To Bob and Linda with Thanks

Bethany Arabe
Current Student

For the past 27 years, Dr. Brower has left a lasting impact on this university through his service, thoughtfulness, and dedication to his students. Over those same years, one of the original banners from his inauguration has been kept by generations of Point Loma students. The banner, which says “The Inauguration of Robert Brower, 14th President of Point Loma Nazarene College, April 1998,” hung on Caf Lane for Dr. Brower’s official welcome to the university. On that day in April 1998, a student stole this banner, and all these years since then, it has been passed down from senior class to senior class.

Last year, a good friend of mine, Olivia Spafford (23), asked me and my roommate, Ruth Stuart, if we would have the honor of taking ownership of the banner for our senior year. Thrilled by the opportunity, we accepted without hesitation, and the banner was proudly displayed in the kitchen of our Flex apartment for the 2023-2024 school year.

When my roommates and I heard about Dr. Brower’s upcoming retirement, it seemed fitting for us to return the banner to him as a graduation gift. So, at the 2024 Spring Break Build, I told Dr. Brower about the legendary banner, and our intention to give it to him at Commencement. He invited us to meet between the two ceremonies, during his lunch with members of the board, friends, and family in the President’s Dining Room. There, we got to share with everyone the story of the banner and how it was a joyous honor to play a small part in its history. In return, Linda Brower made us brownies as both a gift and a ‘ransom’ for the stolen banner, which is just one small example of her thoughtfulness and genuine heart for us students. My roommates and I thoroughly enjoyed the ‘Brower Brownies,’ as we called them, and we are so thankful for everything the Browers have done for this community.

Steve Bothwell
PLNU Neighbor and Supporter

In 26 years, Dr. Brower has accomplished many milestones. There are two that really stand out. 

College of Health Sciences: During his tenure, Dr. Brower can take credit for many notable accomplishments, but none is greater than the establishment of the PLNU College of Health Sciences. This College had been a vision for many years but appeared to be a distant reality. With great leadership and significant risk-taking, Dr. Brower and his staff made it happen with astounding prayer and faith in God’s blessing. The CHS with its very distinct seven specialties, including a PA program and a biomechanics lab, will place PLNU in a “league by itself.”

Dr. Walter Augustine Associate
Vice President of Diversity and Belonging

I am so grateful to have had the honor to serve under Dr. Brower for the past two years. His humility, strength, integrity, godly conviction and compassion for others are all characteristics that made me want to work for him and follow his leadership. I have served under many leaders throughout my career, but few have demonstrated the Christ-like qualities of servant-leadership that Dr. Brower does as president of PLNU. As John C. Maxwell states, “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” and I believe that the last 27 years of growth at PLNU under Dr. Brower are a testimony to this axiom. I feel privileged to have served under Dr. Brower’s leadership, and I believe that I and PLNU are all the better because of it. 

Nathan Shoup (24)
2023-2024 ASB President

With the announcement of Dr. Brower’s retirement, a lot of conversation has arisen about the legacy that both Bob and Linda will be leaving at Point Loma Nazarene University. It is no secret that both Bob and Linda have made tremendous impacts on countless students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Indeed, this season has been marked with so much celebration as we look back on all the different ways that Dr. Brower has positively transformed so many in and through the university. It is so true. Dr. Brower is leaving such a tremendous legacy at PLNU; however, I would like to talk about that which I believe is even more important that both Dr. Bob and Linda Brower have established at and through PLNU. I would suggest that the Browers have done far more than leave a legacy but established a heritage at PLNU. Although the legacy of Dr. Brower will outlive all of us, the heritage established by Bob and Linda will vastly outlive and reach so much further than any sort of legacy. The heritage established by Bob and Linda, marked by both of their loving characters, will continue to actively impact the lives of countless students, people, and the world. The difference between legacy and heritage is the mark of activeness in the latter. A legacy simply is a marker on what you have done and how great you were. A heritage is the living impact that you had and continue to have, as your presence in [the lives of] others shapes, impacts, and influences people in the present day. 

