SPP Dean’s Report Vol. 18, Iss. 2

VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 2 | 2020

SPP Responds to

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CRISIS

W

hile transitioning our remaining spring semester classes to an online format and supporting our students who’ve had their lives upended, the School of Public Policy has engaged directly with the COVID-19 crisis. In ways both practical and theoretical, through our programs and alumni, SPP is responding to the pandemic at the local, state, and national levels.

• Online Crisis Mapping for Southern California: Our Homeland Security

Advisory Council initiative (HSAC@SPP, see details on page 6) is on the front line of this region's COVID-19 response, consulting directly with emergency officials in cities and counties to launch the SALUS online crisis map. This evolving platform provides the public with essential information about food and emergency services and has been placed on the main website of the City of L.A.’s response. Notably, two SPP alumni and a second-year student intern are currently working at HSAC@SPP. Pandemic Crisis continued on page 2

The Braun Family Endows the Dean’s Chair

T

he School of Public Policy is proud to announce the endowment of the Braun Family Dean's Chair through the generous support of the Carl F. Braun Residuary Trust.

The Braun family members have been longtime friends of Pepperdine, with Hank and Ginie Braun among the University’s greatest supporters, funding many important projects over the decades. The Henry A. and Virginia B. Braun Center for Public Policy was dedicated in 2003 on the University's Drescher Graduate Campus.

Pete Peterson (MPP ’07), current dean, is the first to step into this endowed dean’s position at the School of Public Policy. “I’m honored to be the first to serve in the Braun Family Dean’s Chair,” Peterson said, noting, “this endowment marks another commitment by the family toward preparing public leaders who can work across differences to address our toughest policy challenges, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

DEAN’S MESSAGE Just a few months ago, I was in Washington, DC, cohosting our latest Moral Sense in Politics and Policy speaker event with New York Times’ columnist Ross Douthat.

Douthat was discussing his new book, The Decadent Society: How We Became a Victim of Our Own Success, before a crowd of 250 people at the National Press Club. The signs of the impending crisis were all around us, and at the post-event dinner, Douthat wondered whether this would be the last public event of his book launch.

It was. My return flight had 25 passengers in an economy class with 150 seats. We’re living history, and in so many ways we are witnessing an unfolding stress test of our government, civic, and private-sector institutions.

The last few months have been a blur for all of us—from postponing commencements to transitioning classes online to supporting students whose lives have been upended. I couldn’t be more proud of our faculty, students, and staff who have responded with creativity, grit, and caring.

In this Dean’s Report, we’ll be highlighting some of our work before the crisis changed everything, but you’ll also see the response of two of our initiatives—HSAC@ SPP and the American Project—to the pandemic itself. As you’ll read, our HSAC@ SPP initiative has been working closely with city and county emergency officials, providing an essential online mapping platform for both public awareness and internal policymaking assistance. Our American Project launched a new essay series at RealClearPolicy, exploring the crisis through the lens of our moral sense—how the pandemic is highlighting our innate need for community and connection.

As important as these stories are, the real encouragement has come from hearing from our alumni who are on the front lines of this crisis, working in places like FEMA, the CDC, various nonprofits, and numerous local governments. SPP alums are truly spearheading the response to the crisis—providing vital services to the neediest citizens.

In ways both practical and theoretical, the stress test placed upon the School of Public Policy has only revealed a resilient organization—ready to respond to a historic crisis. Rarely has the call to public service been as evident as it is in this global challenge, and I remain so grateful for the School of Public Policy and our work in preparing public leaders.

Stay safe.

PETE PETERSON

Dean, Braun Family Dean's Chair School of Public Policy

Pandemic Crisis from page 1

• Exploring the Historical/Philosophical Implications of

Coronavirus: Our American Project launched in 2017 as a unique academic initiative exploring the future of the American conservative movement. The pandemic presents particular challenges and opportunities for a community-focused/ bottom-up response as seen through the lens of the project’s reimagined communitarian conservatism. Through our channel at RealClearPolicy, we launched a new essay series about the relevance of these concepts during the crisis. See the latest pieces from the American Enterprise Institute’s Ryan Streeter and Law & Liberty's Richard Reinsch. (For more on the American Project, turn to page 4.)

Control and Prevention’s efforts in New York City from the Atlanta HQ, and LaToya Butler-Jones (MPP ’14), who is managing national crisis communications for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, DC . . . and so many more. It's so encouraging to see our alumni on the front lines of this fight. More locally, Eunique Day (MPP ’17) is coordinating public service response in the City of Carson to homebound residents and the at-risk elderly in her community. Sean Gill (MPP ’07) is drawing up education policy and remote-learning proposals for local school districts through his work at the Committee Reinventing Public Education in Seattle, and Lily Wong (MPP ’12, MDR ’12), is leading public communications efforts around the pandemic for the University of California, San Francisco.

Our alumni are leading COVID-19 responses—both locally and nationally—from Kevin McGowan (MPP ’10), who serves as director of emergency services for Los Angeles County and David Mansdoerfer (MPP ’11) leading the stay-at-home campaign in Texas to Andrew Weathers (’98, MPP ’00), who is coordinating the Centers for Disease

As happened following 9/11, we will be seeing significant changes in our policies and governing structures due to COVID-19 in the months and years ahead. It is heartening to know that SPP— through programs and alumni—will continue to play a leading role in the post-pandemic era.

2 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

Advancement Message The year 2020 will no doubt be remembered as a historic year in our country.

The coronavirus crisis has completely changed the world in which we live, and nobody yet understands the long-term economic and societal ramifications of the virus. In the midst of this crisis, we still have the responsibility to choose who will lead the country in the coming years. The two parties are offering radically different visions for the future of our nation . . . capitalism vs. socialism, private health care vs. Medicare for all, and higher taxes and more government vs. lower taxes and less regulation.

This is not a new narrative, but it has taken on an increased sense of urgency.

As we navigate all of these issues, the Pepperdine School of Public Policy has never been more essential. We are the only right-ofcenter graduate policy school in America. We believe strongly in free markets. We believe that there should be viewpoint diversity on our college campuses and that conservative voices must be heard. We believe that effective leaders need to understand and embrace America’s founding principles. These beliefs will remain consistent no matter how the world around us changes.

Our mission is unique in graduate policy education, and it is made possible by the generous gifts of friends like you. Your involvement and investment allows us to host leading right-ofcenter speakers, provide scholarship assistance to our students, and expand the impact of our work nationally. Going forward, there are so many important ways that you can continue to help:

• Contribute to our SPP Student Emergency Fund to assist

students who are experiencing hardships as a result of the ongoing coronavirus crisis

• Become a Public Policy Associate for an annual gift of $1,000 or $2,500. These annual gifts go directly to helping students currently enrolled in the program

• Name and endow a scholarship at SPP for a gift of $10,000 or more (which can be given over five years)

• Serve as a mentor and/or assist students in finding meaningful internships and jobs

Thank you for your support. To learn more about the School of Public Policy and opportunities to become involved, please feel free to contact me anytime at matt.cutler@pepperdine.edu or 310.506.6513. You can also give a gift at your convenience on our website.

MATT CUTLER

Director of Development publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/giving

ANASTASIA AGUAS (MPP ’20) SELECTED AS A PRESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT FELLOW FINALIST 2020 The School of Public Policy is proud to announce that graduate Anastasia Aguas was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) for the Class of 2020. The PMF program is a flagship leadership development program created in 1977 by President Carter to attract the next generation of leaders into government service.

Aguas is one of 401 finalists selected for the 2020 class. As a PMF, she will receive specialized training and fast-tracked premier leadership opportunities in executive branch federal agencies.

Her service as a Fellow will also provide her with additional formal training opportunities, challenging work assignments, and an accelerated career track that will open doors to new promotions and accelerated pay increases. Aguas was recently offered a position at the Department of Defense. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 3

A VIRTUAL TOAST TO THE CLASS OF 2020 On Friday, April 17, 2020, the Pepperdine School of Public Policy Class of 2020 graduates, faculty, and staff celebrated the end of the academic school year with a virtual toast through an online Zoom session. This get together, originally slated to occur on Alumni Park, allowed our community to share memories and reminisce about the past two years and reflect on the school's determined and spirited students.

Since the launch of the American Project in 2017, the focus of this initiative has been to explore the implications—both in policy and political rhetoric—of a “conservatism of connection.” Supported by a nationwide network of academics, activists, and policymakers, the project engages these issues through events and written pieces.

