[ { "space_name": "Charles B. Runnels Sports and Recreation Village", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/charlesbrunnelssportsandrecreationvillage-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Charles B. Runnels", "see_also": "See also Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool", "benefactor_bio": "Recruited by then president M. Norvel Young in 1967 to help search for a new campus, Charles B. Runnels (1925–2016) joined the University’s leadership team at a pivotal time in Pepperdine’s history. Helping to catapult the modest inner-city campus to a world-class university, Charlie Runnels served as chancellor from 1985 to 2006 and Chancellor Emeritus until his passing. Dedicated to supporting Pepperdine students and athletes, Charlie and his wife Amy Jo (’00) were loyal members of the Waves’ cheering section for more than four decades. In 2010 Pepperdine designated all of its present and future athletics facilities as parts of the Charles B. Runnels Sports and Recreation Village, which encompasses Firestone Fieldhouse, Eddy D. Field Baseball Stadium, and Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool, among others. A monument at the corner of John Tyler Drive and Banowsky Boulevard, funded by former Board of Regents member Virginia Braun, marks the entrance to the village.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/charles-runnels-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Eddy D. Field Baseball Stadium", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/eddy-helen-baseball-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Eddy and Helen Field", "see_also": "See also Helen Field Heritage Hall", "benefactor_bio": "The Los Angeles Dodgers’ home in Chavez Ravine is often hailed as one of baseball’s most picturesque settings, but it’s got nothing on the swaying palms and panoramic seascape of Eddy D. Field Baseball Stadium—whose namesake Eddy D. Field (1900–1994)—built the Hancock Park home of Walter O’Malley, the former Dodgers owner responsible for bringing the team from Brooklyn to the West Coast. That was just one of many real estate ventures contributing to the success of the Eddy D. Field Investment Company, through which Field made his fortune. Before real estate, though, Field’s first love was baseball. The stadium bearing Field’s name was originally built in 1973 and named in Field’s honor in 1977. In 1980 renovations to the facility included the addition of bleachers and stadium seating.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/eddy-helen-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Coach Dave Gorrie Videoboard", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/coachdavegorrievideoboard-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Honoring Coach Dave Gorrie", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, Dave Gorrie (1930–2015) signed with the New York Giants in 1953 and was briefly assigned to the Phoenix, Arizona farm team prior to serving in the US Navy for three years. He resumed his baseball career in 1956, signing with the Kansas City Athletics organization. After years of competing, Gorrie accepted a coaching position at his alma mater and took the helm of Waves baseball in 1979, where he coached for 10 seasons. As a coach and colleague, Gorrie was known for his integrity, dedication, and respect for others. He and his wife Linda have two grown children, Bryan (’96, MA ’24)—who attended the dedication celebration of the new Coach Dave Gorrie Videoboard in 2023—and LuAnne Miller. The videoboard was funded and named thanks to the generosity of a group of Coach Gorrie’s former Waves players.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/coachdavegorrievideoboard-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Wayne Wright Training Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/waynewrighttrainingcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Wayne Wright (right) with Howard White", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Wayne Wright began a 33-year career with Pepperdine as the Waves’ golf coach in 1965. He transitioned to coaching the men’s basketball team in 1969; during his seven years as coach, the basketball squad notched five top-20 finishes and three trips to the NCAA regionals. After moving into the athletic director’s office in 1976, Wright helped the winning tradition spread to other programs, including men’s volleyball, which won NCAA Division I titles in 1975, ’85, ’86, and ’92; baseball, which claimed the College World Series title in 1992; and men’s golf, which earned a national championship in 1997. In addition, Wright spearheaded the creation of an academic advising and tutorial program that sparked a significant rise in student-athlete graduation rates. The Wayne Wright Training Center, located along the left-field line of the baseball stadium, was dedicated in 1999.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/waynewrighttrainingcenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Helen Field Heritage Hall", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/helenfield-heritagehall-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Eddy and Helen Field", "see_also": "See also Eddy D. Field Baseball Stadium", "benefactor_bio": "An accomplished pianist and patron of the arts, Helen (1908–1989) was keenly involved in the cultural activities of her community. The soft-spoken partner of benefactor and University Board member Eddy D. Field (1900–1994) wasn’t sure she wanted all the attention that would come with having her name on a building. But Helen and Eddy Field were dedicated fans of both Pepperdine and its students, and Eddy was convincing. So a three-level facility on the ocean side of Firestone Fieldhouse now bears her name, providing a fitness room for students-athletes and offices and meeting rooms for coaches and administrators. On the top floor, Pepperdine’s collection of championship awards and plaques are on display.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/helenfeildheritagehall-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Jones Trophy Room", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jonestrophyroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Robert and Jane Jones, Wally ('64) and Betty Jones", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Certified public accountant Robert P. Jones (1915–1999) served on Pepperdine’s Board of Regents for 46 years, and his wife Jane (1920–2006) studied at Pepperdine College on the original campus in Downtown Los Angeles. Dedicated to advancing the University mission, Bob and Jane were members of the Founding 400 and Pepperdine Life Associates and benefactors of two endowed scholarships. A popular author and lecturer on tax matters, Bob served as an accounting instructor at both Pepperdine and the University of California, Los Angeles. The Jones Trophy Room, located on the third floor of Helen Field Heritage Hall, was made possible by Bob and Jane’s son Wallace (’64) and daughter-in-law Betty (1934–2018), and was dedicated in 1993.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jones-trophyroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Firestone Fieldhouse", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/firestone-fieldhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leonard Firestone", "see_also": "See also Firestone Lobby", "benefactor_bio": "Leonard Firestone (1907–1996) is known for his association with the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, which his father founded in 1900 and whose California operations Leonard ran from 1943 to 1970. But he also enjoyed a long and productive relationship with Pepperdine beginning in the mid-1950s, when the University invited Firestone to participate in a newly formed council to help guide the college. During the ensuing 40 years, Firestone would chair Nelson Rockefeller’s 1964 presidential campaign in California and serve as US ambassador to Belgium; he was also appointed to Pepperdine’s Board of Regents. In 1972, when Pepperdine’s Malibu campus opened for the first time, construction began on a new 3,200-seat multipurpose athletic facility thanks in large part to Firestone’s generosity. Completed the following year, Firestone Fieldhouse was dedicated on September 20, 1975 during a historic ceremony that included an address by President Gerald Ford.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/firestone-fieldhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Robert L. \"Duck\" Dowell Basketball Court", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/duckdowell-basketball-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Robert \"Duck\" Dowell", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Robert L. “Duck” Dowell (1912–2003), a former professional basketball player in one of the two leagues that merged to form the NBA, served as head men’s basketball coach throughout his entire University tenure. He led the Waves to four consecutive California Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA) titles, as well as a West Coast Conference title and trip to the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament in 1962, and more than 60 of his former players became coaches themselves. His disciplined passing game provided a template for college teams across the nation. From 1951–1952 he also served as head football coach, and was Pepperdine’s athletic director from 1955 until his retirement in 1968. In recognition of his many contributions to Waves Athletics, Coach Dowell was inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980, and the basketball court at Firestone Fieldhouse was rededicated in his honor in 2004.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/duckdowell-basketball-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Firestone Lobby", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/firestonelobby-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Roger S. Firestone Foundation (Brooks Firestone)", "see_also": "See also Firestone Fieldhouse", "benefactor_bio": "Brooks Firestone shared his father Leonard’s devotion to Pepperdine. After graduating from college and working at Firestone Tire and Rubber, Brooks moved to the Santa Ynez Valley to establish a winery on California’s Central Coast. A dedicated community and civic leader, he was elected to the California State Assembly in 1994, representing the 35th Assembly District that included portions of both Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, and later served on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors from 2004 to 2008. When Brooks heard of plans for a much-needed renovation of the fieldhouse that bears his father’s name, he gave generously, and the Firestone Lobby now provides a welcoming venue for Pepperdine’s iconic sports facility. The Firestone Lobby was dedicated in 1997.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ralphstraus-tenniscenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Richard Ralphs, Joyce Ralphs Dennis, Leonard & Dorothy Straus", "see_also": "See also Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine’s tennis complex hints at the University’s connections to two leading figures in Southern California’s business community. Richard Ralphs (1925–1982) was president of the Ralphs grocery-store chain his grandfather founded in 1873, and Leonard H. Straus (1914–1998) spent 27 years as CEO of the nearly 500-store Thrifty Drugs corporation. The two were good friends who sometimes partnered in business, including their takeover of the Akron home-décor chain in the mid-1970s. They also joined forces to fund a variety of Pepperdine initiatives. Ralphs and his wife, Joyce Ralphs Dennis, supported student scholarships and the University’s annual Youth Citizenship Seminar. Straus and his wife Dorothy (1921–2021), a longtime member of the University Board, endowed the first academic chair at the Caruso School of Law and invested in its world-renowned Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Harilela International Tennis Stadium", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/harilelainternational-tennisstadium-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Hari and Padma Harilela", "see_also": "See also Harilela Seminar Room", "benefactor_bio": "The late Hari Harilela (1922–2014) and his wife, Padma, have been revered as the University’s undisputed ambassadors in Asia. The extended Harilela family includes more than two dozen Pepperdine alumni. The family dynasty had its origins in India, and today, the Harilela Group in Hong Kong has a vast commercial empire of hotels. An introduction to Florence Pepperdine Crossley (George Pepperdine’s daughter) in the 1960s began the Harilelas’ relationship with the University, which continued with Hari’s service as a Pepperdine regent. The couple made a generous gift to establish the Padma and Hari Harilela International Tennis Stadium, a spectacular 800-seat grandstand and intramural facility dedicated in 1999 as the centerpiece of the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/harilelainternationaltennisstadium-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Larry Bosley Tennis Court", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/larrybosleytenniscourt-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Larry Bosley", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "After earning his medical degree from the University of Nebraska School of Medicine in 1952 and serving in the Army Medical Corps, Larry Bosley (1931–2016) opened his own dermatology practice in the San Francisco area. He went on to develop a revolutionary surgical hair transplant procedure that eventually gave rise to the Bosley Medical Group and “the Bosley treatment,” a term and process that is now known nationwide. After being introduced to Pepperdine by his longtime friend Leonard Straus, Bosley gave a gift to the tennis program, for which the Larry Bosley Tennis Court was dedicated in 1993.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hubert Derrick Tennis Court", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hubertderricktenniscourt-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Hubert Derrick", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Hubert Derrick (1907–1996) was a star player on the Abilene Christian University tennis team that won the 1929 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship, but the friendship he built with classmate Hugh Tiner laid the groundwork for an even bigger impact he would later make at Pepperdine. When George Pepperdine invited Tiner to become Pepperdine College’s first dean (and, later, its second president), Tiner enlisted Hubert Derrick to lead the college’s fledgling men’s tennis team. Hubert led the Waves to both the CCAA title and the inaugural NAIA championship in 1952. After joining the West Coast Conference in 1955, the program never finished lower than second in the league under Hubert’s leadership. That success built a foundation for Pepperdine’s elevation to full NCAA Division I status in 1966. The Hubert Derrick Tennis Court serves as a lasting tribute to Coach Derrick’s legacy at Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hubertderrick-tenniscourt-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fox Center Court", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/foxcentercourt-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Allen Fox", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The powerhouse tennis program that Hubert Derrick helped build passed to capable hands when Allen Fox took over as coach of the Waves men’s team in 1978. But that shouldn’t have been a surprise: Allen was himself a three-time All-American (1959–1961) who earned the US National Hard Court championship in 1962, made the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 1965, and won the Pacific Southwest Open in 1966. He was just as successful in his coaching career as he’d been in his playing days, leading the Waves to six NCAA quarterfinals, three semifinals, and first-place West Coast Conference Tournament finishes in all but two years of his tenure. With a doctorate in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, he went on to produce instructional videos on tennis and write several books on the psychology of winning and losing in sports. The center court of Pepperdine’s tennis center is a fitting tribute to this multitalented leader and champion.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/foxcentercourt-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ruud Court", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ruudcourt-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Alan and Susan Ruud", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Ruuds represent a large group of Pepperdine supporters who initially connected with the school through their children—in this case, Christopher Ruud, who earned his degree from Seaver College in 1993 and went on to become president of his family’s company. Before it was purchased by Cree Lighting in 2011, Ruud Lighting, Inc. was the largest privately held lighting company in the world. Alan, a professional engineer and lighting designer, has been awarded numerous patents for his innovations in LED and other advanced technologies. In appreciation of the Ruuds’ generous support of Pepperdine’s tennis program, a court in the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center was named in their honor in 1993.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ruudcourt-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Tari Frahm Rokus Field", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/tarifrahm-rokusfield-space.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Tari ('76) and Joe ('76) Rokus", "see_also": "See also Rokus Family Bedroom (Moore Haus)", "benefactor_bio": "Dedicated in 1998, the home field of the Waves women’s soccer team pays tribute to a family with a long list of Pepperdine connections. Tari and Joe Rokus are not only enthusiastic Pepperdine alumni, but also the parents of three more—Jamie (’06), Katie (’08), and Kristen (’11). Joe is a Pepperdine life regent, and Tari served on the Seaver Board of Advisors. Former CEO and chair, respectively, of Sustainable Packaging partners LLC, Joe and Tari were honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Seaver College in 1997. The Rokuses are valued members of the Pepperdine family and actively support numerous efforts at the University, including the Davenport Institute at the School of Public Policy, the Heidelberg International Program, and the Youth Leadership Initiative, an outreach program committed to raising up the next generation of Christian leaders.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/tarifrahmrokusfield-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raleighrunnels-memorialpool-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Runnels Family (Raleigh is third from the left, back row)", "see_also": "See also Charles B. Runnels Sports and Recreation Village", "benefactor_bio": "If not for the cancer that claimed his life at just 17 years old, Raleigh Runnels—son of late Chancellor Emeritus Charles Runnels and his wife, Amy Jo—would have been a member of Seaver College’s inaugural first-year class. A group of devoted friends of the Runnels family, including University benefactors Blanche Seaver (1891–1994) and Morris Pendleton (1901–1985), came together to honor Raleigh by funding Pepperdine’s swimming pool facility. The beautiful Olympic-sized pool gained prominence for hosting ABC’s biannual Battle of the Network Stars from 1976 to 1985 and serving as the official water polo venue for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Home of the Waves’ water polo, swimming, and diving teams, the Runnels Memorial Pool has also served as the host facility for the 2000 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championships, 2008 MPSF Championships, and 2019 Golden Coast Conference Tournament.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raleighrunnelsmemorialpool-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Stotsenberg Track", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Athletics", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stotsenbergtrack-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ed and Dorothy Stotsenberg", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Over the course of a loving 62-year marriage, the Stotsenbergs provided a sterling example of a modern Renaissance couple. Ed (1914–2000), a fast-rising young accountant, and aspiring journalist Dorothy (1914–2011) first met in Washington, DC, in the mid-1930s. When they traveled to Malibu in 1949, the charm of what was then still a quaint seaside village inspired them to call it home. As Southern Californians, the Stotsenbergs devoted much of their time to the arts, community organizations, and philanthropic endeavors such as the Mary Pickford Foundation. Ed served as the Academy Award–winning actress’ longtime accountant and headed the organization bearing her name for 18 years. Ed and Dorothy were also avid runners who entered, and won, countless races around the world. Their generous support funded major improvements to Pepperdine’s modest track in the late 1980s. The Stotsenberg Track was dedicated in 1989 in honor of its very fit and faithful namesakes.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stotensbergtrack-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lisasmithwenglercenterforthearts-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Lisa Smith Wengler", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Thanks to Lisa Smith Wengler’s magnanimous endowment commitment in 2013, Pepperdine’s spectacular performance and fine arts venues—Smothers Theatre, Raitt Recital Hall, the Helen Lindhurst Theatre, and the Weisman Museum—now collectively carry her name. Born and raised in Bamberg, Germany, she focused on real estate after coming to California, becoming both a resident of Malibu and a successful builder and developer. Lisa initially forged a friendship with Pepperdine’s third president, M. Norvel Young, and his wife, Helen, which inspired her support for the M. Norvel and Helen Young Center (at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology), among many other University projects and scholarships. A devoted patron of the arts and longtime member of Pepperdine’s University Board, her namesake Center for the Arts was dedicated in November 2013.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lisasmith-wenglercenterforthearts-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/frederickweisman-museumofart-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Frederick R. Weisman", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "It’s somehow fitting that Andy Warhol figured so prominently in the extensive art collection of Frederick R. Weisman (1912–1994). Both were the sons of eastern European immigrants and both started their careers in humble fashion. Weisman began his career at the Val-Vita Cannery Company and became president of the Hunt Foods corporation by age 31, while Warhol went from creating ink drawings for shoe ads to opening trendsetting art exhibitions. In addition to Warhol, Weisman collected numerous works by artists such as Cézanne, Picasso, and Rothko. A longtime Los Angeles resident, Weisman avidly supported the work of California artists and partnered with Pepperdine to establish a museum on our Malibu campus in 1992. Fred passed away two years later, but his widow, curator and art conservator Billie Millam Weisman, continues his work through the Weisman Foundation, as well as his partnership with Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/frederickweisman-museumofart-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ahmanson Atrium", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/ahmansonatrium-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Ahmanson Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Like George Pepperdine, Howard F. Ahmanson understood that great financial success offers opportunity and responsibility to contribute to one’s community. While still in college, Ahmanson founded an insurance company that became the premier underwriter for fire protections in California. After establishing another company, Home Savings of America, he created the Ahmanson Foundation in 1952. Ever since, the foundation has contributed greatly to the culture, education, and social fabric of the Los Angeles area, and has long been a prominent supporter of the arts and scholarships at Pepperdine. The Ahmanson Atrium, a shady alcove between the Weisman Museum and the Raitt Recital Hall, is a reminder of Ahmanson’s dedication to the biblical verse that serves as the University’s motto: “Freely ye received, freely give.”", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/ahmansonatrium-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Gregg G. Juarez Gallery", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gregggjuarezgallery-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gregg Juarez", "see_also": "See also Gregg G. Juarez Palm Courtyard", "benefactor_bio": "World-renowned art collector Gregg Juarez’s (1924–2018) boundless passion for the arts is evident in galleries from Palm Springs to Palm Beach. A ninth-generation Californian, Juarez acquired an extensive arts education from the University of California, Los Angeles; the Sorbonne; and the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design. He hadn’t even completed his UCLA degree before testing his entrepreneurial savvy with the opening of his first art gallery in Cannes, France, in the late 1950s. As his career as an art dealer soared, Juarez opened a second gallery in New York City—and provided a generous gift to the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. In 1997, Pepperdine showed its appreciation by affixing his name to a stunning museum gallery that exhibits both rotating collections of prominent works as well as student-produced art.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gregggjuarezgallery-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Gregg G. Juarez Palm Courtyard", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gregggjuarezpalmcourtyard-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gregg Juarez", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gregggjuarezpalmcourtyard-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Charles R. Paul Sculpture Garden", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/charlesrpaulsculpturegarden-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Charles R. Paul", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A native Angeleno, Charles Paul (1909–1992) grew up with an appreciation for the arts, especially theatre. After earning his master’s degree in theatre arts from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1953, Charles directed a number of plays at the Pasadena Playhouse. He was a member of Pepperdine’s elite Crystal Wave Society, and as an avid arts patron he attended many productions at our own Smothers Theatre. Charles donated a significant gift in 1988 to name the sculpture garden adjacent to the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/charlespaul-sculpturegarden-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ron Wilson Designer Gallery", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ronwilsondesignergallery-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ron Wilson", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Often referred to as “Designer for the Stars,” famed interior designer Ron Wilson (1938–2011) served a lengthy roster of celebrity clients including Cher, Princess Diana, Johnny Carson, Tom Selleck, and Eddie Murphy. Heralded as one of Architectural Digest’s 100 best designers, his work was featured on the magazine’s cover and frequently within the pages of both House & Garden and House Beautiful magazine. His contributions to the arts at Pepperdine culminated in the dedication of the Ron Wilson Designer Art Gallery on the second floor of the Frederick R. Weisman Museum, which annually showcases the collections of professional and student artists.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Helen Lindhurst Theatre", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/helenlindhursttheatre-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Helen Lindhurst with David Davenport", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Roland Lindhurst (1906–1954) was a brilliant engineer and founder of Applied Research Laboratories (ARL). His marriage to Helen (1913–2001) was cut short by his untimely death at the age of 48, but Helen ably carried on his legacy, serving on ARL’s board of directors and helping to oversee the company’s merger with industry giant Bausch and Lomb. Devoted to charitable institutions, Helen was an active member of Pepperdine’s University Board, a Life Member of the Pepperdine Associates, and a Diamond Member of the Center for the Arts Guild. She loved art, music, and theatre, making possible the versatile space known as the “flexible black box” Helen Lindhurst Theatre, as well as many opportunities for Pepperdine students.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/helenlindhursttheatre-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Raitt Recital Hall", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raittrecitalhall-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John and Rosemary Lokey Raitt", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The first woman elected to the Pepperdine Board of Regents, Rosemary Lokey Raitt (1920–2011) was a 10th-generation Californian whose ancestors could be traced to the 1769 Portola expedition. John Raitt (1917–2005) was a legendary stage actor whose diverse résumé included Broadway performances in Oklahoma, Carousel, The Pajama Game, Annie Get Your Gun, Kismet, Camelot, and Destry Rides Again. Devoted philanthropists and close friends of Pepperdine chancellor Charles Runnels, the Raitts established an endowed music and theatre scholarship at Seaver College and were the founding chairs of the Center for the Arts Guild. Together, Rosemary and John were ardent ambassadors for the arts at Pepperdine and enthusiastic fans of campus musical and stage productions.The 118-seat recital hall they funded is ideal for instrument recitals, intimate lectures, and audio recordings.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raittrecitalhall-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Smothers Theatre", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus, Center for the Arts", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/smotherstheatre-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Frances Smothers (seated) with Larry and Carol Hornbaker", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Like George and Helen Pepperdine, Frances Smothers (1886–1977) and her husband Harry were transplants from Kansas City to Southern California, and the two couples became friends not long after the Smothers’ arrival. In 1977, five years after the Malibu campus opened, Frances decided to invest in a theatre for Pepperdine students where their talents could shine beyond the makeshift staging they were using in the college’s cafeteria. Her generous gift funded a dramatic, 25,000-square-foot theatre accommodating audiences of up to 448. Dedicated in 1980, Smothers Theatre has just 15 rows of tiered seating and superior sight lines. And while the popular assumption that it was named for the Smothers Brothers is incorrect, the musical comedy duo did perform there on a number of occasions.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/smotherstheatre-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Stauffer Chapel", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/staufferchapel-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Beverly Stauffer", "see_also": "See also John Stauffer Administrative Center, John Stauffer Advanced Analytical Chemistry Research Laboratory, John Stauffer Computer Lab, Stauffer Greenhouse, Stauffer Tower", "benefactor_bio": "Longtime Pepperdine friend Beverly Stauffer (1902–1982) offered to fund a church facility at the new Malibu campus in the early 1970s. No makeshift chapel would do—Stauffer chose Burbank-based Robert and Bette Donovan, two of the nation’s most gifted stained-glass artists, to craft the window that comprises the building’s entire south side. When Stauffer Chapel, also known as “the little chapel on the hill,” was dedicated in 1973, that window was the country’s largest stained-glass display west of the Mississippi River. Today it remains one of the most beautiful and revered landmarks on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus. Stauffer Chapel regularly opens its doors for worship, devotionals, special events, and memorial services—and for reflective prayer and contemplation by individual members of the University community.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/staufferchapel-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/charlesbthornton-administrativecenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Flora Laney Thornton ", "see_also": "See also Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership, Flora Laney Thornton Conference Room, Howard A. White Center, Keck Science Center fourth floor", "benefactor_bio": "Dedicated in 1987, the Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center (TAC) is one of the first University landmarks to greet visitors as they approach the Malibu campus via Seaver Drive. A hub for the University’s senior administration, TAC also houses Pepperdine's undergraduate admissions and financial assistance centers and advancement and human resources teams. The building’s anchor gift came from longtime friend Flora Laney Thornton (1913–2010) in honor of her husband, Litton Industries founder Charles “Tex” Thornton (1913–1981)—whose vast career included management of the Army Air Corps during World War II and executive assignments at Hughes Aircraft and Ford Motor Company. Tex received Pepperdine’s honorary doctor of laws in 1971 and was awarded just weeks before his death with the Presidential Medal of Honor by President Ronald Reagan. Flora served for many years on the Pepperdine Board of Regents and continued to support the University until her passing.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/charlesbthornton-administrativecenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Burton Bettingen Conference Room", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/burtonbettingenconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Burtie Bettingen", "see_also": "See also Brock Villas", "benefactor_bio": "Right as the 20th century began, Burton Green purchased a parcel of bean fields and grazing land in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, hoping to find oil. He didn’t, but he found enough water to develop a community that he and his wife named Beverly Hills, after the Beverly Farms community in Massachusetts where he’d spent time as a youngster. His daughter Burtie Bettingen (1912–1986) shared the family’s fortune with a number of philanthropic organizations in greater Los Angeles. Through her personal friendship with Odell McConnell, benefactor and namesake of the McConnell Law Center, Bettingen made Pepperdine one of her favorite causes as well. She became a Life Member of the Pepperdine Associates and, during the 1980s, a contributor to what would become the Thornton Administrative Center (TAC). Located on TAC’s second floor, the Burton Bettingen Conference Room was celebrated during the building’s dedication ceremony in 1987.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/burtonbettingenconferenceroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Braun Conference Room", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/braunconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Henry and Virginia Braun", "see_also": "See also Braun Center for the School of Public Policy, Keck Science Center first and second floors", "benefactor_bio": "Dedicated Pepperdine benefactors Henry (1915–2002) and Virginia “Ginie” Braun (1917–2011) helped to underwrite many Pepperdine projects through the family’s Carl F. Braun Trust, including the Braun Center for the School of Public Policy, the Keck Science Center, and the Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center (TAC). The elegant Braun Conference Room on the TAC’s third floor was updated and expanded in size in 2023, with added granite countertop spaces to allow more space to serve meals or light refreshments during gatherings. The room displays canvas prints illustrating the beauty of Pepperdine’s Château d’Hauteville campus in Switzerland, and through its wide-set bank of windows boasts its own breathtaking, local sights. This signature feature of the space shows off Santa Monica Bay, Catalina Island, and Pepperdine’s Alumni Park. It’s a true “room with a view” that has become a sought-after meeting space for campus staff.