Milestones2000 to 2010

A Retrospective of the First 10 Years of Andrew K. Benton’s Presidency

Pepperdine is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.

MISSION

AS A CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY PEPPERDINE AFFIRMS:

that God is

that God is revealed uniquely in Christ

that the educational process may not, with impunity, be divorced from the divine process

that the student, as a person of infinite dignity, is the heart of the educational enterprise

that the quality of student life is a valid concern of the University

that truth, having nothing to fear from investigation, should be pursued relentlessly in every discipline

that spiritual commitment, tolerating no excuse for mediocrity, demands the highest standards of academic excellence

that freedom, whether spiritual, intellectual, or economic, is indivisible

that knowledge calls, ultimately, for a life of service.

Affirmation

TOM TRIMBLE

From my vantage point as the

former chair of the Building and

Grounds Committee of the Board

of Regents, the seeds of success

of the last 10 years were planted

decades ago when Andy Benton,

then executive vice president,

secured the permits to complete the

development of the Malibu campus.

Even then Andy was looking 20

years into the future, envisioning a

complete campus with classroom

space for graduate programs,

recreational space for all students,

better student housing, and an

arena that would house nationally

competitive teams.

A member of the Pepperdine University Board of

Regents since 1981, Trimble has served as secretary

of the board, chair of the Buildings and Grounds

Committee, and as a member of the Religious

Standards Committee and the Executive Committee.

He was also a longtime member of the Pepperdine

University School of Law Board of Visitors. For 27

years Trimble had a private practice in Phoenix,

Arizona, before becoming senior vice president, gener-

al counsel, and corporate secretary of Southwest Gas

Corporation, where he served for almost 10 years.

Chair, Pepperdine University Board of Regents, 2000-2004

During the last 10 years, the Drescher Graduate Campus was delivered on time and under budget. New gradu-ate campuses were opened in West Los Angeles and

in Irvine. The Center for Communication and Business was

completed and provided a new home for one of our most pop-

ular programs and the Mullin Town Square added much need-

ed community space, as well as state-of-the-art classrooms.

Clearly, Andy Benton had come to the presidency prepared to

lead immediately. He was a president with a blueprint for the

future.

Later, as chair of the Board of Regents, I came to real-

ize that Andy’s vision was much more expansive than simply

completing the Malibu campus and improving graduate facili-

ties. As president he was determined to move Pepperdine to

national and global prominence. Under Andy’s leadership we

identified some of the most prominent universities in the na-

tion as our competitors. We set out to equal their performance

in all areas while at the same time strengthening our commit-

ment to our heritage of faith. Andy’s goals are still large and

many are still out of reach, but he foresaw the future over 20

years ago that he is forming today.

The last decade has given us a glimpse of what is pos-

sible in Pepperdine’s future. By nearly every measurement we

have become more competitive. Seaver College, the Graziadio

School, the School of Public Policy, and the Graduate School

of Education and Psychology are each competing nationally

and no law school in the nation is moving to the top-tier as

quickly as the School of Law. Over all, our athletic teams are

outperforming most schools of our size and many universities

that are much larger. Imagine what these programs can do if

they are resourced more appropriately.

That, of course, is the great challenge for Pepperdine. Just

as we were planning to launch the next major capital campaign

in 2008, a campaign that would provide even more facilities

and scholarships for our students, the global economic envi-

ronment took a severe and negative turn and the campaign was

put on hold. Like most universities in the U.S., Pepperdine’s

endowment suffered a sizable loss. The administration met

this economic challenge—the second in a decade—head on,

minimized the loss, and prepared for several years of finan-

cial instability. Pepperdine was schooled by two major eco-

nomic storms and is prepared to move forward in the next

decade, even in the midst of an unfavorable economic environ-

ment. Andy’s team has instilled confidence within the Board of

Regents to launch a campaign in the very near future.

During the last decade, we have benefited from the gen-

erosity of many friends and alumni who share Pepperdine’s

values and have supported Pepperdine’s aspirations. The next

decade will require even greater support and sacrifice from all

who love Pepperdine and wish to see her grow.

I am especially encouraged by the participation of alumni

in building Pepperdine’s future. The University’s relationship

with alumni from both George Pepperdine College and the five

schools of today has improved tremendously over the last 10

years. The University has listened carefully to the desires and

concerns of the alumni and has made efforts to respond. My

personal dream is that by the end of the decade we will see

100 percent participation and contribution from our alumni;

that 100 percent will be participating in service and chapters,

and that there will be 100 percent increased personal pride in

Pepperdine University.

One of the most important

events of the last decade actually

took place six months before it

even began. David Davenport, in

his final major act as Pepperdine’s

sixth president, presented

the Board of Regents with a

recommendation to adopt the

Mission of Pepperdine University.

On March 26, 1999, the Regents

approved the statement.

With this foundation,

Pepperdine entered the decade

with a real sense of optimism.

ED BIGGERS

A member of the Pepperdine University Board of Regents

since 1983, Biggers has served on several regent commit-

tees over the years including the Executive Committee,

Buildings and Grounds, Finance and Investments,

Membership, and Religious Standards. He retired as

president of Hughes Missile Group in 1994, having

worked in various capacities with Hughes Aircraft since

joining the company in 1960.

Chair, Pepperdine University Board of Regents, 2004–present

When Andrew K. Benton was inaugurated the sev-enth president of Pepperdine University in 2000, the world seemed to be at peace and the promise

of prosperity provided a backdrop of hope for Pepperdine’s

future. Then the decade began with a U.S. presidential elec-

tion that came down to a few hanging chads in Florida and a

Supreme Court decision that triggered a decade of harsh po-

larization. Just over a year into the new decade, the attacks of

9/11 presented new harsh realities and generated fear around

the world. We spent most of the decade at war and the fallout

from two global economic disasters was swift and severe. In

hindsight, this has been a decade of adversity that no one fully

anticipated—hardly the favorable environment for which we

had hoped.

Even with this dim global backdrop, Pepperdine surged

ahead with measured confidence. When faced with harsh ex-

ternal pressures, President Benton reacted with cool-headed,

steady, conservative management of our resources and set

about the business of building the University around the newly

established mission statement.

Prior to the adoption of the mission statement, Pepperdine

was more of a conglomerate. Since that time the mission state-

ment has helped transition Pepperdine from five somewhat

independent schools into a more unified institution—a true

university. Construction of the graduate campus was a major

factor in this unifying process. The fact that it was completed

on time and under budget is reflective of Benton’s astute fiscal

management and leadership.

Having participated in the development of the mission

statement, President Benton was quick to build upon its foun-

dation. He immediately established five priorites in his inaugu-

ral address that were rooted to this set of values. Since then he

has created a culture of accountability around the mission, and

an alignment across all schools has been achieved to a degree

greater than at any time in our history.

Under President Benton’s leadership Pepperdine has been

very intentional in selection of faculty that reflect and enhance

the mission of the University. The careful selection of a provost

and a slate of deans who understand the power of the mission

and have committed themselves to implementing it has been

critical to Pepperdine’s success over the last decade.

We have seen that our mission to achieve the highest

standards of academic excellence in the context of a Christian

worldview fits Pepperdine nicely. We have further to go before

we can claim victory, but for the first time in Pepperdine’s his-

tory, this value system has become part of our DNA. Very few

universities have the capacity and will to lead in this distinctive

approach to integrating faith and reason.

As we look ahead, we see significant challenges loom-

ing on the horizon. The dismal economic conditions show no

signs of improving anytime soon, placing our graduate pro-

grams at some risk. The need for scholarships and financial

aid at each of our schools has never been greater. Meanwhile,

to remain competitive Pepperdine must continue to improve

its distinctive offering without incurring significant debt or

significantly raising tuition. In the near term, the new capital

campaign will give us the support to reach our goals. In the

long term, Pepperdine will need to rely more heavily upon its

alumni base to strengthen and secure the future. Given what

I see coming from our alumni, I would say that Pepperdine’s

future looks promising.

