FLOURISH Free
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.
True liberty—the freedom found in Jesus is the ability to become the people we were created to be.
JIM
GASH
From the PRESIDENT
“Resilience”
is a term we hear often at Pepperdine.
It is a word that, for many years, through both expected and unexpected challenges, has defined who we are. Yet this year, we saw resilience in a new way as our community endured together the challenges of the Franklin, Palisades, and Eaton Fires. I can hardly imagine a more striking picture of resilience than our cross standing firm, even through fire. This powerful image echoes the promise of the gospel: the promise that, at the cross, we find an ever-present, unshakable refuge—a foundation that can withstand the storms of life.
The gospel never promises a life free of difficulty. In fact, difficulty itself is promised. In the 16th chapter of John, during some of his last moments with his disciples, Jesus warns them of the many trials they can expect to endure. But along with the promise of trials, he also gives them, and us, a powerful promise of hope: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Because of Christ’s victory, we have a steadfast hope that anchors us.
As I have pondered the resilience shown by our community, I have noticed a profound connection between this resilient character and the idea that has been at the heart of our collective thinking at Pepperdine this past year— the idea of freedom. I have been struck, in particular, by the book of James, which often employs the phrase “the law of liberty” or “the law that gives freedom.” This expression rings as paradoxical to modern ears; we think of law as taking away—rather than giving—freedom.
But the freedom that James commends speaks of something deeper than simply unlimited options or lack of external restraints. He has in mind an inner freedom that comes only from the human soul being oriented toward the good. The law of Christ, written on our hearts, liberates us to find our purpose and pursue our calling. True liberty—the freedom found in Jesus—is the ability to become the people we were created to be. And it is this kind of freedom that produces the abundant life resilient enough to flourish in even the most difficult of situations.
I saw this firsthand as we walked through the fires together this winter. I saw our campus fulfill the call to service— both to one another and to the larger community—sharing their resources, efforts, and love with those in need. I saw our people live out the true purpose of freedom as defined in Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.” I saw a living, breathing picture of Pepperdine’s motto: our community freely giving what they have freely received.
This God-given, others-oriented liberty—central to Pepperdine’s core values—frees us to flourish in all circumstances and in all aspects of university life. Our students are free to pursue truth without fear in every discipline, knowing truth has nothing to fear from investigation. They are free to explore the world, learning from the depth and beauty of cultures across the globe. They are free to succeed in their fields of study, inspired by our exceptional faculty who seek to cultivate the whole person—body, mind, and soul. They are free to flourish in lives of purpose, service, and leadership.
Sincerely,
JIM GASH President and CEO
Free to FLOURISH
Freedom is an idea at the very heart of Pepperdine. In our classrooms, this idea animates the University’s dedication to academic freedom and the relentless pursuit of truth. On campus, it is embodied in the abundant opportunities and resources enjoyed by students empowered to pursue their unique callings. Worldwide, it manifests itself in the efforts of Waves to extend their own freedom and flourishing to others around the globe.
If freedom is the beating heart of Pepperdine, flourishing is the work of its hands. To flourish means to grow luxuriantly—to thrive, to prosper. True freedom runs deeper than a mere lack of external restraints; it exists for a purpose and carries with it a responsibility to steward it well.
G. K. Chesterton puts this idea powerfully in his book Orthodoxy: “The more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.”
This phrase aptly captures the spirit of the flourishing community at Pepperdine—from the ocean-set Malibu campus to the historic Château d’Hauteville: good things running wild. At Pepperdine, we believe that the purpose of the freedoms enjoyed by our students is to empower them to become the people they were created to be—to allow them to flourish.
To be free does not mean to be disconnected from values or to be without foundation. A tree without
roots withers and dies. Pepperdine is a place with deep roots. Its unapologetic commitment to Christian faith and values, its unwavering pursuit of excellence, and its steadfast dedication to its mission are the roots from which spring the abundant fruits of the flourishing university community we see around us.