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brauneverything-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Lucile Lamb Conference Room", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lucilelambconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Lucile Lamb", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Known as the “Duchess of Hancock Park,” Lucile Mead Lamb (1901–1985) was the founder and President Emeritus of the Los Angeles Council of Music and Art. She lived at 350 North June Street in a 37-room Spanish-style mansion with a bell tower built by her father, Willis H. Mead. La Casa de las Campañas (House of the Bells) became known as the setting for many of the lavish parties thrown by Lucile and her husband Warren Lamb. Lucile later donated her famous Los Angeles home to Pepperdine, and in grateful appreciation of the Lamb family’s support of the Thornton Administrative Center capital project, Pepperdine dedicated the Lamb Conference Room on the building’s first floor in 1987.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lucilelambconferenceroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Page Conference Room", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/pageconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George Page (right) with Ron Phillips", "see_also": "See also George C. Page I and II Apartments", "benefactor_bio": "George C. Page (1901–2000) grew up on a Nebraska farm but moved to California as a teenager. He eventually founded the Mission Pak Company, a seasonal industry that marketed California fruit packages as holiday gifts. Credited with pioneering the use of cellophane in America, Page was also responsible for developing the George C. Page Museum at the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits in Hancock Park, one of the world’s most famous fossil sites. Page was awarded an honorary doctor of laws in 1978 and served as a loyal member of the University Board for many years. Dedicated in 1987, the well-appointed room that bears his name is centrally located on the third floor of the Thornton Administrative Center. For several decades the space served as a conference meeting area; in 2022 the room was renovated and currently houses an interactive scale model of the Mountain, Pepperdine’s future sports and recreation center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/pageconferenceroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Helen Pepperdine Lobby", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/helenpepperdinelobby-space1-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Helen Pepperdine", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The devoted wife of founder George Pepperdine (1886–1962), Helen Pepperdine (1903–1990) was active and influential in the life and progress of the University ever since it was founded as Pepperdine College in South Los Angeles in 1937. Serving as the gracious hostess for hundreds of college events and traditions, Helen joined the institution’s governing board and served faithfully until her passing. Along with Helen Young, wife of third president M. Norvel Young, Helen Pepperdine was also one of the founders of the Associated Women for Pepperdine, which was created in 1958 and continues to thrive today under the name, Pepperdine Legacy Partners. The spacious, sun-filled lobby on the second floor of the Thornton Administrative Center (TAC) honors the University’s inaugural first lady and welcomes prospective Seaver College students as they begin their admissions tours of our flagship campus. The Helen Pepperdine Lobby was recognized as part of the TAC’s dedication ceremony in 1987.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/helenpepperdinelobby-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Seaver Board Room", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/seaverboardroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Blanche Ebert Seaver", "see_also": "See also Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences", "benefactor_bio": "The daughter of Norwegian immigrants and a child prodigy in music, Blanche Ebert (1891–1994) married California attorney Frank Roger Seaver, who began Hydril Company (now Tenaris) in 1933. Frank became an admirer of Pepperdine’s mission, so much so that after his passing in 1964, Blanche honored him with a series of gifts that established the Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences—the centerpiece of the University’s Malibu campus. A life regent, she was awarded honorary degrees in 1969 (doctor of fine arts) and 1980 (doctor of laws), and continued to enthusiastically address each Seaver College graduating class with an inspirational speech until her death at the age of 103. Recognizing Blanche’s lifelong commitment to the University, the Seaver Board Room on the fourth floor of the Thornton Administrative Center serves as a regular venue for University Board and Board of Regents meetings as well as other important University events.\n\nSee also Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/seaverboardroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "George H. Shellenberger Conference Room", "tags": "University-Wide Facilities, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgehshellenbergerconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George Shellenberger (left) with Charles B. Runnels", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A longtime Beverly Hills resident and leader in the Los Angeles business community, George H. Shellenberger (1900–1989) helped organize Southern Californians, Inc., in 1937 to address labor union concerns. In 1940 the organization merged into the Merchants and Manufacturers Association (MMA), which grew into the nation’s largest local employer association in the field of management and employee relations. Shellenberger served the MMA in various capacities, including as executive vice president, until his retirement in 1965. He was a Pepperdine Endowed Associate, a member of the President’s Board of Pepperdine College, and a recipient of Pepperdine’s Distinguished Citizen Award. Dedicated in 1987, the George H. Shellenberger Conference Room is located on the second floor of the Thornton Administrative Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgehshellenbergerconferenceroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Flora Laney Thornton Conference Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/floralaneythorntonconferenceroom-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Flora Laney Thornton ", "see_also": "See also Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center, Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership, Howard A. White Center, Keck Science Center fourth floor", "benefactor_bio": "As the wife of Charles “Tex” Thornton, Flora Laney Thornton (1913–2010) shared her husband’s devotion to Pepperdine, becoming a life regent and a Golden Wave member of the George Pepperdine Society. Flora’s wide interests ranged from nutrition and public policy to the arts, education, and opera, and she found ways to assist Pepperdine in all of these disciplines. Her husband’s name graces the landmark administrative center on the Malibu campus, and on the building’s fourth floor is the unique, oval-shaped, glass-walled conference room that was dedicated in Flora’s honor at the formal opening of the Thornton Administrative Center in 1987. This elegant conference room hosts hundreds of important meetings and luncheons throughout each academic year.\n\nSee also Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center, Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership, Howard A. White Center, Keck Science Center fourth floor", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/floralaneythorntonconferenceroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Brock House", "tags": "Administrative Residences", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brockhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Margaret Martin Brock", "see_also": "See also Brock Conference Room, Brock Villas", "benefactor_bio": "The on-campus residence for Pepperdine’s president and their family, Brock House has also provided a venue for numerous University events, receptions, and student gatherings over the years, including an NBC Nightly News broadcast in the spring of 2012. The home was dedicated in 1975 by none other than US president Gerald Ford, who was a personal friend of Margaret Martin Brock (1903–1997). A philanthropist and higher education advocate known as “Mrs. California Republican,” Brock was a loyal supporter of student scholarships at Pepperdine, and she also funded the law school’s Brock Conference Room and the Brock Villas on Malibu’s Broad Beach. The presidential home she endowed includes a large upstairs living room and dining room for entertaining guests, with downstairs living quarters for the presidential family—and, of course, one of the most breathtaking scenic views of any residential property on the planet.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/brockhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Brock Beach Retreat: Margaret Martin Brock Villa and Burtie Bettingen Villa", "tags": "Residential Facilities", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brockbeachretreat-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Margaret Martin Brock (pictured) and Burtie Bettingen", "see_also": "See also Brock Conference Room, Brock House, Burton Bettingen Conference Room", "benefactor_bio": "The Brock Beach Retreat began as two Malibu coastline properties owned by Margaret Martin Brock who later bequeathed them to Pepperdine. The University transformed the structures and maximized use of the incredible oceanfront space by creating two villas. One is named Brock Villa, honoring benefactor Margaret Martin Brock (1903–1997); the adjacent home is the Bettingen Villa, honoring another Malibu friend and longtime Pepperdine supporter, Burtie Bettingen (1912–1986). These two impressive villas now serve as temporary residences for distinguished visiting professors, guest lecturers, keynote speakers, and other special University visitors.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brockbeachretreatmargaretmartinbrockvillaandburtiebettingenvilla-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Holden House", "tags": "Administrative Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/holdenhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Glen and Gloria Holden", "see_also": "See also Casa Holden", "benefactor_bio": "Treasured Pepperdine friends Glen (1927–2024) and Gloria (1928–2019) Holden have established endowed scholarships at Seaver College, the School of Public Policy, the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and have invested in several University-wide programs. Their generosity made possible Casa Holden, the headquarters of our international program in Buenos, Aires, Argentina. A devoted member of the Pepperdine Board of Regents from 1987 to 2019, Glen served as a life regent until his passing in 2024. Dedicated in 2019, Holden House is located in Tiner Court on the Pepperdine Malibu campus and serves as a home for a senior University administrator. The first residents to live at Holden House are chancellor Sara Young Jackson and her husband, Sam. The chancellor’s history with the Holdens goes back decades, as Glen and Gloria were close friends with her parents, Norvel and Helen Young—who also resided in the house before it was named for the Holdens.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/holdenhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mallmann House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Administrative Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mallmannhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Wilma Day Mallmann", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Wilma Day Mallmann (1893–1987) was a giant in the hotel industry, managing the Fairmont in San Francisco and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, among other iconic hospitality destinations. Well respected in the greater Los Angeles community for her support of arts and education, she provided funding for an administrative residence next door to the president’s house. Dedicated in 1982 as the Mallmann House, it serves as the residence of Pepperdine’s provost. Just down the hill, Wilma’s collection of rare fans adorns a hallway display in the University’s Cultural Arts Center. A charter member of the Pepperdine Associates, Wilma also funded the vice president for advancement’s suite and established an endowed scholarship at Seaver College in memory of her children, Irving Griffing Day, Jr., and Marcia Maddox Day.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mallmannhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Richard H. Banowsky House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardhbanowskyhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Benefactor Blanche Ebert Seaver with Bill Banowsky and Richard Seaver", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Richard H. Banowsky (1821–1989), grandfather of Pepperdine’s fourth president, took a keen interest in the progress of the University. A Polish-born Texan with a strong will and indomitable spirit, he was an active and faithful member of Churches of Christ. Banowsky was especially proud of his grandson, Bill, whose meteoric rise through the Pepperdine administrative ranks brought him great joy as he watched the young university gain national prominence. Richard H. Banowsky House, built with funds donated by the benefactor of Seaver College, stands in memory of a distinguished gentleman and longtime friend of Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardhbanowskyhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Audene Merrill Conner House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/audenemerrillconnerhouse-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Audene Merrill Conner and Palmer Conner", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Education and philanthropy figured prominently in the values of Audene Merrill Conner (1900–1988). With her husband, Palmer (1900-1975), a successful real estate and insurance executive, she committed her life to family and worthy causes, devoting financial assistance and active personal involvement to improve the welfare of young people. The Conners’ experience in Southern California real estate brought them into Pepperdine’s orbit in the late 1960s, when the school was investigating potential sites for a new campus. The couple’s counsel aided in the search that eventually led to Malibu, and the Conners continued their active involvement with Pepperdine as Seaver College became a reality. Palmer joined the University Board and remained active until his passing. The Audene Merrill Conner House stands as a reminder of the Conners’ sustaining commitment to the progress and Christian heritage of Pepperdine, and to their steadfast faith in the University and the importance of higher education.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Roy P. Crocker House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/roypcrockerhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Roy P. Crocker", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Roy Crocker (1893–1976) was a distinguished member of the Southern California banking industry. He served as chair of First Lincoln Financial Corporation, formerly Lincoln Savings, and his son Donald succeeded him in the early 1980s as Lincoln’s chair, president, and chief executive officer. Roy served for many years on Pepperdine’s University Board, and his longtime friends, Bryant Essick and Morris Pendleton, were among many prominent business officials who became staunch supporters of the University. The Roy P. Crocker House, made possible through the generosity of Roy and his wife, Josephine, symbolized their sincere interest in the welfare of young people and their commitment to Pepperdine’s continuing progress.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/roypcrockerhouse-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Donald W. Darnell House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donaldwdarnellhouse-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Dorothy and Donald Darnell", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Iowan Donald Darnell (1901–1983) earned an engineering degree at the California Institute of Technology and enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks of the Fluor Corporation, where he became president in 1949 and chair in 1952. Darnell helped guide Fluor’s impressive growth from a locally oriented contracting business to a multinational leader in engineering and construction. He was also recruited in the late 1960s as a University Board member to lead Pepperdine’s selection committee for a new campus site. As a gesture of thanks for his role in this transformative phase of the institution’s existence, the University dedicated the Donald W. Darnell House in 1975. His wife, Dorothy (1902–1998), continued to participate in the life of the University after his passing, and his daughter, Donna (1935–2022), helped to continue the legacy of her parents through the establishment of the Donald W. and Dorothy Darnell Endowed Scholarship at Seaver College.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Joseph A. DeBell House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/josephadebellhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Joseph A. DeBell", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "“Giving money away gives you health,” Joseph DeBell (1895–1977) was fond of saying. With his trademark white cap and a youthful energy that belied his age, DeBell was a self-made man. He began working at the tender age of 6, when he earned 50 cents a month on a paper route. At age 8, after a disagreement with his mother, he left home and worked three jobs to support himself. Adopted by a caring family in New Jersey, Joe progressed through school and paid his own tuition bills at Coleman College. He later attended law school and served as a US Army officer during World War I. In 1924 DeBell arrived in Los Angeles, where his entrepreneurial talents were put to use in construction and real estate. As his wealth continued to grow, so did the number of generous sums he happily gave away—and Pepperdine was blessed by his giving.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hubert Eaton House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/huberteatonhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Hubert Eaton", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The son of a Baptist minister, Hubert Eaton (1881–1966) called himself “the Builder,” and build he did, transforming a run-down Glendale cemetery into Forest Lawn, America’s premier memorial park. Formerly the general manager of a Nevada mining company, Eaton began developing plans to create “a great park” soon after arriving in California in 1912; by 1917, he had formalized his concept for what became Forest Lawn. But Eaton wasn’t just “the Builder”—he was also a scientist, business executive, patron of the arts, and strong proponent of higher education, as well as a faithful friend to Pepperdine College. Following his death in 1966, the Forest Lawn Foundation began a tradition of supporting Pepperdine with generous grants for student scholarships and loans. Another grant from the foundation was largely responsible for making the Hubert Eaton House possible.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "James W. Fifield House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jameswfifieldjrhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "James Fifield", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Protestant minister James Fifield (1899–1977) provided his congregation with, in the words of world-renowned historian Will Durant, “an hour of weekly peace from the fret of the world.” James was a great admirer of George Pepperdine from the time Pepperdine gave him his first job at Western Auto Supply in Kansas City. He was also an admirer of Frank R. Seaver, one of his parishioners at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles and participated in several functions on the sparkling new Malibu campus of the college that was named for his friend. Not long afterward, James W. Fifield House was dedicated at Seaver College in honor of a man who had given so much of his life helping others to find and know God.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jameswfifieldhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Walter Knott House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/walterknotthouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Walter Knott", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "After years of sharecropping, Walter Knott (1889–1981) founded and built the Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park. Walter and his wife, Cordelia (1890-1974), struggled in their early farming attempts, until Walter made contact with a retired grower who had successfully hybridized various types of blackberries, raspberries, and loganberries. The grower, Rudolph Boysen, gave some ailing plants to Knott, who nursed them back to health, named the resulting berries after his benefactor, and found success selling preserves and pies from a roadside stand. When that stand developed into a restaurant, the lines for Cordelia’s fried chicken grew so long that Walter built a “ghost town” to entertain the crowds. The ghost town officially reopened as an amusement park in 1968. Amid the demands of Knott’s Berry Farm, Knott found the time to serve as a University Board member and faithful Pepperdine supporter, a legacy that lives on with the Walter Knott House.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/walterknotthouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Samuel and Frances Krown House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Samuel Krown", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Samuel Krown (1903–1997) was the founder and president of Krown Transportation Warehouse Company and, for many years, the president of Pacific Properties of Pasadena. He served on the boards of City of Hope and Verdugo Hills Hospital and is acknowledged as one of the five individuals who established the Sheriff’s Reserve organization for Los Angeles County. His wife Frances (1909–1993) was a respected patron of the arts throughout Southern California. Together, they began their affiliation with Pepperdine University in the 1970s, eventually becoming Life Members of the Pepperdine Associates; Samuel was a member of the University Board for more than 15 years, and their grandson Kenneth (JD ’84) graduated from the Caruso School of Law. In 1993 Samuel donated a 48,000-square-foot warehouse facility in Los Angeles that provided storage space for many of Pepperdine’s resources. In grateful recognition, Pepperdine dedicated the Samuel and Frances Krown House at Seaver College.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/samuelandfranceskrownhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Donald V. Miller House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donaldvmillerhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Donald and Louise Miller", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "In the chronicle of Pepperdine University’s history, there is not a single chapter that doesn’t contain the name of Donald V. Miller (1906–2004). He was one of five original members of the Pepperdine College board—chosen personally by George Pepperdine—and served in that capacity from 1956 to 1971. A retired vice president of First Interstate Bank, Miller was involved in the civic life of his community, as a member of the Independent Bankers Association of Southern California, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. In 1965, Don and his wife, Louise, watched with pride as their daughter, Donna, earned a Pepperdine degree. In 1976, four years after the opening of Seaver College, the University dedicated Donald V. Miller House in honor of more than half a century of dedicated service to Pepperdine and its mission.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donaldvmillerhouse-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Aileen Pauley House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/aileentpauleyhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Aileen Pauley", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "An avid volunteer and devoted friend of Pepperdine, Aileen Pauley (1904–1981) represented the pinnacle of Los Angeles civic and cultural leadership. Aileen served on the advisory boards of the Los Angeles Orphanage Guild, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Eisenhower Hospital, and the Good Samaritan Medical Center. She also was a member of the Hollywood Bowl Patrons Committee and the Assistance League. In recognition of her community involvement and her support for various efforts at Pepperdine University, the Aileen Pauley House was dedicated in her honor in 1979.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/aileenpauleyhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Edythe F. Pengilly House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/edytheepengillyhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Edythe and Joseph Pengilly", "see_also": "See also Joseph H. Pengilly House", "benefactor_bio": "Faithful friend and member of the Pepperdine Associates Founding 400, Edythe F. Pengilly (1891–1979), joined her husband, Joseph (1888–1975), in providing generous funds to help Pepperdine College during its dramatic rise to prominence in independent higher education. Leaders in the community, the Pengillys were active in the civic and cultural life of Los Angeles. The University is proud to sustain the memory of a distinguished friend who chose to invest in the University’s Christian mission and the future of young people.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Joseph H. Pengilly House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Edythe and Joseph Pengilly", "see_also": "See also Edythe F. Pengilly House", "benefactor_bio": "Joseph Pengilly (1888–1975) began his own business, Brown & Pengilly (which later became Diamond Electric and then merged with Square D Electric), in 1919, and served as the chair of mathematics at Claremont Graduate University. He was also a founder of the Los Angeles Philanthropic Foundation, an organization that continues to provide annual scholarship grants for deserving students at Seaver College. Enduring friends of Pepperdine College, Pengilly and his wife, Edythe (1891-1979), watched with pride as the young school rose swiftly to university status and opened its Malibu campus in 1972—progress they played a big role in making possible. In recognition of the sustaining support of the Pengilly family, the Joseph Pengilly House at Seaver College stands as a stately remembrance of the family’s interest and abiding generosity.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ann Peppers House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/annpeppershouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ann Peppers Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Ann Peppers (1889–1969), a former director of the Santa Anita Park racetrack, is remembered as one of the most successful commercial horse breeders in California. The wife of Thomas Peppers, who owned the Western Fruit Growers Association, Ann was a dynamic businesswoman who directed operations at the family’s sprawling farm in Moreno Valley. She also was one of the first equine owners to transport horses by plane across the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly after her death, a foundation was established in her name to support educational and charitable organizations. In 1974 the foundation gave Pepperdine a generous grant to construct one of Seaver College’s first student residence halls and in 1982 established a scholarship for students at the liberal arts school. Both the residence hall and the Ann Peppers Scholarship pay tribute to Ann’s philanthropy and lifetime interest in higher education.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mildred Welshimer Phillips House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mildredwelshimerphillipshouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Mildred Welshimer Phillips", "see_also": "See also Phillips Theme Tower", "benefactor_bio": "Mildred Welshimer Phillips (1902–1983), a highly regarded author and educator, was a member of two prominent families in America’s Restoration Movement. Her father, P. H. Welshimer, was a minister in Canton, Ohio, serving the largest known church promoting the early-19th-century movement to restore New Testament Christianity. Mildred’s husband, B. D. Phillips, was an heir to the Phillips Gas and Oil Company, one of the largest independent oil companies in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. As a staff member at the Standard Publishing Company, Mildred wrote books and articles for young people, and she later served as dean of women at Milligan College in Tennessee. Pepperdine recognized her contributions to Christian education with an honorary doctor of humane letters in 1969. The University also memorialized the Phillips family, with the iconic 125-foot Phillips Theme Tower at the entrance to the Malibu campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mildrenwelshimerphillipshouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Robert and Betty Shafer House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/bobandbettyshafferhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Robert and Betty Shafer (on the left) with Amy Jo Runnels", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Robert Shafer (1916–2011) was a regular face in the stands at Waves sporting events and a member of the University Board, and he and his wife, Betty (1919–2005), were Life Members of the Pepperdine Associates. Bob enjoyed a successful career with five major Southern California companies: he was owner and chair of Adjustable Bushing Corporation; cofounder and president of Hi-Rel Laboratories; president of Sysgen, Inc.; founder and president of Autodynamics; and cofounder of Automation Instruments. As a result of his distinguished career and experience as a certified management consultant, the Shafers were able to become substantial benefactors of the Boy Scouts, YMCA, American Red Cross, and Rotary Club. They also provided funds to support a residence hall on campus, which Pepperdine proudly dedicated as the Bob and Betty Shafer House in 1991.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/robertandbettyshaferhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Maxcine Feltman White House", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/maxcinefeltmanwhitehouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Maxcine Feltman White", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Maxcine Feltman (1919–1973) was supervisor of women at David Lipscomb College in Nashville, Tennessee, when she was introduced to a preacher named Howard White (1913–1991) during a meeting of college deans in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The couple married on the Lipscomb campus in 1952, where White taught and eventually became chair of the history department. Sadly, Maxcine passed away at age 53 and did not see Howard become president of Pepperdine University in 1978. Even in his moment of career triumph, Howard was tempered by her loss—“My greatest disappointment about these years is that Maxcine has not been with me,” he wrote—but the dedication of a Seaver College residence hall to her memory became one of the highlights of his presidential tenure.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Lovernich Residential Complex", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Mike and Mary Lovernich", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine friends have described Mike and Mary Lovernich’s “friendship, fairness, and charitable spirit” as “encouraging and infectious.” Mike (1922–2011), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Mary (1924–2014), a native of Canada, settled in Detroit after World War II and relocated to Southern California in 1957. During the 1960s and ’70s, Mike developed a 10-building industrial park and medical office building in Los Alamitos, California. Having developed a close friendship with Pepperdine, the Lovernichs decided to donate the properties to the University. Pepperdine honored that generosity in 2002 with the dedication of the Lovernich Residential Complex, a multibuilding apartment center for Seaver College upperclassmen.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lovernichresidentialcomplex-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "George C. Page Apartments I and II", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgecpagesapts1-2-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George C. Page (center) with Charles B. Runnels and Howard A. White", "see_also": "See also Page Conference Room", "benefactor_bio": "George Page (1901–2000) was a hard-working, self-made entrepreneur and founder of Mission Pak Company, which shipped packages of California fruit all over the world. From that business, he amassed a fortune that he eventually invested in educational, charitable, and cultural causes. A member of Pepperdine’s University Board, George supported the Youth Citizenship Seminar and the construction of the Thornton Administrative Center, where the Page Conference Room bears his name. After receiving the honorary doctor of laws in 1978, he also made possible two expansive residences for law students—the George C. Page Apartments I and II—adjacent to the Odell McConnell Law Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgecpageapts-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Richard A. Rockwell Towers", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardarockwelltowers-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leon and Margaret Rockwell", "see_also": "See also Richard Rockwell Classroom, Leon and Margaret Rockwell Academic Center, Leon Sr., and Bessie M. Rockwell Dining Center, Margaret M. Rockwell Student Dining Center, Richard Rockwell Classroom", "benefactor_bio": "Welcoming residence halls are vital to an enriching student experience and a vibrant University community. As Pepperdine has expanded its academic offerings, it has also invested in increasing its housing capacity on campus over the years. Perched on the hillside above Lower Residence Road, the beautiful Rockwell Towers Residence Hall was built in 1994 to provide a home away from home for the growing number of students attending Seaver College. The four-story, six-wing hall provides double-room accommodations for approximately 275 students. Longtime Pepperdine benefactors and friends, Leon (1919–2006) and Margaret (1920–2004) Rockwell named the Rockwell Towers in memory of their eldest son Richard (1947–1993); the building was dedicated on April 13, 1998.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardarockwelltowers-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Andy and Debby Benton Terrace", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/andyanddebbybentonterrace-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Andy and Debby Benton", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine’s seventh president and first lady, Andy and Debby Benton, made an impact on all aspects of campus life during their 19 years at the helm of the University. Not only was their leadership instrumental in creating the Drescher Graduate Campus and several new international campuses, they oversaw a near doubling of the University’s endowment and significant increases in its academic rankings. The longest-serving chief executive in Pepperdine history, Andy began his tenure in 1984 as vice president for University affairs. Staying deeply involved in the lives of students, Andy taught courses on a regular basis and often ate lunch in the student cafeteria. Debby left her own distinct mark on Pepperdine, as a member of the Waves Athletics Board and chair of the Friends of the Family League at the Boone Center for the Family. Though they now reside in Edmond, Oklahoma, they continue to serve as dedicated leaders and ambassadors for Pepperdine. The Ahmanson Foundation joined the University community in thanking the Benton’s for their innumerable contributions to the success of Pepperdine and its students by naming the Andy and Debby Benton Terrace in their honor in 2019.