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Annual Founder's Day Celebration Remembers George Pepperdine's Vision

The Pepperdine community gathered September 17, 2008 for the University's annual Founder's Day celebration. Each year, this special event honors the vision of the University's founder, George Pepperdine; affirms Pepperdine's mission; and declares the opening of the new academic year.

"In this new year," said Pepperdine president Andrew K. Benton in his address, "may we be awakened, heart and mind, with new insights, new convictions and new commitments, and may we be changed. You can put it in a song or a poem if you wish, but I would rather you act, and let the world hear the music of your life—and be inspired." Click here to read a full transcript of President Benton's remarks.

Gary Selby, Blanche E. Seaver Professor of Communications at Seaver College, opened the ceremony with words of welcome and an engaging description of the Founder's Day tradition.

Provost Darryl L. Tippens officiated at the ceremony and introduced representatives of various University boards and councils who led the procession into Firestone Fieldhouse. Led by a Scottish bagpipe and drum corps, faculty emeriti and representatives from the classes of 1939 to 2008 marched to conclude the academic procession.

This year, Hunter Stanfield ('09), president of the Seaver College Student Government Association, gave the invocation, followed by a musical performance of the Pledge of Allegiance by the Pepperdine University Concert Choir under the direction of Milt Pullen.

Central to the Founder's Day tradition is a reading of George Pepperdine's dedicatory remarks from 1937. Students Jerren Wright (JD '09), Linda Meier (GSEP '09), and Kyle Knas ('09) delivered the address this year. Milt Pullen conducted Pepperdine's concert choir and orchestra for a performance of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" before Benton addressed the crowd.

Tippens declared the opening of the 2008-2009 academic year, and Thomas Dudley, professor of decision sciences at the Graziadio School of Business and Management, offered the benediction following a musical presentation of the Pepperdine Alma Mater.