In the world of higher education, Pepperdine shines as a beacon of freedom—freedom of inquiry, freedom of religion, freedom of expression. Ultimately, we believe that the freedom we have in Christ enables us to flourish in the world.
The kind of freedom Christ offers is true freedom—a life liberated from the obstacles that hold us back and a life empowered to fulfill our purpose. Our theme verse for the year, 2 Corinthians 3:17, reveals the source of this deeper kind of liberty: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Ultimately, Pepperdine is a place of freedom, because it is a place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells. It is a place where students, faculty, and community are free to flourish.
$1.9 billion
Value of FY24 NET ASSETS maintained by the University (unaudited)
$1.3 billion
Value of the University’s FY24 ENDOWMENT funds
66.9% 10-year total endowment GROWTH
Influential figures illuminated timely issues for the President’s Speaker Series. Featured speakers included Liz Truss, former prime minister of the United Kingdom, who shared her observations on the cultural influence of the US on the rest of the world; Tani Cantil-Sakauye, the president and chief executive officer of the Public Policy Institute of California and former chief justice of California, who discussed the importance of civil discourse to sound statewide public policy; Palmer Luckey, inventor of the Oculus VR headset and founder of Anduril Industries, who discussed how the technology industry should ethically participate in the defense sector; and business innovator and civic leader Rick Caruso and Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt, who represented both sides of the political spectrum in a discussion about the key issues surrounding the 2024 presidential election.
Seaver College senior Sean Wu received the University’s first Rhodes Scholarship in November 2024. Wu, majoring in mathematics and computer science and minoring in data science, will begin working toward two master’s degrees at Oxford University in the fall. In addition to publishing 15 peer-reviewed, scholarly research articles— all of which evaluate how machine learning can intersect with medicine—he plays the tuba with the Pepperdine Orchestra and has a 4.0 GPA.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was the featured guest at the 2024 Pepperdine Associates dinner. Alongside Board of Regents chair Dee Anna Smith (’86) and Taube Family Chair of International Relations and Politics Kiron Skinner, Rice discussed her career, the future of higher education, and the importance of leaders nurturing leadership qualities in one’s colleagues and team members.
The Ken Starr Institute for Faith, Law, and Public Service launched in March 2024 at a dinner in Washington, DC, where associate justice of the Supreme Court Samuel Alito delivered the keynote address. Commemorating the former Caruso School of Law dean’s dedication to religious liberty and constitutional principles, the institute will sponsor conferences, fund chairs for prominent faculty, and offer student scholarships directed toward the evolving intersection of law and faith.
Pepperdine Announces the Decision to Establish the COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE
The announcement, made in March, heralded the impending launch of the University’s academic home of graduate and undergraduate healthcare education degree programs. Informed by conversations with a wide range of segments across the University, as well as strategic consultants and healthcare leaders in Southern California and across the country, the College of Health Science provides a worldclass education for the next generation of healthcare professionals so they may lead with knowledge, compassion, and confidence in today’s evolving medical and allied health landscape. Classes at the college’s School of Nursing and School of Speech-Language Pathology will begin in August 2025, with future plans to develop occupational therapy, physician assistant, and physical therapy programs.
Michael E. Feltner, formerly the inaugural dean of academic initiatives and the dean of Seaver College, was named the college’s founding dean in April. A proven scholar and administrator, Feltner was a major contributor to the analysis that led to the new college’s offerings.
To best serve the needs of all interested students, the School of Nursing will offer two pathways to a bachelor’s degree. The first pathway will offer students a foundation in the liberal arts and sciences at Seaver College for two years followed by two years of intensive nursing training; the second will offer a two-year program in nursing subsequent to earning an associate’s degree at an accredited program. The school will also offer a three-year entry-level master of science in nursing, clinical nurse leader program.
The School of Nursing is led by dean Angel Coaston (pictured right, top), whose experience includes 10 years in academia, most recently as associate dean of clinical academic practice partnerships and associate professor of nursing at California Baptist University. She was previously the director of the master of science in nursing program at Azusa Pacific University and a leader of transitional care and case management initiatives at Loma Linda University. Before her academic endeavors, Coaston cofounded the Well of Healing Mobile Medical Clinic, which provides free primary care to San Bernardino County residents in need.
