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

Letter from the Dean, Summer 2008

At the Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) we exist to foster and support future professionals to make a difference in the communities in which they will serve. Our academic programs, faculty-mentors, and educational opportunities are the building blocks for growth and transformation. As an Inspiration for Change, GSEP is often the incubator for improvement, advancement, and leadership. As I think about these types of positive changes, I am struck by how many of our students, alumni, and faculty are at the forefront of innovative change.

Innovation often begins with a passion for a certain subject or outcome. This passion is often what leads one to GSEP. Our values system, methodology, and mission are at the heart of what binds us together. At the core of innovation is the intention to solve a problem or issue. Be it research on learning disorders, promoting cultural representation in the professional field, substance recovery, or therapy, GSEP’s members are at the forefront of creating new ways of meeting the needs of others.

I hope you are as inspired as I am by reading of the innovations created by our faculty, students, and alumni. It is motivating to see the positive change that happens when one’s passion leads to a new way of meeting another’s needs.

Margaret J. Weber, Ph.D.
Dean