Conferences and Sponsorships
The Center for Faith and Learning sponsors faculty to serve as representatives at conferences with several affiliate organizations. Other opportunities with partner organization include fellowships and grants.
If you are interested in any of these opportunities, contact the Center for Faith and Learning.
The Lilly Network
For almost three decades, the Center for Faith and Learning has served as the liaison for Pepperdine's affiliation with The Lilly Network. The Lilly Network (formerly the Lilly Fellows Program) is a national network of colleges and universities whose mission is "to strengthen the quality and shape the character of church-related institutions of higher learning in the twenty-first century." Opportunities include The Lilly Network National Conference and Workshop for Senior Administrators, several grant offerings, and fellowships for faculty and graduate students.
The Lilly Network National Conference and Workshop for Senior Administrators
Each year two Pepperdine faculty members are chosen to attend this annual national conference sponsored by The Lilly Network and held at a Network member campus. Representatives from member schools gather to discuss matters of faith and learning and foster collaborations and ideas to strengthen the work of church-related higher education.
Donna Nofziger serves as the Pepperdine representative for the Lilly Fellows Program.
Lilly Network Grants
Several grants are available to faculty at Network member schools. Information on available grants, a grant writing guide and applications are located on the Network's Grant page. All applicants must first submit a Declaration of Interest form.
Contact the Center for Faith and Learning for assistance in applying for Lilly Network grants.
Lilly Network Fellowships
Fellowship opportunities with The Lilly Network include graduate fellowships for those wishing to foster exploration and renewal of their sense of vocation; faculty fellowships for mid career faculty seeking to "engage the intersections of Christian thought and practice with the academic vocation"; and a residential fellowship for postdoctoral students.
The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education
The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) is a nationwide network of colleges and universities formed to enrich the intellectual and theological exploration of vocation among undergraduate students. The Center for Faith and Learning oversees Pepperdine’s NetVUE membership and sends faculty and staff representatives to annual NetVUE conferences, has organized and has hosted seminars and regional meetings for NetVUE on Pepperdine’s campus.Former CFL director John Barton cohosts NetVUE’s podcast, Callings: Conversations on College, Career, and a Life Well Lived.
CFL has secured several grants for this work from NetVUE, and John Peterson, an English professor and one of CFL’s associate directors, oversees the various curricular and cocurricular efforts.
The Christian Scholars Conference
The Christian Scholars Conference (CSC) is the leading academic conference associated with Churches of Christ. Many Pepperdine faculty participate in the annual CSC conference, including some sponsored by CFL.
REGISTER for the 2026 Christian Scholars Conference hosted by Pepperdine University, June 3-5, 2026