Leah Fullman (pictured right, bottom) serves as the dean of the School of Speech-Language Pathology. Fullman most recently guided the development of seven health science programs and led the creation of an online master’s in speech-language pathology and PhD in health sciences for Faulkner University as founding dean of its College of Health Sciences. She also served a significant role on the university’s advancement team, acquiring grants to fund the college and managing multimillion dollar budgets.
$1M from the FLETCHER JONES FOUNDATION for the Fletcher Jones Professorship in Data Science
$200,000+ from GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY (through the John Templeton Foundation) to Elizabeth Krumrei Mancuso for the Cultivating Intellectual Humility project
$1M from the LILLY ENDOWMENT INC. to Mike Cope for the Compelling Preaching Initiative
$150,000 from the WOOD-CLAEYSSENS FOUNDATION to Regan Schaffer for the Nonprofit Leadership Collaborative
$500,000+ from the NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION to Helen Holmlund for the study of resurrection ferns
The Four Lights Memorial on the Malibu campus was dedicated in April in memory of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams. The Seaver College students lost their lives in a tragic accident on Pacific Coast Highway in the fall of 2023. The memorial was conceived by University members in the midst of the outpouring of grief following news of the loss.
The University’s commitment to ethical and sustainable technology was evidenced by two conferences hosted by Seaver College. In the spring, thought leaders shared ideas for the use of clean and safe nuclear power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels at the Clean Energy Nuclear Power Conference. In the fall, the third annual Human-Centered AI Conference featured experts in artificial intelligence from around the globe to discuss the ways AI can improve the human experience.
The Caruso School of Law welcomed associate justice of the Supreme Court Amy Coney Barrett to the Freedom in Truth: Caruso School of Law Dinner, where she discussed safeguarding the legal system with Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean Paul Caron and professors of law Babette Boliek and Trey Childress. The law school also honored senior vice chancellor and Dean Emeritus Ronald F. Phillips at a dinner this spring for a lifetime of dedicated service to the University and the law school.
A Record-Breaking 5,000 Attendees Gather in Worship and Fellowship at the Fourth Annual PEPPERDINE WORSHIP SUMMIT
Created to bring together Pepperdine community members—and expanded to include worshippers from all over Southern California—in praise, the Pepperdine Worship Summit has become a fall tradition. Attendance at this year’s event climbed to a new high, including more than 1,200 students.
Waves Worship—a worship ministry comprising Pepperdine students, staff, and alumni—opened the event by performing original musical arrangements with spirited passion. Their music, reflecting the voices of multigenerational worshipers, aims to embody the songs God is singing over the Pepperdine community and the heartfelt responses from the community in return.
Music ministry United Voice Worship—a group composed of worship pastors and praise leaders from around the country— returned to the event for the third year in a row and inspired attendees with an a cappella worship experience.
Making his first appearance on the Malibu campus, GRAMMY Award–winning Christian artist Chris Tomlin headlined the event and brought the crowd to its feet singing along with the lyrics projected behind him. Tomlin performed a selection of his popular songs, including “How Great Is Our God” and “Holy Forever.”
Author and speaker Sadie Robertson Huff reminded the audience members of their power as Christians and that it is up to each of them to unfailingly serve as a source of light in the world. Huff also expressed her gratitude to Pepperdine for organizing the event and gathering a community devoted to God’s word.
Worship leaders Chris Tomlin (top) and Sadie Robertson Huff (bottom) shared their powerful testimony with the crowd.
Musician and entertainer Pat Boone reflected on the American spirit at the 2024 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony. Boone delivered a keynote address reflecting deeply on the lasting legacy of 9/11, the American flag, and the men and women who have bravely sacrificed their lives to defend it. The heartfelt tribute was set against Pepperdine’s annual Waves of Flags display that commemorates the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the terror attacks on September 11, 2001.