Indeed the future has already started. Many of our pro-

grams have become national leaders in their fields over the last

decade. We continue to be recognized nationally as a top-tier

institution and our global presence is growing. Since 2000, we

have been able to attract highly qualified scholars and students

who share a passion for our mission. Our global presence has

expanded significantly with the addition of facilities in Buenos

Aires, Lausanne, and Shanghai. Today’s Pepperdine graduate is

more spiritual, more thankful, more committed to service, and

better prepared to face a competitive world than in any time in

our history. Nothing excites me more about Pepperdine than

the continued improvement in the quality of our graduates.

When Andrew K. Benton assumed the role of Pepperdine University’s seventh president on June 16, 2000, he began a new chapter in the history of an institution set on a path to excellence. Sensing that Pepperdine was positioned to ascend to new heights, President Benton dedicated himself in his inaugural paper, “Envisioning a Bold Future,” to the challenge of emphasizing scholarship and cul-ture, expanding resources, creating a sense of community, enhanc-ing diversity, and connecting to heritage. The pages that follow pro-vide a glimpse of the progress made toward these promises given to Pepperdine faculty, students, alumni, and friends.

introduction

The commitment to scholarship pervades the Pepperdine experience, with the pri-macy of learning, and teaching, the im-portance of research, and the search for truth consistently elevated among the University’s highest values.

Mentorship, collaboration, and support between

remarkable professors and gifted students result in

great achievements at Pepperdine; just one source

of evidence is the proliferation of Pepperdine stu-

dents awarded one of the world’s most prestigious

academic accolades, the Fulbright Scholarship. In

2005 Pepperdine graduate student Kari Filerman was

named a Fulbright Scholar to study the Mexican bank-

ing system. The number for 2006 rose to two; five

in 2008; five in 2009; and seven in 2010. In 2004

Seaver College launched its robust Cross-Disciplinary/

Interdisciplinary Research Program, and in 2009

Andrew Forcehimes became Pepperdine’s first student

finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship.

With direction from provost Darryl Tippens, the

University retained teachers, administrators, and

practitioners at the top of their fields in this decade

known as Pepperdine’s “golden age of faculty hiring.”

Additions included new deans Linda Livingstone, Rick

Marrs, Ken Starr, and Margaret Weber, as well as noted

faculty Edward Larson, James Q. Wilson, Christopher

Parkening, Angela Hawken, Rodney Honeycutt, and

Tom Stipanowich. School of Public Policy profes-

sor James Q. Wilson was awarded the Bradley Prize

and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, while biolo-

gist Stephen Davis received the Robert Foster Cherry

Award for Great Teaching.

Faculty members hone their areas of expertise and

students gain practical, learning experience through

Pepperdine’s many research centers and institutes. The

School of Law, which was welcomed into the Order of

the Coif in 2008, has been especially active with the

creation of the Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship

and the Law; the Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion,

and Ethics; the Wm. Byrne, Jr., Judicial Clerkship

Institute; in addition to the ongoing national domi-

nance of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution,

which has claimed the No. 1 ranking in the country

for six years and counting. The Pat Lucas Center for

Teacher Preparation, the Center for Applied Research,

the Center for Teaching Excellence, and the Center

for Entertainment, Media, and Culture, all recently

formed, are also sources of cocurricular education for

student and faculty.

The University also connects students with leading

scholars and thinkers through the many visiting pro-

fessorships and distinguished lectures series that were

funded toward the latter half of the decade, including

the Dean’s Executive Leadership Series at the Graziadio

School, the W. David Baird Distinguished Lecture

Series at Seaver College, and the William French Smith

Memorial Lectures at the School of Law, which hosted

four U.S. Supreme Court justices in its first four years.

Scholarship

Clockwise from left:

ANGELA HAWKEN

ED LARSON

STEVE DAVIS

Scholarship

Recognizing the vital importance of facilities that simultaneously sup-port academic rigor and the for-mation of community, Pepperdine entered the new decade with a steadfast commitment to expand-ing its unique campuses and chal-lenging educational offerings.