Dr. Brower, your loving care, intentional leadership, strong presence, and impactful voice has and is going to continue to shape the callings of so many students at PLNU. Students, current and graduated, have been inspired by your leadership and example. As we enter the world and continue that which we have been trained and inspired by you to do, your legacy lives on and your heritage is experienced. Because of you and the way that you loved us students, the world is going to experience the fruits of your labor: humility, honor, patience, care, hope, persistence, intentionality, calmness, and wisdom. Your leadership, way of living, and manner by which you show up all continue to point everyone that you meet to Jesus Christ. The way that you embody our Savior continues to mark the most impactful piece of who you are and who you are inspiring people to become. I am certain that heaven is roaring just by the way that you live your life and carry out your leadership because they both share parallels and are indeed the very heritage of Christ. Thank you, Dr. Brower, for continuing to show up, leading humbly yet so firmly, all the while embodying for us as a PLNU community the richness of Christlikeness. We have a lot to thank God for in the leader that you are, and I cannot help but express my gratitude to you here as I write this reflection. You are a man that I look up to, strive to become, and hope that I can be to my family, my people, and to my God. We love you Dr. Brower and are so thankful for the heritage that you established in our small pocket of San Diego and also in the world. Wishing you abundant blessings as you enter into this new season of life as you continue shaping the lives of everyone that you interact with.

Dr. Ralph (58) and Glenda (59) Earle
Alumni

Thanks to you, Bob and Linda for “a great ride.” You have made PLNU a much more respected university and have enhanced its openness, academic and spiritual dimensions. 

Dr. Dean Nelson
Director of PLNU’s Multimedia Journalism Program and Writer’s Symposium By The Sea

The Writer’s Symposium By The Sea was already underway by the time Bob Brower became president, and it was gaining prominence. We started hosting dinners with esteemed writers before the evening interviews, and George Mitrovich, founder of the San Diego City Club, alum of Pasadena College, and champion of the Symposium, suggested that I include Bob and Linda Brower at those dinners.

This was a good idea for a variety of reasons. I had seen Bob interact with members of the journalism community when I hosted events during the year, and he seemed genuine and engaging. My journalism colleagues were impressed with his knowledge and affability. So when he and Linda sat around the dinner table in the aptly named President’s Dining Room on campus with the likes of George Plimpton, Christopher Buckley, Otis Chandler, special guests Michael and Kitty Dukakis, along with various San Diego business and cultural giants, the Browers fit right in. And when Anne Lamott asked him why he was wearing brown shoes with a blue suit, I don’t remember what he said, but I do remember that he made her laugh. 

I was always proud of the way he would honor each person he met. He was comfortable with everyone, regardless of their status. He was also comfortable with himself, which came through clearly.

Even more than my admiration for the way President Brower could interact with individuals from varying walks of life and lifestyles, I admired the freedom he gave the Symposium to bring in whomever we wanted to bring in. The criteria for who we feature at the Symposium have remained constant – we want people who have a body of work that we can celebrate, and who can model and inspire the audience to value great storytelling and even become great storytellers themselves. The world runs on story.

But not everyone – including President Brower – has agreed with the choices for Symposium speakers. He received dozens (maybe hundreds) of complaints about certain writers we brought in. He and I would talk about the concerns, and one time we had a VERY long conversation on Zoom while I was in New Jersey, where he questioned the validity of a particular writer. He told me how donors were threatening to withdraw support from the university if certain people weren’t disinvited.

And yet, he trusted me. He listened to my rationale. Despite the threats (some were physical, most were financial), the speakers came, the audience was energized, and the Symposium continued to be one of the great literary events in California and beyond. 

Maybe we’d have more millions in our endowment if I had canceled those troubling speakers. Blame me that the new fitness center hasn’t been built. But my takeaway from the freedom President Brower gave me regarding who we should celebrate is that, when it came to the Writer’s Symposium, ideas mattered more than dollars. 

For this, and many other contributions he made to our academic life here, I am grateful.

