SEAN CARROLL
staff writer
After four successful years, Pepperdine’s annual Comm Connection has been cancelled due to a loss of funds from the Lilly Endowment Grant.
Beginning in 2004, Comm Connection began hosting a number of speakers in the field of communication to explore with students the link between vocation and the media. The event’s mission has been to help students make connections in their respective fields and prepare for their future careers.
“Comm Connection was a showcase of what our division is about,” Communication professor John Jones said. “It was a good way of publicizing our majors and drawing people to the Communication division.”
Lilly Endowment Inc. was created in 1937 through the efforts of the Lilly family and the generous donations from its successful pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. This Indianapolis-based group primarily funds Indiana universities, but also distributes a total of 81 grants to religiously affiliated schools to implement programs involving one’s calling and purpose in life.
“The Lilly Endowment required these universities to establish or strengthen programs that engage students in exploring the connections between faith and vocational career choices, provide opportunities for students to consider a calling to congregational ministry, and enhance the capability of faculty and staff to understand their own vocations and to lead students to this discovery,” said Todd Bouldin, Director of Pepperdine Voyage.
After being awarded the five-year grant, Pepperdine received $2,000,000, which the university matched, making it an overall endowment worth a combined $4,000,000. With these new funds, the university and Lilly Endowment Committee have enacted multiple university-wide programs to increase a student’s understanding of vocation.
According to Executive Assistant of Pepperdine Voyage Stephanie Cupp, students and faculty can apply to get portions of the grant to fund different programs. Based on applications, the Pepperdine Voyage program decides where the money is allocated.
In 2006, following the completion of this original five-year grant, the university was awarded a sustaining grant worth $500,000 (that the university again had to match) to incorporate and continue programs that began with the first Lilly Endowment.
With the new grant being significantly lower than the previous, certain programs, Comm Connection included, lost funding. Though the endowment still funds a majority of the same programs, the Lilly Endowment Committee decided to reduce funding in other programs such as the SLA/SLC program and student spiritual retreats.
“We would love to continue funding these programs,” Cupp said, “and we are always searching for donors to make up for the money that we have to take away from certain programs.”
The grant is obligated to fund the programs that closely follow the endowment’s mission to link students’ vocation to their career goals.
“One of the overall goals at the Seaver level is to have something in place for all four years that you’re here so that you’re exposed to the idea of vocation several times during your Pepperdine career,” Bouldin said.
With The Pepperdine Voyage staff still searching for donors to make up for the reduction of funds, communication students can hope that next year’s Comm Connection will be attainable by the division.
Photo Editor Josh Wymyczak contributed to this article.
02-14-2008