With the onset of the pandemic, a logical question has arisen: What does a conservatism of connection look like in a nation devoted to social distancing? Over the last several months, the project has taken on this foundational challenge through a series of essays contributed to our channel at the respected policy website, RealClearPolicy.

Ranging from essays on the causes of loneliness in America by American Enterprise Institute researchers Ryan Streeter and David Wilde, to the philosophical and political challenges to a communitarian style of governance by Georgetown University professor Joshua Mitchell, the American Project has continued to offer a distinctive perspective on America’s political culture and public policy.

Just prior to the pandemic hitting a crisis stage, the American Project partnered with the DC-based Trinity Forum to host a book event with New York Times’ columnist Ross Douthat. Douthat’s latest book, The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success, highlights many of the same topics discussed by the project—particularly in the areas of economic and cultural stagnation.

In his opening remarks at the National Press Club event, Douthat paid homage to School of Public Policy founder, the late James Q. Wilson, in citing a number of datapoints Wilson might define as declining indicators in America’s moral sense.

Our 2020 annual American Project conference titled, The Quest for Community: A Future for American Conservatism, was scheduled to take place in July. This conference was set to gather and explore the implications of Robert Nisbet’s magnum opus, The Quest for Community. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are hopeful to reschedule this conference for some time in the near future on the Malibu campus where we will once again invite a unique mix of academics, activists, and policymakers to Pepperdine. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/american-project 4 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

Dean Pete Peterson noted how resilient this cohort has been, starting the program with the Woolsey Fire and closing with COVID-19. “We’re so proud of you for persevering through real tests of commitment. You not only fulfilled your academic obligations, you excelled, and I know you’ll draw on these experiences—both inside and outside the classroom—as you enter careers in public leadership.”

The 2020 policy graduates entered SPP in August of 2018. From the start of their first year, the students experienced adversity. First was the tragic Borderline shooting followed by the Woolsey fire, a destructive wildfire that burned through Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, forcing the Pepperdine community to shelter in place. The students immediately adapted to both a new environment in Malibu and to events that would shape their academic history.

Leading up to their final months at Pepperdine, the unforeseen global COVID-19 pandemic came into this world and once again tested the students' resilience and determination as they were finishing their master of public policy degrees. As the world enforced this new shelter in place, the students and their families were unable to gather to celebrate this monumental stage in their life.

At SPP, we prepare public leaders to go into the world and create sustainable solutions to the problems we face on a daily basis and those of higher magnitude. Tragedy, the Woosley fire, and the COVID-19 pandemic not only shaped our students’ outlook on life, but also shaped a new understanding of responding to different crises.

Although we were unable to host an in-person commencement ceremony, we will host a formal commencement ceremony back on campus when we are comfortable that it is safe to do so.

With some graduates wearing their caps and tassels with spouses and kids looking on, the class of 2020 toasted to courage, friendship, grace, and to meeting again in Malibu to "commence" their futures.

THE LATEST FROM

The Davenport Institute’s recent history has been one of exceptional growth.

Last summer the institute adopted its first official strategic plan, which identified three roles to pursue as it moves into its second decade at the School of Public Policy. The institute will be a: • Trainer, increasing the reach and scope of its certificate and half-day programs and seeking new ways to prepare public leaders to engage with the full diversity of their community • Thought Leader, providing resources and championing public engagement as a 21st-century leadership skill, and • Convener, bringing together practitioners, scholars, community leaders, and other partners committed to public participation in government In order to further strengthen its efforts, the institute welcomed its second full-time employee in March of this year. Pooja Bachani Di Giovanna joined the team as the new assistant director for professional education, bringing a rich background of communications experience as social media manager at the Alliance Defending Freedom and as director of communications for Young Americans for Liberty. She also has experience working in a university setting, having served as assistant director for the Institute for the Study of Democracy and Liberalism at Long Island University.

Bachani Di Giovanna will work closely with the institute’s executive director to grow its reach throughout California and beyond as she seeks new opportunities to expand Davenport’s training and professional development offerings and to foster relationships with strategic partners.

In addition to the institute’s staff, of course, the Davenport’s advisory council and strategic partners have greatly extended its reach so that its impact has long belied its size. In addition to thousands of local government officials trained, the institute now has more than 100 alumni of its Professional Certificate in Advanced Public Engagement program. In partnership with the School of Public Policy, and with funding from the Public Interest and Technology University Network (PIT-UN), the institute was scheduled to launch its second professional certificate in Leading Smart Communities: Creating a Better Future Through Emerging Technologies. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this professional certificate has been postponed.

As these and other programs have gained momentum, it became obvious that the institute needed to grow its capacity in order to fulfill its mission of building stronger communities in California by promoting public participation in local governance. For this reason, in November 2019, the Davenport Institute conducted its first-ever train-the-trainer program and approved seven new trainers to compose a sort of speakers’ bureau on public engagement. These individuals include former city managers, elected officials, public engagement staff, and public safety leaders who can be available for institute trainings throughout California and beyond.

All of this also means more opportunities for SPP students and graduates to connect with local governments and to have access to cutting-edge techniques and opportunities in public engagement. In February Abigail Scott and Zac Wielepski became the first current SPP students to attend the institute’s Professional Certificate in Advanced Public Engagement for Local Government program. Moving forward two SPP students will be offered admission to each certificate offering at the institute. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/davenport-institute

DEBATERS WIN FACES OF CHANGE AWARD Last spring the University hosted a debate on the question “Can we imagine a world without bullying?,” coordinated by the Pepperdine Waves Debate team and cosponsored by the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. Debate team members and Let’s Argue Elementary students participated in the debate. The topic and the impact of the event inspired the Youth Advisory Board of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Los Angeles, to select the three participants for a Faces of Change award. The award is one of PACER’s annual Unity Awards, which honor area residents who are working toward changing the perception of bullying in our society. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 5

New Academic Enterprise

The Homeland Security Advisory Council at the School of Public Policy

T

he School of Public Policy partnered with the Los Angeles Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) to form an innovative academic enterprise that focuses on disaster preparedness, crisis management, and resiliency through engagement with the public, private, and civic sectors. The new enterprise, called the Homeland Security Advisory Council at the School of Public Policy (HSAC@ SPP), is positioned to prepare the current and next generation of public leaders by harnessing Pepperdine’s unique curriculum dedicated to exploring a full range of cross-sector and information technology solutions to public policy challenges. It is a strategic step for the University in expanding its role around issues facing crisis management today.

To celebrate their new relationship, the two organizations held a gala on September 17, 2019. The gala, For a More Resilient Los Angeles and Beyond, took place at the Montage in Beverly Hills.

6 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

Pepperdine President Emeritus Andrew Benton, and former Los Angeles City Council member Wendy Greuel were the gala’s guest honorees. Benton encouraged those in attendance to become active in public life in order to make a difference, reminding them of Teddy Roosevelt’s inspirational message: “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood…” He illustrated his remarks by referring to Pepperdine alumna Josephine “Josie” Utz (’19), a student present at the Borderline shooting who not only helped individuals escape the bar as shots were fired but also assisted students in the course of the Woolsey fire. Utz, he said, was a woman “in the arena unafraid of failure, determined to make a difference.”

Greuel, a veteran housing and homelessness policy expert, spoke of the work HSAC is doing to respond to the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles.

Through HSAC’s SALUS system, a common platform for situational awareness to bring in data and leverage technology alongside the emergency management world, the organization is making a difference in the well-being of the community’s neediest.

What was perhaps most noteworthy about the gala was the way in which service to others arose as an “unofficial” event theme. Just as HSAC and SPP have chosen to come together to create a more resilient Los Angeles for today and into the future, those who were honored chose to honor others. Undoubtedly attendees left the evening with a heightened determination to make a difference and to enter the arena themselves. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/hsac-gala

POLICY RESEARCH SEMINAR PROJECTS

P

olicy Research Seminar projects, also known as capstone presentations, require students to design and implement a major policy program for a global, state, or local agency using a real-life situation. As a requirement for graduation, these projects require students, individually or in a team, to develop a clearly focused mission statement, a strategic plan for the undertaking, and an implementation schedule that acknowledges various interest groups that must agree to the project’s plan. An effective project requires personnel planning, budget planning, and a clear method for securing approvals from all interested parties whose ownership is critical for its success. The results may be presented to a board of visitors including academics and real-world agency leaders. Students are expected to be able to identify, verbalize, and experience in an authentic way clearly stated personal values as well as technical expertise. Spring 2019's graduates explored some fascinating topics, including: • Acculturation and Dietary Issues for First- and SecondGeneration Hispanics in California

• High Speed Ahead? Economic Lessons from China’s High Speed Rail Network for California • Modern Slavery: Dissolving the Black Market Industry of Human Trafficking in the United States • Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: Implementation Oversights and the Undue Burdens Caused for Veterinary Physicians • Strategic Guidance for Comprehensive Reform of US Immigration Policy • US-India Bilateral Relations and Their Future Trajectory • What Does Russia Want? Russian Ambitions in Eastern Ukraine and the Long-Term National Security Implications for the United States • Would a Border Wall Be Effective in Stopping Illegal Immigration?