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/andyanddebbybentonterrace-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Edwin and Paula Fong Biggers Tower", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/edwinandpaulafongbiggerstower-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Paula and Edwin Biggers", "see_also": "See also Biggers Family Courtyard, Edwin and Paula Fong Biggers Great Room", "benefactor_bio": "Ed (1935–2024) and Paula Biggers have faithfully supported the personal, professional, and spiritual growth of our students for many years. Together they have invested in a variety of University programs including student scholarships, the Boone Center for the Family, the Mountain, and the Château d’Hauteville campus in Switzerland. Chair of Pepperdine’s Board of Regents from 2004 to 2019, Ed continued to serve as a regent until his passing in 2024. The Biggers remained devoted to the University’s Christian mission and served on the Boone Center for the Family Advisory Board, and Paula continues to serve as a member of the University Board. The Edwin and Paula Fong Biggers Tower at Seaside Residence Hall stands as a meaningful testament to Ed and Paula’s dedicated leadership and service at Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/edwinandpaulafongbiggerstower-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Adamson Plaza", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/adamsonplaza-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Rhoda-May Adamson Dallas\nSylvia Rindge Adamson Neville\nMerritt Huntley Adamson", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The city of Malibu owes its existence to Frederick Hastings Rindge, who purchased the original Spanish land grant known as Rancho Malibu Topanga Sequit in 1891. His grandchildren—Merritt Adamson, Jr. (1926–1986), Rhoda-May Adamson Dallas (1917–2011), and Sylvia Rindge Adamson Neville (1921–2015)—turned those holdings into a real estate empire called the Adamson Companies. In 1968, the Adamson Companies donated 138 acres of Rancho Malibu to Pepperdine, laying the groundwork for the University's historic move from Los Angeles to Malibu. Merritt retained close ties to Pepperdine after the donation of land, serving as a member of the University Board. As a central thoroughfare of the Seaver College campus, Adamson Plaza is a fittingly prominent namesake for the landowners whose generosity helped Pepperdine chart a lasting, transformative path that continues on today.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/adamsonplaza-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Barney's Bench\nHonoring Henry \"Barney\" Barnhart ('50)", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/barneysbenchhonoringhenrybarneybarnhart-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Henry \"Barney\" Barnhart ('50)", "see_also": "See also George Pepperdine Statue", "benefactor_bio": "While countless students come and go after completing their academic careers here in Malibu, one Pepperdine resident has never left his designated spot in Mullin Town Square—the life-sized statue of George Pepperdine sitting on his bronze bench. That seat is named in honor of devoted Pepperdine alumnus and former student-athlete Henry M. “Barney” Barnhart (1923–2007), one of the founders of the George Pepperdine College Football Scholarship. Barney also led tours of the original Los Angeles campus and served as a mentor to countless members of the Pepperdine Ambassadors Council. Appropriately, Barney’s Bench will continue to serve as a support for Mr. Pepperdine, and for anyone else looking for a place to rest a bit as they wander the campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/barneysbenchhonoringhenrybarneybarnhart-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Beaman Patio", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/beamanpatio-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Bob and Denise Beaman", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Bob Beaman, an executive at United Parcel Service for 31 years, and his wife, Denise, proved to be great athletic scouts for Pepperdine. After watching a friend’s daughter, Lauren Wenski (’07), mature into an outstanding high school athlete, the Beamans brought her to the attention of the Pepperdine women’s basketball coach. Lauren joined the Waves in 2003 and went on to lead the team in three-pointers the following year. In addition to the Beamans’ faith and confidence in Pepperdine athletics, they demonstrated their commitment to the University’s long-term academic mission when they funded the patio off the dining center of the main Malibu campus. The Beaman Patio offers visitors a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, and it overlooks the athletic venues whose outstanding coaches and competitive programs first captured their attention.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/beamanpatio-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Biggers Family Courtyard", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/biggersfamilycourtyard-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Edwin Biggers and Family", "see_also": "See also Biggers Tower, Edwin and Paula Fong Biggers Great Room", "benefactor_bio": "Nestled between Rockwell Academic Center and Elkins Auditorium in Mullin Town Square is the picturesque courtyard honoring the late Ed Biggers (1935–2024)—who served as chair of Pepperdine’s Board of Regents from 2004–2019—and his first wife, Joan (1936–2009), who preceded him in death. Ed is the former president of Hughes Missile Group, while Joan served for a time as president of the Associated Women for Pepperdine (now Pepperdine Legacy Partners). Dedicated on May 3, 2012, the Biggers Family Courtyard—featuring stone benches and a rock-strewn pool—is a popular place for students, professors, and visitors to pause and rest. Scriptures etched into the stone landscape reflect Ed’s and Joan’s deep Christian faith, decades of volunteer leadership, and generous hearts.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/biggersfamilycourtyard-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Claeyssens Military Honor Garden", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/claeyssensmilitaryhonorgarden-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Pierre P. Claeyssens", "see_also": "See also Claeyssens Computer Lab, Claeyssens Conference Room", "benefactor_bio": "Pierre P. Claeyssens’ (1908–2003) enduring respect and affection for the United States armed forces can be traced all the way back to his childhood. After his Belgian homeland was ravaged by World War I, the US military came to the aid of his family and many others through the Hoover Relief Program. Claeyssens later immigrated to the US during the interwar period and achieved some renown as an architect in Santa Monica. He forged a connection to Pepperdine that was strengthened through his daughter, Noelle Claeyssens Burkey, and grew to include Noelle’s son, Brett (’02), and daughter, Jenna (’08, MBA ’10, MA ’13). Located near the Stauffer Chapel courtyard, the Military Honor Garden was dedicated in 2002 to pay tribute to courageous Pepperdine alumni who have served in the military. Noelle continues to demonstrate her father’s philanthropy toward Pepperdine today through the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/claeyssenscomputerlab-everything-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Jerry's Tree", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jerrystree-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "McIntyre and Geraldyne Faries", "see_also": "See also Judge's Tree", "benefactor_bio": "Dedicated in 1974, a popular meeting place and campus landmark located near the main Seaver College parking lot is “Jerry’s Tree,” named for Geraldyne “Jerry” Faries (1901–1998). Geraldyne was the heir to a family with a strong presence in the social and philanthropic life of Los Angeles. In 1965, she married the Honorable McIntyre Faries (1896–1994), a longtime jurist and presiding judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court. The couple was active in both the Save the Redwoods League and the state Republican Party. Judge Faries was one of the Founding 400 Pepperdine Associates, and he and his wife dedicated themselves as faithful supporters of the University.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jerrystree-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Judge's Tree", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/judgestree-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "McIntyre and Geraldyne Faries", "see_also": "See also Jerry's Tree", "benefactor_bio": "Named for the Honorable McIntyre Faries (1896–1994), the majestic Judges Tree near the entrance to the Odell McConnell Law Center was dedicated in 1980. Judge Faries was presiding judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court, as well as a Founding 400 Pepperdine Associate. His wife, Geraldyne, nicknamed “Jerry,” became the namesake of “Jerry’s Tree” located near the Mullin Town Square at the heart of Pepperdine’s Seaver College. In 1993 Pepperdine published Rememb’ring: One Man’s Journey, Judge Faries’ memoir of his years on the bench.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/judgestree-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Joslyn Plaza", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/joslynplaza-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Marcellus L. Joslyn Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "With its distinctive fountain, trees, and scenic views, Joslyn Plaza’s vibrant atmosphere has provided a central meeting place for students for many years. The foundation started by telecommunications innovator Marcellus L. Joslyn (1873–1963) provided the funds for the plaza, and Marcellus’ daughter, Mary Joslyn Currivan (1908–2005), and her husband, Edward (1906–2003), were longtime Pepperdine supporters and members of the Founding 400 Pepperdine Associates. As people of faith, the Currivans befriended our University in its early days and named the school as a beneficiary of several pieces of real estate, the funds from which also helped serve our mission.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/joslynplaza-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mullin Town Square", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Malibu Campus, University-Wide Facilities, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mullintownsquare-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Terry and Sharon Mullin", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Sharon and Terry Mullin invested generously in Pepperdine’s vision for a welcoming “town square” with sweeping ocean vistas and inviting places to gather. Terry (1921–2023), from Burbank, California, founded Terry Lumber and some 20 building material enterprises. Originally from Nebraska, Sharon was representing Colorado when she earned the title of Miss America 1956, and then became a commercial spokesperson for beauty and building-industry products. Mullin Town Square, at the geographic center of the Seaver College campus, honors the couple’s friendship and abiding generosity. The first phase of the project, dedicated in 2009, included refurbishments to the Joslyn Plaza area; phase II includes construction of the Mountain at Mullin Park, which will feature the Mullin Green, a beautifully landscaped area with benches and a peaceful fountain at the University’s forthcoming recreation and events center. The Mullins also funded a transformative endowed scholarship for outstanding Seaver College students enrolled in math and science programs.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mullintownsquare-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "George Pepperdine Statue", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgepepperdinestatue-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George Pepperdine", "see_also": "See also Barney's Bench", "benefactor_bio": "Whether the campus is bustling during the academic year or slightly less active during summer, one spot in Mullin Town Square is always occupied—Barney’s Bench, the permanent seat of the life-sized bronze statue of University’s founder George Pepperdine (1886–1962). Sculpted by artist Christopher Slatoff and dedicated in 2010, Mr. Pepperdine is depicted holding his open Bible. The completion of the statue was a prelude to the University’s yearlong 75th anniversary celebration in 2012, and continues to serve as a permanent reminder of his devotion to ongoing generations of students. A Kansas bookkeeper who invested five dollars in postcards to advertise mail-order parts for new automobiles, Pepperdine grew his business into the thriving Western Auto Supply Company. The success of his company earned him a fortune, one that he decided to invest in the construction of a small Christian college on the south side of Los Angeles, where he promised to prepare young people for lives of purpose, instilled with a solid Christian faith.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgepepperdinestatue-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Phillips Theme Tower\nIn memory of T. W. Phillips, Jr. and B. D. Phillips, Sr.", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/phillipsthemetower-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Mildred Welshimer Phillips (left) with Norvel and Helen Young", "see_also": "See also Mildred Welshimer Phillips House", "benefactor_bio": "Perhaps the most distinctive landmark on an already distinctive campus, the 125-foot Phillips Theme Tower with its embedded cross graces the entrance to the University’s main campus in Malibu. Visitors to Pepperdine and cars passing by on Pacific Coast Highway can’t miss this grand monument overlooking the ocean, symbolizing the school’s commitment to Christian education. Dedicated in 1974, the tower was funded by the B. D. Phillips Foundation with the support of Mildred Welshimer Phillips (1902–1983), in memory of her husband, Benjamin D. Phillips, Sr., and his brother, Thomas W. Phillips, Jr. Founders of the Phillips Gas and Oil Company, the family was active in the restoration movement of New Testament Christianity. An author and educator, Mrs. Phillips was presented an honorary doctor of humane letters from Pepperdine in 1969.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/phillipsthemetower-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Richard M. Scaife Bridge and Terrace", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardmscaifebridgeandterrace-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Richard M. Scaife", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Just outside the campus bookstore and down the steps from Joslyn Plaza is the Richard M. Scaife Bridge and Terrace, a semicircular patio offering a spectacular view of the Malibu coastline and Pacific Ocean. Richard Mellon Scaife (1932–2014), former owner and publisher of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and principal heir to the Mellon family banking, oil, and aluminum fortune, was a member of the Pepperdine Associates Founding 400 and provided support for the University’s move to Malibu. He was also a Pepperdine life regent and a significant donor to the School of Public Policy, which officially became Pepperdine’s fifth school in 1997. The bridge and terrace pay tribute to Richard’s leadership and pioneering support of our institution.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardmscaifebridgeandterrace-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/frankrseavercollegeoflettersartsandsciences-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Frank and Blanche Seaver", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The son of a pioneer Iowa farmer, Frank R. Seaver (1883–1964) was born in San Jose, California. After graduating from Pomona College in 1905, he spent a year studying law and passed the bar exam in 1906, and then pursued a year of postgraduate study at Harvard Law School and practiced for 10 years. After serving in World War I and leaving the service as a lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve, he became head of famed industrialist Edward L. Doheny’s oil explorations in Mexico. Buying a small business from Doheny, Seaver developed the Hydril Company, a manufacturer of oil-drilling equipment.\n\nWith savvy business expertise and his invention of a highly effective blowout-proof drill, he quickly amassed a great fortune. As Seaver looked for places to share that wealth, he found George Pepperdine College, a place he came to admire for its efforts to educate the nation on the perils of communism. His first gift was toward an anti-communist film project the school produced in 1960.\n\nThat contribution led to many more gifts to the college, but none as large as that given in 1969 by his widow, Blanche Ebert Seaver (1891–1994). Blanche had given up a career in music to devote her life to her husband’s interests, and she maintained many of them even after Frank’s death in 1964—one of which was Pepperdine. When Blanche heard that Pepperdine was making plans to build a new campus in the foothills of Malibu, she was determined to name the liberal arts college in honor of her beloved husband. Her initial contribution paved the way for many more gifts, as well as the involvement of other key donors to the campus, including such prominent benefactors as George Elkins, John Tyler, Morris Pendleton, and Fritz Huntsinger.\n\nAs a result of her magnanimous support given in memory of her late husband, Pepperdine’s liberal arts college was dedicated as the Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences on April 20, 1975.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/frankrseavercollegeoflettersartsandsciences-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Appleby Center", "tags": "Appleby Center, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/applebycenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jerene Appleby Harnish", "see_also": "See also Jerene Appleby Harnish Law Library, Jerene's Room", "benefactor_bio": "On April 9, 1972, world-renowned semantics expert S. I. Hayakawa delivered a speech to formally dedicate the Appleby Center on Pepperdine’s new Malibu campus honoring Jerene Appleby Harnish (1893–1980). The building’s namesake, a successful newspaper publisher known for her philanthropy, art patronage, and civic leadership, funded many facilities and enhancements to education and the cultural arts in Southern California. Thanks to Jerene’s generosity in the early 1970s, Pepperdine has been able to provide a world-class education to thousands of students in the fields of social science and religion, classrooms and faculty offices for both of which are housed in the Appleby Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/applebycenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "James Lovell Classroom", "tags": "Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jameslovellclassroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "James Lovell", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "James Lovell (1896–1984) was a leader in Churches of Christ who devoted much of his life to service at Abilene Christian University. Passionate about the importance of ministry and education, he became a member of the board of trustees at George Pepperdine College shortly after its founding. Lovell contributed much to the direction of Pepperdine and helped cast the foundation for its prominent place in higher education today. James and his wife, Vivian, remained faithful friends of Pepperdine until James’ passing in 1984 and Vivian’s in 2001. The James Lovell classroom in Seaver College’s Appleby Center provides a place where professors continue to inspire students in their eternal search for knowledge and truth.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jameslovellclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Jerene's Room", "tags": "Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jerenesroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jerene Appleby Harnish", "see_also": "See also Appleby Center, Jerene Appleby Harnish Law Library", "benefactor_bio": "An enduring University friend, Jerene Appleby Harnish (1893–1980) was a woman of conviction and great success. As publisher of the Daily Report in Ontario, California, she was a powerful voice in the golden age of newspapers. After the death of her first husband, Frank Bell Appleby, in 1936, she married Jacob Harnish and continued to have a significant influence in journalism. Always passionate about education and the welfare of her country, Jerene was unabashed in both her patriotism and her support for higher education; she demonstrated this by funding the Center for American Studies at Pepperdine, later renamed the Appleby Center. Jerene’s Room, a quiet area for study in the Appleby Center, is a tribute to her exemplary career and life of service.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/applebycenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Joyce and Stanley Black Family Plaza Classrooms", "tags": "Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/joyceandstanleyblackfamilyplazaclassrooms-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Stanley and Joyce Black with Andy and Debby Benton", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Thanks to his prolific charitable giving, the name of Stanley Black—the Southern California real-estate pioneer and founder of KB Management and Black Equities—can be found all over the Los Angeles area. Vista Del Mar, a child and family services agency, named its western L.A. campus after Stanley and his late wife, Joyce (1937–2013), and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has two facilities on Sunset Boulevard named for the Blacks. The couple’s lifelong commitment to philanthropy, education, and service has also included generous support for Pepperdine, for which they are recognized with the Black Family Plaza Classrooms. First opened in 2009 and dedicated in 2012, the four 50-seat classrooms, totaling 9,500 square feet adjacent to Elkins Auditorium, give students access to technology-rich equipment in the heart of the Malibu campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/joyceandstanleyblackfamilyplazaclassrooms-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Eugene P. Benz Classroom", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/eugenepbenzclassroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Eugene Benz (on the right) with Larry Hornbaker", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Upon his return from service in the armed forces in Japan during World War II, Eugene Benz (1927–2000) began a long career with the American Automobile Association. Attributing his business success to the education he’d received at George Pepperdine College, Eugene declared a wish “to give back to Pepperdine in a significant way and to be a part of the future.” That desire resulted in the Eugene P. Benz Classroom, dedicated in 2002 in the Center for Communication and Business. Eugene, who was married to Molly Benz and the stepfather of her two sons, Michael and David, remembered Pepperdine in his will and is forever memorialized through the classroom that bears his name.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/eugenepbenzclassroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Claeyssens Computer Lab", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/claeyssenscomputerlab-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Pierre P. Claeyssens", "see_also": "See also Claeyssens Conference Room, Claeyssens Military Honor Garden", "benefactor_bio": "Having grown up in Belgium amid the devastation of World War I, Pierre Claeyssens (1908–2003) vividly remembered how the Hoover Relief Fund saved his family from starvation. That experience affirmed Claeyssens’ love for the US and its armed forces, setting him on a course to gain American citizenship in 1938, eventually settling in Santa Monica, California, with a career in architecture. As his extended family grew, several of those from the Claeyssens’ line would go on to make valuable and lasting Pepperdine connections. Claeyssens’ daughter, Noelle, and granddaughter, Jenna (’08, MBA ’10, MA ’13), both serve on the Seaver College Board of Advisors, and two of Pierre’s grandsons, Brett (’02) and James (’04) Burkey, are Waves alumni. The Claeyssens Computer Lab was dedicated in 2002, and Pierre’s good works continue to serve several Southern California nonprofits today through the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/claeyssenscomputerlab-everything-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Farrell Gean Lecture Hall", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/farrellgeanlecturehall-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Farrell Gean", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/farrellgeanlecturehall-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Loafers Lounge", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/loaferslounge-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Loafers Association", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "In the early 1950s, a loyal group of men—united in friendship, mutual respect, and an approach to life that reflected honesty and equality—established the Loafers Association. Led by construction and real estate mogul Naseeb Saliba, the group invested its good works and support on behalf of higher education. The Loafers Association extended its generosity to Pepperdine, where a casual gathering place on the second floor of the Center for Communication and Business was created for student and faculty use. The Loafers Lounge was dedicated in 2002 during the opening of the center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mandelker Broadcast News Room", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mandelkerbroadcastnewsroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leonard Hill", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "In 1980 after four years with ABC Entertainment, Leonard Hill (1947–2016) left the broadcasting giant to establish his own television production firm in Los Angeles. Originally called Hill/Mandelker Films, the company was reorganized as Leonard Hill Films after the untimely death in 1984 of Philip Mandelker, Hill’s friend and business colleague and a prolific producer and writer in his own right. In his memory, the Mandelker Television Studio, later renamed the Mandelker Broadcast News Room, was dedicated in 2002 in the Center for Communication and Business. In addition to funding the Mandelker News Room, Hill established the Leonard Hill Endowed Scholarship in Broadcasting to aid Seaver College students.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Timothy C. Phillips Classroom", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/timothycphillipsclassroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Timothy C. Phillips ('87)", "see_also": "See also Phillips Family Reading Room", "benefactor_bio": "Dedicated in 2002, the Timothy C. Phillips Classroom in the Center for Communication and Business was made possible through the generosity of Seaver College alumnus Tim Phillips. His gift honored the memories of two of his former fraternity brothers and classmates, Mark Colombano and Kimm Hubert, who tragically lost their lives in a motorcycle accident in 1986. Founder and CEO of Phillips & Company, one of the largest investment firms in Portland, Oregon, Phillips is a past president of the Leukemia Society of Oregon, and he and his wife, Kristen, are active with the Children's Cancer Association and other charitable causes. They also established the Timothy C. Phillips Family Endowed Scholarship at Seaver College, and Tim served on the Pepperdine Board of Regents for more than 15 years.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/timothycphillipsclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Loyd Sigmon Radio Center", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/loydsigmonradiocenter-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Loyd Sigmon", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Longtime University Board member Loyd Sigmon (1909–2004) was the innovator behind the indispensable “Sig Alert” system, which warns Southern California motorists of unplanned road events affecting their commutes. He devised the system while an engineer at Los Angeles’ KMPC-AM in the 1950s, as a way for the L.A. Police Department to transmit real-time traffic updates to radio stations without tying up police phone lines. Years before that, though, Loyd’s KMPC career had been interrupted almost as soon as it began by orders to serve in World War II. As officer in charge of radio communications for the European theatre, Loyd created a top-secret short-wave link between president Franklin Roosevelt and British prime minister Winston Churchill. He also oversaw the construction of what was then the world’s largest radio transmitter, and he drafted the D-Day Communication Plan—a copy of which is on display in the lobby of the Center for Communication and Business. The Sigmon Radio Center is a tribute to his innovative career and abiding generosity.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/loydsigmonradiocenter-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "John Stauffer Computer Lab", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnstauffercomputerlab-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John Stauffer Charitable Trust", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Established by the Stauffer Chemical Company in 1974 to enrich California institutions of higher learning, the John Stauffer Charitable Trust has been a steadfast supporter of Pepperdine programs since its founding. In addition to supporting science education at Pepperdine, the trust made a substantial gift in 1986 to fund a fledgling telecommunications program at Seaver College that would immerse students in a curriculum rich in broadcast news and production-related activities. This bachelor’s program in telecommunications continues today as one of Seaver’s most popular undergraduate degrees, and while the Communication Division now has a new home in a state-of-the-art facility, the John Stauffer Computer Lab, dedicated as the John Stauffer Telecommunications Center in 2002, stands as a reminder of the Stauffer Trust’s faithful commitment to Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Jere E. Yates Chairman's Suite", "tags": "Center for Communication and Business, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jereeyateschairmanssuite-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jere Yates (center) with Rick Marrs and Andy Benton", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "In 2000, following 27 years at the helm of Seaver College’s Business Administration Division, Jere Yates stepped down as division chair. A groundswell of interest quickly began to build among his “family” of grateful colleagues and alumni, who launched a confidential effort to honor Yates in a most unprecedented and meaningful way. Over the next two years, more than 100 members of Yates’ circle of alumni, friends, and family joined together in heartfelt tribute, providing support to name the chair’s suite on the third floor of the Center for Communication and Business in his honor. Dedicated in 2002, the Jere E. Yates Chairman’s Suite celebrates his many years of devoted leadership.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jereeyateschairmanssuite-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "S. Charles Lee Art Studios Wing", "tags": "Cultural Arts Center, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/scharlesleeartstudioswing-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "S. Charles Lee", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "S. Charles Lee (1899–1990) has been hailed by architectural historian John Edward Powell as “the most prolific and prominent architect of movie palaces of the Art Deco period,” with more than 400 theaters to his credit. Born shortly before the turn of the 20th century, Charles was trained and educated in Chicago and became interested in theatre design while working for the Rapp and Rapp architectural firm. In 1922 he moved to Los Angeles and launched his career as a motion picture theatre designer. Charles’ Baroque-style Los Angeles Theatre, built in 1931, is often cited as the finest theater building in Los Angeles. A member of the Pepperdine Associates Founding 400, Charles received an honorary degree from the University in 1988. His studio wing, dedicated in 1991, is located on the fourth floor of the Cultural Arts Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/scharlesleeartstudioswing-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Evelyn Mitchell McCarthy Classroom", "tags": "Cultural Arts Center, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/evelynmitchellmccarthyclassroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Evelyn Mitchell McCarthy", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A friend of Pepperdine University since the early 1980s, Evelyn Mitchell McCarthy (1917–2006) was inducted into the George Pepperdine Society in 1995. In addition to funding the Evelyn Mitchell McCarthy Classroom in the Cultural Arts Center, dedicated in 1995, she also supported a scholarship at Seaver College that bears her name. McCarthy participated in many of Pepperdine’s organizations and activities, including the Center for the Arts Guild and the Desert Weekend Associates trips. By making connections that brought many of her friends into the University fold, she became a true and effective ambassador for Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/evelynmitchellmccarthyclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Clarence Piper Classroom", "tags": "Cultural Arts Center, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/clarencepiperclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Clarence Piper", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A dear friend of both Pepperdine University and its longtime benefactors Ed and Dorothy Stotsenberg, Clarence Piper (1914–1993) enjoyed fly fishing, gardening, and the arts during his retirement years. An avid traveler, he was also passionate about education and supported several student scholarships. Through a generous estate gift, Clarence sustained his dedication to the University following his passing in 1993, and his memory is honored within the spacious Clarence Piper Classroom. Located on the third floor of the Cultural Arts Center, this space enhances the academic environs of Seaver College’s Fine Arts Division.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/clarencepiperclassroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Richard Rockwell Classroom", "tags": "Cultural Arts Center, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardrockewellclassroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leon (MBA '75) and Margaret Rockwell", "see_also": "See also Richard A. Rockwell Towers, Leon and Margaret Rockwell Academic Center, Leon Sr. and Bessie M. Rockwell Dining Center, Margaret M. Rockwell Student Dining Center", "benefactor_bio": "The Richard Rockwell Classroom honors the life and memory of Leon (1919–2006) and Margaret Rockwell’s (1920–2004) eldest son, Richard Allen Rockwell (1948–1993). Richard earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees with honors at California State University, Fresno, and was just six months from receiving his PhD from the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles, when a family emergency brought him back to Fresno. Although he had intended to pursue a career in the medical field, Richard began working in real estate development and property management. Sadly, Richard died in 1993 at the age of 45, leaving behind two teenage sons, Christopher and Jonathan. Leon and Margaret Rockwell said that their love for Richard and his great plans for the future compelled their family to perpetuate his memory in this named classroom.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/richardrockwellclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Annie and Grover Sam Cultural Arts Center Wing", "tags": "Cultural Arts Center, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/annieandgroversamculturalartscenterwing-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Grover and Annie Sam with David Davenport", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Annie and Grover Sam Cultural Arts Center Wing celebrates the Sams’ lifelong commitment to their Chinese heritage, higher education, and each other. Annie (1926–2015) spent her early years in China before returning with her family to the United States in 1939. They settled in Long Beach, where Annie’s father opened a restaurant called “Happy.” Many sailors frequented the popular dining spot, one of whom, Grover (1923–2000), became her husband. When Grover passed away at the age of 76, his will included a charitable bequest to Pepperdine. The third-floor wing, dedicated in 2002, honors the Sams’ joyous decades together and their fond appreciation of the arts.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/annieandgroversamculturalartscenterwing-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "George Elkins Auditorium", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgeelkinsauditorium-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George W. Elkins", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The founder and president of George Elkins Company and Beverly Westwood Development Company, George Elkins (1899–1993) was also director of the American Title Company of Los Angeles and a lifetime director of the California Real Estate Board. A Pepperdine ambassador who caught the vision for the future Malibu campus, Elkins made a generous gift to fund the original 300-seat Elkins Auditorium, one of the earliest buildings to be constructed at the heart of the University’s undergraduate division. Dedicated in 1973, the popular auditorium enjoyed a much-needed expansion and renovation in 2009, increasing its seating capacity to 399. Elkins was chair of the former President's Board and served as a longtime member of the Board of Regents. He received an honorary doctor of daws in 1971 in recognition of his life accomplishments.