Pepperdine University has inaugurated the “Our Four Angels Endowed Scholarship” in memory of four students who died in a tragic accident on the Pacific Coast Highway in California last October. The new scholarship hopes to support students at Seaver College, the Christian institution’s undergraduate school. In a statement, the university said that the scholarship was established in collaboration with the families of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams.
Connie Horton, vice president for student affairs, highlighted the profound impact and enduring legacy of “these amazing women.” Horton said the scholarship would help the academic endeavors of deserving students, serving as a lasting tribute to their significant contributions to campus life. After the deaths of the four senior students, the university announced they would be posthumously awarded their degrees. The announcement was made during a prayer service, where Provost Jay Brewster expressed the university’s intention to honor the academic achievements of Rolston, Stewart, Weir and Williams.
The students, all members of the Alpha Phi sorority and seniors at Seaver College, were recognized for their academic qualifications and contributions to the university community. The accident occurred when Fraser Michael Bohm, driving a BMW, lost control and collided with the students near parked vehicles on the Pacific Coast Highway. Bohm, 22, faces charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The incident led to his temporary custody, with potential sentencing varying based on the charge’s classification as a felony or misdemeanor.
The victims, all 21 years old except for Rolston, who was nearing her birthday, were commemorated by Pepperdine President Jim Gash during the prayer service. Rolston and Bohm both attended Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, though Bohm did not graduate from there. “No day is more devastating to a tightly knit university community than the day that forces us to come together in grief and sorrow,” Pepperdine’s President and CEO Jim Gash wrote in a statement to the school community at the time. “Earlier today, we learned that four precious lives who brought joy and light to our campus were taken from us suddenly, tragically, and incomprehensibly.”
The investigation, led by Sgt. James Arens, is exploring various factors, including potential cell phone use at the time of the crash. Pepperdine University, founded in 1937, is located in Malibu, California. It offers a range of academic programs through its Seaver College and other schools, catering to around 10,300 students.