The PeppTalk Podcast

In this episode of PeppTalk, host Coby Dolloff sits down with Josh Nadeau , author, artist, and one of Substack's most compelling voices on faith and culture, for a conversation on beauty, embodiment, and what it takes to become whole. Josh is the creator of Sword and Pencil, a platform where he shares his iconography-influenced art and writing, and the author of multiple books, including Room for...

What does it take to find the story that only you can tell — and then muster the courage to go get it? In this episode of PeppTalk, Coby sits down with Daniel Voll — journalist, playwright, and screenwriter — for a wide-ranging conversation on curiosity, craft, community, and the future of storytelling. From reporting in war zones and tracking down war criminals to executive producing the hit Netf...

What does it mean to pursue truth in a world that would rather keep ideas safe and untested? In this episode of PeppTalk, Alexa and Coby sit down with Professor Jonathan Koch — professor of English and Great Books at Seaver College — to explore what a genuine liberal arts education looks like: when faith and learning are treated not as separate things to be integrated, but as something that was ne...

What does studying both science and great books teach a person, and what kind of life does that integration prepare one for? In this episode of PeppTalk, hosts Alexa and Coby sit down with Vera Syers, a graduating senior of Pepperdine's Seaver College Class of 2026, in her final week as a Pepperdine student. The conversation is a graduation-week reflection on what four years in the lab and at the...

In this episode of PeppTalk, Coby Dolloff sits down with Professor Ron Highfield — theologian, author, and 37-year member of the Pepperdine faculty — to explore the ideas behind his new book, The Christian University and the Academic Establishment. Professor Highfield has spent decades thinking carefully about what it means to educate students as Christians — forming them to think about God, their...

Why do people still read thousand-year-old books — and why does it matter more now than ever? In this episode of PeppTalk, host Coby Dolloff sits down with two of the foremost experts on the Great Books tradition to explore what these timeless texts have to teach us about how to live, how to think, and who we are. Jeremy Wayne Tate, founder and CEO of the Classic Learning Test, and Jessica Hooten...

What does a 750-year-old poem have to say about practicing Lent today? In this episode of PeppTalk, hosts Coby and Alexa sit down with Professor Paul Contino—Pepperdine's Distinguished Professor of Great Books—to explore how Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy illuminates the Lenten season with clarity and depth. Professor Contino brings Dante's vision to life, tracing the poem's timeless themes of re...

To kick off Season 2 of PeppTalk, host Alexa Borstad sits down with Anthony Kennada ('08) and Ulysse Saltiel ('25) to explore the heart and vision behind the inaugural Waves Innovation Summit. Held on Pepperdine's Malibu campus in partnership with the Graziadio Business School and Seaver College, the Summit brings together students, alumni, faculty, and industry leaders for a day focused on bold i...

In this episode of PeppTalk , the podcast welcomes one of the most legendary entertainers of all time: Pat Boone. Hosted by Alexa and Kelly Haer, executive director of Pepperdine’s Boone Center for the Family , the episode highlights Boone’s life, career, and faith. Tune in to hear how Boone rose to fame as one of America’s top teen idols, selling more than 45 million records, starring in 26 films...

In this special episode of PeppTalk, presented by Pepperdine University and the Boone Center for the Family, we’re joined by Kelly Haer, Executive Director of the Boone Center for the Family, and Dr. Henry Cloud — acclaimed clinical psychologist, leadership expert, and New York Times bestselling author of Boundaries, the book that has helped millions cultivate healthier relationships and stronger...

In this episode, we’re unpacking the Pain and Peace Cycle , which is a core piece of the Boone Center’s RelateStrong and RelateStrong Leadership Series Curriculum . When we’re triggered, we often fall into patterns that create hurt, but there is also a restorative path that leads to peace. Dee Dee walks us through this transformative model and shares how understanding these cycles can reshape the...

In this episode of PeppTalk, Kelly Haer and Dee Dee Mayer from the Boone Center for the Family explore how followers of Christ can navigate political differences without letting them divide relationships. Just in time for the holiday season, they unpack why political conversations feel more personal and polarizing today—and share practical, faith-centered ways to stay connected even when opinions...