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgeelkinsauditorium-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Keck Science Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kecksciencecenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "W.M. Keck Foundation", "see_also": "See also W. M. Keck Foundation Reading Room", "benefactor_bio": "One of the nation’s largest and most prominent philanthropic organizations, the W. M. Keck Foundation recognizes the importance of undergraduate instruction with its support of exemplary programs in science, engineering, and the liberal arts. It has left its mark on academic and healthcare institutions throughout the Los Angeles area, including Pepperdine, where its more than 35 years of significant support have helped sustain such efforts as the Institute in American Studies, the Keck Endowed Scholarship Fund, the renovation and computerization of Payson Library, and the Keck Data Science Institute launched in 2021. The 2001 dedication of the Keck Science Center honored the W. M. Keck Foundation’s partnership with Seaver College.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kecksciencecenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Braun Lecture Hall, First and Second Floors (Keck Science Center)", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/braunlecturehall-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Henry and Virginia \"Ginie\" Braun", "see_also": "See also Braun Center for the School of Public Policy, Braun Conference Room", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine regent Virginia “Ginie” Braun (1917–2011) and her husband, Henry (1915–2002), were Pepperdine friends and benefactors for more than two decades, generously lending support to such diverse venues as the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, Caruso School of Law, Braun Conference Room, Firestone Fieldhouse, and Ralphs-Straus Tennis Pavilion. Active in politics, the arts, and civic events in their hometown of Pasadena, California, the couple stepped forward to fund the Braun Center at the School of Public Policy—and after Henry’s death, Ginie endowed the dean’s chair at the school. For pledging significant funds toward the Keck Science Center at Seaver College, the Brauns’ enduring partnership was honored by the University in 2001, with the dedication of the center’s first and second floors as well as its first-floor lecture hall.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brauneverything-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Third Floor\nKeck Science Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/thirdfloorkecksciencecenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Weingart Foundation", "see_also": "See also Weingart Reading Room", "benefactor_bio": "The Weingart Foundation’s stated goal is to build a better America through constructive assistance given to people in need, helping them to lead more rewarding, responsible lives. The foundation supported the renovation of Payson Library in the 1980s, creating the Weingart Reading Room, and also provided significant support to establish the Weingart Revolving Student Loan Fund for undergraduates. Honoring the foundation’s generous challenge grant for science education and research, Pepperdine designated the third floor of the Keck Science Center in its honor. Additional grants have provided resources for the Natural Science Division, a mental health clinic at the Union Rescue Mission administered through the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and student loan programs.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fourth Floor (Keck Science Center)", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fourthfloorkecksciencecenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Flora Laney Thornton", "see_also": "See also Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center, Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership, Flora Laney Thornton Conference Room, Howard A. White Center", "benefactor_bio": "Fort Worth, Texas, native Flora Thornton (1913–2010) became acquainted with Pepperdine in the 1970s after marrying Charles “Tex” Thornton, founder and chair of Litton Industries. Many will recognize their family name on the landmark facility on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus dedicated in her late husband’s honor, the Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center, whose fourth-floor Thornton Conference Room salutes Flora’s abiding generosity. A Pepperdine regent, Flora’s areas of interest ranged from geology, nutrition, and public policy to arts education and opera. Her pacesetting commitment toward the Keck Science Center will serve Seaver science students for generations to come.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fourthfloor-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Guenther Organic Synthesis Laboratory", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/guentherorganicsynthesislaboratory-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Henry L. Guenther Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Since 1956 the Henry L. Guenther Foundation has advanced its mission to improve medical services and opportunities for youth in Los Angeles, having supported such entities as the Braille Institute, several hospitals, universities, and other organizations serving veterans, senior citizens, and families in Southern California. Pepperdine welcomed the foundation as a valued partner in conjunction with the 2001 opening of its Keck Science Center. The foundation made possible the Guenther Organic Synthesis Laboratory on the center’s fourth floor, helping to equip undergraduates with expanded opportunities in chemistry education and research.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Norris Physiology Laboratory", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/norrisphysiologylaboratory-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The family-founded Norris Foundation supports programs that advance health and intellectual enlightenment through education, cultivation of the arts, individual responsibility, freedom, and dignity. The foundation has strengthened the nonprofit community of Southern California since 1963 through its targeted support for local institutions, and with a gift underwriting new computer equipment in 1996, the organization began its legacy of support for Pepperdine. Heralding the opening of the Keck Science Center and the foundation’s continuing partnership in championing undergraduate science education and research at Seaver College, the University dedicated the second-floor Norris Physiology Laboratory in the foundation’s honor in 2001.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Parsons Physics Laboratory", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/parsonsphysicslabratory-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation", "see_also": "See also Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Science Lobby, Parsons Foundation Study Room", "benefactor_bio": "Since 1961 the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation has invested its resources in institutions of recognized stature that advance the fields of engineering, technology, and the sciences. The foundation has been a friend to Pepperdine for more than three decades, making grants toward the computerization of Payson Library, the Parsons Revolving Student Loan Fund, equipment for the Natural Science Division, Summer Undergraduate Science Research fellowships, and the Independent Colleges of Southern California Parsons Scholarship. It also supported the Chemistry Project, which included equipment, laboratory renovations, and support for an honors student. The Parsons Physics Laboratory in the Keck Science Center signals the foundation’s keen recognition of the importance of undergraduate science education and research.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/parsonsphysicslaboratory-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "John Stauffer Advanced Analytical Chemistry Research Laboratory", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnstaufferadvancedanalyticalchemistryresearchlaboratory-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John Stauffer Charitable Trust", "see_also": "See also John Stauffer Administrative Center, John Stauffer Computer Lab, Stauffer Chapel, Stauffer Greenhouse, Stauffer Tower", "benefactor_bio": "With its demonstrated interest in science, engineering, higher education, and healthcare, the Pasadena-based John Stauffer Charitable Trust has supported numerous California hospitals, colleges, and universities since 1974, the year of its first gift to Pepperdine. The trust has helped fund laboratory equipment, telecommunications, an environmental growth chamber, the Caruso School of Law’s John Stauffer Administrative Center, and the Stauffer Greenhouse on the Seaver College campus. In recognition of its generous contribution to the Keck Science Center, Pepperdine University named the John Stauffer Advanced Analytical Chemistry Research Laboratory in its honor.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Stauffer Greenhouse", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Keck Science Center", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stauffergreenhouse-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John Stauffer Charitable Trust", "see_also": "See also John Stauffer Administrative Center, John Stauffer Advanced Analytical Chemistry Research Laboratory, John Stauffer Computer Lab, Stauffer Chapel, Stauffer Tower", "benefactor_bio": "John Stauffer led the successful Stauffer Chemical Company for many years, and as his family’s success grew, they felt a responsibility to contribute to meaningful causes, principally the advancement of science and education in the state of California. The Stauffer Trust’s generous investments in universities, hospitals, and institutions of higher learning include the Stauffer Greenhouse, an asset of the Seaver College Natural Science Division. The facility, dedicated in 1985, demonstrates the trust’s commitment to science education through a state-of-the-art space that enhances the curriculum for students exploring plant and botanical sciences at Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stauffergreenhouse-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Payson Library", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/paysonlibrary-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Charles Shipman Payson family", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "One of the original Malibu campus buildings, Payson Library was dedicated in 1972 in honor of its benefactor, the Charles Shipman Payson family. Charles Payson (1898–1985) graduated from Harvard Law School in 1924 and married Joan Whitney, daughter of financier Payne Whitney, from whom Joan inherited half of his $194 million estate. Charles invested the inherited fortune in sugar and steel, eventually becoming director of Armco Steel Corporation. Joan was nicknamed “Saint Joan of the Mets” for her purchase of the New York Mets baseball team, which she cheered from her private box next to the home dugout in Shea Stadium. She also collected fine art, a passion she passed along to her son, John (’66), a prominent gallery owner and art collector in his own right. Pepperdine is grateful for the philanthropic spirit that Charles, Joan, and John demonstrated many times over nearly half a century.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/paysonlibrary-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Barbera Information Gateway", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/barberainformationgateway-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jo and Robert Barbera", "see_also": "See also Barbera Family Patio, Loggia Barbera", "benefactor_bio": "Robert Barbera and his wife, Jo, are quite active in civic and cultural activities, with Robert serving on the boards of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the Pasadena Opera Guild, as well as Pepperdine’s University Board. A proud Italian American, he has displayed particular affection for projects related to Pepperdine’s activities in Florence, Italy, serving as the founding chair of the Friends of Firenze group that helped to fund the University’s Italian international campus site and endowing the Barbera Professorship of Italian Language and Culture. Robert’s support extends to a number of other Pepperdine causes, including various student scholarships and Payson Library. During the 2011–2015 Campaign for Pepperdine, Robert chaired the University Libraries Committee and funded the Barbera Information Gateway, dedicated in 2013. The space was celebrated during the Payson Library reopening ceremony in 2017, along with the dedication of the Barbera Family Patio.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/barberainformationgateway-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Barbera Family Patio", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/barberafamilypatio-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jo and Robert J. Barbera", "see_also": "See also Barbera Information Gateway, Loggia Barbera", "benefactor_bio": "President of Barbera Properties and longtime member of Pepperdine’s University Board, Robert and his wife, Jo, reside in San Marino, California. Serving as chair for the Campaign for Pepperdine University Libraries Committee, Robert helped fund the major renovations that modernized traditional library spaces to meet the needs of our 21st-century students, transforming Payson Library into a multifunctional resource center with reimagined study rooms, collaborative learning spaces, and a seamless technology-rich environment. Jo and Robert’s generosity also enabled the Barbera Family Patio, a welcoming outdoor space at the main entrance to the library. Dedicated during the renovation celebration in 2017, the patio often hosts students looking for an open-air environment to study or to connect with friends. The Barbera family has also demonstrated its philanthropic dedication to the Pepperdine community by funding the Barbera Information Gateway in the Payson Library and Loggia Barbera at Pepperdine’s International program in Florence.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/barberafamilypatio-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Boone Special Collections and Archives", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/boonespecialcollectionsandarchives-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Pat and Shirley Boone", "see_also": "See also Pat and Shirley Boone Center for the Family", "benefactor_bio": "Iconic entertainer Pat Boone and his wife, Shirley (1934–2019), are the benefactors and namesakes of Pepperdine’s Boone Center for the Family. Counting more than four decades of friendship with Pepperdine, the Boones have been part of several milestone University events through the years. A longtime member of the University Board, Pat serves as co-chair of the distinguished group. A dedicated member of the Pepperdine Legacy Partners, Shirley embraced the University’s Church of Christ heritage and continued support for Christian education. Together, Pat and Shirley successfully navigated the challenges and shared the rewards of Pat’s celebrated career, raised a beautiful family of four daughters, and championed humanitarian causes worldwide, giving glory to God at every turn. They are the foundation of a loving, multigenerational, multitalented family, and Payson Library’s Boone Special Collections and Archives dedicated in 2017 pays tribute to their extraordinary generosity and steadfast commitment to Pepperdine and its mission.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/boonespecialcollectionsandarchives-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Dockson Reading Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/docksonreadingroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Dr. Robert R. and Katheryn A. Dockson", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Dockson Reading Room is a sun-bathed alcove on the second floor of Payson Library, provided through the generosity of Pepperdine life regent Robert Dockson (1917–2013) and his wife, Katheryn (1918–2007). The Docksons were devoted supporters of the University for many decades, particularly on behalf of the School of Public Policy, where they endowed the Robert R. and Katheryn Dockson Professorship in 1994. Bob was chief executive of California Savings and Loan for many years as well as the chair of the Pepperdine University Board. In 1970 he was awarded with an honorary doctor of laws from Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/docksonreadingroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fletcher Jones Foundation Great Books Seminar Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fletcherjonesfoundationgreatbooksseminarroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Fletcher Jones Foundation", "see_also": "See also Fletcher Jones Foundation Administrative Suite, Fletcher Jones Foundation Study Room", "benefactor_bio": "The Fletcher Jones Foundation began its support of Seaver College’s Great Books Colloquium with the endowment of the Fletcher Jones Chair in Great Books in 1993. More than a decade later the foundation made a generous gift to name the Fletcher Jones Foundation Great Books Seminar Room, located on the second floor of Payson Library. Furnished with an impressive granite conference table and leather chairs, the room was dedicated in 2017 during the Payson Library reopening celebration. Designed to convey the values of dignity and scholarship inherent in the great books curriculum, the seminar room enables lively discourse in Socratic style about some of the world’s most influential literature.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fletcherjonesfoundationgreatbooksseminarroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fletcher Jones Foundation Study Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fletcherjonesfoundationstudyroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Fletcher Jones Foundation", "see_also": "See also Fletcher Jones Foundation Administrative Suite, Fletcher Jones Foundation Great Books Seminar Room", "benefactor_bio": "Fletcher Jones (1931–1972) epitomized the American dream, rising from humble beginnings to earn fame and fortune as a mathematician, visionary businessman, and pioneer in the emerging field of computer science in the 1950s. Jones established his eponymous foundation at the age of just 39, but his untimely death in a plane crash less than two years later left it under the guidance of trustees. Fortunately, those trustees have guided the foundation to become a philanthropic leader in California, and it has generously invested in Pepperdine University and its libraries, enriching the learning experience of all students. Dedicated in 1987, the Fletcher Jones Foundation Study Room was celebrated during the 2017 Payson Library reopening ceremony.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Harter Reading Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/harterreadingroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Paul D. and Ione Harter", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Harter Reading Room was dedicated in 1978 to honor the memory of Aubrey Baer Harter (1914–1977), a teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California. Beyond his career in the classroom, Aubrey Harter was a marriage, family, and child counselor, a talented poet, an athlete, and a musician. While his wisdom and expertise prompted teaching offers from various universities, he chose to remain an educator at the high school level, shaping a younger generation of future leaders.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "W.M. Keck Foundation Study Room", "tags": "Library, Seaver College, Malibu Campus, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/wmkeckfoundationstudyroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The W.M. Keck Foundation", "see_also": "See also Keck Science Center", "benefactor_bio": "William Myron Keck, founder of the Superior Oil Company, established the W.M. Keck Foundation in 1954 to help fund the work of Southern California-based organizations that uplift their communities and enrich lives. Also the namesake of the Keck Science Center and benefactor of other student-serving programs, the Keck Foundation made a significant grant toward the 1980s renovation of Payson Library, evident today in the W.M. Keck Foundation Study Room on the second floor, a retreat for students, faculty, and visitors.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Kresge Reading Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kresgereadingroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Kresge Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Sebastian Kresge (1867–1966) understood that service to community and to humankind are natural extensions of personal success. Born in Pennsylvania, Kresge partnered with a friend and business associate to found a nickel-and-dime store, one that eventually became the retailer giant Kmart. Committed to using his wealth to help others, Kresge contributed $1.6 million to start the Kresge Foundation “for the promotion of human progress,” and he remained active in leading the foundation until his death at the age of 99. Students for generations to come will enjoy the scholarly setting and solitude of the Kresge Reading Room, located near the ever-popular Starbucks and dedicated as part of the 1980s Payson Library renovations in recognition of the foundation’s magnanimous support.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Phillips Family Reading Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/phillipsfamilyreadingroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Kristen and Timothy C. ('87) Phillips", "see_also": "See also Timothy C. Phillips Classroom", "benefactor_bio": "Located on the first floor of Payson Library, the Phillips Family Reading Room was dedicated in 2017. A quiet place to study and relax, the room is enhanced by a tranquil view of leafy trees and the ocean beyond. Founder and CEO of Phillips & Company, one of the largest investment firms in Portland, Oregon, Phillips is a past president of the Leukemia Society of Oregon, and he and his wife, Kristen, are active with the Children's Cancer Association and other charitable causes. In addition to their donation to the library, they also funded the Timothy C. Phillips Classroom in 2002 and established the Timothy C. Phillips Family Endowed Scholarship at Seaver College.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/phillipsfamilyreadingroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Dr. Aaron L. Plueger Reading Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Payson Library, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/draaronlpluegerreadingroom-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Dr. Aaron L. Plueger", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Aaron L. Plueger (1926–2000), a 1950 graduate of George Pepperdine College and father of University regent John Plueger, earned a doctorate in theology and was an ordained minister in the Lutheran Church. Plueger’s two published works were inspired by his study of eschatology, the branch of theology focusing specifically on the end times. John Plueger and his wife, Celeste, generous donors to Seaver College and parents of a 2014 Seaver graduate, invested in Payson Library in the hopes that Plueger’s career and spiritual legacy will inspire Christian students to pursue their faith, explore research subjects that interest them, and follow God’s word. Located on the first floor of the library, the Plueger Reading Room is a quiet, book-lined retreat with a cozy fireplace.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/draaronlpluegerreadingroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Study Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ralphmparsonsfoundationstudyroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ralph M. Parsons Foundation", "see_also": "See also Parsons Physics Laboratory, Parsons Foundation Science Lobby", "benefactor_bio": "Providing meaningful support to Pepperdine for more than four decades, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation invested in the computerization of Payson Library in the late 1980s and continues to lend its support to enrich our library’s resources and reference services. Today, the Parsons Foundation Study Room is located on the second floor of Payson Library. Striving to provide a vibrant community space for Pepperdine students, alumni, faculty, staff, Malibu neighbors, and visitors, Pepperdine is grateful for the foundation’s vote of confidence in our vision for the future of Payson Library.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ralphmparsonsfoundationstudyroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Weingart Reading Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Payson Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/weingartreadingroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Weingart Foundation", "see_also": "See also Keck Science Center, third floor", "benefactor_bio": "Founded in 1951 by Ben (1887–1980) and Stella Weingart (1881–1957), the Weingart Foundation is a private foundation supporting nonprofit organizations in the areas of health, human services, and education. The foundation joined other generous friends and foundations in supporting the 1980s renovation of Payson Library, providing a major grant toward the Weingart Reading Room, located on the first floor. The foundation has also made significant grants to Pepperdine in direct support of students, most notably the Weingart Student Loan Fund, which provides interest-free loans to scholars at Seaver College.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Pendleton Computer Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/pendletoncomputercenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Morris and Gladys Pendleton (left) with Bill Banowsky", "see_also": "See also Pendleton Learning Center", "benefactor_bio": "The flow of information on the Malibu campus improved dramatically in 1977 with the dedication of what is now called the Pendleton Computer Center, a 7,200-square-foot, two-story facility named for donors Morris (1901–1985) and Gladys (1901–1997) Pendleton. The installation of a UNIVAC 90/60 computer in a temperature- and humidity-controlled room made a major impact on academic research and computer processing as desktop computers were coming into use. The prevalence of computer usage—and the evolving use of digital data in ever smaller, handheld forms—has of course only continued to grow, making the Pendleton Computer Center an important hub on the Malibu campus, serving students, faculty, staff, and visitors who need to sign on to the University’s WiFi. The Pendletons were close friends of George and Helen Pepperdine, and Morris served on the University’s Board of Regents until his passing.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/pendletoncomputercenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Pendleton Learning Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Pendleton Learning Center", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/pendletonlearningcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Morris and Gladys Pendleton (left) with Bill Banowsky", "see_also": "See also Pendleton Computer Center", "benefactor_bio": "Morris Pendleton (1901–1985) was a voracious reader in grammar school, burying his head in Horatio Alger’s novels about kids who started with peanuts for capital and worked themselves into positions of power and wealth. By age 12, Pendleton was selling Success magazine subscriptions to save for his college education. He went on to major in economics at Pomona College, working each summer at the Plomb Tool Company, where he became a general manager by the time he graduated in 1922. Weathering the Great Depression, Pendleton grew the company into one of the nation’s largest tool manufacturers, Pendleton Tool Industries, which accounted for one-sixth of the industry’s volume of hand-service equipment for American mechanics. Like George Pepperdine, one of his corporate contemporaries, Pendleton invested his wealth in a worthy cause, funding the Pendleton Learning Center along with his wife, Gladys, (1901–1997) as a central academic resource on the Seaver College campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/pendletonlearningcenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Duggan Classroom", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College, Pendleton Learning Center", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/dugganclassroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John and Frances Duggan", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Very much in the mold of George Pepperdine, John Duggan (1902–1992) was a man of entrepreneurial zeal, creating a business that produced great wealth and then sharing his success with others. President and chair of Duggan Manufacturing Company, he built a strong reputation as a leader and businessman, and he and his wife, Frances (1896–1985), became avid Pepperdine supporters until their passing. The Duggan Classroom in the Pendleton Learning Center, serving hundreds of students each year as they pursue their educational goals and become purpose-driven leaders, sustains the generous legacy of John and Frances.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Leon and Margaret Rockwell Academic Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/leonandmargaretrockwellacademiccenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leon (MBA '75) and Margaret Rockwell", "see_also": "See also Leon Sr. and Bessie M. Rockwell Dining Center, Margaret M. Rockwell Student Dining Center, Richard A. Rockwell Towers, Richard Rockwell Classroom", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine alumnus Leon Rockwell (1919–2006) once said, “The true reward one receives from wealth is not in pride of ownership, nor impressing others by lavish expenditures, but rather in its wise application as a legacy for education.” A decorated World War II bomber pilot, commercial airline pilot, and flight instructor, Leon’s primary profession was as a pediatric dentist, with successful practices in Fresno, California, and Las Vegas. With his wife, Margaret (1920–2004), he also founded Romanco, Inc., a property management firm, the financial success of which enabled the couple’s extensive philanthropy throughout California. Today the Rockwell Academic Center—dedicated in 1994—houses classrooms and offices for several of Seaver College’s academic divisions, and four other facilities on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus also reflect the Rockwells’ generosity.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/leonandmargaretrockwellacademiccenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Science Lobby", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ralphmparsonsfoundationsciencelobby-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ralph M. Parsons Foundation", "see_also": "See also Parsons Physics Laboratory, Parsons Foundation Study Room", "benefactor_bio": "Dedicated in October 1988, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Science Lobby is located on the first floor of the Rockwell Academic Center. An informal gathering place for students and faculty, Parsons Lobby is also the portal leading from Mullin Town Square into the Keck Science Center and Appleby Center. The Parsons Foundation has been a loyal supporter of Pepperdine since 1971 and is acknowledged as a member of the George Pepperdine Society in recognition of its significant academic and student-serving grants.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ralphmparsonsfoundationsciencelobby-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Tyler Campus Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/tylercampuscenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John C. Tyler", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A life insurance salesman like his father, South Dakota native John Cummings Tyler (1887–1973) expanded into automobile insurance and cofounded Farmers Insurance Group in 1928. John and his wife, Alice (1912–1993), became avid philanthropists who cared deeply about preserving the environment, and in 1972 they established the International Tyler Ecology Award (now the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement), which was administered by Pepperdine for several years. John went on to become a life regent at Pepperdine, and included the University in his will; the expansive Tyler Campus Center (TCC), one of the first facilities constructed on the new campus, honors his generosity. TCC houses the cafeteria, the Light House, the Hub for Spiritual Life, the Seaver College campus bookstore, the student affairs suite, and international program offices. The road that runs along the western edge of campus, John Tyler Drive, is so named as a tribute to his pioneering support.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/tylercampuscenter-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Leon Sr. and Bessie M. Rockwell Dining Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/leonsrandbessiemrockwelldiningcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leon (MBA '75) and Margaret Rockwell", "see_also": "See also Leon and Margaret Rockwell Academic Center, Margaret M. Rockwell Student Dining Center, Richard A. Rockwell Towers, Richard Rockwell Classroom", "benefactor_bio": "The centerpiece of the Tyler Campus Center, the Rockwell Dining Center is a 20,000-square-foot, 450-seat facility that offers expansive views of the Pacific Ocean to the nearly 3,000 undergraduates who dine in the space daily alongside campus visitors, faculty, and staff. Dedicated in 1999, the center honors the memory of early Las Vegas residents Bessie and Leon Rockwell, Sr., who were wonderful role models in transmitting their work ethic and noble character to their children. Leon (1919–2006) and Margaret (1920–2004) Rockwell, prominent Pepperdine friends, funded and named the beautiful dining room in honor of Leon Jr.’s late parents.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/leonsrandbessiemrockwelldiningcenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hahn Fireside Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, University-Wide Facilities", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hahnfiresideroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Kenny ('42) and Ramona Hahn", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Kenneth Hahn (1920–1997) was known around the George Pepperdine College campus as “a political activist, everybody’s buddy; always agitating for some cause,” according to classmate and lifelong friend Olaf Tegner (’43). Hahn went on to enjoy a high-profile, unprecedented 40-year career on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. His Pepperdine sweetheart and wife, Ramona Hahn (1924–2011), was also active in the city’s civic activities while raising their children, James and Janice–both Pepperdine graduates who followed their father into politics. The Hahn Fireside Room was funded by supportive Pepperdine friends and dedicated in honor of Kenny and Ramona in 1988. Located in the Rockwell Dining Center, the room’s beautiful ocean views and dramatic fireplace provide a comfortable and versatile setting for guest speakers, meetings, and student activities.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hahnfiresideroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "D. Lloyd Nelson Conference Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Honorary Dedication", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The son of legendary preacher James B. Nelson, D. Lloyd Nelson (1909–1980) understood what it meant to live a life of purpose. As he attended church meetings around the country and saw his father in the pulpit, the younger Nelson witnessed firsthand how faith and education can transform lives, going on to earn a PhD and devote himself to education and his church. A longtime University of Southern California professor, Nelson eventually became active at Pepperdine as well, joining the Pepperdine Associates and chairing the Board of Regents from 1977 to 1980. The D. Lloyd Nelson Conference Room in the Rockwell Dining Center honors his dedication to the University, his life, and ongoing legacy.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/dloydnelsonconferenceroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Howard A. White Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/howardawhitecenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Howard A. White", "see_also": "See also Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center, Flora Laney Thornton Conference Room", "benefactor_bio": "The beloved fifth president of Pepperdine University, Howard Ashley White (1913–1991) led the institution from 1978 to 1985 and left an enduring legacy of academic progress, endowment growth, an unabashed love of students, and unbridled enthusiasm for Waves athletics. Perhaps his personal crowning moment came in the summer of 1984, when Pepperdine hosted the water polo competition of the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles. Pepperdine regent and benefactor Flora Laney Thornton (1913–2010) honored White’s affection for Seaver College students by funding a recreation facility in his name. Today, the Howard A. White Center, known to students as “the HAWC,” was dedicated in 1995 and today provides space for students to socialize, study, and recharge. It stands at the heart of Seaver College as a monument to White’s student-centered era of leadership.