Construction of the Drescher Graduate

Campus was completed ahead of sched-

ule and on budget; classes opened on-site

in August 2003, providing a home base

for the School of Public Policy and con-

taining the full-time, residential programs

of the Graduate School of Education and

Psychology, and the Graziadio School of

Business and Management. Significant com-

pletions on the lower campus included the

state-of-the-art Keck Science Center and the

Center for Communication and Business,

while renovations transformed Smothers

Theatre, Elkins Auditorium, and Stauffer

Chapel. A full-service hotel and conference

center, known as the Villa Graziadio, and

the Heroes Garden, a 9/11 memorial site,

opened on the Drescher Graduate Campus.

Outside of Malibu, the headquarters of

the Graziadio School and GSEP relocated

westward from Pepperdine Plaza in Culver

City to new facilities in the Howard Hughes

Center in West Los Angeles. The new Irvine

Graduate Campus at Lakeshore Towers and

the Silicon Valley Graduate Center in San

Jose both opened as well.

The international emphasis in the

Pepperdine curriculum has continued to

grow, offering students invaluable oppor-

tunities to expand their minds and hearts

through a new global perspective. Permanent

facilities opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina,

in 2002; in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2007;

and in Shanghai, China, in 2008. Numerous

study abroad opportunities have been added,

including programs in East Africa and Fiji.

Closer to home, in 2009 Pepperdine opened

a brand new facility in Washington, D.C.,

just four blocks west of the White House.

Pepperdine also has committed resourc-

es to developing the University’s technologi-

cal infrastructure, including the successful

implementation of the PeopleSoft Enterprise

Platform, expansion of wireless connectivity

and broadband, and doubling of print and

electronic library holdings since 2000.

Resources

Clockwise from left:

MULLIN TOWN SQUARE

HOWARD HUGHES CENTER

DRESCHER CAMPUS

Resources

CommunityPepperdine University prioritizes the development of the whole student in the context of community and fellowship. Faculty, staff, and administrators dedicate themselves to caring for each individual during every transformational moment of the Pepperdine experi-ence and beyond.

Student community life is inclusive, intellectually stimulating, and personally mean-ingful. New, annual traditions begun during President Benton’s tenure—such as Rock the Brock, the Malibu campus Christmas tree lighting, Waves of Flags, CultureFest, and Reel Stories—celebrate community spirit and enhance the student experience. Improved faculty/student ratios facilitate personal interaction, while improvements to the libraries and the Mullin Town Square have provided space for the coming together of the Pepperdine community.

Continuing a tradition from its earliest days, Pepperdine University fosters “Waves pride” and school spirit among its community members. Exceptional student-athletes of the last decade have led the school to distinction, including 107 All-American hon-ors by 61 Waves players and 52 conference championships. Rising to national promi-nence, the men’s volleyball team won the NCAA Championships in 2005, and men’s tennis captured its first-ever national championship in 2006.

The Pepperdine community extends far beyond graduation. In 2006 President Benton set forth a University-wide initiative to transform alumni engagement with Pepperdine and with one another. He reorganized Alumni Affairs, established the Alumni Leadership Council, encouraged “Waves Hiring Waves,” and in 2009 launched Waves of Service, the movement to celebrate, support, and connect Pepperdine alumni committed to volunteerism and careers of service worldwide.

Pepperdine continues to attract, welcome, and support a diverse population. Within the last 10 years, the University has devel-oped diversity initiatives to improve over-all recruitment, retention, education, and access in order to increase understanding of different perspectives, cultures, and beliefs.

Diversity councils at Seaver College, the Graduate

School of Education and Psychology, and at the

University level collaborate to create strategic plans

and goals for diversity in alignment with Pepperdine’s

Christian mission and vision. This involves implement-

ing programs that increase and enhance student, fac-

ulty, and staff diversity at all levels of the University,

including speaker series for individuals to address the

community on issues like ethnic diversity, vocation, and

faith.