Doug Pierce
PLNU Board Chair and District Superintendent, Arizona District Church of the Nazarene

One of the distinctives of Point Loma Nazarene University has been the obedient response of its presidents to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Just as our founder, Dr. Bresee heard the Voice of God and responded obediently, which resulted in the establishment of this university, Dr. Bob Brower heard God calling him to move west and serve as our leader. As a result of his courageous obedience and Spirit-led vision, PLNU is now in its strongest position numerically, academically, financially, and I would add spiritually. 

And let me add our appreciation to Linda. She is a partner in ministry with Dr. Brower. She uses her gifts and training to serve others. I see her connecting with students, parents, faculty and many others here on campus, on mission trips, traveling to district assemblies all across the SW Region, and participating in many other university events. Linda, you are a gift to us that we cherish — you are deeply loved and appreciated.

It’s obvious that relationships are important to Bob and Linda — they have invested in you and me and thousands of others. Here’s a quote from Dr. Brower’s report to the Board of Trustees last fall expressing the importance of people and relational connections: 

“With all the accomplishments and advances PLNU has enjoyed, what I value most are the relationships with students, faculty, staff, and all the many constituents of the university. I treasure the thousands of relationships and people around the world that I know and have worked with because of PLNU and the Church. I will always be grateful for the privilege extended to me to represent Point Loma and have a small role in furthering its success and future.”

I read the following from Cultivate What Matters describing in a few words how we leave a legacy, and I couldn’t help but think about Bob and Linda Brower. It states, we leave an impactful legacy by:

“Loving the people around us with our time and attention, living with integrity so we’re a trustworthy person to follow, and growing what we’ve been given so we have something to pass on.”

Bob and Linda, you have modeled that well and your legacy will continue through the thousands of university constituents you have impacted who are serving productively around the world. Well done!

On behalf of the Board of Trustees let me say thanks to the Browers for your 26, going on 27 years, of outstanding service to the university and congratulations on your upcoming retirement!

Dr. Kristopher Koudelka
Co-chair of the Department of Biology

Dear President Brower,

We all celebrate your decades of servant leadership. We especially wanted you to know how much we all appreciated your leadership during COVID. In real time, it was incredibly hard to navigate the social, emotional, political, educational, financial, spiritual, governmental, and health needs of a diverse university. Through prayer, thought, humility, and a deep care for PLNU, you led us to become the most face-to-face institution in San Diego County and the vast majority of California during those trying times. PLNU was a beacon of hope in a desolate landscape.

Personally, I would like to thank you for believing in me, mentoring me, challenging me, inspiring me, and further cultivating vocation in me. You have recounted many times how God called you here. Thank you for taking up that challenge through unprecedented growth, innovation of goals, recessions, pandemics, and changing cultural landscapes. Moreover, you have literally helped change tens of thousands of lives by aiding them to their vocation, their call… by clearing answering your call. I cannot think of a higher gift to have given others. Thank you!

Jackye Peacock
Administrative Assistant, Office of the University President

Reflecting on my eight years in Mieras, particularly the past four supporting Dr. Brower, has filled me with gratitude. It has been a true blessing to witness Dr. Brower’s exemplary leadership and his genuine care for PLNU. His attentive listening and thoughtful responses have left a lasting impression on me.

One of the many qualities I deeply admire about the Browers is their unwavering commitment to others. Their willingness to always say “yes” when called upon and warm engagement with everyone they meet, from engaging campus tours to hosting meals at their home, exemplify their selfless spirits.

Dr. Brower and Linda, as you embark on this new chapter together, I hope you continue to find joy in each other’s company and cherish the moments exploring new adventures, whether traveling, hiking, or simply spending time with family. 

Thank you both for your incredible impact on PLNU and the San Diego community. Your legacy of compassion and dedication will continue to inspire us all.

Dr. Mary Paul
Vice President of Student Life and Formation

I am not sure how to capture what it has meant to serve alongside Bob Brower. Here are a few things that I have seen close-up, not necessarily in order of importance. Responsibility is high on his strengths list. He is deeply committed to resources being valued and stewarded well.

