on the impact of Pepperdine’s commitment to its veteran community.

“It was an honor to be part of this beautifully organized ceremony, which truly exemplified how much Pepperdine values and respects our service members—past, present, and future,” said Sikute. “As a former Yellow Ribbon student, I deeply appreciate Pepperdine’s dedication to honoring veterans and their commitment to going above and beyond to support our needs. Colonel Leshinsky and the PeppVet team consistently do a phenomenal job of recognizing our members of the armed services, and I’m grateful to be part of a university that holds service and sacrifice in such high regard.”

Pepperdine professor of education John Watson (’72) also expressed his deep gratitude for the University’s support as a veteran faculty member.

“When I returned home from the military, Pepperdine was the first place that welcomed me to work,” Watson said. “The same happened with my own son. In 2010 he joined the Army, served in Afghanistan, was injured, then came back to complete his degree here—and he felt that same sense of support and belonging.”

Condor Squadron

To close the ceremony, Tim Perrin, Pepperdine’s senior vice president of strategic implementation emphasized the importance of military service. 

“Military service is a noble and patriotic calling answered by individuals of remarkable strength and integrity,” said Perrin. “Yet, it’s a challenging path—calling it a ‘sacrifice’ and those who answer it ‘selfless’ speak to that truth. And, as our keynote speaker Jake Clark has shown us, the difficulties and challenges don’t simply vanish once a soldier receives a discharge and returns to civilian life.”

The event concluded with a flyover from the Condor Squadron. Learn more about the University’s veteran initiatives on the Pepperdine Veteran Affairs website.