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/howardawhitecenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Barbara Booth Conference Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/barbaraboothconferenceroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Barbara Booth (’50)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A 1950 alumna and loyal ambassador for Pepperdine University, Barbara Booth (1927–1994) dedicated many years of service to Pepperdine’s Greek community, serving as president and executive director of Zeta Kappa’s alumni association for more than a quarter century. In 1970 she was named the first woman president of Pepperdine University’s Alumni Board. In 1995 the Barbara Booth Conference Room was dedicated in her honor in the Howard A. White Center, and it continues to provide a centralized meeting space for student clubs and organizations.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Drescher Graduate Campus", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/dreschergraduatecampus-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John F. Drescher", "see_also": "See also Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine George Business School, School of Public Policy", "benefactor_bio": "A World War II engineer, John Drescher (1911–2000) developed aviation equipment for the armed forces, then generously gave back to the Southern California community, notably by providing affordable rental space to local artists in “Drescherville,” a Santa Monica warehouse. Some Pepperdine faculty artists who rented from Drescher introduced him to the University, where he became involved with Pepperdine Associates and received an honorary doctorate from the Graziadio Business School. In the 1990s he sold his Santa Monica property and gave the proceeds to the University, an extraordinary gift that would fund most of the infrastructure costs for the Drescher Graduate Campus. Today this 50.4-acre complex serves three of Pepperdine’s graduate schools and is home to the Beckman Management Center, the Braun Center, the Young Center, Villa Graziadio and the executive center, the Drescher Campus library, technology center, dining area, and numerous outdoor spaces frequented by students of all disciplines.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/dreschergraduatecampus-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Infonet Technology Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/infonettechnologycenter-placeholder-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jose (MBA '77, PKE 25) and Brigitte Collazo with Andy Benton", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Named for its corporate benefactor, a global communications services company, the Infonet Technology Center is a hub for graduate students within the Drescher Graduate Campus’ spacious Learning and Technology Center. Pepperdine regent Jose Collazo (MBA ’77) was instrumental in Infonet’s founding and served as chair, president, and CEO, for which he received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2002. He has since served in key executive positions at such companies as Computer Sciences Corporation, BT Global, and Clearwater Corporation.. Throughout his career, Jose continued to demonstrate a commitment to client service, network productivity, and integrated solutions that are all hallmarks of the Graziadio Business School.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/infonettechnologycenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Margaret M. Rockwell Student Dining Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/margaretmrockwellstudentdiningcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leon (MBA '75) and Margaret Rockwell", "see_also": "See also Leon and Margaret Rockwell Academic Center, Leon Sr. and Bessie M. Rockwell Dining Center, Richard A. Rockwell Towers, Richard Rockwell Classroom", "benefactor_bio": "The Rockwell family legacy at Pepperdine University dates back to 1975, when Leon H. Rockwell (1919–2006) earned his MBA from Graziadio Business School. His wife, Margaret M. Rockwell (1920–2004), would later go on to earn her own honorary “PhT” degree from Pepperdine for her role in “putting him through” college. Long before the Pepperdine community came to know the Rockwells, the couple traveled the globe and pursued numerous successful endeavors in both business and philanthropy. The Margaret M. Rockwell Student Dining Center celebrates her life and her selfless commitment to family, serving students, faculty, and guests in a spacious, ocean-view facility on the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/margaretmrockwellstudentdiningcenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "James R. Wilburn Auditorium", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Library, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jamesrwilburnsuditorium-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "James R. Wilburn (MBA '82)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "In a host of academic and leadership roles spanning more than four decades of service to Pepperdine, James “Jim” Wilburn (1932–2024) was instrumental in the University’s move from Los Angeles to Malibu, the development of the Graziadio Business School, and the founding of the School of Public Policy. As the inaugural public policy dean, he guided the school with a strategic mind and devoted heart. In 2012 the University proudly inscribed Wilburn’s name in perpetuity on its high-tech, amphitheatre-style auditorium at the Drescher Graduate Campus. With a seating capacity that exceeds 150, the Wilburn Auditorium is the largest classroom and conference venue at the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jamesrwilburnauditorium-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., Heroes Garden", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/thomaseburnettjrheroesgarden-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Benefactors Al and Angie Strauss", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., Heroes Garden was created as a permanent reminder of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, when two hijacked jetliners were flown into the World Trade Center in New York City, another was flown into the Pentagon just outside Washington, DC, and a fourth crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Graziadio School alumnus Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. (MBA ’95), was among the passengers aboard the latter, United flight 93, who banded together to attack the hijackers, thwarting their mission to fly the aircraft into yet another Washington target. The Heroes Garden, featuring a flowing stream flanked by boulders, leads visitors through a canopy of trees to a single American flag standing tall over a sparkling infinity pool. Dedicated in 2002, it was funded by local residents Al (1913–2006) and Angie (1921–2007) Strauss in memory of their late son, Gary Strauss, and was rededicated in 2011 in Burnett’s honor.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "George L. Graziadio, Jr. Statue", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Malibu Campus, Graziadio Business School, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgelgraziadiojrstatue-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Grazidaio Family with Deryck van Rensburg and Andy Benton", "see_also": "See also Founder’s Room and Entrepreneurial Hall, George L. Graziadio Executive Center/Villa Graziadio, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, Reva Graziadio Lobby, TNT Walk", "benefactor_bio": "A life-sized bronze likeness of entrepreneur, banker, and philanthropist George Graziadio (1919–2002) stands tall at the entrance to the Graziadio Business School’s Beckman Management Center, arms stretched wide as if to proclaim his “TNT” motto—“Today, not tomorrow!” Sculptor Erik Blome captured the enthusiasm, energy, and vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of this larger-than-life businessman, cofounder of Imperial Bank, and benefactor of Pepperdine’s business school—which was endowed in 1996. Surrounding the statue and fountain is a marble wall that features the names of alumni, friends, and business leaders who supported the statue project in advance of its 2003 dedication, and others who stepped forward in 2013 for the “Sign On for Excellence” campaign, commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the business school’s Malibu headquarters.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgelgrazadiojrstatue-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Gulls Way Courtyard", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gullswaycourtyard-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Luella Webb Ulrich", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A longtime friend and neighbor of Pepperdine, Luella “Billie” Webb Ulrich (1901–1997) moved in 1939 from Chicago to California with her husband, Major Erving J. Ulrich. Launching several businesses, they opened the Trailer Inn in Santa Monica, as well as the Dana Marina Inn in Orange County’s Dana Point and the Capistrano Terrace Mobile Estates in San Juan Capistrano. Eventually the Ulrichs moved north to Malibu, where they acquired and developed a spectacular 12-acre ocean-bluff estate known as Gulls Way. The spacious main house and an adjacent guest house became popular filming venues for movies and television shows. Luella passed away in 1997 after bequeathing the couple’s Malibu estate to Pepperdine University. Her legacy endures in the picturesque Gulls Way Courtyard, an inspiring ocean-view centerpiece of the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gullswaycourtyard-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "TNT Walk", "tags": "Outdoor Spaces, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/tntwalk-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gunder Conference Room", "see_also": "See also Founder’s Room and Entrepreneurial Hall, George L. Graziadio Executive Center/Villa Graziadio, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, George L. Graziadio Jr. Statue, Reva Graziadio Lobby", "benefactor_bio": "The expanse between Villa Graziadio and the Beckman Management Center is known as TNT Walk, an enduring tribute to benefactor George Graziadio (1919–2002) and his favorite motivational motto, “Today, not tomorrow!” Each brick paver is inscribed with the name of a business school alumnus, Pepperdine friend, or colleague of George, many of whom gained their business acumen from the financial and banking entrepreneur himself. Other popular sayings of the business school’s namesake are “All organizations begin with a dream”; “Luck is the residue when you desire hard enough”; and “Opportunity only shows up when you look for it.”", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/tntwalk-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Graziadio Business School", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/graziadiobusinessschool-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George and Reva Graziadio", "see_also": "See also Founder’s Room and Entrepreneurial Hall, George L. Graziadio Executive Center/Villa Graziadio, George L. Graziadio Statue, Reva Graziadio Lobby, TNT Walk", "benefactor_bio": "George L. Graziadio, Jr. (1919–2002), is remembered as a business innovator, a dedicated family man, and a generous philanthropist who was deeply committed to both business and humanitarian causes. Graziadio grew up in Connecticut, the son of George L. Graziadio, Sr., a realtor, insurance salesman, and auctioneer. After moving to Los Angeles, meeting his wife, Reva (1922–2010), and raising their family, it became clear that George had inherited not only a name but a keen business acumen from his father. Graziadio, Jr., built a formidable alliance with building contractor George Eltinge, and together the “Two Georges” developed more than 100 shopping centers across 21 states as well as their own financial institution, Imperial Bank, in 1962. In 1996 George and Reva endowed the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, and its presence on the Drescher Graduate Campus continues to loom large.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/graziadiobusinessschool-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Beckman Management Center", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/beckmanmanagementcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Arnold and Mabel Beckman", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Arnold O. Beckman (1900–2004), who lived to 104, was truly a 20th-century man. Born in Illinois and already a promising inventor by age 10, he was educated at the University of Illinois and the California Institute of Technology, where he began his career in teaching and scientific research. In 1935 he founded Fullerton-based Beckman Instruments, which, following various mergers and acquisitions, became what is now Beckman Coulter, based in Brea, California. Beckman is credited with inventing and patenting numerous analytical devices, including the universally used pH meter and the ultraviolet spectrophotometer, which provide instant chemical analysis of objects. Beckman was also the recipient of a myriad of awards, including the 1988 National Medal of Technology and the 1989 Medal of Science. Longtime supporters of Pepperdine, Beckman and his wife, Mabel (1900–1989), funded the Beckman Management Center, the Malibu campus home of the Graziadio Business School.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/beckmanmanagementcenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Alles Program Administration Suite", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/allesprogramadministrationsuite-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Estate of Maxy Pope Alles", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Maxy Pope Alles (1900–1988), wife of chemist and pharmacologist Gordon Alles, was a longtime friend of Pepperdine who helped to advance business education at the University. Her will provided for both an endowed scholarship for undergraduate business students at Seaver College and funding toward the construction of the Graziadio Business School on the Drescher Graduate Campus. In recognition of her generous bequest to the business school, the University dedicated the Maxy Pope Alles Program Administration Suite in the Beckman Management Center in 2003, which today serves as a central resource for aspiring graduate business students.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/allesprogramadministrationsuite-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Bank of America Executive Classroom", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/bankofamericaexecutiveclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Bank of America Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "As far back as the historic “Birth of a College” campaign launched in the late 1960s to fund the Malibu campus, the Bank of America Foundation has been a faithful benefactor to Pepperdine. The foundation has provided grants for unrestricted support, capital projects, and, through the Independent Colleges of Southern California, student scholarships; it has also partnered with Pepperdine alumni through a matching gift program. In 1989, a generous pledge from the foundation was designated for the building that would soon house the Graziadio Business School on the Malibu campus. The University proudly dedicated the Bank of America Executive Classroom in its Beckman Management Center in recognition of the organization’s keystone commitment to Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/bankofamericaexecutiveclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Binder Executive Classroom", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/binderexecutiveclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gordon and Adele Binder", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Former Pepperdine regent Gordon Binder and his wife, Adele, have a long history of involvement with the University. As chief executive officer and chair of the board for Amgen, a biotechnology company headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California, Binder guided Amgen from a small startup firm into one of the world’s premier biotechnology companies. During his stewardship, the company earned a number of scientific and business accolades, including the prestigious National Medal of Technology in 1994. Binder also served as chair of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association of America and was awarded an honorary doctor of laws from the Graziadio Business School in 1992. In 2003, the University dedicated a technology-rich classroom in the Beckman Management Center to honor the Binders.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/binderexecutiveclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Cotsakos E-Commerce Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/cotsakosecommerceroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Christos (MBA '83, PKE 59) and Tami Cotsakos", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A first-generation Greek American, Christos Cotsakos became a decorated Vietnam War veteran at the age of 19. He then began his civilian career as a package handler for Federal Express in Los Angeles, and by 1988 he was the company’s vice president for European operations. After just three years with market research firm ACNielsen, he became global co-CEO, president, and chief operating officer. Christos brought his expertise and success to E*TRADE, taking the company public four months after his arrival and leading the transformation of the firm into a global investing powerhouse. Recognized as an industry mover and shaker by Forbes and Fortune, Christos was named as the 1999 Distinguished Alumnus by the Graziadio Business School and received an honorary doctor of laws from Pepperdine in 2002. To celebrate Christos and his wife, Tami, an educational room devoted to online business and investing was named in their honor at the business school.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Founder's Room (Dean's Conference Room) and Entrepreneur Hall at the Graziadio Business School", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/foundersroom-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Honoring George L. Graziadio, Jr.", "see_also": "See also George L. Graziadio Executive Center/Villa Graziadio, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, George L. Graziadio Statue, Reva Graziadio Lobby, TNT Walk", "benefactor_bio": "Visitors to the well-appointed Founder’s Room in the Beckman Management Center can learn much about the school’s namesake by first walking down the third-floor hallway. Glass enclosures and shelves line both walls and display the memorabilia, awards, classic photos, and prestigious proclamations that attest to the global impact of business school founder George Graziadio. His Horatio Alger Award, lauding the almost rags-to-riches ascent of the Imperial Bank cofounder, is one of many cherished symbols of a life well lived and deeds well done. Additional trophies and testimonials grace the shelves of the Dean’s Conference Room, which comfortably seats 20 for meetings, receptions, and strategy sessions.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/foundersroomdeansconferenceroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Krieble Executive Classroom", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kriebleexecutiveclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Robert and Nancy Krieble", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Chemist Robert Krieble (1916–1997) held more than a dozen patents for silicones and adhesives, managed the chemical development department at General Electric, and cofounded with his father the company American Sealants, which he later renamed Loctite. He even married a fellow scientist, Nancy (1916–2001), but his skill set proved to serve others beyond the chemistry lab. In 1989, as demands for reform swept through the Soviet Union, Robert founded the Krieble Institute, dedicated to promoting democracy and free markets. The institute trained thousands of officials who would go on to achieve prominent positions in former Eastern Bloc countries in a post-communist era. For these achievements, Pepperdine recognized Robert Krieble with an honorary doctor of laws in 1993, and the Krieble Executive Classroom at the Graziadio Business School in 2003.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Licata Lecture Hall", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/licatalecturehall-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Rosemary Licata", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "New York natives born to Italian immigrant parents, Charles Licata (1917–2002) served in the US Army during World War II and earned an accounting degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, while his wife, Rosemary, received her bachelor’s degree from a college in New York and her master’s at Queens College. They settled in California, where Charles became an accountant and Rosemary a dedicated teacher. The Licatas shared a passion for politics over the course of their 40-year marriage, with Rosemary becoming a local leader of the California Federation of Republican Women; they also shared an abiding commitment to Pepperdine. After making a generous planned gift to the School of Public Policy, they became the namesakes of the school’s lecture hall in 2003 as well as the popular Licata Lecture Series, which offers students, alumni, and community leaders exposure to leading academics making an impact on 21st-century policy.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/licatalecturehall-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Sigoloff Dean's Suite", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/sigoloffdeansuite-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Sanford Sigoloff (left) with Charles Runnels", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A nuclear scientist by training, Sanford C. “Sandy” Sigoloff (1930–2011) was a national authority on corporate reorganization, a turnaround expert who rescued and restored to profitability such notable enterprises as Republic Corporation, Daylin, Inc., and the Wickes Companies. Sigoloff was a management consultant and adjunct professor of management at the University of California’s Los Angeles' Anderson School. At Pepperdine he chaired the successful Wave of Excellence campaign Committee for the Graziadio Business School, which awarded him the honorary doctor of laws in 1985. The dean’s suite at the business school, dedicated in 2003, honors his wisdom and steadfast commitment to business education.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/sigoloffdeanssuite-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Stans Classroom", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stansclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Maurice Stans (left) with Jim Wilburn", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Maurice Stans (1908–1998) served as a high-ranking official in two presidential administrations. During Dwight Eisenhower’s first term, he was deputy postmaster general; during Ike’s second term, he was deputy director of the Bureau of the Budget (the precursor to the Office of Management and Budget), then director of the bureau from 1958 to 1961. Later, as Richard Nixon’s secretary of commerce, Stans created the Office of Minority Business Enterprise and facilitated a 19 percent increase in the number of businesses owned by people of color. Stans’ successful careers in both politics and accounting led him to establish the Stans Foundation, which provided significant support for education. He was a great fan of Pepperdine, and a generous estate commitment Stans made in 1995 later funded scholarships and the Stans Classroom in the Beckman Management Center at the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stansclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Swift Classroom", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/swiftclassroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Terralynn and Aubrey Earl (MBA '88, PKE 75) Swift", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Swifts divided their time between Kennebunkport, Maine, where Terralynn was a community housing designer, and Houston, Texas, where the late Earl (1933–2006) became a third-generation oil man by founding Swift Energy Company in 1979. They became Pepperdine Associates shortly after Earl earned his presidents and key executive MBA at the Graziadio Business School. Terralynn served for a time on the University Board, and Earl was awarded an honorary degree from the Graziadio School in 2004. The Swift Executive Classroom—dedicated in 2003, as well as their named endowed scholarships at the School of Public Policy, affirm the Swifts’ longtime support for Pepperdine University.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "George L. Graziadio Executive Center/Villa Graziadio", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgelgraziadioexecutivecentergraziadio-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George L. and Reva Graziadio", "see_also": "See also Founder’s Room and Entrepreneurial Hall, George L. Graziadio Business School, George L. Graziadio Statue, Reva Graziadio Lobby, TNT Walk", "benefactor_bio": "Frequently described as a “destination campus,” Pepperdine attracts visitors year-round for a wide variety of events. At many college campuses, visitors typically stay overnight in student dormitories, and Pepperdine’s residence halls do indeed provide housing for such events as the Harbor Bible Lectures and Youth Citizenship Seminar. To offer a higher tier of hospitality for executives coming to campus, the Villa Graziadio was implemented as part of the Drescher Graduate Campus strategic plan. A hotel and conference center offering upscale lodging and meeting spaces for a broader, more professional clientele, the villa features a granite-lined entrance that leads to a spacious lobby, an expansive dining room, and several conference rooms. While the executive center as a whole was named for business school benefactors George L. Graziadio, Jr. (1919–2002) and his wife, Reva (1922–2010), a number of the individual 32 ocean-view guest rooms have been generously sponsored by Graziadio alumni.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgelgraziadioexecutivecentervillagraziadio-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Claeyssens Conference Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/claeyssensconferenceroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Pierre Claeyssens", "see_also": "See also Claeyssens Computer Lab, Claeyssens Military Honor Garden", "benefactor_bio": "Pierre Claeyssens (1908–2003) was a loyal supporter of Pepperdine and a generous philanthropist. After immigrating to the United States in the 1930s from Belgium, he became a leading architect in Santa Monica, California. Today his daughter, Noelle Claeyssens Burkey, carries on his good works through the Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, supporting numerous events and projects in Southern California and within the Seaver College undergraduate school. Dedicated in 2003, the Claeyssens Conference Room is located on the first floor of the Villa Graziadio Executive Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/claeyssenscomputerlab-everything-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "George Eltinge Lobby", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgeeltingelobby-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "George Eltinge", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The George Eltinge lobby on the plaza level of the Graziadio Executive Center serves as a fitting tribute to a man who possessed the type of vision and entrepreneurial spirit that is bestowed on a chosen few. George Eltinge (1918–1994) was a close friend and longtime business partner of George L. Graziadio, Jr. (1919–2002), and together the “Two Georges” founded Imperial Bank, the forerunner of Comerica Bank. The plaza level of the Graziadio Executive Center includes the registration center, staff offices, two suites, five guest rooms with ocean-view decks, six courtyard guest rooms, and three Malibu-panorama guest rooms. It also includes Eltinge Lobby, marked by a bust of George Eltinge and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the sweeping Santa Monica Bay.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/georgeeltingelobby-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Reva Graziadio Lobby", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/revagraziadiolobby-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Reva Graziadio", "see_also": "See also Founder’s Room and Entrepreneurial Hall, George L. Graziadio Executive Center/Villa Graziadio, George L. Graziadio Business School, George L. Graziadio Statue, TNT Walk", "benefactor_bio": "Devoted wife of George Graziadio (1919–2002) for 59 years, Reva (1922–2010) joined her husband in endowing Pepperdine’s George L. Graziadio, Jr. Business School in 1996. Reva created and funded a scholarship for female students at Pepperdine’s business school and was a generous supporter of the University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology as well. When guests pass through the main entrance on the first floor of Villa Graziadio, they find themselves in the Reva Graziadio Lobby, which features the registration area and leads to the dining rooms.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/revagraziadiolobby-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hancock Executive Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hancockexecutiveroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Warren Hancock (MBA '74)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Warren Hancock (1927–1999) was the founder and president of Hancock Jaffe Laboratories, which developed such innovative medical devices as a synthetic heart valve. Warren’s affiliation with Pepperdine began in the 1970s, when he became a charter member of the Pepperdine Associates after earning his MBA through the business school’s presidents/yey executives program. He went on to become an executive associate and joined the original steering committee that became the Graziadio Board during the 1990s; he also received the business school’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1991. The University was honored to accept the generous gifts in his will that funded the Warren Hancock Executive Room in the Villa Graziadio Executive Center (dedicated in 2003).", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hiles Executive Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hilesexecutiveroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Marcus Hiles (MBA '92, PKE 85)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Distinguished Alumnus Marcus Hiles and his wife, Nancy, are generous supporters of both Pepperdine University and the Graziadio Business School. Marcus founded Western Rim Investment Advisers, Inc., Western Rim Property Services, Inc., and Newport Classic Homes-Apartment Division, Inc., in 1988, serving as chair, chief executive officer, and controlling shareholder while supervising the acquisition, financing, and development of real estate projects. He went on to earn his presidents and /key executives MBA from Graziadio in 1992 and serve on the school’s board. The Hiles Executive Room, dedicated in 2003, provides seminar and meeting space for Graziadio students, alumni, and professional conferences and retreats.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hilesexecutiveroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Jani Executive Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/janiexecutiveroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jeff ('84) and Jill ('91) Jani", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Jeff Jani is a past chair of Scimitar Ridge Ranch, a leadership and performance development center for business leaders, and its nonprofit affiliate, the Scimitar Leadership Academy. Seaver College students are among the many who have benefited from the academy’s unique leadership-building experience. As a seasoned investor and executive in market-defining technology development, Jeff also cofounded Dare to Dream Entertainment, which pioneered the use of wireless technology in the home entertainment market and developed software animation technology that Microsoft Corporation purchased in the mid-1990s. Pepperdine is so grateful to Jeff and his wife, Jill, for their continued support of their alma mater, and is happy to honor them through the Jani Executive Room (dedicated in 2003) at the Graziadio Business School.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Marshall Executive Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/marshallexecutiveroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Christopher (MBA '89) and Leigh Marshall", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine alumnus Christopher Marshall has served as the chief operating officer for Bank of America’s Technology and Operations organization and as vice president of operations and chief financial officer for Honeywell’s Global Business Services Organization. His distinguished corporate career has included financial management and executive positions with AlliedSignal Technical Services Corporation (now Honeywell) and TRW, Inc., of Redondo Beach, California. From 1994 to 1997, Marshall assisted in the founding of IQ Now Corporation, one of the internet’s first healthcare portals. He has been a member of the National Contracts Management Association and has served on its board of directors. In honor of Chris and his wife, Leigh, Pepperdine was pleased to dedicate a guest room for them at Villa Graziadio in 2003.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mount Executive Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mountexecutiveroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "David (MBA '80, PKE 44) and Sheri Mount", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A prominent Warner Company leader for two decades, David Mount has served as chair and chief executive officer of WEA (Warner/Elektra/Atlantic), Inc., a wholly owned division of Warner Music Group. Among its affiliated companies is WEA Manufacturing, the country’s one-time largest producer of compact discs and a manufacturer of CD-ROMs, audio and videocassettes, and DVDs. Mount received the Graziadio Business School’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1995 and later chaired the Graziadio Board. For many years he and his late wife, Sheri (1942–2008), long active with the University’s Center for the Arts Guild, led the Southern California Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its “Sizzlin’ Country” event. The Mount Executive Room, dedicated in 2003, recognizes the couple’s abiding support of Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Phyllis and Angelo R. Mozilo Family Executive Dining Center", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/phyllisandangelormozilofamilyexecutivediningcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Angelo R. and Phyllis Mozilo", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Angelo Mozilo (1938–2023), founder and former chair and CEO of Calabasas-based Countrywide Financial Corporation, shared a close friendship with George Graziadio, making the presence of a Mozilo-named facility in Villa Graziadio especially fitting. Before his retirement, Angelo presided over a vast network of businesses in 550 offices nationwide. Prior to her death, his wife, Phyllis (1940–2017), led a life rooted in service and was active with Oakmont League, National Charity League, and the Wellness Community-Foothills in Pasadena, California. Enjoying a dramatic view of the Pacific Ocean, the Mozilo Family Executive Dining Center, dedicated in 2005, honors the friendship between the Mozilo and Graziadio families and their mutual commitment to Pepperdine’s progress.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Raymond Executive Suite", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raymondexecutivesuite-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gene Raymond Trust", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Gene Raymond (1908–1998), best known as the suave actor who shared a storybook marriage with actress Jeanette MacDonald, gained fame for such memorable films as Flying Down to Rio with Dolores Del Rio and Sadie McKee with Joan Crawford. He is also remembered as a director and writer, a civilian pilot, president of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, and a vice president of the Arthritis Foundation. Following his death at the age of 89, an estate gift from the Gene Raymond Trust to the Graziadio Business School was facilitated by Robert Thom, a member of the Graziadio Board. The Raymond Executive Suite was dedicated in 2003.