Great Books Events

Faculty Virtue Education Workshop

Dates: May 11–13, 2026

This workshop is designed to help faculty articulate and quantify specific learning outcomes related to character development such as intellectual humility, generosity, deep friendship, and hospitality. Participants will learn to develop interactive activities and assignments that support students’ growth in virtues and to integrate these elements into new or existing syllabi in meaningful ways.

This year’s workshop will feature keynote speaker Dr. Elizabeth Whiting, Director of Interdisciplinary and Engaged Learning in the Professional Schools at Wake Forest University’s Program for Leadership and Character. Her background highlights extensive experience in moral education and ethics, and in bringing these themes into professional and societal contexts.

We invite faculty from any academic discipline at any U.S. undergraduate institution to apply for this 2.5-day course development workshop on integrating character formation into course design. All inclusive meals and a stay at Graziadio Villa is provided for non-Pepperdine Faculty for $525/each for those first 10 who register.

No prior scholarly expertise in character, virtue, or pedagogy is required. The workshop will provide tools to equip faculty who already teach discipline-specific courses and wish to put virtue education at the forefront of the classroom without compromising core content. Priority will be given to current Pepperdine ECI Fellows, but all are encouraged to apply.