• Addressing Major League Baseball’s Education Gap: How to Best Provide High School Education to All Latin American Baseball Players • Determinants of Terrorism in Latin America: Implications for US National Security • Evaluating the Prevalence of Punitive Disciplinary Policies Among California Public High Schools and the Effect on Juvenile Arrest Rates Within Corresponding Counties: A Geographical and Ideological Comparative Approach • False Environmental Protection: The Market for Recycling Electric Vehicle Batteries in China

William Humphrey (MPP ’19), Professor Luisa Blanco, Yuxiang Zhang (MPP ’19), Claudia Villegas (MPP ’19), Gabrielle Rockwell (MPP ’19), and Brandon Ristoff (MPP ’19)

Public Interest Technology University Network Awards Grant to SPP SPP received a grant from the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) to support a new professional certificate on leading smart communities to be facilitated through the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership.

The school received one of 27 grants awarded as part of PIT-UN's inaugural “Network Challenge,” which aims to support the development of new public interest technology initiatives and institutions in academia, and foster collaboration among the network’s partner institutions, which includes SPP. Dean Pete Peterson has noted that “Increasingly, this public engagement with government is happening through technology— whether it be a GIS map of a wildfire, or a public engagement survey platform around a community’s land-use plan. I’m excited that this grant will help us build out our professional education in making our cities more transparent and responsive through technology.”

PIT-UN, which was convened earlier this year by the Ford Foundation, New America Foundation, and the Hewlett Foundation, is a partnership of 21 colleges and universities dedicated to building the nascent field of public interest technology, as well as growing a new generation of civic-minded technologists and digitally fluent policy leaders. The Network Challenge is funded through the generous support of the Ford Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Mastercard Impact Fund, Siegel Family Endowment, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and Raikes Foundation.

Public interest technology is a broadly defined and emerging area of study that combines digital innovation and public policy.

Already, universities across the United States have created joint degrees, exchange programs, and cross-disciplinary initiatives to begin to develop a robust pipeline of future technologists and leaders seeking to pursue careers in the growing field.

publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 7

NEW BOARD OF ADVISORS MEMBERS Our board of advisors is composed of a collection of national policy, business, and community leaders who support our mission and share our commitment to a more expansive approach to public policy, an approach that recognizes the central importance of civil society, faith, and free markets. Most importantly, board members share our strong belief that public leadership, perhaps more than any other field, requires a strong moral and ethical paradigm.

DOUG DE GROOTE

NICOLE NEILY (MPP ’06)

Doug De Groote is a certified financial planner and is an active member of the Financial Planning Association. Before establishing De Groote Financial Group, he founded the United Wealth Management division of United Capital. Prior to that, De Groote was a partner at Crowell, Weedon & Co. He regularly contributes to a variety of financial and general media.

De Groote believes that everyone deserves opportunity; they deserve to have the freedom and responsibility to be proactive in achieving independence and financial success.

With regard to their financial circumstances, De Groote helps his clients identify their goals, plan for various outcomes, and manage their assets so that their vision becomes their reality.

De Grotte earned an MBA in financial planning from California Lutheran University and a bachelor’s degree from Southern Oregon University.

Nicole Neily is the president of Speech First, a nationwide membership organization created to defend students’ free speech rights on campus through litigation and other means.

Since its launch in February 2018, Speech First has filed federal lawsuits against the University of Michigan, the University of Texas, and the University of Illinois for violating its student members’ speech rights. Neily served as the president of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, an investigative journalism nonprofit focused on highlighting abuses of power, cronyism, and government overreach in the states at Watchdog.org. Neily has also worked in the private sector as a senior vice president at Dezenhall Resources, a DC-based communications firm; as executive director and Senior Fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum; as manager of external relations for the Cato Institute; and as director of research analysis for the Winston Group, a public opinion and message design firm. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois, and a master of public policy from Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy.

DARRELL LEVONIAN Darrell R. Levonian is executive vice president and managing director at Kidder Mathews. Levonian has 30 years of brokerage deal-making experience on the production side, combined with strategic planning, general sales management, and corporate leadership experience in the commercial real estate industry with regional firms. He is specifically successful in executing a culture of growth through controlled marketing of real estate via specific areas of responsibility for each associate.

His track record reflects a winning balance of deal negotiation and successful team-building leadership. Before joining Kidder Mathews, Levonian worked at the Charles Dunn Company, where he served as president for four years and as executive managing officer for 15 years. Levonian holds a BS from the University of Southern Calfiornia.

JASON PATES (’95, MPP ’99) Jason Pates is a senior consultant at Cisco Systems, a worldwide leader in IT, networking, and cybersecurity solutions. Pates helps large enterprises develop and deploy collaboration strategies. Before joining Cisco, he was a management consultant at both Booz Allen & Hamilton and Accenture, analyzing business processes for public- and private-sector customers. In 1999 Pates earned a master of public policy degree from the Pepperdine School of Public Policy as a member of the inaugural class, and was selected as SPP’s first US Presidential Management Fellow, appointed as a financial economist at the US Treasury Department in Washington, DC. Pates served as president of Pepperdine's DC Waves alumni chapter before founding the Carolina Waves chapter in 2008. Pates is a Pepperdine dualdegree holder, having earned a BA in economics from Seaver College in 1995 and was SPP’s Distinguished Alumni Award winner in 2011.

New Board continued on page 9

8 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

Faculty/Fellow Update LUISA BLANCO RAYNAL

Associate Professor of Public Policy

Luisa Blanco Raynal has been selected to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Interdisciplinary Research Leaders program. Designed for teams of two researchers and one community leader, interdisciplinary research leaders foster collaborative leadership and support fellows as they work with their communities to investigate critical issues and apply findings in real time to advance health and equity. As a member of the program’s newest cohort, Blanco Raynal will focus on designing a mobile intervention to improve community members’ money management skills and evaluate the impact of such intervention on financial behavior and stress. She is representing the first Los Angeles team, along with April Thames, associate professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, and Isaias Hernandez, executive director at Eastmont Community Center.

New Board from page 8

TED MCALLISTER

Edward L. Gaylord Chair, Associate Professor of Public Policy

Ted McAllister and coauthor Bruce Frohnen, professor of law at Ohio Northern University College of Law, recently published their new book Coming Home: Reclaiming America's Conservative Soul. McAllister and Frohnen argue that Americans are a conservative people whose institutions, ways of life, and fundamental beliefs have been under assault by a progressive elite for several generations. According to the authors, the result has been a kind of cultural destruction that has left a great many Americans “homeless”—lacking the sense of belonging and attachment that are the hallmarks of healthy societies and cultures. This book is part of an effort to reclaim America by stressing our common story (history) and by reinvigorating the natural institutions like family and voluntary associations that connect us to one another and to our common purposes. Underneath it all is the call by the authors to reclaim our most basic national identity as self-governing people from those who have foisted on us an administrative state to replace our republic and who are seeking to use their cultural and social power to change who we are as a people.

ERYN WITCHER TILLMAN (’97, MPP ’99) Eryn Witcher Tillman is an associate director and the Bechtel director of public affairs at the Hoover Institution. In this role, she oversees and manages media relations, government relations, social media, book publicity, journalist programs, and public affairs events. Tillman also oversees the institution’s Washington, DC, public affairs office, which works closely with Capitol Hill, the legislative and executive branches, and third-party groups to foster relationships that further its mission of promoting ideas that define a free society.

Before joining the Hoover Institution, Tillman spent nearly three years as White House assistant press secretary and director of television, working with White House correspondents and preparing administration officials for television interviews. From 2004 to 2006, she served as press secretary at the Environmental Protection Agency, where she led the agency’s media response to Hurricane Katrina. She also served as a special assistant to secretary of labor Elaine Chao.

Tillman’s experience in the news media was as a producer for MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews. She also worked on Capitol Hill as the press secretary for senator Bob Smith and as deputy press secretary for senator Paul Coverdell. Tillman, a California native, has a bachelor's degree in public relations and a master of public policy from Pepperdine University.