He was invested and interested in details of our shared work. He is not a micromanager, but he does like to know the depth of each cabinet member’s work across the university engagements. Before going to a cabinet meeting, I tried to guess what he might ask: an event coming up, a follow up on a student concern, how many students were studying abroad. I was quite pleased when I had the information ready upon request, but I must admit he would often stump me.

At a deeper level, I have been shaped by the way Bob lives out the call of servant leadership. He carries a healthy humbleness. He carries his leadership in a way that gives confidence to a leadership team and the larger community. At the same time, he is quick to name and celebrate the strengths of others. Each success, every challenging season that we overcame, every win, was not about him but us – all of us.

We have shared the experience of working together at many Spring Break Builds. The joy he and Linda have as they work alongside students, staff, faculty, and local ministry leaders is evident as they celebrate the relationships, the work, and the wonder of creating something that will make a lasting difference.

Bob, by who he is, brings a sense of stability. There’s a trustworthiness when he speaks that can ground a leadership team as well as a community when challenges arise.

His clear desire is that all of us find PLNU to be a place in which we encounter a vital Christian community where minds are engaged and challenged, character is modeled and formed, and service is an expression of faith.

I am deeply thankful for the journey of sharing work and life with both Bob and Linda Brower.

Dr. Joseph Watkins
Retired Executive Vice President

Bob was, among other things, our friend which meant we got to work with Bob rather than for Bob. There is a world of difference between the two… collaborator rather than subordinate, respected colleague rather than merely employed.

George Latter
MBA Retired Vice President for Finance & Administrative Services

I so appreciate Bob… He encouraged me, supported me and, more than anything else, consistently modeled for me the authenticity that is a hallmark of servant leadership.

Dr. Caye Smith
Retired Vice President for Student Development

PLNU’s mission was central to every decision Bob made… He acted as though each student was his own child or grandchild. He has given himself fully and completely to his calling as president. 

Joe LaLuzerne
Vice President for Finance and CFO

Dr. Brower has always modeled a compelling mix of generosity, authenticity, and genuine care for others… He ensured I had the background and connections needed to do my work. At the same time, he showed interest in me as a person and the wellbeing of my family. 

Dr. Kerry Fulcher
President Elect

Dr. Brower showed trust and confidence in me from the very beginning. He has always empowered me to work independently and has been a very supportive mentor. 

Dr. Jeff Bolster
Vice President for University Services

Dr. Brower has been a caring and inspiring mentor. He has steadily modeled effective leadership that is kind, thoughtful, and deeply connected to our mission. One of my favorite memories is his response to a campuswide power outage that lasted from 10 p.m. until almost 4 a.m. Without being asked, Dr. Brower showed up shortly after the power went out and joined us as we walked to all the dorms and visited with students. They cheered as he walked in each hall, and were grateful that he was willing to support them that way. That is one story of thousands where he demonstrated leadership that was present and focused on what is best for students. His deep love for the Lord and his dedication to PLNU show up in every administrative decision I have seen him make. It’s been an honor to work alongside him.

Kelly Smith
Former Vice President for University Advancement

[During COVID] Bob stayed focused and alert to the constantly changing nature of the pandemic and prayerfully considered each difficult decision … He was masterful at keeping his finger on the pulse of both external and internal threats to the university and thus was able to carry the campus through. I will forever be a better leader having watched the way he leaned into the real issues while leaning on the Lord.

Julie (Brower) Little
Bob and Linda’s Daughter

I’m so proud to be your daughter and to call you Dad! We started our PLNU “freshman” year together, and now, 26.5 years later, it’s time to graduate! Congratulations! Over the last 6 months I’ve had the privilege to spend time listening to my dad reflect on various experiences at PLNU. Each story had a common theme — real and right relationships. Whether it was a student, faculty member, or staff at PLNU, or leaders stretching from San Diego to Kyoto, Japan. The one-on-one relationship mattered and he took the time to cultivate those relationships. He saw people and loved them the way Christ does. I’m grateful for his legacy that’s interwoven throughout PLNU and the greater community as well as our family. I love you, Dad! Congratulations!