On this episode of PeppTalk, we welcome an unusual guest: the Ghost of George Pepperdine. What started as a witty X account poking fun at Pepperdine history has grown into a Substack filled with sharp, provocative reflections on the University’s past, present, and soul. In this episode, learn why Pepperdine remains “haunted” by its founding ideals, the history behind Founder’s Day, and how mythmak...

In this special episode of PeppTalk, we sit down with the WAVES WORSHIP team, a worship and songwriting movement at Pepperdine, to talk about the impact of worship at Pepperdine and their exciting upcoming projects. From leading chapels and creating spaces of authentic encounter with God to producing their first full-length album, WAVES WORSHIP is shaping the spiritual life of the Pepperdine commu...

As we close our PeppTalk series on relationships, we turn to the one relationship that shapes all the others—our relationship with God. In this powerful conversation, Dee Dee helps us unpack what it really means to walk with God. We explore timeless wisdom from figures like Augustine, Paul, and Job, the role of spiritual disciplines, how to stay grounded in dry seasons, and why relationship—not pe...

In this episode of PeppTalk, Coby and Alexa are joined by professor Jennifer Smith to discuss how Pepperdine University is cultivating academic freedom within a distinctly faith-based environment. We take you inside the 2025 Academic Freedom Colloquium: Faith and the Academy and the University’s signature Dialogue Dinner series—two initiatives at the heart of Pepperdine’s commitment to open, coura...

What is true friendship—and why does it matter now more than ever? In this thought-provoking episode of PeppTalk, the Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson joins us for a conversation on the meaning of friendship in a fragmented, fast-paced world. Drawing from classical thinkers, Christian tradition, and her own experience in the classroom, Dr. Hooten Wilson explores how fr...

In this special episode of PeppTalk, hosts Alexa and Coby speak with Pete Peterson, dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, to discuss the launch of the Master of Middle East Policy Studies program—a first-of-its-kind graduate program in partnership with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Located at Pepperdine’s Washington, DC, campus, this two-year, in-person program combines...

Hosts Alexa and Coby sit down with Kelly Haer to unpack what it truly means to build and sustain a healthy relationship with oneself. In this episode, listeners will go far beyond self-care to explore how their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs shape every connection they have. Discover why knowing oneself—an undertaking supported by Augustine—is essential, and how differentiation—staying rooted in...

In this episode, hosts Alexa and Coby sit down with Kelly Haer to discuss the season of singleness. In a culture filled with dating apps, romantic comedies, and social timelines, the question looms: Will Prince Charming ever come? (Spoiler: it’s not that simple!) Whether you’re single by choice, circumstance, or simply for now, this conversation invites you to reframe singleness—not as a pause in...

In this episode, hosts Alexa and Coby sit down with Dee Dee Mayer to explore the vital role of relationships in the workplace. Drawing on insights from Gallup research, they unpack what truly drives job satisfaction and employee engagement. The conversation also delves into how pop culture reflects and shapes our understanding of work-life, with thoughtful references to Severance and The Office. W...

In this episode, hosts Alexa and Coby sit down with Kelly Haer, executive director of the Boone Center for the Family, for a thoughtful and engaging conversation on parenting, family dynamics, and the biblical significance of the family. Together, they explore what it means to build strong, resilient families in today’s cultural climate and answer the following question: Is having a family today s...

In this episode of PeppTalk, hosts Coby and Alexa sit down with Dee Dee for a conversation on the current state of the Church. From shifting cultural attitudes to changing demographics, they explore how the Church is experiencing both significant challenges and significant opportunities in today’s world. Together, they dive into some of the pressing questions shaping modern faith communities: Why...

In this episode, PeppTalk hosts Coby and Alexa sit down with Dee Dee Mayer, senior director of RelateStrong at the Boone Center for the Family and a trusted expert on relationships, to explore a big question: Is marriage still worth it in today’s world? As cultural norms shift and divorce rates remain high, many are rethinking the value and purpose of marriage. In this episode, we unpack the emoti...

In this episode, PeppTalk hosts Coby and Alexa chat with Kelly Haer, executive director of the Boone Center and expert on relationships, to discuss the challenges of modern dating. From the impact of dating apps to the rise of ambiguity and lack of clarity in relationships, Kelly shares insights on why dating feels more difficult today and offers practical advice on how to date with intention. In...