At the undergraduate level, Seaver College estab-

lished the Office of Intercultural Affairs and created

academic minors in the area of women’s studies, eth-

nic studies, African American studies, and courses in

environmental justice and social justice. Seaver’s 2010

newly enrolled domestic first year and transfer students

rose to 48 percent of students of color, an 18 percent

increase since 2005.

At the graduate schools, the School of Public Policy

participates in various diversity programs as a member

of the Public Policy and International Affairs Program,

sponsors an International Scholars Exchange, and sup-

ports a Women in Public Policy student group. The

School of Law initiated the Global Justice program and

sponsors numerous educational opportunities on diver-

sity, law, and ethics, including the National Black Law

Students Mock Trial Team Competition. The Graduate

School of Education and Psychology has successfully

developed cultural competencies throughout its cur-

riculum, provided effective multicultural and leader-

ship psychology training labs, and increased qualified

psychology tenured/tenure-track faculty of color from

25 percent to 50 percent within the last five years. The

Graziadio School of Business and Management partners

with the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, National

Black MBA Association, and National Association of

Women MBAs to better serve its student community.

Other new additions to Pepperdine’s diverse land-

scape include the Cultural Heritage and Faith Series

from the University Chaplain’s Office and the Glazer

Institute for Jewish Studies, which engages the com-

munity to promote dialogue and understanding among

Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Under President Benton’s

leadership Pepperdine has continued to attract influ-

ential leaders and impactful public figures with wide-

ranging perspectives. Nobel Prize-winner Muhammad

Yunus, First Lady Laura Bush, civil liberties attorney

Alan Derschowitz, and scholar Cornel West are just

some of the noted speakers to have visited Pepperdine

in recent years.

DIVERSITY

Throughout its history, Pepperdine has embraced the unique bal-ance between the claims of the academy and the call to Christian dis-cipleship. Offerings like the JD/MDiv degree and the Global Justice Program support the blend of scholarship and faith that is essential to the Pepperdine experience.

In the earliest days of President Benton’s presidency, Pepperdine launched the Center for Faith and Learning to offer support for faculty University-wide as they seek to enhance the connections between classroom teaching, scholarship, and Christian faith and practice. The center focuses on student programs, curricular enrichment, faculty development, ministry, as well as service and social action, to strengthen University’s ties to its Christian mission. During the 2000s the Lilly Endowment sup-ported an impactful five-year program known as the Pepperdine Voyage for the theo-logical exploration of vocation as central to the goal of living for others. Today many of the Voyage programs continue under the robust Center for Faith and Learning, particularly the annual spiritual retreat for new faculty, hosted at one of the University’s international campuses.

In 2010 Pepperdine dedicated the new Churches of Christ Heritage Center, a re-pository of books, documents, photographs, Christian periodicals, congregational his-tories, biographical studies, archival materials, and artifacts of Churches of Christ and the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. The center, established with support from the Pepperdine Libraries, is committed to the acquisition and preservation of these materials and to the promotion of research of this important religious movement and its affiliation with the University.

In 2007 Pepperdine launched “The Ascending Voice,” an international symposium of sacred a cappella music. Other annual traditions continued to thrive at Pepperdine in the first decade of the 21st century, including the University’s renowned Bible Lectures, the Frank Pack Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program, and the William M. Green Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program.

Heritage

timeline

June 16—Andrew K. Benton takes office as president of Pepperdine University

2000

Darryl Tippens appointed provost of Pepperdine University

President Benton announces the creation of the position of University chaplain, to be occupied by D’Esta Love effective August 2002

Graziadio School receives charter for Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business honor society

Margaret Weber appointed dean of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology

September 11—Alumnus Thomas Burnett becomes a hero aboard United Airlines Flight 93

Dedication of new Keck Science Center on the Malibu campus

Linda Livingstone appointed dean of the Graziadio School of Business and Management

New Center for Communication and Business opens

Pepperdine Voyage project kicks off with support from the Lily Endowment

Casa Holden dedicated as Pepperdine’s new permanent facility in Buenos Aires

20022001

2004 20052003 2006

Pepperdine teams win five West Coast Conference Championships in baseball, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis.

