The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / News / Pepperdine introduces LGBT scholarship

Pepperdine introduces LGBT scholarship

February 22, 2013 by Mark Smith

A university affiliated with the Churches of Christ has introduced a scholarship for which the recipient needs to demonstrate commitment to the betterment of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community.

Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., announced last week that it will begin accepting applications for the “Frank James ‘Buddy’ Vinci and George B. Ellsworth Scholarship,” a new need-based scholarship awarded to candidates who emphasize service, volunteerism or extra curricular activities dedicated to improving the mental and physical health of the LGBT community.

The donors, Vinci and Ellsworth, wanted to support Pepperdine students who have actively demonstrated sensitivity to pressures LGBT people face, said Jerry Derloshon, Pepperdine’s senior director of Public Affairs.

“The scholarship is consistent with Pepperdine’s longstanding commitment to provide a welcoming and safe environment for students regarding sexual orientation,” Derloshon said. “Whatever their orientation, no matter their religious views or traditions, or ethnic backgrounds, Pepperdine ahs been committed to values of kindness, compassion and respect for all. As an institution of higher learning, Pepperdine respects the right of individual members of our community to hold different viewpoints and affirms that those with differing views should be treated with dignity and respect.”

Derloshson said the university is still holding to its Christian values, affiliation to the Church of Christ and stance on sexual relationships in its Student Handbook.

“Pepperdine affirms that sexual relationships are designed by God to be expressed solely within a marriage between husband and wife,” he said. “As an institution, Pepperdine’s policies respect and promote this viewpoint. The Vinci and Elleworthe Scholarship signals only a continuation of the commitment to fostering a healthy environment for all of our students.”

Ed Kerestly, ACU’s director of Student Financial Services, said ACU does not have a similar scholarship and he is “not aware of anything in the works to do so.”

Sexual immorality, including pre-marital heterosexual and homosexual activity, is a Category Two violation of the ACU Student Handbook.

As recently as December of 2011, Pepperdine refused to recognize a gay-straight alliance group, “Reach OUT,” as an official student organization, according to the Pepperdine Graphic, the university’s newspaper. Mark Davis, Pepperdine’s dean of students, said the GSA would conflict with the school’s religious stance on sexual morality and did not “believe it is possible for a LGBT student organization to maintain a neutral position.”

It was the fourth time the university rejected an application from a GSA.

However, in the university’s School of Public Policy’s career services page, students can search through links to career opportunities, including nonprofits like the Gay Men’s Health Crisis and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: LGBTQ

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

About Mark Smith

You are here: Home / News / Pepperdine introduces LGBT scholarship

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
optimistsports Optimist Sports @optimistsports ·
26 Jun

The United Athletic Conference is officially taking the place of the Western Athletic Conference in the 2026-2027 athletic year. The UAC is a joint football effort between the WAC and the ASUN but will now extend to all sports. #acuoptimist #acuathletics #wac #uac

Reply on Twitter 1938240320854008109 Retweet on Twitter 1938240320854008109 2 Like on Twitter 1938240320854008109 7 Twitter 1938240320854008109
Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
ashleyh1607 Ashley Henderson @ashleyh1607 ·
3 Jun

My second year at ACU was full of opportunities that grew me as an individual and a journalist.

In my first year as editor in chief of @acuoptimist, we published six print issues, filmed a 3-hour live election show, and revamped our newscast, all while producing news weekly.

Reply on Twitter 1929734328445178254 Retweet on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Like on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Twitter 1929734328445178254

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved