In this episode of PeppTalk, the podcast welcomes one of the most legendary entertainers of all time: Pat Boone. Hosted by Alexa and Kelly Haer, executive director of Pepperdine’s Boone Center for the Family, the episode highlights Boone’s life, career, and faith. Tune in to hear how Boone rose to fame as one of America’s top teen idols, selling more than 45 million records, starring in 26 films, and hosting numerous television and radio programs. His influence on American popular culture spans generations.

In the conversation, Boone reflects on his extraordinary journey and the legacy he values most: faith and family. He shares personal stories from his career alongside cultural icons such as Brian Wilson, Elvis Presley, and others, offering a rare glimpse into music history. As the namesake of Pepperdine University’s Boone Center for the Family, Boone also discusses his commitment to strengthening God-honoring relationships and offers encouragement to young people and families today.

This episode celebrates Pat Boone’s legacy and marks the Season One finale of the PeppTalk podcast.

In this special episode of PeppTalk, presented by Pepperdine University and the Boone Center for the Family, we’re joined by Kelly Haer, Executive Director of the Boone Center for the Family, and Dr. Henry Cloud — acclaimed clinical psychologist, leadership expert, and New York Times bestselling author of Boundaries, the book that has helped millions cultivate healthier relationships and stronger lives. Drawing on decades of experience guiding leaders, families, and individuals, Dr. Cloud offers practical wisdom on managing expectations, honoring family well, setting healthy boundaries, and finding peace amid the pressures of the holiday season.

In this episode, we’re unpacking the Pain and Peace Cycle, which is a core piece of the Boone Center’s RelateStrong and RelateStrong Leadership Series Curriculum. When we’re triggered, we often fall into patterns that create hurt, but there is also a restorative path that leads to peace. Dee Dee walks us through this transformative model and shares how understanding these cycles can reshape the way we navigate stress, conflict, and relationships.

In this episode of PeppTalk, Kelly Haer and Dee Dee Mayer from the Boone Center for the Family explore how followers of Christ can navigate political differences without letting them divide relationships. Just in time for the holiday season, they unpack why political conversations feel more personal and polarizing today—and share practical, faith-centered ways to stay connected even when opinions differ and conflict arises.

On this episode of PeppTalk, we welcome an unusual guest: the Ghost of George Pepperdine. What started as a witty X account poking fun at Pepperdine history has grown into a Substack filled with sharp, provocative reflections on the University’s past, present, and soul. In this episode, learn why Pepperdine remains “haunted” by its founding ideals, the history behind Founder’s Day, and how mythmaking shapes institutions. Hear personal stories of Ronald Reagan, Blanche Seaver, and more in this spooky conversation and uncover the ways Pepperdine’s history still shapes its future—and why some ghosts never leave the places they love.

In this special episode of PeppTalk, we sit down with the WAVES WORSHIP team, a worship and songwriting movement at Pepperdine, to talk about the impact of worship at Pepperdine and their exciting upcoming projects. From leading chapels and creating spaces of authentic encounter with God to producing their first full-length album, WAVES WORSHIP is shaping the spiritual life of the Pepperdine community with students and Gen-Z front and center.

Their first single off their debut album, “Everywhere,” is out now. Their self-titled debut album, WAVES WORSHIP, will be released on September 12—just in time for the Pepperdine community to gather for the Worship Summit on September 13.

Join us as we go behind the music with WAVES Worship and hear their vision for how worship can inspire, unite, and transform lives both on campus and beyond.

As we close our PeppTalk series on relationships, we turn to the one relationship that shapes all the others—our relationship with God.

In this powerful conversation, Dee Dee helps us unpack what it really means to walk with God. We explore timeless wisdom from figures like Augustine, Paul, and Job, the role of spiritual disciplines, how to stay grounded in dry seasons, and why relationship—not performance—is at the heart of the Christian life.

Dee Dee also offers practical advice on how to seek and sustain a relationship with God through the development of healthy spiritual habits.

Whether you’re seeking deeper faith, struggling in silence, or curious about spiritual growth, this episode offers wisdom and encouragement to pursue a transformative relationship with the One who created you for connection.

Discover why intimacy with God is the starting point for lasting change in every area of your life and how the RelateStrong | Leadership Series can bring lasting hope and healing to your ministry.

In this episode of PeppTalk, Coby and Alexa are joined by professor Jennifer Smith to discuss how Pepperdine University is cultivating academic freedom within a distinctly faith-based environment.

We take you inside the 2025 Academic Freedom Colloquium: Faith and the Academy and the University’s signature Dialogue Dinner series—two initiatives at the heart of Pepperdine’s commitment to open, courageous dialogue. From topics like race, gender, and identity to enduring questions of truth and tradition, our podcasters explore how Pepperdine is leading a national conversation that merges conviction and curiosity. Together, they consider what it looks like to pursue truth boldly while remaining rooted in Christian faith.

Through candid discussion, seminar-style engagement, and Christ-centered hospitality, Pepperdine is building a culture where academic freedom isn’t unmoored from conviction—it’s tethered to it. This episode challenges common assumptions about intellectual freedom and shows how faith-based universities might actually be among its fiercest defenders.

Want more on faith and academic freedom? Read Pepperdine President Jim Gash’s recent feature op-ed in U.S. News & World Report.

What is true friendship—and why does it matter now more than ever? In this thought-provoking episode of PeppTalk, the Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson joins us for a conversation on the meaning of friendship in a fragmented, fast-paced world. Drawing from classical thinkers, Christian tradition, and her own experience in the classroom, Dr. Hooten Wilson explores how friendships of virtue are essential for human flourishing. Together, we unpack timeless texts—from Aristotle to C.S. Lewis—and discuss how the Great Books invite us into a richer understanding of friendship as a moral and spiritual practice. Whether you're a student, a seeker, or simply someone longing for deeper connection, this episode will inspire you to rethink the relationships that shape your life.

Interested in learning more about Pepperdine's Great Books Program? Click here.

In this special episode of PeppTalk, hosts Alexa and Coby speak with Pete Peterson, dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, to discuss the launch of the Master of Middle East Policy Studies program—a first-of-its-kind graduate program in partnership with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Located at Pepperdine’s Washington, DC, campus, this two-year, in-person program combines the study of the modern Middle East and US foreign policy with hands-on training for careers in diplomacy, intelligence, development, advocacy, and more. To ensure that merit is the sole factor in admission, the program will provide full scholarships to the inaugural cohort.

Discover today how the academically rigorous Master of Middle East Policy Studies program will equip students with real-world experience and a faith-informed perspective to lead in one of the world’s most complex regions.

🔗 Learn more and Apply Today