Pepperdine University announced Thursday that the Four Lights Memorial — dedicated to honor the four undergraduate students who were killed in October 2023 — is now open to members of the community.
The memorial was conceived by members of the University’s administration, faculty and staff in the days following news of the loss. Born out of the deep grief of that tragic day, President Jim Gash made a promise to the Pepperdine community that the University would never forget the four students and that their lights would shine on campus forever.
“We invite all members of our community to visit the Four Lights Memorial to remember and reflect on the beautiful lives of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams,” said Tim Spivey, vice president for spiritual life at Pepperdine. “In our grief, may this memorial be a lasting place where we continue to seek and find God’s comfort and grace.”
The University dedicated the memorial in a private ceremony Wednesday evening. Set outside Stauffer Chapel against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, the permanent monument is designed with four individual lights inscribed with the names and intended graduation years of the four students — Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams. In addition to the Four Lights Memorial, the University plans to install a larger memorial monument to remember all Pepperdine students who have lost their lives during their time on campus.
In March 2024, the University established the Our Four Angels Endowed Scholarship in partnership with the Rolston, Stewart, Weir, and Williams families to honor the students and continue their legacies.
Pepperdine will also honor the lives of the four students with posthumous degrees as members of the Seaver College Class of 2024 at the commencement ceremony taking place April 27 at Alumni Park on the University’s Malibu campus.
Pepperdine University is a private Christian university located 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles in Malibu, California. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Pepperdine is committed to both the relentless pursuit of truth through academic and scholarly excellence and to embodying Christian faith and values. With students at the heart of the educational enterprise, the University prepares approximately 10,300 scholars across its liberal arts school, Seaver College, and its four nationally recognized graduate schools for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.