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Sukut Executive Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/sukutexecutiveroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Myron (MBA '85, PKE 66) and Mozelle Sukut", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Generous friends Myron and Mozelle Sukut have long been associated with Pepperdine. Myron, a presidents and key executives MBA graduate of the Graziadio Business School, cofounded Sukut Construction in 1968 and has served as chair of the board of the very successful company. Sukut Construction specializes in mass grading and has moved more than one billion cubic yards of California earth—including the massive infrastructure for the Drescher Graduate Campus project. The company has won numerous awards, including a spot on OC Metro magazine’s “Best Companies to Work For” in 2000 and the Contractor of the Year accolade from the Southern California Contractors Association. The Sukut Executive Room dedicated in 2003 honors Myron and Mozelle Sukut’s commitment to the Graziadio Business School.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Virtue Executive Room", "tags": "Graziadio Business School, Malibu Campus, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/virtueexecutiveroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Robert Virtue", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Robert and V’Etta Virtue have been associated with Pepperdine University for many years, including through Robert’s dedicated membership with the University Board for several decades and his ongoing service to the School of Public Policy Board of Advisors. With a keen interest in the teaching of free-market economics and strengthening political leadership in America, the Virtues have sponsored programs at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology and the School of Public Policy. The couple also endowed a professorship at the Graziadio Business School in honor of Julian A. Virtue, Robert’s father and the founder of VIRCO Manufacturing—a leading manufacturer of furniture for education, commercial, and hospitality customers—of which Robert has served as chair and chief executive officer. The Virtue Executive Room was dedicated in 2003, during the official opening of the Graziadio School building at the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/virtueexecutiveroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "M. Norvel and Helen Young Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mnorvalandhelenyoungcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "M. Norvel and Helen ('39) Young", "see_also": "See also Young Foyer (at the Heidelberg International Campus)", "benefactor_bio": "Helen Mattox (1918–2017) was a member of the second graduating class at George Pepperdine College, where she met and later wed a young history professor named Norvel Young (1915–1998). After leaving Pepperdine in the 1940s, the couple returned in 1957 with their children to begin a dynamic era of progress under Norvel’s leadership as the University’s third president, a time during which the college grew into a university including graduate programs, on 830 acres that became known as “The Malibu Miracle.” Helen founded the Associated Women for Pepperdine (now Pepperdine Legacy Partners), and while Norvel was Chancellor Emeritus the Youngs founded what became the Pat and Shirley Boone Center for the Family, creating a network of outreach programs for couples, families, and churches. In 2005 Pepperdine honored their extraordinary work and dedicated the M. Norvel and Helen Young Center as the home of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mnorvalandhelenyoungcenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "AWP Memorabilia Hall", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/awpmemorabiliahall-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gloria Alesso with Charles B. Runnels", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "They baked pies, sewed residence hall-room curtains, and served up food and encouragement to George Pepperdine College students. When first lady Helen Young (1918–2017) reunited her volunteer corps to create the Associated Women for Pepperdine (AWP) in 1958, a year after her husband, Norvel, became the college’s third president, their Christian service found both roots and wings. Today the AWP—now called Pepperdine Legacy Partners—counts nearly 2,400 members and helps offset tuition costs for several Church of Christ students each year with a scholarship endowment of nearly $4 million. With typical resolve and a pacesetting gift from past president Gloria Alesso, AWP members embraced the drive to establish the Young Center—and more than met the challenge. The AWP Memorabilia Hall, in the building co-named for their founder, features a display of items and artifacts honoring those whose labors of love forged the beginnings of this extraordinary legacy.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/awpmemorabiliahall-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Banowsky Board Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/banowskyboardroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "William (MA ’94) and Gay Banowsky", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Norvel Young had been president for just a few years when William Banowsky (1936–2019) joined the administrative team that, a decade later, would transition the college from its Los Angeles campus to the bluffs of Malibu. As executive vice president, chancellor, and ultimately president from 1971 to 1978, Bill Banowsky led an era of unprecedented physical development as Pepperdine ascended to university status. During their term as president and first lady, Bill and Gay Banowsky, an accomplished artist, hosted events and built a base of donor support for the new Malibu campus. Even after becoming president of the University of Oklahoma, Bill continued as a Pepperdine regent, then transitioned to life regent from 2013 until his passing. Together with Gay, and Charles and Amy Jo Runnels, the four co-chaired the fundraising initiative to build the Young Center on the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/banowskyboardroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Pat and Shirley Boone Center for the Family", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/boonecenterforthefamily-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Pat and Shirley Boone", "see_also": "See also Boone Special Collections and Archives", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine’s Center for the Family was established in 1996, thanks to the inspiration and commitment of Pepperdine’s third president M. Norvel Young and his wife, Helen. The center was endowed by long-standing Pepperdine friends Pat and Shirley (1934–2019) Boone in 2006 and permanently named in honor of its benefactors. Today, the Boone Center is an active, vital extension of Pepperdine’s Christian mission, strengthening the family unit through practical seminars for marriage enrichment and parenting, a relationship series (Relationship IQ) for Pepperdine students, and workshops and training programs for couples, churches, professionals, and lay leaders who reach wider audiences in their communities. Located in the M. Norvel and Helen Young Center on the Drescher Graduate Campus, the center benefits from the counsel and support of an active advisory board composed of professionals in the field and Pepperdine alumni and friends.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/patandshirleyboonecenterforthefamily-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Harilela Seminar Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/harilelaseminarroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Hari and Padma Harilela", "see_also": "See also Harilela International Tennis Stadium", "benefactor_bio": "Padma and the late Hari (1922–2014) Harilela of Hong Kong, at the helm of a vast, family-run empire of hotels, restaurants, and service agencies, are counted among Pepperdine's greatest international ambassadors. Generous benefactors and prodigious recruiters, the Harilelas have channeled no fewer than two dozen family members to attend Pepperdine for their higher education. Pepperdine, meanwhile, honors their steadfast loyalty with the Padma and Hari Harilela International Tennis Stadium and the Harilela Scholarship Fund at Seaver College. Members of the George Pepperdine Society, both of the Harilelas have been recipients of honorary degrees from the University: Hari received his in 1988, while Padma received hers in a ceremony in Hong Kong in 2013. The Harilela Seminar Room in the Young Center of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology—dedicated in 2005—honors their enduring friendship with late president M. Norvel and Helen Young.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/harilelaseminarroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Leake Seminar Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/leakeseminarroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Earl ('46) and Margaret Leake", "see_also": "See also Janet Leake Classroom, Leake Foyer", "benefactor_bio": "A Pepperdine College alumnus, Earl J. Leake (1924–2005) met his bride, Margaret Thornborrow Leake (1923–2013), at Claremont’s Scripps College in 1951. Margaret was born in Fulham, a historic borough of London; the Leakes visited there frequently over the years, and they also participated in several Pepperdine Associates travel excursions. While sadly both their son Paul (1952–1991) and daughter Janet (1960–1979) died at young ages, the Leakes ensured that their legacies would live on through the heart of Pepperdine. Earl and Margaret chose to honor their children’s memories through the creation of endowed scholarships at Seaver College, as well as through gifts establishing the Leake Foyer (paying tribute to Paul at Pepperdine’s London Center) and the Janet Leake Classroom (at the Florence campus). Stateside, the Leake Seminar Room in the Young Center—dedicated in 2005—reflects the Leakes’ close friendship with Helen and Norvel Young.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/leakeseminarroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Pat Lucas Center for Teacher Preparation", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/patlucascenterforteacherpreparation-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Pat Lucas", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "After earning a master’s degree at Pepperdine in 1976, Patricia Eade “Pat” Lucas (1925–2008) went on to serve the University for more than three decades, becoming a revered member of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology staff. In her role as director of teacher education and training, she was a mentor, career counselor, and friend to countless students who passed through the portals of her life-shaping education program. Across Southern California and around the nation, thousands of Waves alumni in the teaching profession reflect the character and confidence that Pat instilled during her more than 30 years of dedicated service to Pepperdine. The Pat Lucas Center for Teacher Preparation, dedicated in 2009 at the West Los Angeles Campus, was made possible through the generosity of her husband of 61 years, Bill Lucas (1923–2013).", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/patlucascenterforteacherpreparation-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Norman Executive Office", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/normanexecutiveoffice-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Robert S. and Martha Norman", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Martha Taylor (1921–2020) left Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1960 to head west and explore new opportunities. She landed a job in the office of Bob Norman (1920–1989), a Los Angeles native who had attended the University of Southern California and gone on to a successful career in real estate development, engaging such large and diverse clients as NASA, Honeywell, Xerox, and IBM. Martha and Bob’s relationship led to marriage in 1971, after which they became friends of then chancellor Charles and his wife, Amy Jo Runnels, as well as Chancellor Emeritus and former president Norvel and former first lady Helen Young. Both Normans were active Pepperdine Associates, and Bob served on the University Board for many years. The Norman Executive Office was dedicated in 2005 during the celebration of the M. Norvel and Helen Young Center at the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ward Seminar Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder2-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Lew Ward (center) with Charles Runnels and Howard White", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Longtime residents of Enid, Oklahoma, Lew (1930-2016) and Myra Ward have been devoted members of the Pepperdine family, with Lew serving as a member of the University Board for many years. Active members of their community in Enid, both Lew and Myra were past recipients of the local “Pillar of the Plains” award, Lew being honored in 2007 and Myra in 2020 for their service to improving quality of life in the region. Founder and chair of Ward Petroleum Company, Lew’s expertise was frequently sought by industry commissions and as a director for several petroleum-related associations. Like so many in Pepperdine’s universe of friends, the Wards enjoyed a close friendship with Norvel and Helen Young, and when they learned about the proposed Young Center at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, they jumped at the opportunity to honor the former Pepperdine president and first lady. The Ward Seminar Room was dedicated in 2005.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/wardseminarroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Ziegfred and Wendie Young Lobby", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ziegfredandwendieyounglobby-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ziegfred (MS '83, EdD '88) and Wendie ('85) Young", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Ziegfred “Zig” Young and his wife, Wendie, are Pepperdine alumni whose encounter decades ago with Norvel and Helen Young remarkably changed their lives. As the Cultural Revolution swept through China, college classmates Zig and Wendie survived Mao’s anti-intellectual purges by hiding out in a coal mine near Mongolia. During Norvel’s visit to China, Wendie met the Pepperdine chancellor and told him of their dream to come to America. Norvel helped them secure visas and pursue their education, paving the way for a true American success story. In 1986, working from a two-bedroom apartment, Zig founded Orioxi International Corporation, which became a globally successful apparel company. Zig was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2000 and received an honorary doctor of laws in 2008. The Ziegfred and Wendie Young Lobby was dedicated in 2005, during the celebration of the M. Norvel and Helen Young Center at the Drescher Graduate Campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/ziegfredandwendyyounglobby-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Rick J. Caruso School of Law", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/rickjcarusoschooloflaw-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Rick (JD '83) and Tina Caruso", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Rick Caruso entered the Pepperdine School of Law at the suggestion of his father, Henry J. Caruso, and left forever changed. Following his 1983 graduation, Rick worked in corporate securities law before pursuing his lifelong passion in real estate development and establishing Caruso Affiliated Holdings in 1987. In addition to building several beloved town centers throughout Southern California, Rick—alongside his wife, Tina—has dedicated a great deal of support to organizations committed to serving at-risk children in need of quality healthcare and education, through the Caruso Family Foundation, which the couple founded in 1991. As a distinguished Pepperdine alumnus and a faithful member of the law school’s Board of Advisors, he continues to contribute to the school’s programs and progress. Renamed the Rick J. Caruso School of Law in 2019, our law school community is deeply grateful to Rick and Tina for their overwhelming generosity and friendship", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/rickjcarusoschooloflaw-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Odell McConnell Law Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/odellmcconnelllawcenter-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Odell S. McConnell", "see_also": "See also Odell McConnell Study", "benefactor_bio": "Montana-born Odell S. McConnell (1897–1992) truly epitomized the ideal of a scholar and a gentleman. Educated at Yale, where he starred on the debate team, he later earned a Harvard law degree after serving in World War I, following the legal footprints of his grandfathers—one a supreme court justice—and his father. McConnell headed West and joined the Los Angeles County and American Bar Associations, and was admitted to practice in all California and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. A champion of legal education, McConnell provided a substantial gift to fund construction of the Odell McConnell Law Center, which opened in 1978 on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus. He also bequeathed significant funds toward the building’s Phase II expansion project, which was completed in 1992. Honoring his legacy at Pepperdine, the Odell McConnell Scholarship continues to support law students, and the Odell McConnell Study is named in his honor.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/odellmcconnelllawcenter-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Andonian Associate Dean's Office", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/andonianassociatedeansoffice-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Hratch and Marine Andonian", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Generous friends of Pepperdine and the Caruso School of Law, Hratch and Marine Andonian first became involved with the University through their daughter, Rubina (JD ’10), a Caruso Law graduate. In the mid-1970s, Hratch and his brother started Discount Tires, which eventually grew into a prominent business with more than 800 stores nationwide. In 2012 Pepperdine was pleased to dedicate the Andonian Associate Dean’s Office at the law school in recognition of the family’s loyalty and longtime support.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/andonianassociatedeansoffice-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Armand Arabian Judge's Chamber", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/armandarabianjudgeschamber-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "The Honorable Armand Arabian", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "California Supreme Court justice Armand Arabian (1934–2018) and his family have been special friends of the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law since the 1980s. Not only was Justice Arabian a former adjunct professor and a particularly long-tenured member of the school's Board of Advisors, but during his time on the California Supreme Court he hired more judicial law clerks from Pepperdine than any other member of the judiciary in the law school’s history. Justice Arabian had a strong interest in trial practice and oral advocacy, believing that superior training in these areas was a necessary component of our legal system. Pepperdine awarded Justice Arabian with an honorary doctor of laws in 1990, and the Armand Arabian Judge’s Chamber at the Caruso School of Law was dedicated in 1996 in honor of his son, Robert Armand Arabian (JD ’95).", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/armandarabianjudgeschamber-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Brock Conference Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brockconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Margaret Martin Brock", "see_also": "See also Brock House, Brock Villas", "benefactor_bio": "Descendant of the Crocker banking and railroad family and wife of jeweler George Brock, noted philanthropist Margaret Martin Brock (1908–1997) was a fixture of Republican Party politics for several decades. She provided fundraising help and political advice to six US presidents, including Ronald Reagan, who personally presented her with the 1988 GOP’s Eagle of the Year Award. Her motivation in these efforts was a sincere desire to perpetuate the American systems of democracy and free enterprise—the same mission that initiated her relationship with Pepperdine. Margaret became a member of the Board of Regents, co-chair of the Wave of Excellence campaign, and a founding member of the Caruso School of Law’s Board of Advisors. The results of her generous gifts include Brock House, the on-campus residence of the president, as well as the Margaret M. Brock Endowed Law Scholarship, the Brock Villas, and the Brock Conference Room at the law school.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brockconferenceroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Henry J. and Gloria Caruso Auditorium", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/henryjandgloriacarusoauditorium-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Henry and Gloria Caruso", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Henry “Hank” Caruso (1922–2017) founded Dollar Rent A Car, introducing the presence of car rentals at airports, significantly growing the business and selling it to the Chrysler Corporation. He founded HJC Investments Corporation, where he served as chair and CEO, and he and his wife, Gloria (1929–2017), were well known throughout Los Angeles for their efforts supporting education and youth. Hank and Gloria Caruso were longtime supporters of the Pepperdine School of Law, which was later named in honor of their son Rick. Together with Rick and his wife, Tina, Henry and Gloria sponsored the Caruso Family Chair and the Caruso Family Loan Forgiveness Fund, assisting law graduates in public service careers. In 2003 the University dedicated the Henry J. and Gloria Caruso Auditorium in the McConnell Law Center in honor of their support. The auditorium was renovated and rededicated in 2018.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/henryjandgloriacarusoauditorium-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hugh and Hazel Darling Trial Courtroom", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hughandhazeldarlingtrialcourtroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Hugh and Hazel Darling", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Los Angeles-based Hugh & Hazel Darling Foundation has been a longtime supporter of Pepperdine’s law school, providing major funding for scholarships and strategic initiatives. Named for attorney and former Beverly Hills mayor Hugh W. Darling (1901–1986) and his wife, Hazel, the foundation assisted in funding the law school’s Phase II expansion in the 1980s and made a generous gift to fund the new trial courtroom on the expanded first level of the McConnell Law Center. Dedicated in 1992, the spacious courtroom serves as both a classroom and a simulated courtroom environment in which students practice trial proceedings. Providing leadership for the foundation is trust officer Richard Stack, partner in the firm of Darling, Hall & Rae and a member of both the Pepperdine University Board and the Caruso School of Law’s Board of Advisors.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hughandhazeldarlingtrialcourtroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Edward and Jill Di Loreto Dining Room ", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/edwardandjilldiloretodiningroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Edward and Jill Di Loreto", "see_also": "See also Founders’ Room, Di Loreto Patio, Michelina Di Loreto Rainey Chapel, Villa Di Loreto", "benefactor_bio": "Edward Di Loreto (1913–2004) and his wife, Jill (1924–2012), were each raised to work hard, with honesty and generous hearts. The founder of aerospace manufacturer Yale Engineering, Ed joined two friends—judges Vincent Dalsimer and Harry Shafer—in purchasing the struggling Orange University School of Law in 1968, restoring it to solvency, and giving it to Pepperdine in 1969. Thus began the Di Loretos’ lifelong allegiance to the University’s law school, demonstrated further through scholarship funds and in the Edward and Jill Di Loreto Dining Room and the Di Loreto Patio named in their honor. With a panoramic view of the Malibu campus and Pacific Ocean, the 225-seat dining room, dedicated in 1989, provides buffet-style dining for Caruso School of Law students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Di Loretos also made possible Pepperdine’s Villa Di Loreto in Florence and its Michelina Di Loreto Rainey Chapel.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/edwardandjilldiloretodiningroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Di Loreto Dining Patio", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/diloretodiningpatio-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Edward and Jill Di Loreto", "see_also": "See also Founders’ Room, Edward and Jill Di Loreto Dining Room, Michelina Di Loreto Rainey Chapel, Villa Di Loreto", "benefactor_bio": "Edward Di Loreto (1913–2004) and his wife, Jill (1924–2012), were each raised to work hard, with honesty and generous hearts. The founder of aerospace manufacturer Yale Engineering, Ed joined two friends—judges Vincent Dalsimer and Harry Shafer—in purchasing the struggling Orange University School of Law in 1968, restoring it to solvency, and giving it to Pepperdine in 1969. Thus began the Di Loretos’ lifelong allegiance to the University’s law school, demonstrated further through scholarship funds and in the Edward and Jill Di Loreto Dining Room and the Di Loreto Patio named in their honor. With a panoramic view of the Malibu campus and Pacific Ocean, the 225-seat dining room, dedicated in 1989, provides buffet-style dining for Caruso School of Law students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Di Loretos also made possible Pepperdine’s Villa Di Loreto in Florence and its Michelina Di Loreto Rainey Chapel.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/diloretodiningpatio-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Duane and Lucile Faw Student Lounge", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/duaneandlucilefawstudentlounge-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Duane and Lucile Faw, Hugh and Hazel Darling Foundation, Edward Di Loreto, George Page", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A beloved Pepperdine law professor (and later Professor Emeritus) for many years, Duane Faw’s (1920–2008) tenure and student-centered service were honored in 2000 with the dedication of the Duane and Lucile Faw Student Lounge, named for Duane and his wife, Lucile (1922–2009). Duane served in the US Marine Corps during World War II, attaining the rank of brigadier general, and then returned to school to earn his juris doctor at Columbia University in 1947. He was a trial lawyer in Texas and later served as an appellate military judge. During his respected career at Pepperdine, he coauthored The Military in American Society. The Faw Student Lounge—dedicated in 2000—features a large-screen television as well as Ping-Pong and pool tables, providing a much-needed respite for busy law students.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/duaneandlucilefawstudentlounge-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fineman Faculty Lounge", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/finemanfacultylounge-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Marvin H. Fineman", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Marvin H. Fineman has long been a friend of the Caruso School of Law. A man of many talents and pursuits, Marvin studied chemistry at the University of Southern California before journeying to the Midwest and pursuing a degree in dentistry from Northwestern University. He then returned to California and completed 33 distinguished years of private dental practice before retiring to devote more time to his passion for business and finance. The Fineman Faculty Lounge—dedicated in 1985—provides a comfortable venue for scholarly discussion and camaraderie among Pepperdine’s law professors.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Founders' Room at the Caruso School of Law", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/finemanfacultylounge-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Honoring Vincent S. Dalsimer, Edward Di Loreto, and Harry T. Shafer", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Honorable Vincent S. Dalsimer (1921–1999) was appointed by California governor Pat Brown as an associate justice on the California Court of Appeals, where he served with distinction until his passing. Edward Di Loreto (1913–2004), the entrepreneur and businessman who founded Yale Engineering, was an unequivocal supporter of Pepperdine. And the Honorable Harry T. Shafer (1913–2005), a revered and beloved judge, earned degrees at Yale and Columbia Law School before pursuing a respected legal career in California. Together these three friends purchased the struggling Orange University School of Law and donated it to Pepperdine in 1969, founding what has grown into the Caruso School of Law, which provides unmatched educational opportunities both domestically and abroad for students to hone their legal expertise and best serve in the field. The Founders’ Room, dedicated in 1992, is a testament to the vision and generosity of Judge Dalsimer, Mr. Di Loreto, and Judge Shafer.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/foundersroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Garner Conference Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/garnerconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gerald J. Garner", "see_also": "See also Gerald and Joan Garner Plaza", "benefactor_bio": "Having grown up in the Big Apple, Gerald (1936-2002) and Joan Garner moved to California in 1976, where Gerald practiced law and founded American Commerce National Bank. He also provided counsel to several hospitals and was chair and CEO of Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital. The couple’s son Craig (JD ’95) earned his degree with honors and became a member of the Seaver College Board of Advisors. The couple’s daughter, Robyn Zimmet, serves on Pepperdine’s Crest Advisory Board, and their son Scott Garner previously served as a member of the Caruso School of Law Board of Advisors. The Garner Conference Room in the Dean’s Suite, dedicated in 1992, honors the longtime support of the Garner family and Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/garnerconferenceroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Gerald and Joan Garner Plaza", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/geraldandjoangarnerplaza-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Gerald and Joan Garner", "see_also": "See also Garner Conference Room", "benefactor_bio": "Gerald Garner (1936–2002) cherished the law, baseball, parties, and Pepperdine, but family was always at the center of his and his wife, Joan’s, universe. Their family—including son Scott Garner, daughter Robyn Zimmet, and son-in-law Keith Zimmet—joined Gerald’s many fans and associates at his longtime employer Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital to create a perpetual symbol to Gerald’s abundant life, here on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus. In 2005 the University dedicated the dramatic courtyard entrance to the McConnell Law Center as the Gerald and Joan Garner Plaza, a beautiful memorial to Gerald and a symbol of the enduring friendship between Pepperdine and the entire Garner family.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/geraldandjoangarnerplaza-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Gunder Conference Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gunderconferenceroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Roger W. Gunder", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The self-made former CEO of Stauffer Chemical, Roger W. Gunder (1909–1989) was a member of the Pepperdine University Board and received an honorary degree from the University in 1974. Longtime residents of Rancho Santa Fe, California, Roger and his wife, Mary (1937–2005), generously endowed a scholarship and provided funding for the Caruso School of Law’s Gunder Conference Room, dedicated in 1977. The spacious venue seats approximately 40 for regular faculty and staff meetings as well as receptions and dinners, and offers a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/gunderconferenceroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Jerene Appleby Harnish Law Library", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jereneapplebyharnishlawlibrary-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jerene Appleby Harnish", "see_also": "See also Appleby Center, Jerene's Room", "benefactor_bio": "A respected newspaper publisher, radio station founder, and generous philanthropist, Jerene Appleby Harnish (1893–1980) was above all a fiercely patriotic American. A longtime resident of Upland, California, she published the Ontario Daily Report and several other newspapers in the high desert and was chair of the Victor Valley Publishing Company and the Escondido Times-Advocate. The main terminal at Ontario International Airport carries her name and signals her role in the airport’s development. On the Seaver College campus, the Appleby Center for American Studies—opened in 1972 as one of the first Malibu campus buildings—represents her first major gift to Pepperdine. Several years later, she donated funds for the law library in the Odell McConnell Law Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/jereneapplybyharnishlawlibrary-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fred and Lucille Hirsch Classroom", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fredandlucilehirschclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Fred and Lucille Hirsch Charitable Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "While working as a fire engine salesman in San Francisco in 1915, Fred Hirsch (1888–1979) developed a health condition that led him to Los Angeles to meet with professor Arnold Ehret. Adhering to the professor’s dietary healing system and learning more about his teachings, Fred became an associate and friend of Professor Ehret, eventually assuming leadership of his health club and Ehret Literature Publishing Company following the professor’s death. Fred and his wife, Lucille, gave generously to the Caruso School of Law and other causes through their charitable foundation, eventually becoming members of the George Pepperdine Society. The classroom honoring their steadfast support was dedicated in 1992.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fredandlucillehirchclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Irvine Lecture Hall", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/irvinelecturehall-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "James Irvine Foundation", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A pioneer in California agriculture, James Irvine (1867–1947) established his foundation in 1937 to benefit the people of California. Irvine established the foundation as the primary stockholder of the Irvine Company, which held his most valuable asset: approximately 110,000 acres of prime ranch land. The foundation continues to espouse the ideals of its founder—to expand opportunity for the people of California in order to participate in and contribute to a livelier and more inclusive society. To date, the Irvine Foundation has provided more than $1 billion in grants to some 3,000 nonprofit organizations. The Irvine Lecture Hall was dedicated in 1979 as a tribute to the foundation’s support for Pepperdine and its law school.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/irvinelecturehall-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fletcher Jones Foundation Administrative Suite", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fletcherjonesadministrativesuite-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Fletcher Jones Foundation", "see_also": "See also Fletcher Jones Foundation Great Books Seminar Room, Fletcher Jones Foundation Study Room", "benefactor_bio": "A trendsetter in the field of computer science, Fletcher Jones (1931–1972) and his business partner, Roy Nutt (1930–1990), launched Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) in 1959. During the 1960s, CSC was one of the nation's largest software companies. Today, it is headquartered in Los Angeles County and has more than 90,000 employees worldwide. Despite Jones' premature death in a plane crash at the age of 41, his generous legacy and devotion to excellence continue through his namesake foundation. Named in his honor at Pepperdine are the Fletcher Jones Administrative Suite at the Caruso School of Law, and the Fletcher Jones Foundation Great Books Seminar Room and Fletcher Jones Foundation Study Room in the Payson Library.