Mission and History

Mission Statement

The mission of Pepperdine Legacy Partners is to financially and spiritually support students from Churches of Christ, equip them for faithful service, and encourage meaningful engagement in church throughout their lives.

Vision Statement

Pepperdine Legacy Partners is the leading scholarship fundraising organization for Church of Christ students at Pepperdine University, enabling them to enhance spiritual life on campus, to strengthen connection to Churches of Christ, and to go out and serve.

Our History

Pepperdine Legacy Partners, formerly Associated Women for Pepperdine, celebrates over sixty years of service to the Christian young people at Pepperdine University. In total, PLP has raised more than $4 million, as well as countless thousands of hours of dedicated service. But the story of PLP cannot be told in numbers; rather, it is the story of friendship and fellowship that has blessed the lives of all of us who have prayed, planned, and worked together.

"In the spring of 1958 my mother, Irene Young Mattox, and my husband Norvel encouraged me to begin a woman's organization to support Pepperdine College. Mother had been involved in the beginning of "Stepping Stones," a support group for Oklahoma Christian College, the second such organization among colleges related to Churches of Christ.

I called Gloria Sanders, Helen Pepperdine, Thelma Allen, Margaret Davidson, Elizabeth Randolph, and Bettye Shipp. We seven formed a steering committee to make plans for what would become the Associated Women for Pepperdine. We spent many hours talking, planning, and praying, and the organizational meeting was set for June 5, 1958.

More than 300 interested Christian women attended a brunch held in the beautiful garden of the president's home on the Los Angeles campus. Many of our present members were there and felt the excitement of this new concept in educational support. The enthusiasm was electric. That day more than 140 women became charter members, including 20 life members.

I read a letter recently from one of those charter members indicating the spirit of dedication and sacrifice that was felt. "When I heard you introduce the idea of 'Women for Pepperdine,' I purposed that with God's help I would begin selling greeting cards to earn enough to be a life member. I went door to door and successfully earned that $100 for my life membership."

In the 60+ years since that first meeting, thousands of women and men—great officers and just as great members—have worked with willing hands and loving hearts to enable thousands of students to receive scholarship aid to attend Pepperdine University. And the future is as bright as the promises of God."

Helen M. Young
Founding President