Pepperdine University Honors the Past and Looks to the Future During Founder's Day 2025
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Pepperdine University celebrated Founder’s Day—an annual event that honors George Pepperdine, the University’s founder, and commemorates the start of a new academic year. Students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of Pepperdine attended this year’s event, which featured contributions from Board of Regents chair Dee Anna Smith (’86), president Jim Gash (JD ’93), provost Jay Brewster, the Pepperdine Concert Choir and Orchestra, and a multitude of current undergraduate and graduate students
Seaver College professors entering the ceremony
“Part of the reason we’re here right now is to reflect on and honor Pepperdine’s past, and that’s important, but you students here with us today are Pepperdine’s future,” said Smith in her opening remarks. “Though much has obviously changed since I was here as a student, and certainly there have been some huge changes since George Pepperdine welcomed his first class of students 88 years ago, the values that he built his University upon have not—values such as living with purpose, acting with a heart for service, and leading with compassion.”
Throughout Founder’s Day 2025, the Pepperdine community paid homage to its historical roots while defining the University’s express purpose for the future. President Gash emphasized this theme by centering his comments around a quote from George Pepperdine’s dedicatory address, where the founder stated: “What we say here today in the dedication of these buildings is of very little importance, but the work which will be done through the days and years and generations to come will be of very great importance if that work is guided by the Hand of God.”
Building upon these remarks, Gash connected them and their Christ-centered message to this year’s presidential theme of “Purpose.” Specifically, Gash explained to attendees that Pepperdine exists “to educate students for greater purpose. To help [them] find [their] God-given calling, and to equip [them] to fulfill it.” In order to achieve this lofty goal, Gash discussed how the University has intentionally tied faith and academic excellence together, pursuing them both simultaneously. That way, throughout one’s academic journey, truth can come to light, calling can be revealed, and God can be glorified.
Founder's Day 2025 celebrated Pepperdine's international students
“Consider your own calling—how God has made you uniquely to contribute to the world. Consider how you might follow that calling—boldly and full of faith,” said Gash during his speech. “The world needs your unique gifts, your purpose-driven leadership, and your heart for service. The world needs Pepperdine.”
Following Gash’s statement, student representatives from the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Graziadio Business School, the Caruso School of Law, the School of Public Policy, and the College of Health Science at Pepperdine performed a reading of George Pepperdine’s original dedicatory address.
The ceremony also honored distinguished guests hosted by the University, including the Board of Regents, the University Board, and distinguished faculty emeriti. From there the academic year was officially launched by a procession of faculty from each of Pepperdine’s six schools. Joining these ceremonial marches were alumni from each decade of the University’s history from the 1930s to 2020s, as well as international student representatives from the 20 different nations with students currently enrolled at the institution.
Alumni were welcomed back to campus and recognized at Founder's Day
Attending members of George Pepperdine’s family were recognized during the proceedings, including his granddaughter, Mariellen Pepperdine Ostwald ('00, MA '01), and great-granddaughter, Abby Ostwald, a current senior at Seaver College; granddaughter, Nancy Pepperdine Batanides ('92, MA '93), and her husband, Jason; and great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Pepperdine Post, along with her husband, Adam, and their son, Dylan.
The Pepperdine Concert Choir and Orchestra particpated in the festivities as well. Directed by Edward Rouse and Beau Benson, the two student musical groups collaborated to perform “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing," along with a rendition of Pepperdine's alma mater, which featured solos from Seaver College students Skyla Woodard and Nathan Roberts.
The event closed with comments from Brewster, who challenged students to continue investing in the quest for new knowledge and to keep exploring God’s creation.
“At Pepperdine, we aspire to equip you to engage in this exciting adventure of exploring what is known, and what is unknown,” said Brewster. “If it is true that ‘All truth is God’s truth’ then we should have no fear of the answers we find on the path of discovery. These gathered faculty are experienced and accomplished guides, who are here to walk with you on this path. May you use the intellect you have been given to seek deeper truth, to serve this world, and to engage in purposeful work.”