Pepperdine University Announces the Michael Gose Honorary Endowment

Pepperdine University recently announced the founding of the Michael Gose Honorary Endowment—a new student scholarship honoring the profound impact of Seaver College’s professor of education, Michael Gose (MA ’75). 

The scholarship was created and announced by alumni at a reunion of the 1985–86 cohort of the Heidelberg International Program. Forty members of the class gathered in Malibu to pay homage to their global education experience, as well as Gose, who served as the faculty-in-residence throughout their trip. During these festivities, the Seaver College alumni revealed to their professor that a scholarship in his name had been created. 

Michael Gose receiving the news of his honorary endowment

“Reconnecting with friends, sharing memories, being on campus, and honoring Dr. Gose are all priceless experiences that make being part of Pepperdine important and meaningful to me,” said Kristy Smith (’88), a committee member of the Heidelberg reunion. “Even 40 years after Heidelberg, we are all still connected, and I'm thankful to be part of that community.”

Gose, who earned one of his four degrees from Pepperdine, began his academic career at Seaver College in 1980. Throughout his 46 years (and counting) of service to the University, he has proven to be an inspirational educator, a prolific scholar, and a transformative steward of the college’s academic community. 

In 1986, Gose helped launch Pepperdine’s Great Books colloquium—a four-course sequence in which undergraduate students read and discuss the influential texts of the classical tradition. From ancient Greek philosophy to 20th-century fiction, the Great Books curriculum Gose established at Seaver College has introduced countless students to the influential authors, ideas, and stories that shape Western intellectual life. 

Through distinct educational opportunities like Pepperdine’s International Programs and Great Books Colloquium, Gose has guided Seaver College students through their undergraduate degrees and beyond for four decades. Now, with the Michael Gose Honorary Endowment established, the professor’s legacy will continue to positively affect future generations of Pepperdine Waves.

“As a professor, scholar, and dedicated mentor, Dr. Gose has advanced Seaver College’s mission of academic excellence and Christian values throughout his storied career,” said Lee Kats, the dean of Seaver College. “He is so deserving of this honorary endowment, and we at Seaver College are excited to see how it goes on to benefit our undergraduates—the students Dr. Gose cares for so well.”

Gose speaking to the Heidelberg class of 1985-86

As a rule, endowed scholarships take a full year to establish and begin benefitting students; however, in this instance, support for the Michael Gose Honorary Endowment Fund was immediate. The Heidelberg cohort has already raised the funds necessary to launch the named honor. 

“United by their shared year studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany, these alumni came together not only to reconnect with one another, but to celebrate the faculty family who shaped that transformative experience, Dr. Michael Gose and his family,” said Chad Quiñones, director of Pepperdine’s alumni engagement. “Their bond is a testament to the lasting impact of Pepperdine's faculty, International Programs, and the lifelong community they inspire.”

Pepperdine’s Heidelberg program launched in 1963, and the University purchased its first campus grounds in the picturesque old German town in 1965. The Heidelberg class of 1985–86 was the first cohort to celebrate a 10-, 20-, and now 40-year reunion of their international experience—events that speak to the indelible bonds created through Seaver College’s exceptional educational offerings.

“For anyone who has had the privilege of experiencing Pepperdine’s Heidelberg program, it is an experience that resonates for a lifetime,” said Brett Gregor (’89), a fellow Heidelberg reunion committee member. “Here we are, 40 years later, still celebrating the close friendships, shared memories, and mutual experiences that continue to bind us together—and feeling so lucky to have had this experience so early in our lives.”

Pepperdine's Heidelberg class of 1985-86

“This was a fabulous weekend, offering the chance to reflect on how our time together 40 years ago shaped all our lives,” added Jennifer Wolford (’88), a third Heidelberg reunion committee member. “My profession, my faith, my spouse, and dearest friends were all discovered in Heidelberg! It was a true blessing to reconnect and remember the formative days we spent abroad together.”

Gose, himself, commented on his former students saying: “Sharing a classroom, Moore Haus, field trips, (and washing machines) with this very remarkable group left me with a great appreciation for what the Reverend Zes Schostak concluded about being a teacher. ‘Though I cease to be, through my children I live eternally.’  Paradoxically, they have taught me so much, I can share Schostak's conclusion that ‘I am a teacher.’”

Support the Michael Gose Honorary Endowment.