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University Commemorates George Pepperdine’s Vision at Annual Founder’s Day Celebration 

The Pepperdine community gathered in Firestone Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Sept. 19, to celebrate the vision of its founding father, George Pepperdine, and to officially inaugurate the 2007-2008 academic year.

Andy Canales, President of the Student Government Association, opened the special convocation before Provost Darryl L. Tippens officially welcomed the crowd. A Scottish bagpipe and drum corps led a procession of university officers, board of regents, and various boards and councils into the Fieldhouse. Faculty emeriti, representatives from the classes of 1939 to 2007 and faculty from each of the University’s five colleges concluded the academic procession.

Helen Young, Associated Women for Pepperdine founder and one of the University’s true treasures, gave the invocation followed by the pledge of allegiance given by Ronald Berryman, a Pepperdine alumni and member of the Alumni Leadership Council. The Seaver College Concert Choir, directed by Milt Pullen, gave a special performance prior to the showing of a unique video titled “George Pepperdine in His Own Words.”

Seaver College Dean David Baird read the founder's dedicatory remarks from 1937. President Andrew K. Benton addressed the crowd before Provost Tippens officially declared the opening of the 2007-2008 academic year. Farzin Madjidi, a professor of leadership at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, concluded the ceremony with a benediction.