Dance in Flight, Pepperdine’s resident dance company, celebrated 30 years of performances last spring. The annual program provides dancers and choreographers at all levels of experience a venue to develop their creativity and physical expression, uniting them in their love for the art of movement.
Pepperdine’s Facilities Services decreased the University’s annual electricity usage for the year by 5 percent. The department’s power-saving efforts included building automation tailored to weather conditions and installing more efficient fixtures as a maintenance initiative.
LISA SMITH WENGLER CENTER FOR THE ARTS ARTSREACH PROGRAM
offered free professional performances and museum tours to MORE THAN 3,400 K–12 STUDENTS from
30 schools
The ninth annual Future of Healthcare Symposium hosted by the Graziadio Business School was held in February, with keynote remarks from governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire. Panelists discussed innovative solutions to pressing healthcare industry problems and trends in the business of wellness.
The School of Public Policy launched a master of public policy Washington, DC, track. The program provides degree candidates with the option to complete their last semester at Pepperdine’s Washington, DC, campus, offering returning students a unique opportunity to accelerate their professional development in the nation’s capital.
PEPPERDINE ATHLETICS Welcomes Exciting New Leadership to Malibu
Tanner Gardner (pictured left), the new director of athletics, began his tenure on June 1, bringing to Pepperdine an impressive background in raising collegiate sports to the next financial and reputational level. In his previous role as deputy athletic director for external affairs at Rice University, Gardner spearheaded a list of remarkable strategic partnership developments and revenue growth achievements. Before his 10 years of service at Rice, Gardner served as a senior staff project manager for Stanford University, where he had been a star of the wrestling team as a student and earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree prior to receiving an MBA at Harvard Business School. Gardner has been leading three new coaches for the Waves. The former assistant coach of men’s basketball for Grand Canyon University, Ed Schilling, became the head coach of the Pepperdine team in April. During his first season at Grand Canyon, Schilling’s team achieved its first conference title, and in 2023 and 2024 it claimed the Western Athletic Conference title. While previously serving as assistant coach for four years at the University of California, Los Angeles, nine of Schilling’s players were sent to the NBA.
Katie Faulkner, head coach of the Waves women’s basketball team, also arrived in April. Faulkner spent the previous four years as an assistant coach at the University of Washington, where she helped lead the Huskies to a 12-game improvement and their first postseason appearance in six years. Before her position in Washington, Faulkner served as an assistant coach for Oregon State University, where she played a significant role in guiding the team to a 118-37 five-year stretch and four NCAA tournament appearances. As a student-athlete at the University of Montana, she was considered one of best players in the school’s history.
In mid-June, Tyler LaTorre began his tenure as the head coach of the Waves baseball program. LaTorre brings nearly 20 years of baseball coaching experience to Pepperdine. He most recently spent two years as head coach at Westmont College, where he led the team to a 2023 win of the NAIA World Series Championship and was named Coach of the Year by four different organizations. LaTorre spent the prior three years as pitching and catching coach and recruiting coordinator at California State University, Sacramento, where he was instrumental in developing and producing three pitchers who signed professional baseball contracts. LaTorre was also a professional player with both the Milwaukee Brewers’ and San Francisco Giants’ minor league teams.
Pepperdine hosted press conferences to welcome the three new coaches, (from top to bottom) Ed Schilling, Katie Faulkner, and Tyler La Torre, to the University community.
Five teams won six WCC conference championships:
WOMEN’S GOLF WCC Champions
MEN’S TENNIS
WCC Regular-Season Champions
WOMEN’S TENNIS
WCC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL WCC Champions
WATER POLO
WCC Regular-Season Champions
95 percent
NCAA STUDENT-ATHLETE GRADUATION SUCCESS RATE four points higher than national average
Scholar, diplomat, and foreign policy expert Kiron Skinner was named the inaugural Taube Family Chair of International Relations and Politics at the School of Public Policy. The chair—an historic, first-ever distinguished chair at Pepperdine and the single largest newly endowed position at the University—aims to firmly establish a more balanced view of international affairs and politics and embraces the view that the US plays a critical, leading role on the global stage.
