Florence
Staff
Faculty-in-Residence 2021-2022
Spring 2022
Dr. Kristy Collins
Dean of Enrollment Management
Office: TAC 213
Kristy Collins is Dean of Enrollment Management at Seaver College and Associate Provost of University Financial Assistance. She is a graduate of Pepperdine, a Heidelberg alum, and a former Pepperdine Ambassadors Council member. Kristy has worked at Pepperdine for nearly 15 years. Kristy and her husband, Chris (also a Seaver and Heidelberg alum), live on campus with their two kids, Mateo and Adela. Kristy loves to bake, Chris loves to stand up paddle surf, and they both love to hike, cook, and explore new places together. The Collins family is thrilled to spend time with students in Florence, Italy this spring and Buenos Aires this summer. Although Kristy and Chris have traveled the world together, it will be their first time to visit Argentina!
Faculty-in-Residence 2022-2023
Fall 2022
Dr. John Peterson
Associate Professor of English
Office: CAC 305
John Peterson is an associate professor of English at Seaver College and teaches classes in vocation and calling, American poetry, and environmental literature. He received his Ph.D. in English from Claremont Graduate University and has been teaching at Pepperdine for fifteen years. John and his wife, Tessa, live in Sierra Madre with their two boys, Isaiah and Jonah (ages ten and seven) and their labrador, Gracie. When John isn’t spending time with his family or teaching at Pepperdine, he enjoys gardening, hiking, and playing basketball. John and his wife have long dreamt of living in Italy and are thrilled to do so as a part of the Florence program.
Spring 2023
Dr. Chris Soper
Distinguished Professor of Political Science
Office: APC 247
Chris Soper is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Seaver College and teaches a variety of classes in American and Comparative Politics. He completed his PhD at Yale University and has been teaching at Pepperdine for more than 25 years. Chris and his wife Jane (an elementary school teacher and administrator) have served previously in the Heidelberg and London campuses. Chris and Jane are excited to explore every nook and cranny of the fantastic city of Florence. They look forward to getting to know the city and to sharing tips and adventures with the students we will be living and studying with in Villa Di Loreto and Residenza Tagliaferri.
Updated: 8.16.2021