By Jordan Morris
Assistant News Editor
“From the earliest of times, men have spoken of the darkness of ignorance and the light of knowledge; the darkness of the unknown and the light of discovery; the darkness of aimlessness and the light of values.”
Former Pepperdine President Dr. David Davenport spoke these words in his inaugural address, entitled “Lighting the Way” on Oct. 21, 1985.
Although not yet 35 years old, Davenport began a 15-year presidency that elevated the importance of reflection, discovery and Christian values and contributed to the university’s escalation into national recognition.
In August, 18 years later, he will return to the university as a distinguished professor of public policy and law, teaching at the Pepperdine institution that adorns his name, the Davenport Institute of Public Policy.
Davenport has served as a guest lecturer at the institute this semester.
Dr. James Wilburn, dean of the institute, looked forward to the former president’s arrival as a full-time professor.
“He has a reputation as being an outstanding classroom teacher,” he said. “(Davenport’s return) will greatly strengthen the direction we’ve chosen for the school.”
University President Dr. Andrew K. Benton, a former colleague and close friend of Davenport, agreed.
“David’s return to Pepperdine is a natural outflow of long-standing and valued relationships, and he will make a significant contribution to our professional schools of public policy and law,” he said in a news release.
Despite the high anticipation of his arrival, Davenport said his decision to return was initially a difficult one, because he has greatly enjoyed his recent re-search work at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
But when Pepperdine invited him to serve on the faculty while also maintaining a joint appointment with Hoover, he said “it seemed like the best of both worlds.”
“I return to my first love – teaching at Pepperdine – while continuing my current love, research and writing,” Davenport said. “And the family gets to come home to the Pepperdine community.”
He added that his family is equally excited to come back to Malibu.
“We look forward to … living on campus, worshiping with the university church and being active in campus life, especially with the schools of public policy and law,” he said.
Davenport will teach core courses at the School of Public Policy entitled “Ethics and the Great Books,” and a course on torts at the School of Law. He will also lead an advanced seminar in his current area of research of writing called “The New Diplomacy,” available to both public policy and law students.
“In a sense, it is like coming full circle, since I began my Pepperdine career on the law faculty some 23 years ago,” he said. “I especially welcome the opportunity to teach again, which I have not done since leaving Pepperdine.”
Wilburn expressed long-term plans for the former university president, who will help to “light the way” into the 21st century.
“We hope that this will continue for some years,” he said. “We plan on (Davenport) being here for a while.”
March 20, 2003