From the Archives: In October 1996, Pepperdine Basketball Launched Midnight Madness
Pepperdine's annual tradition Midnight Madness, now called Blue and Orange Madness, began on October 14, 1996, when a raucous crowd of 3,000 filled Firestone Fieldhouse to celebrate the men's and women's basketball teams first season as NCAA Division 1 teams. The festivities officially began at 8 PM in the Firestone parking lot with a tailgate party that included free burgers from In-N-Out. Shortly after 10 PM—and immediately following the teams' first official practice of the year—the event moved inside for intrasquad scrimmages guest-coached by Home Alone actor and Malibu resident Daniel Stern and NBC 4 weathercaster Christopher Nance. Hundreds of students lined up, eager to be among the first 1,000 to receive a free T-shirt and witness the unveiling of the new mascot.
Pepperdine Libraries Invites Recently Tenured Faculty to Comment on Inspirational Books
Recently tenured faculty members were invited to select a book title that is personally or professionally significant to them. Pepperdine Libraries added these books to the collection and honored the faculty members' achievement with a decorative bookplate placed on the inside cover of their chosen book. The books are on display at Payson Library and are available for checkout.
Pepperdine Libraries Names James L. Gorman as Senior Fellow
Pepperdine Libraries is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James L. Gorman as senior fellow in the Libraries. In the role, Gorman will carry out projects in the Pepperdine Libraries Rushford Center for Research on the Churches of Christ, including developing pedagogical tools and delivering presentations that articulate the University’s historical and spiritual foundations in the Churches of Christ and make the history of the Churches of Christ more widely known.
From the Archives: Fifty Years Ago, President Ford Dedicated Firestone Fieldhouse
On September 20, 1975, President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford arrived at Pepperdine via Marine One, touching down on the soccer field. They were greeted by a crowd of 18,000—shattering an attendance record for campus events—at the new $2.5 million athletic complex, there to celebrate its completion. The complex was named Firestone Fieldhouse in honor of Leonard K. Firestone, a donor and member of Pepperdine’s Board of Trustees, the former president of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, and the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium.
New Rare Book and Manuscript Acquisitions Help Tell the Story of Christianity
Pepperdine Libraries is pleased to announce the addition of several important items to its teaching and research collection of rare books and materials available to faculty, students, and scholars this fall. The new acquisitions give students more opportunities to engage directly with unique primary sources, deepening their understanding of history, culture, and ideas in ways that go beyond textbooks. These hands-on experiences foster critical thinking, curiosity, and a stronger connection to the past.
Professor of Music Partners with Pepperdine Libraries to Offer Unique Learning Experience
During the spring 2025 semester, professor of music Lincoln Hanks partnered with Pepperdine Libraries’ Boone Special Collections and Archives to offer a unique learning experience for students enrolled in his Music Composition Seminar (MUS 103) course. Each week, students listened to a record—in its entirety—in the Special Collections Reading Room. Dr. Hanks conceived the course around the concepts of long-form listening, deep listening, and developing an appreciation for the art and intention behind an entire music album.
Pepperdine Libraries to Acquire Prestigious Research Collection from Bob Woodson and the Woodson Center
Pepperdine Libraries will be the exclusive home of more than four decades of work by Bob Woodson and the Woodson Center. Led by former civil rights activist Bob Woodson, the Woodson Center has worked for over four decades to empower indigenous leaders in troubled neighborhoods to address problems of their communities through innovative initiatives that increase public safety, spur upward mobility, and inspire racial unity in America.
Alicia Petersen Appointed Librarian for Special Collections
Pepperdine Libraries is pleased to announce the appointment of Alicia Petersen to the position of librarian for Special Collections. In her role, Petersen will collaborate with faculty members to lead engaging classes for their students using objects of enduring historical value from Pepperdine Libraries’ Boone Special Collections and Archives. She’ll also promote the use of the collections within the Pepperdine community and the broader research community and work with dean of Libraries Mark Roosa on growing the collections in accordance with Pepperdine’s research, teaching, and collecting priorities.
Pepperdine Libraries Establishes “Death in Cambodia, Life in America” Collection
On January 7, 1979, Vietnamese forces and Cambodian rebel forces overthrew Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge,the communist guerilla movement that came to power in Cambodia between 1975-1979. During its brutal regime, the Khmer Rouge established labor camps where millions of Cambodians were expected to produce rice at an unrealistic scale to support its mission of national independence and societal restructuring. Robert Chau was only sixteen when he and his family were separated and forced into some of these labor camps. His incredible story of surviving and escaping from the Khmer Rouge, immigrating to California, and becoming a successful entrepreneur in the donut industry has been lovingly recorded by his daughter, Dorothy Chow, in her podcast “Death in Cambodia, Life in America.”
Pepperdine Libraries Showcases Recently Acquired Rare Books
Pepperdine Libraries is pleased to host a new exhibition in the Boone Special Collections and Archives wing of Payson Library. Titled "Enriching Classroom Learning: Newly Acquired Rare Books," the exhibition showcases rare and unique books recently added to our collection. The new acquisitions span a range of subjects and authors, including a first-edition American stage play "Death of a Salesman," a two-volume set of Darwin’s "Descent of Man," a first-edition, first-printing of Charles Dickens’ final novel, a book on cerebral anatomy, essays on demoniacs in the New Testament, and much more.