Dr. Murrie’s Class

Intercultural Experiences Shape Student

Alumnus David Ari Marzban shares his intercultural encounters and how Pepperdine has shaped the way that he views his roles in different environments.

Marzban’s Encounter

The streets of Taiwan were crowded with exhibitions, parades and concerts. The culinary smells and intricate sights filled alumnus David Marzban’s senses. All around him seemed to be the center of everything, the culmination of all his learning.

“I was moved by the excitement and passion of the Taiwanese people,” Marzban recalled.

This event, hosted at the Taipei Guest House, a historic building in Taiwan, was where the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China was held and where Marzban would have the honor of meeting Taiwan’s President Ma Ying Jiu and US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.  The opportunity was both a privilege and a humbling occurrence, after years of cultural studies and intercultural encounters.

Photo Credit: David Marzban

Setting the Stage

In his youth, Marzban shared that his cultural experience was diverse. He described a multilingual childhood in which he heard French, Armenian and Farsi on the phone and spoke Farsi over games of backgammon with his grandfather.

His international experiences only expanded after that. Having taken French for five years in middle and high school, Marzban took a trip to France, where he was able to apply his knowledge. “In a meat market near the Versailles Gardens, I felt so accomplished after ordering three slices of ham in French!”

After coming to Pepperdine, Marzban minored in Asian studies and was later chosen to partake in the Shanghai program. During his time in China, he felt that he was representing Pepperdine and American culture as well as his faith.

“Living in Shanghai was the first time that I felt far from my family and friends, but the experience lent itself to so much growth by encouraging me to be more self-aware and ready to live in a different culture.”

Life after Pepperdine

Today, Marzban lives in Taiwan as a Fulbright scholar teaching English as a second language to local students. He feels that in his role he is able to fulfill the vision of Senator J. William Fulbright: “to bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs, and thereby to increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship”

Through all of his intercultural ventures, Marzban expressed that his recent encounter with Taiwan’s President Ma Ying Jiu and partaking in the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China has been his most memorable.

“What I learned in the classroom became so real to me; I was participating in such a historically significant event,” Marzban said.

Even though he is no longer a student at Pepperdine, Marzban feels that his education has provided the grounds for a future of diverse opportunities.

“Pepperdine has groomed me to live and serve effectively as a Fulbright recipient in Taiwan. The relationships with my professors, the study-abroad experiences, the difficulties, the times of reflection—all of these things have equipped me to do an excellent job. I am very grateful for my time at Pepperdine and am mindful that I still represent it in Taiwan.”