Pepperdine University’s women’s swim and dive team, which was terminated in March due to budgetary restraints, has been actively participating in community volunteer service opportunities.
In addition to recently attending the Brent Shapiro Foundation Dinner for raising awareness for drug and alcohol abuse and taking part in the university’s Step Forward Day on Sept. 12, the team members on Sept. 19 volunteered to help clean up the beaches as part of the Heal the Bay Coastline Cleanup and California Coastal Cleanup Day.
Affected by the nation’s economic recession, Pepperdine University’s Department of Athletics in March announced the termination of its women’s swimming and diving team and its men’s track team. The athletic cuts are part of a plan, which includes the layoffs of nine athletic department employees and limitations on team sizes and all departments’ budgets, to reallocate $850,000 to help alleviate the school’s expenses.
In the effort to support the swim and dive team’s continuation beyond 2010, the team seeks to raise a $10 million endowment to continue to be a Division One team, or raise enough to be a Pepperdine chartered club team (about $350,000 per year if some scholarships are provided).
More information can be obtained by e-mailing wavesswimclub@gmail.com.