WILFRED McCLAY

Ronald Reagan Visiting Professor of Public Policy

Wilfred “Bill” McClay's latest book, Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, was named Conservative Book of the Year by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. This award recognizes thoughtful books that contribute to the rich debate about important conservative ideas. See pages 15 and 19 for a full discussion of McClay’s achievements and year at SPP.

MICHAEL SHIRES

Associate Dean for Strategy and Special Projects, Director of Assessment, Associate Professor of Public Policy

Michael Shires, associate dean for strategy and special projects, director of assessment, and associate professor of public policy, co-led a Training for New Professionals: Impact Policy with Your Research workshop in Denver, Colorado. Shires is a leading public policy practitioner and scholar working with a wide range of public officials, community organizations, nonprofits, campaigns, media outlets, and candidates to solve the problems that challenge our communities. He shared his insights from almost 30 years as a policy actor and leader. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 9

2019–2020 Scholarship Recipients

T

he Pepperdine School of Public Policy awards a number of scholarships each year, which are made available through endowed funds, generous gifts from supporters and alumni, and allocation of University general funds. The scholarship committee awards scholarships based on merit, academic excellence, and professional experience, as well as standardized test scores. The School of Public Policy is proud to recognize the 2019–2020 scholars:

LASZLO AND MILKA AMBRUS ENDOWED SCHOLARS

WILLIAM S. AND GAY BANOWSKY ENDOWED SCHOLARS

The Laszlo and Milka Ambrus Endowed Scholarship was established for students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy who are in good standing in all areas of the University.

Established by Lew O. Ward and supported by a circle of friends, the William S. and Gay Banowsky Endowed Scholarship provides grants to students pursuing a master of public policy at the School of Public Policy.

JENNIFER MARROQUIN (MPP ’20) BA, International Studies University of California, Irvine KELLEY WHELAN BA, Art California State University, Northridge XUDONG ZHU BA, Labor and Social Security Hohai University

Jennifer Marroquin and Xudong Zhu 10 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

SPENCER ROUSH (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science Loyola University, Maryland

JOHN AND REBECCA BARTON ENDOWED SCHOLAR The John and Rebecca Barton Endowed Scholarship was established in memory of Harry E. Shafer and Izelle C. Shafer to support gifted and talented students who, in the judgment of the University, offer great promise for leadership in our country or its supporting institutions.

SPENCER ROUSH (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science Loyola University, Maryland

BLACK ALUMNI COUNCIL SCHOLAR The Black Alumni Council Scholarship was established to support students at the School of Public Policy through the generosity of the Black Alumni Council.

NARON DENNIS (’16, MPP ’20) BS, Sports Medicine Pepperdine University

DR. FRANK W. AND MRS. SHERRY R. CORNELL ENDOWED SCHOLARS The Dr. Frank W. and Mrs. Sherry R. Cornell Endowed Scholarship provides support for Catholic students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy.

FRITZ ENDOWED SCHOLARS Founded in 2001 by Lynn C. Fritz, the Fritz Institute is a nonprofit organization designed to partner with governments, nonprofit organizations, and corporations worldwide to innovate solutions and facilitate the adoption of the best practices for rapid and effective disaster response and recovery.

ABIGAIL SCOTT BA, Political Science University of California, Berkeley

LINDA M. GAGE AWP ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Linda M. Gage AWP Endowed Scholarship was established by Jerry and Kay Cox to provide scholarship support to Church of Christ students with financial need.

CARTER CLINEBELL (’18, MPP ’20) BA, Biology Pepperdine University

ENDOWED JEWISH SCHOLAR Brigitta Sanchez-O’Brien and Danielle Moore DANIELLE MOORE BA, Communications John Paul the Great Catholic University BRIGITTA SANCHEZ-O’BRIEN (MPP ’20) BS, Communications Media John Paul the Great Catholic University

SALLY H. EDWARDS ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Sally H. Edwards Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in honor of Bert and Mildred Lefevre and provides support for students, with a preference given to those students from Hawaii.

JARED SAM AGTUNONG BA, History and Political Science Vanguard University

LILIA MONTERROSA (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science San Diego State University

BERTHA AND JOHN GARABEDIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable Foundation Endowed Scholarship Fund provides assistance to qualified public policy students from Fresno, Kings, Madera, or Tulare counties in California.

EMILY MILNES JD University of Washington BA, English Univeristy of Washington

LYNN AND FOSTER FRIESS ENDOWED SCHOLARS Established by a gift from the National Christian Foundation Giving Fund on behalf of Foster and Lynn Friess and the Friess Family Foundation, the Lynn and Foster Friess Endowed Scholarship provides support for qualified School of Public Policy students who have evidenced leadership based on the principles embedded in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

KASANDRA DILLON BA, International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies Mount Holyoke College

The Endowed Jewish Scholarship Fund provides assistance to Jewish students in good academic standing who are pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy.

DANIELLE GOODMAN BA, Philosophy University of California, Santa Barbara

RUSSELL AND COLENE JOHNSON ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Russell and Colene Johnson Endowed Scholarship was established for students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy who are in good standing in all areas of the University.

BRANDON BURNS (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science, Communication California State University, Channel Islands

THOMAS P. KEMP ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Thomas P. Kemp Endowed Scholarship was established in 2006 as a memorial legacy to Pepperdine regent and avid supporter of the School of Public Policy, Thomas P. Kemp.

ANASTASIA AGUAS (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science, History California Baptist University

publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 11

MIKE E. O’NEAL ENDOWED SCHOLAR Established by Peter Cheung and Fred Prager, this endowed scholarship was created to aid deserving School of Public Policy students.

CONNOR CHASE (’18, MPP ’20) BA, Economics Pepperdine University

S. A. ENLIGHTENMENT SCHOLARS

ALLEN AND MARILYN PUCKETT ENDOWED SCHOLARS

The S. A. Enlightenment Scholarship was established with a gift from the S. A. Enlightenment Foundation to provide scholarship support for students from predominantly Muslim countries.

The Allen and Marilyn Puckett Endowed Scholarship was established to provide support for students at the School of Public Policy.

SARAH ELSHAMY BA, Mass Communications Ain Shams University

MAURICE H. STANS ENDOWED SCHOLARS Established in 1999 by the Stans trust, the Maurice H. Stans Endowed Scholarship was created to provide support for African American students.

DENIS NIKOČEVIĆ BA, International Finance American University in Bosnia and Herzegovina

HARRY AND IZELLE SHAFER ENDOWED SCHOLAR Kasandra Dillon and Danielle Harrington JOSEPH CHIDIAC (MPP ’19) BA, Social Science Hope International University KASANDRA DILLON BA, International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies Mount Holyoke College DANIELLE HARRINGTON (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science Vanguard University SARA JOUR BA, Philosophy University of California, Los Angeles NITAI WU BA, English Huazhong University of Science and Technology

12 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

The Harry and Izelle Shafer Endowed Scholarship was established in memory of Harry E. Shafer and Izelle C. Shafer to support gifted and talented students who, in the judgment of the University, offer great promise for leadership in our country or its supporting institutions.

ANASTASIA AGUAS (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science, History California Baptist University

MARILYN DUNTON SIMPSON ENDOWED SCHOLAR Established by Marilyn Dunton Simpson in 2009, this scholarship provides support for students at the School of Public Policy.

SHELBY DEWBERRY (MPP ’20) BS, Journalism California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Daniel Kibukka, Christopher Rodgers, Hunter Hastings, and Alexandra Baker ALEXANDRA BAKER BA, Psychology University of Southern California NARON DENNIS (’16, MPP ’20) BS, Sports Medicine Pepperdine University DEJA FREDERICK BA, Economics Agnes Scott College HUNTER HASTINGS (MPP ’20, MDR ’20) BS, Economics, Philosophy University of Oregon DANIEL KIBUKKA (’19) BA, Integrated Marketing Communication Pepperdine University TYSON RHODES BA, Politics University of San Francisco CHRISTOPHER RODGERS (’18, MPP ’20) BS, Finance Pepperdine University

STANS FAMILY FOUNDATION SCHOLAR

FLORA L. THORNTON ENDOWED SCHOLARS

Established in 2012, the Stans Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship was created to provide support to students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy, with preference given to students who hold a license as a certified public account and/or hold a degree in accounting or a related field who are in good standing in all areas of the University.

Established by Flora L. Thornton in 2009, this scholarship is a merit-based academic scholarship for students at the School of Public Policy with demonstrated leadership potential.

