California-Based Christian University Launches $1 Billion Fundraising Campaign
Pepperdine University, a non-profit Christian university, is launching a $1 billion fundraising campaign.
A university spokesperson said the money raised will go toward strengthening academic programs, supporting faculty excellence, advancing scientific research and ethical AI innovation.
The university, based in Malibu, California, is associated with the Churches of Christ and enrolls more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
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A portion of the money raised will go to support the school’s Great Books program, which was launched at the university in 1986 and offers students an “integrated series of four courses” that engage with classical works by Plato, Dante, Jane Austen, Sigmund Freud and more.
The Great Books program aims to introduce students to “a slow, sustained engagement with the deepest questions of human life,” according to the university website.
Some of the funds will also be earmarked for scientific research and ethical AI innovation. Pepperdine is recognized as an R2 Institution, indicating a “high level” of research activity, but falling short of R1 institutions like Sandford or MIT, which extend “beyond teaching to conducting groundbreaking research,” according to SageScholars.
Recent original peer-reviewed studies published by Pepperdine researchers include an examination of how educators respond to changing student demographics, a study published in the Journal of Advertising exploring consumer response to joint advertising, and, in line with the university’s new focus on AI, a study on AI and equitable teacher preparation.
Photo courtesy of Pepperdine University
While the university is looking to the future of technology, its leaders say it remains grounded in its long history of Christian education.
“We are proud of Pepperdine’s legacy and trajectory,” said Jay Brewster, provost of Pepperdine University. “We have navigated 89 years of institutional and societal change without losing sight of our deep commitment to mission.”
According to the university’s website, the fundraising campaign — called “For Greater Purpose” — will also support endowed chairs and professorships, as well as spaces for “experiential learning,” like The Mountain and Mullin Park, which will be home to fitness facilities and an estimated 3,600-seat sports area. Some funds are also expected to support the school’s international campuses, including the historic “Château d’Hauteville,” located on 90 acres in Switzerland, featuring views of Lake Geneva and the Alps.
Donors can give to a variety of funds within the larger campaign, including programs for first-generation college students, the Pepperdine Worship summit, and scholarships for athletes, veterans and more.
Tuition for undergraduates at Pepperdine’s liberal arts college for the upcoming school year will be $74,370, with other direct costs, such as housing and food, that figure rises to $96,762 per year. More than 85% of Pepperdine students receive some sort of financial aid.
Photo courtesy of Pepperdine University
“What is your greater purpose? At Pepperdine, we believe every person is made in the image of God and that every person is created for greater purpose. And that’s worth investing in,” said Dee Anna Smith, Board of Regents member and campaign chair.
The university has an endowment valued at $1.3 billion, according to a university spokesperson. And according to the university’s nonprofit tax filings, in 2023 it brought in $31 million in contributions, gifts and grants, including about $5 million in government money.
That year, among the highest-paid employees were university President James Gash, who earned $793,000 in compensation, while the men’s head basketball coach Lorenzo Romar, who earned $801,000. Romar has since taken a job at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
The university currently has 24,658 active donors, according to a spokesperson.
Cassidy Grom is the managing editor of Religion Unplugged. Her award-winning reporting and digital design work have appeared in numerous publications.