Florence

Elizabeth Whatley

Director 

Elizabeth.Whatley@pepperdine.edu

Alessio Basta

Program Assistant 

Alessio.Basta@pepperdine.edu

Marta Mandriani

Facilities Coordinator

Marta.Mandriani@pepperdine.edu

 

 

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.

Dr. Charles Choi

Associate Professor, Communication Division

Office: CCB 254

 Charles Choi is an Associate Professor of Communication at Seaver College and teaches classes in intercultural communication. He received his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he met his wife, Elisia, and he's been teaching at Pepperdine since 2014. Charles and Elisia live in Oak Park with their two kids, Joelle and Jordan, and served previously as the faculty family in Lausanne, Switzerland. They greatly enjoy living and learning with Pepperdine students abroad and are excited to explore Italy, learn Italian, and soak in the culture of Tuscany.