CHRISTOPHER RODGERS (’18, MPP ’20) BS, Finance Pepperdine University

TERRALYNN AND EARL SWIFT ENDOWED SCHOLARS Established in 2006 by Terralyn and Earl Swift, this endowed scholarship was created to provide assistance to students interested in studying how people from diverse cultures might discover common values in the context of global interdependence.

IBRAHIM KILIC BA, Law, Economics, and Public Policy University of Washington MARIE-ANNE MORRIS BA, Applied Foreign Languages The University of Tours

Diego Zuluaga Zuluaga, Chloe Buckler, Danielle Harrington, and Matthew Peirce BRENNAN BALSON BA, Environmental Studies Santa Clara University CHLOE BUCKLER BA Political Science Azusa Pacific University DANIELLE HARRINGTON (MPP ’20) BA, History, Political Science Vanguard University MATTHEW PEIRCE (MPP ’20) BA, History, Interdisciplinary: Philosophy, Politics and Economics DePauw University HAOJUN WANG (MPP ’20) BBM, Administrative Office Management University of International Relations DIEGO ZULUAGA ZULUAGA BA, Social Communication and Journalism Pontifical Bolivarian University

LYDELL WARD ENDOWED SCHOLAR Established in 2008 with a gift from School of Public Policy Board of Advisors member Beti Ward, the Lydell Ward Endowed Scholarship is awarded to qualified female students pursuing a master of public policy.

ANASTASIA AGUAS (MPP ’20) BA, Political Science and History California Baptist University

MICHAEL AND CHERYL WARDER ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Michael and Cheryl Warder Endowed Scholarship Fund was established for students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy who are in good standing in all areas of the University and who are either current members of any of the five United States armed forces or honorably discharged from one of them.

JOSE ALANIS BS, Business Management Colorado Statement University Global Campus

J. MCDONALD AND JUDY WILLIAMS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY SCHOLAR Established by J. McDonald and Judy Williams in 1999, this scholarship is designed to assist deserving School of Public Policy students who are members of Churches of Christ.

CARTER CLINEBELL (’18, MPP ’20) BA, Biology Pepperdine University

publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 13

New Education Policy and Impact Visiting Professors SPP is proud to announce that Hattie Mitchell (MPP ’12) and Hanna Skandera (MPP ’00), both of whom were among the University’s 2019 Outstanding Alumni | Women in Leadership honorees (see page 20 for details), served as the visiting professors of education policy and impact for the 2019–2020 academic year. Mitchell taught regional educational reform policy, and Skandera led a course on education leadership, policy, and politics.

HATTIE MITCHELL

HANNA SKANDERA (MPP ’00)

(MPP ’12)

Hattie Mitchell is a social entrepreneur and the founder of Crete Academy, a TK-6 school in South Los Angeles. As principal of Crete, Mitchell's mission is to serve children who are experiencing homelessness and living in poverty. Previously, Mitchell worked for a national charter management organization expanding its portfolio of charters.

During her tenure as an educator, she has served as a second- and fifth-grade teacher, dean of students, and worked on education policy at both the state and federal level. In her state government role, Mitchell served as chief of staff for federal programs at the Louisiana Department of Education, where she oversaw the state’s Race to the Top program and a budget of one billion dollars in federal funds.

In her federal capacity, she interned for the Obama Administration and led the first White House Conference on Bullying Prevention.

“I’m so excited to welcome Dr. Mitchell back to SPP, as we seek to prepare the next generation of education policy leaders through our unique program,” noted dean Pete Peterson. He added, “Hattie brings a life that combines a passion for the ‘least of these’ with a deep understanding of the policy levers that can best make our education system one that provides a foundation for lives in the pursuit of happiness.”

Mitchell taught a seminar course in regional policy focusing on education reform and leadership.

Students examined the policies that shaped the education reform movement, the leaders who guided policy and grassroots efforts, and the political divide that emerged.

Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree in urban learning and a multiple subjects teaching credential from California State University, Los Angeles, a master of public policy from the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Southern California.

“Education is foundational to America’s fabric, and developing impactful leaders who are passionate and prepared for the challenge is critical to delivering on our promise for all students,” says Skandera. “I am grateful for so many mentors who have invested in my peers and me and look forward to shaping the next generation of leaders through this opportunity.”

Currently Skandera is the chief executive officer of Mile High Strategies, serving as an education and employability entrepreneur, thought leader, senior advisor, and executive coach in leadership development and strategy, growing organizational impact, and transforming organizational culture. Skandera is also editor in chief of The Line, founder of Pathway 2 Tomorrow, chief in residence with Chiefs for Change, superintendent in residence with the Broad Center, and a former Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Skandera has also served in significant public policy roles with broad impact across the country, most recently as the secretary of education for the state of New Mexico under governor Susana Martinez. In that role, she realized several record-breaking outcomes, including graduation rates reaching an all-time high, AP course enrollment more than doubling, and the dramatic reduction of high school graduates’ college remediation rates.

She previously served as undersecretary for governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, deputy commissioner for governor Jeb Bush, and deputy chief of staff and senior policy advisor for US secretary of education Margaret Spellings. Skandera was also a Research Fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow.

Skandera’s community outreach includes membership on the Colorado Community College board; Daniels Fund board; Great Cities, Great Schools advisory committee; Uncharted Learning advisory board; Code.org board; and the Pepperdine School of Public Policy advisory committee. She is chair of the George W. Bush Center Education advisory board, and is former chair of Chiefs for Change.

“While we’ve taught education policy courses regularly over the years here at SPP, our new visiting professor of education policy and impact marks a new focus on preparing public policy leaders across government and nonprofit sectors,” dean Pete Peterson notes. “In the midst of a respected career as a leader in education policy, we’re delighted to welcome Hanna back to Malibu to both teach our grad students and help strategize our future programs in this field.”

Skandera graduated cum laude with a degree in business from Sonoma State University and graduated at the top of her class from the Pepperdine School of Public Policy.

The visiting position is made possible by a grant from the Searle Freedom Trust.

14 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

RECOVERING THE AMERICAN STORY WITH WILFRED McCLAY On November 15, 2019, Wilfred “Bill” McClay, the Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy, discussed his new American history textbook Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Aimed at AP US history high school students, the book was the 2020 winner of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s Conservative Book of the Year award.

leave them lacking “a sense of the past and the past as something that is part of them, something to which they are connected. They not only lack a factual connection to the past, but they also lack what I call historical consciousness,” McClay continued. “That is an awareness of the immanence of the past in the present, the way the past enters into the very texture of their lives.”

The event, Recovering the American Story: Consciousness and the American Past, focused on McClay’s motives to write the book. The author explained that he was concerned about the “inadequate textbooks and mode of instruction” currently available to students, which

Following the talk, McClay signed copies of his new book. During the fall semester, students in SPP’s Roots of the American Order: What Is Public Policy? course had the honor of being the first to read it in a classroom setting.

publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/recovering-american-story

The Transformative Power of Women with Ayaan Hirsi Ali On October 1, 2019, Pepperdine School of Public Policy hosted an evening conversation with renowned political leader, national security expert, human rights advocate, and expert on Islamic practices, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Serving as a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the founder and president of the AHA Foundation, Hirsi Ali has worked across sectors and across media platforms in a defense of civil rights for women and girls.

Dean Pete Peterson introduced Hirsi Ali as someone who “knows something of courage.” She first addressed her remarkable personal experience for which she is well-known. Mentioning that she exhausts herself discussing it, she related that she was raised in a highly dysfunctional family but had the good fortune to be able to go to school and learn English.

She then turned to the focus of her talk, ensuring the empowerment of girls and women. She shared that her concept

of empowerment had three components: psychological, material, and the least discussed, cultural/religious empowerment. She referred to psychological empowerment as the development of the strength of mind to survive and to thrive in all humans. When developing strength of mind, one is also developing strength of character—which for women in oppressive societies entails the ability to escape the abuse from the past, overcome emotions of hatred, and move on to something much greater. Material empowerment stems from more resources for girls, particularly in cultures that favor boys.

Hirsi Ali noted that some organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations, are making an effort to support the development and rights of girls and women. Lastly, cultural/religious empowerment arises through the knowledge that ways to get out of harmful cultures and religions exist, and having the courage to leave such societies behind.

When asked how society benefits from providing women with civil rights and the opportunity to live outside of male-dominated cultural norms, Hirsi Ali noted that women compose 50 percent of the global working-age population. Accordingly, education for women and investing in women significantly enhances the variety and degree of contributions to social well-being. She concluded her remarks stating, “Instead of apologizing for who we are and what we’ve achieved, I think we should celebrate it and aggressively, and intensely, and assertively promote it.”

