Professor Samuel Seaman is Skating a Path to a Holistic Education
professor Samuel Seaman is no ordinary educator. While he spends his business hours teaching complex mathematical concepts within his decision sciences and applied statistics courses, his unique approach to teaching and connecting with his students extends well beyond the classroom.
An avid outdoorsman and a self-professed thrill-seeker, Seaman blends his passion for adventure with education by inviting students to his signature "board meetings.鈥� Far from a stuffy boardroom dissecting financial plans, these excursions take place outdoors鈥攐n surfboards, skateboards, and even skis. This mobile classroom creates an unconventional space where mentorship and friendship can thrive amid the waves, pavement, and slopes.
Samuel Seaman, Isabelie Montalvo, and Christian Sharron
"These activities build lasting bonds,鈥� Seaman explains. 鈥淚n my first year as a professor, I had a student from France whom I taught to surf. Today, he lives in Australia, surfs around the world, and recently got engaged鈥攈e even invited me to his wedding. We've stayed in touch for 20 years. You can form good relationships in the classroom, but discovering shared interests outside of it fosters genuine connections that endure long after graduation."
Community and Camaraderie
As part of their degree program, Graziadio Business School students Isabelie Montalvo and Christian Sharron found themselves in Seaman鈥檚 classroom, where a shared love of skateboarding helped spark a deeper connection. As a professor, Seaman is widely respected for his commitment to building meaningful relationships with his students鈥攂oth academically and personally. In addition to his extracurricular activities, Seaman intentionally brings a levity to his classroom that makes the difficult course material more approachable. In his course, he demystifies tough mathematical problems by grounding them in practical, real-world applications to help students develop confidence in their analytical thinking.
Montalvo notes that this personal approach helps enhance students鈥� understanding of statistical concepts by the observation of patterns in everyday experiences and creates a more relatable and supportive learning environment.
鈥淚 remember the moment I realized he was a skater,鈥� recalls Montalvo, thinking back to her first day in Seaman鈥檚 class. 鈥淚 showed up half an hour early鈥攕omething I always do because I get really bad stage fright. I like to sit at the front, put my headphones on, and not talk to anyone. But then I noticed his shoes鈥擵ans鈥攁nd it caught me off guard. I鈥檇 been debating whether to wear my Vans or my Doc Martens that day. I ended up choosing the Docs, but seeing his shoes made me think, 鈥榃e might actually have something in common.鈥� And we did.鈥�
Seaman, Montalvo, and Sharron skating
For Montalvo, that small moment of recognition helped ease the anxiety she felt walking into a challenging course.
鈥淚nstead of stressing over how to impress the professor, I started thinking about how we were alike鈥攁nd that made him more approachable,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 realized I didn鈥檛 need to perform; I just needed to learn and have a real conversation. I felt like I understood this community, and that helped me feel like I belonged.鈥�
According to Sharron, the openness and encouragement to connect with professors and classmates both inside and outside the classroom creates something special. 鈥淎t the heart of it all, it鈥檚 the relationships that set Pepperdine apart,鈥� he explains. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not something you find everywhere.鈥�
For Montalvo and Sharron, Pepperdine鈥檚 greatest strength lies in its supportive academic environment and the network of professors and peers that make up the University鈥檚 tight-knit community.
鈥淭he instruction and genuine support from the community is what makes this a unique educational experience,鈥� shares Montalvo. 鈥淏ecause of the small class sizes, we can bond better as well as advocate for the academic experience that we want without feeling dismissed. Pepperdine empowers us to say what we need and is ready to support us.鈥�
While Sharron admits to doing well academically during his online undergraduate program, he lacked a deep sense of connection. 鈥淏eing able to collaborate with my peers and develop friendships while supporting each other through the coursework has been much more rewarding and meaningful,鈥� he says.
This sense of kinship and purpose comes to life in Seaman鈥檚 classroom, where he takes a seemingly mundane subject like math and makes it compelling鈥攅ven 鈥渞omantic.鈥� His goal is to help students move toward a deeper understanding of the material.
"My philosophy is about leveraging understanding鈥攏ot just memorizing formulas or equations, but truly grasping the concepts,鈥� explains Seaman. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about being able to write a proof for the sake of it; it鈥檚 about understanding the 鈥榳hy鈥� behind it.鈥�
Where Faith and Science Meet
Seaman鈥檚 relationships with his students and teaching style speak to Pepperdine鈥檚 broader mission to encourage students to investigate truth, particularly their own. The University's grace-based approach to faith and education provides a supportive environment for students to explore who they are, and for professors to introduce unconventional ideas that foster creative thought.
Seaman, Montalvo, and Sharron at the Malibu Bluffs Skatepark
The strength of Seaman's faith initially drew him to Pepperdine's Christian values, but his decision to join the faculty was cemented the moment he experienced the campus firsthand. Fittingly, the ocean calls to Seaman; he's a regular on Malibu's beaches and even built a statistical model to predict ideal surfing days. This passion for the practical application of math extends to his integration of faith with statistics. For Seaman, data can illuminate everything from romance to spiritual understanding. It鈥檚 this holistic approach to material that makes him such a valued educator鈥攐r even skate partner鈥攖o his students.
"If you love what you do, it's not really work, and I'm lucky enough that I don't feel like I go to work," Seaman explains. "Most people countdown to Friday, but I genuinely can't wait for Monday to get back to my classroom and my students鈥攊t's just so much fun."