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News & Events Recaps

May 2005

  • In appreciation of Pepperdine benefactor Dr. Arnold O. Beckman's long-standing commitment to scientific research and education, May 2005 was proclaimed “Excellence in Science” month by the Orange County, California, Board of Supervisors. The University commemorated Dr. Beckman’s legacy and the generosity of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation by joining organizations around the world in promoting the proclamation.
  • More than 5,000 people from throughout the U.S. and abroad attended Pepperdine's 62nd annual Bible Lectures May 3 to 6 on the Malibu campus. The theme of this year’s lectures was “Lifted Up: Great Themes from John 18-21.” 
  • The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art presented Crossings: The Human Search for Spiritual Connection, an exhibition by painter Peggy Pownall. The exhibition was held in conjunction with the 62nd Annual Pepperdine University Bible Lectures.
  • Winfred G. Allen, visiting professor of communications, served as a rhetorical critic for the 39th Annual Conference in Rhetorical Criticism at California State University, East Bay (formerly California State University, Hayward). Two Pepperdine students from Dr. Michael Casey's “Principles of Rhetorical Criticism” course presented papers at the conference as well: Samantha Singleton authored “Christian Unity in King's 'I've been to the Mountain Top: A Narrative Criticism',” and Kacy Rodriguez authored “ Sojourner Truth: Human Rights Activist.”
  • The School of Law graduation ceremony was held at Alumni Park on the Malibu campus. The distinguished speaker was Harriet Miers, White House Counsel. This year's Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Geoffrey Palmer, who graduated from the School of Law in 1975. 
  • The Graduate School of Education and Psychology commencement ceremony for its psychology students was held in Alumni Park. The honorary doctorate was presented to Dr. Richard J. Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
  • The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine opened the Robert Weingarten: 6:30 A.M. exhibit which features 36 large-scale, luminous photographs of the Pacific Ocean by the contemporary American photographer Robert Weingarten. Weingarten’s 6:30 A.M. series captures the changing light of the same scene over the course of one year, revealing a fascinating and almost unbelievable range of colors and effects.
  • Pepperdine University’s 2004-05 Stotsenberg Recital Series presented a sold-out performance by bassist Edgar Meyer and pianist Amy Dorfman in the campus’ Raitt Recital Hall.
  • Edward Shafrankse, professor at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, helped Haydeh Fakhrabadi, a GSEP psychology doctoral student, earn a certificate of appreciation from the Department of Science and Religion, National Research Center for Medical Sciences at Iran-Tehran University.  The certificate noted Fakhrabadi’s conference participation which provided an opportunity for students and scholars from different disciplines, nations and religious backgrounds to exchange views and experiences on issues concerning the field of science and religion.
  • The Pepperdine men's tennis team captured the WCC Championship title and prevailed all the way to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. The team placed 8th overall when they fell to the NCAA Championship's top-ranked Baylor squad in College Station, Texas.
  • David Davenport, distinguished professor of public policy, wrote a monograph for the National Legal Center for the Public Interest titled “The Proliferation of International Courts and Tribunals: What Does it Mean?” Professor Davenport explored the recent proliferation of international courts and tribunals, and examines the growth in the number and changes in the nature of new international tribunals.
  • Dan Caldwell, distinguished professor of political science, attended the retirement ceremony of former student Jami Miscik who worked at the Central Intelligence Agency for 22 years. Miscik graduated from Seaver College in 1980 with a double major in political science and economics. At the CIA, she served on the National Security Council, as director of the Office of Transitional Issues and, most recently, the deputy director for Intelligence where she headed 700 CIA analysts. Miscik was named a “Distinguished Alumna” by Pepperdine in 1991.
  • School of Law dean, Ken Starr, spoke at Hillsdale College's 2005 commencement ceremony in Hillsdale, Michigan.
  • For the first time in its history, the Pepperdine baseball team swept the West Coast Conference's (WCC) major player awards, claiming the conference's Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Sophomore catcher Chad Tracy was tabbed the conference's top player while junior left-hander Paul Coleman was selected Pitcher of the Year. Rookie Barry Enright was voted Freshman of the Year.
  • Pepperdine (25-2) defeated UCLA (26-6) 30-23, 23-30, 24-30, 30-25, 15-10 to win the NCAA National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship before 6,853 fans on May 7 at Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus.  Senior Sean Rooney was the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
  • The Golf Coaches Association of America announced that senior All-American golf stand-out Michael Putnam was named to the Ping All-Pacific Region team and, along with junior Alex Coe, was selected a Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar.
  • Ranked 4th nationally, the Pepperdine women's golf team shot a final-round 10-over par 294 to finish in fourth place at the 2005 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships that took place at the Meadows Course at the Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon. This win is the team’s third top-five finish in Pepperdine history.
  • The Pepperdine baseball team turned in its best offensive performance of the season in Game 3 of the conference championship series at Page Stadium, defeating longtime rivals Loyola Marymount 18-8 and winning its 15th WCC championship, second straight title and 22nd NCAA Championship appearance. The team earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.