Following Hirsi Ali’s remarks, Charity Wallace, principle of Wallace Global Impact and SPP Board of Advisors member, engaged in a conversation with Hirsi Ali on women's rights around the globe. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/transformative-power-of-women publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 15

Faith in the Halls of Power with Timothy GoeglEin On September 23, 2019, the School of Public Policy hosted guest speaker Timothy Goeglein at the Pepperdine Calabasas campus. Goeglein opened his comments by noting that no matter where he speaks, and irrespective of the political leanings of his audience members, he invariably hears that citizens are concerned about the direction our country is taking, and particularly how future generations are going to fare in a world where the culture has experienced such corrosion. The healing of this national cultural decadence in 21st-century America and in the West in general, is the topic of Goeglein’s new book, American Restoration: How Faith, Family, and Personal Sacrifice Can Heal Our Nation, and was the subject matter of his lecture. Goeglein shared his hope for national restoration, renewal, and regeneration in the years ahead. As the title of his work states, this restoration is, however, contingent upon a resurgence in the strength of the family, faith, and personal sacrifice. In the midst of a serious debate in America around cultural and national disintegration, there are great consequences for the next chapter of America's history.

contribute to how the ideas of restoration, regeneration, and renewal could be affected in our great country. Goeglein asserted that there was “never going to be a conservative equivalent of the New Deal or the Great Society.” Such large, sweeping programs could not be the wellspring for the restoration he envisioned. The idea of American restoration is rooted in what are known as the little platoons, global solutions arising out of families, marriages, parenting, places of prayer, neighborhoods, community, and civil service. He offers 15 specific ideas in his book regarding how to once again find stability and magnanimity in the public square.

Goeglein challenges citizens to ask themselves, “What kind of a country do we want 50 years from now?” He stated that we, as Americans, are part of a narrative that is larger and deeper than our own moments, and he wondered whether

Americans can come together, each doing his or her part, to see the United States restored. As stated earlier, he believes the idea of America restoration, rooted in faith, family, and personal sacrifice, can help heal the nation. We must all be willing to make sacrifices for this larger vision and to ensure the greater good.

At the School of Public Policy, we are raising the public intellectuals that Goeglein is determined are at the center of a civil society. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/americanrestoration

In writing his book, Goeglein stated that he took inspiration from James Q. Wilson’s belief in the importance of public intellectuals—researchers and critical thinkers who contribute to the sophisticated discussion of public affairs. He wanted to

Hungary in the 21st Century On February 3, 2020, the Pepperdine School of Public Policy welcomed the Hungarian state secretary for international communications and relations, Zoltán Kovács, for a lunchtime discussion on Hungary in the 21st Century: EU and Hungary. Attendees were reminded that he European Union (EU) initially began in 1951 as the European Coal and Steel Committee, forming a political and economic coalition between Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It has since grown to what has become the EU today, with 27 member states.

Hungary joined the EU in 2004 and became part of the Schengen Area in 2007; within the EU, Hungary holds a unique position as a gateway to and from the East.

Kovács gave an overview of the goals, values, and responsibilities of the EU, as well as Hungary’s balance of

16 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

national sovereignty and its role as an EU member state.

He described the Hungarian model of government under prime minister Viktor Orbán’s leadership as resting on four pillars: competitiveness, a work-based economy, demographic policy, and policy-strengthening identity, which have guided policy decisions since 2010. Quoting a 2018 speech the prime minister delivered to the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kovács said, “the government must be able to relate every decision it makes to one of these four pillars. Whichever pillar a particular decision relates to, it must not weaken the other three pillars; this is the minimum requirement, but the optimal situation is if it reinforces the other three pillars.” Kovács also responded to questions from the student audience on immigration, education, family, and employment policies in Hungary. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/hungary-21-century

SPP Hosts Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Permission? Conference The Pepperdine University School of Public Policy welcomed a variety of policy practitioners, academics, and community members to Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Permission?, a full-day conference providing a 21st-century view of the challenges that come with a powerful administrative state.

In his keynote address, Timothy Sandefur, vice president for litigation at the Goldwater Institute, presented a compelling case for a basic proposition of human freedom. “We have a fundamental right to live our lives as we choose without first having to ask the state for permission,” he stated. He elaborated on the many dangers of government regulation of individual rights.

The first panel, “Permission to Work: The Challenge of Occupational Licensing,” provided a lively, informative discussion on the rise of protectionism and barriers to entry for a variety of professions. One panelist, Adam Thierer, Senior Research Fellow at George Mason University, provided a permission society playbook,

which requires “people confronting undue regulation directly and innovating around it.” Thierer made a strong moral case in favor of creatively challenging the existing power structures in order to preserve our most fundamental rights and liberties.

“Permission to Live: Land-Use Regulations,” the second panel, was centered around efforts to shift control of private property rights away from the government and into the hands of the individual citizen. Christina Sandefur, executive vice president of the Goldwater Institute, argued “we have made a radical departure from what our Founding Fathers believed—that property rights, just like economic rights, were fundamental rights.” She further contended that without legitimate property rights, individuals will be unable to exercise any of their other constitutionally protected rights.

The final panel, “Permission to Speak: Is a Campus Culture Spreading to Society?” focused on the fight for free speech and the belief in an increasing

need for viewpoint diversity on college campuses. The conversation kicked off with Inez Feltscher Stepman, senior policy analyst for the Independent Women’s Forum, who attributed this phenomenon to a “declining civic understanding of what the bedrock principles of a liberal society are.” Another panelist, state assemblyman Kevin Kiley (CA-6) stated that “We are at a crossroads,” and asked, “Are we going to summon the political will to ensure [universities] remain lively environments where First Amendment freedoms flourish? Or are we going to see [the objection to certain opinions] infect our broader political culture, which will broaden the threat to freedom and to the First Amendment?” Jon Shields, professor at Claremont McKenna College, concluded the discussion by offering that it is now more important than ever to engage in a “culture of open inquiry—a series of norms and habits that facilitate the collective pursuit of truth” in our colleges and universities. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/give-me-liberty

publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 17

Patricia Tagliaferri Dean's Distinguished Lectures

T

wo Patricia Tagliaferri Dean’s Distinguished Lectures were delivered in 2019. The first, on May 2, was given by Victor Davis Hanson at the California Club in Downtown Los Angeles. Hanson’s address, “Trump: Tragic Hero . . . or Just Tragic?,” was drawn from his recent book, The Case for Trump, which sets forth the emergence of Donald Trump as our president at this point in time.

Hanson reminded listeners that many did not expect Trump to win the 2016 election. In fact, Trump was the first president elected who had no prior political or military experience. He appealed to white, working-class voters, and he presented a traditional but slightly moderated stance on conservative policy that, particularly his anti-abortion position, resonated with many voters. Hanson contended that he perceives Trump to be a tragic hero, because the left will never give him credit or praise. “Every once in a while, we need a disruptor,” said Hanson, and Trump was and is that disruptor. He is doing what others simply spoke about doing.

Regarding Trump’s chance of being reelected, Hanson offered three reasons why a candidate loses supporters: a sudden economic downturn, an unpopular war, or a scandal. At the time of Hanson’s lecture, the Mueller Report had been published for just less than a month, and Hanson argued that the allegations of collusion with Russia were insufficient to impact Trump’s candidacy. Noting that he personally was not fond of the president’s style of communicating, and that in his opinion, voters select the candidate that they prefer rather than the one that they like, Hanson contended that the 2020 election is Trump’s to lose.

On December 4, SPP was honored to present US secretary for education Betsy DeVos as the keynote speaker of the year’s second Patricia Tagliaferri Dean's Distinguished Lecture, “A Life in Education Impact.” As an advocate for kids and their futures, DeVos has sought to address the financial constraints

18 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

some families face in choosing the school their children attend. In her opening remarks, DeVos argued that “it’s only by challenging and changing the status quo that children will ultimately have the kinds of opportunities they need to be prepared and succeed.”

Hanna Skandera (MPP ’00), SPP’s visiting professor of education policy and impact and the former secretary of education for the state of New Mexico, relates that DeVos wants what is best for kids in the American school system.

A courageous leader, she has surrounded herself with those who share her vision for education improvement and who are willing to work hard to see it through. Indeed, education reform is just one of the many public sectors in which the School of Public Policy is training its graduates to have a positive impact. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/victor-davis-hanson publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/education-impact

Alumni Notes LINDSAY (KIMBRO) BROOKER (MPP ’11) Linday Brooker and husband welcomed Charlotte Brooker to the world on May 8, 2019.

