Faculty Development Component

The leaders of the Pepperdine Voyage intended for this project to be student centered at every turn.  At the same time, if the "theological exploration of vocation" is to become a central dimension of university culture, then it must equip faculty to work with this theme in meaningful and creative ways.

The faculty development component of this proposal consisted mainly of seminars on "Faith, Learning, and Vocation," offered for faculty, staff, and administration by the Pepperdine Center for Faith and Learning.

Funding for New "Faith, Learning and Vocation" Courses

The Voyage grant invited Pepperdine faculty members from all five of its schools to apply for funds that would help them develop new courses that address faith and vocation within their discipline. There were already several courses throughout the university which fit into the category of the "theological exploration of vocation" and several more were created with the help of this funding. View Past Events for more on the courses developed by Pepperdine faculty.

Project Offers "Faith, Learning and Vocation" Seminars for Faculty, Staff and Administration

For several years, the Center for Faith and Learning offered "faith and learning" seminars that focus on the theme of vocation in two specific ways: (a) the vocation of the Christian university and (b) the vocation of the Christian scholar/teacher.

These seminars expanded their scope in order to highlight a third dimension—a consideration of how we can best communicate a theological vision of vocation to students. To achieve this objective,  books like Parker Palmer's Let Your Life Speak, Richard Hughes' The Vocation of a Christian Scholar, Frederick Buechner's The Sacred Journey, Lee Hardy's The Fabric of This World, Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie, Gary D. Badcock's The Way of Life, and Gordon T. Smith's Courage and Calling: Embracing Your God-Given Potential were utilized. With this third dimension, future seminars were advertised as seminars in "Faith, Learning, and Vocation."

Since the goal was to make the "theological exploration of vocation" a central dimension of Pepperdine University culture, these seminars were opened not only to interested faculty, but also to interested staff members and administrators from all the schools that make up the University. While some of the seminars, therefore, were held on the Malibu campus, others are held at Pepperdine's other campuses and educational centers.

Center for Faith and Learning Offers Seminar/Retreat for New Faculty

The Planning Grant Committee determined (a) that seminars for new full-time, tenure-track faculty should include all new faculty in all of Pepperdine's schools, (b) that a seminar format should be adopted that would allow for at least one full week of intensive discussion based on substantial readings, and (c) that the seminars should be held at a location where participants are free from local distractions.

New Faculty retreat group in Assisi
December 2004

The new faculty seminars therefore began, held at one of Pepperdine's International Programs sites during the summer term break. Members of Pepperdine's faculty, dispersed throughout Southern California, served in six different educational centers. This week of intensive study, conversation, and fellowship abroad contributed to institutional cohesiveness and a shared institutional vision. In addition, this experience acquainted all new faculty with Pepperdine's international programs. Pepperdine University through the Center for Faith and Learning now provides full funding for this program.