Dane Bruhahn works hard to create a positive environment within his brand, his school activities and his friendships.
The San Diego native crafted a clothing line with a few of his friends in high school. The surf- and swim-centered “Encinitas Brand” served as a business and creative outlet for Bruhahn.
The freshman screen arts major has added positively to the Pepperdine’s community through his video editing for NewsWaves, teleprompting for Good Morning Malibu, and being a member of club rugby and intramural soccer.
“He puts his heart and soul into the things he makes,” Thomas Ling, a freshman business administration major, said. “He has really creative ideas.”
Bruhahn’s clothing line helped cultivate his calling to the ocean. He picked up surfing his freshman year of high school and designed his clothing brand for those who share a love of surfing, swim or beach wear.
When Bruhahn is in the ocean, he said he feels the most like himself. Furthering his faith and love for surfing, he also attends Pepperdine’s Surf Convo.
“It makes me feel worry free and like I am at home,” Bruhahn said. “It is always a fun time.”
Nurturing friendships and keeping a positive outlook is something important to Bruhahn.
“Dane is a really empathetic guy,” freshman biology major Foster Graf said. “Especially in college guys, you don’t really see that all the time.”
His empathy and good heart had to have stemmed from somewhere. Bruhahn said the biggest influences in life are his mom and his Young Life leader, Randy Guista, from high school.
“My mom has taught me to do the right thing, even when no one is watching,” he said.
Bruhahn described his Young Life leader as a father figure because in high school he went through a lot of tough times and Guista helped keep his faith rooted in his non-denominational Christianity.
Through those tough times in high school, Bruhahn found himself creating more than ever. While hanging with his friends the idea of a business came up. They knew with clothes they could make each piece unique.
The group started by creating a website and marketing it through Instagram. The page gained about 15,000 followers. The Encinitas Brand created seven lines and 13 designs. When college started, they put the website on hiatus.
Bruhahn’s creative drive did not just stop at clothing. Marketing the brand takes dedication for the images and clips posted online. That aspect of the business fueled his other passion of shooting and editing videos, which sparked his decision to pursue a screen arts major. His favorite professor, Professor Jacob Michael, pushes him to find new perspectives he did not know he had.
Bruhahn also found inspiration for his creating his own films from the movie, “Inception.” He enjoys the complicated plot lines and Christopher Nolan’s directing inspires him.
Bruhahn said he works through the tough times, by riding the waves, tackling the problems and aligning his goals. For his sophomore year he plans to study abroad in Florence, Italy, where he he hopes to continue developing his film and photographic talent. He thinks it is a win-win situation, because he will get to capture the beauty of Florence all while doing what he loves.
“I want to create something meaningful and work on meaningful projects that just like makes someone happy,” Bruhahn said.
Milan Alas completed this profile in Jour 241 in Spring 2020 under the supervision of Dr. Christina Littlefield.
