The Legacy Fund

Create Pepperdine Opportunities that Stand the Test of Time

Endowed scholarships are the lifeblood of a major university. Not only do they provide opportunities for promising students who might never be able to attend college otherwise, they are designed to sustain these opportunities for many years to come. Right now, thousands of students across the country are benefitting from endowments set up decades or even centuries ago.

Of course, creating such an enduring scholarship fund requires a substantial investment. Previously, the minimum amount needed to endow a scholarship at Pepperdine was $100,000. Through the Legacy Fund, however, we are making the endowment process available to donors with $10,000 or more—opening doors of opportunity for motivated Pepperdine supporters just as they do for our students. In the process, these donors have the power to build enduring legacies at Pepperdine for themselves or their loved ones.

How Does It Work?

Though the minimum size for a scholarship endowment is $10,000, donors can also make a pledge for that amount and pay it off in increments for up to five years. Some Pepperdine employees have even set up automatic payments deducted from their paychecks each month; a $10,000 endowment paid monthly over five years results in a monthly payment of only $166.67—meaning that for less than what they pay for sandwiches on their daily lunch breaks, they are creating scholarship opportunities that will still be changing students' lives many generations into the future.

This process is restricted to scholarship funding, and as with larger endowments, Legacy Fund pledges may not be paid from donor-advised funds, private foundations, or planned gifts due to IRS regulations. However, donors can still designate their scholarship endowments to benefit specific schools at Pepperdine. Each scholarship will pay out starting in the academic term after the gift is made.

Why Focus on Smaller Endowments?

Large or small, every endowment is a worthwhile investment in both our students and the long-term financial stability of the University.

Enabling smaller endowments will expand our donor base, giving young alumni and others the chance to make a meaningful impact at Pepperdine even before they reach the peaks of their careers.

By supporting need-based scholarships, the Legacy Fund increases our ability to attract the best students regardless of background or financial situation. Smaller endowments enable us to keep things simple—all a donor needs to do is fill out and sign the endowed scholarship agreement.

Leave Your Legacy Today

For more information on how you can create an endowed scholarship of your own, contact Karen Essa, Stewardship Manager, Donor Engagement, at 310.506.4290 or karen.essa@pepperdine.edu.