KRISTI (HOWARD) BUTLER (MPP ’11)

Kristi Howard married Jon Butler on May 11, 2019, in Alexandria, VA.

VALERIE CRESPIN-TRUJILLO (MPP ’07)

Valerie Crespin-Trujillo was appointed education director to the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), the coordinating agency for Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges. CrespinTrujillo also serves as liaison between the WTCS and the University of Wisconsin system.

DANIEL HIMEBAUGH (MPP ’09, JD ’09)

Daniel Himebaugh accepted the position of leadership counsel for the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus in Olympia, Washington.

MICHAEL KOTUTWA JOHNSON (MPP ’03)

Michael Kotutwa Johnson graduated with a PhD in natural resources from the University of Arizona School of Renewable Natural Resources and the Environment in May 2019.

What’s new with you To share your alumni news, please submit to jaclyn.ramirez@pepperdine.edu.

HISTORIAN BILL McCLAY RETURNS TO SPP AS THE RONALD REAGAN PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC POLICY Political issues expert Wilfred “Bill” McClay is serving as the Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy for the 2019–2020 academic year.

McClay is a longtime friend of SPP. In 2009 he served as the William E. Simon Distinguished Visiting Professor and taught a course on the problem of expertise in a democratic society. McClay returned this fall semester to instruct first-year master of public policy students on the roots of American order.

McClay is currently the G. T. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty at the University of Oklahoma and the director of that university’s Center for the History of Liberty. His book The Masterless: Self and Society in Modern America was awarded the Merle Curti Award of the Organization of American Historians for the best book in American intellectual history. Some of his other books include The Student's Guide to U.S. History, Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, Figures in the Carpet: Finding the Human Person in the American Past, and Why Place Matters: Geography, Identity, and Civic Public Life in Modern America (coedited with Pepperdine School of Public Policy Edward L. Gaylord Chair Ted McAllister).

Dean Pete Peterson noted “I’m delighted to see Bill return to Malibu. We became good friends during his first visiting professorship here, and I’m grateful that he’s decided to spend his sabbatical year from the University of Oklahoma with us. As one of America's most respected historians, our students will benefit greatly from his teaching, and I look forward to finding other opportunities to work together in the coming year.”

McClay served on the National Council on the Humanities, and the advisory board for the National Endowment for the Humanities, for eleven years.

He is a member of the US Commission on the Semiquincentennial, which has been charged with planning the celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026. He has been the recipient of fellowships from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Academy of Education.

McClay received a BA from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, and a PhD in history from Johns Hopkins University. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 19

The Real Class Privilege:

COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION WITH TIMOTHY CARNEY On February 19, 2020, Timothy P. Carney, author and Resident Fellow at American Enterprise Institute, engaged in an evening lecture on his latest book, The Real Class Privilege: Community and Connection.

Carney opened his talk by relating the success of President Trump’s campaign in compelling those who had never voted before to vote for him in the 2016 election.

Trump’s statement that “the American dream is dead” rallied those without a policy background or influence. However, Trump did not appeal to every group, as strong communities with a strong sense of family still believed the American dream to be viable. Carney argued, “Class privilege is a real thing, but looking at money or

other material measurements does not adequately discuss what actual privilege is.” Carney continued, “Real privilege [is an outgrowth of] the strong institutions of civil society that bring people together.

These institutions can include a strong church or a strong public school where parents are involved.”

An inherent human need for community is part of every human’s makeup, and those who do not belong to strong communities are more likely to feel a sense of uselessness and isolation.

Carney explained that families, churches, small businesses, nonprofits, and other institutions are important and needed for the working class to thrive and feel a

part of the American dream. To pursue one’s life goal requires community. Carney said, “Community takes time and needs to organically grow up.” He noted that the chance of living in poverty is only 1 percent for those who finish school, get a job, get married, and then have children, in that order. Individuals seeking to participate in the American economic dream are likely to find success when they experience supportive community environments. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/real-classprivilege

SPP Alumnae

HATTIE MITCHELL (MPP ’12) AND HANNA SKANDERA (MPP ’00) RECOGNIZED AS PEPPERDINE OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP Two of SPP’s most dynamic alumnae were among Pepperdine University’s 2019 Outstanding Alumni | Women in Leadership honorees. The leadership these women have displayed in their respective fields is shifting cultural landscapes, shaping and reshaping industries, and innovating in powerful and purposeful ways.

Alumna Hattie Mitchell is the founder of Crete Academy, a charter school for financially disadvantaged children in South Los Angeles. In addition to a quality education, the school provides attendees with all types of healthcare, including emotional support, ensuring that they have whatever they need to thrive.

Asked about the her experience at Pepperdine and the recognition, Mitchell said, My time at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy was profound in shaping who I became as a leader. The principles gained during my education at SPP continue to be a guide for my work.

Moreover, the skills I learned set me apart from others and allowed me to accept opportunities when they were presented.

Overall, I would not be where I am today and have the effect that I do on my community without my experience at Pepperdine.

The honor of being an outstanding alumna is validation that I am fulfilling my purpose and making a difference in the world.

20 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

Hanna Skandera, the chief executive officer of Mile High Strategies, and the former visiting professor of education policy and impact at SPP, has a history of successes in the fields of education and organizational impact and culture.

In response to the honor Skandera said, It is an incredible honor to receive this recognition. There are a tremendous number of amazing women who have gone before me and led with grace, integrity, and courage; they inspire me, and I am truly grateful to them for their example and leadership.

Still today, it's so important for women to encourage and support one another on their professional journeys. There are countless glass ceilings left to break, and in both business and government especially, more women leaders are needed. As I look forward in my professional life, I aspire to provide the same guidance and mentorship to the next generation.

The Role of Politics in Religion and the Role of Religion in Politics On February 6, 2020, the School of Public Policy hosted a panel discussion on the topic of the role of politics in religion and the role of religion in politics. The event was held to celebrate the launch of the best-selling new book, published by the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought. Moderated by the School of Public Policy’s dean, Pete Peterson, this riveting talk centered on the role the Bible has, and should play, in the American public conversation.

The distinguished panelists included Meir Y. Soloveichik, Wilfred McClay, and Motse Alvarado. Soloveichik is the director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought and rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York. Soloveichik explained that the Hebrew Bible has played a unique role in American history. It has provided both imagery for the American founders and made America an extraordinary place for Jewish people.

McClay is the author of Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story and Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at SPP. When McClay was asked his thoughts on the impact of the Hebrew Bible, he reflected upon the idea that the imagery found within the Bible was able to “give people who were enslaved inspiration and vision of a free land of hope.”

Vice president and executive director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Alvarado was recently profiled by the Wall Street Journal’s Weekend Edition as “A defender of all religion, on the front lines of America's culture wars.” She explained that America is an incomplete thought if you don't include its Hebrewic thoughts. Alvarado elaborated, “There is a real practical implication of what we have lost in this country from becoming more secular,” and contended that we have lost our religious liberty as a nation, even among our elites.

In conclusion Peterson said that “Without a common history, we will come apart as a nation. If we don’t have shared roots of American order, we will simply have no order. It is not about writing history for history’s sake, it's about being able to come together as who we are, and who we are as a country.” Religion teaches that we are related to each other both in space and in time, and without it you cannot sustain a community lacking the memory of what holds that community together. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/role-of-religion

Faith in the Public Square On Wednesday, February 12, 2020, guest James K. A. Smith discussed his book Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology with Jason Blakely, associate professor of political science at Seaver College. As an introduction to the topic, Smith spoke about the relationship between Augustine and General Bonifacius. Augustine saw that his ultimate allegiance extended beyond those in the kingdom he led, and he encouraged Bonifacius, a general struggling with the conflicting duties of military leadership and of his Christian calling, to pursue the guidance of his fatih. Smith related that this encouragement encompassed the calling we each have, and that evading one’s God-given calling is inexcusable. What is important for Christians is their posture before God, for no sovereignty apart from God exists.

How do these ideas relate to the public square today? Smith contended that faith belongs in the public square, and particularly at the local level, which most strongly impacts citizens. Each of us, said Smith, would benefit by asking ourselves, “How connected am I to my local government? Do I know the name of my mayor or who is on the city council?”

Smith’s lecture brings to mind Churchill’s observation that “we shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” How are we being shaped by our institutions? And what are we going to do about it? At SPP, we raise up students who ask these hard questions— leaders who see public policy differently and who keep the “public” in public policy. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/faith-in-public-square publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 21

Reagan's Emergence as a World Statesman with Gene Kopelson

O

n March 4, 2020, Ronald Reagan historian and author Gene Kopelson joined the School of Public Policy for an evening conversation discussing the inspiring history of Reagan’s quest for the presidency. In Kopelson’s book, Reagan's 1968 Dress Rehearsal: Ike, RFK, and Reagan's Emergence as a World

Statesman, he discussed recently revealed evidence that behind the scenes, Reagan had a hidden mentor on domestic politics and on world affairs, former president Dwight Eisenhower.

