Colleague Alumni Magazine | Graduate School of Education and Psychology | Pepperdine University

Pat and Shirley Boone Endow the Center for the Family with a $3 Million Dollar Gift

Generously Supporting Healthy Relationships

For over half a century, beloved entertainer Pat Boone has brought music, laughter, and joy to millions of fans around the world. His enormously successful career spans music, television, film, and print media, and he has delighted generations with his talent and signature brand of humor. Dedicated to his loving wife, Shirley and their four daughters, the legendary performer has balanced his public and family life with a strong commitment to faith and values. The Boone family embodies George Pepperdine’s spirit of giving back, and their endowment of the Pat and Shirley Boone Center for the Family at Pepperdine University will benefit the lives of American families for years to come.

As longtime friends of Pepperdine, Pat and Shirley Boone have made many outstanding contributions to the University community. Pat is chair of the Pepperdine University Board, and the couple are founding members of the advisory board of the Center for the Family. In recognition of their noble work, the Boones received Pepperdine’s 2006 Friends of the Family Award at its third annual Savvy Chic luncheon in Beverly Hills Wednesday, November 15, when the center was officially named in their honor.

In accepting the award with his wife at his side, Pat Boone said, “Except for our relationship with God himself, our family has been the most important relationship of our lives.” he added, “I don’t separate God and family because the family is God’s idea.” And of their gift naming Pepperdine’s Center for the Family, he noted, “We believe we are giving to God by giving to the family, which we believe he holds very, very dear.”

Pepperdine President Andrew K. Benton praised Pat and Shirley Boone, saying their gift would “strengthen the outstanding programs of the Center for the Family, and in turn, significantly impact the lives of couples and families across the nation.” President Benton noted that Pat and Shirley “exemplify the heart of the Center for the Family’s mission” and that their longtime devotion to Pepperdine “has made a very real difference in the lives of students.”

Founded in 1996 as a branch of the Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Center for the Family is a community outreach program that promotes healthy relationships and strong families. It provides resources to encourage and equip young adults, couples, parents, and families in their relationships. The center is headquartered in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology of Pepperdine University on the Drescher Graduate Campus in Malibu, California.

“These generous funds will create opportunities for the Pat and Shirley Boone Center for the Family at Pepperdine to conduct further research on relationships, expand its speakers bureau, become a nationally recognized entity, and have a greater influence on policy concerning family,” added Dr. Margaret J. Weber, Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

After 53 years of marriage, Pat and Shirley are a shining example of traditional American values and precious family bonds. Driven by a deep devotion to God and family, the Boones personify the love and ideals of a strong, healthy relationship. Their generous gift is sure to bring inspiration and promise to countless families and couples across the country. Pepperdine University is grateful to the Boones for their extraordinary support and leadership to all families.