Evelyn B. Blake Endowed Scholarship
Pepperdine graduate, educator, mother, and homemaker Evelyn Brunet Blake was born in Downer's Grove, Illinois, in 1914. In 1920, the Brunet family traveled west by train to California and settled in the Glenairy neighborhood of Los Angeles, where Evelyn's father became a home builder and custom built their family residence.
Evelyn began taking courses at George Pepperdine College, where she obtained her bachelor's degree in 1968. Evelyn continued her education, receiving her master's degree from the University of Southern California in psychology and English. She then began her career as a special education teacher at Gardena High School, where she taught for 25 years, until she retired in 1991 at the age of 77.
Evelyn will be remembered for her extraordinary love of her family, writing, music, and her students. Evelyn was a generous benefactor of Christian education, Pepperdine University, and in particular, the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Through the Evelyn B. Blake Endowed Scholarship, Evelyn's family hopes that their mother's love for Christian education will live on and continue to inspire Pepperdine students for generations to come.
Evelyn is survived by 11 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and 10 great great grandchildren.
The Evelyn B. Blake Endowed Scholarship at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology is awarded annually to a doctoral student in the field of psychology who has financial need.
As a doctor of clinical psychology student at Pepperdine, Alexis Bowles is working towards her goal of providing mental health care to traditionally underserved populations. Alexis is the recipient of the Evelyn B. Blake Endowed Scholarship.
She appreciates the opportunity and says, "I am very proud to be the recipient of a scholarship honoring a woman who served as a wonderful inspiration and led such a meaningful life." Alexis grew up in northern Virginia. She comes from a family of teachers and nurses, and feels she can best serve her community as a clinical psychologist.
Alexis concentrates her efforts on populations in need of psychological services: youth, the economically disadvantaged, socially isolated individuals, and criminal offenders.
