Pepperdine University - Promenade Yearbook (Malibu, CA)

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From top down. The Waves are first with Dr. Howard White. After a busy meeting | schedule. White relaxes In the Brock House ■§ Jacuzzi. Loyal to all sports, he spends an afternoon at a water polo match. I Dr. White 9

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LEAD At the door of the Brock House, l)r. Howard White stands proud. Perhaps the Waves' most loyal fan. Dr. Howard White regularly attends school basketball and water polo games. White, president ol Pepperdine University, also frequents as many of the other sports as his schedule ill allow. While he was executive vice president of the university, he was honored with an award for not having missed a home basketball game in IS years. Tve always enjoyed sports, and I've always felt that they added a great deal to the life of a school. he said. They do (add) to the life of any culture, if you stop to think about it: every culture known to man has had its own sports. White's die-hard support for athletes strengthens the respectful kinship students feel with him. They look at this administrator from a different perspective. To them, he is not the stuffy, stereotypical school official. Pepperdine students have described him as a very personable man, “always smiling.” and as one who really seems to care for the students, even though, as one student noted, I’ve never met the man personally. I do not ever try to pretend that I’m one of them. White says of the students. I don’t try to learn the latest slang or try to pretend that I'm 20 years old. Yet. he seems to have the energy of a student where his job as president is concerned. He works in the office six full days and even devotes some time on Sundays to university business. White has served the university as a history professor, dean of both graduate and undergraduate studies, founding director of the Heidelberg Year-In-Europe program, executive vice president and finally as president since 1978. A majority of White’s travels to other countries have been for the purpose of gaining recognition and interest for Pepperdine. He attends formal dinners and social events to represent the university and gain more support for the school. To White, Pepperdine is his life, and the work is pleasurable. I’ve enjoyed the social aspects of the job. he admits. I don’t think of myself as a shy. retiring person. I don’t think I’m so outgoing that I’m not happy unless I'm in a big group of people. I like some quiet time, but I also like very much to be with people.” Raised in a strong Christian family in Alabama, White initially set out to be a minister. Consequently, religion is an important aspect of his busy life. It is the driving force behind this dedicated man and a spiritual encouragement as well. I consider it (religion) as the foundation of our lives, and I don’t mean that in any self-righteous way,” he said. That is. to me, what explains the world and gives life meaning, purpose. This faith in God and a lake-one-day-at-a-time attitude are roots of White’s successes. I just believe that if a person works hard and conscientiously in any position, there will be other opportunities that will open up. he said. That has been my philosophy, and it has worked that way. White retired this spring and passed his position as president over to Dr. David Davenport. He now resides in one of the administrative duplexes overlooking Pepperdine and serves as president emeritus and as a life member on the Board of Regents. White will continue to be an involved part of the university, which has been his life. Although he will be serving the school in a different perspective, he will be just as close to the school's activities, athletics and people. —Iris Yokoi N Dr.

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To GROW Besides being a $100 million fundraising campaign for the different facets of the university, the Wave of Excellence is also a public relations campaign for Peppcrdine. “The more Pepperdine University becomes a prestigious institution of learning, the more your diploma as a graduate is worth, Richard Ellison, assistant vice president of University Affairs, said. Students who are now enrolled in the undergraduate program will benefit from Pepperdine's increase in prominence upon their graduation. As far as long-term goals, the university plans to use funds from the six-year campaign to enlarge facilities and benefits. Fifty million dollars of the goal is planned for enhancements such as faculty salary increases, which hopefully will increase the caliber of professors. This half of the funds will also be used for loans, scholarships and the libraries of Seaver College, the graduate schools and the law school. The remaining $50 million will be used for building construction. Included in the list for the Malibu campus is a Communication Building, a Fine Arts Building and a second phase of the Law School. Construction on the Charles B. Thorton Administrative Center began this year. The campaign brings together the university as an entity, Ellison said. It acts as a unifying force for all campuses of Pepperdine University, working toward excellence in education. The campaign was announced at the annual Pepperdine Associates Dinner in May, 1984. At that event a special film, in which students, faculty and alumni talked about the campaign’s goals, was shown. The height of the campaign, to stretch from 1984-90, will be In 1987 at the university's 50th anniversary. It will be a gala birthday celebration in which everyone can participate. Ellison said. Efforts to include alumni in the celebration are of utmost importance, according to Ellison. There are an estimated 28,000 alumni of Pepperdine University, and the goal is to increase alumni donors and gifts to the university through the Alumni Relations Office and its director, Doug Plank. At the end, it all seems to come back to the students at Seaver. The students and graduates arc spokesmen of the university, Ellison said. “They act as our salesmen to the community and our ambassadors to the public.” So, besides increasing funds and benefits, the Wave of Excellence campaign hopes most of all to increase the name and prestige of Pepperdine University. “We are still not with the ‘big boys’ yet or on the same level as USC, Ellison said, but this campaign should knock us into the ballpark.” —Karen Brown The Charles B. Thornton Administrative Center will satisfy one of the most compelling needs for the physical management of Pepperdine. It will be the first building completed in the Wave of Excellence campaign. 10 Wave of Excellence