From the President

A Distinctive Community

During each of the last several years, the University has focused on themes first articulated in my inaugural address in September 2000. The themes were building our resources, increasing diversity, promoting Pepperdine's heritage of faith, strengthening community, and enhancing scholarship. This calendar year, the theme is A Distinctive Community.

By "distinctive community," I mean that Pepperdine is not just a community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends, but a distinctive community whose unique characteristics differentiate Pepperdine from other colleges and universities, and from other communities.

Central to our uniqueness is that the University aspires to be a recognized leader in "service and service learning." The Christian mission, when combined with our service orientation, the nature of our faculty, and the degree programs we offer, suggests that Pepperdine University acknowledges its leadership role in the development of moral, civic, and social capital for this country and indeed, the world.

As true as it was in 1937, it remains so today, that the world very much needs Pepperdine. To remain, in George Pepperdine's words, "good and true" to our mission, members of this community will continue to help shape a future filled with great promise and abundant opportunities.

The community that Pepperdine is served by, and serves, is united in its purpose and aim. Focusing on strengthening and celebrating community will help ensure that our distinctiveness becomes increasingly clear to not only ourselves, but also to others.

Andrew K. Benton