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Pepperdine Offers Homage, Prayer, Scholarship on Seventh Anniversary of 9/11

To commemorate the tragedy of September 11, 2001 on its seventh anniversary, Pepperdine University will hold several events to honor the lives lost and celebrate the heroes made from that ill-fated day.

Nearly 3,000 American flags will be displayed on Alumni Park, the expansive lawn below the Pepperdine University Theme Tower along Malibu Canyon Road. "Each flag will represent an innocent American life lost in the terrorist attacks," says Ryan Sawtelle, president of the College Republicans, one of several Seaver College student groups that have come together to organize the display project. The flags will remain in place until September 18.

A brief prayer service will be offered at 11:30 a.m. at the Heroes Garden, a 14,880-square-foot outdoor sanctuary that sits on one of the highest bluffs on the Malibu campus. The garden serves as a public space to pause, reflect, and honor those who sacrificed their lives on 9/11, including Tom Burnett, alumnus of the Graziadio School of Business and Management. Led by University chaplain David Lemley, the service will ask God's comfort for those continuing to grieve, and gratefully commemorate those who gave their lives.

"It's important for us to make space in our lives to care for those who grieve, and honor those who sacrifice of themselves for the sake of others," Lemley says. "On September 11, we gather in prayer for just these kinds of people, and intercede for members of this community who continue to bear the deep, personal disruption 9/11 brought to many lives."

Women in Public Policy, a student organization of the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy, will present a teleconference on September 11: "The Road Ahead: U.S. Foreign Policy and Security in the Post-Bush Era," featuring John R. Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The lecture will take place from 12 noon to 1 p.m. in LC159 on the Drescher Graduate Campus. Following the teleconference, School of Public Policy professor Robert Kaufman will lead a review discussion and remembrance of 9/11.

Former United States attorney general John Ashcroft will also help the Pepperdine community commemorate the seventh anniversary of 9/11 with a public lecture, "Leadership in Challenging Times," at 7:30 p.m. in Smothers Theatre on the Malibu campus. The event is sponsored by the Pepperdine College Republicans. Tickets are free and will be made available at 5:30 p.m. the day of the lecture at the Smothers Theatre box office.

For more information on these events, contact the Pepperdine University Public Relations and News Department at (310) 506-4138.