Dean Pete Peterson introduced Kopelson and highlighted President Reagan’s deep relationship with Pepperdine University.

He mentioned that this year marks the 50th anniversary of then governor Reagan’s appearance at the Birth of a College Dinner in 1970, which celebrated the birth of Pepperdine’s Malibu campus.

As Kopelson researched Reagan, he discovered a widely unknown mentorship of him by President Eisenhower. The two met four times as Reagan entered the race for governor of California, running on a promise to bring “common sense answers to California’s problems.” President Eisenhower especially admired Reagan’s speech delivery technique, and attendees of the event enjoyed hearing many of Reagan’s audio clips.

Kopelson credits President Eisenhower with helping transform Ronald Reagan from a novice politician into a potential US president. In his research, Kopelson has found that Reagan greatly admired Eisenhower. A photo of the two of them appeared in almost every office that Reagan worked in—the Oval Office, his private study, the Cabinet room, and even in Reagan’s personal home. He also found that Reagan quoted President Eisenhower more often than he quoted any other former president.

His book has received rave reviews from secretary of state George Shultz, attorney general Edwin Meese, numerous Reagan and Eisenhower historians, the Claremont Review of Books, the Washington Times, the Weekly Standard, the New York Post, the Daily Caller, the Daily Wire, and Newsmax. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/reagansemergence

SPP Mourns the Loss OF Rod Campbell, Jack McManus, and Wayne Strom ROD CAMPBELL Longtime board of advisors member, Rod Campbell, passed away in March after a sudden and short battle with cancer.

“Rod was a committed board member and personal friend,” said Pete Peterson, dean of SPP. “He was a man of boundless energy and was always promoting SPP to his friends and acquaintances. He brought a number of new members to the board of advisors. He won’t be just missed; he’ll be mourned.”

Campbell’s professional career spanned six decades, and brought him from his native Canada through the Midwest and, finally, to Southern California. He was a serial entrepreneur who became 22 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report

well-known in the world of motorsports, running Public Relations for Ford’s racing division for most of the 1980s and 1990s. Campbell was very active in Republican politics, helping to found the donor organization, New Majority, in the late ’90s. He was in his 89 th year and leaves behind his wife, Sandra; two daughters, Heather and Alison; and two grandchildren.

JACK MCMANUS John “Jack” McManus, capstone and education policy professor at the School of Public Policy and Professor Emeritus of Education at Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology, passed away last fall.

“As both an administrator and in his favorite role as a teacher across three of Pepperdine's graduate programs, no one was better in inspiring students to go much further than they dreamed possible,” said James R. Wilburn (MBA ’82), Dean Emeritus of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy and a longtime friend of McManus. “It is not a cliche to say that he was Pepperdine at its best.”

McManus will be remembered by his capstone students for his integration of the project poster presentations that resulted in a nonprofit startup and inspired policy makers in the K–12 education field. Students describe him as “amazing,” “wonderful,” and always willing to make the material and classes fun and informative; another said he was “one of the best teachers at Pepperdine.”

School of Public Policy and National Association of Scholars Host

THE LOST HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION CONFERENCE

T

he Pepperdine School of Public Policy and the National Association of Scholars held a half-day conference on Friday, January 24, 2020 to celebrate the launch of The Lost History of Western Civilization, a new report by Stanley Kurtz challenging the current conventional wisdom that Western civilization was a myth invented by American warmongers during World War I. Dean Pete Peterson welcomed guests to Malibu who gathered together to uncover the lost history of Western civilization through keynote presentations and a panel discussion by professors and scholars.

Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars, stated “Our country needs a plentitude of citizens who share the history of Western civilization,” and expressed concern about generating a reinvigorated life for the topic. Kurtz, senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, excavated the history of Western thought from Jerusalem and Athens, through Rome, to the modern West. He provided a detailed refutation of the “myth” of Western civilization, and explained the need for Western civilization courses from Stanford to Yale. "Liberty in the bones is lost when the story in the West is forgotten," remarked Kurtz.

Following Kurtz’s introduction of the topic, a panel comprising Daniel Walker Howe, Rhodes Professor of American History

An advocate for civil rights and education and public policy reform, McManus served as an advisor, teacher, and servant leader, and will forever have a legacy at the public policy school. He is survived by his wife, Pamela; his beloved nieces and nephews, London, Charlotte, Florence, and Cassius; and a host of friends and loved ones.

WAYNE STROM Beloved former staff member and longtime friend of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, Wayne Strom, passed away in April. He was the founding faculty member at SPP and led the fall leadership workshops from 1997 through 2004.

Emeritus at Oxford University; Mark Bauerlein, professor of English at Emory University and senior editor of First Things; Susan Hanssen, associate professor and chair of the department of history at the University of Dallas; and Peterson furthered the discussion for the need and means of encouraging scholarship on the topic of Western civilization, as the cultural foundation of our self-governance and national ideals. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/lost-history

In reflecting on Strom’s life, Dean Emeritus James Wilburn recalled, “Wayne Strom could walk into the opening class of presidential key executive (PKE) MBA students where all were accustomed to being the “boss” as presidents or senior leaders in their companies, and by the end of the weekend they would all be virtually brothers or sisters, aware that they had entered a life-changing experience, ever afterward bragging to other PKE grads that they had been ‘Stromitized.’ I treasured him not only as a star faculty member and close friend, but as my professor, because before I was his dean, I was his student in the PKE program myself and was Stromitized for life. I will miss him as one of my best friends of a lifetime.”

Strom expanded others’ capacity for understanding and compassion.

In addition to championing public

engagement to build stronger communities by founding the Pepperdine Civic Leadership Project in 1986, he was also heavily involved with the Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission in Mission Hills, and he worked tirelessly to enlist executives in coaching employable but unemployed men and women experiencing homelessness in developing job-search skills. Many senior-level executives count Strom as a caring mentor, fully present in the moment, who practiced the simple principle of “it is not necessary to react.”

Strom touched many lives for good during his exceptional career as a professor, executive coach, and civic leader. We are deeply saddened by his passing and our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to Kathy and his extended family at this time.

publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 23

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY School of Public Policy 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263-4494

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY

MEMBERS

Stephen Olson (MBA ’73)

Viggo Butler (MBA ’80)

Nishan Partamian

Rod Campbell (In Memoriam) Frank Cornell

Jason Pates (’95, MPP ’99)

Pete Peterson (MPP ’07) Dean, Braun Family Dean's Chair James R. Wilburn (MBA ’82) Dean Emeritus

Peggy Grande

Gary Polson

Doug De Groote

James Piereson Ronald Plotkin

Join the SPP community on

Cynthia Guerrero (MPP ’04)

Walter Poser

PeppConnect. Pepperdine alumni,

BOARD OF ADVISORS

Jay Hoffman

James Puckett

faculty, staff, and parents: expand

Joseph Czyzyk Chair

Colene Johnson (’68)

Glen Holden Jeffrey Jones (MPP ’02)

Kevin Richardson (JD ’82) Margaret Sheppard

your professional network, advance

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Jonathan Kemp (’94, MBA ’07) Keith Tobias

your goals, and give back through this

William S. Banowsky (MA '94) (In Memoriam)

Cathryn Kingsbury (’97, MPP ’99) Robert Virtue Donald R. Knabe

virtual networking community.

Ed Feulner

Jong Lee Darrell Levonian

Steve Forbes

William S. Mortensen

Carol Wallace Charity Wallace (’97) Michael Y. Warder

Nicole Neily (MPP '06)

Barry L. Wolfe

Frederick Ryan

Gary Oakland

Johnny Zamrzla

Dean’s Report Editorial Team

Robert Hertzberg

EDITOR: Jaclyn Ramirez

COPY EDITORS: Sheryl Covey (MDR '20) Amanda Pisani

WRITERS: Sheryl Covey (MDR '20), Matt Cutler, Yesica Goblirsch, Danielle Goodman, Danielle Harrington, Ashley Trim Labosier (MPP ’09), Emily Milnes, Pete Peterson (MPP ’07), Jaclyn Ramirez, Abigail Scott

Upcoming Events For more information and additional events, visit publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events PP2002393

Lisa Cowell