May 5—Men’s volleyball team wins NCAA Championship

Pepperdine dedicates the M. Norvel and Helen Young Center

Graduate School of Education and Psychology launches its Diversity Speaker Series

November 2004 through March 2005—Chihuly: Los Angeles exhibit brings record numbers to the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art

Mark Roosa appointed dean of Pepperdine libraries

U.S. Supreme Court justice John Roberts meets with Pepperdine students in his first public appearance since his installation on the court

Alumni Leadership Council established

Geoffrey H. Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law endowed at the School of Law

School of Law professor Colleen Graffy joins the U.S. State Department as deputy assistant secretary of state for public diplomacy

Pepperdine celebrates the 100th anniversary of Moore Haus in Heidelberg, Germany, and the 10th anniversary of Villa Di Loreto in Florence, Italy

Pulitzer Prize-winner Ed Larson joins the Pepperdine faculty

May 30 through June 2, 2006—Inaugural Parkening International Guitar Competition

May 23—Waves men’s tennis wins its first-ever NCAA Championship

March 11—Heroes Garden dedicated on the Drescher Graduate Campus

May 11—Water polo coach Terry Schroeder inducted into International Swimming Hall of Fame

Pepperdine dedicates the George L. Graziadio Executive Center and the Henry and Virginia Braun Center of the School of Public Policy

Former U.S. president Gerald Ford visits the Drescher Graduate Campus

November 17—School of Law dedicates Henry J. and Gloria Caruso Auditorium

Ken Canfield named executive director of the Boone Center for the Family

Duane and Kelly Roberts endow the University’s first dean’s chair

President Benton named chair of the board of directors of the American Council on Education, the major coordinating body for the nation’s higher education institutions

Stephen Davis, Distinguished Professor of Biology, named the 2008 recipient of the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching

Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar endow Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics at the School of Law

Order of the Coif welcomes Pepperdine Law School

Associated Women for Pepperdine celebrates 50 years of support for Pepperdine students

Inaugural gathering for “The Ascending Voice,” an international symposium of sacred a cappella music

Renowned legal scholar Grant Nelson joins the School of Law faculty

Inaugural semester of Pepperdine’s international program in Lausanne, Switzerland

March 31—Dedication of Pierre’s Place, the first Pepperdine University Habitat for Humanity house

Pat and Shirley Boone Center for the Family endowed at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology

April 28—First lady Laura Bush delivers Seaver College commencement address

Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito headlines inaugural William French Smith Memorial Lecture, followed by justice Clarence Thomas in 2008, retired justice Sandra Day O’Connor in 2009, and justice Anthony Kennedy in 2010

September 18—Democratic presidential nominee Senator John Kerry shared his perspective on the role of faith in public life as part of the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series at Seaver College.

September 27—California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visits Pepperdine to sign historic environmental legislation in a special ceremony overlooking the Pacific

20082007

Graziadio School of Business and Management welcomes John Shearer as its first Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Churches of Christ Heritage Center opens

School of Public Policy unveils the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership

2010

Glazer Institute for Jewish Studies established

Center for Sustainability launches at Pepperdine

Pepperdine launches iTunesU

Lady Margaret Thatcher visits renovated Pepperdine London House for historic reopening

May 14—Pepperdine dedicates new program facility in the heart of Washington, D.C.

Professors Ed Larson and Rodney Honeycutt receive the title of University Professor, Pepperdine’s highest academic distinction

October 22—Graduate School of Education and Psychology dedicates Pat Lucas Center for Teacher Preparation

Center for Entertainment, Media, and Culture launches at Pepperdine

2009

Rick Marrs named dean of Seaver College

School of Public Policy celebrates 10th anniversary with keynote address by former Florida governor Jeb Bush

Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus addresses Pepperdine audience