Do they fit in the Christian mission?
Nearly every year, when Marv Dunphy, head coach of the men’s volleyball team, asks his PE 410 class for ideas to promote athletics, Convocation credit for attending games comes up. “I always tell them, ‘That’s what makes us unique,’” said Dunphy. “I hope that’s something that never changes.” It is in this unique setting of Pepperdine’s campus that the Christian mission of the school merges with the collegiate athletic program. As a school that is committed to Christianity with an affiliation to the Church of Christ, the university seeks to act out the faith it proclaims through religious studies, a campus church, the newly established Center for Faith and Learning and other campus events such as Convocation. In this same setting, Pepperdine offers a competitive varsity athletic program, which has committed to compete at the highest collegiate level, Division I-A. “What one understands to be Christian mission extends throughout every dimension of the university; in the curriculum as wel
