Associated Women for Pepperdine.

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.

From the guide to the Associated Women for Pepperdine records, 1958-2007, (Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.)