Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Preferred Citation
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Historical note
Scope and Content
Processing Information note
Arrangement
Contributing Institution:
Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.
Title: Associated Women for Pepperdine Records
Identifier/Call Number: 0045
Physical Description:
37.04 Linear Feet
(35 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1958-2011
Abstract: The Associated Women for Pepperdine (AWP) was started in 1958 by Helen Young and a group of women united in their belief of
the importance of Christian education. AWP members conduct fundraising events such as dinners, auctions, and bake sales each
year in order to provide students with scholarships to attend Pepperdine University. The group has grown to include thousands
of members and has contributed over $4 million to the University. The collection spans from 1958 to 2011 and includes administrative
files, scrapbooks, and photo albums.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder# or item name], Associated Women for Pepperdine Records, Collection no. 0045, Special Collections and University
Archives, University Libraries, Pepperdine University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The records have been transferred to Special Collections and University Archives by AWP officers in several installments over
a number of years.
Historical note
In the spring of 1958, Helen Young gathered together a group of women including Gloria Sanders, Helen Pepperdine, Thelma Allen,
Margaret Davidson, Elizabeth Randolph, and Betty Shipp to form a steering committee that would lay the foundation for a women's
group at Pepperdine College. Helen had been encouraged to do so by her mother, Irene Young Mattox, and her husband, M. Norvel
Young, then president of Pepperdine. That spring, the steering committee spent many hours planning for what would become the
Associated Women for Pepperdine (AWP).
The first AWP meeting was held on June 8, 1958. That day, more than 300 Christian women from churches all over Southern California
met for brunch in the garden of the president's home on the George Pepperdine College campus in South Central Los Angeles.
At the meeting, a nominating committee comprised of Laura Lee, Thelma Allen, Marilyn Shaner, Harriet Cope, and Gloria Sanders
were selected. At the second meeting, which was held on August 1, 1958, at the president's home, the officers were elected.
They included Helen Young as President, Elizabeth Randolph as 1st Vice President and Program Chairman, Evelyn Clark as 2nd
Vice President and Ways and Means Chair, June Nichols as 3rd Vice President and Membership Chair, Lena Lochridge as 4th Vice
President and Hospitality Chair, Betty Ross as Recording Secretary, Jane Jones as Corresponding Secretary, and Lynn Bruce
as Treasurer. By the end of the first year, there were 750 members and 18 districts across Southern California. Within three
years the membership numbered more than 2,000 women with 32 districts across the state.
Since then, AWP has flourished. In 1999, AWP celebrated the $1 million milestone in raising funds for its endowment that began
in 1977. That year, the Association decided to apply all future monies raised directly towards providing scholarships for
active Church of Christ students and fostering the Christian spirit on campus, rather than towards funding special campus
projects and furnishings as before.
In 1975, the organization's founder and former president, Helen Young, said the following about the success of the association,
There are three reasons why so many have dedicated so much of themselves to this good cause. First, AWP women love God and
they want to encourage others to seek first His kingdom and righteousness. Secondly, AWP women love young people and want
them to have the best training possible that they may be of service to God and man. Thirdly, AWP women love each other and
have found great warmth and meaning in fellowship together.
AWP has striven to cooperate with Pepperdine in supporting the basic aims and ideals of Christian education. They have also
worked to strengthen Pepperdine by investing in its work and improvement of its facilities, assisting in recruiting top-ranked
students who will best thrive in Pepperdine's atmosphere of service, and fostering friendships among women interested in the
development of spiritual values in education. As of 2012, AWP has given more than $4 million and has dedicated thousands of
hours of service towards strengthening Christian education.
In September 2018, the Associated Women for Pepperdine announced that they were officially changing their name to Pepperdine
Legacy Partners, a "new designation that reflects the ongoing collective efforts of both women and men partnering together
to continue George Pepperdine's legacy of equipping students to live purposeful Christian lives as servant-minded leaders
throughout the world"
Scope and Content
The records of the Associated Women for Pepperdine span from the organization's beginning in June 1958 to 2011. The collection
consists of the official records of the association as well as other documents pertaining to its activities, including founding
documents, meeting minutes, handbooks, correspondence, financial records, membership files, the organization's by-laws, documents
regarding fundraising and commemorative events hosted by AWP, publicity about the association, information regarding members
and scholarship recipients, documents from AWP's various districts, and other items including memorabilia, photo albums, and
scrapbooks, which extensively document the association's history.
Processing Information note
The collection was arranged and described by Katie Richardson, Catie Golitzin, and Jenna Fry in April, 2012. The finding aid
was updated by Katie Richardson and Lindsey Gant in February, 2014.
Arrangement
The collection is organized in the following series: 1. Administrative Files; 2. Programs, Publicity, and Outreach; 3. Other
Districts; 4. Scrapbooks and Photo Albums; and 5. Memorabilia and Miscellaneous Items.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Women -- California -- History
Women -- Education -- California
Photographs
Women -- Societies and clubs
Photograph albums
Clippings
Fund raising
Newsletters
Financial records
Christian education
Memorabilia
Receipts (financial records)
Agendas (administrative records)
Bylaws (administrative records)
Lectures and lecturing -- California, Southern
Administrative records
Scholarships -- California
Scrapbooks
Minutes
Correspondence
Brochures
Churches of Christ -- History -- 20th century
Christian universities and colleges -- United States -- History
Universities and colleges -- History
Universities and colleges -- United States -- Records and correspondence
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History
Malibu (Calif.) -- History