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fletcherjonesadministrativesuite-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Karns and Karabian Faculty Library", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/karnsandkarabianfacultylibrary-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Walter Karabian (right) with David Davenport", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "John H. Karns (1938–2023) and Walter J. Karabian believed in the importance of the legal profession and the responsibilities that attend it. The two men received their undergraduate degrees and JDss from the University of Southern California, and both passed the California Bar in 1964. Walter moved quickly into politics and was elected to the State Assembly in 1966, but he still took time to establish a private law practice with John Karns in Monterey Park, California, the following year. In 1992 the Caruso School of Law honored John and Walter for their generosity and enthusiastic commitment to the field of law by dedicating the Karns and Karabian Faculty Library.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/karnsandkarabianfacultylibrary-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Kassabian Balcony", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kassabianbalcony-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Zohrab and Sonia Kassabian", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Following several years in private law practice, Khajak Kassabian redirected his legal expertise and embarked on a new profession in commercial real estate development, following in his father’s footsteps in the field by becoming a builder of custom homes. The ocean-view balcony on the second floor of the Odell McConnell Law Center—dedicated in 1999—honors Khajak’s parents, Zohrab and Sonia, and celebrates the family’s rich Armenian ancestry and Christian faith. Khajak and his wife, Diana, are the parents of two sons and continue to be active members of the Caruso School of Law family. Since 2002, they have generously funded the Armenian Law Scholarship at Pepperdine to assist Caruso students of Armenian heritage.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kassabianbalcony-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Odell McConnell Study", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/odellmcconnellstudy-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Odell S. McConnell", "see_also": "See also Odell McConnell Law Center", "benefactor_bio": "All who knew and admired Odell McConnell (1897–1992) were impressed by his intellectual strength and magnanimous spirit. The magnificent Caruso School of Law building, for which Odell was the primary benefactor, today perches high on a promontory overlooking the Malibu campus and the Pacific beyond, honoring his noble legal career and his abiding generosity. Following his death, the school created a beautiful study replicating the original home office in his longtime home in Los Angeles’ Windsor Square. The study displays the artifacts, books, and personal treasures that reflect the distinguished life of a gentleman and scholar.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/odellmcconnellstudy-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mendenhall Courtroom", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mendenhallcourtroom-space1-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Doris Anne and Ferdinand Mendenhall", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Ferdinand Mendenhall (1908–1981) was a longtime executive with the San Fernando Valley-based Valley News (now the Daily News). He and his wife Doris were both active in cultural and philanthropic activities in Southern California, and they made a generous gift to the Caruso School of Law to ensure that future attorneys would be able to argue cases in a magnificent simulated courtroom. The dedication of the Mendenhall Courtroom in 1979 was an event that attracted numerous legal dignitaries, including US Supreme Court justice Harry Blackmun. “We would like to think,” said Mendenhall at the ceremony, “that we have provided something from which—long after we are gone—students will benefit as they work to become fine lawyers.”", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mendenhallcourtroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar Dean's Office", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/herbertandelinornootbardeansoffice-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar", "see_also": "See also Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics", "benefactor_bio": "Herb Nootbaar (1908–2016) became acquainted with Pepperdine’s third president M. Norvel Young through the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. That friendship, along with his wife, Elinor’s (1923–2011), membership in the Associated Women for Pepperdine (now Pepperdine Legacy Partners), linked the Nootbaars to Pepperdine decades before they joined the ranks of the University’s George Wave Society. After reconnecting with Pepperdine’s former first lady Helen Young in 2006, the couple began attending Caruso School of Law events and embracing the vision cast by then dean Ken Starr. A leading entrepreneur in the feed and grain industry, Herb enjoyed a blissful 27-year marriage with Elinor, his beloved partner in industry and in life. The Nootbaar Dean’s Office, dedicated in 2007, marked the beginning of their inspirational legacy at Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/herbertnandelinornootbardeansoffice-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/herbertandelinornootbaarinstituteonlawreligionandethics-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Herbert and Elinor Nootbaar", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/herbertnandelinornootbardeansoffice-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Geoffrey H. Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder2-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Geoffrey H. Palmer (JD '75)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Entrepreneur and real estate developer Geoff Palmer has left an indelible legacy in Southern California with ventures such as the Da Vinci and Broadway Palace. His legacy at Pepperdine is assured as well—in 2006 he endowed the Palmer Center for Entrepreneurship and the Law, whose innovative legal and business programs are now being copied at universities across the country. As a speaker for Palmer Center events on campus, he continues to encourage and inspire Caruso School of Law students and invest in their futures. Supporting business education throughout Greater Los Angeles, he has also established the Geoffrey H. Palmer Real Estate Finance Program at USC’s Marshall School of Business.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/geoffreyhpalmercenterforentrepreneurshipandthelaw-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Phillips Meditation Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/phillipsmeditationroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ronald F. and Jamie Phillips", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "As founding dean of the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Ronald F. Phillips recruited a full-time faculty on a very tight budget. After gaining state bar membership for the school in 1972, Ron secured its provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association. Five years after its temporary relocation to Anaheim in 1973, he led the law school’s move to its permanent home on the Malibu campus. Throughout his tenure as dean, Ron—now senior vice chancellor and Dean Emeritus–and his wife, Jamie (1936–1996), demonstrated professionalism and dignity in every endeavor, creating a supportive and spiritual atmosphere at the law school, counseling students, and facilitating Bible studies in their home. The Phillips Meditation Room, dedicated in 1995, honors their faithful leadership.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/phillipsmeditationroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Rainey Study", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raineystudy-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "In memory of Garnet Rainey", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Rainey Study, dedicated in 1993 and located near the Salathé Wing of the Caruso School of Law’s Jerene Appleby Harnish Library, provides a quiet retreat for faculty, students, and visitors. Benefactor Marjorie Hamlin Rainey (1905–1992) named the study in honor of her husband, Los Angeles attorney and World War I veteran Garnet Rainey (1896–1943). An active supporter of Pepperdine during her lifetime, Marjorie left a generous estate gift to the University. In addition to supporting the law library, she also funded the bronze heron fountain that graces Stauffer Chapel on the Malibu campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raineystudy-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Salathé Classroom", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/salatheclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Eduard and Lottabelle Salathé", "see_also": "See also Salathé Library Wing", "benefactor_bio": "A loyal friend of the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, Eduard Salathé (1902–1990) espoused the belief that to do something good for one’s country is to do something good for its youth—a belief that he and his wife, Lottabelle (1908–1993), shared throughout their 42 years of marriage. In the mid-1970s, the couple became acquainted with Pepperdine through their good friend, Odell McConnell, who would become the law center’s namesake and principal benefactor. Impressed by the faculty of the law school, the Salathés gave generously to support the new Caruso School of Law building on the Malibu campus and were recognized in 1981 with a classroom in their honor. The couple continued supporting the school with gifts nearly every year until Mr. Salathé’s passing in 1990.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/salatheclassroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Salathé Library Wing", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/salathelibrarywing-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Eduard and Lottabelle Salathé", "see_also": "See also Salathé Classroom", "benefactor_bio": "Eduard Salathé (1902–1990) was a significant donor to the Caruso School of Law and a member of the George Pepperdine Society. He and his wife, Lottabelle (1908–1993), supported many University activities and scholarly programs, including the Southern California Youth Citizenship Seminar, the Howard A. White Professorship at Seaver College, and the Harriet and Charles Luckman Distinguished Teaching Fellowship Award program. Located in the Harnish Law Library and dedicated in 1992, the Salathé Wing houses numerous conference rooms and study alcoves, as well as many volumes of books and study materials.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/salathelibrarywing-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Lon V. Smith Atrium", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lonvsmithatrium-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Lon V. Smith", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Named in memory of late real estate and oil industrialist Lon V. Smith (1892–1979), the Caruso School of Law’s first-floor atrium is a hub of activity as the centerpiece and main thoroughfare of the Odell McConnell Law Center. The atrium also offers casual student seating as well as an entrance to classrooms, offices, and the bookstore. The law center’s namesake was a former president of the Lon V. Smith Foundation, which provided funds for the law school’s Phase II expansion during the 1980s, and the Lon V. Smith Atrium was dedicated in 1985.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lonvsmithatrium-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "John Stauffer Administrative Center", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnstaufferadministrativecenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John Stauffer Charitable Trust", "see_also": "See also John Stauffer Advanced Analytical Chemistry Research Laboratory, John Stauffer Computer Lab, Stauffer Chapel, Stauffer Greenhouse, Stauffer Tower", "benefactor_bio": "The John Stauffer Charitable Trust was established by John Stauffer, Jr. (1898–1972), whose father created the John Stauffer Chemical Company in San Francisco. Since its founding, the Stauffer Trust has been a generous Pepperdine partner, providing grants to fill law school needs and support key programs in the sciences and telecommunications. Dedicated in 1978, the John Stauffer Administrative Center is located on the second floor of the Caruso School of Law, and includes the offices of the dean and associate deans.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnstaufferadministrativecenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Stauffer Tower", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stauffertower-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John Stauffer Charitable Trust", "see_also": "See also John Stauffer Administrative Center, John Stauffer Advanced Analytical Chemistry Research Laboratory, John Stauffer Computer Lab, Stauffer Chapel, Stauffer Greenhouse", "benefactor_bio": "A landmark feature of the Odell McConnell Law Center, the Stauffer Tower was dedicated in 1992 after the building’s expansion. Adjacent to Garner Plaza, the tower houses an elevator and staircase connecting all three floors of the law center, and features a beautiful two-story-high window that enhances the beauty of the facility. Pepperdine was proud to name this central tower for John Stauffer, Jr. (1898–1972) in recognition of his trust’s longtime support of Caruso Law programs.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stauffertower-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Arthur Stegall, Jr., Faculty Wing", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/arthurstegalljrfacultywing-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Arthur Stegall, Jr.", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A proud descendant of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Arthur Stegall, Jr. (1900–2004), interrupted his Vanderbilt education to join the Navy during World War II, later earning a master’s degree in business from New York University. His work ethic led to great success in ranching and diversified real estate, and he founded Stegall & Sons Ranch Company in Arizona. Stegall was a proud member of Pepperdine’s Board of Regents and the Caruso School of Law’s Board of Advisors. The Arthur Stegall, Jr. Faculty Wing at Caruso Law, dedicated in 1992, is a fitting tribute to a man who loved his country, his family, and Pepperdine University.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/arthurstegalljrfacultywing-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/strausinstitutefordisputeresolution-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Leonard and Dorothy Straus", "see_also": "See also Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center", "benefactor_bio": "A Harvard Law graduate and 27-year CEO of Thrifty Corporation, Leonard Straus (1914–1998) was an enthusiastic Pepperdine supporter for decades. He served for a time as vice chair of the University’s Board of Regents and was a significant leadership figure in Pepperdine’s Waves of Excellence fundraising campaign. Additionally, his wife, Dorothy (1921–2021), was a longtime member of the University Board. The Strauses endowed the first academic chair at the Caruso School of Law and were principal investors in the now world-renowned Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. Together with their friend Richard Ralphs, they also funded the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center on the Malibu campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/strausinstitutefordisputeresolution-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Raymond H. Thompson Terrace", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Caruso School of Law", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raymondhthompsonterrace-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Raymond Thompson with Ronald Phillips", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Located adjacent to the law school’s administrative offices, the Raymond H. Thompson Terrace is a beautiful courtyard providing a venue for dean’s receptions and informal gatherings, with a secluded dining area for more exclusive events. It was named in 1979 in recognition of Judge Thompson’s (1904–1985) outstanding contributions to the legal profession and the Caruso School of Law. The distinguished jurist served for 30 years on the Orange County Superior Court and received an honorary degree from Pepperdine in 1979. Judge Thompson also served as president of the Orange County Bar Association, the Orange County Historical Society, and Goodwill Industries, and was well known for his collection of antique cars—one of which, a 1906 Maxwell, was used to chauffeur comedian Jack Benny in the 1947 parade celebrating Anaheim’s Civic Progress Week", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/raymondhthompsonterrace-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Braun Center for the School of Public Policy", "tags": "Malibu Campus, School of Public Policy", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/brauncenterfortheschoolofpublicpolicy-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Henry and Virginia Braun", "see_also": "See also Braun Conference Room and Keck Science Center first and second floors", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine benefactors for nearly three decades,Virginia “Ginie” (1917–2011) and Henry (1915–2002) Braun made numerous projects possible on the Malibu campus. They provided significant support for the Keck Science Center, the Braun Conference Room in the Thornton Administrative Center, a much-needed renovation of Firestone Fieldhouse, the expansion of the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center, and the educational and performance programs of the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts. Partnering with the Carl F. Braun Trust to invest in priority programs and building projects at the University, the Brauns were recognized in the George Pepperdine Society, and Ginie served for many years on the University Board before her 1995 election to the Board of Regents. As a tribute to the couple’s commitment to public policy education, the University dedicated the Braun Center as the permanent home for Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy at the Drescher Graduate Campus in 2003.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/brauneverything-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership", "tags": "Malibu Campus, School of Public Policy, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/davenportinstitute-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "David Davenport", "see_also": "See also Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center, Flora Laney Thornton Conference Room, Howard A. White Center, Keck Science Center fourth floor", "benefactor_bio": "Founded in 1996 as the Davenport Institute, forerunner to the School of Public Policy, the enterprise was renamed in 2010 as the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership. Today it serves as the primary platform from which the School of Public Policy engages in service, research, and education in the marketplace of ideas. The institute bears the name of Pepperdine’s sixth president, David Davenport, who served from 1985 to 2000, and the establishment of the School of Public Policy counts as one of the most significant of his many notable achievements. To honor his accomplishments and dedicated service, the University endowed the Davenport Institute with significant support from regent Flora Laney Thornton (1913–2010) and other friends. Davenport is a Research Fellow Emeritus at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/davenportinstituteforpublicengagementandcivicleadership-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mortensen Seminar Room", "tags": "Malibu Campus, School of Public Policy, Drescher Graduate Campus", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mortensenseminarroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "William and Nancy Mortensen", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Though it was forced to reorganize as part of OneWest Bank as a result of the 2008–2009 economic crisis, First Federal Bank of California—or “FirstFed”—was once a driving force in the growth of Santa Monica. Founded by his grandfather in 1929, Bill Mortensen (1932–2021) led the bank from 1969 to 1997, as a people-oriented executive who made a point to learn the names of every employee he met. Thus, it’s no wonder that FirstFed earned accolades on several “best companies to work for” lists under his leadership. A 1994 recipient of an honorary doctor of laws from the Graziadio Business School, Bill shared his leadership skills with Pepperdine as a member of the University Board and the Graziadio Board. He and his wife, Nancy (1934–2016), were also members of the School of Public Policy Founder’s Cabinet, and in 2003 the Mortensen Seminar Room was dedicated in their honor.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mortensenseminarroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Seaver Drive", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder2-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Honoring Blanche and Frank Seaver", "see_also": "See also Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences", "benefactor_bio": "Seaver Drive, the main thoroughfare on the east side of campus, is named in honor of lifelong philanthropists Blanche (1891–1994) and Frank (1883–1964) Seaver. A prominent Los Angeles attorney and entrepreneur, Frank founded Hydril—a highly successful manufacturer of oil field equipment—in 1927. After the death of her husband in 1964, Blanche continued to support causes that were important to him, including Pepperdine University. Active in a number of charitable, cultural, and civic organizations, Blanche felt a connection to Pepperdine’s mission—and as she attended more University programs and activities—her allegiance to the school grew. Blanche’s unwavering support helped to make Pepperdine’s move to Malibu possible, as well as establishing the Frank R Seaver School of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/seaverdrive-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "John Tyler Drive", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder2-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John C. Tyler", "see_also": "See also Tyler Campus Center", "benefactor_bio": "A life insurance salesman like his father, John Cummings Tyler (1887–1973) expanded his practice to automobile insurance and founded Farmers Insurance Group with Thomas Leavey in 1928. John and his wife, Alice (1912–1993), became avid philanthropists who cared deeply about preserving the environment, and in 1972 they established the International Tyler Ecology Award (now the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement), which was administered by Pepperdine for several years. John, who died just five months after the grand opening of Pepperdine’s Malibu campus, included the University in his will. Tyler Campus Center, one of the first buildings constructed on campus, and John Tyler Drive—running along the western edge of campus from Pacific Coast Highway to the Eddy D. Field Baseball Stadium—pay tribute to his pioneering support and dedication.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johntylerdrive-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Banowsky Boulevard", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/banowskyboulevard-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Honoring William S. Banowsky (MA '94)", "see_also": "See also Banowsky Board Room", "benefactor_bio": "Banowsky Boulevard was officially dedicated on September 23, 1991, following the annual Founder’s Day festivities. Originally Grand Boulevard, the name change honors Pepperdine’s fourth president William S. Banowsky (1936–2019) for his leadership role during the building of the Malibu campus. As executive vice president and chancellor, Bill Banowsky led the expansion of Pepperdine College from a small school to a major international university on the Pacific Rim, with an endowment exceeding $400 million and a student body of approximately 8,000. In 1971, amid the flurry of construction to ready the campus for its opening, the college gained university status and William S. Banowsky took the helm as Pepperdine president. During their term as president and first lady—from 1971 to 1978—Bill and Gay Banowsky hosted events and built a base of donor support for the new Malibu campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/banowskyboulevard-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Huntsinger Circle", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder2-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Fritz Huntsinger, Sr.", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Fritz Huntsinger, Sr. (1899–1986), came to America from Germany in 1923 with a degree in engineering and a mastery of four languages, although English was not one of them. He settled in Ventura, California, and began working at a machine shop and learning the language. In 1929 he was promoted to foreman, and one year later, Fritz purchased the company that he would build into Vetco, Inc., one of the world’s premier manufacturers of offshore drilling machinery. After becoming acquainted with Pepperdine in the late 1950s, he gave generously to help fund the new campus in Malibu. A member of the Pepperdine University Board, Fritz was elected to the Board of Regents in 1976, joined the Pepperdine Associates Founding 400 in 1977, and received Pepperdine’s Center for American Private Enterprise Award in 1982. Huntsinger Circle recognizes the enduring support of loyal Pepperdine benefactors Fritz and his wife, Marianne (1899–2002).", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/huntsingercircle-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Baxter Drive", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder2-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Batsell Baxter", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The founding president of George Pepperdine College, Batsell Baxter (1886–1956) served from 1937 to 1939. Hand-selected by George Pepperdine, Baxter had previously been president of Abilene Christian College in Texas and David Lipscomb College in Tennessee. Although his term as president was brief, Baxter had a lasting influence on the college’s future. He hired the first 21 faculty members, welcomed the first class, and set the standard for a quality Pepperdine education. During his tenure, Pepperdine received full regional accreditation by the Northwest Association seven months after opening its doors, although no college had been previously recognized in its first year. Honoring the service of Pepperdine’s first president, Baxter Drive—at the crossroads of Seaver Drive and Huntsinger Circle—leads to several multilevel faculty and staff homes on campus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/baxterdrive-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Benton Way", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/bentonway-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Andy and Debby Benton", "see_also": "See also Benton Terrace (Seaside Residence Hall)", "benefactor_bio": "Benton Way, leading up to the Drescher Graduate Campus, honors Pepperdine’s seventh president, Andrew K. Benton, whose leadership and vision saw the construction and completion of the graduate complex and shaped the campus landscape into what it is today. Originally Via Pacifica, the road was renamed in March 2019. Andy and his wife, Debby—the longest serving president and first lady—led the University from 2000 to 2019, although Andy’s tenure at Pepperdine began in 1984 as the vice president for University Affairs. His leadership has made an indelible impact on the lives of countless students and programs across all five schools at Pepperdine. Benton Way is a reminder of the many “promises made and promises kept” that were the hallmark of Andy’s presidency.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/bentonway-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Tiner Court", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Outdoor Spaces", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/space-placeholder2-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Hugh Tiner", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Sunday morning radio host of Take Time to Be Holy, and supervisor of the Los Angeles County Schools, Hugh Marvin Tiner (1908–1091), was a dedicated educator and minister. He encouraged George Pepperdine to found Pepperdine College and was one of five founding members on the original board. The founding dean of Pepperdine College, Tiner was the natural successor to the college’s first president, Batsell Baxter. In 1939, at 31, he became the youngest college president in the US. Tiner, along with his wife, Lola, led Pepperdine for 18 years—from 1939 to 1957. A man of inexhaustible energy, Tiner never forgot a name, never missed an opportunity to recruit students to Pepperdine, and never missed a Waves athletic event. Tiner Court—a cul-de-sac with six staff homes perched on a scenic plateau—honors his extraordinary leadership and service.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/tinercourt-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Casa Holden", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/casaholden-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Glen and Gloria Holden", "see_also": "See also Holden House", "benefactor_bio": "Considered one of the principal leaders of change in the US life insurance industry, former ambassador to Jamaica Glen Holden (1927–2024) and his wife, Gloria (1928–2019), became involved with Pepperdine in the years of its transition from Los Angeles to the Malibu campus. In 1973 Glen founded the Holden Group, now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Ambassador Holden received the University’s honorary doctor of laws in 1988, and together, Glen and Gloria—parents and grandparents of several Waves alumni—were the 2007 recipients of the Boone Center for the Family’s Friends of the Family Award. Casa Holden, the University’s international center in Buenos Aires, was named and dedicated in 2002, signaling the couple’s avid commitment to international education at Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/casaholden-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Villa Di Loreto", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/villadiloreto-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Edward and Jill Di Loreto", "see_also": "See also Edward and Jill Di Loreto Dining Room, Di Loreto Dining Patio, Founders’ Room, Michelina Di Loreto Rainey Chapel", "benefactor_bio": "Longtime Pepperdine friends, the late Edward (1913–2004) and Jill (1924–2012) Di Loreto occupy a special place in the University’s chronicles. Ed, a former president and chief executive officer at Yale Engineering, was one of three individuals who acquired the Orange University School of Law and transferred it to Pepperdine in 1969. In recognition of the couple’s leadership and generous support, the Di Loreto name was inscribed permanently on the Di Loreto Dining Room in 1989 and Di Loreto Dining Patio in 1992. Jill and Ed also honored Pepperdine and their Italian heritage with a major gift to the University’s Florence Center, dedicated in 1995 as Villa Di Loreto. A chapel in the villa is named for their late daughter, Michelina Di Loreto Rainey.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/villadiloreta-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Loggia Barbera", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/loggiabarbera-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Robert and Bernice Barbera", "see_also": "See also Barbera Family Patio, Barbera Information Gateway", "benefactor_bio": "The lovely foyer of Pepperdine’s beloved Villa Di Loreto was made possible through the generosity of Pepperdine University Board member and longtime friend Robert Barbera. The first chair of the Friends of Firenze, a support group for the University’s Florence program, Robert—alongside his late wife, Bernice (1929–2001), until her passing and now with his wife, Jo—has long been a champion and encouraging force behind a number of Pepperdine initiatives, including the 2016–2017 Payson Library renovations, which led to the dedication of the Barbera Information Gateway and Barbera Family Patio.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/loggiabarbera-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Michelina Di Loreto Rainey Chapel", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/michelinadiloretoraineychapel-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Edward and Jill Di Loreto", "see_also": "See also Edward and Jill Di Loreto Dining Room and Patio, Villa Di Loreto", "benefactor_bio": "The serene chapel housed in Florence’s Villa Di Loreto was named for the vivacious daughter of Ed (1913–2004) and Jill (1924–2012) Di Loreto, Michelina (1943–1986). A Southern Californianl nicknamed “Micki,” Michelina was also wife to husband Richard Rainey, who was the Contra Costa County sheriff, and mother to three children, Brett, Michael, and Gina. While embracing her multiple roles, including a career in interior design, Micki quietly fought the cancer that eventually claimed her life after a 19-year battle. The Michelina Di Loreto Rainey chapel features a stained-glass window commissioned and funded by the Robert Barbera family. The memory of Micki Di Loreto Rainey resonates within the chapel, echoing a reverent, faithful woman of God.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/michelinadiloretoraineychapel-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Janet Leake Classroom", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/janetleakeclassroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Earl and Margaret Leake", "see_also": "See also Leake Foyer, Leake Seminar Room", "benefactor_bio": "A busy classroom at Pepperdine’s Florence Educational Center is named in memory of Janet Leake (1960–1979), daughter of alumnus Earl J. Leake (1924–2005) and his wife, Margaret (1923–2013). Margaret was born in a historic borough of London and owned a home on the River Thames, so the Leakes loved to travel in Europe, and their daughter Janet especially liked Florence. In 1977, several years before Pepperdine began sending its students to the storied Renaissance city, Janet spent the summer there, exploring its art, architecture, and lore. The Leakes were inspired to fund and name a Florence Center classroom in Janet’s memory. Their late son, Paul Jay Leake (1963–1991), has also been memorialized at the entry foyer of the University’s London International Center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/janetleakeclassroom-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Residenza Tagliaferri", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/residenzatagliaferri-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "In honor of Edward and Madeline Tagliaferri", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Enthusiastic supporters of Pepperdine’s Florence program, the late Augustus Tagliaferri (1935–2020) and his wife, Patty (1936–2013), provided funds to transform a former hotel into a beautiful study-abroad home. Their gift, made through their family foundation in honor of Gus’ parents Edward and Madeline, created space for 50 Pepperdine undergraduates each academic year next door to the Villa Di Loreto classroom center. Gus, a successful international business executive who graduated from the presidents and key executives MBA program at the Graziadio Business School, was a member of the Pepperdine Board of Regents and received an honorary doctor of laws from the Graziadio Business School in 1993. Both of his children, Karen (’82), and Michael (’81, JD ’84), are Pepperdine graduates themselves.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/residenzatagliaferri-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Moore Haus", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/moorehaus-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "James C. Moore, Sr.", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Built in 1906, the German country villa that would become Pepperdine’s first international center had several occupants during its first decades in existence. During World War II, the occupying US Army used the house as headquarters for the Central Intelligence Service, forerunner to the CIA. In 1965 seeking to establish the first of Pepperdine’s residential centers abroad, president M. Norvel Young, history professor Howard White, and controller J. C. Moore orchestrated the purchase of the property. Christened Moore Haus in honor of the veteran Pepperdine administrator, the four-story mansion is now home to 50 Seaver College students each academic term and just a short walk from Heidelberg’s Altstadt (Old Town), where students attend their classes. Upper-floor bedrooms offer views of the beautiful Neckar River valley. Thanks to the support of alumni and friends, Moore Haus celebrated the completion of a major renovation and expansion in 2016.