TRIBUTE TO DEAN WILLIAMS

Helen Easterling Williams Dean of GSEP (2014–2022)

Helen Easterling Williams faithfully served Pepperdine University as dean of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology from 2014 to 2022. Following her service as dean, she stepped into a new role as vice chancellor at Pepperdine University while remaining a tenured professor of education among the GSEP faculty.

Under her leadership as dean, GSEP has made invaluable strategic advances in traditional and online instruction, achieved material enrollment expansion, strengthened scholarship support, and meaningfully advanced the University’s mission of service at the school. Williams created the Lifelong Learning Women’s Forum, sponsored the Margaret J. Weber Distinguished Lecture Series, launched Urban Initiative 2.0, partnered with the Diversity Council to provide multiple educational opportunities to the community, and represented GSEP through countless speaker events, conferences, and workshops that promoted diversity and equity. Having completed the Gallup CliftonStrengths Executive Leadership Training program, her talent for recognizing each individual’s unique giftings and strengths made her deanship one of inclusion and excellence.

Enrollment flourished under dean Williams, establishing GSEP as the largest among all the five Pepperdine schools. She revamped the Education Division, launching four master of science programs, as well as a PhD in Global Leadership and Change program, the first PhD doctoral program at Pepperdine University. The Psychology Division began offering a master of science in behavioral psychology (now master of science in applied behavior analysis), and the PsyD program received a 10-year reaccreditation by the American Psychological Association. She also spearheaded the installation of three fully online psychology programs using global education leader 2U as the online program manager. Since the Psychology Division did not have a presence in the online space, this innovation represented a new enrollment group that propelled GSEP’s revenue growth both online and in person. 2U reported that the online MA in clinical psychology program became the number one online program of its kind in the world in fewer than five years. In addition, with the help of resources provided through alumni Jack Gershfeld (MA ’12) and Lisa Perrin (MBA ’92, EdD ’13), the three counseling clinics at West Los Angeles, Encino, and Irvine Graduate Campuses were upgraded with state-of-the-art technology making them HIPAA-compliant using secure cloud-based data storage. Optimal Engagement and Immersion Pedagogy, a new and unique classroom experience allowing synchronous, face-to-face, and virtual experience was established to enhance the online instruction experience. It was later expanded into virtual events to equitably support all students with access challenges.

During the eight years that Dean Williams led GSEP, she did so under truly unprecedented challenges and circumstances, yet with panache. Despite social unrest, wildfires, mass shootings, a global pandemic, worldwide tragedies, the death of beloved students and community members, and widespread racism, violence, and terror—she led with strength, empathy, and wisdom, looking to Christ as the author and perfecter of her faith. Always ready to offer encouragement and exhortation, her leadership encouraged the faculty, staff, and students of GSEP to continue to persevere. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the transition from a combined instructional format (in person, hybrid, and fully online) to being fully online in three days. She led the Pepperdine Foster Grandparent Program (FGP), which brought in an additional $350,000 in funding for a total of $1 million. The FGP provided food and home care supplies to more than 150 volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among her countless accomplishments at GSEP, Williams is a locally and globally recognized leader in higher education. She was named 2019 Executive of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal Women’s Council. She serves on multiple boards, including those of the LA5 Rotary Foundation and the Union Rescue Mission, providing her voice of wisdom and leadership in the community. She has delivered keynote speeches to audiences all over the United States and in China, Egypt, India, Iran, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. A dedicated elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, affirmed by the 5th Episcopal District Annual Conference, she is not only a leader in education, but also a pastor and reverend to many. Her guiding scripture for GSEP was Psalm 23:1: “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” As a woman of abiding faith, her dedication to justice and excellence and her commitment to our faculty, staff, students, and alumni continue to leave an indelible mark upon our community. With deep gratitude, we recognize her faithful service as dean of GSEP, and we look forward to her continued influence and work as vice chancellor and professor of education at Pepperdine University.

In addition to her many achievements as dean, the following are selected highlights of accomplishments during her tenure.

2014–2015

• Revised the hiring process at GSEP to ensure greater equity and inclusion

• Presented at the Diversity in Leadership Conference in Long Beach where GSEP received both the 2014 Nexus Award and the 2014 Commitment Award; received the Distinguished Panelist Award

• Established the annual GSEP Research Symposium

• Hosted the GSEP Celebration of Excellence honoring scholarship recipients and donors

2015–2016

• Honored by the United Negro College Fund and the mayor of Los Angeles with the Masked Award

• Awarded the Villager Award by the Afram Global Organization, Inc. and the 2016 Who’s Who Award by the National Council of 100 Black Women-Los Angeles Chapter

• Elected to serve as a member of the American Council on Education Council of Fellows board of directors

2016–2017

• Initiated the development of a new GSEP Strategic Plan

• Supported and enhanced the Executive Innovation Program, a systematic method for assisting doctoral students in completing their dissertations in one academic year

• Received the Association of Pan-African Dissertation Students Trailblazer Award at the organization’s awards luncheon

• Hosted the first GSEP staff retreat in Malibu

• Presented at the California Legislative Black Caucus Juneteenth Celebration at the state capitol in Sacramento where the Pepperdine GSEP efforts to index Freedmen’s Bureau Records were acknowledged

2018–2019

• Selected to be a John A. Widtsoe Foundation fellow

• Awarded the Community Pacemaker Award by mayor Eric Garcetti and the Kingdom Living Community Association

• Presented at the National Women’s Political Council in South Bay

• Honored by the Los Angeles Business Journal Women’s Council as 2019 Executive of the Year

2019–2020

• Doubled online psychology program enrollment

• Led workshops at the Grace Hopper Women in Technology Conference in Orlando, Florida. Presented at the JPL/NASA Women in Stem Conference in Pasadena

• Presented keynote address for the Human Resource Development Conference at the University of Tehran-Iran Online

• Planned and executed the Urban Initiative 2.0 Event at the Ritz Carlton Marina del Rey featuring Cornel West of Harvard University, President Jim Gash (JD ’93), and four GSEP alumni from the 79th and Vermont location

Completed the Gallup Corporation CliftonStrengths 2.0 Accelerated Counseling Training Program and passed the subsequent qualifying exam

• Received award at the Women of Diplomacy Annual Conference from the Consul Corp of Los Angeles

• Joined the Union Rescue Mission board of directors

2020–2021

• Produced a revenue actual at GSEP of +/-90% over revenue projection for FY21

• Co-chaired the Pepperdine President’s Action Advisory Team

• Co-chaired the Vice President of Community Belonging and Chief Diversity Officer Search Committee

2021–2022

• Secured 30 new staff positions to support enrollment growth

• Led doctoral delegation to Egypt

• Served on the ACE (American Council on Education) Professional Development Committee and on the ACE Council of Fellows Finance & Development Committee

• Advanced the GSEP Oral History Project for the 50th Anniversary of GSEP

• Served as Keynote Speaker for Church Women United

• Delivered Keynote Speech for Association of Pan-African Doctoral Scholars

• Hosted the Urban Initiative 2.0 Community Dinner at GSEP with Cornel West as the keynote speaker