Bob Goff, renowned speaker, author, and founder of Love Does, shared his inspirational message with the Pepperdine community in September at the Well, the University’s weekly worship service. Love Does has made significant contributions to the judicial system in Uganda and has established schools in conflict zones around the world.
The Graduate School of Education and Psychology’s MA in Social Entrepreneurship and Change joined with the School of Public Policy to host the third Social Enterprise Collective last spring in Washington, DC. More than 200 attendees benefited from the unique opportunity to interact with industry professionals and social impact leaders from the government, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors.
Alumni, students, and faculty celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Pepperdine London program during Waves Weekend in October. More than 170 community members enjoyed the London Grand Reunion at the Brock House, reminiscing about memories made at 56 Prince’s Gate.
SEAVER COLLEGE
U.S.
The SUDREAU GLOBAL JUSTICE INSTITUTE Continues to Bring Hope and Justice to Incarcerated Individuals Across Several Partner Countries in Africa
In 2024 the institute provided critical legal representation to detainees without access to counsel, facilitated plea bargaining for those who sought it, and offered training to local attorneys and judges on enhancing legal system efficiencies and best practices.
The institute has developed particularly strong relationships with the judiciary and attorneys in Rwanda and Uganda, with the following results for fiscal year 2024:
Rwanda
• 10,666 New Clients
• 9,204 Cases Resolved
• 4,606 Immediately Released
Uganda
• 2,783 New Clients
• 2,202 Cases Resolved
• 1,133 Immediately Released
This year the institute also hosted the first-ever Pan-African conference for Africa’s judicial leaders. On March 16, chief justices and senior national judges from 22 African nations gathered for two days of capacity-building workshops focused on alternative dispute resolution methods, such as plea bargaining. These sessions were designed to help advance public defense efforts, reduce case backlogs, and alleviate prison overcrowding. By the end of the conference, nearly every participating country expressed interest in partnering with the institute.
Following the event, Sudreau Institute and Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution leaders led a cohort of 15 African chief justices and offered a groundbreaking, exclusive training program in negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and plea bargaining. In October, a five-day capstone event at the University’s Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland marked the culmination of this comprehensive course. This specialized collaboration of chief justices is poised to drive transformative reforms in justice systems across Africa.
University ADMINISTRATION
University administration works with the Board of Regents to shape policy and direction for the University.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
James A. Gash (JD ’93) President and Chief Executive Officer
Sara Young Jackson (’74) Chancellor
Jay L. Brewster Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Sean Burnett
Senior Vice President for Integrated Marketing Communications and Chief Marketing Officer
Lila McDowell Carlsen Interim Vice Provost
Lauren W. Cosentino (’97, MBA ’12)
Vice President for Advancement and Chief Development Officer
Daniel J. DeWalt
Vice President and Chief of Staff
Connie Horton (’82) Vice President for Student Affairs
Thomas H. Knudsen (’91) General Counsel
L. Timothy Perrin
Senior Vice President for Strategic Implementation
Phil Phillips (’88, JD ’92) Executive Vice President
Greg G. Ramirez (’03) Chief Financial Officer
Jeffrey Rohde (’10) Chief Investment Officer
J. Goosby Smith
Vice President for Community Belonging and Chief Diversity Officer
Tim Spivey (’97, MS ’00, MDiv ’00) Vice President for Spiritual Life
Nicolle Taylor (’98, JD ’02)
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
ACADEMIC DEANS
Lee Kats Interim Dean Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
Paul L. Caron Duane and Kelly Roberts Dean Caruso School of Law
Deborah Crown Dean Graziadio Business School
Farzin Madjidi (MBA ’88, EdD ’91) Dean
Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Pete N. Peterson (MPP ’07) Dean
School of Public Policy
Mark S. Roosa Dean of Libraries
Michael E. Feltner Founding Dean College of Health Science
Board of REGENTS
The Board of Regents is the legal governing body and chief policy board of the University. Life Regents are recognized and honored for their extraordinary service as past regents.
