Paying it Forward: Bob and Jane Bland Establish a $1 Million Endowed Professorship in Conducting at Seaver College

Travelling beyond the peaks of the Rocky Mountains and his childhood home in Colorado to attend Pepperdine, Bob Bland (’73) discovered a land of opportunity on the West Coast.

Arriving in California, Bob was introduced to a new life. The farm kid spent his free days with Pepperdine friends traveling across downtown Los Angeles to enjoy renowned musical acts, to dine on the diverse cuisines of Chinatown, and to experience life beyond his home in the Colorado foothills. During these escapades on and off the University’s campus, Bob developed a community. He met lifelong friends and mentors, and he fell in love with his wife, Jane.

In short, Bob was transformed by his venture to the Golden Coast and Pepperdine. There he found what it means to serve a greater purpose—one committed to excellence in service of others.

“My years at Pepperdine were the most pivotal in my life,” writes Bob in his memoir. “My Pepperdine experience was not just an education. It awakened in me a more holistic understanding of the gifts God had given me.”

Today, Bob and Jane Bland are paying that experience forward. The Blands recently gifted Pepperdine a $1 million endowed professorship in orchestral conducting to help ensure that the University continues to provide transformational experiences to its students—experiences like those they had on campus.

Musical Moments

In a sense, music brought the Blands together.

A skillful cellist, Bob opted to attend Pepperdine due to receipt of a music scholarship. His first year with the University’s orchestra gave him the opportunity to serve as an ambassador for the institution at important school functions and to join the acapella chorus on a nationwide concert tour.

Bob started his degree at Pepperdine's LA campus

That summer, Bob returned to Colorado and his previous job at a nearby dairy. While handling machinery out in the fields, the cellist lost three fingers on his left hand. His career as a cellist was over. The financial aid he had received playing the instrument was in question.

Thankfully, the University converted Bob’s music scholarship into an academic award, which allowed the Colorado native to complete his degree in California. It also allowed him to meet his wife.

Jane Stowell left a teaching career in Tennessee to make for the West Coast. At Pepperdine, she sought a master’s degree in teacher education and, as she put it, “a change in scenery.” As a resident advisor (RA) in one of the campus dorms, she was introduced by classmates to a graduating senior with the last name of Bland.

At that point, Bob had all but finished a bachelor's degree in biology. A responsible fourth-year student, he too served as an RA and as manager of the Student Maintenance Service (SMS). Within eight weeks of meeting Jane, Bob proposed.

This quick turnaround is unsurprising given the facts. For one, Jane was also a musician. She had learned to play the violin during her childhood and participated in orchestras throughout high school, college, and even briefly at Pepperdine. Additionally, both Bob and Jane are committed people of faith. Their courtship involved attending church services together on Pepperdine’s campus. With a shared love of music, God, and a host of other interests, Bob and Jane were married. 

Following their wedding in Schenectady, New York, the Blands returned to California. At Pepperdine, Bob transitioned from being a student employee to being a staff member. This first job out of college proved revelatory for the Colorado native. Working on campus, the young alumnus gained experience managing people, realized new competencies, and discovered a vocational interest. 

“Pepperdine gave me my career,” said Bob. “It provided me with opportunities to learn skills that I didn't know were latent. It helped me recognize interests I didn't know that I had. And it showed me that I could put my talents to use in a career like public administration.”

The Blands eventually moved to Tennessee, where Bob sought his first advanced degree in public administration, while Jane taught in an elementary school. Throughout other stops along the way, the couple has remained dedicated to the field of education. This commitment to pedagogy is what brought them back to Pepperdine in 2026, and what ultimately inspired their generous gift. 

Paying It Forward

In January 2026, the Blands returned to Pepperdine. On campus for the spring semester, Bob, who had served as a professor of public administration at the University of North Texas for 42 years, accepted an appointment as a visiting faculty member in Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy.

The Pepperdine Orchestra - "a powerhouse of excellence"

After leading class sessions on financial management for local governments and nonprofits, Bob and Jane explored their former stomping grounds by enjoying two performances from the Pepperdine Orchestra. These concerts affirmed their love for classical music. Bass concertos, viola solos, and a rendition of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 (the New World Symphony) all convinced the Blands that their former musical group was reaching new heights of excellence.

“The orchestra is a powerhouse of excellence for Pepperdine, and one that shows the best of the University,” said Bob. “That's what we really appreciate, and that’s why we decided to invest.” 

The Bland’s $1 million gift will directly support Seaver College’s Fine Arts Division, its orchestra, and the faculty mentors helping students grow as musicians. The impact of this generous donation is already being felt across campus.

“We are incredibly grateful for this generous gift from Jane and Bob Bland,” said Lincoln Hanks, the dean of Pepperdine's Fine Arts division. “The arts play a vital role in the education and edification of our Pepperdine students and the broader community; this wonderful contribution will invigorate our music program in new and exciting ways.”

“I had the great privilege of getting to know Jane and Bob Bland during their time at Pepperdine last spring, and I am profoundly grateful for this extraordinary gift to our instrumental program,” adds Beau Benson, Pepperdine’s orchestra conductor and director of instrumental music. “Their gift secures a bright future for our ensembles and provides us the opportunity to dream bigger than ever before. I could not be more appreciative of the Bland family’s generous support of music at Pepperdine.”

Yet, beyond music, the Bland’s gift resounds as a vote of confidence in their alma mater's continued mission of preparing students for lives of greater purpose. Five decades after Bob discovered this land of opportunity on the West Coast, he and Jane were encouraged to return and find that its faith foundation, its commitment to students, and its stewardship of academic excellence remained strong, undeterred. 

“Both Jane and I were reassured that Pepperdine had not lost its bearings,” said Bob. “Times, curricula, and people have changed, but the institutional values that make Pepperdine special have remained consistent. It is a place that not only educates the mind; it also educates the heart. I know, because Pepperdine opened my heart to the possibilities that come from living for a greater purpose.”