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/moorehaus-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Blankenberg Edwards Student Reception Room", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/blankenbergedwardsstudentreceptionroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Trudy Blankenberg Edwards", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Waltraud “Trudy” Blankenberg (1927–2018) escaped East Berlin in 1962, mere months after the Berlin Wall was constructed. Her love for her homeland, though, remained strong even after arriving in the US—making Pepperdine’s Heidelberg program an obvious place to invest her philanthropic efforts. Trudy became acquainted with Pepperdine through her late husband, Fred (1921–2003), who battled Parkinson’s disease for most of their marriage and mentioned before his death his admiration for Pepperdine, telling Trudy it was worthy of her support. In addition to creating a charitable gift annuity that facilitated substantial improvements at Moore Haus, Trudy frequently hosted Pepperdine administrators and faculty at her home, baking Pflaumenkuchen and other homemade delicacies from her home country. The Blankenberg Edwards Student Reception Room was one of the first named spaces at Moore Haus and was dedicated in 2005 in honor of Trudy and Fred and their loyalty to Pepperdine.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/blankenbergedwardsstudentreceptionroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Amy Ecker Cat Cave", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/amyeckercatcave-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Heidelberg class of 00 - 01", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "An outgoing singer and athlete, Pepperdine student Amy Ecker (1981–2002) spent her sophomore year in Heidelberg, and majored in sports medicine with hopes of becoming a pediatrician. Tragically, shortly before completing her junior year at Seaver College, Amy died in a car accident. When the Moore Haus renovation campaign began in 2014, Amy’s Heidelberg classmates were inspired to pool their resources and honor her memory. Tucked behind one of the women’s bedrooms on the third floor of Moore Haus, the “Cat Cave” is a secluded space for reading, socializing, or reflecting, and numerous Heidelberg students have literally left their marks on its walls, signing their names and listing the years they spent at Moore Haus. Amy Ecker almost assuredly enjoyed some time there as a student, and thanks to her classmates’ generosity, future Heidelberg students will be able to as well.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/amyeckercatcave-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fruhstuckzimmer", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fruhstuckzimmer-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Honoring the Boyd, Drehsel, Luft, and Ransohoff Families", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Neither Moore Haus nor the memorable experiences it provides would be possible without the support of families living in Heidelberg, who help students navigate the city, manage their time, and adapt to cultural differences. Starting in the very earliest days of what was then the Year-in-Europe Program, the Boyd, Drehsel, Luft, and Ransohoff families provided such critical support and hospitality, and Moore Haus’ Frühstückzimmer, or breakfast room, was designated in their honor at the 2016 renovation celebration. Occupied virtually around the clock by students eating, studying, or socializing, the Frühstückzimmer is a fitting place to salute these four families who served as an equally constant support for our Heidelberg students.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fruhstuckzimmer-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hankins Family Master Suite", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hankinsfamilymastersuite-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Natalie ('01) and Jared ('01) Hankins", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Heidelberg left an indelible mark not only on the academic careers of Jared Hankins and Natalie Cameron when they studied there in 1999—it forever changed their personal lives as well. Now married with three children, Jared and Natalie own and operate Rizon Media, a visual content company through which they have partnered with fellow Pepperdine alumni on an animated New Testament-based children’s series. The couple has continued to express their gratitude for all that the Heidelberg program has made possible in their lives, supporting Freunde von Heidelberg, the Mary Drehsel Endowed Scholarship, and the 2014–2016 Moore Haus renovation campaign. It was during that campaign that Jared and Natalie made a commitment to name the master suite on the second floor of Pepperdine’s Heidelberg home. Just as Pepperdine is proud to have played a part in their story, we are thankful for the role they continue to play in ours.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hankinsfamilymastersuite-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Katch Kuche", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/katchkuche-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Loretta ('84) and Robert ('84, MBA '91)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Robert and Loretta both spent part of their time as Seaver College students studying abroad in Heidelberg. Their connection with the international program site remained throughout the years, inspiring them to make a generous gift to the Moore Haus renovation campaign to name the house’s always-busy küche, or kitchen. Robert continues to serve on the Seaver College Board of Advisors, and two of Loretta and Robert’s daughters—Tessa (’13) and Devon (’15)—are Pepperdine alumni and “Heidelbergers” themselves, each having spent their own sophomore years at Moore Haus.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/katchkuche-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Lewis Loft", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lewisloft-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "John ('83) and Deanne ('84) Lewis", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The entire family of John and Deanne Lewis has planted deep roots in both Malibu and Heidelberg. Deanne studied in Heidelberg in the early 1980s, and three decades later the couple’s daughter, Mindy (’15, JD ’18), lived in the very same room. Deanne and John’s son, Timothy (’10), is also a Pepperdine alumnus; John serves on the Board of Regents; and Deanne is a former University Board member as well as a founding member of the Alumni Leadership Council. The couple gave generously to renovate the loft space in Moore Haus’ peaked roof, making it a comfortable place for study and fellowship. Additionally, when they heard that the house was without an espresso maker—a nearly essential amenity in any modern home—they chipped in additional support to make sure the Lewis Family Gourmet Espresso Machine was available to any student needing a caffeine jolt for a late-night study session.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lewisloft-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Liu Family Hall", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/liufamilyhall-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jean Tong and Shao Xi Liu with Andy Benton", "see_also": "See also London House Liu Family Student Suites", "benefactor_bio": "The loyalty of Pepperdine parents Shao Xi Liu and Jean Tong is now evident in five different cities on three different continents. In addition to the Malibu campus where their sons, Vincent and Ryan, earned degrees in 2010, they have also sponsored improvements to Pepperdine’s campuses in London, Florence, Heidelberg, and its previous international location in Shanghai. Shao heads the Guangdong, China-based Yihua Group, an enterprise engaged in everything from real estate management to wooden floors and furniture, while Jean is president of New Classic Home Furnishings, Inc. Their companies’ custom-made flooring and handmade furniture can now be appreciated in various spaces throughout Moore Haus, including the hallway on the split level between the second and third floors that bear their family’s name.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/liufamilyhall-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Reim Family Bat Cave", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/reimfamilybatcave-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Paul ('83) and Marie ('81) Reim with Sara Young Jackson (center)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Just as the female Heidelberg students have their “Cat Cave,” the men have their “Bat Cave,” a quaint space located off one of Moore Haus’ fourth-story bedrooms where young male scholars can study, relax, or enjoy some quiet reflective time. Paul Reim no doubt spent some time in the Bat Cave as a Heidelberg program participant in the early 1980s. Upon meeting Marie Eller at a Pepperdine alumni event in 1985, he discovered she was a Heidelberg alum as well—and they were married at Stauffer Chapel two years later. Their enthusiasm for Pepperdine hasn’t waned since, with Paul, head of the Reim Advisors LLC real estate investment firm, currently serving on the Seaver College Board of Advisors. All three of the Reims’ children have gone on to earn degrees from Seaver as well—Nathan (’12), Elizabeth (’14), and Peter (’17).", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/reimfamilybatcave-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Rokus Family Bedroom", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/rokusfamilybedroom-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Tari ('76) and Joe ('76) Rokus", "see_also": "See also Tari Frahm Rokus Field", "benefactor_bio": "Beyond Pepperdine graduates Tari and Joe Rokus themselves, their extended family is rife with connections to the ever-growing community of Waves. Three of Tari and Joe’s five children—Jamie (’06), Katie (’08), and Kristen (’11)—are Seaver College alumni; Tari studied in Heidelberg as a Pepperdine undergraduate, as did Joe’s sister Phyllis (’80). Naturally, the couple was eager to give to the Moore Haus renovation project, sponsoring a bedroom on the building’s third floor. Together, Joe—a Pepperdine life regent—and Tari head Sustainable Packaging Partners, a Central Valley company that recycles consumer plastics for use in food packaging.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/rokusfamilybedroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Stoen Family Balcony", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stoenfamilybalcony-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Melissa ('95) and Eric ('93) Stoen", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "One could say that Eric Stoen found two of the greatest loves of his life through Pepperdine. The first, obviously, is his wife and fellow Wave, Missy. The second is travel, a passion that was sparked by studies in both Heidelberg and Florence as a Pepperdine student. Today Eric is a family travel writer and award-winning photographer, and he is passing along his love of exploring the world to his three children—every year he lets each of them choose a destination anywhere in the world for a one-on-one trip with Dad. Perhaps one of the Stoen kids will one day pick Heidelberg, where they’ll be able to take in a sweeping view of Heidelberg’s Altstadt and the Neckar River from the second-story balcony that bears their family’s name.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/stoenfamilybalcony-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Veenendaal Altstadt Patio", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/veenendaalaltstadtpatio-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Ben Veenendaal ('02)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Ben Veenendaal’s relationship with Moore Haus was destined to last long after his time as a student there in 2000. A decade and a half later, as Pepperdine’s project director of design and construction, he led the Moore Haus renovation, working with University administrators, German architects, and Heidelberg city officials to ensure the updates met both German regulations and Pepperdine standards. Considering that all of his work was paired with a generous pledge of financial support for the project, it is certainly appropriate that the Moore Haus’ scenic front patio was named in Ben’s honor. Today, Ben continues to serve the Pepperdine community as vice president for planning, operations, and construction—overseeing such projects as the Mountain, the University’s future recreation, wellness, and events center.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/veenendaalaltstadtpatio-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Vernon Family Alcove", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/vernonfamilyalcove-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Tyler D. Vernon ('07)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "A sophomore year of intellectual enterprise in Heidelberg proved to be just the beginning of a rapid success story for Tyler Vernon. Tyler graduated magna cum laude from Seaver College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and quickly secured a job at Ernst & Young in Los Angeles, serving multiple clients in the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the consumer products and professional services industries. Since then, he has served tenure in multiple leadership roles at Teledyne Technologies, a multinational industrial conglomerate based in Thousand Oaks, California; most recently he was named assistant controller for the company. Tyler has given back to his alma mater through generous gifts to Seaver College, the Marilyn Misch Endowed Accounting Scholarship, and—of course—the Moore Haus renovation.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/vernonfamilyalcove-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Young Foyer", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/youngfoyer-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Helen ('39) and Norvel Young", "see_also": "See also M. Norvel and Helen Young Center", "benefactor_bio": "As University president and first lady from 1957 to 1971, M. Norvel (1915–1998) and Helen (1918–2017) Young led Pepperdine through a truly transformative era that culminated in the establishment of its flagship Malibu campus. Among the many changes Norvel championed during his tenure was the creation of the University’s study-abroad program, which began in 1963 when a group of Pepperdine students traveled across the Atlantic to Heidelberg. It was only fitting that the Young family name be inscribed in the halls of the newly renovated Moore Haus, so a loyal group of family, friends, and alumni worked to ensure that the building’s main foyer would be named in the Youngs’ honor. Those supporters include Sara (’74) and Sam (’75, EdD ’84) Jackson; Corinne (’87) and Hung (’87, MA ’03) Le; Emily (’67, MA ’74) and Steve (’66, MA ’70) Lemley; Jennifer (’88) and Eric (’88) Wolford; and the Heidelberg Class of 1985.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/youngfoyer-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Kirk Family Study", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kirkfamilystudy-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Mark and Robin Kirk", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Almost from the minute their son, Alan (’10), began classes at Seaver College, Mark (1957–2013) and Robin Kirk became enthusiastic University supporters, and later became proud Pepperdine parents of another graduate—their daughter, Allie (’13). They joined the Seaver Parents Council to help promote the University to prospective students and their families, and Mark joined the Board of Regents. Commemorating the study-abroad year that Alan spent at Pepperdine’s London campus, the Kirks generously gave generously to support the renovation campaign for the Prince’s Gate property, and the Kirk Family Study was dedicated in their honor in 2008. Sadly, Mark died unexpectedly in 2013, but the study in London continues to carry on his legacy—as does the Mark A. Kirk Endowed Scholarship, which Robin established in the spring of 2016.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/kirkfamilystudy-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Paul Leake Foyer", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/paulleakefoyer-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Earl and Margaret Leake", "see_also": "See also Janet Leake Classroom, Leake Seminar Room", "benefactor_bio": "A welcoming lobby to all who enter Pepperdine’s London house at 56 Prince’s Gate, the Leake Foyer was named for Pepperdine alumnus Paul Jay Leake (1963–1991), whose brief life was filled with travels, teaching music, and work with Long Beach’s Bay Shore Congregational Church. Paul (MA ’77), who studied for a semester at the University of London, also served six years in the US Naval Reserve and worked for the McDonnell Douglas Corporation. Earl (1924–2005) and Margaret (1923–2013) named the Prince’s Gate foyer for their late son out of a desire for the students and visitors who entered its halls to become students of the world and join the vibrant European community, just as Paul once did. The Leake Foyer was dedicated in 1996. The Leakes also memorialized their son by establishing the Paul Leake Memorial Scholarship at Seaver College.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/paulleakefoyer-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Lewis Family Kitchen and Dining Center", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lewisfamilykitchenanddiningcenter-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Dennis ('65) and Keri Lewis", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Denny Lewis has been part of the travel industry for nearly 50 years, having joined United Airlines almost immediately after graduating from George Pepperdine College and later founding his own company, World Travel Service, in Washington, DC. Devoted Pepperdine parents Denny and his wife, Keri, made a generous commitment to the 2007–2008 “Mind the Gap” campaign to support the transformational renovations at Prince’s Gate, the London International Program campus, where their daughter, Kate (’07, MPP ’09), spent her study-abroad year. The Lewises have been loyal and active supporters of Pepperdine’s alumni and recruitment activities in the Washington Metro area; Denny is a member of the Board of Regents and received Distinguished Alumnus honors at Seaver College’s 2007 spring commencement ceremony. The Lewises’ eldest daughter, Ann Lewis-Wand (’05), also spent time in England, graduating from the University of Oxford in 2016.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lewisfamilykitchenanddiningcenter-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Liu Family Student Suites", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/liefamilystudentsuites-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jean Tong and Shao Xi Liu with Andy Benton", "see_also": "See also Liu Family Hall", "benefactor_bio": "Dedicated in 2008, Pepperdine’s London Center has been enhanced by lovely furnishings and flooring made possible by the Liu family. Parents of two Seaver College alumni, Jean and Shao Xi Liu were born and raised in China. Jean, president of New Classic Home Furnishings, Inc., and vice president of an international real estate firm, was named Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur by California Representative Grace Napolitano and Best Local CEO by State Senator Bob Huff. Shao is founder and chair of the Yihua Group conglomerate, and is also executive director of the China Chamber of International Commerce. Members of the George Pepperdine Society, the Lius’ generous support has furnished and beautified the community spaces and bedrooms at Prince’s Gate, creating an even more memorable experience for Pepperdine students venturing “across the pond.”", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/liufamilystudentsuites-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Parris Family Office", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/parrisfamilyoffice-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "R. Rex and Carrol J. Parris", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "The Parris family’s community connections run deep: they founded the nationally known R. Rex Parris Law Firm together in 1985, and since 1998 Rex has served as mayor of Lancaster, California, where he and Carrol maintain active involvement in causes such as youth programs and child abuse awareness and prevention. Thanks in large part to their children, Ashley (’01, JD ’05), Alysia (’02), Khail (’12), and Rutger (JD ’16), their connections to the Pepperdine community run deep as well. Rex and Carrol established the Parris Institute for Professional Excellence at the Caruso School of Law in 2014, and they made a major gift to the London renovation campaign in 2007. Carrol has served on Seaver College’s Board of Advisors, while Rex spent two years as an adjunct professor teaching advanced trial practice.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/parrisfamilyoffice-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Edwin and Paula Fong Biggers Great Room", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/edwinandpaulafongbiggersgreatroom-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Paula and Edwin Biggers", "see_also": "See also Biggers Family Courtyard, Biggers Tower", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine parents and generous members of the Waves family, Ed (1935–2024) and Paula Biggers have supported a number of University-wide projects. In 2012 this dynamic couple, driven by a desire to create on-campus spaces for student connection, played a crucial role in funding the Biggers Tower at Seaside Residence Hall. During a visit a decade later to Pepperdine’s newest international campus, Château d’Hauteville, Ed and Paula were moved to name the Great Room on the third floor of the main estate building, recognizing its significance as a central gathering space for students during their time abroad. The culmination of their support was marked by the dedication of the Biggers Great Room in July 2023. Sadly, Ed passed away in March of 2024, and while his passing is a significant loss, the enduring legacy of Ed and Paula persists through their impactful contributions to Pepperdine University, both domestically and overseas.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/edwinandpaulafongbiggersgreatroom-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Birch House", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/birchhouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Stephen Birch (MDR '17, EdD '18)", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "University Board member Steve Birch is an enthusiastic supporter of President Gash’s visionary initiatives. Steve was among the first to encourage the University’s efforts in renovating Château d’Hauteville to create a one-of-a-kind experience for Pepperdine students abroad. Having received two of his many postgraduate degrees at Pepperdine, Steve felt called to fund the château’s gatehouse, a two-story residential home away from home for graduate students. Situated at the property’s entrance, Birch House is a testament to Steve’s confidence in the transformational power of the Pepperdine international experience.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/birchhouse-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Cardwell Courtyard", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/cardwellcourtyard-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Julie and Jim Cardwell", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "University Board member and an elder at the Westside Church of Christ in El Paso, Texas, Jim Cardwell and his wife, Julie, are committed to ensuring Pepperdine’s future as a premier Christian academic institution. When an opportunity arose to express their faith in the University through its newest international campus, the Cardwells were eager to explore the château site and see where they might leave their mark. After a visit to the campus, they felt moved to name the stunning 7,600-square-foot courtyard at the heart of the estate. This grand outdoor space—officially dedicated in 2023—recognizes the enduring legacy of the Cardwell family’s faith and generosity and will welcome future Waves and château visitors for decades to come.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/images/advancement-named-spaces/cardwellcourtyard-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Cornell Pavilion", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/cornellpavilion-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Sherry and Frank Cornell", "see_also": "See also Cornell Commons", "benefactor_bio": "Devoted Pepperdine supporters Sherry and Frank Cornell experienced the château’s compelling power of place during their visit to the property in 2022. After renewing their wedding vows in the Hauteville estate’s pavilion—a striking Greek-inspired landmark—the Cornells then pledged their support to name the outdoor monument. Frank, a member of the University Board as well as the School of Public Policy and Graziadio Boards, and Sherry hope that the beauty, grandeur, and history of the campus surroundings will ignite a sense of renewal and growth in students’ educational, emotional, and spiritual lives. The Cornell Pavilion was dedicated in July 2023 during the weeklong Château d’Hauteville Grand Opening activities.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/cornellpavilion-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Fischer Family Vice Chancellor's Office", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fischerfamilyvicechancellorsoffice-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Chad (JD '93) and Wendi Fischer", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Wendi and Chad Fischer have provided generous encouragement to Chad’s alma mater—the Caruso School of Law—over the years. Chad, who serves as associate general counsel for Microsoft, participated in the London Program during his time at the law school and knows firsthand how participation in an international program can impact the educational experience. Dedicated during the Chateau d’Hauteville Grand Opening in July 2023, the Fischer Family Vice Chancellor’s Office on the ground floor of the château honors Chad and Wendi’s investment in the University’s global reach and service to its students.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/fischerfamilyvicechancellorsoffice-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Hanson Family Magnolia Garden", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hansonfamilymagnoliagarden-space1-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Tracey ('82, MA '89) and Gary (JD '80) Hanson", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Pepperdine alumni Tracey and Gary Hanson have been dedicated members of the University community for decades. Serving in a number of roles throughout his Pepperdine career, as associate general counsel and ultimately as senior executive vice president, Gary has been involved in several priority initiatives that have impacted the University community in deep and meaningful ways. Prior to his 2024 retirement, Gary oversaw the acquisition and comprehensive renovations of the 18th-century Château d’Hauteville estate in Switzerland. In recognition of their tireless work in transforming the property into a vibrant international campus, the Hanson Family Magnolia Garden was dedicated in 2023. The exquisite garden provides students with breathtaking scenery as they take a meditative break from studying outside the chateau’s walls.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/thomaseburnettjrherosgarden-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Haye Wine Garden", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hayewinegarden-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Jolyn ('02) and Seth ('02) Haye", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Seth and Jolyn Haye have touched many lives within our community through their service, friendship, and belief in Pepperdine’s vision to be a preeminent, global Christian institution of faith and learning. With Seth’s service on the Board of Regents and the couple’s support for a variety of mission-centered programs and projects, the Hayes were eager to get behind the University’s latest expansion of service to its students and global neighbors. We count it a blessing to include the Haye Wine Garden—dedicated in July 2023—in our distinctive roster of named spaces at the spectacular Château d’Hauteville campus near Vevey, Switzerland.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/hayewinegarden-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Johnson Family Wine Cave", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnsonfamilywinecave-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Amber ('99) and Jeremy ('02, MBA '04) Johnson", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Amber and Jeremy Johnson each enrolled as students at Pepperdine with a strong spiritual gift to inspire the faith journeys of others through song. Together they found harmony in one another, a harmony that was fostered in their days as student leaders of Pepperdine’s a cappella group, Won by One. As they have made a life together following graduation as the parents of four boys, the Johnsons have continued to give back to the University community. As alumni, Jeremy—a Pepperdine regent—and Amber understand the importance of paying it forward, and their generous contribution to the château’s renovations, to establish the Johnson Family Wine Cave, is deeply appreciated.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnsonfamilywinecave-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Macdonald Family Office", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/macdonaldfamilyoffice-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Anne and Scott Macdonald", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Anne and Scott Macdonald were first introduced to Pepperdine’s offerings in Switzerland when their daughter spent part of her academic journey in the Lausanne Program. No stranger to international regions himself, as chief financial officer of STARZ and a board member of the entertainment distributor’s Middle Eastern and North African sector, Scott was eager to join with Anne in support of the Château d’Hauteville renovations. The Macdonald Family Office on the ground floor serves our Switzerland campus faculty members, and the University is grateful for the Macdonalds’ commitment to Pepperdine and its mission.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/macdonaldfamilyoffice-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Mikhov Family Faculty Lounge", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mikhovfamilyfacultylounge-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Inna and Steve ('99, JD '02) Mikhov", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Double Pepperdine alumnus Steve Mikhov and his wife, Inna, have provided generous support for various scholarships benefitting Caruso School of Law students. An alumnus of the London Program while enrolled at Caruso Law, Steve currently works at management consulting firm Rusk LLC based in Puerto Rico. With a true heart for higher education and the world’s abundance of unique and respected cultures, the Mikhovs were honored to designate their support for the château’s faculty lounge, and we are pleased to count them as dedicated friends.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/mikhovfamilyfacultylounge-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Smith Family Hearth", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/smithfamilyhearth-space-min2.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Dee Anna ('86) and Hubie Smith", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Dee Anna and Hubie Smith’s charismatic Pepperdine spirit can be found in countless areas of University life. Chair of Pepperdine’s Board of Regents, Dee Anna and Hubie have supported a number of University initiatives including the Mountain, the Waves golf teams, and several scholarships. We were delighted to have the Smiths alongside us as we prepared to launch the first academic year at the château, and to know that generations of students would be warmed by the Smith Family Hearth, dedicated in 2023 and located in the Orangerie’s grand dining hall. Already the hearth has provided a welcoming space to connect and commune together for the inaugural class of students studying in the château, adults and their children attending the 2024 Family Camp, and influential visitors from around the world—and we trust the space will continue to serve as a spot to gather in fellowship and reflect on our blessings.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/smithfamilyhearth-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Johnson Family Light House", "tags": "Malibu Campus, Seaver College", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnsonfamilylighthouse-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Veronica and Peter James Johnson, Sr.", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Using their gifts to advance God’s kingdom, Veronica and Peter James Johnson, Sr., exemplify the kind of faith and leadership that will continue to inspire Pepperdine students for generations to come. Peter James Johnson, Sr. (1921–2012,) was a preeminent New York trial lawyer, founder of his own law firm, Leahey & Johnson PC, and advisor to several government and religious leaders. CFor 35 years, Veronica served as chief executive officer of the family law firm. She was a longtime member of a Manhattan community board and continues to be a leader in charity and philanthropic endeavors. The couple had two children, Christopher, who chairs the Johnson Foundation and Peter, a lawyer and Pepperdine regent. Veronica is grateful for the experiences Pepperdine offered her granddaughters, Blanche (’15, JD ’24, MDR ’24), and Veronica (’17), and prays that the Light House will shine brightly in the lives of all current and future students.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/johnsonfamilylighthouse-donor-min2.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Cornell Commons", "tags": "Residential Facilities, Student Residences", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/cornellcommons-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Sherry and Frank Cornell", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "Frank and Sherry Cornell are fully engaged in Pepperdine life. A double alumnus, Frank serves on the University Board, the Graziadio Board as well as the School of Public Policy Board of Advisors, and he received the distinguished alumnus award from the Graziadio Business School in 2004. After decades of leadership as president and vice president of FWC Realty Services Corporation, Frank and Sherry are enjoying their well-deserved retirement. Pledging their support to a wide range of programs throughout the University, the Cornells established the Frank and Sherry Cornell Endowed Scholarship at the School of Public Policy in 2011 and celebrated the naming of Cornell Pavilion at Château d’Hauteville in 2023. The warm and welcoming Cornell Commons at Seaside Residence Hall—a multipurpose space for gathering with classmates and friends—was dedicated in 2018.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/cornellcommons-donor-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Lela's Tree", "tags": "", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/lelastree-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Lela Porter", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/donor-placeholder-min.jpg" }, { "space_name": "Welker Library", "tags": "International Programs", "space_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/welkerlibrary-placeholder-space-min.jpg", "benefactor_name": "Judy and Jay Welker", "see_also": "", "benefactor_bio": "As proud parents of Seaver College alumni and Heidelbergers Jessica (’10) and Jared (’15), Judy and Jay Welker are fully involved in the life of Pepperdine and the success of its German international program. A University regent, Jay has had a long and successful career in the banking industry. Together he and Judy serve on the Seaver Board of Advisors. The Welker Library in Moore Haus stands as a fitting tribute to the remarkable generosity of the Welker family—supporters of major initiatives like the Seaver’s Dean Excellence Fund and the Saint John’s Bible at Payson Library.", "benefactor_image": "/giving/advancement-named-spaces/images/welkerlibrary-donor-min.jpg" } ]