Dee Anna Smith (’86) Chair
Frederick L. Ricker Vice Chair
Jay S. Welker Secretary
John T. Lewis (’83) Assistant Secretary
Alan Beard (’94, MPP ’99)
Dale A. Brown (’64)
Shelle Ensio
James A. Gash (JD ’93)
Seth A. Haye (’02)
Jeremy L. Johnson (’02, MBA ’04)
Peter J. Johnson, Jr.
Dennis S. Lewis (’65)
Kimberly J. Lindley
Anna H. Mergele
Virginia F. Milstead (JD ’04)
Michael T. Okabayashi
Kasey S. Pipes
John L. Plueger
Christopher A. Ruud (’93)
Stephen M. Stewart
Charlie Walker (JD ’15)
Eric S. Wolford (’88)
LIFE REGENTS*
Joe R. Barnett
Sheila K. Bost
Jerry S. Cox
Terry M. Giles (JD ’74)
Michelle R. Hiepler (JD ’89)
Gail E. Hopkins, (’66, MA ’74)
Jerry E. Hudson
John D. Katch (’60)
Eff W. Martin
James R. Porter
Russell L. Ray, Jr.
Travis E. Reed
Susan F. Rice (EdD ’86)
Carol Richards
B. Joseph Rokus (’76)
Rosa Mercado Spivey
William W. Stevens, Jr.
Thomas J. Trimble
J. McDonald Williams
* Nonvoting Regents
University BOARD
The Pepperdine University Board comprises business, professional, and civic leaders who demonstrate their confidence in the University’s distinctive mission. Quarterly meetings provide an opportunity for members to offer counsel and guidance on important policy matters and to hear timely reports from the president, administrators, professors, and students.
Pat Boone Co-Chair
Marlyn Day (’90, JD ’94) Co-Chair
Marc E. Andersen
Robert J. Barbera
William W. Beazley (MBA ’81)
Paul F. Bennett
Ronald Berryman (’62, MBA ’67)
Paula J. Biggers
Stephen Birch (MDR ’17, EdD ’18)
Jeffrey E. Bjork (’95)
Viggo Butler (MBA ’80)
James A. Cardwell, Jr.
Nachhattar S. Chandi
Frank W. Cornell III (MBA ’78, EdD ’04)
Lindsay A. Costigan (MBA ’07)
Maureen Duffy-Lewis
Christopher W. Elliott (’06)
David F. Fernandez (BSM ’07)
Jordan R. Fish (JD ’17)
Blair Franklin (MBA ’92, DBA ’21)
Hank Frazee
James A. Gash (JD ’93)
Sara Young Jackson (’74)
Grant Johnson (’96)
Katherine C. Keck
Mary Anne Keshen
Carl J. Lambert (’78)
Dina Leeds
Takuji Masuda (’93, MFA ’17)
John F. Monroe (’79)
Sharon Mullin
Gary Oakland
Joshua K. Oder (’98)
Stephen E. Olson (MBA ’73)
Joseph O. Oltmans II
Gregory M. Outcalt (’84)
Michael C. Palmer
Darren D. Pitts (MBA ’95)
Walter L. Poser
Kelly Roberts
Joseph J. Schirripa
Benjamin J. Schuppel (JD ’16)
Charles W. Shields (’86)
Lisa Smith Wengler
Richard L. Stack
Dianne Taube
Deborah D. Weiss (’85)
Ellen L. Weitman
Jeremy N. White (MA ’94)
Christa Zofcin Workman (’97, MBA ’00, JD ’01)
Organizational VALUES
1. We see the image of God in every person we encounter.
2. Academic excellence requires development of both the mind and spirit.
3. Students are at the heart of everything we do.
4. We are united in our pursuit of truth, even when we disagree.
5. Freedom is both a right and a responsibility.
6. Service is our posture.