Giving News and Events
Pepperdine Annual Giving Day Raises More Than $1 Million
Waves gave in record numbers at Pepperdine Gives, the University’s annual day of giving, which kicked off at midnight on Wednesday, October 19. Nearly 3,000 gifts totaling more than $1 million were raised on one remarkable day when Waves were invited to give to a Pepperdine school, program, or passion of their choice. Read more about this exciting day.
Gala Draws Support and Waves Pride
The 46th annual Pepperdine Associates dinner took place at the Beverly Wilshire on Saturday, May 7, 2022. A lively crowd of alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered to celebrate the impact of our devoted Pepperdine supporters and the continued progress of our programs. Read more about the Gala.
Byron Johnson Named Distinguished Visiting Professor of Religious Studies and the Common Good
Byron Johnson, Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University, joins the Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP) faculty as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Religious Studies and the Common Good as of April 1, 2022. Read more about Byron.

School of Public Policy Receives $10 Million Endowment to Launch Edwin Meese III Institute for Liberty and the American Project
The Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP) has announced the launch of the Edwin Meese III Institute for Liberty and the American Project. Endowed with a $10 million gift from Pepperdine alumni Chandra (’99, JD ’02) and Adam (’99) Melton, the Meese Institute will be led by a leading scholar in American history and politics who will assume the Melton Chair at the helm. Read more about the Institute.

Inaugural Waves Give Campaign Raises Nearly $345k for Athletics Programs
On April 20, 2022, Pepperdine Waves Athletics launched its inaugural ”Waves Give!” campaign to support Pepperdine’s 17 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletic programs. The Pepperdine community rallied together, raising a record-breaking total of nearly $345,000 from over 650 donor gifts. Read more about the Campaign.
2022 Marks the 25th Year of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy
The school was founded in 1997 following the launch of the Davenport Institute in 1996. SPP is built on a distinctive philosophy of preparing public leaders to use tools of analysis combined with their moral sense to affect successful implementation and real change. Through a curriculum grounded in understanding policy’s inherent philosophical and historical dimensions, SPP prepares cross-sector leaders for careers that strengthen the institutions of the private, nonprofit, and government sectors. Read more about SPP.