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Pepperdine University

Give to Veteran Services

Support the men and women who serve our country.

Willie the Wave with Veterans

 

 

Pepperdine has been serving military-connected students for over 75 years and is extremely proud of the thousands of veterans and family members that have transitioned from military to civilian life while attending our five schools.
 
Today, Pepperdine is home to almost 500 enrolled veterans, active service members, and their dependents. Pepperdine is highly ranked for its service to veterans (#27 among national universities in U.S. News & World Report for 2023). Through the Post 9/11 GI Bill’s Yellow Ribbon Program, Pepperdine invests almost $3M annually to help cover 100% tuition costs for eligible students. We are deeply committed to providing new resources and support that build veteran community, engage alumni, and foster mentorship, community service, and employment opportunities for all our military-connected students.


"Pepperdine Student Veteran Affairs provides direct support and assistance to our military-connected students throughout their Pepperdine journey.  We’re so proud of our expanding resources and services that are strengthening our military-connected community and supporting those who freely served our great nation."

—Eric Leshinsky, Colonel, USAF (Ret)
Director, Student Veteran Affairs

Moving Forward

Through donations, Pepperdine hired a director of student veteran affairs in 2020, hosted veteran-focused events, and helped veterans study abroad by covering some of their out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, your gifts provided small financial stipends to help students graduate without tuition debt, attend veteran-focused seminars, and participate in unpaid career internships to name a few. In 2023, Pepperdine will open an on-campus Veteran Resource Center (VRC) in Malibu which will help military-connected students transition to Pepperdine and civilian life by providing a welcoming space, benefits guidance, peer-support and leadership opportunities, resiliency programs, events, and an array of internal and external resources to facilitate academic and personal success.

 

PeppVet Testimonials

Military Makeover's Special Edition: “Operation Career” featured Pepperdine student veterans. Learn more from them about how Pepperdine values, supports, challenges, and prepares PeppVets for their future via special community and educational opportunities.

 


 

Funding Priorities

Pepperdine Veteran Affairs Excellence Fund  

The fund is used to advance the strategic priorities of the director of student veteran affairs; including building a community of belonging for student veterans at Pepperdine, providing direct support and assistance to student veterans throughout their Pepperdine journey, and connecting student veterans to resources and experts that help prepare them for life after Pepperdine. Specific annual funding opportunities include:

 

peppvet logo

PeppVet Assistance & Success Program: Provides needs-based (tuition debt, family care, etc.) financial assistance to students—Up to $5,000 per student

Student stipends: Includes study abroad, veteran conferences, and internships

  • Support study abroad opportunities—Up to $6,000 per student veteran
  • Support attendance to career-focused conference—Up to $2,000 per student
  • Support career-focused veteran internships—Up to $1,500 per student 

Director, Student Veteran Affairs ($3M endowment fund): Provides permanent funding for the director’s position.  Initial 3-year funding was provided by the Anschutz Foundation in 2019.  

On-Campus Veteran Resource Center–Phase I ($60,000): One-time investment supporting the creation and development of a veteran resource center at Pepperdine to provide military-connected students with a dedicated space.  

On-Campus Veteran Resource Center–Phase II ($2M endowment fund): Supports the sustainment of the veteran resource center at Pepperdine with permanent staffing and departmental programming and budgeting for events, activities, and supplies. 

Scholarships: Provides annual merit-based scholarships to military-connected students who do not have or exhausted their military education benefits.

  • $5,000-25,000 (per scholarship):  Awarded to a student veteran annually
  • $5,000-25,000 (per scholarship):  Awarded to a military family member annually

Please make a gift today to our PeppVets!