KAREE MAXSON
Staff Writer
From a small town to a different small town, Valerie Terry has been drawn to Malibu, like so many new faculty members, to shape some of the brightest young minds in the country. However, the path that she’s taken and the adventures she’s encountered along the way to Pepperdine are nothing short of extraordinary.
Valerie Terry grew up in a charming household in a small southern town Lyford, Tex. In this rural farming community, Terry spent her days sitting on her wooden front porch swing with her favorite cat as she dove into some of her favorite mystery novels, which at the time were none other than the adventures of Nancy Drew.
As the daughter of a traveling cattle broker and stay-at-home mom, Terry was raised in a pleasantly warm atmosphere along with three of her older siblings. Her mother provided an enormous amount of unconditional love and support, while her father provided a steady means for the family’s security.
After graduating from high school, Terry attended the University of Texas and became a member of the Longhorn family. After acquiring a bachelor’s degree in advertising and a master’s degree in public affairs, Taylor made her way to West Lafayette, Ind., to obtain her Ph.D. in public affairs and issues management from Purdue University.
After all of this fine education, Terry decided to learn the lessons the world has to offer by traveling across the globe. She endured the rigorous and selective process of becoming a Fulbright Scholar in 2001-2002, where she traveled to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. She spent 10 months abroad in the immediate wake of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
Terry recalls her time overseas as one of the biggest adventures of her lifetime.
“My most memorable experiences involve the incredibly generous people I met, and the remarkable architecture,” Terry said.
While immersed in the culture, Terry learned to speak the Russian. She also discovered her love to travel and embrace different cultures.
Besides traveling around the world, Terry also enjoys diving into a nice murder mystery novel, a little more advanced than the Nancy Drew adventures she read as a child. She also enjoys classic Alfred Hitchcock movies such as North By Northwest.
“I think it’s an interesting character study to see how people react under stressful situations,” she said.
Every now and then she likes to sit down and watch shows like “Project Runway” and “Top Chef.”
Said Terry: “I’m always amazed at how they are given these difficult tasks with strange objects and I like to be able to see what they come up with.”
Today Terry is serving as assistant professor of Public Relations. Pepperdine is Terry’s first experience teaching in a Christian environment. For this reason, along with many others, she felt drawn to Malibu.
“I also like that it is small,” said Terry. “ I can get to know my students better than when the classes are large.”
Terry has enormous enthusiasm for her students. As she speaks of them her eyes light up and her face forms a very warm, genuine smile. She views them as adventurous, incredibly creative and courageous.
“They don’t back down from challenges nor do they seem to find very many challenges too daunting,” she said.
Her respect for them is obvious, saying, “I’ve always had good students who make me a good teacher.”
A life lesson that Terry wishes to pass down to her students is the importance to be involved in the journey. She said personally, at a young age, she spent so much time and effort into setting goals and accomplishment. Life has since taught her to slow down, enjoy the path she’s on and leave the rest to God.
“Sometimes get so anxious to get to the end,” said Terry. “This particular day is so important, and I’ll never get to do it again.”
Terry also possesses a quality prevalent among Pepperdine professors: a passion and consideration for her students well being.
Said Terry, “It’s important to me that they have a productive learning experience in my class and feel safe there.”
“If my students come out of my class and say, ‘Gosh I learned something today and I had a little fun along the way,’ then I’ve done my job.”
Terry is a sushi loving, “Project Runway” watching professor who packed her possessions and expectations to bring with her on her long journey to Malibu. But she didn’t realize that her life experiences and excitement would serve as gifts to the Pepperdine community. This passionate professor is sure to make an impact on the lives of Pepperdine students.
“I hope I never stop trying to be better (and) to be more patient, understanding and empathetic.”
12-06-2007
